New York Giants News & Rumors

Largest 2024 Cap Hits: Defense

July 17th, 2024 at 2:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

As veteran report dates for training camps near, NFL payrolls are largely set. Extension- and trade-related matters remain, but as far as high cap numbers go, the list will not change much between now and Week 1. After we ran down the top cap charges on the offensive side of the ball last week, here are the highest 2024 figures tied to defenders:

Maxx Crosby, EDGE (Raiders): $30.48MM
T.J. Watt, EDGE (Steelers): $30.42MM
Kenny Clark, DL (Packers): $27.49MM
Joey Bosa, EDGE (Chargers): $26.11MM
Khalil Mack, EDGE (Chargers): $25.39MM
Montez Sweat, EDGE (Bears): $25.09MM
Harold Landry, EDGE (Titans): $23.8MM
Jaire Alexander, CB (Packers): $23.49MM
Marlon Humphrey, CB (Ravens): $22.88MM
Tremaine Edmunds, LB (Bears): $22.44MM
Cameron Heyward, DL (Steelers): $22.41MM
Jeffery Simmons, DL (Titans): $21.65MM
Daron Payne, DL (Commanders): $21.61MM
Jonathan Allen, DL (Commanders): $21.44MM
Minkah Fitzpatrick, S (Steelers): $21.36MM
Vita Vea, DL (Buccaneers): $20.97MM
DeMarcus Lawrence, EDGE (Cowboys): $20.46MM
Quinnen Williams, DL (Jets): $20.4MM
Grady Jarrett, DL (Falcons): $20.38MM
Myles Garrett, EDGE (Browns): $20.17MM
Trey Hendrickson, EDGE (Bengals): $20.17MM
Derwin James, S (Chargers): $19.86MM
Budda Baker, S (Cardinals): $19.03MM
Charvarius Ward, CB (49ers): $18.4MM
Marcus Williams, S (Ravens): $18.03MM

While a handful of quarterbacks are set to break the single-player record for cap hit — after this offseason’s $30.6MM cap spike — this year’s defensive hits do not check in on that level. Crosby and Watt are at $30MM, but those numbers do not match last year’s top defender cap hit — attached to then-Giants D-lineman Leonard Williams ($32.26MM). With Aaron Donald now in the dead money category following his retirement and Chris Jones extended, some new faces have climbed toward the top of this list.

The Raiders gave Crosby a $6MM 2024 pay bump to reward a former Day 3 pick who has unlocked another level while attached to an extension signed in 2022. Rather than greenlight a new deal for their top defender, the Raiders moved money around on his through-2026 extension to accommodate a rising market. This season now marks the highest cap hit on this Crosby contract.

Although the Chargers worked out pay-cut agreements with Bosa and Mack, both edge rushers are still among the most expensive — cap-wise — players in the league. The March reductions, however, moved Bosa’s cap number down from $36.6MM and lowered Mack’s from $38.5MM. With James tied to the second-highest 2024 safety figure, Jim Harbaugh‘s team — while clearing out costs on offense — remains among the top defensive spenders.

Two years remain on Watt’s deal, which has paid out its guaranteed money. With Nick Bosa having secured a defender-record extension and lower-production players — compared to Watt, at least — Brian Burns and Josh Allen surpassing the future Hall of Famer’s 2021 extension, a third Steelers-Watt agreement will likely be rumored soon. Heyward has expressed interest in a fourth Steelers contract, which would reduce his lofty cap figure, but the accomplished veteran has not heard much from the team’s side on this matter.

The Packers have begun talks with Clark on what would be a third extension. His current $17.5MM-per-year contract has fallen to 15th among active D-linemen. A new deal would update that figure for a reliable starter while reducing his 2024 cap hit. Despite rumors about the Pack separating from Alexander coming out in December, GM Brian Gutekunst shot down any such move associated with the league’s highest-paid corner.

Baker requested a trade last year, eyeing a deal closer to the James-Fitzpatrick level. The longtime Cardinal DB is in the final year of an extension agreed to back in 2020. Although the Cardinals are rebuilding, Baker has remained part of Jonathan Gannon‘s team. He expressed hope to stay in Arizona beyond 2024, and the Cardinals have the contract-year safety — the team’s longest-tenured starter, now that D.J. Humphries is off the roster — on the team going into his age-28 season.

