Jets To Sign S Dane Belton
Giants safety defections in free agency have become commonplace, and with a new coaching staff now in place, another exit is on tap. But Dane Belton will not need to relocate. The Jets are picking up the fifth-year player, NFL insider Jordan Schultz tweets.
It’s a one-year, $4MM deal with a max of $6MM. The former fourth-round pick will follow Julian Love, Xavier McKinney and Jason Pinnock in leaving Big Blue’s safety corps over the past three offseasons.
Belton, 25, carved out a consistent rotational role in the Giants defense in his first two seasons and took on more playing time towards the end of his third year. That would have set him up for a full-time starting role in 2025, but Jevon Holland‘s arrival in free agency pre-empted that. Belton still appeared in every game with a strong 63% snap share and nine starts with both Holland and Tyler Nubin missing time due to injury.
Both veterans are remaining in New York under John Harbaugh, so Belton will switch locker rooms at the Meadowlands, likely to serve as the Jets. No. 3 safety. Minkah Fitzpatrick will take on a starting role after arriving via trade from Miami, and 2025 fourth-rounder Malachi Moore will likely start alongside him after an impressive rookie campaign. All three can line up as a free safety, man the slot, or play down in the box, giving Aaron Glenn and new defensive coordinator Brian Duker plenty of ways to configure their 2026 secondary.
Giants Interested In John Franklin-Myers, Wyatt Teller; Jermaine Eluemunor Open To Staying
A Giants roster-reshaping effort under John Harbaugh is coming soon. In addition to having renewed interest — at least, compared to where they were when letting Saquon Barkley walk two years ago — in running backs, the Giants have some high-profile linemen on their radar.
The team is interested in bringing in veteran guard Wyatt Teller, according to ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan. Other guards are on New York’s radar as well, with Raanan mentioning Alijah Vera-Tucker and Dylan Parham here. The Giants have been linked to cutting left guard Jon Runyan Jr., and two-year RG stopgap Greg Van Roten is unsigned.
PFR ranked all three guards among the top 50 free agents, though none of these options are bank-breaking candidates. Teller will turn 32 later this year and has missed a handful of games due to injuries in each of the past two seasons. I mentioned Teller as a Giants candidate in our Offseason Outlook offering due largely to the team having hired 2025 Browns O-line coach Mike Bloomgren. Teller is a two-time All-Pro who was part of a few high-end Bill Callahan O-lines; he is not expected back with the Browns for an eighth season.
Vera-Tucker is coming off yet another season-ending injury; he sustained a second triceps tear last September. Tearing both triceps during his time with the Jets, Vera-Tucker is also a quality performer when healthy. Pro Football Focus ranked him ninth among guards in 2024. Parham worked as a primary Raiders starter in each of his four seasons. With the Raiders changing coaching staffs yet again, Parham will be a candidate to move on.
The Giants also have a need at right tackle. They have spoken to Jermaine Eluemunor‘s camp about a second contract, after the 2024 UFA addition played out his $7MM-per-year deal, and Raanan adds the veteran RT is open to coming back. The sides have remained in contact as the legal tampering period (11am CT Monday) looms. Eluemunor, 31, is one of the top RT options available thanks largely to his pass protection. Eluemunor also has stayed healthier than the more accomplished Braden Smith, who has battled injuries in recent years.
Big Blue released James Hudson on Friday, ending a disappointing tenure that featured a bizarre penalty spree in Week 2 and a quick benching. The Giants will need to address that position. New York gave Hudson a two-year, $12MM deal in 2025 but was eyeing Morgan Moses as the preferred option to play behind Eluemunor and Andrew Thomas, per the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy. Moses, as it turned out, had starter work left after signing a three-year, $24MM Patriots deal.
Defensively, the Giants have some interest in John Franklin-Myers, Raanan adds. The former Jets starter played well for the Broncos (14.5 sacks in two seasons) and is viewed as by far the top interior D-line option on the market. A $20MM-per-year price tag has been floated for a soon-to-be 30-year-old player who was at $7.5MM AAV in Denver. With the Giants having Brian Burns and Dexter Lawrence on big-ticket deals, it might be a stretch for them to be the Franklin-Myers landing spot.
