HEADLINES

Ben Edwards

Giants Re-Sign TE Will Tye

February 15th, 2017 at 7:50am CST by Zachary Links

As expected, the Giants have re-signed tight end Will Tye, as Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com writes. Tye was an exclusive rights free agent, meaning that the Giants were able to retain him at a very low cost. He gets a one-year, $615K contract. Will Tye (vertical)

[RELATED: Giants Will Push To Re-Sign JPP]

As reported on Tuesday, the Giants also retained ERFA tight end Matt LaCosse and defensive tackle Robert Thomas. Meanwhile, fullback Nikita Whitlock and wide receiver Ben Edwards were told they would not be back after missing 2016 with injuries.

Tye, 25, made ten starts last season and had 48 catches for 395 yards and one touchdown. The Stony Brook is now one of three tight ends on the depth chart along with LaCosse and Jerell Adams. In theory, Tye would probably be the starter if the season began today, but you can expect the Giants to add at least one tight end via the draft or free agency.

NFC Notes: Brees, Goff, Pettigrew, Giants

May 11th, 2016 at 1:50pm CST by Luke Adams

For most of the offseason, NFL observers have assumed that the Saints and Drew Brees will negotiate an extension that locks up the quarterback beyond the 2016 season and frees up some cap room for the team. However, agent Tom Condon said during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show that the Saints seem to be satisfied with Brees at his current cap number, per Joel A. Erickson of The Advocate.

According to Over the Cap’s data, New Orleans currently has less than $2MM in cap room, and that appears to be without factoring in the team’s draft picks. There are ways that the Saints could lock up all their picks and get through the 2016 season without reworking Brees’ deal, but it would almost certainly require adjusting another contract or two.

Brees, who is entering the final year of his deal, currently has a $30MM cap charge, with only one other player on the Saints’ books for a number larger than $6.35MM in 2016 — Jairus Byrd has a $10.9MM cap hit, which could be reduced via a restructure, if necessary.

As we wait to see whether New Orleans is serious about standing pat on Brees, here’s more from around the NFC:

  • Defensive lineman David Onyemata has been drafted for the second time in two weeks, writes Christopher Dabe of NOLA.com. After being selected in the fourth round of the NFL draft by the Saints, Onyemata came off the board in the fourth round of the CFL draft as well, snatched by the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Of course, Onyemata went 120th overall in the NFL draft, as opposed to 35th in the CFL draft, and he would have gone higher in the CFL draft had the Saints not selected him last month — he was viewed as the No. 1 Canadian prospect for 2016, but the Roughriders won’t get him as he long as he remains with New Orleans.
  • The Rams don’t want to rush No. 1 pick Jared Goff into anything, but as Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com writes, there’s a good chance the former Cal quarterback will be under center for the team sooner rather than later — perhaps even by Week 1.
  • Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew, who suffered a torn ACL near the end of the 2015 season, said on Tuesday night that he expects to be ready to go for the start of training camp in July, tweets Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.
  • When the Giants waived wide receiver Ben Edwards earlier this week, the team did so with an injury designation. As Jordan Raanan of NJ.com explains, the injury Edwards suffered was a torn ACL. Since the wideout went unclaimed he’ll revert to IR — Big Blue can either keep him there for the 2016 season, or negotiate an injury settlement if he has a chance to return before the end of the year.

Giants Sign B.J. Daniels, Three Others

May 9th, 2016 at 8:35pm CST by Zachary Links

The Giants announced the signing of a quartet of players, including quarterback/wide receiver B.J. Daniels. In addition to the versatile Daniels, the Giants confirmed the addition of wide receivers Kadron Boone and Donte Foster as well as defensive end Ishaq Williams (previously reported). To make room, wide receiver Ben Edwards was waived/injured while linebacker James Morris, quarterback Josh Woodrum, and tight end Cedrick Lang were waived. B.J. Daniels (vertical)

Daniels has been with the 49ers, Texans, and Seahawks in the last three years. A former seventh-round draft pick of the Niners, Daniels did not appear in a game until last season, when he played in six for the Seahawks and two for the Texans. His final stat line for the year was one completion off of two passes, six rushing attempts for six yards, two receptions for 18 yards, and five punt returns for 25 yards.

