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NFC East Rumors: Giants, Prescott, Lewis, Garcia

December 3rd, 2023 at 9:45pm CST by Ely Allen

The reported rift between Giants head coach Brian Daboll and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale has gotten weird. After recent reports of tension between the two coaches and rumors that both the team’s coordinators are in danger of losing their jobs, New York elected to deny, deny, deny. And then deflect, deflect, deflect.

The day of our initial report, a New York Post contribution by Mark Cannizzaro relayed multiple accounts from players and staff pushing back on the idea of a rift. Daboll himself expressed his “respect” for Martindale to the media last week telling them, “I’d say the biggest argument that Wink and I have had is who has the last piece of pizza.”

Daboll is known for running a bit of a closed-door operation intent on eliminating outside distractions, so taking his statements at face value is difficult to do. Especially when the following day, Pat Leonard of New York Daily News provided a description of a press conference in which general manager Joe Schoen and Daboll failed in their attempts to play it cool.

For the second straight day, Daboll made a joke about him and Martindale being avid eaters, saying, “I just met with Wink a little while ago. We had donuts.” This was followed by Schoen repeatedly deflecting questions about Martindale’s future with the team to Daboll, claiming that Daboll had already discussed these things with the media, which he hadn’t.

It seems like opinion for now, but those in the room seem to firmly believe in the supposed rift between Daboll and Martindale. The Giants’ attempts to get the media looking in the opposite direction don’t seem to be effective.

Here are a few other rumors from the NFC East:

  • Our own Adam La Rose recently provided a strong breakdown of the potential extension situation for Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. In it, La Rose relayed the team’s plan to wait until the offseason to solidify a new deal for their two-time Pro Bowler. Well, today, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network provided a bit more detail on the situation, cluing us in to a potential deadline for an extended contract. Rapoport speculates that, since Prescott is due a $5MM roster bonus on the fifth day of the new league year, if an extension is going to happen, it’s going to be before then. The 2024 League Year is set to start on March 13, giving the team until March 17 to get a deal done.
  • A few weeks into the season last year, we saw Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis undergo season-ending surgery for a Lisfranc injury. At the time, we questioned what the injury meant for Lewis’s future as he was set to enter a contract year and an injury plus the breakout of then fifth-round rookie DaRon Bland could threaten his job security. Apparently, we should have been worried about his future for a different reason as Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News told us recently that Lewis’s injury had the potential to threaten his football career. The team’s director of rehabilitation, Britt Brown, told Gehlken that “a lot of guys…wouldn’t have come back from that.” Brown continued, “When that initially happened, his career was immediately in jeopardy.” Lewis, though, fought to return and has played in every game past Week 1 for the Cowboys this year, displaying impressive resiliency in the face of dour odds.
  • The Commanders had to turn to some new leaders on the defensive side of the ball this week after firing Jack Del Rio a little over a week ago. Cristian Garcia, who was recently tabbed as the team’s interim defensive backs coach, is reportedly whom head coach Ron Rivera will rely on, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The 29-year-old assistant coach was asked this week to “handle a larger role in game planning and on gameday.” While it’s surely an exciting challenge for Garcia, facing the Dolphins in his first week with increased responsibilities was certainly a daunting task.

Joe Schoen: Giants Owners “On Board” With Long-Term Rebuild

December 1st, 2023 at 10:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 2023 season has been a signficant step back for the Giants compared to their first year under general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll. It would come as a surprise if either were to be let go at the end of the year, however, a sentiment which was recently confirmed by the former’s public remarks.

Schoen’s press conference earlier this week stated owners John Mara and Steve Tisch were aware of the long-term requirements of a sustainable rebuild given the roster and cap situation he inherited from the Dave Gettleman era. As Schoen said in no uncertain terms, and as Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports reports, a change at neither the GM or HC spots is anticipated to take place.

