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Giants Add Eight UDFAs

May 10th, 2024 at 10:35am CST by Adam La Rose

The Giants exited the 2024 draft with six rookies, but the team has now added to that mix. Here are the undrafted free agents New York has signed:

Of the seven players players listed above, five received a six-figure guarantee from the Giants. The largest commitment was made to Kubas, whom Dan Duggan of The Athletic reports landed $270K. That figure consists of $240K in base salary in addition to a $30K signing bonus, a strong sign the team expects him to at least secure a practice squad spot in 2024.

Rogers landed $220K in guaranteed compensation, per Duggan. The 6-4, 300-pounder transferred from Nebraska to Oregon after the 2021 campaign. During his two seasons with the Ducks, Rogers totaled 56 tackles (including six for loss) and 1.5 sacks. Jiles received $100K in guarantees, Duggan adds. That represents a strong compensation package for the Division II product.

New York gave Marcellus Johnson a $150K guaranteed base salary along with a $20K signing bonus, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports. Alex Johnson, meanwhile, secured $115K in total guarantees, per Wilson. The latter spent four seasons with the Bruins, and his ball production saw a notable increase last season. Johnson racked up the only five interceptions of his career in 2023, adding three pass deflections.

The Giants’ UDFA class also includes kicker Jude McAtamney, and he represents their international roster exemption. Each team is allowed one designated international player who can be retained without using a 90-man roster spot. McAtamney only attempted one kick last season, but in 2022 he went 12-for-18 on field goals while converting all but one of his 24 extra point attempts. He will look to earn a taxi squad spot as depth behind Graham Gano.

Giants Sign WR Allen Robinson

May 9th, 2024 at 10:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

Another veteran wideout has landed a short-term opportunity with a new team in the wake of the draft. The Giants signed Allen Robinson on Thursday, per a team announcement.

Veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson notes this one-year pact will qualify for the veteran salary benefit. As such, it constitutes a low-cost investment on New York’s part as the team looks to add in the passing game. For Robinson, this deal marks his fifth career team.

The 30-year-old established himself as a dependable target during his Jacksonville and Chicago tenures, stretches often marked by underwhelming quarterback play. Robinson still managed to reach the 1,100-yard mark three times (2015, 2019 and 2020). After playing on the franchise tag during his final Bears campaign, expectations were therefore high when he signed a $46.5MM Rams deal.

Robinson was limited to just 10 games in 2022, however, and he recorded only 339 yards with Los Angeles. As part of the Rams’ financial maneuvering during the subsequent offseason, he was traded to the Steelers. That move set the one-time Pro Bowler up for another starting position in Pittsburgh, though the team’s passing attack understandably leaned heavily on Diontae Johnson and George Pickens. Robinson made 34 scoreless catches in 2023, although he did manage to remain healthy for the full season.

In spite of that availability, it came as little surprise when the Steelers cut Robinson earlier this offseason. Like many other veteran receivers, the Penn State product had a lengthy stay on the open market and needed to wait until after the draft to find a deal. The terms of this agreement demonstrate the limited market Robinson had coming off three straight seasons of underwhelming production. After totaling 200 receptions and 13 touchdowns between 2019-20, he has recorded only a 105-1,029-4 statline since then.

The Giants did extensive work on the top quarterbacks in this year’s draft, and the team submitted an offer to move up to No. 3 in the order to select Drake Maye. In the end, New York retained the sixth selection and used it on Malik Nabers. The LSU speedster will be tasked with helping the team rebound from a forgettable showing on offense endured in 2023. A number of incumbents are also in the fold, although the contractual future of Darius Slayton remains uncertain at this point.

Robinson will aim to earn a roster spot during training camp on a New York offense featuring short- and long-term questions under center. A strong outing in 2024 would help his market value while providing either Daniel Jones or Drew Lock with an experienced pass-catching option along the way.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/9/24

May 9th, 2024 at 10:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

As a number of teams prepare for rookie minicamps this weekend, Thursday has represented a signing day of sorts for rookie draftees. Here is the latest batch of mid- and late-rounders to sign their four-year rookie deals:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

  • T Travis Clayton (seventh round, England)

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

New Orleans Saints

  • QB Spencer Rattler (fifth round, South Carolina)
  • WR Bub Means (fifth round, Pittsburgh)
  • LB Jaylan Ford (fifth round, Texas)
  • DT Khristian Boyd (sixth round, Northern Iowa)
  • T Josiah Ezirim (seventh round, Eastern Kentucky)

New York Giants

Tennessee Titans

Cowboys, Giants Had RB MarShawn Lloyd On Day 2 Radar

May 8th, 2024 at 3:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

Linked to running backs during the pre-draft process, the Cowboys instead passed on drafting one and followed through with what became a much-discussed reunion with Ezekiel Elliott. The Giants waited until the fifth round to add a back to their group.