At safety, Raanan indicates Dane Belton is likely to depart as a free agent. He is poised to follow Julian Love and Xavier McKinney out the door at what has been a high-turnover position for the team. Ex-Harbaugh Ravens charge Ar’Darius Washington is a name to monitor in free agency, with Raanan adding Caleb Downs is on the team’s radar in the draft. Downs is widely expected to be one of the first players drafted, though safeties are almost never chosen in the top 10 (the Giants hold the No. 5 pick). The Ravens have received impact play from first-rounder Kyle Hamilton, and that organization has prioritized the position in the past.
Giants Notes: Hyatt, Belton, Bellinger, Gano
Giants WR Jalin Hyatt has added more than 20 pounds to his frame heading into a crucial third season in New York.
“I played at like 170, 171 last year, I’m about 194, 195 now,” said Hyatt on a recent team podcast (via NFL.com’s Coral Smith). “I’m telling you, that’s what darkness does to you. It changes you.”
The 2023 third-rounder has no intention of losing any of his trademark speed and explained that the added weight is to help him absorb contact as a receiver and ballcarrier.
“I felt like that was one of the things that I needed to work on from last season,” admitted Hyatt.
The 23-year-old also wants to diversify his usage in 2025 – both in terms of alignment and route tree – after lining up out wide and running a lot of vertical routes in his first two seasons. Hyatt specifically talked to Giants head coach Brian Daboll about seeing more time in the slot, where he played a majority of his snaps at the University of Tennessee. New York’s slot role has been dominated by Wan’Dale Robinson since 2023, and the addition of Malik Nabers and Theo Johnson in last year’s draft added more competition.
By his own admission, Hyatt is still adjusting to his bigger frame, but playing above 190 pounds should assist Hyatt in his pursuit for more slot snaps, both as a blocker and as a pass-catcher over the middle of the field.
Here are some other updates out of New York:
- The Giants’ selection of Tyler Nubin in 2024 and addition of Jevon Holland this offseason have pushed 2022 fourth-rounder Dane Belton out of the starting picture in a contract year. However, defensive coordinator Shane Bowen praised Belton’s work in spring practices and said (via ESPN’s Jordan Raanan) that the team is “finding ways to get him on the field.” Belton had three interceptions in five practices open to the media, per Raanan, positioning him for a role as the Giants’ third safety on defense.
- Fourth-year TE Daniel Bellinger is expected to make the Giants’ 53-man roster, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, but he will likely be asked to take a pay cut in the process. Bellinger played more than 35% of the team’s offensive snaps in his first two NFL seasons to earn a Level One proven performance escalator, bringing his 2025 salary to $3.4MM, per OverTheCap. However, he ceded playing time to veteran Chris Manhertz last year and saw his snap share reduced to 32%. Giants general manager Joe Schoen has gotten previous PPE qualifiers such as Darnay Holmes and Darius Slayton to take similar pay cuts in the past, and he showed last year with Nick McCloud that he is willing to move on from a player if the price is not right.
- Despite reports of a potential kicking competition in New York, veteran Graham Gano is expected to retain the job despite injuries and inconsistency over the last two years. Irish kicker Jude McAtamney, who filled in for Gano in Week 9 last year, does not have a “real chance to unseat Gano,” per Duggan. McAtamney’s international exemption will allow the Giants to carry him as an extra 17th practice squad player during the season.
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.
Latest On Isaiah Simmons, Giants’ Safety Competition
The Giants took a flier on Isaiah Simmons last year, trading a seventh-round pick to the Cardinals to acquire him in August. The former first-rounder has struggled to find a permanent role in the NFL, but his debut season in New York was sufficient to land him a new deal. 
Simmons re-signed on a one-year deal featuring $1.4MM guaranteed in April after logging a part-time defensive role with the Giants. Seeing a 33% snap share under Don Martindale, the 25-year-old recorded 50 tackles, three pass deflections and one each in the sack, interception and forced fumble departments. The Giants have since moved on from Martindale, though, bringing in Shane Bowen as his replacement.
When speaking about how Simmons will be used in 2024, Bowen indicated he will be used as a nickel back on first and second downs. On third downs, by contrast, the Clemson alum will shift to what Bowen termed a ‘money’ position (h/t ESPN’s Jordan Raanan). Simmons began his career as a linebacker before Arizona shifted him to safety. If Bowen’s plan unfolds as currently set up, he will continue to be used in a fluid manner while trying to find a long-term home in the NFL.
Elsewhere on the Giants’ defense, the safety position is one to watch. Xavier McKinney‘s free agent departure created a vacancy in the starting lineup, one which Dane Belton could fill in 2024. The latter has made 32 appearances and seven starts to date, posting two interceptions in each of his first two years in the league. New York selected Tyler Nubin in the second round of the draft, however, providing the team with another option for first-team responsibilities.
Nubin was considered by many to be the top safety in this year’s class, but Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post writes Belton was ahead of him on the depth chart during spring practices. Plenty of clarity will emerge for many position battles during padded practices in training camp, of course. For the time being, though, Belton has a leg up in the competition. Maintaining that advantage would be key for the 23-year-old considering he will be eligible for an extension after the 2024 season.
New York struggled in a number of defensive categories last season, although the team’s pass defense (19th in yards allowed through the air) fared better. Still, Bowen and Co. will aim for improvement in 2024, and Simmons along with the winner of the Belton-Nubin competition will have notable roles in that effort. They will be among the players to watch closely as training camp unfolds.
NFC East Notes: Eagles, Pinnock, Cowboys
The Eagles both signed five-year starter Terrell Edmunds and used a third-round pick on Sydney Brown. Both safeties factor into the team’s plans, but they are not outflanking Reed Blankenship thus far through training camp. Blankenship has been a first-team mainstay, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane, who adds Edmunds and Brown have rotated at the other safety spot. Indeed, The Athletic’s Zach Berman notes Blankenship — a 2022 UDFA out of Middle Tennessee State — has been the Eagles’ top safety in camp (subscription required).
This reminds of Marcus Epps‘ rise last year. Despite the Eagles re-signing Anthony Harris and adding Jaquiski Tartt in 2022, Epps earned a starting job — one that eventually led to a two-year, $12MM Raiders payday. The Eagles brought in C.J. Gardner-Johnson via trade just before last season. That transaction could signal none of Philly’s safeties should be too comfortable, but Blankenship — Gardner-Johnson’s injury sub last year who played 291 defensive snaps — looks like the best bet to start among the in-house group.
Here is the latest from the NFC East:
- Staying on the subject of safeties in this division, the Giants may be moving toward giving Jason Pinnock the starting job alongside Xavier McKinney. A Jets fifth-round pick in 2021, Pinnock started five games for the Giants last year, operating as McKinney’s injury fill-in. He has received consistent first-team work in camp, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan notes. Pinnock has distanced himself from Dane Belton and veteran Bobby McCain, having been Big Blue’s first-teamer since the fourth training camp practice. The Giants, who lost Julian Love in free agency, claimed Pinnock shortly after the Jets waived the converted cornerback on cutdown day last year. Two seasons remain on Pinnock’s rookie contract.
- Malik Hooker‘s 2023 Cowboys cap hit climbed from $4.32MM to $4.57MM as a result of his recent extension, Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets. The incentives in the three-year, $21MM contract include $500K bumps involving playing time and INT production. Five picks and the Cowboys making the playoffs would result in a $500K increase, Archer adds, noting the other incentive requires Hooker to play 85% of Dallas’ defensive snaps and the team to make the postseason (Twitter link).
- The Cowboys, who turned Micah Parsons from an off-ball linebacker to a fearsome edge rusher, are giving Leighton Vander Esch some reps on the edge, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News notes. While the sixth-year linebacker received sparse edge work in games last season, Gehlken adds this is the first time he has received extensive instruction in a defensive end role. Rostering Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Dorance Armstrong, Dante Fowler and Sam Williams, the Cowboys are much deeper on the edge than at linebacker. It would stand to reason LVE’s role will likely remain mostly as an off-ball defender.
- The Giants recently added longtime safety Mike Adams to their coaching staff, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan tweets. A 16-year veteran, Adams will replace Anthony Blevins as the Giants’ assistant defensive backs coach, the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard adds (on Twitter). Adams, 42, hung up his cleats after the 2019 season. Blevins left the Giants during the summer to accept an XFL HC position.
- While Devon Allen did not see any game action for the Eagles last season, Berman writes the two-time Olympian hurdler is in play to make the team as a backup this year. Allen, 28, has not played in a game since working as an Oregon slot receiver in 2016. Shifting to track full-time proved beneficial for Allen, who is one of the best 110-meter hurdlers in U.S. history. But he opted to give football another try last year. He suffered an injury at the U.S. Championships last month, exiting the 110 hurdles competition before the finals in order to preserve his body for his second Eagles camp. The Eagles activated Allen from the PUP list Tuesday.
- Given a reserve/futures deal along with Allen in February, Matt Leo landed on the Eagles’ reserve/retired list last month. The team hired the former practice squad defensive end a defensive and football operations assistant.
Giants Starting S Job “Wide Open”
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 Notes: Flott, McCloud, Cowden
Although they still have a need at wide receiver, we learned yesterday that the Giants are not presently expected to acquire free agent DeAndre Hopkins. With Hopkins eyeing a $15MM/year contract, and with New York boasting less than $4MM in cap room, much would have to change for the club’s interest in Hopkins to go beyond the exploratory stage.
Here are a few more Giants-related items:
- As Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post (subscription required) writes, the Giants believe that second-year pro Cor’Dale Flott — who was drafted as a slot corner — is better-suited to man the boundaries. That could mean that Darnay Holmes will reprise his role as the club’s primary slot defender, but the team could also gain much-needed cap space (about $2.5MM) by cutting Holmes. If Flott shows improvement as an inside option, or if UDFA Leonard Johnson should impress, Holmes may become a release/pay cut candidate.
- The Giants lost safety Julian Love to the Seahawks in free agency this offseason, and as Dunleavy writes in a separate piece, Big Blue is shifting 2022 waiver claim Nick McCloud to safety on a full-time basis. Per Dunleavy, McCloud will compete with free agent signee Bobby McCain and incumbents Jason Pinnock and Dane Belton for the starting safety job alongside Xavier McKinney. McCloud, like Love, offers positional versatility and started eight games at corner in 2022, so even if he works primarily at safety, DC Wink Martindale may still use him elsewhere in the defensive backfield.
- According to Dunleavy, first-round rookie Deonte Banks is now lining up as a starting boundary corner opposite Adoree’ Jackson after working with the second-team defense during the first week of OTAs.
- The Giants recently added Ryan Cowden to their front office, and per the team’s official website, Cowden’s title will be executive advisor to the general manager. Cowden, who actually interviewed for New York’s GM job last year — a job that ultimately went to Joe Schoen — ended the 2022 campaign as the Titans’ interim GM, but Tennessee elected to hire Ran Carthon for the permanent gig. Cowden and Schoen worked together in the Panthers’ front office from 2000-07, so Schoen is adding a familiar and experienced sounding board to his personnel department.
- Last week, we heard that the Giants and franchise-tagged running back Saquon Barkley are no closer to coming to terms on a long-term contract than they have ever been. It appears that guaranteed money is the biggest sticking point, though it is unclear what the Giants have offered in that regard, nor the degree to which those offers fall short of what Barkley might be seeking.
Giants Release S Andrew Adams
Prior to training camp, the Giants reunited with Andrew Adams. But the former New York safety starter will not be part of the team’s 53-man roster next week. The Giants released Adams on Friday.
The six-year veteran’s exit made room for kicker Ryan Santoso, who is now back on the Giants’ 80-man roster. Ahead of their final preseason game, the Giants also signed wide receiver Travis Toivonen.
Graham Gano is in place as the Giants’ kicker, but he suffered a concussion in the team’s second preseason game. Santoso, whom the Jaguars waived earlier this week, represents insurance. This is a return trip for Santoso, who was with the Giants during the 2020 season and most of the 2021 offseason. The team traded the young kicker to the Panthers just before last season. Santoso, who turns 27 today, has bounced around since that trade, playing in one Panthers game but also moving to the Lions, Titans, Rams and Jaguars.
Adams, who caught on with Big Blue initially as a UDFA in 2016, represented insurance as well. The Giants released Logan Ryan and did not re-sign Jabrill Peppers, who is now with the Patriots. But Adams could not hold off some of the team’s younger safeties during training camp. Adams, 29, started three games for the Buccaneers last season, will head straight to free agency as a vested vet.
The former 17-game Giants starter (from 2016-17) and four-year Bucs contributor lost out to the likes of UDFA Trenton Thompson, whom ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan notes (via Twitter) has impressed the Giants, and fourth-round pick Dane Belton. Despite the latter suffering a broken collarbone early in camp, Raanan adds the Iowa product is not expected to be out too much longer.