“Yeah, absolutely. They’re on board with it,” Schoen said, via Vacchiano, of New York’s owners regarding a multi-year rebuild. “As much as it hurts to go through this, there are a lot of young players that are getting valuable experience. Another offseason, another draft, we will continue to build it… The fact that John Mara is here on a daily basis, we can explain the ‘why’ — why we’re doing things, how we’re going to do them. They’re in the loop and they’re on board.”

The Giants have been known to move on quickly from coaches, with Ben McAdoo, Pat Shurmur and Joe Judge each being let go late in their second seasons with the team. Daboll is now in that territory, and the 2022 Coach of the Year has been the subject of widespread criticism as the Giants have gone 4-8 this campaign. Struggles on offense both before and after quarterback Daniel Jones‘ ACL tear, as well as reported tension with defensive coordinator Don Martindale have led to questions about Daboll’s job security. He appears to be in the clear for now, however.

“It takes time, takes a couple of offseasons, it takes a few drafts to build it the right way,” Schoen added. “Trust me, it hurts when you lose and you’re 4-8… But you don’t want to lose sight of the big picture and the proper way to build a roster.”

The Giants are currently slated to have the No. 6 pick in the 2024 draft, a selection which could allow them to add a Jones successor. Having just inked the 26-year-old to a $160MM extension last year, though, New York could elect to go in a number of different directions during the draft. Regardless of how the Giants proceed, the team’s top decision-makers will be operating with assurances about their job security for the time being.

Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order

December 1st, 2023 at 1:46pm CST by Adam La Rose

With Week 13 underway, the picture at the top of the NFL draft board continues to become clearer. Plenty is yet to be determined with respect to the top of the order, however.

The Panthers’ ongoing struggles led to Frank Reich‘s firing, but the Bears own Carolina’s top pick this year due to the 2023 swap which landed Bryce Young via the No. 1 selection. Chicago being able to have the top pick once again – coupled with their own selection landing in the top-10 – would make the Bears a team to watch closely come April. The race for the top two or three slots (and, as such, the ability to draft QBs Caleb Williams and Drake Maye, along with wideout Marvin Harrison Jr.) will also be a key late-season storyline for the Cardinals and Patriots.

The Commanders have lost three straight games, overshadowing a promising season from first-year starter Sam Howell. After deciding to move on from defensive ends Chase Young and Montez Sweat at the trade deadline, the team’s defense has continued to struggle. DC Jack Del Rio is out as a result, and head coach Ron Rivera‘s position is not believed to be on strong footing. A top-five pick could make the job in Washington more attractive presuming a opening arises this offseason.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2024 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is an updated look at the current draft order:

  1. Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
  2. Arizona Cardinals: 2-10
  3. New England Patriots: 2-9
  4. Chicago Bears: 4-8
  5. Washington Commanders: 4-8
  6. New York Giants: 4-8
  7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 4-7
  8. New York Jets: 4-7
  9. Los Angeles Chargers: 4-7
  10. Tennessee Titans: 4-7
  11. Las Vegas Raiders: 5-7
  12. New Orleans Saints: 5-6
  13. Green Bay Packers: 5-6
  14. Los Angeles Rams: 5-6
  15. Cincinnati Bengals: 5-6
  16. Buffalo Bills: 6-6
  17. Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
  18. Denver Broncos: 6-5
  19. Atlanta Falcons: 5-6
  20. Minnesota Vikings: 6-6
  21. Seattle Seahawks: 6-6
  22. Indianapolis Colts: 6-5
  23. Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-4
  24. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  25. Miami Dolphins: 8-3
  26. Detroit Lions: 8-3
  27. Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-3
  28. Dallas Cowboys: 9-3
  29. Kansas City Chiefs: 8-3
  30. San Francisco 49ers: 8-3
  31. Baltimore Ravens: 9-3
  32. Philadelphia Eagles: 10-1

Commanders, Patriots Pursued QB Tommy DeVito

November 30th, 2023 at 8:28pm CST by Ben Levine

Undrafted rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito has guided the Giants to two-straight victories, tossing four touchdowns vs. no interceptions in wins over the Commanders and Patriots. While the sudden breakout has shocked many, it probably wasn’t much of a surprise to the two teams he beat.

NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported last weekend that after DeVito went undrafted in this past year’s draft, he received an offer from Washington. In fact, that offer featured more guaranteed money than the contract that DeVito ultimately signed with the Giants. However, the rookie quarterback grew up in New Jersey and wanted to play for Brian Daboll, two factors that played major roles in him taking the lesser deal.

Then, when DeVito was cut by the Giants at the end of the preseason, the Patriots approached the rookie quarterback about joining their practice squad. Instead, DeVito stuck with the Giants’ taxi squad, and he earned a promotion to the active roster in October after backup Tyrod Taylor went down with an injury.

After entering Week 9 in place of the injured Daniel Jones, DeVito has started every game for the Giants. In total, the rookie has completed 62.9 percent of his passes for 697 yards, seven touchdowns, and three interceptions. He’s also added 83 yards and one touchdown on the ground.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/30/23

November 30th, 2023 at 6:33pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

New England Patriots

  • Released: WR Mathew Sexton

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

NFC East Notes: Neal, Cowboys, Commanders

November 30th, 2023 at 3:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the Giants have seen Andrew Thomas become one of the NFL’s better tackles — en route to a $23.5MM-per-year extension — they have not observed their right tackle make a second-year leap. Evan Neal has missed time with injuries and struggled when on the field. Thomas was a Dave Gettleman draft choice, while Neal went in Joe Schoen‘s first draft in charge. Pro Football Focus has assigned this season’s third-worst tackle grade to Neal. The Alabama product was seen as a player who could potentially slide to guard at some point, having played there at times in college. For the time being, Schoen is not entertaining such a switch.

“No, I don’t think so,” Schoen said, via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy. “We are looking forward to getting him back, but he knows there are some things he can do better — and that’s what we expect from him. … I went back and watched the Alabama stuff: The kid can play. We just have to get him to be more consistent. I have a lot of confidence in Evan.”

In 20 starts over two seasons, PFF charges Neal with 10 sacks allowed. Just two of those have come this year, but the former No. 7 overall pick has missed five games. Neal has missed five of the Giants’ past six contests; the team has not placed him on IR. The Giants will certainly hope to see signs of promise from Neal down the stretch.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

  • DaRon Bland has morphed from a 2022 fifth-round pick into an NFL record holder, via the fifth pick-six he notched on Thanksgiving. The Cowboys could see two cornerbacks become first-team All-Pros in three seasons, after Trevon Diggs‘ 11-INT season landed him on the 2021 top team. Diggs’ 2023 replacement played at Division I-FCS Sacramento State and then spent a year at Fresno State. Cowboys scout Ross Wuensche identified Bland as a target, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes (video link), and the team brought him in for a visit. Describing Bland as a late-blooming prospect, Rapoport adds interest came in late enough he could not turn all his invitations for “30” into meetings before the 2022 deadline. With Stephon Gilmore‘s contract up after this season, the Cowboys extended Diggs and have Bland signed through 2025.
  • Recent Cowboys pickup Martavis Bryant remains in redevelopment mode. The team has not elevated its practice squad stash for a game yet, making it now more than five years since the former Steelers starter has played in an NFL game. No timetable is in place for a Bryant move to the active roster, but executive VP Stephen Jones said (via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Clarence Hill) the team sought the recent XFL wideout for his size-speed combo. The Cowboys are fairly well stocked at receiver, but Bryant’s 6-foot-4 frame would be a new dimension for this particular Dallas receiving cadre. It remains to be seen if the soon-to-be 32-year-old pass catcher still has NFL-viable form left.
  • Having fired DC Jack Del Rio after a Cowboys Thanksgiving romp, Ron Rivera is set to call the Commanders‘ defensive plays. The team also fired multi-stop Del Rio lieutenant Brent Vieselmeyer, who was Washington’s DBs coach this season. To help manage the workload, Rivera hired Jimmy Salgado as an interim staffer, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. Salgado had spent six seasons on Sean McDermott‘s Bills staff, but the team fired him this offseason. Salgado spent the 2023 season at Michigan State, working as the Spartans’ cornerbacks coach.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/28/23

