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Giants Re-Sign OLB Oshane Ximines

May 3rd, 2023 at 3:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the Giants did not draft an edge rusher, they will bring back one of their previous options at outside linebacker. Oshane Ximines will return on a one-year deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Giants have since announced the signing.

A former Giants third-round pick, Ximines has mostly worked as a rotational presence with New York. But the Old Dominion product has made nine starts over the course of a four-year career.

Former GM Dave Gettleman eschewed the Giants’ edge-rushing need — created by the team trading Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon — for much of his tenure. Ximines represented one of the since-departed GM’s top investments at the position. A year after drafting Lorenzo Carter in the third round, the Giants chose Ximines 95th overall in 2019. The team let Carter walk last year, and he has since signed a multiyear deal with the Falcons. But Ximines remains positioned as a Big Blue second-stringer.

After totaling 4.5 sacks as a rookie, Ximines has not made many statistical contributions over the past three seasons. An offsides penalty that proved costly in a narrow loss to the Chiefs affected Ximines’ role in 2021, when he fell out of favor with Joe Judge‘s staff. Ximines spent much of that season’s dreadful Giants stretch run as a healthy scratch. The 26-year-old edge defender did bounce back a bit last season, recording two sacks and eight quarterback hits.

New York’s edge rush remains centered around Kayvon Thibodeaux and Azeez Ojulari. The latter’s rookie contract runs through 2024. Both starters battled injury issues last season, and Ximines’ workload increased as a result. After playing just 183 defensive snaps in 2021, Ximines logged a career-high 506 last season. Don Martindale will give the fifth-year defender another chance to be part of his edge rotation this season.

Giants Pick Up LT Andrew Thomas’ Fifth-Year Option

May 2nd, 2023 at 8:32am CST by Adam La Rose

The Giants had one of the easier decisions to make with respect to today’s deadline on fifth-year options. As expected, they have exercised the option on left tackle Andrew Thomas, per a team announcement.

The 24-year old will now be on the books for at least the next two seasons, with a 2024 cap hit of $14.175MM. That figure is lowered by the fact that Thomas has yet to earn a Pro Bowl nod, but all-star appearances could be in his future considering his career ascent. His level of play in 2022 has put him squarely on the radar for a long-term deal.

Such a move could come later this offseason, a reflection of how the Georgia alum is viewed by the Giants’ front office. Thomas has taken a considerable step forward in terms of PFF evaluation in each of his three seasons, developing from a player who appeared to have been a reach at No. 4 overall to one of the game’s best pass protectors. He earned a stellar overall grade of 90.3 in 2022, ranking him third amongst qualifying tackles.

The 2020 first-round class has seen a mixed bag of results with options being picked up or declined, including along the offensive line. Thomas has proven to be a worthwhile investment for the Giants, a team which has both he and quarterback Daniel Jones in place for multiple seasons (along with another foundational piece, running back Saquon Barkley, in the fold for at least the 2023 campaign on the franchise tag).

A long-term Thomas accord will be worth far more than the price of the option next year, with Laremy Tunsil‘s latest Texans deal (three years, $75MM) considered by many to be the floor for any agreement. At a minimum, Thomas can be expected to become only the fourth blindside blocker in the league to reach the $20MM-per-year mark. If negotiations stall out this summer, the Giants will have an extended period to get a contract worked out with the anchor of their offensive front down the road.

2024 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker

May 1st, 2023 at 9:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

NFL teams have until May 2 to officially pick up fifth-year options on 2020 first-rounders who are entering the final year of their rookie deals. The 2020 CBA revamped the option structure and made them fully guaranteed, rather than guaranteed for injury only. Meanwhile, fifth-year option salaries are now determined by a blend of the player’s position, initial draft placement and performance- and usage-based benchmarks:

  • Two-time Pro Bowlers (excluding alternate Pro Bowlers) will earn the same as their position’s franchise tag.
  • One-time Pro Bowlers will earn the equivalent of the transition tag.
  • Players who achieve any of the following will get the average of the third-20th highest salaries at their position:
    • At least a 75% snap rate in two of their first three seasons
    • A 75% snap average across all three seasons
    • At least 50% in each of first three seasons
  • Players who do not hit any of those benchmarks will receive the average of the third-25th top salaries at their position.

