Drew Lock Competing for Starting Job?; Giants Sign Two Tight Ends

 Posted by
Mar 152024
 
Jack Stoll, Philadelphia Eagles (November 26, 2023)

Jack Stoll – © USA TODAY Sports

DREW LOCK COMPETING FOR STARTING JOB?…
Seattle Seahawks General Manager John Schneider said on a Seattle radio show that the team wanted to re-sign unrestricted free agent quarterback Drew Lock, but the New York Giants “basically sold him on the opportunity to compete to be the starter. And he felt like it was the right opportunity. He looked at Baker Mayfield’s opportunity last year (with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and felt that this could be something similar.”

In a media session with the New York/New Jersey media on Friday, Lock denied the report.

GIANTS SIGN TIGHT END JACK STOLL AND CHRIS MANHERTZ…
The Giants have signed free agent tight ends Jack Stoll (Philadelphia Eagles) and Chris Manhertz (Denver Broncos). Stoll’s contract is reportedly a 1-year deal. The Eagles chose not to tender him as a potential restricted free agent. Manhertz was released by the Broncos on March 8th.

The 26-year old, 6’4”, 247-pound Stoll was originally signed by the Eagles as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2021 NFL Draft. In his three seasons with the Eagles, Stoll has played in 50 regular-season games with 26 starts, accruing 20 catches for 183 yards. He is a good blocker and was a core special teams player for the Eagles.

The 31-year old, 6’6”, 235-pound Manhertz was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Buffalo Bills after the 2015 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Bills, New Orleans Saints (2015-2016), Carolina Panthers (2016-2020), Jacksonville Jaguars (2021-2022), and Broncos (2023). In his eight NFL seasons, Manhertz has played in 120 regular-season games with 53 starts, catching 26 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns. He is a strong blocker.

GIANTS SIGN GUARD AARON STINNIE…
The Giants have signed unrestricted free agent offensive guard Aaron Stinnie (Tampa Bay Buccaneers). The 30-year old, 6’3”, 312-pound Stinnie was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2018 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. The Titans waived him in November 2019 and he was then claimed by the Buccaneers. In his five NFL seasons, Stinnie has played in 31 regular-season games with 12 starts, 11 of which came in 2023.

GIANTS RE-SIGN LAWRENCE CAGER AND BENTON WHITLEY…
The Giants have re-signed tight end Lawrence Cager, who was eligible to become a restricted free agent, and outside linebacker Benton Whitley, who was eligible to become an exclusive rights free agent.

Cager spent the first six games of 2023 on the 53-man roster, spent two weeks on the Practice Squad, and then spent the next seven games on the 53-man roster. The Giants placed him on Injured Reserve in late December 2023 with a groin injury. In all, Cager played in 11 games with no starts, catching just four passes for 36 yards and a touchdown. He played in just 15 percent of offensive snaps in those 11 games.

The 6’5”, 220-pound Cager was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the New York Jets after the 2020 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Jets (2020-2021, 2022) and Cleveland Browns (2021). The Jets cut him in October 2022 and the Giants immediately signed him to the Practice Squad that same month and the 53-man roster in November 2022. He ended up playing in six regular-season games with three starts, catching 13 passes for 118 yards and one touchdown. Cager has played in 21 regular-season games with five starts.

The Giants signed Whitley off of the Practice Squad of the Minnesota Vikings in November 2023. He played in three games for the Giants, receiving just a handful of defensive snaps, before being ruled inactive in the last three contests. The 6’4”, 260-pound Whitley was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Los Angeles Rams after the 2022 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Rams (2022), Kansas City Chiefs (2022), and Vikings (2022-2023). Before coming to the Giants, Whitley had only played in one regular-season game.

BEN BREDESON SIGNS WITH BUCCANEERS…
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed New York Giants unrestricted free agent offensive lineman Ben Bredeson. The deal is reportedly a 1-year contract worth up to $3.5 million.

Bredeson saw time at training camp at both guard positions and center, not being locked into one position. This continued into the regular season as Bredeson started four games at left guard, four at center, and eight at right guard. He started 16 games, missing Week 3 with a concussion. Bredeson was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens. The Giants acquired Bredeson by trade from the Ravens in late August 2021. Hampered by hand and ankle injuries, he only started one game for the Giants in 2021. Bredeson started eight games for the Giants in 2022 at left guard, but also missed six games due to a knee injury.

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

THE NEW GIANTS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube, as well as video of exclusive Giants.com sit-downs with the players: