Top 3 Offseason Needs: New York Giants
In advance of March 14, the start of free agency in the NFL, Pro Football Rumors will detail each team’s three most glaring roster issues. We’ll continue this year’s series with the New York Giants, who are looking to rebound from a disastrous 2017 season:
Depth Chart (via Roster Resource)
Pending Free Agents:
- Akeem Ayers, LB
- Nick Becton, T
- Nat Berhe, S
- Adam Bisnowaty, T (ERFA)
- Jay Bromley, DT
- Jonathan Casillas, LB
- Ross Cockrell, CB
- Orleans Darkwa, RB
- D.J. Fluker, G
- Curtis Grant, LB (ERFA)
- John Greco, G
- Jon Halapio, G (ERFA)
- Mark Herzlich, LB
- Brett Jones, C (RFA)
- Devon Kennard, LB
- Tavarres King, WR
- Darryl Morris, CB
- Ryan O’Malley, TE (ERFA)
- Justin Pugh, G
- Weston Richburg, C
- Keenan Robinson, LB
- Travis Rudolph, WR (ERFA)
- Kelvin Sheppard, LB
- Deontae Skinner, LB (RFA)
- Geno Smith, QB
- Robert Thomas, DT (ERFA)
- Shane Vereen, RB
- Kerry Wynn, DE
Top 10 Cap Hits for 2018:
- Eli Manning, QB: $22,200,000
- Jason Pierre-Paul, DE: $17,500,000
- Olivier Vernon, DE: $17,000,000
- Janoris Jenkins, CB: $13,000,000
- Damon Harrison, DT: $9,600,000
- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB: $8,500,000
- Odell Beckham Jr., WR: $8,459,000
- Brandon Marshall, WR: $6,156,250
- Ereck Flowers, T: $4,579,219
- Eli Apple, CB: $4,132,436
Other:
- Projected cap space (via Over the Cap): $22,955,068
- Second pick in draft
- Must exercise or decline 2019 fifth-year option for T Ereck Flowers
Three Needs:
1. Identify the quarterback of the future. Not long ago, it seemed like a sure thing that Eli Manning was a goner in New York. But, things move quickly in the greater NYC area. Owner John Mara wants Manning back in the fold. Manning wants to stay too, despite his temporary demotion late in the season. New GM Dave Gettleman and head coach Pat Shurmur have also said that they intend to have Eli under center in 2018. All signs are pointing to the two-time Super Bowl champ being back in blue, but the Giants surely know that this is the beginning of the end for Manning. 
This year’s free agent quarterback market is stronger than any in recent memory, but the Giants will not be among the teams to make a play for Kirk Cousins, nor will they try and coax Drew Brees to leave New Orleans (it’s not likely that Brees will hit the open market anyway). Manning will eat up $22MM of the salary cap and there’s no realistic scenario in which the Giants can keep him on board as an extraordinarily expensive backup. Even if they could swing it somehow, Manning would object and the Giants faithful would burn the Meadowlands to the ground.
The Giants are expected to use the No. 2 overall pick on one of this year’s top quarterbacks. Unless the Browns go all-in and sign Kirk Cousins in free agency, they’ll probably see one of those QBs come off the board before they are called to the podium.
Although new Browns GM John Dorsey says that he’ll be considering a pool of four or five players at No. 1, most believe that Cleveland will select either USC star Sam Darnold or UCLA standout Josh Rosen. As most mock drafts will tell you, the common belief is that the Browns will take Darnold, who is believed to be the safer choice despite throwing 13 interceptions in 2017.
Does that mean the Giants will take Rosen? Probably, but that’s far from definite. Rosen’s outspoken personality would work better in New York than in most markets, but he too had some ill-timed interceptions and the shoulder injury that shut him down in 2016 is still a concern. How about Wyoming’s Josh Allen? Allen’s decision making and accuracy has been questioned, but he’s an impressive athlete for a 6’5″ QB and his arm strength is top notch. You may also hear some Baker Mayfield talk between now and April, but we’d be surprised if the Giants reached for him this early.
2. Remake the offensive line. The Giants offense struggled in large part because of the rash of injuries to its wide receiver core and, perhaps, some iffy performances from Manning, but the offensive line was downright porous. In fact, it was a desire to fix the Giants’ Swiss cheese O-Line that broke the ice between Shurmur and Gettleman. 