November 28th, 2023 at 7:02pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Signed to active roster: CB Ekow Boye-Doe

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Following the addition of Michael Carter and the return of Emari Demercado, the Cardinals didn’t have any room for Keaontay Ingram. The 2022 sixth-round pick got into 20 games across one-plus seasons in Arizona, collecting 181 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown. If the running back passes through waivers, there’s a chance he lands on the Cardinals practice squad.

Charlie Heck is back on the Texans active roster after missing the first two-plus months of the season. The offensive lineman was recovering from a back injury that “involved sciatica that went down to his foot,” per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston. The former fourth-round pick will look to carve out a role after starting 17 of his 35 NFL appearances through his first three seasons in the NFL.

Giants Expect Daniel Jones To Start In 2024; Team Planning To Add QB In Offseason

November 27th, 2023 at 10:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Winning their second straight game Sunday, the Giants have moved themselves off the top rung for 2024 draft positioning. The Giants, Commanders and Bears sit as eight-loss teams exiting Week 12. Three other squads — the Panthers, Patriots and Cardinals — have at least nine losses, keeping them atop the 2024 draft board entering December.

The Giants’ unique long-term quarterback conundrum remains. The team is moving toward a high draft pick months after re-signing Daniel Jones at $40MM per year, and it has since seen him suffer an ACL tear. Jones did not fare well before his midseason injury, clouding his long-term outlook. And he missed more time due to a neck injury, recalling the issue that ended his 2021 season. But his contract effectively guarantees he will be a Giant in 2024.

On that note, the team does expect Jones to be its starting quarterback once again next season. GM Joe Schoen acknowledges the team must invest in a passer — in free agency or the draft — but it may not bring in a player who would unseat Jones from his post as the team’s big-picture QB1.

“The expectations is that when Daniel is healthy, he will be our starting quarterback,” Schoen said, via ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan. “We’re still going to have to address the position at some point because there is no guarantee he’s going to be back for Week 1.

“That will be a position, obviously there are different avenues — free agency or the draft — but we’ll have to address it at some point.”

Jones underwent surgery last week and indicated during an appearance on Up & Adams (via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy) he has an eight- to 10-month recovery timetable ahead. Week 1 of the ’24 season would arrive in that window. The Cardinals slow-played Kyler Murray‘s recovery after his December 2022 ACL tear, with a new regime calling the shots. The Giants are not expected to move on from Schoen or Brian Daboll, making advanced proclamations more relevant in this case. With Jones out of the picture for the offseason program and Tyrod Taylor playing out a two-year, $11MM contract, the Giants will need to address the position.

The simplest route here would be to follow the 49ers’ recent blueprint and add a backup who could potentially start if Jones needs in-season time to recover. San Francisco signed Sam Darnold to a one-year, $4.5MM deal, but Brock Purdy was ready to return from UCL surgery during training camp. Although Purdy had less experience than Jones, Kyle Shanahan was sold on him as the team’s starter. Jones’ uninspiring 2023 play — albeit with an injury-ravaged offensive line and Saquon Barkley missing time due to his high ankle sprain — gave the skeptics of the Giants’ big-ticket re-signing an early lead here. The Giants guaranteeing two years of Jones’ deal gives him the 2024 season to potentially reestablish his value, but the team may also consider a first-round QB. That would obviously cloud Jones’ beyond-2024 status in New York.

