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Latest On Giants’ Slot CB Competition

July 3rd, 2023 at 1:11pm CST by Adam La Rose

Earlier this offseason, it appeared the Giants were prepared to try Cor’Dale Flott as a perimeter corner, despite his experience coming from the slot. A change to that approach has taken place, which could affect more than just the second-year pro.

Flott shared first-team snaps at the slot corner position with Darnay Holmes during spring practices, as detailed by Dan Duggan of The Athletic (subscription required). The up-and-down nature of the latter’s career to date has seen him play between 37% and 59% of defensive snaps across his three years in the league, the majority of which have come in the slot.

The former fourth-rounder’s clearest path to retaining the starting slot role likely would have been Flott earning a full-time gig as a boundary corner. The fact that he is slated to once again play on the inside, however, could leave Holmes in danger of failing to make the roster at his current cost. Entering the final year of his rookie contract, the UCLA product is set carry a cap hit of $2.9MM this season, and the Giants (who hold the fourth-least cap space at the moment) would see $2.7MM in savings by cutting or trading him.

In light of that, along with the fact that he was drafted by the current front office led by GM Joe Schoen, Duggan names Flott as the likely favorite to win out the starting role on the inside. The third-rounder made 11 appearances (six starts) as a rookie, totaling 26 tackles, two pass breakups and a forced fumble. An expanded workload could yield an uptick in production, something which would in turn help a Giants secondary which ranked middle of the pack against the pass in 2022.

Training camp and the preseason will, of course, offer a clearer outlook of the Giants’ plans with Flott and Holmes. Given the financial downside to retaining the latter, it will be worth watching how the team continues to split usage rates between the two heading into their final roster decisions.

Giants Starting S Job “Wide Open”

June 28th, 2023 at 8:24pm CST by Ely Allen

The Giants ran through most of last year with a strong safety duo of Julian Love and Xavier McKinney. With Love departing in free agency to Seattle, the starting job next to McKinney is reportedly “wide open,” according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic. There are plenty of names in contention for the job, leaving New York with several options.

The favorite for the job is Jason Pinnock, whom the Giants claimed off of waivers from the Jets just prior to the regular season last year. Despite playing his rookie year as a cornerback for the Jets, Pinnock filled in for McKinney when he sustained a few broken fingers last year, starting five games in the free safety’s place. He put together a strong sample to put his name in the race early, but he was sidelined in the spring, keeping him from fielding any snaps with the first team until he can return in training camp.

Dane Belton is another name to look at for the position. The fourth-round rookie started five games, as well, last year. He showed a nose for the football in limited time with two interceptions, three passes defensed, and two fumble recoveries. Like Pinnock, Belton missed the spring but should return for training camp in time to compete for the starting job next to McKinney.

With Pinnock and Belton out, veteran free agent signing Bobby McCain and converted cornerback Nick McCloud split reps for the starting spot this spring. McCain is used to the starting role, performing as a full-time starter for Miami and Washington since 2018. His presence provides New York with a reliable starter if none of the other contenders emerge as runaway favorites. He graded out with the worst run defense of any safety in the league last season, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), so he may not be the perfect player to pair with McKinney, but he can stand in if needed.

McCloud is an interesting name in the competition. Another young name on the roster, McCloud started eight games at cornerback for the Giants in his sophomore season last year. He displayed a strong all-around game. While not lacking in run defense, McCloud was decent in coverage, as well, recording seven passes defensed. The Giants lined Love up all over the field last year, and they worked McCloud in a similar manner this spring. If he shows that he’s a good fit in that versatile role, he may have a strong case for a starting gig.

That about sums it up. Pinnock is an early favorite after a strong fill-in performance last season. Belton should also have an opportunity to expand his role from last year but should factor into the defensive back rotation, regardless. McCloud could fit best into a versatile role. While McCain remains a strong option if no one succeeds in separating themselves from the pack.

Giants Planning To Carry Two Quarterbacks

June 28th, 2023 at 4:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

With the NFL reinstating the emergency quarterback rule, teams’ roster counts at the position become a more interesting topic. The new rule — in place after the 49ers lost both their active QBs during the NFC championship game — may influence teams’ 53-man roster decisions.

The league’s offseason tweak, reverting to a rule that has not been in place since 2010, is not expected to sway the Giants. They are likely to go into the season with a two-quarterback depth chart, Dan Duggan of Athletic notes. Current third-stringer Tommy DeVito is not expected to be a real threat to join Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor on the active roster come September (subscription required).

Last year, the Giants reacquired Davis Webb, whom they originally drafted in the 2017 third round, to team with Jones and Taylor. But Big Blue released Webb and subsequently stashed him on their practice squad. Webb made a few cameos on the Giants’ 55-man gameday roster but was not part of the team’s unit for most games. While Webb was called upon to start a meaningless Week 18 game — his last NFL action before transitioning to coaching; he is now the Broncos’ QBs coach — the Giants rolled with their Jones-Taylor setup for most of last season.

Taylor remains attached to the two-year, $11MM deal he signed in March 2022. Jones signed a four-year, $160MM accord just before the franchise tag deadline — which then pertained to Saquon Barkley — after an encouraging contract year. Jones, however, has missed time in three of his four NFL seasons. Most notably, the former No. 6 overall pick suffered a neck injury that ended his 2021 season in November. Jones underwent surgery to repair the issue. Heading into his age-34 season, Taylor has battled injuries as well. A scary lung puncture controversy sidelined Taylor just before the Chargers’ Week 2 game in 2020, ushering in the Justin Herbert era ahead of schedule, and a hamstring injury shelved the current Giants backup for an extended stretch during a 2021 Texans one-off.

Teams generally avoid dressing three passers — hence the rule update — but clubs will be unable to utilize the emergency QB rule unless they carry a third quarterback on their active roster. In order for the Giants to have DeVito — or another third-stringer — in place as their emergency option, he must be on their 55-man gameday roster. (The 2020 CBA allows teams to elevate two P-squad players the Saturday before a game, expanding gameday rosters to 55.) Teams cannot carry two QBs and bump a third up from the practice squad during a game. This part of the rule figures to influence teams’ roster constructions, but the Giants appear prepared to stick with a two-passer setup.

Playing for Syracuse and Illinois in college, DeVito joined the Giants as as a UDFA in May. No other quarterbacks reside on New York’s offseason roster, but third-string options — whether they land on an active roster or a practice squad — regularly change teams once the cut to 53 players comes. This year, teams must chop their rosters from 90 to 53 by 3pm CT on August 29.

Giants WR Wan’Dale Robinson Could Miss Regular Season Time

June 27th, 2023 at 11:34am CST by Adam La Rose

Wan’Dale Robinson figures to play a signficant role in the Giants’ passing game in 2023, but doubts remain with respect to his availability come September. The former second-round wideout continues to rehab the ACL tear which ended his rookie campaign.

That injury occurred in November, limiting the 22-year-old to just six games played. Over that span, he logged three starts and a 55% snap share, though, demonstrating his value to New York’s offense right away. Robinson totaled 227 yards and one touchdown on 23 catches before suffering the ACL tear, something which threatens his ability to recover in time for the 2023 season opener.

As Dan Duggan of The Athletic notes, it remains to be seen if Robinson will be able to take the field by Week 1 (subscription required). A cautious approach to his recovery would be understandable on the Giants’ part, but a decision will need to be made with respect to the possibility of placing the Kentucky alum on the PUP list or injured reserve. Doing so would guarantee missed time to begin the season.

New York has Robinson, along with Darius Slayton, Isaiah Hodgins and Sterling Shepard in place as returnees at the receiver position. The additions of Parris Campbell in free agency and Jalin Hyatt in the draft, not to mention Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller via trade, are set to give the Giants added options in the passing game regardless of Robinson’s health status at the start of the campaign. The latter should still play a notable role upon his return, though.

Robinson played his way into first-team consideration during training camp last year in part due to his strong performances in practice and the team’s lack of proven wideouts elsewhere on the depth chart. The summer will be much different this time around for team and player, and plenty of attention will be paid to Robinson’s recovery in the coming weeks.

TE Darren Waller Not Surprised By Raiders Trade

June 24th, 2023 at 10:09am CST by Ben Levine

Darren Waller struggled to find his footing with new head coach Josh McDaniels leading the way in Las Vegas. Even after the tight end inked a three-year, $51MM extension last offseason, there were rumblings that he had become a source of frustration within the organization during the 2022 season.