“As soon as he said, ‘Everything starts with the offensive line,’“said Shurmur when asked when the conversation between him and the GM really clicked (via NJ.com). “There’s a great example of that: What we went through in Minnesota. We didn’t change the oil; we changed the transmission. We got two free agent offensive linemen, we drafted a center that played like a veteran, and we transformed the offensive line that helped us do the things (to) win 14 games.”
That offensive line transformation in Minnesota helped turn Case Keenum from a career journeyman to a top 10 quarterback in an instant. It started in free agency when the Vikings signed Riley Reiff (five-year, $58.75MM deal with $26.3MM guaranteed) and Mike Remmers (five-year, $30MM deal with $10.5MM guaranteed). Then, in the draft, they traded up in the third round to land eventual starting center Pat Elflein. The revamp didn’t come easy or cheap, but it made a world of difference for the Vikings.
Last year, the Giants’ were 21st in the NFL in sacks allowed (34) and 26th in rushing yards per game (86.6). They must improve in both areas, and that can only be achieved with a serious shakeup.
Gettleman already got the party started in December when he cut starting right tackle Bobby Hart. You can expect much more turnover, particularly with a pair of injury-prone linemen – center Weston Richburg and swing tackle Justin Pugh – headed towards free agency. Former first-round pick Ereck Flowers figures to remain, but the Giants probably won’t bank on him being their starting left tackle after another iffy season.
This year’s free agent tackle class is headlined by a trio of tackles from the AFC East: Ju’Wuan James (Dolphins), Nate Solder (Patriots), and Cameron Fleming (Patriots). After that, there’s a noticeable dip in quality. Steelers lineman Chris Hubbard may be the only other starting quality available tackle.
If the Giants want to hit a home run on the interior line, they could make a run at Panthers free agent Andrew Norwell. The guard, 27 in October, is coming off of a career year in which he graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 3 ranked guard, putting him ahead of big names such as Josh Sitton, Joel Bitonio, Rodger Saffold, Ron Leary, Kevin Zeitler, and Richie Incognito. Only Zack Martin and David DeCastro placed ahead of Norwell, and that may give you an idea of the kind of money the Giants would have to shell out for him on the open market. Gettleman, who originally signed Norwell as an undrafted free agent when he was the Panthers’ GM, could break the bank to make it happen. When it comes to the top linemen, they’ll be competing with other clubs in win-now mode looking for offensive line help, including the Cardinals and Bengals.
There’s virtually no chance of the Giants using their No. 2 overall pick on a lineman (see: offseason need #1), but gems could be found in the later rounds. Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson and Texas tackle Connor Williams will long gone by the time the Giants’ next turn comes up at No. 34 overall, but tackles Mike McGlinchey (Notre Dame), Orlando Brown (Oklahoma), Chukwuma Okorafor (Western Michigan), and Kolton Miller (UCLA) could be in play.
3. Add a running back. Orleans Darkwa was the Giants’ lead rusher this year and you may be surprised to learn that he had career highs in yards per carry (4.4), catches (19), and receiving yards (116). But, the soon-to-be 26-year-old is scheduled for free agency and there’s no guarantee that the new regime will look to keep him. Ditto for third down back Shane Vereen. Darkwa seems more likely to stay on board than Vereen, but either way there’s little chance of both returning. That opens up the door for a new tailback and there are a few interesting ones who could be available.
Patriots tailback Dion Lewis stayed healthy in 2017 and averaged 5.0 yards per carry with 32 catches for 214 yards.
Isaiah Crowell and Carlos Hyde both played well last year despite being a part of atrocious offenses. Father time is undefeated, but the Giants could sign Frank Core to a front-loaded deal to see if he can continue his remarkable run past his 35th birthday. Jerick McKinnon could add some serious athleticism and pass-catching acumen to the backfield, but the Giants will have to find someone else to tote the rock ~13 times per game.
If the Giants go QB at No. 2 like we expect, Penn State star Saquon Barkley won’t be an option for them. Derrius Guice (LSU), Ronald Jones II (USC), and Damien Harris (Alabama) all seem slated for the first round, but Kerryon Johnson (Auburn) could slip to them at No. 34, depending on how the combines shake out. A few weeks ago, we would have mentioned Georgia running back Sony Michel as a diamond in the rough, but he has gone from an under-the-radar find to a first round prospect, as Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports recently detailed.
