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Darrian Beavers

Giants Place Isaiah McKenzie On IR, Move Roster To 53

August 27th, 2024 at 8:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here is how the Giants moved down to the 53-man limit today:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

Placed on season-ending IR:

Placed on IR/return:

Just as the NFL greenlit a full-on kickoff revamp, McKenzie is out of the picture in New York. Signing with the Giants this year and completing a reunion with ex-Bills staffers Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll, McKenzie has been a return man and slot receiver for seven seasons. This transaction, unlike the Adams designation, will knock the 5-foot-7 cog out for the year. McKenzie only received $75K guaranteed.

McKenzie joins Hodgins among the players not currently in the mix for the team. The Giants received good value from the former waiver claim, who was a Bills teammate of McKenzie’s under Daboll earlier his career. They brought him back after non-tendering him as an RFA in March, and he and Robinson were battling for back-end receiver jobs. The Giants kept Bryce Ford-Wheaton, a 2023 UDFA, over Hodgins. Considering Hodgins’ past with Daboll, it would not surprise to see New York circle back with a potential practice squad invite. Though, the fifth-year veteran might have other options.

Beavers was viewed as a potential inside linebacker starter in 2023, but Micah McFadden ended up beating out the former sixth-round pick. Beavers played in only two games last season. Cager also was considered a contender to be one of the Giants’ receiving tight ends, but the converted wideout fell short. Daniel Bellinger and fourth-round rookie Theo Johnson are leading the way post-Darren Waller.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/30/23

December 30th, 2023 at 9:14pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor transactions and callups for the remainder of the Week 17 matchups:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Alualu is set to make his Lions debut after signing earlier this month. Given the injury issues Detroit has faced up front, the 36-year-old has the chance to see playing time through the close of the regular season and into the playoffs. Alualu expressed a desire to continue playing with the Steelers this offseason, but he remained a free agent deep into the year. His tenure in the Motor City could help boost his free agent stock if he wishes to remain in the league in 2024, though.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC East

August 30th, 2023 at 2:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Commanders, Cowboys, Eagles and Giants moves are noted below.

Dallas Cowboys

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

New York Giants

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Philadelphia Eagles

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Washington Commanders

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Giants Set Initial 53-Man Roster

August 29th, 2023 at 9:01pm CST by Ely Allen

Most of the headlines concerning the Giants came this summer as the team came to a long-term deal with quarterback Daniel Jones and a short-term solution to satisfy running back Saquon Barkley. Still, the team made the necessary moves today to get towards a 53-man roster. Here are the cuts from today:

Waived:

Released:

Ximines is potentially the biggest name here. A former third-round pick in 2019, Ximines has failed to live up to his draft stock, only starting nine games during the first four years of his career. He was re-signed on a cheap, one-year deal at the start of free agency, but ultimately, it seems like New York decided to move on.

The sixth-round rookie draft pick Beavers had a strong chance not only at a roster spot but at a starting spot. A torn ACL in the preseason ended any hopes of a starting role as a rookie for Beavers.

On offense, Phillips was a top contender for the swing tackle job after filling in for Evan Neal in four starts at right tackle last year. It appears he lost out on the role to Matt Peart.

Lastly, the undrafted rookie quarterback DeVito did his best over the preseason to earn a roster spot, drawing praise from many of his coaches. Ultimately, he proved unable to convince the Giants to keep a third passer behind Jones and Tyrod Taylor.

NFC East Notes: Barnett, OL, Cowboys, Giants

July 28th, 2023 at 1:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

Derek Barnett is coming off a season that ended one game in due to an ACL tear. The Eagles also used a first-round pick on edge rusher Nolan Smith, crowding their depth chart. Barnett remains on the roster, but the team has since reached a pay-cut agreement with the former first-round pick. Barnett agreed to reduce his base salary from $7.5MM to $3.5MM, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets, noting that the $3.5MM figure will be guaranteed. That marks a bump in guarantees from Barnett’s previous locked-in number for this season ($1.5MM), but the max value of the new deal is $6MM — down $2.5MM from its previous number.

