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Latest On Giants’ Cornerback Situation

May 12th, 2024 at 11:47am CST by Sam Robinson

After a short-lived slot experiment last year, Adoree’ Jackson returned to his traditional boundary role for the Giants. But the team has not re-signed the veteran cornerback, who played out a three-year deal in 2023. The Giants may be in the market for mid-offseason help.

But the team has some in-house candidates to replace Jackson. An early favorite may well have emerged. Brian Daboll mentioned Cor’Dale Flott as a player the team believes in, per the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz, signaling a potential position change for the primary slot corner.

The Giants drafted Flott in the 2022 third round and have mostly deployed him as a slot piece, but with Jackson out of the picture, the team may be grooming the LSU alum for perimeter work. Flott, 22, played 518 defensive snaps last season. That work came for a Giants team that featured Jackson opposite 2023 first-rounder Deonte Banks. The latter will be one of New York’s starting outside corners to begin the season; Flott may well be the other.

Pro Football Focus did not grade Flott well in 2023, slotting him 101st at the position. The 6-foot-2 cover man did drop his completion percentage-allowed (as the closest defender) number from his rookie year, lowering it from 63% in 2022 to 59.6%. Flott will need to hold off the likes of Nick McCloud and Tre Hawkins. The latter, a sixth-round pick out of Old Dominion, impressed during the Giants’ 2023 training camp — to the point the Giants kicked Jackson inside to accommodate the rookie. But Don Martindale quickly benched Hawkins, scrapping the training camp experiment and moving Flott into a central role.

As for how the Giants will address the slot position, Schwartz adds third-round rookie Andru Phillips may be positioned to take over. Phillips will receive “every opportunity” to win Big Blue’s slot job. The team re-signed veteran slot player Darnay Holmes, but after it chose Phillips 70th overall, the former appears an insurance option. A Banks-Flott-Phillips trio appears the Giants’ preferred path, though offseason and training camp work could certainly change that.

The Giants have used a third-round pick on a corner in three of the past four drafts. The first of those, Aaron Robinson, has seen his career skid off track. Commandeering the starting outside job opposite Jackson in 2022, Robinson — chosen 71st overall in 2021 — missed all of last season due to injury. Robinson suffered ACL and MCL tears in October 2022 and landed on the Giants’ reserve/PUP list last season. Daboll’s latest assessment of the former starter does not bode well; the third-year coach said Robinson remains with the Giants’ rehab group at this point in the offseason.

If the Giants are to consider veteran assistance, Jackson joins some other notable names available. Patrick Peterson and Stephon Gilmore are available ahead of their age-34 seasons. Younger options include Steven Nelson, J.C. Jackson, Ahkello Witherspoon and ex-Giants Fabian Moreau and Eli Apple.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/10/24

May 10th, 2024 at 6:54pm CST by Ely Allen

Friday’s minor transactions as we head into the weekend:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

  • Deemed international roster exemption: T Travis Clayton

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

Cohen hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since his time in Chicago, where he earned first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors as a punt returner, ended in 2020. The North Carolina A&T product had been part of an effective 1-2 punch with Jordan Howard but saw his role diminish with the arrival of David Montgomery in 2019. Since then, injuries have limited the explosive rusher’s ability to make an impact.

Giants Sign First-Round WR Malik Nabers

May 10th, 2024 at 12:37pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Giants were consistently mentioned as a suitor for one of the 2024 draft class’ top quarterbacks. The team made a notable offer for the No. 3 pick (and with it, Drake Maye), but ultimately remained in place at sixth overall. That allowed New York to draft LSU wideout Malik Nabers and add a dynamic option to the team’s passing game in the process.

Nabers has signed his rookie contract, the Giants announced on Friday. Many players on the verge of their first NFL rookie minicamps have done the same recently in preparation for the weekend. This four-year pact will be worth just over $29MM fully guaranteed, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes. Nabers will collect a signing bonus of just over $18MM.

Like all other first-rounders, Nabers’ deal will also include a fifth-year option the team could pick up for the 2028 campaign. If things go according to plan over the next three seasons, that will not be a difficult decision on New York’s part. Nabers enters the league with major expectations after he solidified his status as one of the top three prospects in a loaded receiver class. Ahead of the draft, it was learned some teams had the All-American rated higher than Marvin Harrison Jr.

While the latter did wind up hearing his name called fourth overall, the Giants were among the teams high on Nabers leading up to the draft. He saw his production increase with each passing season at LSU, including a standout junior campaign to close out his college career. Nabers racked up 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns on 89 receptions in 2023, displaying explosiveness both before and after the catch.

Both Harrison and fellow top-10 receiver Rome Odunze are generally seen as more polished players, but Nabers’ size (6-1, 188) and athleticism give him plenty of upside at the NFL level. He will immediately take on a notable role on a Giants team which ranked 31st in the NFL in passing yards last season. Quarterback injuries hindered the team’s offense, but with either Daniel Jones or Drew Lock under center New York will aim to be more efficient moving forward.

Nabers will join the likes of Darius Slayton, Jalin Hyatt, Wan’Dale Robinson and recent addition Allen Robinson in the Giants’ receiving corps. Much of the team’s ability to rebound from a forgettable 2023 campaign will depend on their progress in the passing game, and Nabers will be a central figure in that regard.

Giants Add Eight UDFAs

May 10th, 2024 at 10:35am CST by Adam La Rose

The Giants exited the 2024 draft with six rookies, but the team has now added to that mix. Here are the undrafted free agents New York has signed:

Of the seven players players listed above, five received a six-figure guarantee from the Giants. The largest commitment was made to Kubas, whom Dan Duggan of The Athletic reports landed $270K. That figure consists of $240K in base salary in addition to a $30K signing bonus, a strong sign the team expects him to at least secure a practice squad spot in 2024.

Rogers landed $220K in guaranteed compensation, per Duggan. The 6-4, 300-pounder transferred from Nebraska to Oregon after the 2021 campaign. During his two seasons with the Ducks, Rogers totaled 56 tackles (including six for loss) and 1.5 sacks. Jiles received $100K in guarantees, Duggan adds. That represents a strong compensation package for the Division II product.

New York gave Marcellus Johnson a $150K guaranteed base salary along with a $20K signing bonus, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports. Alex Johnson, meanwhile, secured $115K in total guarantees, per Wilson. The latter spent four seasons with the Bruins, and his ball production saw a notable increase last season. Johnson racked up the only five interceptions of his career in 2023, adding three pass deflections.

The Giants’ UDFA class also includes kicker Jude McAtamney, and he represents their international roster exemption. Each team is allowed one designated international player who can be retained without using a 90-man roster spot. McAtamney only attempted one kick last season, but in 2022 he went 12-for-18 on field goals while converting all but one of his 24 extra point attempts. He will look to earn a taxi squad spot as depth behind Graham Gano.

Giants Sign WR Allen Robinson

May 9th, 2024 at 10:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

Another veteran wideout has landed a short-term opportunity with a new team in the wake of the draft. The Giants signed Allen Robinson on Thursday, per a team announcement.

Veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson notes this one-year pact will qualify for the veteran salary benefit. As such, it constitutes a low-cost investment on New York’s part as the team looks to add in the passing game. For Robinson, this deal marks his fifth career team.

The 30-year-old established himself as a dependable target during his Jacksonville and Chicago tenures, stretches often marked by underwhelming quarterback play. Robinson still managed to reach the 1,100-yard mark three times (2015, 2019 and 2020). After playing on the franchise tag during his final Bears campaign, expectations were therefore high when he signed a $46.5MM Rams deal.

Robinson was limited to just 10 games in 2022, however, and he recorded only 339 yards with Los Angeles. As part of the Rams’ financial maneuvering during the subsequent offseason, he was traded to the Steelers. That move set the one-time Pro Bowler up for another starting position in Pittsburgh, though the team’s passing attack understandably leaned heavily on Diontae Johnson and George Pickens. Robinson made 34 scoreless catches in 2023, although he did manage to remain healthy for the full season.

In spite of that availability, it came as little surprise when the Steelers cut Robinson earlier this offseason. Like many other veteran receivers, the Penn State product had a lengthy stay on the open market and needed to wait until after the draft to find a deal. The terms of this agreement demonstrate the limited market Robinson had coming off three straight seasons of underwhelming production. After totaling 200 receptions and 13 touchdowns between 2019-20, he has recorded only a 105-1,029-4 statline since then.

