Johnathan Hankins - Pro Football Rumors

Giants Offering Johnathan Hankins $28MM

April 12th, 2017 at 7:25pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Over a month since the start of free agency, defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins surprisingly remains available, having not found any offers to his liking. The Giants, with whom Hankins spent the first four seasons of his career, have had an offer on the table to re-sign him since before the market opened. It turns out it’s a four-year, $28MM proposal, reports Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.

It’s unclear exactly how much guaranteed money Big Blue is including in its offer, but Schwartz notes that it’s similar to the pact fellow D-tackle Nick Fairley signed with the Saints last month. Fairley’s contract, also worth $28MM over four years, includes $14MM in guarantees. While such a deal hasn’t appealed to Hankins, it’s fair to call it a generous offer at this stage of free agency. A source Schwartz spoke to agrees, saying, “At some point, you got to be pragmatic about it.”

Hankins, whom most teams view as a two-down player, has generated little legitimate interest outside of New York this offseason. Both the Dolphins and the Colts have kicked the tires, but the former would only add him as a rotational player and the latter is uninterested in his asking price, which started out at $15MM per year before quickly dropping to $10MM annually, according to Schwartz.

While Hankins, 25, is coming off the second 16-start season of his four-year career, he has racked up just three sacks (all in 2016) since a seven-sack 2014. He also ranked a subpar 72nd in overall performance among Pro Football Focus’ 127 qualified interior defensive linemen last season. As such, the Giants don’t regard him as a must-sign player, relays Schwartz, who writes that the team could rescind the offer if it addresses the middle of its D-line in the draft.

Colts Unlikely To Sign Johnathan Hankins

April 12th, 2017 at 4:21pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Free agent Johnathan Hankins‘ visit to the Colts on Tuesday didn’t lead to a deal, as the defensive tackle left town without agreeing to a contract, reports Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. It doesn’t appear the two sides will eventually find common ground, either, according to Holder.

Although Hankins has been on the market for over a month, he continues to hold out for more than teams are interested in paying. That includes the Colts, who are unwilling to meet Hankins’ demands despite having over $30MM in cap space. Hankins hasn’t exactly encountered a robust market for his services this offseason; the only reported offer to come his way has been from the Giants, with whom he spent the first four seasons of his career. That proposal has been on the table for the 25-year-old since before free agency began, and the Giants continue holding out hope he’ll accept it.

As for the Colts, they’re likely to focus a good deal of attention on the D-line in the draft if nothing materializes with Hankins, per Holder. After finishing 2016 last in the NFL in DVOA against the run, the Colts’ only notable acquisition along the line this offseason has been Jabaal Sheard. They could look to further bolster the unit with the 15th overall pick, then.

Colts Host Johnathan Hankins On Visit

April 11th, 2017 at 3:46pm CST by Zachary Links

One month after the start of free agency, Johnathan Hankins remains on the open market. It’s possible that we could see the defensive tackle – finally – find his NFL home. Hankins visited the Colts on Tuesday, according to a source who spoke with ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter).

The Colts, we presume, are the previously reported “mystery club” that jumped in the mix for Hankins. The 25-year-old is the best free agent still left on the board, but his market has developed at a snail’s pace. Today’s Colts meeting is his first visit of this free agent cycle.

Hankins is PFR’s best free agent interior defender left on the board and would give the Colts’ D-Line a major boost after the free agent departure of Zach Kerr. The Colts have upwards of $30MM in cap space, per Over The Cap, so the room to sign Hankins should certainly be there. The defensive tackle had visions of a monster multi-year deal when free agency opened, but at this point he might be willing/forced to settle for a reasonably-priced one-year deal.

So far the Dolphins and the incumbent Giants are the only teams known to have been in communication with Hankins. The Dolphins seem unwilling to commit big dollars to him, however, and the Giants will only go so far to retain him.

Mystery Club In On Johnathan Hankins?

April 8th, 2017 at 5:46pm CST by Dallas Robinson

An unidentified team has reportedly jumped into the Johnathan Hankins sweepstakes over the past week, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). However, that mystery club may not have expressed serious interest, because the Hankins market remains “all quiet,” per Raanan.

Hankins, 25, is the best free agent still left on the board — he’s one of only five of PFR’s Top 50 Free Agents left unsigned, and he also ranks as PFR’s best free agent interior defender. Despite that fact, Hankins’ market has been slow to evolve, as the Dolphins are the only external club known to have been in communication with the defensive tackle. Miami, however, is only looking for a rotational lineman to play alongside Ndamukong Suh and Jordan Phillips.

The Giants, meanwhile, are open to re-upping Hankins, and the club has had a “solid” multi-year offer on the table for weeks. Big Blue is reportedly pushing for a quick answer from Hankins, who may want to keep hunting for a better offer. Much of the league views Hankins as a two-down player, though, meaning a superior proposal may not exist.

NFC East Rumors: Giants, Peterson, Hankins

March 28th, 2017 at 5:20pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a look at the NFC East:

When asked whether the Giants might have interest in Adrian Peterson, coach Ben McAdoo replied “never say never,” (link via PFT). We’ve been here before. McAdoo also left the door open for Peterson earlier this offseason, but days later it was reported that the Giants were not in the mix. This week, we learned that the Lions have not ruled out a Peterson signing.
Giants defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins remains on the open market and some believe his agent is to blame, as Dan Duggan of NJ.com writes. Kevin Poston and his brother Carl Poston were once among the NFL’s most powerful reps, but their once impressive stable has been whittled down to nothing. Poston’s contract demands for Hankins have been “outrageous,” according to one league source who spoke with Duggan, and that seems to be the calling card of the Poston brothers.
Although the Eagles signed veteran defensive end Chris Long earlier today, the club is still expected to target edge rushers in the draft, per Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The same can probably be said at cornerback, where Philadelphia agreed to terms with Patrick Robinson. Both Long and Robinson are veterans who agreed to short-term deals, so their additions shouldn’t affect the Eagles’ plans to add to their defense as the draft approaches.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

NFC Notes: Giants, Hankins, Lions, Rams

March 27th, 2017 at 10:54pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Giants co-owner Steve Tisch confirmed Monday that the team has an offer on the table to re-up free agent defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, per James Kratch of NJ.com. The Giants submitted the multiyear proposal before the opening of the market, where Hankins hasn’t been able to find a payday to his liking. Contrary to a prior report, the Giants haven’t set a deadline for the 25-year-old to accept their contract, according to Tisch, who’s “very optimistic” an agreement will happen and “pretty convinced” Hankins wants to re-sign.

A few other NFC notes:

Tisch also spoke on the Giants’ long-term quarterback situation, saying “there’s no urgency” to find an heir to Eli Manning, “but it’s in the back of everybody’s mind” (Twitter link via Ralph Vacchiano of SNY). Manning will play his age-36 season in 2017.
The Lions are in the “very early stages” of contract extension negotiations with quarterback Matthew Stafford, general manager Bob Quinn told the team’s website (via Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com). Quinn indicated that it’s going to take “months, not weeks” for a deal to come together. Stafford, 29, is slated to enter a contract year.
On the heels of their unsuccessful attempt to swipe center Ryan Groy from the Bills, the Rams continue to look for a solution at the position, reports Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com. The Rams want an experienced pivot to team with young quarterback Jared Goff, and they’re scouring the trade and free agent markets to acquire one (Nick Mangold is available, for what it’s worth). Aside from possibly signing a center, the Rams are all but done with free agency, Gonzalez adds.

Giants Offering Hankins Multiyear Deal

March 26th, 2017 at 9:10pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

It appears the Giants have a legitimate shot to re-sign free agent defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, and if it happens, it’s unlikely he’ll have to settle for a “prove-it” deal. The Giants have a multiyear offer on the table for Hankins, reports the NFL Network’s Kimberly Jones, who adds that the proposal “stacks up well in this free agent market.” New York has had a “solid offer” on the table “for weeks,” though Hankins is holding out for a far richer contract, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com adds (Twitter links).

While it’s obvious Hankins’ goal is a sizable payday, it could be difficult to come by for a player who has only drawn reported interest from one other team, the Dolphins. And unfortunately for Hankins, Miami doesn’t seem particularly gung-ho on the 25-year-old, as it’s only searching for a rotational defensive tackle to play with Ndamukong Suh and Jordan Phillips. On the other hand, Hankins has been a full-time starter in New York since 2014, his second season in the league.

