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Giants Rumors: Banks, Daboll, Defensive Staff

June 8th, 2024 at 5:12pm CST by Ely Allen

Former first-round pick Adoree’ Jackson is currently a free agent after playing out his three-year, $39MM contract with the Giants, and at this point, it’s almost guaranteed that he won’t be returning to New York. According to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, the team’s decision to let Jackson walk without a new contract is a result of their trust in Deonte Banks to step up as a “true No. 1” cornerback.

Jackson had been an extremely successful signing over his first two seasons with the Giants but saw his quality of play decline drastically in 2023. After grading Jackson out as the 15th and 31st best cornerback in the NFL over first two years with the team, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Jackson at 117th out of 127 graded players last year.

Banks, a first-round rookie in 2023, didn’t grade out much better last season, with PFF marking him as the 110th best cornerback in the NFL. Still, Banks was productive as a rookie, nabbing two interceptions and leading the team with 11 passes defensed last year. He’s extremely physically gifted for the position, and many in the building believe he surpassed Jackson on the depth chart last year.

He’ll have his work cut out for him as the team’s top corner in 2024. The Giants open their season against Justin Jefferson and the Vikings. Other receivers he’ll be expected to shadow on the schedule are Terry McLaurin (twice), CeeDee Lamb (twice), A.J. Brown (twice), Amari Cooper, D.K. Metcalf, and Ja’Marr Chase. The Giants have faith that Banks will develop into the CB1 they’ll need in order to succeed in 2024.

Here are a few other rumors coming out of New York:

  • We’ve heard plenty of rumors already that Giants head coach Brian Daboll will take over play-calling duties for the offense in 2024 over offensive coordinator Mike Kafka. While it’s only organized team activities, Dan Duggan of The Athletic may have confirmed that notion, reporting that Daboll has been calling plays in OTAs. Daboll was spotted in the offensive huddle in between each play wile Kafka was lurking 10 to 15 yards back and to the left of the offense.
  • Giants defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson just missed out on getting promoted to replace Wink Martindale as the defensive coordinator in 2024, losing out to former Titans defensive coordinator Shane Bowen. Despite the exodus of defensive staff that would usually follow such a move, Daboll made it clear that he wanted almost all of the assistant coaches on the defensive side of the ball to stay, per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. Bowen was given a chance to make desired changes, but following the lead of Daboll, who personally let go any defensive staffers he didn’t want to hold on to, Bowen opted to retain much of the same staff as the previous campaign.

Giants Expect TE Darren Waller To Retire

June 3rd, 2024 at 10:14pm CST by Adam La Rose

Darren Waller has yet to make a final decision on his playing future. As things stand, though, it would come as a surprise if the Giants tight end continued his playing career in 2024.

ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reports Waller is likely to make a retirement decision no later than next week’s mandatory minicamp. The team’s position is that he is leaning toward hanging up his cleats rather than suiting up for a second campaign in New York. The 31-year-old’s future has been in doubt throughout the offseason, and he has not taken part in OTAs.

Waller spoke about his situation in April, stating a final call may have been made prior to the draft. That did not happen, but he has pledged to inform the team of his decision before the break between mandatory minicamp and the start of training camp in July. New York’s minicamp will run from June 11-13, meaning clarity on the situation should arise by that point.

As Raanan notes, the Giants are proceeding as if Waller deciding to play would be a “pleasant surprise.” The former Pro Bowler posted a second consecutive 1,000-yard season in 2020, but he has been beset by hamstring injuries for much of the time since. His trade from the Raiders to the Giants brought about expectations for a rebound, but he was limited to 12 games and one touchdown catch. New York has made preparations for a Waller-less tight end room this offseason.

The team still has 2022 fourth-rounder Daniel Bellinger (who has started 24 of his 29 games) on his rookie pact. He is joined by free agent additions Jack Stoll and Chris Manhertz as well as Theo Johnson, who was drafted in the fourth round. That group will look to serve as capable pass catchers if Waller does indeed elect to hang up his cleats.

The latter is on the books for three more years, but none of his remaining salaries are guaranteed. The Giants would generate $11.63MM in cap space against a dead money charge of $2.46MM by moving forward with a post-June 1 release. If Waller decides to end his playing tenure, he will depart the NFL with just over $42MM in career earnings.

Giants’ Brandon Brown Addresses Financial WR Approach

June 1st, 2024 at 9:01pm CST by Adam La Rose

Recent offseasons have seen the top of the wide receiver market reach unprecedented heights. A number of teams around the league have made massive investments in both ascending and established pass-catchers, but the Giants have not been among them under general manager Joe Schoen.

New York inked Kenny Golladay to a four-year, $72MM during Dave Gettleman‘s final year at the helm. That pact proved to be ill-fated, as the ex-Lions Pro Bowler recorded one touchdown catch in 28 combined regular and postseason games. Golladay was released last March, and he remains unsigned.

Under Schoen, the Giants have relied on the draft to fill out the receiver room. Wan’Dale Robinson (second round, 2022), Jalin Hyatt (third round, 2023) and Malik Nabers (first round, 2024) represent the team’s most notable investments along that route. The latter in particular faces major expectations entering his rookie season (although New York attempted to move the No. 6 pick in a trade-up which would have yielded quarterback Drake Maye).

The Nabers-Hyatt-Robinson trio comprises a low-cost group to join veteran Darius Slayton. A contract dispute was recently ended in that case, and $2.15MM now exist in incentives on the final year of his pact. Slayton, fellow veteran Allen Robinson and the Giants’ young WR options are the product of an organizational effort aimed at keeping costs down at the position.

“You see where the wave is going,” assistant general manager Brandon Brown said of the Giants’ financial approach (via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post). “We’ve talked over the years about projecting the market… and you don’t want to be on the wrong end of deals. I think, when you look at how young our receiver corps is, it’s an advantageous position to be in. Just the production, opportunity and the skill set all allows for you to be cost-controlled.”

Fielding a receiving corps lacking in major cap commitments has allowed the Giants to make moves such as the Brian Burns acquisition. The trade for the ex-Panthers edge rusher was accompanied by a five-year, $141MM extension. Of course, the Giants’ offense features a notable investment in the form of quarterback Daniel Jones. He is in place for at least one more season on his $40MM-per-year deal, although the team’s interest in replacing him were understandably not well received.

Questions remain about Jones’ long-term future, but adding a rookie signal-caller would provide the cap flexibility to make a signficant addition at spots such as receiver. Given Brown’s comments, though, the Giants appear content to remain committed to their current approach at one of the league’s premium positions.

Contract Details: Jennings, Slayton, Maye

June 1st, 2024 at 2:06pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are some details on recently agreed upon deals from around the league:

  • Jauan Jennings, WR (49ers): Two years, $15.39MM. We noted a couple of details in our original report of Jennings’ one-year bump, but thanks to OvertheCap.com, we now have a few more details. First, we see that San Francisco is taking advantage of the recent void year trend that continues to grow in popularity. Jennings’ deal contains four void years at the conclusion of his contract, spreading $14.15MM of his cap hit from 2026 to 2029. Because of this, his cap hits for the next two years will be $2.77MM and $4.26MM, respectively, but if he doesn’t sign a new deal by 2026, he will hold an $8.3MM cap hit despite not being on the roster that year. We originally noted the reported guarantees as $10.54MM, but we now know that he is guaranteed $8.44MM at signing consisting of his $6.21MM signing bonus and both years’ base salaries (worth $1.06MM in 2024 and $1.17MM in 2025).
  • Darius Slayton, WR (Giants): Two years, $12MM. We recently saw the Giants add some incentives to a restructured deal for their leading receiver of the past few years. Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reports that, as a result of the new deal, New York will see Slayton’s cap hit drop from $8.15MM to $7.75MM. His base salary in 2024 also sees a reduction from $2.7MM to $2.5MM. He should receive a $2.4MM roster bonus, a $350K workout bonus, and could earn up to $750K for the year in per game active roster bonuses.
  • Drake Maye, QB (Patriots): Four years, $36.64MM. Most rookies don’t get much say in how their first NFL contracts look. Overall contract value for first-year players is determined by their draft slot. One point of negotiation, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, appears to be the time it takes for a rookie to receive guaranteed money like signing bonuses. On this note, New England’s new passer will receive all $23.47MM of his signing bonus within 14 days of signing the deal, a huge, timely payout for the North Carolina-product.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/31/24

May 31st, 2024 at 8:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

Friday’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

  • Released from IR via injury settlement: TE Tucker Fisk

Minnesota Vikings

  • Waived: OL Matt Cindric 

New York Giants

New York Jets

Giants WR Allen Robinson: ‘I’ve Got A Couple More Years In Me’

May 31st, 2024 at 6:06pm CST by Adam La Rose

Allen Robinson will play for his fourth different team in as many years if he manages to make the Giants’ roster in 2024. The veteran receiver acknowledged he was caught off guard by the fact he was a free agent this offseason while adding he has no intention of retiring.

The 30-year-old spent last season with the Steelers, serving as a full-time starter. Robinson’s production (34 catches for 280 scoreless yards) represented a step back from that of past years, though, and Pittsburgh made the unsurprising move of cutting him in March. That led to an unexpected (from Robinson’s perspective) stint in free agency.

“I know for them, they were doing a lot of changes over there, schematic changes, and different things like that,” he said of Pittsburgh (via Michael Elsen of Giants.com). “So, it was a little surprising. But at the end of the day, it’s a part of the business. I’ve been in this thing now going on 11 years.”

The former second-rounder established himself as a high-profile receiver during his time with the Jaguars and Bears, topping 1,000 yards three times in a career known for often featuring sub-par quarterback play. Those stints were followed by one-and-done campaigns with the Rams and Steelers, during which Robinson saw his outuput drop considerably. He will aim to rebound this year as at least a depth contributor for the Giants.

“I knew right away I was playing again,” the Penn State product added. “In my eyes, I know for sure I’ve got a couple more years in me. Last year, kind of stepping into the season, I wasn’t quite 100 percent. I was coming off a foot injury. So, being able to have this offseason to really be healthy and train and do all those things, I knew for sure. There was no doubt for me as far as playing wise.”

New York’s 2024 receiving corps includes Malik Nabers, selected with the sixth overall pick after the team’s Drake Maye trade-up efforts were rebuffed. The Giants also have Darius Slayton back in the fold with an apparent contract resolution having been found. They, along with the likes of Jalin Hyatt, Wan’Dale Robinson and Isaiah McKenzie will play varying roles in New York’s passing game. Robinson could provide a veteran presence to that group while potentially helping his 2025 free agent stock in the process.

Giants Sign Round 2 S Tyler Nubin, Complete Draft Class

May 31st, 2024 at 1:35pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Giants announced on Friday that second-round safety Tyler Nubin has signed his rookie deal. As a result, all members of New York’s draft class are now on the books.

Nubin spent his entire five-year college career at Minnesota. He played in only five games as a freshman, but after that he was a key contributor to the team’s secondary. Each season from 2021-23 featured multiple interceptions being recorded (including a career-high five this past campaign to go along with 53 tackles and one sack).

Nubin earned Academic All-Big Ten honors four times during his tenure with the Golden Gophers, something which added to his on-field production in helping his draft stock. He was the first true safety to hear his name called during the 2024 draft (Eagles prospect Cooper DeJean has experience at that spot but also at corner), coming off the board 47th overall. Nubin should have an immediate path to playing time in New York.

The Giants saw Xavier McKinney depart in free agency this offseason when he landed a Packers deal averaging $17MM per year. New York elected not to match that offer, leaving McKinney free to follow in the footsteps of Julian Love one year ago in finding a new home on the open market. With the former no longer in the fold, a starting safety spot is up for grabs this offseason.

Nubin will be competing for the opportunity to join Jason Pinnock as a first-teamer in 2024 and beyond. The 6-2, 205-pounder was lauded for his well-rounded skillset in college, and he should be able to contribute right away at the NFL level. If that turns out to be the case, New York will have a McKinney replacement for at least the next four seasons.

Here is the final breakdown of the Giants’ 2024 draft class:

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/30/24

May 30th, 2024 at 7:55pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Kansas City Chiefs

New York Giants

Malik Herring was an exclusive rights free agent, meaning he was all but destined to return to Kansas City. The former UDFA has spent the past two seasons with the organization, compiling 16 tackles and 1.5 sacks in 14 games. Herring also got into all four playoff games this past season.

Elijah Riley joins the Giants after having appeared in 30 games with the Eagles, Jets, and Steelers. He got into a career-high 13 games with Pittsburgh this past season, finishing with 12 tackles while earning the majority of his snaps on special teams. Gary Brightwell was a sixth-round pick by the Giants in 2021, but he struggled to carve out a role behind Saquon Barkley. Brightwell’s tenure in New York will end with the RB having collected 256 yards from scrimmage.