[RELATED: Raiders To Trade Darren Waller To Giants]

Waller was ultimately traded to the Giants back in March, and the tight end acknowledged that the move didn’t come as a huge surprise.

“Not totally shocked,” Waller told Adam Hill of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “I had heard some things. There were different moments throughout the year that I heard I may be traded or I may not. So the actual event of it wasn’t too shocking.

“But I didn’t expect it to be the Giants.”

Following 1,000-yard seasons in 2019 and 2020, Waller was limited to only 11 games in 2021. He missed another eight games in 2022, a factor that likely contributed to the organization’s frustrations. It seemed like rival teams were aware of the disconnect between Waller and the coaching staff; we heard that the Packers tried to trade for the player midseason, and agent Drew Rosenhaus confirmed that the front office even shopped Waller last offseason.

So, when Waller was ultimately traded, the move naturally didn’t come as a huge shock to the 30-year-old. Waller admitted that he was surprised that he was dealt to New York, perhaps because they hadn’t been definitively listed as a suitor (the only two reported teams that had shown interest were the Packers and Dolphins).

On paper, the Giants seemed like a logical landing spot. The team didn’t do much last season to replace Evan Engram, leaning mostly on Daniel Bellinger at tight end. In New York, Waller should emerge as one of Daniel Jones‘ top targets, and the tight end is excited about the opportunity.

“It’s been great,” Waller said of his Giants experience. “It’s been a great challenge. I love a good challenge and just forming a new relationship with my teammates. They’re really excited about winning. They’re really solid about doing things the right way and continuing to build a foundation on what they started last year. I’m just excited to be a part of it.”

Giants Still In Talks With Saquon Barkley

June 21st, 2023 at 10:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants have until July 17 to reach an extension agreement with Saquon Barkley. Otherwise, the Pro Bowl running back would be forced to play the season on the franchise tag. While acrimony has come out during this process, Barkley is still in talks with the Giants, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

Barkley turned down multiple proposals from the Giants, one of which in the $13MM-per-year neighborhood. The former Offensive Rookie of the Year has expressed frustration about the leaks from the team’s side during the talks, and the Giants’ previous top offer — which was taken off the table after team applied the tag in March — is not believed to have been favorable on the guarantee side.

Offer No. 1 came during the Giants’ bye week last season, and it was believed to be north of $12MM per year. But Barkley and the Giants did not come close to a deal at that point. The second proposal came this offseason, when the Giants attempted to keep both Barkley and Daniel Jones off the market. They succeeded, extending the fifth-year quarterback minutes before the franchise tag deadline. The third phase of discussions began shortly after the draft, per the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy (Twitter link). Since the Barkley tag, however, not much has come out regarding terms.

The prospect of Barkley missing training camp — absent a long-term deal by the July extension date — has emerged, but Rapoport notes the Penn State product should not be expected to follow in Le’Veon Bell‘s footsteps by skipping the season. While Barkley responded in the affirmative when asked if this strategy was in play, the sixth-year back passing on a $10.9MM guaranteed salary has never been a likely scenario.

While the Giants pulling their offer to Barkley suggested these negotiations could take a bad turn, Rapoport adds a deal should not be considered out of the question. The 26-year-old back is the team’s most popular player, and few running backs are as important to their respective franchises. That said, Barkley went through three injury-plagued seasons prior to a breakthrough contract year.

The Giants being hesitant to provide a substantial guarantee is understandable, and the running back market losing two top contracts (Ezekiel Elliott, Dalvin Cook) this offseason while seeing the other free agent backs struggle did not help the tagged contingent (Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Tony Pollard). Jacobs has expressed disappointment with his time on the tag as well.

The Giants have used their franchise tag seven times since the tag’s 1993 inception and have never failed to hammer out an extension, though two players did play on the tag before being re-signed following a second tag. The team reached an agreement with tackle Jumbo Elliott in 1993 and extended punter Steve Weatherford in 2012. Both Jason Pierre-Paul and Leonard Williams were tagged twice; each signed an extension following the second tag (in 2017 and 2021, respectively).

