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Minor NFL Transactions: 8/20/23

August 20th, 2023 at 8:03pm CST by Rory Parks

Here are today’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

It appears that, like Colby Wadman before him, Palardy is just a camp body. Incumbent punter Tress Way is dealing with a back ailment, and he will only work as the holder in the Commanders’ preseason contest against the Ravens tomorrow night (Twitter link via Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post). So Palardy, who has appeared in 80 games in his career (including eight with the Patriots in 2022), will have a chance to audition for other clubs that may be on the lookout for a punter at some point.

Washington is also in need of another player to rotate in on the defensive line, as Jonathan Allen (plantar fasciitis) and Phidarian Mathis are both banged up (Twitter link via ESPN’s John Keim). Mack, who has 25 appearances in his pro career, will at least help the team get through camp and the rest of the preseason slate.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/19/23

August 19th, 2023 at 8:06pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

  • Reverted to IR: CB Jordan Swann

Detroit Lions

New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers

  • Signed: DL La’Darius Hamilton, DL Tomasi Laulile
  • Waived: RB Khalan Lanorn
  • Placed on IR: DE Taco Charlton

Seattle Seahawks

Charlton signed with the 49ers earlier this month, but he will not see time with them this season. Being placed on IR means he will be sidelined until 2024, which could lead to yet another new opportunity being needed for the former first-rounder to continue his career. Charlton has played 60 games (with 13 starts) during his time in the NFL, including five appearances with the Bears last year. San Francisco will likely now look elsewhere for depth options on the edge.

Latest On Giants, Saquon Barkley

August 18th, 2023 at 4:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants-Saquon Barkley saga is on hold for the next several months. The Giants gave the sixth-year running back a small incentive package to report to camp on time, and Barkley is tied to the $10.1MM franchise tender this season.

Twists and turns emerged on the way here, of course, and this certainly could be the final year of this partially fruitful partnership. Barkley, 26, made comments regarding the Giants-side leaks that came out of these negotiations and, just before the tag deadline, discussed a number of topics — including his skillset and usage rate. His skillset, naturally, came up during negotiations.

Barkley’s receiving ability became a sticking point during the ultimately failed talks, per Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, who notes the team made a point to state that the former No. 2 overall pick’s receiving prowess was not on the level of Christian McCaffrey‘s. During his appearance on the Money Matters podcast just before the July 17 deadline, Barkley disputed the team’s contention about his aerial capabilities.

“If that’s what you are telling me and I know what they signed for, what are we really talking about?” Barkley said. “After hearing that, they tell you, ‘This is the type of player you are.’ I’m like, ‘Eh, no. I can catch the ball. I had 91 catches, the rookie record for a running back.”

In attempting to find common ground, the Giants compared Barkley to two run-oriented backs. That assessment can be deemed partially inaccurate, but the way Barkley has been used since that 91-catch 2018 season does not paint it as entirely misleading. The Giants have not involved Barkley nearly as much as a receiver since Pat Shurmur‘s firing. Eli Manning being benched early in the 2019 season became a tipping point for Barkley’s pass-game usage.

En route to Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, the former No. 2 overall pick totaled 721 receiving yards in 2018. Only Hall of Famers Edgerrin James and Eric Dickerson have topped Barkley’s 2,028 scrimmage yards as rookies. While Barkley’s 2022 comeback season resulted in a career-high rushing total (1,312 yards), he did not approach the 2018 yards-from-scrimmage number due to less pass-game involvement. Barkley caught 57 passes for just 338 yards during his first season with Brian Daboll. That is his third-highest career total, with Shurmur’s second season — featuring Daniel Jones as the primary QB — ending with 52 Barkley receptions for 438 yards.

McCaffrey has averaged 8.5 yards per catch over his career; Barkley is at 7.4. If the Giants view Barkley as more of a runner, naturally his value will drop. Of course, Barkley’s camp almost definitely argued he remains a high-end receiving talent — just in an offense that has not properly utilized that skill. It will be interesting to see how the Giants use Barkley this year, but seeing as the team made a point to acquire Darren Waller and more receiving help, a spike in Barkley targets is harder to envision. Barkley’s receiving total this year will certainly make an impact in his 2024 market value — should the Giants pass on a second franchise tag.

Giants Meet With LB Anthony Barr

August 17th, 2023 at 3:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

AUGUST 17: Schoen’s previous comments notwithstanding, the Giants indeed circled back to a Barr visit. The nine-year veteran met with the Giants on Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. No deal is imminent, but as the Giants hold a competition to see who will start alongside Okereke, they are still looking into veteran help. As of now, however, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan notes McFadden remains on track start (Twitter link).

