NFC East Notes: Belichick, Giants, CBs, Phillips, Cowboys, Commanders
Bill Belichick‘s media blitz will cover the 2024 season; the legendary coach has deals in place with the Manningcast, Inside the NFL and Underdog Fantasy Sports. Come 2025, however, the goal remains to land a third HC gig. The Cowboys and Eagles continue to be mentioned as possible landing spots, due to their strong rosters being closer to Super Bowl-level status, but the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard believes the Giants — should they fire Brian Daboll — will make Belichick their first call. Leonard, during an appearance on The Carton Show, said GM Joe Schoen joins Daboll on the hot seat but added the GM having a past with Bill Parcells — Belichick’s boss with the Giants, Jets and Patriots (1996 only) — could leave the door open to working with Belichick. Schoen and Parcells debuted with the Dolphins, the former as a national scout, in 2008 and overlapped as coworkers for three years.
The Giants, who employed Belichick from 1979-90 and won their first two Super Bowls during his time as DC, came up as a team that would interest Belichick back in April. New York’s quarterback uncertainty may be an issue for a coach who will be 73 by the time he would land another opportunity, but it is not like the six-time Super Bowl-winning HC was in demand during this year’s cycle. A return to the Giants could be of interest if Belichick’s market is again limited.
Here is the latest from the NFC East:
- The Giants recently traded free agent pickup Jordan Phillips to the Cowboys, marking a rare deal between the teams. The trade involved a pick swap of 2026 sixth- and seventh-rounders changing sides, but NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo adds the selections will not change hands if Phillips fails to land on Dallas’ gameday roster for two 2024 games. This would not mean the veteran DT would need to make the Cowboys’ initial 53-man roster, but the longtime Bills lineman would need to be part of the active squad twice.
- Having a past with Schoen and Daboll in Buffalo, Nick McCloud is pushing Cor’Dale Flott for the Giants‘ boundary cornerback job opposite Deonte Banks. McCloud is also in the mix for the Giants’ slot position, per the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy. Fellow versatile defender Isaiah Simmons and rookie third-rounder Dru Phillips are also vying for the Big Blue slot post. Additionally, Tre Hawkins — a 2023 sixth-rounder who had won the Giants’ CB2 job last year only to be benched early in the season — is also battling Flott and McCloud for the perimeter gig, the Post’s Paul Schwartz adds.
- Jason Wright‘s eventual Commanders presidential successor will not oversee Adam Peters, according to ESPN.com’s John Keim. Washington’s next team president will be in charge of the business side only, with Peters only reporting to Josh Harris, who hired the ex-49ers exec to oversee his football operations in January. Wright, who interviewed for the Packers’ president job, is leaving after the season.
- The Commanders released Brandon McManus not long after the free agent signing was accused of sexual assault in a civil suit. With Washington cutting the kicker days before the second half of his $1.5MM signing bonus was due, a question loomed as to whether the team would pay it out. The team has since sent the kicker the other $750K, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio.
- The Cowboys are bringing in NBA analytics staffer Kathy Evans in as a consultant, per ESPN.com’s Seth Walder and Kevin Pelton. Evans has worked with the Washington Wizards and Toronto Raptors and is set for an interesting work schedule; Walton and Pelton note she is currently consulting for the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Dodgers.
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.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/14/24
Teams continue to sign their draft picks to rookie contracts. We’ve collected today’s miscellaneous signings below:
Chicago Bears
- OT Kiran Amegadjie (third round, Yale)
Cincinnati Bengals
- WR Jermaine Burton (third round, Alabama)
- TE Erick All (fourth round, Iowa)
Denver Broncos
- EDGE Jonah Elliss (third round, Utah)
Indianapolis Colts
- WR Anthony Gould (fifth round, Oregon State)
Minnesota Vikings
- OT Walter Rouse (sixth round, Oklahoma)
New York Giants
- CB Dru Phillips (third round, Kentucky)
Seattle Seahawks
- CB Tyrice Knight (fourth round, UTEP)