New York Giants News & Rumors

Multiple Teams Eyeing WR Trades?

The countdown to the October 31 trade deadline continues, and further moves beyond the relatively minor ones which have already taken place could be coming soon. One position to watch in that regard could be that of wide receiver.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that a number of teams have “monitored” the WR market recently, and he specifically names the Colts, Panthers, Packers and Chiefs as ones to which that applies. The latter squad has, of course, already made a move at the receiver spot by reuniting with Mecole Hardman. The pick-swap with the Jets which made that possible leaves the defending champions with $3.57MM in cap space.

On the other end of the spectrum, the 0-6 Panthers are unlikely to assume a buyer’s stance in a bid to add much before the deadline. However, Carolina has been connected to pursuit of help at the WR spot during the season, so a move in that regard would not come as a complete shock. Perhaps the most likely outcome at the position would involve a deal sending former second-rounder Terrace Marshall out of Charlotte. The latter has been granted permission to seek a trade.

The Colts have made notable investments at the WR spot via the draft in recent years, using a second-round pick on Alec Pierce in 2022 and a third-round selection on Josh Downs this past April. That pair has given the team depth and complimentary options behind leading receiver Michael Pittman Jr.who is in a contract year. Pittman is willing to wait on extension talks until after the season, but he is well aware of the market he could command if he delivers another strong season in his walk year. Sitting at 3-4 and knowing starting quarterback Anthony Richardson will miss the remainder of the season, Indianapolis is in an interesting position with respect to how they approach the rest of the season from a roster-building standpoint.

Embracing a youth movement on offense with Jordan Love under center, the Packers have a highly inexperienced pass-catching corps. Green Bay was initially connected to a desire to add a veteran presence at the WR spot, but later in the offseason head coach Matt Lafleur expressed confidence in his youthful receiving group. That has resulted in plenty of playing time for the likes of Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed, though the Packers have struggled on offense over the past several weeks. The 2-4 outfit has just over $8.6MM in cap space to use on a potential addition.

With respect to potential targets (beyond those already frequently mentioned as trade chips), Fowler names Kendrick Bourne (Patriots) and Parris Campbell (Giants) as veterans who could be on the move. The former fell out of favor with the coaching staff last season, but he has seen a spike in playing time and production so far this year. The latter battled injuries in Indianapolis but flashed potential ahead of his move to New York, which has not yet worked out as planned. Both players are set to hit free agency in March.

Other teams – like the Dolphins with their recent Chase Claypool addition – have already been involved in the receiver market, and clubs/players not named above will no doubt be worth watching as well. For the time being, though, notable specifics have emerged at the position as the deadline draws nearer.

Injury Updates: Lions, Garoppolo, Giants

The Lions suffered a lopsided defeat against the Ravens on Sunday, but plenty of attention after the game was paid to rookie running back Mohamed Ibrahim after he exited the contest as a result of an awkward collision.

The 25-year-old Baltimore native was injured on a kick return – his first touch of the ball in his NFL career. He was placed on a stretcher before being carted off the field. Ibrahim immediately underwent surgery to repair his dislocated hip and he will remain in hospital overnight, as detailed by Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

Head coach Dan Campbell said Ibrahim is expected to be OK as a result of the procedure, but he obviously encountered an unfortunate situation and will now face an unwanted recovery process. The Minnesota alum’s absence could be acutely felt on the RB depth chart given the Lions are already without veteran David Montgomery for the time being.

Here are some other injury updates from around the league:

  • The Raiders used both veteran Brian Hoyer and rookie Aidan O’Connell in place of the injured Jimmy Garoppolo on Sunday in a game where the offense struggled en route to a loss to the Bears. The latter has already missed a pair of games in his debut season in Vegas, but a quick turnaround from his back ailment should be forthcoming. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Garoppolo is expected to be available for the Raiders’ next game, a Monday night tilt against the Lions in Week 8. The veteran hasn’t had the start to his tenure in Sin City that he would have wanted, so pressure will be on he and the team whenever he is cleared to return.
  • Still dealing with a number of injuries on offense, the Giants pulled off a win against the Commanders in Week 7, and a boost along the offensive line could be on the way. The team is eyeing a return for left tackle Andrew Thomas next week, Schefter reports. Such a development would mark an end to a six-game absence for the former first-round pick, something which has exacerbated injury and performance issues elsewhere along the O-line for the Giants. Thomas (who has been battling a hamstring issue) signed a five-year, $117.5MM extension in July, confirming his status as a franchise cornerstone for the foreseeable future, so his return will be welcomed.
  • Returning to injuries from today’s action, Packers tight end Luke Musgrave was in a walking boot as he left the locker room, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic notes. The second-round rookie was wearing it on his left foot, and testing on it will be worth watching in the coming days. Musgrave is one of many first- or second-year pass-catchers in place for Green Bay, a team which has struggled recently on offense. The Oregon State alum has personally carved out a role for himself, though, receiving 16 targets in the three games leading up to Week 7 and another five in Sunday’s loss to the Broncos. Musgrave has totaled 189 scoreless yards to date in his debut season, and any absence would be felt amongst the other inexperienced options available at the TE spot.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/21/23

Here are the minor moves made around the league in advance of the Week 7 slate of Sunday games:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos 

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Restored to active roster (from suspension exemption): DE Charles Omenihu

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New York Giants 

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Dulcich already had one IR stint this season due to an aggravation of last year’s hamstring injury. The 2022 third-rounder has appeared in only two contests so far this season, and in the most recent one he suffered yet another setback. As a result, he will once again be shut down for at least four weeks.

The Giants’ decision to again promote DeVito points to starter Daniel Jones missing another game. Indeed, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Jones is considered a “longshot” to play tomorrow against the Commanders. It will in all likelihood be Tyrod Taylor under center for New York in Week 7 while Jones continues to recover from his neck injury.

Saquon Barkley Remains Committed To Giants; Team Not Shopping Players

Injuries on offense have led the way in the Giants going from the 2022 divisional round to tumbling to 1-5. They remain without several offensive linemen, and Daniel Jones is week-to-week with his neck injury. Deadline sellers in the past, the Giants will have a decision to make on Saquon Barkley.

The sides trudged through an arduous negotiation this offseason, and while they bridged gaps on AAV and guarantees, no deal came to pass before the July 17 franchise tag extension deadline. Barkley, however, did not follow through on a rumored holdout into Week 1; the sixth-year running back quickly agreed to an adjusted deal to return to the Giants for training camp. With the Giants being unable to renegotiate until after the season, Barkley has a clear path to free agency.

A second Giants tag, at just more than $12MM, could conceivably be in play. But the team may not be keen on setting that amount aside for a running back, especially one that has battled injuries — including a September high ankle sprain — over the course of his career. The Giants will have the option of trading their top skill-position player before the Oct. 31 deadline. Despite the occasionally acrimonious negotiations this offseason, Barkley is rooting against relocating from New York.

Everyone knows I don’t want to get traded,” Barkley said, via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy. “Obviously, I’ve been vocal and public about how I feel about this organization and where I want to be. Knowing the business and seeing that side of it, there’s a lot of things I can’t control. I don’t think anybody in their right mind would want to get traded anywhere. It’s not an easy thing to do: You’ve got to move. I have a family. I would love to be here.”

Barkley, 26, has said many times he wants to stay with the Giants for the rest of his career. The Giants not tagging him again would test him here, and a crowded 2024 RB market — even without Jonathan Taylor, who just signed a $14MM-per-year Colts extension — may not reward him on the level of what he turned down from the Giants in July. The Giants moving their AAV number south of $12MM per year, as they bumped the offer’s guarantee toward the $22MM ballpark, prompted Barkley to pass and play on the $10.1MM tag. It is unclear if the $22MM guarantee number represented the guarantee at signing or the injury guarantee; Taylor received $19MM locked in at signing but $26.5MM in practical guarantees due to the contract’s structure.