Giants Outbid Jets For G Jon Runyan Jr.; Cards, Jets Pursued OL Jermaine Eluemunor

July 17th, 2024 at 10:26am CST by Sam Robinson

Both the Giants and Jets added multiple starters along their offensive lines in free agency. The NFC’s New York franchise was willing to spend more for one of its top targets.

A Jets offer for Jon Runyan Jr. influenced the Giants, as HBO’s Hard Knocks: Offseason documents, with familiarity nearly pushing the ex-Packers guard to reunite with Aaron Rodgers and OC Nathaniel Hackett. Because of the familiarity the three-year Packers starter carried with the Green Bay power brokers now in New York, Giants senior VP of football operations Kevin Abrams informed Joe Schoen the NFC East team would need to top where the Jets had gone for Runyan.

The Jets ended up adding three O-line starters on the market, but before coming to terms with guard John Simpson, the team offered Runyan $9MM per year and $17MM guaranteed at signing in the early hours of the legal tampering period. The Giants, who saw injuries affect their guard setup last season, outbid the Jets by giving the second-generation NFL blocker a three-year, $30MM deal. Big Blue matched the $17MM guarantee, and the Jets soon pivoted to Simpson at two years and $12MM.

The Runyan pact took the Giants out of the market for Robert Hunt, who received an offer from the team. While the team had pegged the four-year Dolphins starter as a player worth between $13MM and $15MM per year, Hunt’s market eventually reached $20MM on average (via the Panthers). That contract did not come to pass until hours after the Giants had added their two new O-line pieces. The team gave Jermaine Eluemunor a two-year, $14MM deal shortly after adding Runyan.

Eluemunor also drew interest from the Jets, but director of football ops Ed Triggs informed Schoen the Cardinals were in on the recent Raiders right tackle. Eluemunor sought nothing more than a two-year commitment, signaling the 29-year-old blocker is eyeing another potential free agency go-round in the mid-2020s. Considering Eluemunor’s run of low-cost Raiders one-year deals, attempting to use his 2024 agreement as a springboard to another payday makes sense. Eluemunor, whose two-year Patriots tenure overlapped with Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort‘s New England stay, ended up with the Giants after they upped their offer from $6MM to $7MM per year.

No 2025 guarantees are present in Eluemunor’s contract, a component the Giants’ offer indicated after Schoen was told the veteran did not want a three-year deal. Giants pro scouting director Chris Rossetti said Eluemunor could be a Giants starter at right tackle or left guard. Going into camp, the team is taking the latter route — in hopes former No. 7 overall pick Evan Neal finally showcases quality form at RT. As a result of the Giants’ FA process, they plan to roll out an Andrew Thomas-Eluemunor-John Michael Schmitz-Runyan-Neal starting five.

The Jets have Simpson and Alijah Vera-Tucker in place at guard, though it will be interesting to see if the team attempts to move first-round tackle Olu Fashanu into a guard role in a “best five” scenario. FA pickup Tyron Smith and trade reacquisition Morgan Moses are in place at tackle.

Following Eluemunor’s decision, the Cardinals did not end up spending much at guard in free agency, adding Evan Brown on a one-year deal worth $2.35MM. Brown is the favorite to start at left guard opposite ex-Giant Will Hernandez. Arizona did, however, allocate considerable funds to bolster its right tackle spot by agreeing to terms with Jonah Williams two days after Eluemunor chose the Giants.

John Mara Voiced Support For Giants Retaining Saquon Barkley, Did Not Force Re-Signing

July 17th, 2024 at 9:06am CST by Sam Robinson

HBO’s Hard Knocks: Offseason debut has included John Mara cameos, with the owner staying involved in the team’s effort (or lack thereof) to retain Saquon Barkley. After GM Joe Schoen ran down the team’s priorities, Mara still makes it somewhat clear he wants his staff to keep the door open for a return.

As the legal tampering period began, the Giants‘ front office — after passing on a second franchise tag and informing Barkley no offer will come before he hits the market — braced for a departure. After Schoen informed Mara of a text he received that the Bears were driving up Barkley’s price, the owner voiced his long-held preference for the seventh-year veteran to be re-signed. Though, Mara ultimately did not stand in Schoen’s way.

