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Tyler Nubin

John Mara: Giants Open To Resolving QB Issue With Draft Pick, Veteran

January 6th, 2025 at 5:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants saw their Daniel Jones plan implode this year, and after giving the Eli Manning successor six seasons, the team has no long-term option on its roster. As a result, John Mara stated the obvious by indicating quarterback is the Giants’ “No. 1 issue.”

Although the team’s Week 17 win bumped it out of the No. 1 overall draft slot, the Patriots’ Week 18 victory gave the Giants the No. 3 position. It figures to be much easier to acquire one of the preferred options in this draft compared to last year, when Joe Schoen‘s Drake Maye-based trade-up effort failed. Schoen and Brian Daboll are coming back, despite the steep decline that commenced this season, and Mara noted the Giants are open to upgrading at QB through the draft or via a veteran option.

“That’s obviously the No. 1 issue for us going into this offseason — to find our quarterback of the future,” Mara said, via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy. “Whether that be draft or acquiring a veteran will be up to them to decide.”

The phrase “quarterback of the future” certainly points to the draft being the Giants’ preferred avenue, even with Mara adding (via SNY’s Connor Hughes) he is “just about out of patience” with his current setup. Like 2019, however, the Giants have a need in a draft that has long been viewed as rather shaky at the QB spot. Passing on Sam Darnold and Josh Allen to draft Saquon Barkley in 2018, the Giants could not realistically draft Tua Tagovailoa or Justin Herbert in 2020 thanks to having chosen Jones sixth overall in ’19. The team passed on Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy and Bo Nix last year, creating one of the NFL’s most glaring needs going into this offseason.

New York will bring back Tommy DeVito, per ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan. DeVito can be retained via an ERFA tender, but Drew Lock is set for free agency. The Giants still rostered Manning going into 2019, when Jones arrived. That separates the ’19 offseason from what lies ahead for Mara’s team, which went 1-for-6 in playoff berths during the Jones era.

Circling back to Darnold would be an interesting effort for Schoen, who is assuredly on a scorching-hot seat after being retained today, after predecessor Dave Gettleman passed. But the Vikings may well use the franchise tag following this Pro Bowl season. Russell Wilson would profile as a stopgap at best, while Justin Fields may be more appealing due to his age (25) — even though he has yet to prove a consistent passer. Beyond this crop, a host of backup-level options are on their way to free agency. It would stand to reason, given the Giants’ draft position, they would be more interested in a college arm.

Some members of the Giants’ personnel staff are intrigued by Miami’s Cam Ward, who is viewed — along with Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders — as one of this year’s top two QB prospects, Yahoo.com’s Charles Robinson notes. Considering the Giants are not making major staff changes, it would stand to reason they will carry their Ward interest toward the Combine. The Giants sent Schoen and player personnel director Tim McDonnell to the Pop-Tarts Bowl to watch Ward, who transferred from Incarnate Word and Washington State to close his career with the Hurricanes. The Giants also sent staffers to Boulder, Colo., to watch Sanders practices.

ESPN’s Scouts Inc. slots Sanders ninth and Ward 18th among 2025 prospects; it will be interesting to see how the pre-draft process ends up sorting them and then the rest of the QB crop. With a gap existing — as of now, at least — between the Ward-Sanders tier and the field, the Giants would have a good shot at one of them.

The team was closely tied to McCarthy and Maye last year and hosted Penix and Nix on “30” visits. It should be expected a thorough round of meetings are coming again regarding this position, only the Giants are now in a more desperate spot due to Schoen and Daboll’s statuses and the gaping hole atop the depth chart.

In other Giants news, both Jon Runyan Jr. and Tyler Nubin underwent tightrope surgeries to address high ankle sprains. Runyan also underwent a shoulder procedure, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan tweets. Bobby Okereke is rehabbing a herniated disk in his back, the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard adds. Okereke should be recovered in time for OTAs. Two years remain on both Okereke and Runyan’s free agency deals.

NFL Injury Updates: Lions, Nubin, Stover

December 15th, 2024 at 8:31pm CST by Ely Allen

The Lions spent Sunday afternoon going blow-for-blow with the Bills, combining for the highest-scoring performance in the NFL this season. They ended up falling just short of Buffalo, and that loss compounded with a number of injuries to make this a rough day for Detroit.

The first such injury occurred when cornerback Khalil Dorsey appeared to suffer a serious leg injury. He was carted off the field with the injured leg in an air cast. Per ESPN’s Eric Woodyard, head coach Dan Campbell told the media after the game that Dorsey’s injury was similar to what happened to Aidan Hutchinson. In short, Dorsey is not expected to play again in the 2024 NFL season.

Additionally, today’s game saw defensive tackle Alim McNeill and cornerback Carlton Davis depart with injuries, as well. McNeill left the field with a knee injury and, after a visit in the blue medical tent, was carted off to the locker room, while Davis suffered a jaw injury. According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Campbell relayed that “he doesn’t feel good about the chances” of either player returning this year.