Were a team to take on Barkley’s contract after Week 7, it would owe more than $5MM in prorated salary. That might not seem prohibitive for a buyer, but considering the trade markets Taylor and Austin Ekeler encountered this year, the Giants might not see a great return for the two-time Pro Bowler. But it would be a deal the team would probably consider, Barkley’s popularity notwithstanding, as he is in a contract year.

The Giants have traded the likes of Eli Apple, Damon Harrison and Markus Golden before past deadlines; they moved Kadarius Toney to the Chiefs last year. In its second season, the Brian DabollJoe Schoen regime is not shopping players at this point, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes.

Barkley came up in trade talks during the 2022 offseason, but after three injury-truncated seasons, the 2018 Offensive Rookie of the Year bounced back and powered the Giants to a surprising playoff berth. He returned from his high ankle sprain in Week 6, gaining 93 rushing yards on 24 carries to help the Giants scare the Bills despite coming in as two-touchdown underdogs.

The team’s current record will likely prevent New York from venturing to back-to-back postseasons, but no notable Barkley trade buzz has circulated. While this situation could change before the deadline, Barkley is on track to finish out his tag year in the Big Apple.

Giants Place OL Joshua Ezeudu On IR

OCTOBER 20: After tests on the second-year blocker’s injury, Brian Daboll revealed the situation “doesn’t look good,” per the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy. The 2022 third-round pick may not return this season, which would be another blow to a Giants O-line that remains without Thomas, center John Michael Schmitz, swing tackle Matt Peart and guard Shane Lemieux. All four are out for Week 7, with Lemieux done for the year after suffering a biceps tear in practice Thursday.

OCTOBER 17: The Giants are down yet another offensive lineman. The Giants have placed offensive tackle Joshua Ezeudu on injured reserve, per Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. Ezeudu suffered a toe injury during Sunday’s loss to the Bills.

The 2022 third-round pick found himself starting for the Giants at left tackle after Andrew Thomas went down with a hamstring injury. After starting two of his 10 appearances as a rookie, Ezeudu has already started five of his six appearances in 2023. Pro Football Focus hasn’t been very fond of his performance, ranking him 71st among 74 qualifying offensive tackles, but his injury will still force the Giants to dig deeper into their OL depth.

Ezeudu’s exit from Sunday night’s game forced the Giants to play Justin Pugh at LT despite the veteran only having six career snaps at the position. Pugh was elevated from the practice squad with the expectation that he’d chip in at left guard, but Ezeudu’s injury changed those plans. It’s uncertain if Pugh is indeed the organization’s top healthy option at LT or if he was merely an emergency, in-game solution.

The Giants were busy adding some depth at the position today. According to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, the team has signed offensive lineman Josh Miles off the Falcons’ practice squad. The former seventh-round pick saw time in 17 games with the Cardinals between the 2019 and 2021 seasons.

Raanan also reports that the Giants have snagged lineman Tyre Phillips off the Eagles’ practice squad. The lineman actually started five of his 12 appearances for the Giants in 2022 and was a surprise cut back in August. The former third-round pick started 13 of his 22 appearances with the Ravens to begin his career.

Giants Grant Cole Beasley Release Request

Part of the Giants’ buy-in-bulk effort at slot receiver this year, Cole Beasley did not make New York’s 53-man roster out of training camp and has not played in a game this season. It does not look like the veteran will suit up for the Giants, despite his ties to Brian Daboll.

Beasley requested his release from the Giants’ practice squad, and NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo indicates the team will grant it. The lack of an opportunity forming led to Beasley’s request, per ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan, who adds the 34-year-old pass catcher wants to continue his career elsewhere.