This RB class did not generate too much hype, with only one player — Texas’ Jonathon Brooks — going off the board in the first two rounds. Closely connected to Brooks, the Cowboys also did plenty of work on one of this class’ second-tier options. MarShawn Lloyd‘s camp viewed Dallas as one of the teams that could take the former USC and South Carolina back, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes, adding the Giants also carried interest in the recent Pac-12 RB.

Lloyd ended up going 88th overall to the Packers, making him an intriguing backup in a contingent housing free agency pickup Josh Jacobs and the recently re-signed AJ Dillon. Both the Giants and Cowboys carry more questions at the position, seeing as each team refrained from high-end investments this offseason.

The Giants were not willing to go near where the Eagles did for Saquon Barkley, failing to make an offer despite having submitted a proposal that included more than $20MM fully guaranteed last summer. They gave Devin Singletary a three-year, $16.5MM deal ($9.5MM guaranteed at signing) to replace Barkley, and the team has 2023 fifth-rounder Eric Gray and rookie fifth-rounder Tyrone Tracy Jr. as Singletary’s top backups. The Giants eyed Lloyd, per Fowler, but he landed between the team’s third- (No. 71) and fourth-round (No. 106) picks. Before the draft, a report indicated the Giants were eyeing veteran RB help. They may, however, be content once again to roll with an experienced starter and unseasoned backups.

Passing on Derrick Henry and other available RBs early in free agency, the Cowboys re-signed Elliott to a one-year, $3MM deal. Dallas has Royce Freeman and 2023 Tony Pollard backups Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn among its backfield options. This plan (as it stands now, that is) has generated some scrutiny. The team showed interest in Lloyd, doing plenty of pre-draft work on him, and Tennessee’s Jaylen Wright, Fowler adds. The Cowboys, however, did not carry a fourth-round pick. Wright went to the Dolphins, who traded up to acquire the SEC product at No. 120.

Lloyd transferred from South Carolina to USC in 2023, totaling a career-high 820 rushing yards (7.1 per carry) last season. Lloyd tallied nine rushing touchdowns with the Gamecocks in 2022. He will be among the rookie RBs attempting to prove teams wrong for their pre-draft outlook on this class.

Giants Claim QB Nathan Rourke

May 8th, 2024 at 8:21am CST by Sam Robinson

MAY 8: The Falcons joined the Giants in submitting a claim, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter notes. The Giants finishing with a worse 2023 record (6-11) compared to the Falcons (7-10) gave them the priority here. Atlanta’s QB situation has generated far more attention over the past two weeks, but the team also has a starter (Kirk Cousins) coming off a major injury.

As Cousins rehabs his Achilles tear, the team has Michael Penix Jr. and Taylor Heinicke as healthy options for offseason work. The team also reached an agreement with UDFA John Paddock (Illinois). Rourke would have become a fifth QB on Atlanta’s 90-man offseason roster.

MAY 7: Nathan Rourke has not yet turned his CFL production into regular-season NFL work, but teams continue to show interest in the Canadian quarterback.

Being waived by the Patriots on Monday, Rourke will make his way to New York. The Giants submitted a successful waiver claim to add the QB, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. This will be team No. 3 for Rourke, who has spent time with the Jaguars and Pats during his young NFL career.

[RELATED: Drew Lock In Play To Win Giants’ QB1 Gig?]

Rourke, 25, is a British Columbia native who played at Ohio University in the late 2010s. He ventured back north of the border in 2020 and became a successful passer for the BC Lions. The early-2020s production in Canada drew attention from nearly half the NFL. Twelve teams worked out Rourke from December 2022 to January 2023. The Giants were among them; they will now get a closer look at the aspiring NFL backup.

The Giants passed on adding a quarterback in the draft, despite exhaustive research on this year’s class, but did send the Patriots a substantial trade-up proposal for No. 3 overall. The offer, which included Nos. 6 and 47 overall and a 2025 first-rounder, was believed to be so the Giants could select Drake Maye. New England balked and drafted Maye, leading the Giants to take Malik Nabers. This kept Daniel Jones as the team’s QB centerpiece.

Rourke will join Jones, Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito in the Giants’ QB room. Teams regularly carry four QBs into offseason programs and into training camp. The Giants now have three healthy QBs on their roster; Jones remains on the rehab route post-ACL surgery. The five-year starter is expected to be back come training camp. The NFL also increased flexibility regarding the game’s premier position, allowing a non-roster player to serve as the emergency third QB.