With the deadline looming, we’ll use the space below to track all the option decisions from around the league:

  1. QB Joe Burrow, Bengals ($29.5MM): Exercised
  2. DE Chase Young, Commanders ($17.45MM): Declined
  3. CB Jeff Okudah, Falcons* ($11.51MM): N/A
  4. T Andrew Thomas, Giants ($14.18MM): Exercised
  5. QB Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins ($23.2MM): Exercised
  6. QB Justin Herbert, Chargers ($29.5MM): Exercised
  7. DT Derrick Brown, Panthers ($11.67MM): Exercised 
  8. LB Isaiah Simmons, Cardinals ($12.72MM): Declined
  9. CB C.J. Henderson, Jaguars** ($11.51MM): Declined
  10. T Jedrick Wills, Browns ($14.18MM): Exercised
  11. T Mekhi Becton, Jets ($12.57MM): Declined
  12. WR Henry Ruggs, Raiders: N/A
  13. T Tristan Wirfs, Buccaneers ($18.24MM): Exercised
  14. DT Javon Kinlaw, 49ers ($10.46MM): Declined
  15. WR Jerry Jeudy, Broncos ($14.12MM): Exercised
  16. CB AJ Terrell, Falcons ($12.34MM): Exercised
  17. WR CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys ($17.99MM): Exercised
  18. OL Austin Jackson, Dolphins ($14.18MM): Declined
  19. CB Damon Arnette, Raiders: N/A
  20. DE K’Lavon Chaisson, Jaguars ($12.14MM): Declined
  21. WR Jalen Reagor, Vikings*** ($12.99MM): To decline
  22. WR Justin Jefferson, Vikings ($19.74MM): Exercised
  23. LB Kenneth Murray, Chargers ($11.73MM): Declined
  24. G Cesar Ruiz, Saints ($14.18MM): Declined
  25. WR Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers ($14.12MM): Exercised
  26. QB Jordan Love, Packers ($20.27MM): Extended through 2024
  27. LB Jordyn Brooks, Seahawks ($12.72MM): Declined
  28. LB Patrick Queen, Ravens ($12.72MM): Declined
  29. T Isaiah Wilson, Titans: N/A
  30. CB Noah Igbinoghene, Dolphins ($11.51MM): Declined
  31. CB Jeff Gladney, Vikings: N/A
  32. RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Chiefs ($5.46MM): To decline

* = Lions traded Okudah on April 11, 2023
** = Jaguars traded Henderson on Sept. 27, 2021
*** = Eagles traded Reagor on August 31, 2022

Giants GM Joe Schoen On Contract Talks With Saquon Barkley, Dexter Lawrence

April 30th, 2023 at 7:42am CST by Rory Parks

APRIL 30: As expected, the Giants and Barkley will resume contract talks now that the draft is over, as Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com writes. The two sides did, in fact, touch base last week and will now attempt to find some middle ground on a long-term accord. Big Blue selected a running back, Oklahoma’s Eric Gray, in the fifth round, but as Schwartz notes, Schoen told Barkley before the draft of his intention to pick up a mid-round RB so that Barkley would not be blindsided.

APRIL 23: The Giants have two standouts who have stayed away from the start of the club’s offseason program: DT Dexter Lawrence and RB Saquon Barkley. As Paul Schwartz of the New York Post observes, GM Joe Schoen is taking a markedly different approach in his negotiations with those two players.

With respect to Barkley, negotiations are non-existent at this time. The Giants have until July 17 to work out a long-term deal with Barkley, who was slapped with the franchise tag in March and who has yet to sign the franchise tender, worth $10.1MM. Obviously, there is still plenty of time for player and team to strike an accord that will keep Barkley under club control for the next few seasons, and discussions may resume once this week’s draft has concluded. Still, Schoen’s tone in his comments on the two-time Pro Bowler is noteworthy.

