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New York Giants News & Rumors

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/24/23

October 24th, 2023 at 7:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Released: CB Quavian White

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/24/23

October 24th, 2023 at 6:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Promoted: TE Blake Whiteheart

Atlanta Falcons

Houston Texans

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Roster gymnastics at quarterback continues for the Patriots, who will again take the chance no one will claim Cunningham. New England waived the rookie UDFA in August and stashed him on its practice squad, and ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss notes that is likely to happen again — provided no team claims him. The Pats promoted the Louisville product earlier this month, but after playing him in Week 6, they sat him in Week 7. Although the Patriots designated Flowers for return from IR on Oct. 4, they will cut ties with their former starter rather than use a roster spot on his activation by Wednesday.

The Giants have now added two running backs this week, with Jackson following Jashaun Corbin‘s return from the Panthers’ practice squad. Injuries to Gray and Gary Brightwell led to these moves. Gray sustained a calf injury in Week 7, leading the Giants to insert veteran Sterling Shepard as their punt returner. Shepard muffed a punt that led to the Commanders’ only score. Peart had operated as a backup tackle. He joins Andrew Thomas‘ initial replacement, Joshua Ezeudu, on IR. Guard Shane Lemieux is also on IR.

The Texans initially released Littleton due to roster-reorganizing purposes, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, but the offseason pickup remains in the team’s plans. Houston cut Littleton to make room for waiver claim Myjai Sanders, but after waiving cornerback D’Angelo Ross on Monday, the team is re-signing the veteran linebacker. Littleton, 30, played sparingly in the Texans’ six games this season, logging only 17 defensive snaps.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/23/23

October 23rd, 2023 at 7:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

  • Signed off Panthers’ practice squad: RB Jashaun Corbin

San Francisco 49ers

This marks a New York return for Corbin, who went to training camp with the Giants. A UDFA out of Florida State, Corbin signed a reserve/futures contract with the Giants in January but did not make their 53-man roster. The Panthers had kept Corbin on their practice squad since early September. Rather than promote Corbin to their 53-man roster to block this New York return, Carolina will let him join the Giants’ 53. Corbin joins Saquon Barkley, Gary Brightwell and fifth-round rookie Eric Gray as running backs on Big Blue’s 53-man roster. Both Brightwell (hamstring) and Gray (calf) suffered injuries in Week 7, creating a need at the position.

Giants, WR Gunner Olszewski Agree To Deal

October 23rd, 2023 at 1:26pm CST by Adam La Rose

Not long after Gunner Olszewski was released, he has found a new opportunity. The veteran receiver and returner has agreed to a deal with the Giants, reports Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Olszewski joined Pittsburgh last March in a move which marked an end to his highly-acclaimed time in New England. The 26-year-old didn’t receive as many looks in the return game with the Steelers as he did with the Patriots, and his pair of fumbles in limited action helped lead to his release last week. Now, he will look to regain his previous form in New York.

This is a practice squad agreement, Pelissero adds, but teams have routinely taken the gameday elevation path with notable players in situations such as this one. Olszewski should have an immediate path to playing time with the Giants, given the team’s struggles in the return game this season. Rookie Eric Gray‘s issues with respect to ball security continued on Sunday, as he muffed a punt for the third time this year.

That caused the Giants to turn to fellow wideout Sterling Shepard, then Darius Slayton, in the punt return role. The former fumbled a punt during the Week 7 win, illustrating the need for further moves to be made. As a vested veteran, Olszewski did not pass through waivers and was free to immediately sign with any interested team. He will provide New York with a more experienced third phase contributor as he looks to provide them with a repeat of his 2020 performance.

That year, the former UDFA led the NFL in punt return average (17.3 yards), and ran one punt back for a touchdown. He also averaged 23.2 yards per return on kickoffs, which helped earn him first-team All-Pro honors. If he can return to that form, the Giants (who entered the day with just $2.3MM in cap space) will have alleviated their issues in the return game and Olszewski could play his way into an extended look in the Big Apple.

Multiple Teams Eyeing WR Trades?

October 23rd, 2023 at 11:26am CST by Adam La Rose

The countdown to the October 31 trade deadline continues, and further moves beyond the relatively minor ones which have already taken place could be coming soon. One position to watch in that regard could be that of wide receiver.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that a number of teams have “monitored” the WR market recently, and he specifically names the Colts, Panthers, Packers and Chiefs as ones to which that applies. The latter squad has, of course, already made a move at the receiver spot by reuniting with Mecole Hardman. The pick-swap with the Jets which made that possible leaves the defending champions with $3.57MM in cap space.

On the other end of the spectrum, the 0-6 Panthers are unlikely to assume a buyer’s stance in a bid to add much before the deadline. However, Carolina has been connected to pursuit of help at the WR spot during the season, so a move in that regard would not come as a complete shock. Perhaps the most likely outcome at the position would involve a deal sending former second-rounder Terrace Marshall out of Charlotte. The latter has been granted permission to seek a trade.

The Colts have made notable investments at the WR spot via the draft in recent years, using a second-round pick on Alec Pierce in 2022 and a third-round selection on Josh Downs this past April. That pair has given the team depth and complimentary options behind leading receiver Michael Pittman Jr., who is in a contract year. Pittman is willing to wait on extension talks until after the season, but he is well aware of the market he could command if he delivers another strong season in his walk year. Sitting at 3-4 and knowing starting quarterback Anthony Richardson will miss the remainder of the season, Indianapolis is in an interesting position with respect to how they approach the rest of the season from a roster-building standpoint.

Embracing a youth movement on offense with Jordan Love under center, the Packers have a highly inexperienced pass-catching corps. Green Bay was initially connected to a desire to add a veteran presence at the WR spot, but later in the offseason head coach Matt Lafleur expressed confidence in his youthful receiving group. That has resulted in plenty of playing time for the likes of Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed, though the Packers have struggled on offense over the past several weeks. The 2-4 outfit has just over $8.6MM in cap space to use on a potential addition.

With respect to potential targets (beyond those already frequently mentioned as trade chips), Fowler names Kendrick Bourne (Patriots) and Parris Campbell (Giants) as veterans who could be on the move. The former fell out of favor with the coaching staff last season, but he has seen a spike in playing time and production so far this year. The latter battled injuries in Indianapolis but flashed potential ahead of his move to New York, which has not yet worked out as planned. Both players are set to hit free agency in March.

Other teams – like the Dolphins with their recent Chase Claypool addition – have already been involved in the receiver market, and clubs/players not named above will no doubt be worth watching as well. For the time being, though, notable specifics have emerged at the position as the deadline draws nearer.

Injury Updates: Lions, Garoppolo, Giants

October 22nd, 2023 at 9:38pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Lions suffered a lopsided defeat against the Ravens on Sunday, but plenty of attention after the game was paid to rookie running back Mohamed Ibrahim after he exited the contest as a result of an awkward collision.

The 25-year-old Baltimore native was injured on a kick return – his first touch of the ball in his NFL career. He was placed on a stretcher before being carted off the field. Ibrahim immediately underwent surgery to repair his dislocated hip and he will remain in hospital overnight, as detailed by Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

Head coach Dan Campbell said Ibrahim is expected to be OK as a result of the procedure, but he obviously encountered an unfortunate situation and will now face an unwanted recovery process. The Minnesota alum’s absence could be acutely felt on the RB depth chart given the Lions are already without veteran David Montgomery for the time being.

Here are some other injury updates from around the league:

  • The Raiders used both veteran Brian Hoyer and rookie Aidan O’Connell in place of the injured Jimmy Garoppolo on Sunday in a game where the offense struggled en route to a loss to the Bears. The latter has already missed a pair of games in his debut season in Vegas, but a quick turnaround from his back ailment should be forthcoming. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Garoppolo is expected to be available for the Raiders’ next game, a Monday night tilt against the Lions in Week 8. The veteran hasn’t had the start to his tenure in Sin City that he would have wanted, so pressure will be on he and the team whenever he is cleared to return.
  • Still dealing with a number of injuries on offense, the Giants pulled off a win against the Commanders in Week 7, and a boost along the offensive line could be on the way. The team is eyeing a return for left tackle Andrew Thomas next week, Schefter reports. Such a development would mark an end to a six-game absence for the former first-round pick, something which has exacerbated injury and performance issues elsewhere along the O-line for the Giants. Thomas (who has been battling a hamstring issue) signed a five-year, $117.5MM extension in July, confirming his status as a franchise cornerstone for the foreseeable future, so his return will be welcomed.
  • Returning to injuries from today’s action, Packers tight end Luke Musgrave was in a walking boot as he left the locker room, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic notes. The second-round rookie was wearing it on his left foot, and testing on it will be worth watching in the coming days. Musgrave is one of many first- or second-year pass-catchers in place for Green Bay, a team which has struggled recently on offense. The Oregon State alum has personally carved out a role for himself, though, receiving 16 targets in the three games leading up to Week 7 and another five in Sunday’s loss to the Broncos. Musgrave has totaled 189 scoreless yards to date in his debut season, and any absence would be felt amongst the other inexperienced options available at the TE spot.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/21/23