Beasley announced his retirement early last season, leaving the Buccaneers in October, but re-emerged with the Bills later in the campaign. Seeing Jamison Crowder go down with a fractured ankle and Isaiah McKenzie struggle in the slot role prompted Buffalo to reach out to Beasley about coming back. Beasley, who played for the Bills from 2019-21 after signing a free agent deal, caught two passes for 18 yards in two regular-season games. But the enduring slot weapon added five catches for 68 yards and a touchdown in the playoffs.

The Giants’ all-action approach on the slot front included deals with Crowder and Parris Campbell and Sterling Shepard re-signing. Crowder did not make the Giants’ roster and did not return on a post-camp P-squad pact, with the Giants preferring Beasley, who signed just before training camp. A late-summer injury led Beasley to Big Blue’s practice squad injured list, but he has since recovered and had been working out with the team again.

As of late, Campbell has seen his role diminish. Shepard, who suffered a torn Achilles last year but returned in time for Week 1, has been a nonfactor thus far in his eighth season. The Giants have reinstalled 2022 second-round pick Wan’Dale Robinson, who suffered an ACL tear last year, as their top inside receiver. Second-year UDFA Dennis Houston now resides as the only wideout on the Giants’ taxi squad.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/19/23

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Los Angeles Rams

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

It’s not a huge surprise that Lawrence Cager landed back on the Giants’ practice squad after he was waived from the active roster yesterday. After hauling in 18 catches in six games (three starts) for the Giants in 2022, Cager has hauled in a pair of catches in five games this season.

Giants To Place G Shane Lemieux On IR

The hits are not stopping on the Giants’ offensive line. Battered by injuries over the season’s first several weeks, the team will lose one of its cogs for the year. Shane Lemieux suffered a biceps injury in practice, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero.

Lemieux went down with a biceps tear on Wednesday and is headed to IR. The Giants signed Sean Harlow off their practice squad to replace Lemieux on the 53-man roster. This deals a contract-year lineman a tough blow and brings more trouble for a Giants O-line that has needed to make numerous adjustments to trot out a healthy five this season.

The Giants came into their Week 6 matchup without starting left tackle Andrew Thomas and starting center John Michael Schmitz. The team then needed to move Justin Pugh to left tackle, minutes after the veteran guard’s “straight off the couch” intro debuted on NBC, following second-string blind-sider Joshua Ezeudu went down. Ezeudu is now on IR due to a toe injury. Schmitz has missed the past two games due to injuries sustained on a failed “Tush Push” attempt in Week 4, while Thomas’ setback in a recovery from a hamstring injury has extended his absence. The All-Pro left tackle has not played since Week 1.

For Lemieux, this is familiar territory. Chosen in the 2020 fifth round, Lemieux moved Will Hernandez to a rotational role and entered the 2021 season as a starter as well. But Lemieux began the 2021 slate with a knee injury and ended up playing just 17 snaps that season. He ended up on IR after Week 1 that year and did not return to action until Week 11 of last season. Lemieux’s 2022 campaign ended up also being capped at one game. Activated from IR last November, Lemieux ended the month back on the injured list because of a toe injury. This season marked Lemieux’s first multi-game year since 2020, and a previous absence came about after a groin injury in Week 4.

A Dave Gettleman-era investment, Lemieux did not factor into the Giants’ three-man competition for the guard positions during training camp. The Giants pitted Ezeudu, Mark Glowinski and Ben Bredeson against each other, with the veterans winning the gigs. Glowinski’s struggles to start his second Giants season led Lemieux back into the lineup, however. Lemieux, 26, returned from his groin malady in Buffalo but played behind Pugh and Glowinski.

Thomas, Schmitz, starting right tackle Evan Neal and swingman Matt Peart did not practice Wednesday for the Giants, who may need to start Pugh at left tackle in Week 7. A five-season guard starter in Arizona, Pugh played right tackle at points during his first go-round in New York. The 2013 first-rounder settled in at guard, leading to a nice free agency payday in 2018. But this dire situation may slide the 11th-year blocker back outside.

Giants Did Not Submit Offer To Re-Sign Evan Engram In 2022

Tight ends did not factor prominently into the Giants’ surprising 2022 run to the divisional round. While the team’s pass-catching group doubled as one of the NFL’s worst, no Giants tight end topped 275 receiving yards last year. This led to the Darren Waller trade.

Prior to sending the Raiders a third-round pick for the former Pro Bowler, the Giants finished out a five-year relationship with Evan Engram. The 2017 first-round pick went through an up-and-down tenure in New York, eventually relocating to Jacksonville after a mediocre contract year.

Although the Giants hired a new GM-HC tandem last year, the Joe SchoenBrian Daboll regime has not been hesitant to pay players acquired by previous front offices. Daniel Jones re-signed in March, and subsequent offseason extensions for Dexter Lawrence and Andrew Thomas commenced. The team re-signed Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard as well. But the Giants cut off their Engram partnership after five seasons, letting him hit the market and sign a one-year, $9MM Jaguars deal. This came after the Giants did not make an offer to retain the talented but inconsistent tight end, per Michael DiRocco and Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com.

A “prove it” deal made sense for Engram, who trudged through his worst season in 2021. Engram’s 408-yard season worked out to just 27.2 per game — by far a career-low mark. Then again, the Giants’ 2021 season was not exactly teeming with skill-position success. The team fired OC Jason Garrett midseason and promoted Freddie Kitchens, and when Jones went down with a neck injury, the Mike GlennonJake Fromm duo struggled to the point Joe Judge — viewed late that season as a fairly safe bet to stay for a third year — ended up on the chopping block.

Engram did eclipse 650 yards in two of his first four seasons, posting one of this century’s best rookie-year tight end yardage totals in 2017 (722) and making the Pro Bowl in 2020. The ’20 showing came after the Giants picked up the Ole Miss product’s fifth-year option. His Jaguars contract year brought a return to that form.

Indicating he expected to receive more interest than he ended up drawing, Engram said only four teams contacted him in free agency. With the Jaguars needing to offer $9MM — more than 2022 franchise tag recipients Dalton Schultz and Mike Gesicki received this offseason — it was clear at least one other team expressed reasonable confidence Engram could recover. After setting a Jaguars single-season tight end yardage record (766), Engram posted 12 receptions for 124 yards in the playoffs. This production led to the Jags tagging Engram and extending him on a three-year, $41.25MM deal. Engram entered the season as the NFL’s seventh-highest-paid tight end; through six games, the seventh-year pass catcher has 36 receptions for 301 yards.

After their successful 2022 slate, the Giants traded the No. 100 overall pick — the selection they received for Kadarius Toney before the 2022 deadline — for Waller. The ex-Raiders star is two years older than Engram, at 31, and has battled injuries in recent years. Despite a nagging groin issue, Waller has suited up for each Giants game. He has 28 catches for 282 yards in what has been a disappointing season for New York’s offense, which has seen injury trouble prevent a true evaluation of Jones or his skill crew. The Giants restructured Waller’s contract upon acquiring him, adding a $7.1MM dead-money charge were the team to move on in 2024.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/18/23

Minor transactions from around the league today:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Denver Broncos

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Giants

Seattle Seahawks

The Giants are dealing with an unprecedented epidemic at offensive tackle right now as their injury report starts to read like a phone book. Already missing starter Andrew Thomas and primary backup Matt Peart, New York went into Sunday night’s game with Evan Neal and Joshua Ezeudu bookending the line. Pugh had recently been brought in to help address the team’s depth at guard, but when Ezeudu exited the game with a toe injury, and was subsequently placed on injured reserve, Pugh kicked out and played the rest of the game at tackle with the first-team offense. Pugh will now serve as depth at tackle, as will Philips, who started his career in Baltimore as a guard before proving his versatility for the Ravens and Giants. He started five games for New York last year.