Broncos Will Try To Trade Aqib Talib
The Broncos are expected to put veteran cornerback Aqib Talib on the trading block, according to a report from 9News.com. Talib, who has often found himself in the news for the wrong reasons in his career, has nonetheless enjoyed a terrific run on the field for Denver, but he may be too costly for the Broncos to keep in 2018.
Talib has two years remaining on the six-year, $57MM deal he signed with the Broncos in 2014, and he is set to make $11MM in 2018, his age-32 season. Denver has two younger corners — Chris Harris, Jr. and Bradley Roby — under contract for a combined $17.02MM, and it would like to use some of its CB resources elsewhere.
There should be a good amount of interest in Talib, despite his age. He made the Pro Bowl again in 2017, and he has been a Pro Bowl participant in each of his four years in Denver (including a first-team All-Pro nod in 2016). He tacked on yet another pick-six this past season, giving himself six pick-sixes in his Broncos career. He was also a key member of the Broncos’ terrific defense that catapulted the team to its Super Bowl 50 championship.
It’s fair to wonder, though, if interested teams will simply wait for Talib to be released rather than try to trade for him. Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com says he asked three GMs at this year’s Senior Bowl if they would trade for Talib, and they all said “no” (Twitter link). After all, if the Broncos were to cut Talib, they would take on only $1MM in dead money, meaning that they would still shave $10MM off the books. So, if teams are confident Talib will be available anyway, they will not be as likely to give up draft capital for his services.
Talib has enjoyed success at every stop of his NFL journey, which began when he was selected by Tampa Bay in the first round of the 2008 draft. He was traded to New England in the middle of the 2012 season, and he made his first Pro Bowl in 2013, his only full season with the Patriots.
Latest On Josh McDaniels, Patriots’ Staff
Josh McDaniels had his second interview with the Colts on Friday, and it apparently went well. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link) that, shortly after the conclusion of Super Bowl LII, Indianapolis will hire McDaniels as its next head coach.
Of course, this hardly qualifies as breaking news. We have known for some time now that McDaniels would be heading to the Colts once New England’s season is over, and the Friday interview was largely just an opportunity for him to sit down with Indianapolis GM Chris Ballard and owner Jim Irsay to make plans for the offseason. As Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com tweets, Irsay was not present for the first interview, so the second summit was needed to get the owner’s official stamp of approval.
McDaniels will now turn his attention towards bringing yet another Super Bowl to New England before he departs. The Patriots, meanwhile, will need to replace not only McDaniels, but DC Matt Patricia as well. Plus, as Schefter points out, Pats special teams coordinator Joe Judge is on an expiring contract, and Ben Volin of the Boston Globe hears that Judge may well join Patricia in Detroit (Twitter link).
Volin writes in a full-length piece that Patriots LB coach Brian Flores — who got some head coaching interest this year — seems like the obvious candidate to replace Patricia as New England’s DC. The real question, then, is who (if anyone) will replace McDaniels.
As Volin notes, head coach Bill Belichick has not had to fill either top coordinator position since 2012, but his history suggests that if he does name a new offensive coordinator, he will promote from within. Indeed, all of Belichick’s coordinators during his 18-year tenure in New England either worked with him at a previous stop or worked their way up inside the Pats’ organization.
During a portion of Belichick’s reign, the team has not even had an official offensive coordinator. McDaniels ran the offense as a quarterbacks coach in 2005, and current Texans head coach Bill O’Brien called plays for the offense during the 2008-09 seasons but did not hold the OC title.
Nonetheless, someone will need to run the offense, regardless of title, and Volin says the only two realistic choices on-staff are assistant quarterbacks coach Jerry Schuplinski and receivers coach Chad O’Shea. Of the two, Volin sees O’Shea as the more likely target, as he has experience in all facets of the game and currently serves as the team’s red zone offense coordinator.
Lawrence Talks To Begin Next Month
To no one’s surprise, Pro Bowl defensive end Demarcus Lawrence is priority No. 1 for the Cowboys this offseason. Though he is the top target, Lawrence and his camp have yet to begin discussing a contract extension with the Cowboys and don’t expect to until later in February, ESPN’s Jenna Laine writes. 
Lawrence’s agent, David Canter, says he expects to sit down with Cowboys brass at the NFL Combine, which begins on Feb. 28 in Indianapolis. Judging from Canter’s comments, Lawrence will not be giving Dallas a hometown discount.
