Titans To Sign CB Cor’Dale Flott
Cornerback Cor’Dale Flott is leaving the Giants for the Titans, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. Flott and the Titans have agreed to a three-year, $45MM contract with $32MM fully guaranteed.
This is the third free agent the Titans have stolen from the Giants on Monday. The Titans previously added wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson on a four-year, $70MM agreement. They also signed tight end Daniel Bellinger to a three-year, $24MM pact.
Flott and the Giants were seemingly progressing toward an agreement earlier Monday, but the 24-year-old will join Robinson and Bellinger in Tennessee instead. The Giants almost had a deal in place with Flott before new Titans coach Robert Saleh persuaded him to exit at the last minute, per Connor Hughes of SNY. Saleh won Flott over in explaining what he could accomplish in Tennessee’s defense.
Flott, a 2022 third-round pick from LSU, combined for 23 starts in 39 appearances over his first three years with the Giants. The former slot corner then emerged as a full-time boundary starter in 2025.
While taking a starting job from former first-rounder Deonte Banks, Flott totaled 38 tackles, 11 passes defensed and an interception in 14 games. The 6-foot-2 Flott also registered his best coverage work (per Pro-Football-Reference) in yielding a 52.2% completion rate as the closest defender and holding quarterbacks to a 73.3 passer rating. Those numbers were much better than Flott’s 2024 output (66.7%, 89.0), but his most recent showing was enough to convince the Saleh-led Titans to dole out a sizable contract.
The Flott signing is part of a massive defensive makeover under Saleh and coordinator Gus Bradley. The Titans’ defense ranked 21st in yards and 28th in points in 2025, but the unit now looks far better on paper. Tennessee got to work in trading defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat to the Jets for end Jermaine Johnson in late February. Since the negotiating window opened Monday, the Titans’ defense has scooped up Flott, fellow corner Alontae Taylor and coveted interior lineman John Franklin-Myers.
Talks Progressing Between Giants, Cor’Dale Flott; Latest On Jermaine Eluemunor
Cor’Dale Flott will be able to begin speaking with other teams shortly. There is still a chance he winds up re-signing with the Giants, however.
Progress is being made with with respect to negotiations between New York and Flott’s camp, SNY’s Connor Hughes reports. Flott is on course to test the market for the first time in his career, but Hughes adds there is optimism the fifth-year corner will agree to terms with the Giants. A major raise will be in store either way.
According to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, Flott is looking to match the terms which teammate Paulson Adebo secured in free agency last year (three years, $54MM). He adds at least one outside team has Flott valued at a range of $12MM to $14MM per season. A similar commitment will likely be needed on New York’s part.
Right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor is also one of the team’s top priorities with respect to a re-signing. Efforts to work out a new deal continue at this time, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reports. Losing Eluemunor would deal a blow to the Giants’ offensive line, a unit which could see one more additions shortly. The guard position remains one to watch closely regardless of if stability at the tackle spots can be secured.
At least one guard signing can be expected early in free agency, per Raanan. Art Stapleton of NJ.com adds New York is interested in Wyatt Teller and Alijah Vera-Tucker as targets for a deal. The latter in particular is firmly on the Giants’ radar, Raanan adds. Injuries marred Vera-Tucker’s Jets tenure, one which is expected to end this week. If healthy, though, he could provide his next team with an upgrade along the interior.
Both Hughes and Raanan point to tight end Isaiah Likely as another player to monitor regarding the Giants. A deal on that front would come as no surprise, with Likely having played out his rookie contract with Baltimore under head coach John Harbaugh. A reunion in New York would add a pass-catching presence to the Giants’ offense, a unit which could use multiple new faces especially if slot receiver Wan’Dale Robinson departs.
The Giants entered Monday with roughly $14MM in cap space. Cuts and restructures could be coming to free up more funds, but much of New York’s resources could be used over the coming days. A key factor in the team’s overall planning will be the outcome of negotiations with Flott, so updates on that front will be worth watching for.
Giants Interested In RB Kenneth Walker, Travis Etienne; Latest On New York’s FA Approach
While maybe not reaching Kirk Cousins– or Antonio Brown-level PFR volume, Saquon Barkley‘s final years as a Giant took up considerable space here. Giants brass could not extend him in 2022, franchise-tagged the Pro Bowler in 2023 and drew a hard line on his value in 2024 when no offer emerged. The Eagles benefited.