Rourke spent most of last year with the Jags, signing a futures deal and spending time on both their active roster and practice squad. The Pats claimed Rourke off waivers in December; they beat the Texans to the punch there. But after making major changes to their QB room this offseason, the Pats moved on.

Giants Add Chris Snee To Scouting Staff

May 7th, 2024 at 6:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

The most decorated 21st-century Giants offensive lineman will make his way back to the organization. Former All-Pro guard Chris Snee will join Joe Schoen‘s staff.

Snee will be part of Schoen’s scouting contingent, the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz notes. This addition comes two years after the parties could not make an agreement work back in 2022. But Schoen and the former 10-year Giants O-line starter circled back to a deal, which will begin a reunion Snee has hoped for since retiring.

Part of a solid offensive line nucleus during the Giants’ two Super Bowl seasons, Snee earned four Pro Bowl invites and two All-Pro nods — including a first-team appearance in 2008 — during a career spent only with the Giants. The team drafted Snee in Tom Coughlin‘s first offseason as HC, bringing in the interior O-lineman after the Boston College alum had already become Coughlin’s son-in-law.

The pick produced a 141-start career, with Snee becoming a right guard anchor for Big Blue. Of the Giants’ long-running O-line quartet that included David Diehl, Sean O’Hara and Kareem McKenzie, Snee led the way in terms of Pro Bowl nods. No pure guard in Giants history matches Snee’s four Pro Bowl invites.

Snee, 42, hung up his cleats just before training camp in 2014. He reunited with Coughlin as an O-line scout for the Jaguars during the latter’s time as the team’s executive vice president. Snee also returned to his alma mater in 2022, working as a football analyst. Talks to bring Snee on two years ago did not produce a deal, but the Giants will move forward with a reunion during Schoen’s third offseason in charge.

2024 NFL General Manager Search Tracker

May 7th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

With the Patriots hiring Eliot Wolf as their de facto GM after having moved on from Bill Belichick, all five teams in need of a GM have filled their post this offseason. If other teams decide to make GM changes, they’ll be added to this list.

Updated 5-11-24 (4:35pm CT)

Carolina Panthers

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New England Patriots

Washington Commanders

Giants, WR Darius Slayton Discussing Contract Resolution

May 2nd, 2024 at 8:52am CST by Adam La Rose

Darius Slayton is away from the Giants’ offseason program as he angles for a new contract. He was in attendance at the annual Gridiron Gala in New York, though, and while there he provided an update on where things stand with he and the team.

“Right now, my agent [Michael Perrett] and [general manager] Joe [Schoen], they’re in negotiations. They’re talking,” Slayton said (via ESPN’s Jordan Raanan). “Hopefully we’ll come to a resolution here soon.”

Slayton re-signed with the Giants last offseason on a two-year, $12MM deal. A $2.6MM roster bonus has already been paid out, and the 27-year-old is due a base salary of $2.5MM for the 2024 campaign. An adjustment to the deal or an extension could increase Slayton’s security beyond the coming season, and the latter move would likely lower his 2024 cap hit ($8.15MM).

Schoen said prior to the draft that no talks with Slayton’s camp were ongoing, so this update marks a notable departure from that stance. The Giants used their top draft pick on a wideout (LSU’s Malik Nabers), a move which has the potential to provide the team with a true No. 1 at the position. Schoen noted, however, that Nabers’ addition will have no impact on New York’s intentions with respect to Slayton.

The latter is “confident” a resolution will arrive before training camp, and it will be interesting to see if negotiations produce an agreement in the coming days or weeks. Slayton recorded a team-leading 770 yards and four touchdowns on 50 receptions in 2023, with his catch total matching his career high. Expectations will be elevated for the Giants’ passing game this season regardless of who is under center, and Nabers’ presence could lower Slayton’s role on offense. Still, he figures to be a key figure for New York moving forward, and a new deal would add clarity to his future.

Drew Lock In Play To Win Giants’ Starting QB Job?

May 1st, 2024 at 10:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

Giants GM Joe Schoen has repeatedly indicated Daniel Jones is on track to return by training camp and reprise his role as the team’s starting quarterback. The team also showed tremendous confidence in the rehabbing QB by using the No. 6 overall pick to draft Malik Nabers, doing so despite extensive work on this year’s passer class.

Jones’ resume doubles as an unusual one for a quarterback on track for a sixth year as a team’s starter, but the party line (and Jones’ contract) centers around that being the Giants’ path. However, more rumblings about a QB competition are coming out. NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah said during his Move the Sticks podcast (h/t the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy) Drew Lock holds a legitimate chance to win that starting job.