If all three players are placed on injured reserve, they would join 18 other players on IR. They would up the number of defensive players on IR from 13 to 16. The Lions have overcome incredible adversity so far this year and still currently hold the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

Here are some updates on a couple other injuries around the NFL:

  • We mentioned earlier this week that Giants rookie starting safety Tyler Nubin would miss the rest of the season on IR with an ankle injury. Per Ryan Dunleavy of New York Post Sports, head coach Brian Daboll believes that Nubin’s injury will probably require ankle surgery. This means that Nubin will likely spend most of the offseason working to recover in time for the 2025 season.
  • The Texans needed to elevate practice squad tight end Irv Smith today as rookie fourth-round tight end Cade Stover was a surprise scratch from today’s game. Stover logged the first absence of his NFL career due to an emergency appendectomy performed last night, according to Kimberley A. Martin of ESPN. Stover is expected to make a full recovery.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/11/24

December 11th, 2024 at 8:25pm CST by Ely Allen

Wednesday’s minor roster updates:

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed to active roster: RB Carlos Washington Jr.
  • Placed on IR: RB Jase McClellan

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Los Angeles Rams

  • Reverted to season-ending IR: G KT Leveston

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

It’s unfortunate news for the rookie second-round safety, Nubin. After starting the first 13 games of his first season in the NFL, the top-drafted safety in the 2024 NFL Draft will end the year on injured reserve with an ankle injury. Nubin had graded out as the 34th-best safety in the league, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), before the injury.

Charles will miss the remainer of the season, as well, and perhaps some of next year. The former undrafted receiver will be undergoing surgery for a torn ACL.

Giants Expected To Add CB; Tyler Nubin Moving Toward Starting S Role

August 24th, 2024 at 9:50am CST by Sam Robinson

While Cor’Dale Flott spent the offseason and training camp as the favorite to land the Giants’ No. 2 cornerback job, he has not locked down the gig. As a result, uncertainty defines this position as cutdown day nears.

Hundreds of players will soon become available via waivers, and the Giants will be monitoring this situation closely. They are expected to address this position following Tuesday’s cutdown to 53 players, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan notes (subscription required). The team may be on the hunt for depth, but this effort also figures to involve a search for a player who could move into the starting lineup opposite Deonte Banks.

The Giants had been preparing to move Flott from the slot to a boundary starter role, but the former third-rounder’s struggles during camp have left the door open for Nick McCloud. The latter, who began his NFL career with the Bills during Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll‘s time with the AFC East club, has pushed Flott for the job. A quad injury has also intervened for Flott, further limiting the third-year corner’s chances of being a starter to open the year.

This obviously does not represent an ideal juncture for a team to be looking for a potential starter, but teams have used the period before cutdown day as a trade window for several years now. The Giants would have that option, but if nothing else, a Wednesday waiver claim appears likely.

Hard Knocks revealed a heavy interest in second-round corners; rather than trade up for one of their two second-round targets — Kool-Aid McKinstry and Kamari Lassiter — the Giants stood down and chose safety Tyler Nubin at No. 47. The Giants re-signed McCloud on a one-year, $2.99MM deal but guaranteed the former waiver claim nothing. This represents a low-end investment at outside corner this offseason. The team looks to be circling back to this need area.

If Flott is unable to cross the finish line in this CB2 competition, it would remind of last year, when the Giants changed their CB plan early. The team had aimed to use 2023 sixth-rounder Tre Hawkins as its starter opposite Banks, having shifted Adoree’ Jackson into the slot to accommodate the then-rookie. Don Martindale quickly benched Hawkins, moving Jackson outside once again. Eyeing Flott (or a potential second-round pick) to start opposite Banks, the Giants did not re-sign Jackson, who remains a free agent.

Nubin may not have been Big Blue’s preference at No. 47, but after trailing Dane Belton in a competition to start alongside Jason Pinnock, the Minnesota product has made a late charge. It appears Nubin is moving past Belton for the starting job, per the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy. Nubin’s draft slot made him an obvious starter candidate, but an injury early in camp provided a setback. It is now looking like Nubin will follow former Golden Gophers teammate John Michael Schmitz as a second-round rookie who becomes an immediate starter.

Of course, this secondary will be one of the NFL’s least experienced, as the Giants moved on from Jackson and Xavier McKinney. This will be a position group to monitor as teams rearrange their rosters over the next few days.

Nick McCloud Pushing Cor’Dale Flott For Giants Starting CB Job; Latest On Team’s Safety Plan

August 9th, 2024 at 10:22am CST by Sam Robinson

Early last season, the Giants scrapped a training camp plan that had Adoree’ Jackson shifting to the slot to accommodate fast-rising rookie Tre Hawkins. The team is also considering deviating from its offseason setup this year.