The Giants have since revamped their power structure, and it looks to be affecting their valuation of veteran running backs. With John Harbaugh calling the shots now and Joe Schoen losing considerable power, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan notes the Giants are believed to be interested in Kenneth Walker and Travis Etienne.
[RELATED: Giants Aiming To Trade OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux]
New York is showing considerable interest in beefing up its ground game, with Raanan adding connections to Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love have emerged as well. Love is viewed by some as this draft’s top prospect. His positional value will naturally result in a bit of a drop, but the Fighting Irish standout should not need to wait too long before hearing his name called in April. The Giants, who hold the No. 5 overall pick, striking early for a high-end free agent RB would seemingly send Love elsewhere.
With Breece Hall officially franchise-tagged at today’s deadline, Walker is expected to fetch the top RB contract in free agency. Confirming the Giants are interested, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan wonders if the team would be willing to go where that market ends up considering the team has other needs. That could be where Etienne comes in, with some more affordable backs — from Rico Dowdle to Tyler Allgeier to Kenneth Gainwell — set to be available too. Though, SNY’s Connor Hughes adds a “strong” push for a veteran starter-level option should be expected.
Walker, 25, is looking likely to reach free agency. Mutual interest exists between the Super Bowl MVP and the Seahawks, but they lose exclusive negotiating rights at 11am CT March 9, when the legal tampering period begins. Etienne, 27, played out his fifth-year option in Jacksonville and has more career carries — after a higher-volume college career — than Walker. His market should not be as costly, but the five-year Jaguar is better in pass protection and as a receiver.
The Giants have Cam Skattebo signed through 2027, and Tyrone Tracy‘s rookie deal runs through 2026. But Harbaugh is now calling the shots. Schoen said he is still leading the football operation, but Duggan confirmed a recent report that indicates new hire Dawn Aponte reports directly to Harbaugh. Schoen also confirmed (via the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard) the Giants’ analytics and video departments now report to Aponte, creating a strange dynamic for the contract-year GM. Schoen still oversees the scouting department.
The Giants have had their GMs report to ownership for eons, but they adjusted the long-held structure for Harbaugh, whose imprint on the roster will be felt soon. Schoen did not confirm he would solely run free agency; it can be expected Harbaugh and Aponte will have significant say in that effort. More cap cuts are coming, but the Giants are still interested in retaining some of their own.
Already mentioned as being interested in retaining Wan’Dale Robinson, the Giants are seeing what it will take to keep Jermaine Eluemunor and Cor’Dale Flott. Harbaugh said (via the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz) the team wants to keep all three UFAs-to-be. The Giants met with David Mulugheta, who represents Eluemunor and Flott, at the Combine, Duggan adds.
Eluemunor, 31, maneuvered for a two-year deal in 2024 — an underrated subplot in HBO’s captivating Hard Knocks: Offseason effort — and it looks likely to work to his advantage. Braden Smith appears to be this market’s top right tackle, but he is coming off three seasons shortened by either injury or illness.
Eluemunor played both RT and LT in New York, starting all 31 games he played from 2024-25. His health stands to create a solid market, as both Smith and Jack Conklin come with notable injury pasts. Eluemunor also began his career with the Ravens, playing for Harbaugh from 2017-18. If Eluemunor departs, Duggan notes the team will be expected to pursue a free agent RT replacement.
Flott, 24, overtook former first-rounder Deonte Banks in Big Blue’s cornerback hierarchy. He outplayed the 2023 draftee opposite Paulson Adebo last season and may do reasonably well on the market. He is one of the youngest corners available. Converted from a slot player to primarily a boundary defender, Flott started 37 games with the Giants.
While Banks’ rookie deal runs through 2026, he has been linked to trade rumors amid a disappointing tenure. Harbaugh’s team will likely pursue an outside replacement if Flott departs. He is expected to draw significant FA interest, per Hughes, which could put the Giants in the market for a replacement.
Schwartz adds the Giants have “varying degrees of interest” in retaining tight end Daniel Bellinger and linebacker Micah McFadden. The Giants are higher on third-year veteran Theo Johnson than most around the league, Duggan adds, to the point Isaiah Likely may not be a strong candidate to follow Harbaugh from Baltimore.
Still, Hughes indicates tight end should be considered a priority in free agency. If Likely is deemed too pricey, the likes of Cade Otton, Chig Okonkwo, David Njoku and Dallas Goedert are poised to be available. Will this pursuit be to replace Johnson or complement him?
A 42-game starter on his rookie contract, Bellinger has played at least 51% of the Giants’ offensive snaps in three of his four seasons. He was used more frequently before Johnson’s arrival, however. McFadden started 36 games during his rookie deal but was limited to one in 2025; a season-ending foot injury in Week 1 impacted his free agent stock. The Giants releasing Bobby Okereke tonight and having McFadden unsigned makes linebacker a key need, one of a few the team carries into free agency.
Cor’Dale Flott Changes Agents Ahead Of FA
With the new league year just around the corner, cornerback Cor’Dale Flott is changing his representation as he prepares to leave the Giants and hit free agency, per The Athletic’s Dan Duggan.
Flott, 24, was previously represented by AthElite Agency and will now be moving to Athletes First, one of the most prominent agencies in the NFL. Their client list includes Jordan Love, Justin Herbert, Micah Parsons, and Kyle Hamilton, among many others.
Originally a third-round pick out of LSU in 2022, Flott started six games for the Giants as a rookie and seven in his second year. He moved to a bigger role in 2024 with 10 starts and started all 14 games in which he appeared in 2025. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound cornerback has not appeared in more than 14 games in a season due to injuries, though he only landed on IR once, at the end of the 2025 season.
Flott’s resume should position him for a solid payday in a market that has risen significantly in the last year. There are a number of solid cornerbacks set to hit free agency, but Flott will be the youngest one with meaningful starting experience. He only has three interceptions in his career, but he amassed 23 passes defended. He had 11 in 2025 alone, along with a career-low 52.2% completion rate and 73.3 passer rating when targeted.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/3/26
After the final standard gameday practice squad elevations of the 2025 regular season, the three-game elevation limit resets for the postseason, so only players getting signed to the 53-man roster because of the limit will be noted today. Saturday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed from practice squad: WR Tejhaun Palmer
- Elevated: CB Jaden Davis, WR Steven Sims
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: P Trenton Gill
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: WR Keith Kirkwood, CB Amani Oruwariye
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: LB Keonta Jenkins, DE Matt Judon
Chicago Bears
- Elevated: TE Nikola Kalinic, LB Ty Summers
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: DT Howard Cross III, CB Bralyn Lux
Cleveland Browns
- Signed from practice squad: LB Edefuan Ulofoshio
- Elevated: TE Sal Cannella
- Placed on IR: LB Carson Schwesinger
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: RB Phil Mafah
- Activated from reserve/PUP: CB Josh Butler
- Signed from practice squad: LB Justin Barron
- Elevated: G Nick Leverett
- Placed on IR: G T.J. Bass, RB Malik Davis, RB Javonte Williams
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: LB Levelle Bailey
Detroit Lions
- Elevated: TE Zach Horton, OL Chris Hubbard
- Placed on IR: OL Trystan Colon
Green Bay Packers
- Signed from practice squad: WR Jakobie Keeney-James, G Lecitus Smith
- Elevated: TE Drake Dabney, LB Jamon Johnson
- Placed on IR: OL Donovan Jennings, WR Savion Williams
Houston Texans
- Elevated: DT Leki Fotu, S Kaevon Merriweather
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: QB Seth Henigan, TE Sean McKeon
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Elevated: TE Patrick Herbert
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: WR Jason Brownlee, WR Jimmy Holiday
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: LB Jamin Davis, T Dalton Wagner
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed from practice squad: S Marcus Maye
- Elevated: G Branson Taylor, QB DJ Uiagalelei
- Placed on IR: CB Nikko Reed
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: LB Derrick McLendon, RB Jeff Wilson
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: WR Jeshaun Jones, LB Sione Takitaki
New Orleans Saints
- Signed from practice squad: TE Treyton Welch
- Elevated: QB Jake Haener, RB Nyheim Miller-Hines
New York Giants
- Signed from practice squad: CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse, WR Xavier Gipson, RB Dante Miller
- Elevated: TE Tanner Conner, DT Casey Rogers
- Placed on IR: CB Cor’Dale Flott, DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr., WR Wan’Dale Robinson
New York Jets
- Signed from practice squad: QB Hendon Hooker, DE Kingsley Jonathan, G Kohl Levao
- Elevated: RB Raheem Blackshear, CB Samuel Womack III
- Placed on IR: RB Isaiah Davis, OL Xavier Newman-Johnson, TE Mason Taylor
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: LS Charley Hughlett, S Brandon Johnson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: CB D’Shawn Jamison
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: LB Eric Kendricks, T Brandon Parker
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: RB Cam Akers, CB Tyler Hall
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: OLB Ali Gaye, WR Bryce Oliver
- Signed from practice squad: CB Kemon Hall
- Elevated: TE Cole Turner
- Placed on IR: CB Jalyn Armour-Davis (story), WR Van Jefferson
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: DT Ricky Barber, WR River Cracraft
The Browns made it known yesterday that they were shutting down Schwesinger and tight ends David Njoku and Harold Fannin Jr. for the final week of the season, but the Defensive Rookie of the Year-favorite is the only one to land on IR.
In Dallas, Williams failed to practice this week as he dealt with shoulder and neck issues. With Davis also being placed on IR, the Cowboys will rely on rookie fifth-rounder Jaydon Blue and the recently activated Mafah, a seventh-round rookie, in Week 18. The team used their eighth and final IR activation to bring Mafah back for a potential NFL debut.
Because Green Bay didn’t elevate recently signed practice squad quarterback Desmond Ridder, it appears either Malik Willis will be healthy enough to back up Clayton Tune or Jordan Love will serve as the potential QB2 for the Packers in Week 18.
Judon is set to make his Bills debut in the team’s regular season finale after signing to their practice squad two weeks ago.
With Saints backup quarterback Spencer Rattler not practicing this week with a finger injury, Haener gets the call to back up rookie Tyler Shough.
Hall in Tennessee had already been called up as a standard gameday practice squad elevation three times this season. In order for him to appear in the Titans’ regular season finale, the move to the 53-man roster was necessary.
CB Rumors: Flott, Giants, Sneed, Titans, Hill, Bengals, Barron, Broncos, Diggs, Packers
The Giants used a first-round pick on Deonte Banks in 2023 but have not seen the Maryland product justify his draft slot yet. This led to the Paulson Adebo signing. While Adebo is entrenched as a first-stringer, Banks may not be merely set to slide from New York’s No. 1 cornerback to a sidekick role. Cor’Dale Flott‘s latest summer ascent continues, as The Athletic’s Dan Duggan notes the fourth-year defender received the first crack at the CB2 role during team drills. This appears a full-on competition. Flott had received minicamp work with the 1s, doing so after he impressed last summer en route to a slot-to-boundary shift.
Banks has started all 29 games he has played; being unable to hold off Flott would represent another setback for the former No. 24 overall pick. Flott would not have a path back to the starting slot role were he to lose this battle, as 2024 third-rounder Dru Phillips resides there now. This competition represents a big chance for the 2022 third-round pick, who is due for free agency in 2026.
Here is the latest from NFL secondaries:
- A quad injury led to a lengthy L’Jarius Sneed absence last season; it was severe enough to end his season five games in. The trade acquisition did not receive full clearance during the Titans’ offseason program; this came before he proclaimed himself fully healthy in late June. Sneed has since landed on the active/PUP list. Brian Callahan said (via ESPN.com’s Turron Davenport) a knee surgery led to placement on the injured list. The knee cleanup, rather than the quad injury, kept Sneed out of Tennessee’s offseason program. An ominous June report suggested anything the Titans receive from Sneed in 2025 would be “a bonus.” This is a situation to monitor, as Sneed is on a four-year, $76.4MM extension.
- In better AFC CB news, Dax Hill avoided Cincinnati’s active/PUP list. Coming back from a Week 5 ACL tear, Hill avoided the Bengals‘ camp injured list despite not participating during Cincy’s offseason program, SI.com’s Jay Morrison notes. While Hill will be eased into work slowly, new DC Al Golden said the former first-round pick — a converted safety — has the flexibility to play outside or in the slot. Hill saw just 23 slot snaps last season before going down, playing mostly on the boundary. Despite Hill not contributing much just yet, the team picked up the young DB’s fifth-year option in May.
- On the versatility topic, Jahdae Barron could land at multiple positions in Denver. While the first-round pick has been viewed as most likely to replace Ja’Quan McMillian in the slot this year, the Denver Post’s Luca Evans notes he opened Broncos camp as the starting outside corner opposite Patrick Surtain. This would threaten Riley Moss‘ job security, but the Broncos have been cross-training their top draftee. Barron played across the secondary at Texas, including at safety, giving Denver a chess piece of sorts, but primarily manned the perimeter during his standout 2024. Moss impressed before a late-season MCL injury last year, but Barron could carve out some time at the CB2 spot rather than merely being a slot-focused cog.
- Bo Melton‘s wide receiver-to-corner switch is sticking. With the Packers loaded at wide receiver following first- and third-round investments, Matt LaFleur said (via The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman) Melton will indeed play mostly corner during training camp. A wideout during his first three seasons, Melton began working at corner during the Pack’s offseason program. While not a roster lock at corner, Melton will switch and avoid a logjam that includes the team’s four top incumbent WRs (Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, Christian Watson) along with Matthew Golden and Savion Williams.
- Trevon Diggs saw a $500K salary reduction for not working enough at the Cowboys‘ facility this offseason, per the Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins. Diggs needed to attend 84% of Dallas’ offseason workouts to ensure the $500K. Although the former All-Pro corner said he was surprised the Cowboys are withholding the $500K, he indicated he remains happy in Dallas (Twitter links via Watkins and CBS Sports’ Patrik Walker). Diggs, whose knee rehab leaves him likely to miss early-season time, is due $8.5MM in base salary this season.
Giants Could Have Starting Battle At CB
Last year, we saw Cor’Dale Flott overcome Adoree’ Jackson for a starting role as an outside cornerback, playing across from fellow starter Deonte Banks for much of the season. Jackson departed and in walks Paulson Adebo on a three-year, $54MM contract. All of the sudden, Flott is pushed to a CB3 role again. According to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, though, Flott may, once again, be making moves for the first-team defense.
Despite missing more than half of the 2024 season, Adebo is making starter money. While this is largely based on a phenomenal 2023 campaign, in which Adebo had four interceptions, 18 passes defensed, 76 tackles, two forced fumbles, and a ranking as the 15th-best cornerback in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Adebo was arguably setting up for an even more impressive 2024 season. In only seven games before breaking his femur, Adebo had already logged three interceptions, 10 passes defensed, and 52 tackles.
The Giants are certainly counting on Adebo to make a full recovery and still be the same player, and so far in camp he’s been participating and working with the first team. The other starting spot is the one held in question, though. Banks was a full-time starter in 2024 for 14 games. He failed to log an interception, but his 12 passes defensed led the team.
Flott started for most of the season before an injury kept him out for two weeks late in the season. When he returned to the field, he worked behind Jackson for a bit before regaining starting honors in the regular season finale. In all, Flott had 10 starts in 14 games with an interception and seven passes defensed in 2024.
While it seems by the metrics of history and experience that Banks has the upper hand, Flott has the analytics on his side. According to PFF, Flott ranked as the 68th-best cornerback of 116 players graded at the position. Banks was all the way down at 108th. While analytics aren’t always a good measure of which player stands a better chance at starting, in this case they might end up being a decent indicator.
Duggan reports that at Organized Team Activities, Banks and Flott continued rotating at the cornerback spot opposite Adebo. Duggan adds that, “notably, Flott was with the starters while Banks was with the second-stringers when the defense broke into separate groups for an install period.”
We know that Flott is a strong camper. We saw it last year when he secured the starting job across from Banks. This year, it appears it’s Banks’ playing time that’s in danger here. There is still plenty of time for things to get shaken up, but at the moment, it’s looking like Flott is in play to relegate a prior year’s starter to CB3 for the second year in a row.