[RELATED: Giants Deny Daniel Jones Buyer’s Remorse]

The Giants thoroughly scouted this year’s QB class, being closely linked to both Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy and hosting the likes of Bo Nix and Spencer Rattler on “30” visits along with the recent North Carolina and Michigan starters. The value did not align for the Giants at No. 6, with a clear line of demarcation forming between Maye and the next tier at the position. That led to the team offering the Patriots Nos. 6 and 47, along with a 2025 first-rounder for No. 3 overall. As it stands, the Giants remain a Jones-centric operation.

“Yeah, for me, I said it in January after the season. Expectation was Daniel would be our starter and we brought Drew Lock in to be his backup and Tommy [DeVito] has been the backup,” Schoen said, via ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan. “So that’s where we are and that’s how we’ll move forward this season. Daniel is still under contract for three more years. As it sits today, that is where we are.”

Certainly not a ringing Jones endorsement, Schoen’s comments come after Seahawks GM John Schneider said the Giants dangled the carrot of giving Lock a chance to compete for the starting job. Lock could well vie for playing time when Jones is healthy, the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard adds.

Schoen’s assessment also points to a second “prove it” year for the 2019 No. 6 overall pick. Jones, 26, responded well to such a challenge in 2022, piloting a moderately talented Giants team to a surprising divisional-round run. But he fared poorly before going down last season, doing so after receiving $81MM guaranteed at signing. That deal guarantees Jones’ $35.5MM base salary this season. After this year, the Giants can move on without too much in the way of dead money.

The Giants’ QB research project pitted this year’s class against Jones and Lock, and Jeremiah adds Maye provided the cutoff point. The team used Lock as a central comparison tool while evaluating this year’s class, per Jeremiah, who said the former second-round pick has a “really good shot” of winning the Giants’ job. Given the team’s 2023 commitment to Jones, it would be borderline shocking if Lock — who signed a one-year, $5MM deal in March — beat him out. On the whole, however, Jones has not given the Giants what they hoped for in an Eli Manning successor. And just about everything went wrong for the five-year starter last season.

A March report indicated the Giants’ QB search largely hinged on a lack of confidence Jones could stay healthy. Jones’ health history also is believed to have partially influenced Lock’s decision to sign with the Giants. Two neck injuries — one of which requiring a 2022 surgery — have hindered the scrutinized starter, and he will not be full-go until at least training camp. That will open the door to Lock offseason starter reps. Those could be important, if this is to become a genuine competition.

Chosen 36 spots after Jones in 2019, Lock lost a competition with Geno Smith in 2022 and did not threaten the latter’s job security last year. The former Broncos draftee has proven erratic when given extended run as a starter. Lock led the NFL in INTs during his last full-season starter run (2020), doing so despite only finishing 12 games. He also played the lead role in sinking the Broncos in 2021, starting the team’s final three games (all losses) after entering a Week 15 contest with the team at 7-6. Lock, 27, did play well in a start against the Eagles last year, leading a game-winning drive. Of course, the Eagles’ defense was on the brink of a full-on collapse at that point.

It would be interesting to see the Giants bail on Jones as their starter just as they have given him a No. 1-caliber wide receiver prospect; the team’s previous hopes at doing so failed miserably. But Jones has just one top-half QBR finish (2022) and one season with more than 15 TD passes (2019). He should be considered on the hot seat. The Giants also would owe an additional $12MM in injury guarantees if Jones is unable to pass a physical by the start of the 2025 league year.

Moving parts exist here, and while it would surprise if Lock received the call based on his past and the Giants’ Jones investment, this could be a storyline to monitor soon.

Giants Sign CB David Long

May 1st, 2024 at 8:17pm CST by Ely Allen

After four years in a fairly consistent, part-time starting role with the Rams, David Long struggled to find consistency in 2023. He’ll hope for less changes of scenery in 2024 after signing with the Giants today.

After playing out his rookie contract as a third-round pick out of Michigan, Long signed a deal to join the Raiders at the opening of free agency last year. He started one of eight game appearances for Las Vegas before getting waived by the team in early November. He was claimed by Carolina, where he started one more game in three appearances before getting waived by the Panthers. He was claimed one more time last year by the Packers but was waived just prior to the playoffs. After clearing waivers, the Green Bay signed Long to its practice squad, elevating him for the team’s victory over the Cowboys.

After a delayed start to his rookie year in Los Angeles, Long started 10 games in 52 appearances. After playing minimally in his first two seasons, Long established himself on the Rams defense as a key defender in the rotation of defensive backs. He logged 77 total tackles, an interception, and seven passes defensed for the team that drafted him.

In New York, Long will come in to add some depth to the secondary. With Adoree’ Jackson departing in free agency, the Giants return Deonte Banks and Cor’Dale Flott as starters. The team also brought in Kentucky cornerback Andru Phillips in last week’s draft. Phillips and Long should be two of the team’s top options to step into a third cornerback role.

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