When asked if he is optimistic that Barkley will suit up for the start of the 2023 season, Schoen said, “you have to ask him. I’m not sure. I don’t know what his plan is.”

The Giants offered Barkley a multiyear contract worth $13MM per year in advance of the franchise tag deadline, though the guarantee and cash flow components of New York’s proposals have never been reported. And, while Barkley has said that he is not necessarily seeking to better Christian McCaffrey‘s $16MM AAV — the top mark among running backs — it has also been reported that he wants to at least be in that ballpark.

Clearly, there is a gap between the two sides, and it is unclear how wide that gap is. The suppressed RB market is hurting Barkley, who may ultimately have to do more compromising than the Giants if he wants to avoid playing the 2023 campaign on the tag. Of course, he could simply choose to not sign his tender and sit out the season, though that tactic ultimately proved to be the wrong choice for the last player to try it, Le’Veon Bell.

Schoen said that he has not spoken to Barkley’s camp in three or four weeks. “When we had the conversations with Saquon it was known we were going to get to a certain point and then we were gonna move on and regroup at some other time,” the second-year GM said. Schoen added that the Barkley situation will not influence his decision to select or not select a running back in the draft.

Lawrence, meanwhile, is presently scheduled to play out the 2023 season on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, which will pay him $12.4MM. Reports last month indicated that progress was being made on an extension, and Schoen confirmed that there continues to be productive dialogue with Lawrence’s representation. Schwartz indicated that Lawrence is targeting a four-year pact worth $22MM per season.

In 2022, Lawrence set career-highs in tackles (68), sacks (7.5), and QB hits (28) en route to Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro acclaim. Pro Football Focus ranked Lawrence second among 127 qualifying interior defenders, and he earned position-best marks for his run defense and pass rushing.

2023 NFL Draft Results: Team By Team

April 29th, 2023 at 10:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the 2023 NFL Draft gets underway, we will keep track of each team’s haul here:

Arizona Cardinals

Round 1, No. 6 (from Rams through Lions): Paris Johnson, OT (Ohio State) (signed)
Round 2, No. 41 (from Titans): BJ Ojulari, DE (LSU) (signed)
Round 3, No. 72 (from Titans): Garrett Williams, CB (Syracuse) (signed)
Round 3, No. 94 (from Eagles): Michael Wilson, WR (Stanford) (signed)
Round 4, No. 122 (from Dolphins through Chiefs and Lions): Jon Gaines II, G (UCLA) (signed)
Round 5, No. 139 (from Broncos through Lions): Clayton Tune, QB (Houston) (signed)
Round 5, No. 168 (from Cardinals through Lions): Owen Pappoe, LB (Auburn) (signed)
Round 5, No. 180: Kei’Trel Clark, CB (Louisville) (signed)
Round 6, No. 213: Dante Stills, DT (West Virginia) (signed)

Atlanta Falcons

Round 1, No. 8: Bijan Robinson, RB (Texas) (signed)
Round 2, No. 38 (from Colts): Matthew Bergeron, T (Syracuse) (signed)
Round 3, No. 75: Zach Harrison, DE (Ohio State) (signed)
Round 4, No. 113: Clark Phillips III, CB (Utah) (signed)
Round 7, No. 224 (from Raiders): DeMarcco Hellams, S (Alabama) (signed)
Round 7, No. 225: Jovaughn Gwyn, G (South Carolina) (signed)

Baltimore Ravens

Round 1, No. 22: Zay Flowers, WR (Boston College) (signed)
Round 3, No. 86: Trenton Simpson, LB (Clemson) (signed)
Round 4, No. 124: Tavius Robinson, LB (Ole Miss) (signed)
Round 5, No. 157: Kyu Blu Kelly, CB (Stanford) (signed)
Round 6, No. 199: Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, OT (Oregon) (signed)
Round 7, No. 229 (from Browns): Andrew Vorhees, G (USC) (signed)