Barkley bucking that trend would certainly be a notable development for the team, which has also given a big-money deal to Dexter Lawrence this offseason. But if the Giants do not submit an offer with at least $22.2MM guaranteed — which would cover a second Barkley tag in 2024 — it will put the dynamic back to a tough decision.

LB Alec Ogletree Announces Retirement

June 21st, 2023 at 4:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Alec Ogletree made an effort to play a 10th season last year, but the veteran linebacker will not aim to suit up this season. The former first-round pick announced his retirement (Instagram link).

One of the more successful players to enter the league from the much-maligned 2013 first round, Ogletree secured a Rams extension and started 110 games across a career spent in St. Louis, Los Angeles, New York (with the Giants and Jets) and Chicago. Ogletree picked up a second-team All-Pro honor (in 2016) and finished his career as a full-time starter, lining up with the Bears’ first-stringers throughout the 2021 season.

Known best for his Rams tenure, the off-ball linebacker began as a No. 30 overall pick during Jeff Fisher‘s regime. Fisher and then-second-year GM Les Snead signed off on the linebacker in a two-first-rounder Rams draft, which began with Tavon Austin going eighth overall. Both players fetched extensions from the Rams, but Ogletree made a bigger impact. His 2016 second-team All-Pro season included a career-high 136 tackles (nine for loss), two interceptions and a forced fumble.

That showing earned Ogletree a four-year, $42MM extension in October 2017. Despite the Rams changing HCs by hiring Sean McVay in 2017, they signed off on keeping Ogletree. Though, they reversed course during the ’18 offseason by trading the contract to the Giants. Ogletree, who combined to force 10 fumbles over his first two seasons, led the Rams in tackles during each of the four seasons he finished with the team.

The Giants kept the Georgia alum on that contract for two seasons, and he posted two pick-sixes during his Big Blue debut slate. The Giants had traded fourth- and sixth-round picks to the Rams for Ogletree and a seventh. A 2020 release led Ogletree to the Jets, with whom he only played two games. Despite the Jets cutting bait in October 2020 and Ogletree not playing again that season, he stepped in as a Bears full-timer to close out his career. In 16 Chicago starts, Ogletree made 87 tackles in 2021.

Ogletree, 31, collected just more than $40MM during his NFL run. He added 12 INTs and 7.5 sacks to a resume that includes 766 tackles (49 for loss).

Giants’ Saquon Barkley A Threat To Skip Training Camp

June 19th, 2023 at 9:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants now have less than a month to hammer out an extension with Saquon Barkley. With the Giants having pulled their offer and Barkley having expressed frustration at the leaks coming from the team’s side, this process has traversed a rocky path for a while.

Barkley remains hopeful for a long-term deal, noting the time still remaining between now and this year’s deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign extensions (July 17), but word out of Giants headquarters is they would be content letting their two-time Pro Bowl back play this season on the $10.9MM tag. While it will be interesting to see which side blinks, Barkley looks to be making preparations in the event no deal comes together.

Franchise-tagged players are not subject to fines for missing training camp, and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler said during a recent SportsCenter appearance (h/t Bleacher Report’s Mike Chiari) Barkley is “a real threat” to skip camp. This tactic would be both aimed at avoiding the extra work come July and August, while penalizing the Giants — via services withheld — for not completing a deal by the deadline.

When the Steelers tagged Le’Veon Bell the first time (2017), he skipped training camp and reported September 1. Bell did start the season slowly, by his standards at the time, but finished with his second first-team All-Pro honor. No backs received the tag from 2019-22, leaving Barkley and Josh Jacobs as the only candidates to skip camp free of penalty since Bell. (Tony Pollard signed his Cowboys tender in March.)

What Bell did the following year generated far more attention. Barkley has referenced skipping the season, as Bell did in 2018 in protest of being tagged a second time, as a viable option. Bell has since expressed regret for doing this. Although Bell prevented a major injury affecting his 2019 market (when he scored $27MM fully guaranteed from the Jets), he missed out on $14.5MM by not signing his franchise tender. Bell is the only player to skip a season on the tag since the 1990s, when defensive linemen Sean Gilbert (1997) and Dan Williams (1998) did so. The salaries they passed on paled in comparison Bell’s, and the ex-Steeler great remains the poster boy for this rare course of action.