“It’s really up to them to want to do a deal that’s in line with what the market is for a young, ascending, elite franchise-caliber defensive end. Whatever that number ends up being remains to be seen. But I do imagine and believe that we’ll have multiple conversations over the next month or so. I think it’s early right now.”
Even if a longterm deal is not struck, it is fully expected that the Cowboys will use their franchise tag on the pass rusher. In 2017, Lawrence posted 14.5 sacks — tied for second in the league with Calais Campbell — and registered 27 quarterback hits. His sack total was the highest by a Cowboys defender since DeMarcus Ware in 2011.
The last time the Cowboys used the franchise tag was on Dez Bryant in 2015, shortly before signing the receiver to a contract extension. Using the franchise tag on Lawrence would cost the Cowboys about $17.5 MM.
Canter is also the agent of Giants defensive end Olivier Vernon, who signed the largest contract in NFL history for a defensive end when he landed a five-year, $85 MM deal in 2016.
Panthers Set Up GM Interviews For Next Week
Though interim general manager Marty Hurney is the frontrunner to be named the Panthers new GM, the team has also scheduled interviews with a pair of external candidates for next week, the Charlotte Observer’s Joseph Person writes. 
Those two candidates are Texans assistant general manager Jimmy Raye III and Bills assistant college scouting director Lake Dawson. Both Raye and Dawson, as Person notes, satisfies the Rooney Rule that requires NFL teams to interview at least one minority candidate.
Though a time has not been divulged, the Panthers are also expected to sit down with Titans director of player personnel Ryan Cowden, who formerly served as a scout with Carolina.
Raye, a former player with the Rams, joined the Houston front office after stints with the Colts, as vice president of football operations, and Chargers, as director of player personnel. He has 23 years of experience in the NFL and previously interview for the Texans GM job earlier this month. Dawson joined the Bills in May 2017 following a stint as Cleveland’s national scout. He served as a receiver for six seasons before getting into college and pro scouting.
Hurney, who rejoined the Panthers following the dismissal of Dave Gettleman in the 2017 offseason, will not have a formal interview. His contract runs through June and has been backed by head coach Ron Rivera. In his one season on the job, Hurney dealt top wideout Kelvin Benjamin to Buffalo, which led to Carolina’s passing improvement down the stretch.
Panthers To Interview Two Candidates For GM Gig
The Panthers will be interviewing a pair of general manager candidates this week. According to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter), the organization will talk to interim general manager Marty Hurney and Texans vice president of player personnel Jimmy Raye III about the full-time gig.
Hurney, who served as the Panthers GM for more than a decade during the early 2000s, reclaimed his former position (on an interim basis) after the organization fired Dave Gettleman last July. The executive was originally supposed to advise through the 2018 NFL draft and assist with finding a new general manager, but plenty has changed in the organization since that time. Following a successful 11-5 campaign, new chief operating officer Tina Becker could simply decide to remove the interim tag from Hurney’s title.
Meanwhile, Raye has moved up the front office ranks in recent years. The 49-year-old served as the Chargers’ director of player personnel from 2008 through 2012, and he moved on to become vice president of football operations with the Colts. In 2017, he served as vice president of player personnel/assistant general manager with the Texans. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets that the organization is also eyeing Bills executive Lake Dawson and Titans executive Ryan Cowden.
As ESPN’s David Newton writes, the Panthers general manager will certainly have their hands full this offseason. While the team has already extended head coach Ron Rivera, they’ll have to try to lock up a pair of key veterans in defensive end Julius Peppers and left guard Andrew Norwell.
Top 3 Offseason Needs: Carolina Panthers
In advance of March 14, the start of free agency in the NFL, Pro Football Rumors will detail each team’s three most glaring roster issues. We’ll continue this year’s series with the Carolina Panthers, who rebounded from a down 2016 to finish 11-5, good for second in the NFC South.
Depth Chart (via Roster Resource)
Pending Free Agents:
- Derek Anderson, QB
- Brenton Bersin, WR
- Damiere Byrd, WR (ERFA)
- Jairus Byrd, S
- Kaelin Clay, WR (RFA)
- Ed Dickson, TE
- Dan France, T (ERFA)
- Andrew Gachkar, LB
- Graham Gano, K
- Ladarius Gunter, CB (RFA)
- Drew Iddings, DT (ERFA)
- Charles Johnson, WR
- Tyler Larsen, C (ERFA)
- Star Lotulelei, DT
- Chris Manhertz, TE (ERFA)
- Andrew Norwell, G
- Michael Palardy, P (ERFA)
- Julius Peppers, DE
- Amini Silatolu, G
- Scott Simonson, TE (RFA)
- Greg Van Roten, G (RFA)
- Teddy Williams, CB
- David Yankey, G (RFA)
Top 10 Cap Hits for 2018:
- Cam Newton, QB: $21,500,000
- Kawann Short, DT: $17,000,000
- Luke Kuechly, LB: $13,100,059
- Ryan Kalil, C: $10,279,000
- Greg Olsen, TE: $9,750,000
- Mario Addison, DE: $8,916,666
- Trai Turner, G: $7,703,000
- Matt Kalil, T: $6,900,000
- Jonathan Stewart, RB: $5,250,000
- Kurt Coleman, S: $5,250,000
Other:
- Projected cap space (via Over the Cap): $24,465,591
- 24th pick in draft
- Must exercise or decline 2019 fifth-year option for LB Shaq Thompson
Three Needs:
1) Add a new weapon for Cam Newton: When the Panthers lost to the Saints in the Wild Card round earlier this month, their wide receiver depth chart was as follows: Devin Funchess, Brenton Bersin, Kaelin Clay, Russell Shepard, Mose Frazier. Sure, Carolina will see the return of Damiere Byrd and Curtis Samuel — each of whom ended the year on injured reserve — in 2018, but it’s readily apparent that the Panthers lack a true No. 1 threat at wideout.
Jarvis Landry and Allen Robinson are probably the top two pending free agent receivers, but Landry will be pricey and — as a slot receiver — isn’t the type of addition the Panthers currently need. Robinson will be expensive, too, even though he’s coming off a torn ACL. Carolina doesn’t have a ton of money to throw around this offseason, thanks in part to free agent deals handed out by former general manager Dave Gettleman and extensions worked out by “interim” GM Marty Hurney. Therefore, the Panthers probably need to go bargain-hunting as they search for a specific pass-catcher to complement Funchess.
Signing a speed receiver who can handle deep passes should be a clear focal point for Carolina over the coming months, especially after the club allowed long-ball threat Ted Ginn Jr. to land with the division-rival Saints a year ago. Veteran Mike Wallace stands out as a player in that mold, as he caught all nine of his deep targets (20+ yards) in 2017 while ranking 12th in deep receiving yardage, according to the 2018 Pro Football Focus Free Agency Guide. Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer recently speculated that Wallace could fit with the Panthers, and he shouldn’t be all that expensive given that he’s now 31 years old. Other candidates to fill a speed niche for Carolina could include Paul Richardson, Taylor Gabriel, Deonte Thompson, or — if the Panthers want to spend — Sammy Watkins, who finished 14th in Football Outsiders‘ DYAR last season.
If Carolina isn’t able to land a deep threat, the club should double down and ink another big-bodied pass-catcher who can fight for contested catches and offer a large target radius for the often erratic Newton. If the Panthers go down this route, they could save a good bit of money because most of these types of wideouts are coming off disappointing seasons. Possible options may include Donte Moncrief, Michael Floyd, Jaron Brown, Kamar Aiken, plus restricted free agents Tyrell Williams and Brandon Coleman, but the best fit might be former quarterback Terrelle Pryor.
There’s no question Pryor was a free agent bust with the Redskins in 2017, as he managed only 20 receptions for 240 yards and one touchdowns. But he’s an excellent athlete at 6″4, 235 pounds, and was extremely productive with the Browns in 2016, topping 1,000 yards receiving in his first season as a wideout. Pryor ranked ninth in contested catch rate during his lone full campaign with Cleveland (via PlayerProfiler.com), while Matt Harmon of Reception Perception noted Pryor’s repeated success against man, zone, and press coverages. For a full perspective on Pryor’s capabilities, check out this October 2016 piece from Cian Fahey of Football Outsiders.
A number of other veteran receivers that could be on interest to the Panthers could be candidates for release this offseason, meaning Carolina may have several more pass-catching candidates available when free agency on March 14. Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, Dez Bryant, Jordy Nelson, and Michael Crabtree are all on their respective teams’ roster bubbles, and Hurney & Co. should examine each player if and when he is cut. Among those wideouts, Thomas and Bryant would be the best fits for the Panthers under new offensive coordinator Norv Turner.