Giants Add Incentives To WR Darius Slayton’s Contract

May 30th, 2024 at 11:16am CST by Sam Robinson

Darius Slayton‘s return to Giants practice looks to have ended a brief contract squabble. While the team’s top wide receiver during the Daniel Jones era has not secured an extension, the Giants did make a move that led to his return to practice.

The team added incentives to Slayton’s contract, with the wideout confirming (via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy) that helped lead him to show for voluntary workouts. No additional guarantees come with these incentives, per SNY’s Connor Hughes, but the prospect of additional cash was enough to bring the sixth-year wideout to OTAs.

More specifically, the Giants added $650K in incentives to Slayton’s contract, ESPN.com’s Field Yates tweets. The team previously included $1.5MM in incentives for Slayton in 2024; that number is now at $2.15MM. The Giants have Slayton going into the second season of a two-year, $12MM deal.

The additional incentives mark an interesting step for the parties, seeing as this Giants regime forced Slayton into a pay cut on his rookie deal less than two years ago. But Slayton and this Joe Schoen-led front office had been in talks about a resolution for a few weeks now.

Drafted during the Dave Gettleman GM years, Slayton has helped the Giants after the team made some mistakes on the receiver front. The Golden Tate signing underwhelmed in 2019, and the 2021 offseason — which featured a disastrous Kenny Golladay contract and a Kadarius Toney first-round misfire — set the team back at the position. Amid the missteps around him, Slayton has led the Giants in receiving in four of the past five seasons. Though, he has never topped 800 yards in a single campaign.

While the Giants made an interesting offer to the Patriots in hopes of adding an eventual Jones replacement (Drake Maye), they instead used the No. 6 overall pick to acquire a pass catcher (Malik Nabers) poised to supplant Slayton as the team’s top wideout. Slayton now resides as a Gettleman-era investment — albeit one Schoen re-signed in 2023 — in a receiver cadre otherwise flooded with Schoen pickups. The team has 2023 third-rounder Jalin Hyatt and 2022 second-rounder Wan’Dale Robinson in the fold, joining other players acquired under Schoen — Allen Robinson and ex-Schoen/Brian Daboll Bills pieces Isaiah Hodgins and Isaiah McKenzie.

This bevy of options, Slayton’s arrival under Gettleman and his contract-year status could conceivably make him a trade chip — depending on how Hyatt and Robinson continue to develop — before this year’s November deadline. The Giants, however, have continued to back Jones and appear more likely than not to see Darren Waller retire. Having a proven wideout option to help a quarterback who has never exactly been blessed with reliable receiving casts makes sense. For the time being, Slayton is moving forward with the team that drafted him five years ago.

Giants WR Darius Slayton Attends OTAs

May 28th, 2024 at 6:11pm CST by Ben Levine

While the Giants and Darius Slayton have yet to resolve the receiver’s salary concerns, it sounds like the player was at practice today. As Dan Duggan of The Athletic observes, Slayton was in attendance at Giants OTAs.

[RELATED: Trade Candidate: Darius Slayton]

Slayton was absent during the early portions of organized team activities as he pursues a new contract. The wideout re-signed with the Giants last offseason on a two-year, $12MM pact. He’s already earned a $2.6MM roster bonus this year, and he’s attached to a base salary of $2.5MM for the 2024 season.

GM Joe Schoen previously expressed optimism that the two sides would come to a resolution, and Slayton hinted that his camp was having conversations with the organization. However, since news first broke of Slayton’s contract pursuit, the Giants have only made it easier on themselves to move on from their top wide receiver. The team used the sixth-overall pick on LSU’s Malik Nabers, although Schoen did say the selection wouldn’t impact the front office’s handling of the Slayton situation.

While Slayton is apparently back at practice, his future in New York will continue to be murky until he signs an extension. The receiver has already been mentioned as a trade candidate, and even though the Giants couldn’t command a significant return for the veteran, they still might see some incentive in moving off his $8.15MM cap hit for 2024.

The former fifth-round pick has transformed into New York’s top receiver in recent years. Despite an inconsistent offensive role, the 27-year-old has still topped 700 receiving yards in four of his five NFL seasons, including a 2023 campaign where he finished with a career-high 770 receiving yards. While he’s sat atop the depth chart in recent years, Slayton would never be confused with a true No. 1 receiver, but the player could still justify a pay raise as a No. 2 wideout.

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