Schoen added that he would not rule out a first-round QB pick. Mentioned as being prepared to draft a Jones replacement — if the opportunity presented itself — the Giants may not end up in position to select Caleb Williams or Drake Maye. Other QB prospects may well be connected to Big Blue, and it might come down to how the Giants view Jones a year into his second contract compared to a second-tier QB investment in the draft. A midround option would be a half-measure here, coming in as a true backup option.

Tommy DeVito‘s UDFA deal runs through 2025, and while the local product has helped the Giants win the past two games, Taylor is eligible to come off IR before the team’s Week 14 matchup. Taylor is expected to return from his rib injury this season, and Schoen did not guarantee DeVito would stay as the starter post-bye. But DeVito could conceivably be in the mix for a QB2 role in 2024. Though, he almost definitely does not profile as a player the Giants would consider as a starter option next season.

Jones remains in the lead for that position, even if his Big Apple future is a bit foggier than it was coming into the season. The Giants can get out of the Jones contract with only $11.1MM in dead money, via a post-June 1 cut designation, in 2025. How the team proceeds during the 2024 offseason will play a major role in that 2025 route being viable.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/27/23

November 27th, 2023 at 6:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Chicago Bears

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Waived from reserve/retired list: WR John Ross

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

San Francisco 49ers

Ross signed a reserve/futures deal with the Chiefs in January but retired before training camp. The Combine 40-yard dash record holder now intends to resume his career, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo. Ross, who turned 28 today, has not played in a regular-season game since 2021 with the Giants.

A Raiders spring signee, Shelley did not make Las Vegas’ 53-man roster. The Rams picked him up before the season and have used him mostly on special teams. Shelley, who Bears and Vikings prior to this two-team 2023, has logged 76 defensive snaps this season. But the veteran cornerback has been on the field for 65% of Los Angeles’ special teams plays.

Tension Mounting Between Giants HC Brian Daboll, DC Don Martindale?

November 26th, 2023 at 10:04pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 2023 season has proven to be a disaster for the Giants, with the team’s on-field performance falling well short of expectations in the wake of last year’s run to the divisional round of the playoffs. As a result, frustrations appear to growing in the coaching ranks.

Tension between head coach Brian Daboll and defensive coordinator Don ‘Wink’ Martindale is palpable, Jay Glazer of Fox Sports notes (video link). A disconnect between the two staffers was first mentioned by Dan Duggan of The Athletic earlier this month, noting a heated exchange which took place either side of halftime during the team’s blowout loss to the Cowboys in Week 10 (subscription required). While New York followed up that loss with an upset over the Commanders, things have not gone according to plan for the organization this year.

A sticking point in this situation seems to have been the public criticism levied at the coaching staff by safety Xavier McKinney earlier in the season. Martindale publicly responded to the comments, noting it was unprecedented to receive complaints related to communication with players in his lengthy coaching career. ESPN’s Jordan Raanan confirms the McKinney incident represents a potential flashpoint in the Daboll-Martindale relationship, which at this point in a trying season is “festering.”

The pair had no previous working relationship when they joined the Giants’ staff last year. Daboll came to New York with considerable acclaim from his time as the Bills’ offensive coordinator, while Martindale boasted a general track record of success during a four-year run coordinating the Ravens’ defense. Their first season together resulted in an unexpected postseason appearance and a road victory in the wild-card round, but the team has struggled across the board this year. The Giants rank no better than 27th in DVOA for offense, defense and special teams.

As a result, Martindale’s name (along with that of second-year offensive coordinator Mike Kafka) has come up with respect to coaches who could be fired in the offseason. Strife with Daboll could obviously affect the chances of that taking place, but a strong finish to the campaign would also bolster Martindale’s case for remaining in place for at least one more year. Duggan notes that “the writing is on the wall” for special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey, so at least some changes on the sidelines should be expected relatively soon.

As Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News adds, the Glazer report is only “scratching the surface” of the current state of affairs between Daboll and Martindale. A winning run to close out the campaign would no doubt smooth things over to a degree, but the Giants’ staffing plans will remain a key storyline to watch over the coming weeks and months.

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