The Giants did extensive work on the top quarterbacks in this year’s draft, and the team submitted an offer to move up to No. 3 in the order to select Drake Maye. In the end, New York retained the sixth selection and used it on Malik Nabers. The LSU speedster will be tasked with helping the team rebound from a forgettable showing on offense endured in 2023. A number of incumbents are also in the fold, although the contractual future of Darius Slayton remains uncertain at this point.

Robinson will aim to earn a roster spot during training camp on a New York offense featuring short- and long-term questions under center. A strong outing in 2024 would help his market value while providing either Daniel Jones or Drew Lock with an experienced pass-catching option along the way.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/9/24

May 9th, 2024 at 10:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

As a number of teams prepare for rookie minicamps this weekend, Thursday has represented a signing day of sorts for rookie draftees. Here is the latest batch of mid- and late-rounders to sign their four-year rookie deals:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

  • T Travis Clayton (seventh round, England)

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

New Orleans Saints

  • QB Spencer Rattler (fifth round, South Carolina)
  • WR Bub Means (fifth round, Pittsburgh)
  • LB Jaylan Ford (fifth round, Texas)
  • DT Khristian Boyd (sixth round, Northern Iowa)
  • T Josiah Ezirim (seventh round, Eastern Kentucky)

New York Giants

Tennessee Titans

Cowboys, Giants Had RB MarShawn Lloyd On Day 2 Radar

May 8th, 2024 at 3:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

Linked to running backs during the pre-draft process, the Cowboys instead passed on drafting one and followed through with what became a much-discussed reunion with Ezekiel Elliott. The Giants waited until the fifth round to add a back to their group.

This RB class did not generate too much hype, with only one player — Texas’ Jonathon Brooks — going off the board in the first two rounds. Closely connected to Brooks, the Cowboys also did plenty of work on one of this class’ second-tier options. MarShawn Lloyd‘s camp viewed Dallas as one of the teams that could take the former USC and South Carolina back, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes, adding the Giants also carried interest in the recent Pac-12 RB.

Lloyd ended up going 88th overall to the Packers, making him an intriguing backup in a contingent housing free agency pickup Josh Jacobs and the recently re-signed AJ Dillon. Both the Giants and Cowboys carry more questions at the position, seeing as each team refrained from high-end investments this offseason.

The Giants were not willing to go near where the Eagles did for Saquon Barkley, failing to make an offer despite having submitted a proposal that included more than $20MM fully guaranteed last summer. They gave Devin Singletary a three-year, $16.5MM deal ($9.5MM guaranteed at signing) to replace Barkley, and the team has 2023 fifth-rounder Eric Gray and rookie fifth-rounder Tyrone Tracy Jr. as Singletary’s top backups. The Giants eyed Lloyd, per Fowler, but he landed between the team’s third- (No. 71) and fourth-round (No. 106) picks. Before the draft, a report indicated the Giants were eyeing veteran RB help. They may, however, be content once again to roll with an experienced starter and unseasoned backups.

Passing on Derrick Henry and other available RBs early in free agency, the Cowboys re-signed Elliott to a one-year, $3MM deal. Dallas has Royce Freeman and 2023 Tony Pollard backups Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn among its backfield options. This plan (as it stands now, that is) has generated some scrutiny. The team showed interest in Lloyd, doing plenty of pre-draft work on him, and Tennessee’s Jaylen Wright, Fowler adds. The Cowboys, however, did not carry a fourth-round pick. Wright went to the Dolphins, who traded up to acquire the SEC product at No. 120.

Lloyd transferred from South Carolina to USC in 2023, totaling a career-high 820 rushing yards (7.1 per carry) last season. Lloyd tallied nine rushing touchdowns with the Gamecocks in 2022. He will be among the rookie RBs attempting to prove teams wrong for their pre-draft outlook on this class.

Giants Claim QB Nathan Rourke

May 8th, 2024 at 8:21am CST by Sam Robinson

MAY 8: The Falcons joined the Giants in submitting a claim, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter notes. The Giants finishing with a worse 2023 record (6-11) compared to the Falcons (7-10) gave them the priority here. Atlanta’s QB situation has generated far more attention over the past two weeks, but the team also has a starter (Kirk Cousins) coming off a major injury.