AUGUST 9: This meeting does not look like it will happen — at least, not right now. The Giants will not bring in Barr for a visit, GM Joe Schoen said (via NJ.com’s Darryl Slater).

AUGUST 8: Anthony Barr left his Saints visit without a deal in place, and a report indicated other teams are on the radar. One of those suitors emerged hours later. The Giants look to be interested in the veteran linebacker.

The Giants and Barr are arranging a visit, according to CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson (on Twitter). The Giants have two young linebackers attempting to fill in alongside Bobby Okereke, but Barr would certainly bring an experience edge for a team that lost Jarrad Davis to a season-ending injury.

A Giants-Barr connection exists through defensive line coach Andre Patterson, who was in Minnesota throughout Barr’s time with the team (as a part of Mike Zimmer‘s staff). Having fired Zimmer and GM Rick Spielman, the Vikings did not bring Barr back last year. He spent the 2022 season with the Cowboys.

Despite signing with Dallas near the start of last year’s training camp, Barr moved into a regular role with the Cowboys. The 2014 first-rounder started 10 games and added two more postseason starts, playing at least 65% of the Cowboys’ defensive snaps in each postseason contest. For the season, Barr finished with 58 tackles, two fumble recoveries and a sack. The veteran off-ball linebacker’s best years obviously came in Minnesota, but the UCLA alum is still generating interest as a role player.

Okereke signed a four-year, $40MM contract with the Giants in March, joining a team desperate for ILB help. Okereke’s deal trailed only Tremaine Edmunds for linebacker value this offseason, being well north of the other non-rush backers on this year’s market. The Giants did not spend to upgrade at the other ILB starting spot, going with Davis on a league-minimum pact. But Davis suffered a major knee injury during offseason workouts. The Giants have 2022 fifth-round pick Micah McFadden (seven starts) and 2022 sixth-rounder Darrian Beavers, who is coming off an ACL tear that wiped out his rookie year. Beavers is believed to have a leg up on McFadden for the starting job, but the Giants checking in on Barr points to the team exploring a veteran upgrade.

Barr, 31, passed his Saints physical, per Anderson, but wants to explore this late-summer market. A four-time Pro Bowler with the Vikings, Barr transitioned from college edge rusher to NFL off-ball presence. Zimmer deployed Barr as a 4-3 outside linebacker, but he has spent time as a sporadic rusher as well. Barr has 18.5 sacks and 48 QB hits over the course of his nine-year career.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/16/23

August 16th, 2023 at 8:11pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor transactions from around the NFL:

Carolina Panthers

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

  • Waived from IR with injury settlement: WR Trey Quinn

Green Bay Packers

  • Waived from IR with injury settlement: WR Jeff Cotton

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Reverted to IR: CB Anthony Witherstone

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Signed: CB Matt Hankins
  • Waived/injured: CB Kemon Hall

New York Giants

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Fry goes unclaimed on the waiver wire after being waived with an injury designation yesterday by the Broncos. This could mean that Brett Maher won’t be able to run away with the job to replace longtime kicker Brandon McManus this year. With Fry remaining on the roster, Maher will need to stay sharp in order to stay the only active kicker on the team’s depth chart.

Guidry is expected to undergo surgery after injuring his knee in a joint practice with the Buccaneers today, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. The Jets will hope he lasts through waivers as he has impressed so far in camp. If he does, New York will likely revert him to injured reserve in order to keep him on the roster.

Giants Sign OL Julién Davenport

August 15th, 2023 at 8:46pm CST by Ben Levine

The Giants are adding some depth on the offensive line. According to Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News (via Twitter), the Giants are signing offensive tackle Julién Davenport. The team also claimed linebacker Ray Wilborn off waivers from the Broncos (per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero on Twitter) and waived/injured offensive lineman Devery Hamilton (via The Athletic’s Dan Duggan on Twitter).

Davenport worked out for the Giants alongside Lorenz Metz earlier today. The Giants ultimately opted for the more experienced of the two tryout players, and the free agent acquisition will provide more depth on New York’s offensive line. Tackle Evan Neal continues to work his way back from a concussion, and backups like Matt Peart (who has filled in as the starter opposite Andrew Thomas), Korey Cunningham, and Wyatt Davis have struggled in his stead.

Davenport brings plenty of experience, having started 32 of his 60 career games. The former fourth-round pick most recently spent time with the Bears and Cardinals but didn’t get into a game during the 2022 campaign. Davenport started four of his nine appearances with the Colts in 2021.