Buffalo Bills

Round 1, No. 25 (from Giants through Jaguars): Dalton Kincaid, TE (Utah) (signed)
Round 2, No. 59: O’Cyrus Torrence, G (Florida) (signed)
Round 3, No, 91: Dorian Williams, LB (Tulane) (signed)
Round 5, No. 150 (from Commanders): Justin Shorter, WR (Florida) (signed)
Round 7, No. 230 (from Buccaneers through Jets, Texans, Eagles and Bills): Nick Broeker, G (Ole Miss) (signed)
Round 7, No. 252 (from Buccaneers through Rams): Alex Austin, CB (Oregon State) (signed)

Carolina Panthers

Round 1, No. 1 (from Bears): Bryce Young, QB (Alabama) (signed)
Round 2, No. 39: Jonathan Mingo, WR (Ole Miss) (signed)
Round 3, No. 80 (from Steelers): D.J. Johnson, DE (Oregon) (signed)
Round 4, No. 114: Chandler Zavala, G (North Carolina State) (signed)
Round 5, No. 145: Jammie Robinson, S (Florida State) (signed)

Chicago Bears

Round 1, No. 10 (from Saints through Eagles): Darnell Wright, OT (Tennessee) (signed)
Round 2, No. 53 (from Ravens): Gervon Dexter, DT (Florida) (signed)
Round 2, No. 56 (from Jaguars): Tyrique Stevenson, CB (Miami) (signed)
Round 3, No. 64: Zacch Pickens, DT (South Carolina) (signed)
Round 4, No. 115 (from Saints): Roschon Johnson, RB (Texas) (signed)
Round 4, No. 133 (from Eagles): Tyler Scott, WR (Cincinnati) (signed)
Round 5, No. 148 (from Patriots through Ravens): Noah Sewell, LB (Oregon) (signed)
Round 5, No. 165 (from Saints through Eagles): Terell Smith, CB (Minnesota) (signed)
Round 7, No. 218: Travis Bell, DT (Kennesaw State) (signed)
Round 7, No. 258: Kendall Williamson, S (Stanford) (signed)

Cincinnati Bengals

Round 1, No. 28: Myles Murphy, DE (Clemson) (signed)
Round 2, No. 60: DJ Turner, CB (Michigan) (signed)
Round 3, No. 95 (from Chiefs): Jordan Battle, S (Alabama) (signed)
Round 4, No. 131: Charlie Jones, WR (Purdue) (signed)
Round 5, No. 163: Chase Brown, RB (Illinois) (signed)
Round 6, No. 206: Andrei Iosivas, WR (Princeton) (signed)
Round 6, No. 217 (from Chiefs): Brad Robbins, P (Michigan) (signed)
Round 7, No. 246: DJ Ivey, CB (Miami) (signed)

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Giants Obtain No. 73 From Rams, Draft WR Jalin Hyatt

April 28th, 2023 at 8:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Rams have completed another trade-down maneuver. They are sending No. 73 overall to the Giants in exchange for Nos. 89 and 128.

This move comes shortly after Sean McVay‘s team slid down from No. 69, dealing with the Texans. At 73, the Giants are taking wide receiver Jalin Hyatt. The Giants will add the Tennessee deep threat to a revamped receiving corps. The Volunteers’ top 2022 wideouts have gone back-to-back, with the Browns selecting Cedric Tillman at No. 74.

One of this draft’s best deep threats, Hyatt was among the many receiver prospects to spend time with the Giants during the pre-draft process. Hyatt will join new additions Parris Campbell and Jamison Crowder in New York. With the Giants also re-signing Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard — along with RFA Isaiah Hodgins — their receiver group is about at capacity.

Hyatt’s arrival does not supply the Giants with tremendous size, as he stands 6-foot tall. But he brings elite speed to the mix. He ran a 4.40-second 40-yard dash at the Combine but did so while dealing with a hamstring issue. He also is the reigning Biletnikoff award winner.

Hyatt broke through for a stunning performance against Alabama — in Tennessee’s October win — with a 207-yard, five-touchdown display. Last year represented Hyatt’s only notable run of production with the Volunteers; prior to his 1,267-yard season, he did not top 300 receiving yards in 2020 or ’21.