As Cousins rehabs his Achilles tear, the team has Michael Penix Jr. and Taylor Heinicke as healthy options for offseason work. The team also reached an agreement with UDFA John Paddock (Illinois). Rourke would have become a fifth QB on Atlanta’s 90-man offseason roster.

MAY 7: Nathan Rourke has not yet turned his CFL production into regular-season NFL work, but teams continue to show interest in the Canadian quarterback.

Being waived by the Patriots on Monday, Rourke will make his way to New York. The Giants submitted a successful waiver claim to add the QB, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. This will be team No. 3 for Rourke, who has spent time with the Jaguars and Pats during his young NFL career.

[RELATED: Drew Lock In Play To Win Giants’ QB1 Gig?]

Rourke, 25, is a British Columbia native who played at Ohio University in the late 2010s. He ventured back north of the border in 2020 and became a successful passer for the BC Lions. The early-2020s production in Canada drew attention from nearly half the NFL. Twelve teams worked out Rourke from December 2022 to January 2023. The Giants were among them; they will now get a closer look at the aspiring NFL backup.

The Giants passed on adding a quarterback in the draft, despite exhaustive research on this year’s class, but did send the Patriots a substantial trade-up proposal for No. 3 overall. The offer, which included Nos. 6 and 47 overall and a 2025 first-rounder, was believed to be so the Giants could select Drake Maye. New England balked and drafted Maye, leading the Giants to take Malik Nabers. This kept Daniel Jones as the team’s QB centerpiece.

Rourke will join Jones, Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito in the Giants’ QB room. Teams regularly carry four QBs into offseason programs and into training camp. The Giants now have three healthy QBs on their roster; Jones remains on the rehab route post-ACL surgery. The five-year starter is expected to be back come training camp. The NFL also increased flexibility regarding the game’s premier position, allowing a non-roster player to serve as the emergency third QB.

Rourke spent most of last year with the Jags, signing a futures deal and spending time on both their active roster and practice squad. The Pats claimed Rourke off waivers in December; they beat the Texans to the punch there. But after making major changes to their QB room this offseason, the Pats moved on.

Giants Add Chris Snee To Scouting Staff

May 7th, 2024 at 6:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

The most decorated 21st-century Giants offensive lineman will make his way back to the organization. Former All-Pro guard Chris Snee will join Joe Schoen‘s staff.

Snee will be part of Schoen’s scouting contingent, the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz notes. This addition comes two years after the parties could not make an agreement work back in 2022. But Schoen and the former 10-year Giants O-line starter circled back to a deal, which will begin a reunion Snee has hoped for since retiring.

Part of a solid offensive line nucleus during the Giants’ two Super Bowl seasons, Snee earned four Pro Bowl invites and two All-Pro nods — including a first-team appearance in 2008 — during a career spent only with the Giants. The team drafted Snee in Tom Coughlin‘s first offseason as HC, bringing in the interior O-lineman after the Boston College alum had already become Coughlin’s son-in-law.

The pick produced a 141-start career, with Snee becoming a right guard anchor for Big Blue. Of the Giants’ long-running O-line quartet that included David Diehl, Sean O’Hara and Kareem McKenzie, Snee led the way in terms of Pro Bowl nods. No pure guard in Giants history matches Snee’s four Pro Bowl invites.

Snee, 42, hung up his cleats just before training camp in 2014. He reunited with Coughlin as an O-line scout for the Jaguars during the latter’s time as the team’s executive vice president. Snee also returned to his alma mater in 2022, working as a football analyst. Talks to bring Snee on two years ago did not produce a deal, but the Giants will move forward with a reunion during Schoen’s third offseason in charge.

2024 NFL General Manager Search Tracker

May 7th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

With the Patriots hiring Eliot Wolf as their de facto GM after having moved on from Bill Belichick, all five teams in need of a GM have filled their post this offseason. If other teams decide to make GM changes, they’ll be added to this list.

Updated 5-11-24 (4:35pm CT)

Carolina Panthers

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New England Patriots

Washington Commanders

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