Barkley should not be considered likely to take this route, though he is in a better financial position than Bell was in 2018 or his 2023 tagged RB peers are. Barkley being chosen second overall locked in $31.2MM. The Giants exercised his fifth-year option ($7.2MM), putting the former Offensive Rookie of the Year near $40MM in career earnings. If a back were to try the Bell move, Barkley is positioned as well as anyone has been since the 2011 CBA reshaped rookie contracts. Taking this route would mean punting on $10.9MM and skipping an age-26 season. Seeing as Barkley’s prime is unlikely to last too much longer, this will be a valuable year.

The Giants are not introducing a new offense, with OC/play-caller Mike Kafka not being hired in this year’s cycle. The prospect of missing their starting back during camp and the preseason would not be especially damaging, with the looming threat of missed game checks hanging over Barkley in the event he tries to extend his absence into the regular season. That said, Barkley remains New York’s top skill-position player and occupies that role for a team without a top-flight quarterback. The Giants are thin behind Barkley, rostering Matt Breida, Gary Brightwell and fifth-round rookie Eric Gray. They could also bring in a veteran insurance option. A number of accomplished backs remain unsigned, but signing a starter-caliber veteran after failing to come to terms with Barkley by July 17 also runs the risk of Joe Schoen and Co. alienating the locker room.

Guarantees remain a key issue in this Giants-Barkley standoff, and while deadlines spur action, the low tag price and this year’s running back market not taking off did not do anything to convince the team to put its $13MM-AAV offer back on the table. This keeps Barkley in a tough spot at a pivotal career point. These negotiations continue to represent a prime storyline during an offseason in which the running back position has absorbed some significant blows.

ILB Competition On Tap For Giants

June 17th, 2023 at 5:32pm CST by Ely Allen

The Giants made a big move this offseason to address the inside linebacker position in free agency, signing former Colts linebacker Bobby Okereke. Okereke will slot in as a sure starter in New York’s lineup, but who will the Giants decide on as the starter lining up next to Okereke?

In the past two years, New York has seen their options dwindle with an ACL tear leading to the eventual release of Blake Martinez and the benching and waiving of Tae Crowder. Okereke provides a strong presence on the inside of the linebacking corps, but the team still has questions next to him. Darrian Beavers, Jarrad Davis, and Micah McFadden are the three names that have been mentioned as candidates to start next to Okereke.

McFadden is typically the third name thrown into the conversation behind Beavers and Davis. This is a result of McFadden being seemingly cemented as Okereke’s backup. McFadden started next to Okereke while Beavers and Davis were dealing with injury this spring, but considering he plays the same position as Okereke, he’s not a favorite to share the field with him moving forward. This appears to be a battle mainly between Beavers and Davis.

Davis joined the team extremely late into the season last year. A former first-round pick, Davis had been starting less and less as his career progressed. Despite becoming a Giant with two weeks left in the regular season, Davis started in Week 18 before starting two playoff games for New York, an impressive feat with such a small amount of time in the building. With Beavers dealing with injury, Davis started early in the spring, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, but found himself on the sideline with an undisclosed injury during minicamp.

Beavers missed his entire rookie season after tearing his ACL in Week 2 of the preseason last year. The Giants are reportedly extremely high on the 2022 sixth-round pick, whom they are hoping to have back by training camp. Once he does return, Beavers will provide immediate competition for Davis. During a Mailbag Q&A session, Duggan asserted his belief that Beavers will claim the starting job next to Okereke during training camp.

So, there you have it. Beavers, the young, unproven player coming off a major injury, is currently the expected favorite to start. Davis is slotted into the position for now, if healthy, and should have a chance to make a case to regain his status as a starter in training camp. If both are unavailable, McFadden can start in their place, though the team prefers that he back up Okereke instead of start next to him.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/16/23

June 16th, 2023 at 9:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

Friday’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Trickett’s deal is three years in length, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). That represents a sizeable commitment considering the Falcons are already set at the kicker position with Younghoe Koo. Trickett will have training camp and the offseason to earn himself an extended look on Atlanta’s practice squad during training camp and the preseason following his five-year college career. He spent time at Kent State and Minnesota, converting 79 of 100 field goal attempts and all but three of his 179 extra point kicks.

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