October 21st, 2023 at 8:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

Here are the minor moves made around the league in advance of the Week 7 slate of Sunday games:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos 

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Restored to active roster (from suspension exemption): DE Charles Omenihu

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New York Giants 

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Dulcich already had one IR stint this season due to an aggravation of last year’s hamstring injury. The 2022 third-rounder has appeared in only two contests so far this season, and in the most recent one he suffered yet another setback. As a result, he will once again be shut down for at least four weeks.

The Giants’ decision to again promote DeVito points to starter Daniel Jones missing another game. Indeed, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Jones is considered a “longshot” to play tomorrow against the Commanders. It will in all likelihood be Tyrod Taylor under center for New York in Week 7 while Jones continues to recover from his neck injury.

Saquon Barkley Remains Committed To Giants; Team Not Shopping Players

October 20th, 2023 at 1:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Injuries on offense have led the way in the Giants going from the 2022 divisional round to tumbling to 1-5. They remain without several offensive linemen, and Daniel Jones is week-to-week with his neck injury. Deadline sellers in the past, the Giants will have a decision to make on Saquon Barkley.

The sides trudged through an arduous negotiation this offseason, and while they bridged gaps on AAV and guarantees, no deal came to pass before the July 17 franchise tag extension deadline. Barkley, however, did not follow through on a rumored holdout into Week 1; the sixth-year running back quickly agreed to an adjusted deal to return to the Giants for training camp. With the Giants being unable to renegotiate until after the season, Barkley has a clear path to free agency.

A second Giants tag, at just more than $12MM, could conceivably be in play. But the team may not be keen on setting that amount aside for a running back, especially one that has battled injuries — including a September high ankle sprain — over the course of his career. The Giants will have the option of trading their top skill-position player before the Oct. 31 deadline. Despite the occasionally acrimonious negotiations this offseason, Barkley is rooting against relocating from New York.

“Everyone knows I don’t want to get traded,” Barkley said, via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy. “Obviously, I’ve been vocal and public about how I feel about this organization and where I want to be. Knowing the business and seeing that side of it, there’s a lot of things I can’t control. I don’t think anybody in their right mind would want to get traded anywhere. It’s not an easy thing to do: You’ve got to move. I have a family. I would love to be here.”

Barkley, 26, has said many times he wants to stay with the Giants for the rest of his career. The Giants not tagging him again would test him here, and a crowded 2024 RB market — even without Jonathan Taylor, who just signed a $14MM-per-year Colts extension — may not reward him on the level of what he turned down from the Giants in July. The Giants moving their AAV number south of $12MM per year, as they bumped the offer’s guarantee toward the $22MM ballpark, prompted Barkley to pass and play on the $10.1MM tag. It is unclear if the $22MM guarantee number represented the guarantee at signing or the injury guarantee; Taylor received $19MM locked in at signing but $26.5MM in practical guarantees due to the contract’s structure.

Were a team to take on Barkley’s contract after Week 7, it would owe more than $5MM in prorated salary. That might not seem prohibitive for a buyer, but considering the trade markets Taylor and Austin Ekeler encountered this year, the Giants might not see a great return for the two-time Pro Bowler. But it would be a deal the team would probably consider, Barkley’s popularity notwithstanding, as he is in a contract year.

The Giants have traded the likes of Eli Apple, Damon Harrison and Markus Golden before past deadlines; they moved Kadarius Toney to the Chiefs last year. In its second season, the Brian Daboll–Joe Schoen regime is not shopping players at this point, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes.