“I’ll have a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia, I’ll tell you that,” Mara told Schoen. “As I’ve told you, just being around enough players, he’s the most popular player we have, by far.”

The Bears made D’Andre Swift the first commitment of this year’s tampering period, giving the former Eagles and Lions starter a three-year, $24MM deal. That ended up being second among RBs this offseason, with Barkley’s three-year, $37.75MM Eagles deal ($26MM guaranteed at signing) the runaway winner. Swift’s price tag ultimately led to the Eagles pursuing Barkley.

While Barkley’s agent indeed brought the RB’s Philly offer back to the Giants, Schoen did not receive assurances the two-time Pro Bowler would return if the team matched it.

“I told the agent, I said if we match that deal, he’s going to be a Giant,” Schoen said in a conversation with Mara on March 11. “And he’s like, ‘Well…’ You know, he hemmed and hawed, he’s like, ‘I’m not saying that; we’ve got a lot of work to do if that happens.'”

This led to Schoen confirming to Barkley’s agent that the team would not match, keying a separation after six years. Upon receiving the news of the offer Barkley fetched, Schoen told Barkley’s agent the team was out. Barkley’s agent did not initially tell Schoen who made the offer, but the Giants belatedly learned the Eagles did so. Barkley confirmed months ago the Giants did not submit him a proposal to stay, indicating four teams made formal offers. It is fair to assume the Bears, along with the Texans, joined the Eagles in doing so.

Receiving Brian Daboll‘s recommendation, Schoen pivoted to Devin Singletary on a three-year, $16.5MM deal with $9.5MM guaranteed at signing. After Giants pro scouting director Chris Rossetti read the news of the Eagles’ deal with Barkley, Schoen told Mara, “We’re gonna be fine.” As Mara walked out of the meeting with Schoen and Rossetti upon hearing the news of Barkley’s Philly pledge, it appears he agreed.

Mara not strong-arming Schoen to keep Barkley reflects a belief in the third-year GM, and it was not made clear the Penn State alum would have passed on a Philly deal even if New York matched the terms. The Giants did not reach $26MM fully guaranteed at the July 2023 franchise tag deadline, and Schoen’s comments leading up to free agency prepared Mara for Barkley’s exit. Based on Mara’s comments during the early hours of free agency, is safe to assume the owner will be closely monitoring how Barkley fares with the Eagles. This will obviously be a key determinant in Schoen’s long-term Giants future.

WRs Isaiah Hodgins, Gunner Olszewski On Giants’ Roster Bubble

July 16th, 2024 at 9:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

As HBO revisits the Saquon Barkley divorce, the Giants will have other roster matters to consider once training camp begins. Determining their wide receiver path will be one of them.

Steadily adding pieces to a group that has been one of the NFL’s worst throughout Daniel Jones‘ career, the Giants have Malik Nabers set to headline this year’s wideout contingent. Nabers joins Joe Schoen-Brian Daboll Day 2 draftees Wan’Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt as roster locks, with Dave Gettleman-era pickup Darius Slayton — the team’s leading receiver in four of the past five seasons — still in place after a minor adjustment to his contract. This leaves battles to round out the pass-catching setup.

Isaiah Hodgins re-signed this offseason, though the Giants did not tender the 2022 waiver claim as an RFA. Hodgins is back on a one-year, $1.1MM deal. The former Bills sixth-rounder is in competition for the team’s No. 5 receiver role, per The Athletic’s Dan Duggan, who notes a responsibility change will be necessary (subscription required).

Although Hodgins has been a backup for most of his career, he has played only three special teams snaps in four seasons. Those came in Buffalo. No. 5 wideouts, barring unusual arrangements, typically play regular ST roles. Hodgins’ lack of work in this area threatens his job security, as the Giants guaranteed him only $325K upon the late-March re-signing. The Giants appear prepared to change Hodgins’ lack of a special teams job, with Duggan adding they gave him work on the punt and kick-return teams during the offseason program.