Barnett signed a two-year, $14MM deal to stay with the Eagles in 2022. Even though the team has since re-signed Brandon Graham and drafted Smith to join a group housing Haason Reddick and Josh Sweat, Barnett’s contract should give him a decent chance to stay on the team. Due to the void years the Eagles included in his deal, a release would lead to a $12.7MM dead-money charge. Should the 27-year-old defensive end indeed make the 53-man roster, this will be his seventh season in Philly.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

  • In a bit of news that might prove relevant re: Joe Burrow, the Cowboys are going to be without one of their starting safeties for a stretch. Donovan Wilson suffered a calf strain that ESPN.com’s Todd Archer notes could sideline him for 4-6 weeks (Twitter link). Wilson, who re-signed with Dallas this offseason, still has a chance to return in time for the opener. After years with questions at safety, the Cowboys — when at full strength — have a nice setup with Wilson, Malik Hooker and Jayron Kearse.
  • The Cowboys did not use void years in Trevon Diggs‘ five-year, $97MM extension, and the cornerback’s cap number will vault from $5.8MM to $16.3MM from 2023 to 2024. Additionally, Archer notes Diggs’ 2025 base salary ($9MM) will become guaranteed in March of that year (Twitter link). Should this deal not pan out, that March trigger gives the Cowboys an escape hatch of sorts. They can cut bait for $12.8MM in dead money in 2025.
  • While the Eagles will provide Cam Jurgens with some competition — from third-round rookie Tyler Steen — Zach Berman of The Athletic notes the 2022 second-rounder is the frontrunner to replace Isaac Seumalo at right guard (subscription required). Jurgens is viewed as the Jason Kelce heir apparent, a title that briefly belonged to now-LG starter Landon Dickerson, but his 2023 place is at guard. Steen is attempting to convert from a college tackle, having started outside at Vanderbilt and Alabama. Jurgens played just 35 offensive snaps as a rookie, working behind the Dickerson-Seumalo-Kelce trio.
  • On the subject of positional frontrunners, it looks like the Giants‘ inside linebacker spot alongside Bobby Okereke is Darrian Beavers‘ to lose. Now that Jarrad Davis is on IR, the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy offers that Beavers is favored to win the job over fellow 2022 draftee Micah McFadden. Beavers was informed Tuesday he would have the first crack at the job, Dunleavy adds. Because Beavers suffered a torn ACL during the preseason last year, McFadden — a fifth-round pick — started seven games. A sixth-rounder, Beavers will have a chance to turn his offseason rehab into a starting role.
  • The Giants also recently worked out linebackers Nick Vigil and Sam Eguavoen, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Big Blue, which worked out Deion Jones this spring, also recently placed linebacker Elerson Smith on IR. Vigil is a seven-year veteran with 53 starts — for the Bengals, Chargers, Vikings and Cardinals — on his resume. Eguavoen spent the past four seasons with the Dolphins.
  • Offseason Giants signee Rakeem Nunez-Roches suffered a concussion in a car accident this week, Dan Duggan of The Athletic tweets. The accident occurred when the veteran defensive lineman was leaving the team facility. No other injuries emerged from the crash. Nunez-Roches accompanied A’Shawn Robinson as veteran D-linemen to join the Giants in free agency.

Giants LB Jarrad Davis Undergoes Surgery, Facing Long-Term Absence

July 11th, 2023 at 5:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants authorized this offseason’s second-most lucrative linebacker contract, giving Bobby Okereke a $10MM-per-year deal. However, one of the team’s holdovers had been leading the competition to join the ex-Colt as a starter.

But Jarrad Davis‘ path back to the Giants’ starting lineup has encountered a road block. Davis underwent surgery recently and is believed to be facing a long-term absence, Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reports. The operation was on Davis’ knee, the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz notes. The Giants re-signed Davis, 28, in March but saw him miss minicamp due to this unspecified injury.

Davis started just one regular-season game for the Giants last season, but the ex-Lions first-rounder played a first-string role in both Big Blue playoff tilts. During Giants OTAs, Davis was running with Okereke on Don Mardindale‘s first unit. The former Colts starter could now be an option at middle linebacker, where Davis was stationed.

Should this knee injury threaten Davis’ regular-season availability, the Giants will be prepared to hold a competition between Micah McFadden and Darrian Beavers. A 2022 fifth-round pick, McFadden started seven games for an embattled Giants linebacking corps last season. The Giants chose Beavers in last year’s sixth round, but he did not play as a rookie due to a torn ACL sustained during the team’s second preseason game. Beavers, whom Sirius XM’s Adam Caplan notes the team remains high on, did not practice in full at minicamp but did side-field work (Twitter link).

If this is a season-threatening injury, it obviously deals a blow to Davis’ career. The Florida alum received extensive playing time during his first go-round in Detroit but did not receive strong reviews for his work. The Lions benched Davis during his 2020 contract year, and while he did receive $5.5MM from the Jets in 2021, he settled for $1.2MM from the Lions last year. The Lions deemed Davis a practice squad-level player during his second stint, leading to the Giants poaching him off that Detroit unit in December. Davis re-signed with the Giants for the league minimum (one year, $1.1MM). His $75K roster bonus will only be due if he makes the team’s 53-man roster.

It would make for a natural transition for the Giants to have one of their recent Day 3 picks win this competition. Both Beavers and McFadden were drafted by the team’s current regime, and each makes low-end money that would complement Okereke’s four-year, $40MM deal. The Giants hosted former Falcons mainstay Deion Jones earlier this offseason, doing so after signing Okereke. Jones could potentially be an option, depending on the severity of Davis’ injury. For now, two second-year players have clearer paths to a regular role.

ILB Competition On Tap For Giants

June 17th, 2023 at 5:32pm CST by Ely Allen

The Giants made a big move this offseason to address the inside linebacker position in free agency, signing former Colts linebacker Bobby Okereke. Okereke will slot in as a sure starter in New York’s lineup, but who will the Giants decide on as the starter lining up next to Okereke?

In the past two years, New York has seen their options dwindle with an ACL tear leading to the eventual release of Blake Martinez and the benching and waiving of Tae Crowder. Okereke provides a strong presence on the inside of the linebacking corps, but the team still has questions next to him. Darrian Beavers, Jarrad Davis, and Micah McFadden are the three names that have been mentioned as candidates to start next to Okereke.

McFadden is typically the third name thrown into the conversation behind Beavers and Davis. This is a result of McFadden being seemingly cemented as Okereke’s backup. McFadden started next to Okereke while Beavers and Davis were dealing with injury this spring, but considering he plays the same position as Okereke, he’s not a favorite to share the field with him moving forward. This appears to be a battle mainly between Beavers and Davis.

Davis joined the team extremely late into the season last year. A former first-round pick, Davis had been starting less and less as his career progressed. Despite becoming a Giant with two weeks left in the regular season, Davis started in Week 18 before starting two playoff games for New York, an impressive feat with such a small amount of time in the building. With Beavers dealing with injury, Davis started early in the spring, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, but found himself on the sideline with an undisclosed injury during minicamp.

Beavers missed his entire rookie season after tearing his ACL in Week 2 of the preseason last year. The Giants are reportedly extremely high on the 2022 sixth-round pick, whom they are hoping to have back by training camp. Once he does return, Beavers will provide immediate competition for Davis. During a Mailbag Q&A session, Duggan asserted his belief that Beavers will claim the starting job next to Okereke during training camp.

So, there you have it. Beavers, the young, unproven player coming off a major injury, is currently the expected favorite to start. Davis is slotted into the position for now, if healthy, and should have a chance to make a case to regain his status as a starter in training camp. If both are unavailable, McFadden can start in their place, though the team prefers that he back up Okereke instead of start next to him.

Giants Notes: Jackson, Linebackers, Trades

April 15th, 2023 at 11:54am CST by Ben Levine

It sounds like Adoree’ Jackson will have to play out the final year of his contract. As Dan Duggan of The Athletic writes, the Giants have given no indication that they want to extend the cornerback. The front office seems “content” to let Jackson play out the final year of his contract and then reassess next offseason.

After spending the first four seasons of his career with the Titans, the former first-round pick inked a three-year, $39MM deal with the Giants in 2021. The defensive back has been productive when he’s been on the field, collecting 113 tackles and defending 15 passes. Pro Football Focus has also been fond of his performance in New York, ranking him 15th among 116 qualifying cornerbacks in 2021.

However, the defensive back has missed 11 games over the past two years. Most recently, he missed seven contests thanks to a MCL injury. The team will likely want to see how he rebounds from that injury in 2023, but if he performs well, he could be eyeing another sizable contract next offseason.

More notes out of New York…

  • In the same piece, Duggan writes that it would be a surprise if the Giants select an inside linebacker early in the draft. The team is especially high on 2022 sixth-round pick Darrian Beavers, who should be fully recovered from his torn ACL by the time training camp comes around. The team did host Deion Jones earlier this month, so the front office could be eyeing some veteran reinforcement to play alongside Bobby Okereke.
  • Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post tweets that he wouldn’t be surprised if the Giants trade another one of their picks for a veteran player before the conclusion of the draft. The Giants previously gave up a compensatory third-round pick (acquired from the Chiefs) for tight end Darren Waller. The team is currently armed with selections in every round of the draft, includes two fifth-round selections and three seventh-round picks.
  • After parting ways with Jon Feliciano, the Giants are eyeing a new center in 2023. Speaking to reporters recently, GM Joe Schoen indicated that he was content with his current options at the position. “We claimed Jack Anderson; he was with us in Buffalo,” Schoen said (via the team website). “He does good work at center. Ben Bredeson is a guy that we feel very comfortable with playing center. And then Shane Lemieux was playing it as well last year before the injury. So, we’ll have some guys in there that will battle it out as well.” The Giants also recently brought in center J.C. Hassenauer to provide some competition at the position.
  • Speaking of Hassenauer, the offensive lineman got a minimum contract from the Giants, per Duggan (on Twitter). It’s a one-year deal worth $1.04MM, including $200K in guaranteed money. The lineman got into 45 games for Pittsburgh between 2020 and 2022.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/23/22

August 23rd, 2022 at 4:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tuesday marked the day teams were forced to cut down from 85 to 80 players. Here are the moves teams made made to reach the new maximum. Players who land on the reserve/PUP or reserve/NFI list must miss at least the first four regular-season games.

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Giants’ Kayvon Thibodeaux Sprains MCL

August 22nd, 2022 at 12:06pm CST by Adam La Rose

12:06pm: Thibodeaux did not escape the situation unscathed. Tests revealed the No. 5 overall pick suffered an MCL sprain, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Although Thibodeaux did not tear his ACL or meniscus, he is expected to miss at least three weeks. The Giants remain hopeful their top pick will be ready for Week 1, but it would not surprise if the organization exercised caution here.

Beavers was not as fortunate. The sixth-round pick suffered a torn ACL, the team confirmed. Beavers is the second Giants 2022 draftee to sustain that injury this summer, following fifth-round offensive lineman Marcus McKethan.

9:05am: The Giants won their preseason contest against the Bengals last night, but the main takeaway from the game was the injury scare regarding first-round rookie Kayvon Thibodeaux. The defensive end suffered a knee injury, but there are encouraging signs that no serious damage was done. 

Thibodeaux was sidelined after he was on the receiving end of a low cut block, and did not return to the game. After the contest was over, though, the fifth overall pick was seen walking without a limp, and said “I’m good. … We’re good. Good news” (video link via ESPN’s Jordan Raanan).

Likewise, there is “initial optimism” that the Oregon product has avoided anything serious, as detailed by Jeremy Bergan of NFL.com. More testing will be done today to gather further information, but the belief that Thibodeaux will not be unavailable for any extended period is significant news for himself personally and the Giants collectively.

Once labeled a favorite to be selected No. 1 overall in this year’s draft, the six-foot-five, 250-pounder had an underwhelming final college season and was considered a candidate to fall down the board. Instead, the Giants committed to him emerging as one of – if not the top – pass-rushers in the class, something which the team sorely needs after ranking 22nd in the league in sacks last season.

The news isn’t all good on the injury front for Big Blue, however. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo tweets that fellow rookie Darrian Beavers is likely to have suffered a major knee injury. More will be known later today for the sixth-round linebacker, but he will all-but assuredly miss significant time, keeping in line with the many injuries the Giants are currently dealing with. In the case of their top prospect, at least, the situation is an optimistic one.

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