Barkley came up in trade talks during the 2022 offseason, but after three injury-truncated seasons, the 2018 Offensive Rookie of the Year bounced back and powered the Giants to a surprising playoff berth. He returned from his high ankle sprain in Week 6, gaining 93 rushing yards on 24 carries to help the Giants scare the Bills despite coming in as two-touchdown underdogs.

The team’s current record will likely prevent New York from venturing to back-to-back postseasons, but no notable Barkley trade buzz has circulated. While this situation could change before the deadline, Barkley is on track to finish out his tag year in the Big Apple.

Giants Place OL Joshua Ezeudu On IR

October 20th, 2023 at 10:36am CST by Ben Levine

OCTOBER 20: After tests on the second-year blocker’s injury, Brian Daboll revealed the situation “doesn’t look good,” per the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy. The 2022 third-round pick may not return this season, which would be another blow to a Giants O-line that remains without Thomas, center John Michael Schmitz, swing tackle Matt Peart and guard Shane Lemieux. All four are out for Week 7, with Lemieux done for the year after suffering a biceps tear in practice Thursday.

OCTOBER 17: The Giants are down yet another offensive lineman. The Giants have placed offensive tackle Joshua Ezeudu on injured reserve, per Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. Ezeudu suffered a toe injury during Sunday’s loss to the Bills.

The 2022 third-round pick found himself starting for the Giants at left tackle after Andrew Thomas went down with a hamstring injury. After starting two of his 10 appearances as a rookie, Ezeudu has already started five of his six appearances in 2023. Pro Football Focus hasn’t been very fond of his performance, ranking him 71st among 74 qualifying offensive tackles, but his injury will still force the Giants to dig deeper into their OL depth.

Ezeudu’s exit from Sunday night’s game forced the Giants to play Justin Pugh at LT despite the veteran only having six career snaps at the position. Pugh was elevated from the practice squad with the expectation that he’d chip in at left guard, but Ezeudu’s injury changed those plans. It’s uncertain if Pugh is indeed the organization’s top healthy option at LT or if he was merely an emergency, in-game solution.

The Giants were busy adding some depth at the position today. According to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, the team has signed offensive lineman Josh Miles off the Falcons’ practice squad. The former seventh-round pick saw time in 17 games with the Cardinals between the 2019 and 2021 seasons.

Raanan also reports that the Giants have snagged lineman Tyre Phillips off the Eagles’ practice squad. The lineman actually started five of his 12 appearances for the Giants in 2022 and was a surprise cut back in August. The former third-round pick started 13 of his 22 appearances with the Ravens to begin his career.

Giants Grant Cole Beasley Release Request

October 20th, 2023 at 9:59am CST by Sam Robinson

Part of the Giants’ buy-in-bulk effort at slot receiver this year, Cole Beasley did not make New York’s 53-man roster out of training camp and has not played in a game this season. It does not look like the veteran will suit up for the Giants, despite his ties to Brian Daboll.

Beasley requested his release from the Giants’ practice squad, and NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo indicates the team will grant it. The lack of an opportunity forming led to Beasley’s request, per ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan, who adds the 34-year-old pass catcher wants to continue his career elsewhere.

Beasley announced his retirement early last season, leaving the Buccaneers in October, but re-emerged with the Bills later in the campaign. Seeing Jamison Crowder go down with a fractured ankle and Isaiah McKenzie struggle in the slot role prompted Buffalo to reach out to Beasley about coming back. Beasley, who played for the Bills from 2019-21 after signing a free agent deal, caught two passes for 18 yards in two regular-season games. But the enduring slot weapon added five catches for 68 yards and a touchdown in the playoffs.

The Giants’ all-action approach on the slot front included deals with Crowder and Parris Campbell and Sterling Shepard re-signing. Crowder did not make the Giants’ roster and did not return on a post-camp P-squad pact, with the Giants preferring Beasley, who signed just before training camp. A late-summer injury led Beasley to Big Blue’s practice squad injured list, but he has since recovered and had been working out with the team again.

As of late, Campbell has seen his role diminish. Shepard, who suffered a torn Achilles last year but returned in time for Week 1, has been a nonfactor thus far in his eighth season. The Giants have reinstalled 2022 second-round pick Wan’Dale Robinson, who suffered an ACL tear last year, as their top inside receiver. Second-year UDFA Dennis Houston now resides as the only wideout on the Giants’ taxi squad.

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