Hodgins, 25, has made memorable contributions as a receiver since coming to the Big Apple. The 200-pound wideout caught 37 passes for 392 yards and four touchdowns (in 10 games) following an October 2022 waiver claim. Hodgins then became the eighth post-merger Giant to post a 100-yard receiving stat line in a playoff game, hauling in eight passes for 105 yards and a touchdown in the Giants’ wild-card win over the Vikings. Last season, however, Hyatt ate into Hodgins’ workload. Hodgins finished the 2023 season with 21 catches for 230 yards.

The Giants have Allen Robinson waging an uphill battle for a reserve role, with Duggan adding Gunner Olszewski factors into the roster math here. The Giants also re-signed Olszewski this offseason, circling back to the return man 10 days before Hodgins. A former Patriots and Steelers ST presence/auxiliary wideout, Olszewski returned a punt for a score as a Giant last season but did not catch a pass in 10 games with the team. Olszewski, however, has been a regular NFL returner for five seasons and earned first-team All-Pro acclaim in 2020.

The team also signed Isaiah McKenzie, who joined Hodgins in working with Daboll in Buffalo, and added ex-Ravens and Steelers backup Miles Boykin. McKenzie’s presence and superior receiving production would stand to impact Olszewski, as the 5-foot-7 talent also carries extensive punt- and kick-return experience. Boykin also has been a regular special-teamer throughout his career; he logged a 70% ST snap rate last season in Pittsburgh.

This represents a different sort of problem for the Giants, who have needed Slayton and Hodgins regularly since their previous receiver nucleus — one headlined by Kenny Golladay and Kadarius Toney — imploded in 2022. But the back end of this group will be worth monitoring during camp.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/16/24

July 16th, 2024 at 6:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:

Miami Dolphins

Placed on active/NFI list: S Mark Perry
Placed on active/PUP list: WR Tahj Washington

New Orleans Saints

Placed on active/NFI list: WR Bub Means

New York Giants

Placed on active/PUP list: TE Theo Johnson

San Francisco 49ers

Placed on active/NFI list: WR Ricky Pearsall

The active versions of these injury lists only impact players’ availability for practices before the regular season. Players can be moved off the active/PUP or active/NFI lists at any point over the next month-plus. Should a player be left on a PUP or NFI list when a team finalizes a 53-man roster — as the Ravens are expected to with running back Keaton Mitchell — he must miss at least four games.

Pearsall’s undisclosed injury is not viewed as a malady that should keep the first-rounder out long term, per The Athletic’s Matt Barrows. The Florida alum is expected to join Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, the latter’s trade request notwithstanding, this season and profiles as a long-term replacement for one of the two players — depending on how San Francisco handles its receiver contract glut — come 2025. Pearsall participated in the 49ers’ offseason program; it would be a surprise if he became a candidate for the reserve/PUP list.

WR Allen Robinson On Giants Roster Bubble?

July 13th, 2024 at 9:25am CST by Ben Levine

Allen Robinson caught on with the Giants earlier this offseason, with the organization clearly hoping the wideout can bring some experience to a questionable depth chart. However, the 30-year-old isn’t a shoo-in for the team’s initial 53-man roster. In his preview of the Giants’ depth chart, Dan Duggan of The Athletic writes that it’s “hard to see Robinson earning a roster spot.”

Despite injuries ruining the end of his Jaguars tenure, the receiver still garnered a three-year, $42MM deal with the Bears in 2018. He underwhelmed during his first season in Chicago but managed to put together back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2019 and 2020, with the wideout averaging 100 catches per year between those two campaigns.

Since then, Robinson’s struggles have been well-chronicled. He hauled in only 410 yards during his final season with the Bears before getting another lucrative three-year contract in 2022, this time from the Rams. He only lasted a season in Los Angeles, finishing with 339 receiving yards. He was promptly dealt to the Steelers last offseason, and to his credit, he started all 17 of his appearances in Pittsburgh. However, his numbers hit a new low, with the 30-year-old finishing with only 34 catches for 280 yards and no touchdowns.

Robinson was cut by the Steelers back in March, but he ended up catching on with the Giants in May. While the veteran brings more experience than many of his new teammates, he still faces an uphill battle to make the squad. First-round rookie Malik Nabers is expected to lead the depth chart, and the team settled their contract stare down with Darius Slayton. With Wan’Dale Robinson, Isaiah Hodgins, Jalin Hyatt, and new addition Isaiah McKenzie also around, Robinson would likely require an injury to earn a bottom-of-the-depth-chart spot.