Giants Expected To Add CB; Tyler Nubin Moving Toward Starting S Role
While Cor’Dale Flott spent the offseason and training camp as the favorite to land the Giants’ No. 2 cornerback job, he has not locked down the gig. As a result, uncertainty defines this position as cutdown day nears.
Hundreds of players will soon become available via waivers, and the Giants will be monitoring this situation closely. They are expected to address this position following Tuesday’s cutdown to 53 players, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan notes (subscription required). The team may be on the hunt for depth, but this effort also figures to involve a search for a player who could move into the starting lineup opposite Deonte Banks.
The Giants had been preparing to move Flott from the slot to a boundary starter role, but the former third-rounder’s struggles during camp have left the door open for Nick McCloud. The latter, who began his NFL career with the Bills during Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll‘s time with the AFC East club, has pushed Flott for the job. A quad injury has also intervened for Flott, further limiting the third-year corner’s chances of being a starter to open the year.
This obviously does not represent an ideal juncture for a team to be looking for a potential starter, but teams have used the period before cutdown day as a trade window for several years now. The Giants would have that option, but if nothing else, a Wednesday waiver claim appears likely.
Hard Knocks revealed a heavy interest in second-round corners; rather than trade up for one of their two second-round targets — Kool-Aid McKinstry and Kamari Lassiter — the Giants stood down and chose safety Tyler Nubin at No. 47. The Giants re-signed McCloud on a one-year, $2.99MM deal but guaranteed the former waiver claim nothing. This represents a low-end investment at outside corner this offseason. The team looks to be circling back to this need area.
If Flott is unable to cross the finish line in this CB2 competition, it would remind of last year, when the Giants changed their CB plan early. The team had aimed to use 2023 sixth-rounder Tre Hawkins as its starter opposite Banks, having shifted Adoree’ Jackson into the slot to accommodate the then-rookie. Don Martindale quickly benched Hawkins, moving Jackson outside once again. Eyeing Flott (or a potential second-round pick) to start opposite Banks, the Giants did not re-sign Jackson, who remains a free agent.
Nubin may not have been Big Blue’s preference at No. 47, but after trailing Dane Belton in a competition to start alongside Jason Pinnock, the Minnesota product has made a late charge. It appears Nubin is moving past Belton for the starting job, per the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy. Nubin’s draft slot made him an obvious starter candidate, but an injury early in camp provided a setback. It is now looking like Nubin will follow former Golden Gophers teammate John Michael Schmitz as a second-round rookie who becomes an immediate starter.
Of course, this secondary will be one of the NFL’s least experienced, as the Giants moved on from Jackson and Xavier McKinney. This will be a position group to monitor as teams rearrange their rosters over the next few days.
Nick McCloud Pushing Cor’Dale Flott For Giants Starting CB Job; Latest On Team’s Safety Plan
Early last season, the Giants scrapped a training camp plan that had Adoree’ Jackson shifting to the slot to accommodate fast-rising rookie Tre Hawkins. The team is also considering deviating from its offseason setup this year.
Not re-signing Jackson, the Giants moved Cor’Dale Flott from the slot to the boundary. The 2022 third-round pick has been the favorite to start opposite Deonte Banks on the outside for months. Flott’s lead has narrowed. Nick McCloud, a former Bills UDFA who joined the Giants via waiver claim ahead of the Joe Schoen–Brian Daboll duo’s first season, is pushing the third-year defender for the starting gig.
McCloud has begun to take first-team reps this week, with the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy indicating this foray into the starting lineup came after Flott blew multiple coverages at a practice. Flott, who has been New York’s primary slot defender over the past two seasons, has seen his status yo-yo since being a Day 2 draftee. He was not an immediate regular last year. The Giants used a Banks-Hawkins-Jackson setup to start the season and made Flott a healthy scratch early, but the LSU alum regained a role by Week 4.
Flott impressed Giants coaches this offseason and ran with the starters throughout that program and into training camp, but McCloud has closed the gap. The former Bills UDFA started eight Giants games in 2022 and three last year, though he saw his snap percentage drop from 57 to 28. McCloud and Hawkins entered camp as the next men up if Flott faltered, and it appears the more experienced player is the one providing the challenge. Neither DB saw action in the Giants’ preseason opener; the team sat Flott due to a quad injury and parked McCloud after he had warmed up.
Third-round pick Dru Phillips remains the frontrunner for the Giants’ slot job, as mid-offseason addition Tre Herndon looms as a challenger, per the Post’s Paul Schwartz. The longtime Jaguars slot man intercepted a pass Thursday night but has no guarantees in his veteran-minimum contract. The Giants’ second-round pick, however, has seen his status change during camp. Tyler Nubin no longer appears a frontrunner to start alongside Jason Pinnock at safety. Nubin is behind Dane Belton for the job, Schwartz adds.
A calf injury cost the Minnesota alum the first week of camp, and Belton fared well in the rookie’s absence. A former fourth-round pick, Belton has primarily worked as a spot starter in the pros. The Iowa product has made seven starts in two seasons, but after Julian Love and Xavier McKinney respectively defected during the past two free agency periods, the Giants have needed to keep making changes on their back line. Although Belton has a limited first-string track record through two seasons, he already has four career INTs.
DC Shane Bowen (via The Athletic’s Dan Duggan) went as far as to say the job is Belton’s to lose. Belton would seemingly be a transitional piece while Nubin — the Giants’ backup plan after Kamari Lassiter and Kool-Aid McKinstry went off the board early in Round 2 — readies, but for now, the ex-Day 3 investment appears more likely to begin the season with the starters.
Giants CB Cor’Dale Flott On Track To Start
Adoree’ Jackson remains available in free agency. In addition to work with the Giants, Jackson overlapped with new DC Shane Bowen during his Titans stay. But the Giants are moving in a different direction.
Not expected to re-sign the three-year starter, the Giants will first see if one of their younger cornerbacks can win the starting job opposite first-rounder Deonte Banks. Cor’Dale Flott would be the starter if the season opened today, Giants secondary coach Jerome Henderson said (via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy).
A report earlier this month suggested Flott, primarily a slot defender through two seasons, had a good chance at the boundary job opposite Banks. This would be a transition for the former third-round pick, who was drafted to man a slot post in New York. But the team’s plans have changed at that spot, too. Another third-round corner, Dru Phillips, may be the lead candidate — with Darnay Holmes as insurance — to work inside.
Pro Football Focus did not grade Flott (13 career starts in the slot) well in 2023, ranking him 101st at the position. The 6-foot-2 cover man did drop his completion percentage-allowed (as the closest defender) number from his 2022 rookie year, lowering it from 63% in 2022 to 59.6%. Veteran Nick McCloud and 2023 sixth-rounder Tre Hawkins stand to represent training camp competition here, as camp work will be more relevant to Big Blue’s lineup decisions compared to OTAs.
Hawkins emerged at last year’s training camp but was benched early in the season, moving Jackson — temporarily relocated to the slot over Flott — back to his usual boundary position. But Henderson and Brian Daboll‘s early endorsements of Flott point to a clear favorite going into camp this year. McCloud is also working in the slot at OTAs, per ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan. Given Flott and Holmes’ slot experience, the Giants have some fallback options if their early plan does not pan out.
The Giants going with Flott would mark a transition. The team has carried veteran cornerback contracts on its payroll for a while. Jackson signed a three-year, $39MM deal in 2021. That contract overlapped with the three-year, $45MM pact James Bradberry signed in 2020. The Giants, who released Bradberry following the 2022 draft, steadily moving on from vets at corner makes sense due to the rising costs elsewhere on their roster. In addition to Daniel Jones no longer being on a rookie contract, the team has extended Dexter Lawrence and Andrew Thomas. The trade for Brian Burns produced an extension (five years, $141MM) that doubles as the NFL’s third-most lucrative pact for an edge rusher.
Costs are low across the Giants’ secondary, with the team not matching the Packers’ Xavier McKinney offer a year after failing to re-sign Julian Love. The team has Jason Pinnock and second-rounder Tyler Nubin positioned to start at safety, though Raanan adds Dane Belton worked alongside Nubin with the starters at OTAs. Versatile veteran Jalen Mills potentially factoring in. Experience questions will certainly apply here, but Banks’ $3.1MM cap number currently tops the list of Giants CB expenses for 2024.