Not re-signing Jackson, the Giants moved Cor’Dale Flott from the slot to the boundary. The 2022 third-round pick has been the favorite to start opposite Deonte Banks on the outside for months. Flott’s lead has narrowed. Nick McCloud, a former Bills UDFA who joined the Giants via waiver claim ahead of the Joe Schoen–Brian Daboll duo’s first season, is pushing the third-year defender for the starting gig.

McCloud has begun to take first-team reps this week, with the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy indicating this foray into the starting lineup came after Flott blew multiple coverages at a practice. Flott, who has been New York’s primary slot defender over the past two seasons, has seen his status yo-yo since being a Day 2 draftee. He was not an immediate regular last year. The Giants used a Banks-Hawkins-Jackson setup to start the season and made Flott a healthy scratch early, but the LSU alum regained a role by Week 4.

Flott impressed Giants coaches this offseason and ran with the starters throughout that program and into training camp, but McCloud has closed the gap. The former Bills UDFA started eight Giants games in 2022 and three last year, though he saw his snap percentage drop from 57 to 28. McCloud and Hawkins entered camp as the next men up if Flott faltered, and it appears the more experienced player is the one providing the challenge. Neither DB saw action in the Giants’ preseason opener; the team sat Flott due to a quad injury and parked McCloud after he had warmed up.

Third-round pick Dru Phillips remains the frontrunner for the Giants’ slot job, as mid-offseason addition Tre Herndon looms as a challenger, per the Post’s Paul Schwartz. The longtime Jaguars slot man intercepted a pass Thursday night but has no guarantees in his veteran-minimum contract. The Giants’ second-round pick, however, has seen his status change during camp. Tyler Nubin no longer appears a frontrunner to start alongside Jason Pinnock at safety. Nubin is behind Dane Belton for the job, Schwartz adds.

A calf injury cost the Minnesota alum the first week of camp, and Belton fared well in the rookie’s absence. A former fourth-round pick, Belton has primarily worked as a spot starter in the pros. The Iowa product has made seven starts in two seasons, but after Julian Love and Xavier McKinney respectively defected during the past two free agency periods, the Giants have needed to keep making changes on their back line. Although Belton has a limited first-string track record through two seasons, he already has four career INTs.

DC Shane Bowen (via The Athletic’s Dan Duggan) went as far as to say the job is Belton’s to lose. Belton would seemingly be a transitional piece while Nubin — the Giants’ backup plan after Kamari Lassiter and Kool-Aid McKinstry went off the board early in Round 2 — readies, but for now, the ex-Day 3 investment appears more likely to begin the season with the starters.

Colts, Jets Sent Giants Offers For No. 6 Overall Pick

July 31st, 2024 at 11:29am CST by Sam Robinson

This Giants offseason has received extensive attention due to HBO’s Hard Knocks effort, and parts of other teams’ processes have come into focus as well. Components of two other teams’ draft chapters emerged, with the Giants receiving what turned out to be significant interest in their No. 6 overall pick.

Going into the draft, Joe Schoen said he would be comfortable with Marvin Harrison Jr. or Malik Nabers at No. 6 — after efforts to trade up with the Patriots (at No. 3) failed. But the Colts and Jets gauged Schoen’s interest in adding draft capital to slide down the board. Both teams made offers for No. 6.

Chris Ballard said he made big offers to move up, with a skill-position player rumored to be the target. As it turns out, the Colts offered the Giants their second-round pick (No. 46) and their 2025 second-rounder to climb from No. 15 to No. 6. Schoen deemed dropping from 6 to 15 as too far, leading Indianapolis to make other attempts. The Colts ultimately failed and chose Laiatu Latu at 15. With Samson Ebukam sustaining a torn Achilles early in training camp, Latu is poised to play a bigger role as a rookie.

The Colts circled back to their skill spots in Round 2, trading down and drafting Texas’ Adonai Mitchell, but pre-draft reports had them linked to Brock Bowers and this draft’s high-end wide receiver prospects. Harrison was off the board by this point, but Nabers and Rome Odunze were available. Chosen 45 spots before Mitchell, Nabers carried significant appeal after a dominant LSU junior season. The Colts have not used a first-round pick on a skill player since then-GM Ryan Grigson chose Phillip Dorsett in 2015.

The Jets have been connected to Odunze for months, and ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini speculates the team targeted the Washington wideout with its trade-up attempt. After Odunze went off the board at No. 9, the Jets traded down (via the Vikings) to 11 and drafted Olu Fashanu. Gang Green addressed the receiver position atop Round 3, selecting Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley. Odunze, however, would have represented a big-ticket addition alongside Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams. He instead joined a similarly structured Bears offense, which houses D.J. Moore and ex-Williams teammate Keenan Allen.