Duggan suggested that Robinson could end up landing on New York’s practice squad, a move that would require the player’s sign-off. Robinson recently said he’s still got multiple years left in the tank, so it’s uncertain if he’d be willing to settle for a taxi squad role during his age-31 season.

Largest 2024 Cap Hits: Offense

July 12th, 2024 at 10:11pm CST by Adam La Rose

The NFL’s salary cap ceiling was expected to see a large increase this offseason, but estimates proved to be on the low side. A record-setting jump resulted in a cap of $255.4MM for teams to work with.

That has resulted in new waves of spending at a few positions, with quarterbacks and receivers seeing continued growth at the top of the market. Last offseason offered a strong chance of the league seeing at least one $40MM-plus cap charge, but the Browns avoided such a scenario with a Deshaun Watson restructure. Owing to that move – and the lack of further adjustments this spring – however, Watson’s financial impact is set to grow considerably this season.

Here are the league’s top cap charges on offense leading up to training camp:

Deshaun Watson, QB (Browns): $63.77MM
Dak Prescott, QB (Cowboys): $55.13MM
Matthew Stafford, QB (Rams): $49.5MM
Kyler Murray, QB (Cardinals): $49.12MM
Daniel Jones, QB (Giants): $47.86MM
Patrick Mahomes, QB (Chiefs): 37.01MM
Lamar Jackson, QB (Ravens): $32.4MM
Trent Williams, LT (49ers): $31.57MM
Tyreek Hill, WR (Dolphins): $31.32MM
Josh Allen, QB (Bills): $30.36MM
Cooper Kupp, WR (Rams): $29.78MM
Taylor Moton, RT (Panthers): $29.75MM
Joe Burrow, QB (Bengals): $29.55MM
Deebo Samuel, WR (49ers): $28.63MM
Chris Godwin, WR (Buccaneers): $27.53MM
Jared Goff, QB (Lions): $27.21MM
Joe Thuney, LG (Chiefs): $26.97MM
Geno Smith, QB (Seahawks): $26.4MM
Laremy Tunsil, LT (Texans): $25.86MM
Davante Adams, WR (Raiders): $25.35MM
Quenton Nelson, LG (Colts): $25.2MM
Kirk Cousins, QB (Falcons): $25MM
Jawaan Taylor, RT (Chiefs): $24.73MM
D.K. Metcalf, WR (Seahawks): $24.5MM
Christian Kirk, WR (Jaguars): $24.24MM

Watson’s figure will shatter the NFL record for the largest single-season cap charge if no adjustments are made in the coming weeks. The hits for Prescott, Murray, Stafford and Jones also would have set a new benchmark if not for the Browns passer, a sign of the QB market’s continued upward trajectory. Cleveland is set to remain in a similar situation for the next three years as Watson plays out his fully guaranteed $230MM deal.

Prescott’s future is one of several important questions the Cowboys need to answer relatively soon. With CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons due for second contracts, an extension for the three-time Pro Bowler will need to take into account future commitments. While Prescott has considerable leverage (via no-tag and no-trade clauses), he joins Jones in facing an uncertain post-2024 future in the NFC East.

The latter saw the Giants make an effort to trade up for a quarterback in April and he reacted in an understandable manner. Jones’ $40MM-per-year 2023 extension remains the dominant storyline surrounding the team, and a decision on retaining him or moving on will need to be made prior to a potential out early next offseason. Murray’s performance this fall will likewise be worth watching; he has received consistent praise from head coach Jonathan Gannon, but he will aim to put together a fully healthy season following 2023’s truncated campaign.

Stafford and the Rams have a mutual desire to continue their relationship, but he is seeking guarantees beyond the 2024 campaign. The 36-year-old’s representatives have been in discussion on a resolution during the offseason, although even in the absence of one a training camp holdout is not expected. The likes of Mahomes, Jackson and Allen retain a place in the top 25, and the same will no doubt be true of Burrow for years to come.

Of the receivers listed, only Hill is known to be actively pursuing a new deal. The 30-year-old once led the receiver market with a $30MM AAV, a figure inflated by non-guaranteed money at the end of the pact. With the bar having been raised to new heights this offseason, Hill could join teammate Jaylen Waddle in securing a new payday. Since the team has a Tua Tagovailoa extension on the horizon, however, Miami could hesitate on the Hill front.

It come as little surprise that Williams tops the list for offensive linemen. The 11-time Pro Bowler has been mentioned in retirement rumors before, but playing to age 40 is now a goal. Meeting it could require future contract adjustments. Samuel’s future in the Bay Area was a talking point this offseason as the team attempts to keep Brandon Aiyuk in the fold. One of the high-profile wideouts may be playing for a new team for the first time in their career in 2025.

Elsewhere along the O-line, Moton and Taylor demonstrate the value seen at the right tackle spot in recent years. Given the developments of the guard market this offseason, though, the likes of Thuney and Nelson will have competition for spots on the list in future years. Similarly, the non-Hill wideouts could easily be surpassed in the future with a further additions set to be made (particularly by Lamb, Aiyuk and Ja’Marr Chase) at the top of the ever-increasing market.

Goff joined the $50MM-per-year club on his third NFL deal, whereas Cousins continued to add to his impressive NFL earnings by joining the Falcons. If healthy, the latter could prove to be an effective pickup for a team aiming to return to the postseason (while quieting questions about a transition to Michael Penix Jr. under center). Smith also has plenty riding on this season with a new Seahawks coaching staff in place which incrementally arrived at the decision he will serve as the starter in 2024.

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured GMs

July 10th, 2024 at 10:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL’s general manager ranks featured some key shakeups this offseason. One of the longest-tenured pure GMs in the game, Tom Telesco, lost his Chargers seat 11 years in. The Raiders, however, gave Telesco a second chance. He now controls the Las Vegas roster. Only Telesco and the Jaguars’ Trent Baalke reside as second-chance GMs currently.

Two long-serving personnel bosses also exited this offseason. The Patriots’ decision to move on from 24-year HC Bill Belichick gave Jerod Mayo a head coaching opportunity but also resulted in Eliot Wolf belatedly rising to the top of the team’s front office hierarchy. A former Packers and Browns exec, Wolf held decision-making power through the draft and kept it on an official basis soon after. While John Schneider arrived in Seattle with Pete Carroll in 2010, the latter held final say. Following Carroll’s ouster after 14 seasons, Schneider has full control.

The Commanders changed GMs this offseason, hiring ex-San Francisco staffer Adam Peters, but Martin Mayhew received merely a demotion. The three-year Washington GM, who worked alongside Peters with the 49ers, is now in place as a senior personnel exec advising Peters. Rather than look outside the organization, Panthers owner David Tepper replaced Scott Fitterer with Dan Morgan, who had previously worked as the team’s assistant GM.

Going into his 23rd season running the Saints, Mickey Loomis remains the NFL’s longest-serving pure GM. This will mark the veteran exec’s third season without Sean Payton. An eight-year gap now exists between Loomis and the NFL’s second-longest-tenured pure GM.

As the offseason winds down, here is how the league’s 32 GM jobs look:

Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys): April 18, 1989^[1]
Mike Brown (Cincinnati Bengals): August 5, 1991^[2]
Mickey Loomis (New Orleans Saints): May 14, 2002
John Schneider (Seattle Seahawks): January 19, 2010; signed extension in 2021
Howie Roseman (Philadelphia Eagles): January 29, 2010^[3]; signed extension in 2022
Les Snead (Los Angeles Rams): February 10, 2012; signed extension in 2022
Jason Licht (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): January 21, 2014; signed extension in 2021
Chris Grier (Miami Dolphins): January 4, 2016^[4]
John Lynch (San Francisco 49ers): January 29, 2017; signed extension in 2023
Chris Ballard (Indianapolis Colts): January 30, 2017; signed extension in 2021
Brandon Beane (Buffalo Bills): May 9, 2017; signed extension in 2023
Brett Veach (Kansas City Chiefs): July 11, 2017; signed extension in 2024
Brian Gutekunst (Green Bay Packers): January 7, 2018; agreed to extension in 2022
Eric DeCosta (Baltimore Ravens): January 7, 2019
Joe Douglas (New York Jets): June 7, 2019
Andrew Berry (Cleveland Browns): January 27, 2020: signed extension in 2024
Nick Caserio (Houston Texans): January 5, 2021
George Paton (Denver Broncos): January 13, 2021
Brad Holmes (Detroit Lions): January 14, 2021: agreed to extension in 2024
Terry Fontenot (Atlanta Falcons): January 19, 2021
Trent Baalke (Jacksonville Jaguars): January 21, 2021
Joe Schoen (New York Giants): January 21, 2022
Ryan Poles (Chicago Bears): January 25, 2022
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (Minnesota Vikings): January 26, 2022
Omar Khan (Pittsburgh Steelers): May 24, 2022
Monti Ossenfort (Arizona Cardinals): January 16, 2023
Ran Carthon (Tennessee Titans): January 17, 2023
Adam Peters (Washington Commanders): January 12, 2024
Dan Morgan (Carolina Panthers): January 22, 2024
Tom Telesco (Las Vegas Raiders): January 23, 2024
Joe Hortiz (Los Angeles Chargers): January 29, 2024
Eliot Wolf (New England Patriots): May 11, 2024

Footnotes:

Jones has been the Cowboys’ de facto general manager since former GM Tex Schramm resigned in April 1989.
Brown has been the Bengals’ de facto GM since taking over as the team’s owner in August 1991.
The Eagles bumped Roseman from the top decision-making post in 2015, giving Chip Kelly personnel power. Roseman was reinstated upon Kelly’s December 2015 firing.
Although Grier was hired in 2016, he became the Dolphins’ top football exec on Dec. 31, 2018

Joe Schoen, Saquon Barkley Discussed Giants Matching FA Offer

July 10th, 2024 at 1:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Antonio Brown-Raiders saga from 2019 brought some notable content, Hard Knocks‘ traditional training camp format rarely crosses into PFR’s purview. HBO’s offseason effort surrounding the Giants certainly has, and after three years of Saquon Barkley rumors, the divorce is being chronicled.

Reports detailing the split between the Giants and their biggest star of the post-Eli Manning period pointed to the Giants never actually making an offer this year. The Giants memorably made multiple offers in 2023, following an initial proposal during their 2022 bye week, only to see the franchise-tagged running back not agree to terms. GM Joe Schoen took a more passive approach this offseason.

After meeting with staffers to assess the potential RB market, Schoen made it clear to John Mara the team would not apply the tag — which would have checked in at $12MM — for a second time. The third-year Giants GM then contacted Barkley to communicate the team’s plan of letting him test free agency. This otherwise cordial conversation featured a point in which Schoen directly asked the two-time Pro Bowler to provide his word he would give the Giants a chance to match the best offer he received.

“Can you give me your word on that, or you not going to give us a chance?” Schoen said to Barkley in a phone conversation, with the seventh-year veteran replaying, “I already told you where I want to be.”

An offseason report indicated the Giants would likely wait for Barkley to come back to them with an offer to match. Barkley, 27, had said on several occasions he wanted to finish his career with the Giants. Big Blue resisted trade interest in the tagged RB at last year’s deadline. Doing so seemingly would have pointed to the Giants displaying genuine interest in retaining him for 2024. This Hard Knocks offering suggests otherwise, and Schoen’s discussions with his staff did not seem to indicate the Giants’ front office boss expected Barkley to fetch the contract he did from the Eagles.

Philly gave Barkley a three-year, $37.75MM deal that included $26MM fully guaranteed. The Giants’ final offer to Barkley at the July 2023 tag deadline featured a guarantee of around $22MM, with the sides being less than $2MM apart in terms of AAV. It is unclear if that was the full guarantee. Despite coming off another season that featured a notable injury (a high ankle sprain), Barkley pocketed the money from the $10.1MM tag and will collect an additional $26MM from the Eagles. Even after 2023 painted a bleak picture for RBs, the former Offensive Rookie of the Year came out way ahead of where he would have been financially had he accepted the Giants’ 2023 extension offer. ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan confirms the Giants never offered Barkley terms on the level of the Eagles’ proposal.

Schoen made multiple references this offseason to RB production falling off around age 27; the Eagles will bet on their superior offensive line and weaponry keeping Barkley in prime form. The Giants signed a soon-to-be 27-year-old replacement, giving Devin Singletary a three-year, $16.5MM deal with $9.5MM guaranteed at signing. Though, to be fair, the ex-Brian Daboll Bills charge has logged 426 fewer NFL touches.

As the Eagles bet big on Barkley, the Giants will hope their midlevel solution — a player who has proven more durable by comparison, having missed only one game during the 2020s — can offer reasonable production.

Giants Looked Into DL Christian Wilkins

July 10th, 2024 at 11:13am CST by Sam Robinson

While a number of teams undoubtedly gave consideration to pursuing Christian Wilkins in free agency, the Giants having their inner workings subject to the masses in HBO’s maiden Hard Knocks offseason voyage illuminates their interest in bolstering the pass rush.

New York’s effort ended up producing Brian Burns via trade, but the team considered a Wilkins run. Third-year GM Joe Schoen‘s close ties to ex-Panthers and Bills coworker Dan Morgan, now Carolina’s GM, played a key role in the teams completing the Burns trade. Had the Panthers gone with an outside hire at GM rather than a longtime Schoen friend, a Giants pursuit of Wilkins may have been necessary.

Schoen and assistant GM Brandon Brown discussed Wilkins at the Combine, with the former loosely applying a $22MM-per-year price tag on the five-year Dolphins defender. Brown gave a positive review of Wilkins to Schoen, though the Giants joined the Dolphins in having questions about the 2019 first-rounder’s pass-rushing impact.

After Giants pro scouting director Chris Rossetti referred to Wilkins as Dexter Lawrence‘s best friend, Schoen confirmed the All-Pro Giants D-tackle asked him if the front office was considering a run at the former Clemson standout. Rossetti referred to Wilkins as a “really good football player who will do well for himself” but called the eventual Raider a non-difference-making presence on third down.

The Dolphins stopped short of an extension offer in the Lawrence-Quinnen Williams–Jeffery Simmons range ($22-$24MM per year) due to Wilkins’ limited pass-rushing impact through four seasons. Last year, however, the 28-year-old defender launched a well-timed breakthrough by totaling nine sacks and 23 QB hits. He had previously never surpassed 4.5 sacks or 13 QB hits in a season. Teams certainly took notice, with the Dolphins’ cap situation making a franchise tag untenable. Though, Miami made a last-ditch attempt to keep Wilkins off the market.

Indicating a third-down presence alongside Lawrence was an offseason goal, Rossetti provided a sign the Giants would pass on a true Wilkins pursuit. Though, it is notable Schoen and Brown were still discussing the five-year starter at the Combine. Schoen’s early prediction on Wilkins’ AAV turned out to undersell where his market went, with the Raiders needing to give the top-flight run defender/emerging pass rusher a $27.5MM-per-year accord. Wilkins committed to the Raiders hours before the Giants traded for Burns.

Chris Jones, whom Rossetti understandably held in higher regard, did not reach free agency. The likely Hall of Famer re-signed with the Chiefs — on a market-resetting contract that included a $95MM practical guarantee — two days before the legal tampering period. With Jones out of the mix, Wilkins’ price assuredly rose due to becoming the top FA DT available.

PFR’s No. 4 overall free agent, Wilkins scored an $82.75MM guarantee from the Raiders. Wilkins’ guarantee at signing ($57.5MM) came in just south of Jones’ $60MM number. Both DTs smashed the previous guarantee highs at the position, capitalizing on the offseason cap spike and the Chiefs and Dolphins not unholstering the franchise tag.

The Texans and Vikings were also linked to Wilkins; Houston held more cap room than New York, and Minnesota employed ex-Miami HC Brian Flores as its DC. Had the Falcons not signed Kirk Cousins, they would have pursued Wilkins as well.

Schoen floated out a Burns AAV between $28-$29MM at the Combine; that proved to be telling, as the Giants ended up giving the franchise-tagged Panther a $28.2MM-per-year extension. As for Big Blue’s DT post alongside Wilkins, lower-cost cogs — as the big money went to Burns — will be asked to contribute. While the Giants have a formidable trio (Lawrence, Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux) anchoring their pass rush, the likes of Rakeem Nunez-Roches, Jordan Phillips, D.J. Davidson and Ryder Anderson will vie for time next to Lawrence on the D-line.

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