Williams has not seen live football action since 2013 when he was punished at Notre Dame for alleged academic fraud. In his three seasons for the Fighting Irish, Williams played in 35 games and totaled 45 tackles, six tackles for losses, one sack and one forced fumble.

Boone, an LSU product, played in college with Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and punter Brad Wing.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/24/15

December 24th, 2015 at 4:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Christmas Eve’s minor moves from around the league:

  • The Saints have made a change at the back of their 53-man roster, elevating wide receiver Seantavius Jones from their practice squad and releasing fullback Toben Opurum, per Field Yates of ESPN.com, via ESPN’s Mike Triplett. Triplett speculates that Jones’ promotion might not bode well for the availability of Marques Colston, who hasn’t practiced this week due to a chest injury.
  • The Bengals have promoted cornerback Chris Lewis-Harris from their practice squad, cutting cornerback Troy Hill to create a spot on the roster, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.

Earlier updates:

  • The Giants signed wide receiver Ben Edwards to take Odell Beckham‘s roster spot for this week, Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk reports. A rookie out of Richmond, Edwards was originally waived by the Giants on July 31 after he injured his hamstring.
  • The Colts signed quarterback Stephen Morris off the Eagles’ practice squad and cut cornerback D’Joun Smith to make room, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports (on Twitter). A former UDFA from Miami, Morris spent some of 2014 with the Jaguars before being claimed by the Eagles in September. With Andrew Luck and Matt Hasselbeck ailing, Indianapolis remains in need of healthy signal-callers.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/18/15

November 18th, 2015 at 4:23pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Wednesday’s practice squad signings and cuts, with any additional moves added to the list throughout the day:

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

  • Signed: CB Terrance Mitchell (Twitter link via Rich Campbell of ESPN.com)

Dallas Cowboys

New England Patriots

New York Giants

  • Signed: WR Ben Edwards, C Shane McDermott (link via Jordan Raanan of NJ.com)

San Diego Chargers

Seattle Seahawks

St. Louis Rams

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/31/15

July 31st, 2015 at 6:45pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Friday’s minor transactions from around the NFL:

  • Ravens: Signed former Army quarterback Trent Steelman, who tried out as a receiver this week, and cut rookie QB Jerry Lovelocke (Twitter links via Aaron Wilson). 
  • Bears: Signed G Tyler Moore (Twitter link via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune).
  • Cardinals: Signed CB Shaquille Richardson (Twitter link via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com).
  • Chiefs: Signed DT Hebron Fangupo and RB LaVance Taylor; waived RB Keshawn Hill (Twitter links). Taylor was signed after tweeting his highlight reel to the team.
  • Cowboys: Re-signed LB Keith Smith (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today). Smith, who played 10 games for the Cowboys last season, was cut by the team in May.
  • Giants: Waived WR Ben Edwards and T Troy Kropog (Twitter links via Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Both players received a failed physical designation.
  • Seahawks: Signed S Tyrequek Zimmerman (Twitter link via Wilson).
  • Titans: Signed WR Tebucky Jones, waived T Terren Jones, and placed TE Dorin Dickerson on injured reserve (Twitter link via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com; link via AP).

Minor Moves: Tuesday

May 12th, 2015 at 12:50pm CST by Luke Adams

We’ll use this space to round up Tuesday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day….

  • The Ravens have waived quarterback Keith Wenning, tight end Phillip Supernaw, and outside linebacker Darius Allen, the team announced today in a press release. Wenning, a sixth-round pick in 2014, became expendable when Baltimore signed Matt Schaub to be Joe Flacco‘s backup. Meanwhile, the Ravens added three players to their roster, signing undrafted rookies Leon Brown (G), Daniel Brown (WR), and Andrew Bose (ILB).
  • The Seahawks announced that they have signed Seahawks have signed defensive end Julius Warmsley and guard Kona Schwenke. Both players tried out for Seattle during the team’s rookie minicamp this past weekend. Schwenke, a Notre Dame product, signed as a UDFA around this time last year with the Chiefs and also saw time with the Pats, Jets, and Raiders.
  • The Lions are signing former Wayne State running back Desmond Martin, who participated in the club’s rookie minicamp, reports Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter).
  • In addition to confirming the previously reported signings of tight end Will Tye and defensive tackle Carlif Taylor, the Giants also announced deals for running back Kenneth Harper and wide receiver Ben Edwards.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

AFC North Notes: Gordon, Edwards, Dalton

August 5th, 2014 at 9:21pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns are bracing for at least an eight-game suspension for receiver Josh Gordon, league sources told Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer. Gordon’s lawyers are going to the mat with the NFL, arguing in part that Gordon wasn’t very far over the threshold for a positive test and they will also note the discrepancies between the “A” sample and the “B” sample. The source added that the decision on his indefinite ban could take anywhere from one to three weeks. More out of the AFC North..

  • Former Richmond wide receiver Ben Edwards tried out for the Browns today, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). Edwards, who caught more than 200 passes during his college career, had his Pro Day attended by 20 NFL teams. The Giants were among the clubs that hosted Edwards for a visit in April.
  • Andy Dalton‘s new contract with the Bengals sets the middle class market for quarterbacks, writes Jason Fitzgerald in a piece for the Sporting News. Prior to this deal there were eight recent veteran contracts that were valued between $17.67MM and $20.75MM a season. The next tier of relevant veteran contracts were valued under $9.5MM a season. The pact could be bad news for the Chiefs’ Alex Smith, the Eagles’ Nick Foles, and others.
  • Browns free agent addition Karlos Dansby has no doubt in his mind that he can be an impact player this season, writes George M. Thomas of the Akron Beacon Journal. “I’m the best. I’m the best. I’m the best. I’m the best right now, by far,” Dansby said. “Until I leave the game, I’m the best. That’s how I look at it, that’s how I approach it, and my numbers say the same.” Dansby produced 122 tackles in 2013 and 23 passes defended.

Draft Visits: Bradford, Vereen, Shembo, Tripp

April 28th, 2014 at 12:29pm CST by Luke Adams

2014’s period of pre-draft visits for prospects and NFL teams came to an end yesterday. Players will no longer be permitted to visit clubs between now and the draft on May 8, though teams are still allowed to work out players. Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post and Adam Caplan of ESPN.com have some details on some players who made visits prior to yesterday’s deadline, so let’s round up the highlights….

  • Arizona State outside linebacker Carl Bradford worked out for the Falcons and visited the Steelers, 49ers, and Chargers, reports Wilson. The Jaguars and Dolphins were among the other clubs to meet with Bradford, who is viewed as a potential second-round target.
  • The Giants hosted Richmond wide receiver Ben Edwards for a visit, according to Wilson. Edwards, who caught more than 200 passes during his college career, had his Pro Day attended by 20 NFL teams. Wilson adds that Minnesota safety Brock Vereen also visited the Giants.
  • Notre Dame outside linebacker Prince Shembo visited the Packers and also privately worked out for the Patriots, Jaguars, and Falcons, league sources tell Wilson.
  • Wilson also has the latest on Florida cornerback Jaylen Watkins, the brother of Sammy Watkins. According to Wilson, the former Gators DB has visited the Redskins, Falcons, and Eagles, and worked out for the Panthers and Patriots. Watkins met with the Colts and Lions as well.
  • In addition to his previously reported visits with the Falcons and Eagles, Montana linebacker Jordan Tripp also had workouts for the Patriots and Panthers, tweets Caplan.
  • In a separate tweet, Caplan adds North Carolina State defensive back Dontae Johnson to the list of prospects who visited the Eagles.