Wilborn has bounced around the NFL since going undrafted out of Ball State in 2020. The linebacker has had stints with the Falcons, Steelers, Packers, and Broncos, getting into two regular season games. After inking a reserve/futures deal with Denver during the offseason, he was waived by the team yesterday.

Hamilton has spent most of his career on the Giants practice squad, getting into nine games with the big-league squad. The lineman suffered an injury last week that Brian Daboll described as “not day-to-day” (Twitter link).

OL Justin Pugh Cleared For Drills, Expected To Take Visits

August 15th, 2023 at 6:07pm CST by Ben Levine

Justin Pugh is on the comeback trail. 10 months after tearing his ACL, the veteran offensive lineman has been cleared to do drills and is seeking his next opportunity, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter).

The free agent lineman is reportedly participating in positional drills with LeCharles Bentley, a former Pro Bowl OL and current NFL senior advisor of player performance and development. Pugh is expected to visit with suitors in the “near future.”

Pugh himself provided some more insight into his free agency. In a conversation with Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News, the veteran admitted that he’s actually talked with six teams and is hoping to join a contender.

“It seems like after the preseason games happened, a few more teams reached out,” Pugh said (via Leonard on Twitter). “So we’ll see how the next few week go. Really looking to sign with one of those teams that’s in the top echelon. Playoff contention last year, has a chance to make a step this next year. And I can really come in and add value to that team.

“Not really looking for a rebuild where I have to come in and mentor a rookie quarterback. [I’m] looking for that team that’s missing a few pieces, needs some depth on the o-line. I know wherever I go, I’m going to end up starting. Offensive linemen don’t grow on trees.”

Pugh was limited to only five games last season before suffering his season-ending ACL tear. The lineman only got through one of his five seasons in Arizona unscathed, with Pugh ultimately starting 56 of his 57 games with the organization. It’s been a bit since Pugh ranked as an above-average guard by Pro Football Focus, although the site consistently graded him among the best tackles in the league during his time with the Giants.

Pugh was a first-round pick by New York in 2013 and spent five seasons with the organization, starting all 63 of his appearances. The 33-year-old told Leonard that the Giants are “one of those teams that [he’s] definitely eyeing” at the moment, with the lineman noting that he’d love to end his career where it started.

Giants, Adoree’ Jackson Discuss Extension; Leonard Williams Deal Not On Radar

August 15th, 2023 at 3:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

Adoree’ Jackson‘s MCL sprain decimated the Giants at cornerback last season. Although the team made a surprising run to the playoffs, it spent much of the stretch run without Jackson and its other Week 1 starting corner (Aaron Robinson).

Robinson has not returned to practice yet, remaining on New York’s active/PUP list due to the knee injury he suffered early last season, but first-round pick Deonte Banks now joins Jackson as a surefire starter. Banks’ presence, along with the host of big-ticket deals the Giants handed out this year, complicates Jackson’s Big Apple future. The former first-round pick is going into the final year of a contract the Joe Schoen regime did not authorize.

[RELATED: Giants Do Not Intend To Extend Xavier McKinney In 2023]

While a previous report indicated the Giants were not planning Jackson extension talks, the seventh-year defender said (via The Athletic’s Dan Duggan) conversations about a second agreement with the team have occurred. Jackson’s three-year, $39MM deal calls for a $19.1MM cap number this season. The team already attached a 2024 void year for cap purposes.

The Giants doled out a $40MM-per-year deal for Daniel Jones, while Andrew Thomas and Dexter Lawrence are now respectively tied to $23.5MM- and $22.5MM-AAV extensions. Each contract will produce a significant cap spike between 2023 and ’24. Jones’ cap number rises from $21.75MM this year to $45MM in 2024. Thomas’ vaults from $9.3MM to $23.7MM, while Lawrence’s balloons from $6.7MM to $21.9MM. These changes will result in adjustments for the Giants, with Jackson’s future with the team in doubt.

Jackson, who is going into his age-28 season, became a more important Giants piece following the team’s May 2022 James Bradberry release. Pro Football Focus graded Jackson, a former Pac-12 long jump champion while at USC, just outside the top 30 at corner last year. Missing seven games due to injury, the 5-foot-11 defender still returned in time for the team’s wild-card win in Minnesota and accounted himself well against Justin Jefferson.

The Giants have experimented with Jackson in the slot during training camp. A strong second year in Don Martindale‘s system could create another good market for the ex-Titans first-rounder in March. Even with Banks in the fold, cornerback will be a key need for the Giants if they do not re-sign Jackson before the 2024 legal tampering period.

This offseason has revealed zero hesitation on Schoen’s part about committing to Dave Gettleman investments, with Jones, Lawrence and Thomas all first-rounders under the since-departed GM. Higher on the Giants’ 2023 payroll, Leonard Williams is also going into a walk year. Gettleman gave the 2019 trade acquisition a three-year, $63MM extension shortly after applying a second franchise tag in March 2021. Williams holds the highest cap number among NFL defenders this year — by a wide margin. Williams’ $32.3MM number jumps out on a Giants payroll that does not include another cap hit north of $22MM.

A June report pointed to the Giants not eyeing an adjustment to bring down Williams’ monster cap number, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes the team remains unlikely to address the deal. No extension or pay cut should be expected here, with the Giants viewing the ninth-year veteran as an important piece in Brian Daboll‘s second season. Williams, 29, is not a 2024 franchise tag candidate, since the Giants have already tagged him twice. He is open to an extension with the team.

Williams fared well during his most recent contract year (2020), totaling a career-high 11.5 sacks and 30 quarterback hits. Jackson’s former USC teammate has not topped 15 QB hits in the two seasons since, but with the prospect of one final major payday in play, motivation will certainly exist for the ex-Jets top-10 draftee in 2023. With Lawrence’s contract running through 2027, however, Williams is no longer the Giants’ D-line centerpiece.

Giants Will Not Extend S Xavier McKinney In 2023

August 15th, 2023 at 8:56am CST by Adam La Rose

Xavier McKinney is set to begin the final year of his rookie contract, and a new deal will not be coming until after it expires. Giants general manager Joe Schoen confirmed that the team will let the starting safety play out the 2023 season before discussing a new deal.

[RELATED: Evaluating Giants’ Offseason]

It was reported last month that no extension talks had taken place, foreshadowing Schoen’s declaration that none will be coming soon. McKinney has become as a key member of New York’s defense, showcasing considerable production (93 tackles, five interceptions in 2021) and emerging as a leader for the unit. Two of his three seasons in the league have been shortened by injuries, however, which will limit his leverage when negotiations commence.

The Giants currently have just under $5.4MM in cap space, the fourth-lowest figure in the league. Given that McKinney is due to carry a cap hit of only $2.67MM in 2023, however, there would be little (if any) immediate upside to working out a multi-year deal with respect to freeing up funds. As a result, the 24-year-old will need to wait until after the season to begin talks on a new agreement keeping him in the Big Apple.

“X is a leader, he was a captain last year, he had the unfortunate incident, but he is a young player with upside,” Schoen said during an appearance on WFAN’s Evan & Tiki program. “We’ll have to see where we are” (h/t Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post).

McKinney was limited to nine regular season games last year due to an ATV accident, though he was able to return in time for the playoffs. The former second-rounder had a down year in terms of coverage statistics and PFF evaluation compared to previous campaigns, which could help explain the Giants’ reticence to make a long-term commitment at this point. New York made multiple attempts to re-sign fellow safety starter Julian Love, but he ultimately went to Seattle on a less lucrative contract.

Seeing McKinney walk next offseason would leave the Giants in need of another replacement on the backend, but Schoen’s remarks make it clear the team would prefer to avoid that scenario. The Alabama product is still in their long-term plans, provided common ground can be found after the season (one in which his market value could change significantly, based on his availability and performance) has been played out.

“We don’t have a lot of cap space to do much more,” Schoen added. “I think our pockets are empty. But he’s a guy who is important to us, that we’d like to be here long term. We’ll see how it plays out through the season. If we can get something done down the road, he’s somebody we’d like to have here.”

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/14/23

August 14th, 2023 at 9:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: DB Teez Tabor
  • Waived: S Aaron Maddox
  • Released from IR: RB Zavier Scott

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

  • Signed: T Chim Okorafor
  • Waived: T Jacky Chen

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tennessee Titans

Bartch started the Jaguars’ first five games last season but went down with a knee injury in October. The fourth-year veteran will give the Jags an option at left guard, where he started last season. A former fourth-round pick, Bartch also started 11 games in 2021. This marks a return for Tinker, whose NFL entrance came as a Jaguars UDFA in 2013. Tinker spent the first four seasons of his career with the Jags but did not see action in 2017, 2019 or 2020. He worked as the Seahawks’ full-time long snapper last season. Ross Matiscik has been Jacksonville’s deep snapper for the past three seasons.

Austin spent last season out of football but has 17 starts to his credit. Used as a regular Jets starter from 2019-20, Austin caught on with the Seahawks in 2021. Seattle used Austin as a backup. The young cornerback could not make the Broncos’ 53-man roster last summer. While a member of the 2022 Seahawks, Tabor converted from cornerback to safety. The former second-round pick played 10 games for the team last season.

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