Last season, the Giants needed to drag Slayton out of their doghouse and use Hodgins — a midseason waiver claim — extensively as well. Big Blue also has Wan’Dale Robinson coming off an ACL tear. It would not seem there is room for all seven of these wideouts on Brian Daboll‘s roster, but considering the injury trouble the team has dealt with recently — while adding Campbell’s injury past to the mix — it might be wise for the team to stock up at the position.

If nothing else, Daniel Jones will enjoy a much deeper pass-catching corps compared to last season. After earning a $40MM-per-year payday, the fifth-year quarterback has this contingent and Darren Waller to target in 2023.

Giants Trade Up For CB Deonte Banks

April 27th, 2023 at 10:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants are moving up one spot. New York has acquired pick No. 24 from the Jaguars for pick No. 25, No. 160 and No. 240, per ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter). The Giants will use their selection on Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks.

Although the Giants were perhaps the team most closely tied to the top wide receivers in this draft, cornerback has been a need in New York for a bit. The team whiffed on 2019 first-rounder Deandre Baker and released James Bradberry last year. The Giants did not make much of an effort to replace Bradberry and entered the draft with a hole opposite Adoree’ Jackson, who is going into a contract year.

Banks drew extensive attention during the pre-draft process, charting a busy course across the country. Nearly half the NFL’s 32 teams met with Banks; the Giants were among that contingent. Our Ely Allen covered Banks’ pre-draft profile, and despite Joey Porter Jr. receiving a bit more acclaim during the leadup to the draft, the Giants went with another Big Ten cover man. In a major surprise, Porter remains on the board heading into Round 2.

Banks bounced back from a shoulder injury that cut his 2021 season off after two games. Excelling in press coverage and running a 4.35-second 40-yard dash at the Combine, Banks brings a 6-foot, 197-pound frame to the Giants. New York selected slot hopeful Cor’Dale Flott in the third round last year, but it should be expected Banks has a quicker avenue to regular duty as a rookie.

Don Martindale received praise for his work in New York last season, and while the team ranked 25th defensively, it fared better against the pass (14th). The Giants accomplished that upper-half pass defense ranking despite Jackson missing a chunk of the season with an MCL sprain and would-be No. 2 corner Aaron Robinson missing almost all of it because of a worse knee injury earlier in the season. The Giants signed Amani Oruwariye from the Lions, but he took a big step back in his contract year. As such, Banks should be expected to join Jackson as the Giants’ top corners during his rookie year.

Draft Rumors: Carter, Wilson, Bills, Dolphins

April 27th, 2023 at 5:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jalen Carter visited all six teams holding a pick between Nos. 5 and 10. That sextet continues to be connected to the higher-risk prospect ahead of the draft. The Bears and Eagles are believed to be on board with the former Georgia dynamo, but the Seahawks (No. 5) and Falcons (No. 8) — barring another team’s trade-up maneuver or Carter going in the top four — would have first dibs.

Seattle is believed to be split on Carter, per ProFootballNetwork.com’s Tony Pauline. Although a report earlier this week indicated Pete Carroll is ready to pull the trigger, the Seahawks are not certain to do so. The prospect of Carter playing in Atlanta, which is near Athens, has emerged as a Falcons red flag, per Pauline, who adds Carter having left the scene of the accident that killed two members of Georgia’s program has injected more doubt from teams. Carter reached a plea deal and will not serve any jail time in connection with the two misdemeanor charges he faced. While some teams are believed to have taken the top-flight talent off their draft boards, Carter said some of his visits did not include questioning about the January night in which he was at the scene of the aforementioned fatal car accident.

Here is the latest from the draft:

  • One of the few players who may be drafted ahead of Carter, Tyree Wilson has generated some concern regarding his injury past. The former Texas Tech edge rusher is coming off a Lisfranc fracture, and Pauline adds he underwent a second surgery this offseason. Some teams, including the Cardinals and Texans, have passed Wilson on a physical. Not all did, and Pauline adds teams have looked into the back trouble he experienced last season as well. Wilson remains on track to be a top-10 pick, but his health will be worth monitoring as he begins his NFL career.
  • Staying on the topic of edge defenders, Pauline adds the Bills have done some late work on Iowa State prospect Will McDonald. Scouts Inc.’s No. 25 overall prospect, McDonald may be in range for the Bills, who hold the No. 27 pick. The Bills have been calling coaches on Iowa State’s staff to gather more intel leading up to the draft. McDonald finished as the Cyclones’ all-time sack leader (34). The Bills have taken defensive ends in two of the past three first rounds, choosing Gregory Rousseau and Boogie Basham. Von Miller is also coming off an ACL tear and not a lock to be ready for Week 1. Buffalo’s pass rush also struggled without the future Hall of Famer last season.
  • Closely tied to this year’s top wide receivers, the Giants may have a receiver-cornerback hierarchy going into the draft. Mentioned as preferring Jordan Addison and Zay Flowers, the Giants could pivot to corner if both are off the board at No. 25. But a corner is likely the Giants’ Plan B in Round 1, per Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano (on Twitter). The Giants have Adoree’ Jackson going into a contract year, and the team is unlikely to extend him before next year, and Aaron Robinson is coming off a season-ending injury. Big Blue did sign ex-Lion Amani Oruwariye to a low-cost deal, but this is one of the team’s neediest areas. The Giants are fans of Michigan corner DJ Turner, per Pauline, but he would not appear to represent Round 1 value. Scouts Inc. grades Turner 56th overall.
  • The Dolphins have looked into Dalvin Cook and may still be in the mix for a player not certain to be with the Vikings much longer, but the team is in on this rookie running back crop. The Dolphins have spent a lot of time with Texas A&M’s Devon Achane — he of a 4.32-second 40-yard dash — over the past two weeks, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes. The Dolphins do not have a pick until No. 51; Scouts Inc. grades Achane 78th overall and fifth among this class’ backs. The consensus second-best back in the draft — Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs — also interests the Dolphins, per NBC Sports’ Peter King, but a major trade-up would likely be necessary for Gibbs.

WR Notes: Flowers, Vikings, Chiefs, Giants, Addison, Bucs, Johnston, Robinson, Moore

April 27th, 2023 at 1:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Zay Flowers does not appear likely to fall out of the first round, and his final pre-draft meetup looks to have gone well. The Chiefs organizing a Flowers-Patrick Mahomes workout in Texas has led to interest on the defending Super Bowl champions’ part, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. They are not alone. The Giants and Vikings are Flowers fans as well. Previous reports also indicated the Bears and Chargers are intrigued by the speedy Boston College product, despite his 5-foot-9 stature. Flowers would be an atypical first-round pick, with Marquise Brown (2019) and Tavon Austin (2013) the only receivers chosen in Round 1 at 5-9 or shorter in the 21st century. But Flowers made a number of pre-draft visits and, coming off his only 1,000-yard college season, will be one of the first receivers off the board.

The Vikings released Adam Thielen earlier this year and have K.J. Osborn going into a contract year. Considering Justin Jefferson‘s likely extension price, Minnesota paying multiple wideouts notable veteran sums might be difficult. The Giants have performed an extensive examination on the top wideouts available.

Here is the latest from the rookie and veteran receiver landscape:

  • Regarding the Giants‘ receiver studies, Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports indicates they are also believed to be considering USC’s Jordan Addison in Round 1 (Twitter link), indicating Addison might be ahead of Flowers on the team’s board. A Pitt transfer who finished his career with Heisman winner Caleb Williams, Addison spent time with the Giants during the pre-draft process. The team adding Parris Campbell and Jamison Crowder and re-signing Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton — along with the 2022 second-round selection of Wan’Dale Robinson — certainly does not point to this Giants regime mandating big-bodied wideouts. While Flowers is 5-9, Addison is only 5-11. One of these two stepping in as a potential No. 1 target would round out an interesting receiver room.
  • Shifting to a taller target, the Buccaneers are believed to be interested in 6-3 TCU alum Quentin Johnston, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Tony Pauline offers. The Bucs would make for an unexpected Johnston destination, as they have Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and 2022 free agency addition Russell Gage on the roster. Gage, however, underwhelmed in his Tampa Bay debut, while Evans is entering his age-30 season. The Chiefs are also interested in Johnston, with Pauline confirming previous reports Kansas City is both pro-Johnston and interested in trading up from No. 31.
  • Being moved to the Steelers, Allen Robinson will be prepared to work with yet another starting quarterback this year. But the well-traveled wideout will have a delayed start for on-field Steeler work. The team will hold its new receiver out of voluntary offseason workouts, per The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly (on Twitter). Robinson is recovering from late-season foot surgery. He missed the Rams’ final seven games last season due to injury.
  • Ryan Poles confirmed D.J. Moore was indeed mandatory in the Bears‘ March trade with the Panthers. “You go back and forth and have those conversations that go over a couple of weeks, and there are some non-negotiables that you say, ‘Well, I need to have this in the package.’ DJ was that for us,” Poles said during an interview with former NFLers Charles Tillman and Roman Harper on the NFL Players: Second Acts podcast (h/t Pro Football Network). “We wanted to add more playmakers to this roster. We wanted a player that can really help Justin [Fields] be successful. So that’s kind of [what] we stuck with and went hard on that, and it worked out.” The Bears also discussed Brian Burns and Derrick Brown with the Panthers but ended up prying away their No. 1 receiver in the deal for the top pick.

Giants Eyeing Mid-Round RB Addition

April 27th, 2023 at 12:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants’ negotiations with Saquon Barkley have intermittently transpired since the team’s November bye, when the Pro Bowl running back received an initial offer. No offer is currently believed to be on the table for Barkley, who is attached to a franchise tag he has not signed.

Barkley is not planning to sign his $10.1MM franchise tender any time soon, withholding services while attached to the tag. He cannot be fined for doing so. While Barkley has attended some Daniel Jones-led independent workouts, his absence certainly leaves a gaping hole on the Giants’ offense. The team, however, does plan to come out of the draft in better shape behind Barkley.

A mid-round addition at the position is expected, per the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz, who adds GM Joe Schoen has informed Barkley of the team’s plan to add here. The team is indeed likely to bolster its running back spot in the middle rounds, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan tweets, noting an addition could come on Day 2.

Considering the needs the Giants have, a Day 2 backfield choice would be a newsworthy use of resources. But Barkley is unsigned beyond 2023. The team upped its offer to the $13MM-per-year range ahead of the March deadline to use franchise tags, but Schoen confirmed the team pulled its revised offer. The sides should be expected to regroup ahead of the July tag extension deadline, but a midround add would stand to protect the Giants, who have been more closely linked to wide receivers and cornerbacks in Round 1. That said, the team has been loosely tied to Alabama dual threat Jahmyr Gibbs; Peter Schrager’s NFL.com mock draft sends the Alabama contributor to New York at No. 25.

The Giants traded the compensatory third-rounder they acquired in the Kadarius Toney trade in the Darren Waller deal, leaving the team with the standard three picks in the first three rounds. The Giants have only drafted one running back since taking Barkley second overall in 2018 — Gary Brightwell in the 2021 sixth round — so a second-day move would give the team a post-2023 option, in the event Barkley plays on the tag this year. Brightwell and Matt Breida reside as Big Blue’s top backup backs.

UCLA’s Zach Charbonnet, TCU’s Kendre Miller, Texas A&M’s Devon Achane, Auburn’s Tank Bigsby, Texas’ Roschon Johnson and Tulane’s Tyjae Spears profile as the second wave of backs behind first-round-level prospects Gibbs and Bijan Robinson. In the years prior to the Barkley pick, the last running back the Giants drafted before Round 4 was 2012 first-rounder David Wilson, whose career was cut short by a neck injury. It appears the team is prepared to deviate slightly from its modern strategy at the position this weekend.

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