Giants Tender Nick McCloud, But Not Isaiah Hodgins

Nick McCloud – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS TENDER NICK McCLOUD…
The New York Giants have tendered cornerback/safety Nick McCloud as a restricted free agent. Tendering a restricted free agent gives the team the right-of-first-refusal if the player is signed to an offer sheet by another team. The tender is a 1-year, $3 million contract.

While McCloud saw his playing time decrease in 2023, with his overall defensive snaps falling from 57 percent in 2022 to 28 percent in 2023, he remained a valuable and versatile reserve and sometimes starter. McCloud played in all 17 games with three starts and was credited with 28 tackles, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, one interception, and two pass defenses. He was third on the team with seven special teams tackles in 2023

The Giants claimed McCloud off of waivers from the Buffalo Bills in late August 2022. He ended up being a surprising contributor, being force-fed into the starting line-up after Adoree’ Jackson was lost for most of the second half of the regular-season. McCloud played in 14 regular-season games with eight starts, accruing 43 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and seven pass defenses. McCloud was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Bills after the 2021 NFL Draft.

GIANTS DO NOT TENDER ISAIAH HODGINS, WYATT DAVIS, AND JACOB EASON…
According to media reports, the Giants have chosen to not tender wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins and offensive guard Wyatt Davis as potential restricted free agents, as well as quarterback Jacob Eason as a potential exclusive rights free agent.

All three players now become unrestricted free agents, free to re-sign with the Giants or sign with another team.

After proving to be a productive and reliable late-season addition in 2022, Isaiah Hodgins did not have the type of season expected of him in 2023. Hodgins played in all 17 games with nine starts, but he finished the season with just 21 catches for 230 yards and three scores. The Giants claimed Hodgins off of waivers from the Buffalo Bills in early November 2022. He immediately saw the field, playing in eight regular-season games with five starts. He finished with 33 catches for 351 yards and four touchdowns. In the playoff game against the Vikings, Hodgins caught eight passes for 105 yards and a touchdown. Hodgins was originally drafted in the 6th round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Bills.

The Giants placed Davis on Injured Reserve in late August 2023 with an ankle injury he suffered in the preseason. He missed the entire regular season. The 6’4”, 315-pound Davis was originally selected in the 3rd round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings waived him in late August 2022 and the Giants immediately signed him to their Practice Squad. However, a week later the New Orleans Saints signed Davis to their 53-man roster. The Saints waived him in November and he was claimed off of waivers by the Cardinals, who cut him in late December 2022. The Giants then claimed Davis off of waivers from the Cardinals. In all, Davis has played in nine NFL games with no starts.

The Giants signed Eason to the Practice Squad in November 2023, cut him in December, and re-signed him to the Practice Squad and 53-man roster in early January 2024. The 6’6”, 231-pound Eason was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts. He has spent time with the Indianapolis Colts (2020-2021), Seattle Seahawks (2021-2022), Carolina Panthers (2022), San Francisco 49ers (2022), and Carolina Panthers (2023). Eason has only thrown 10 passes in two NFL regular-season games.

To see an overview of the Giants’ free agent activity, see the New York Giants 2024 Free Agency Scorecard section of the website.