2) Find a new left guard: Andrew Norwell was quite a find by former general manager Dave Gettleman. Signed as an undrafted free agent out of Cincinnati in 2014, the 26-year-old Norwell has been a full-time starter in each of his four seasons with the Panthers. The 2017 campaign was Norwell’s pièce de résistance, as he earned first-team All-Pro honors while grading as the No. 3 guard in the league, per Pro Football Focus. He’s unquestionably the best lineman on the Panthers’ roster, and one of the best blockers in the NFL.Read more
Pro Football Rumors Seeking Part-Time Writers
We’re looking to add part-time contributors to the Pro Football Rumors writing team. The position pays on an hourly basis. Applicants must meet ALL of the following criteria:
- Exceptional knowledge of all 32 NFL teams, with no discernible bias.
- Knowledge of the salary cap and transaction-related concepts.
- At least some college education.
- Extensive writing experience, with professional experience and a background in journalism both strongly preferred.
- Keen understanding of journalistic principles, ethics and procedures. Completion of basic college-level journalism classes is strongly preferred.
- Attention to detail — absolutely no spelling errors, especially for player and journalist names.
- Ability to follow the site’s style and tone.
- Ability to analyze articles and craft intelligent, well-written posts summing up the news in a few paragraphs. We need someone who can balance quick writing with thoughtful analysis. You must be able to add value to breaking news with your own insight, numbers or links to other relevant articles.
- Ability to use an RSS feed reader. Ability to use Twitter. Both of these are crucial.
- Strong weekend evening availability is crucial. The ideal candidate will be available for most Friday and/or Saturday evenings.
- Weeknight availability (5-11 pm central time Monday-Friday) is also a plus.
- Flexibility. You must be available to work on short notice.
If you’re interested, email pfrapplications@gmail.com by February 9 (11:00pm central time) and take a couple of paragraphs to explain why you qualify and stand out. Many will apply, so unfortunately we cannot respond to every applicant.
Giants Coach Endorses Eli Manning
It sounds like Eli Manning still has a place in New York. During his introductory press conference on Friday, head coach Pat Shurmur said that he is “looking forward” to working with the veteran quarterback, indicating that he is very much in the plans for 2018. 
“I think he’s got years left – how many, I don’t know,” Shurmur said (via the New York Post). “With regard to the draft, I’m not ducking that question … we’ve got to travel down that road of evaluation. … We’ve got a guy here (Eli) who’s helped this organization win Super Bowls, he’s an outstanding player and I’m really looking forward to working with him.”
At this point, all of the key players have expressed interest in moving forward. Back in December, owner John Mara said that he wanted Manning back in the fold, though he stopped short of guaranteeing his return since he had yet to hire his new GM and coach. Before the New Year, Manning himself said that he wanted to stay with the Giants, despite a bumpy 2017. Then, this week, Manning pick up endorsements from GM Dave Gettleman and Shurmur.
Manning, 37, is under contract with the team through 2019 with cap numbers of $22.2MM and $23.2MM. Critics might argue that Manning has lost a step or two, but a good QB is hard to find and his salary isn’t that high compared to others. Manning’s $22.2MM cap hit is still less than that of Matthew Stafford ($26.5MM), Derek Carr ($25MM), Joe Flacco ($24.75MM), Andrew Luck ($24.4MM), Russell Wilson ($23.8MM), and Ben Roethlisberger ($23.2MM).
Of course, even with Manning on board, the Giants could still target Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, or another top quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft.
Bills’ Eric Wood To Retire Due To Neck Injury
Bills center Eric Wood will announce his retirement on Monday due to a career-ending neck injury (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). The injury is partly due to wear and tear, but one source tells Schefter that it is a “complicated medical situation.” 
Wood, 32 in March, has been Buffalo’s starting snapper since entering the league in 2009. He stands as Buffalo’s second-longest-tenured active player behind defensive tackle Kyle Williams and has been the team’s top center under six different head coaches (seven if you count Anthony Lynn‘s one game as interim head coach.
Remarkably, he started in all 16 of the Bills’ regular season games last season plus their playoff game against Jacksonville. Wood managed to play through the pain all year, but the malady is too serious for him to continue on the field.
Wood graded out as the No. 16 center in the NFL last year, per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics. In 2015, the season in which he his first and only Pro Bowl, PFF had him ranked in the top five league-wide.
We here at PFR wish Wood the best as he deals with his medical situation.