By retaining Hankins, which Jones expects to happen, the Giants would return all 11 defensive starters from last year, she notes. That would be an auspicious development for a team whose defense topped the NFC in DVOA and finished second overall in the league, trailing only the Broncos’ all-world stop unit.

It’s debatable how much of an impact Hankins made last year, as he didn’t post mind-blowing traditional stats (43 tackles and three sacks), nor did he impress Pro Football Focus or some around the NFL. Nevertheless, Giants owner John Mara made it clear Sunday that the team would like to re-sign Hankins if it’s financially feasible.

“We certainly want him back but it’s got to make sense for us,” Mara told Tom Rock of Newsday. “He’s an important part of our team, he’s a great kid, he’s young and he fits in very well with us. So we hope to have him back.”

The Giants have upward of $12MM in spending space remaining, Raanan reported Thursday, which puts them toward the bottom of the league.

Extra Points: Broncos, Redskins, Raiders

March 26th, 2017 at 8:38pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Broncos were reportedly all but out of the Tony Romo sweepstakes as of Friday, and nothing has occurred at the NFL owners meetings to suggest otherwise. Broncos general manager John Elway hasn’t engaged in any trade talks at the meetings with Cowboys CEO and fellow competition committee member Stephen Jones, as Mike Klis of 9NEWS writes. “We’ve been here all week and his name never came up,’’ said Elway, who also gave further votes of confidence to Denver’s current top two QBs, Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch, per Klis. Even if the Cowboys end up releasing Romo, the expectation is Elway will still pass on the soon-to-be 37-year-old, notes Klis, who nonetheless cautions to “never say never.”

Latest On Johnathan Hankins

March 25th, 2017 at 9:05pm CST by Dallas Robinson

While free agent defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins is still searching for a long-term deal on the open market, “optimism has increased” among Giants players who believe Hankins will ultimately re-sign with New York, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com. Indeed, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post suggest there’s a “good shot” Hankins agrees to a new deal with the Giants.

Hankins, 24, is the best free agent still left on the board — he’s one of only five of PFR’s Top 50 Free Agents left unsigned, and he also ranks as PFR’s best free agent interior defender. Despite that fact, Hankins’ market has been slow to evolve, as the Dolphins are the only external club known to have been in communication with the defensive tackle. Miami, however, is only looking for a rotational lineman to play alongside Ndamukong Suh and Jordan Phillips.

The Giants, meanwhile, are open to re-upping Hankins, but only at their price, which is rumored to be around $4MM. Hankins, however, is hoping to land a deal in the $10MM range. Big Blue is reportedly pushing for a quick answer from Hankins, who may want to keep hunting for a better offer. Much of the league views Hankins as a two-down player, though, meaning a superior proposal may not exist.

Extra Points: Peterson, Hankins, Panthers

March 24th, 2017 at 12:53pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest from around the NFL:

Two NFL sources tell ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter) that they believe Adrian Peterson is still a free agent because his initial price was too high. Fowler adds that the Packers were considering having Peterson in for a visit, but have decided against it for the time being. The Packers reportedly have some interest in Peterson, but they’ll likely wait until after the draft to consider him and weigh a Peterson signing against their other options. After losing Eddie Lacy in free agency, Green Bay’s running back depth chart consists of Ty Montgomery, Don Jackson, and the recently re-signed Christine Michael.
Most teams around the league view Giants free agent Johnathan Hankins as primarily being a two-down player, Mike Jones of the Washington Post tweets. That could explain why his own evaluation has been so far off from what the market has been willing to offer him so far. The Dolphins have reached out to Hankins but it’s not clear if they can land him given their budgetary constraints. By the same token, no team seems to be throwing around big money to sign Hankins. He may need to go the Dontari Poe route and accept a one-year deal, but it might come at a lower salary.
Panthers GM Dave Gettleman indicated that team didn’t know the full extent of Charles Johnson‘s back injury when they re-signed him this offseason, Joseph Person of The Charlotte Observer tweets. Still, he indicated that wouldn’t have changed the team’s thinking. Johnson had back surgery earlier this week but is not expected to miss regular season time as a result.