Additionally, the Giants saw their Brian Burns trade wound their ability to land one of their preferred cornerbacks. The team targeted Kool-Aid McKinstry and Kamari Lassiter in Round 2. The Giants traded No. 39 to the Panthers in the Burns deal but still held No. 47. Schoen, however, did not want to include a fourth-round selection to move up due to the team having just six picks in the draft. The Hard Knocks: Offseason finale corroborates a report from the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy, who recently indicated the Giants sought McKinstry or Lassiter. The Alabama and Georgia prospects ended up going to the Saints and Texans at Nos. 41 and 42.

The Giants had identified corner as a key need, and while the team did draft Kentucky’s Andru Phillips in Round 3, it is counting on 2022 third-round pick Cor’Dale Flott to make a successful transition from slot defender to outside corner post-Adoree’ Jackson. Flott joins Deonte Banks as the team’s expected outside CB starters. Had McKinstry or Lassiter been on the board at No. 47, it is worth wondering if Flott would remain Big Blue’s preferred slot defender. Eventual Giants second-round safety Tyler Nubin was identified as the team’s backup plan if Lassiter and McKinstry were gone.

Latest On Isaiah Simmons, Giants’ Safety Competition

June 30th, 2024 at 3:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Giants took a flier on Isaiah Simmons last year, trading a seventh-round pick to the Cardinals to acquire him in August. The former first-rounder has struggled to find a permanent role in the NFL, but his debut season in New York was sufficient to land him a new deal.

Simmons re-signed on a one-year deal featuring $1.4MM guaranteed in April after logging a part-time defensive role with the Giants. Seeing a 33% snap share under Don Martindale, the 25-year-old recorded 50 tackles, three pass deflections and one each in the sack, interception and forced fumble departments. The Giants have since moved on from Martindale, though, bringing in Shane Bowen as his replacement.

When speaking about how Simmons will be used in 2024, Bowen indicated he will be used as a nickel back on first and second downs. On third downs, by contrast, the Clemson alum will shift to what Bowen termed a ‘money’ position (h/t ESPN’s Jordan Raanan). Simmons began his career as a linebacker before Arizona shifted him to safety. If Bowen’s plan unfolds as currently set up, he will continue to be used in a fluid manner while trying to find a long-term home in the NFL.

Elsewhere on the Giants’ defense, the safety position is one to watch. Xavier McKinney‘s free agent departure created a vacancy in the starting lineup, one which Dane Belton could fill in 2024. The latter has made 32 appearances and seven starts to date, posting two interceptions in each of his first two years in the league. New York selected Tyler Nubin in the second round of the draft, however, providing the team with another option for first-team responsibilities.

Nubin was considered by many to be the top safety in this year’s class, but Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post writes Belton was ahead of him on the depth chart during spring practices. Plenty of clarity will emerge for many position battles during padded practices in training camp, of course. For the time being, though, Belton has a leg up in the competition. Maintaining that advantage would be key for the 23-year-old considering he will be eligible for an extension after the 2024 season.

New York struggled in a number of defensive categories last season, although the team’s pass defense (19th in yards allowed through the air) fared better. Still, Bowen and Co. will aim for improvement in 2024, and Simmons along with the winner of the Belton-Nubin competition will have notable roles in that effort. They will be among the players to watch closely as training camp unfolds.

Giants Sign Round 2 S Tyler Nubin, Complete Draft Class

May 31st, 2024 at 1:35pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Giants announced on Friday that second-round safety Tyler Nubin has signed his rookie deal. As a result, all members of New York’s draft class are now on the books.

Nubin spent his entire five-year college career at Minnesota. He played in only five games as a freshman, but after that he was a key contributor to the team’s secondary. Each season from 2021-23 featured multiple interceptions being recorded (including a career-high five this past campaign to go along with 53 tackles and one sack).

Nubin earned Academic All-Big Ten honors four times during his tenure with the Golden Gophers, something which added to his on-field production in helping his draft stock. He was the first true safety to hear his name called during the 2024 draft (Eagles prospect Cooper DeJean has experience at that spot but also at corner), coming off the board 47th overall. Nubin should have an immediate path to playing time in New York.

The Giants saw Xavier McKinney depart in free agency this offseason when he landed a Packers deal averaging $17MM per year. New York elected not to match that offer, leaving McKinney free to follow in the footsteps of Julian Love one year ago in finding a new home on the open market. With the former no longer in the fold, a starting safety spot is up for grabs this offseason.

Nubin will be competing for the opportunity to join Jason Pinnock as a first-teamer in 2024 and beyond. The 6-2, 205-pounder was lauded for his well-rounded skillset in college, and he should be able to contribute right away at the NFL level. If that turns out to be the case, New York will have a McKinney replacement for at least the next four seasons.

Here is the final breakdown of the Giants’ 2024 draft class: