Sep 302023
 
Azeez Ojulari, New York Giants (August 21, 2022)

Azeez Ojulari – © USA TODAY Sports

SEPTEMBER 30, 2023 GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
LT Andrew Thomas (hamstring) did not practice on Saturday and has been ruled out of Monday night’s game against the Seattle Seahawks. “He practiced a little bit in individual two days ago, just wasn’t feeling right, didn’t practice him yesterday,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll. “He won’t make the game… He went through a few little drills (on Thursday), didn’t feel right, we took him out right away and just want to make sure the player’s ready to go and do the necessary rehab and stuff. So, I’d say it’s week to week. Whether he’ll be ready next week, I’m not sure. Really week to week.”

RB Saquon Barkley (ankle), TE Daniel Bellinger (neck), DL D.J. Davidson (elbow), and OLB Azeez Ojulari (hamstring) were limited in practice. OL Ben Bredeson (concussion) fully practiced. Barkley has officially been ruled “doubtful” for the game while the other four players are expected to be available.

“Saquon will practice, do a little bit more,” said Daboll before Saturday’s practice. “We’ll see where he’s at and take it right up to game time.”

“Yeah, it’s a high ankle sprain,” Barkley said after practice.

“(Ojulari) had a good week,” said Daboll. “He had good practice yesterday. Feels good, practiced well. So, unless something happens today, counting on him being there.”

THE COACHES SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following coaches are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Their is no media availability to the Giants on Sunday. The team plays the Seattle Seahawks at MetLife Stadium on Monday night.

Sep 142023
 
Darren Waller, New York Giants (September 10, 2023)

Darren Waller – © USA TODAY Sports

SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
WR Sterling Shepard (rest day) and practice squad player CB Amani Oruwariye (neck) did not practice on Thursday.

WR Wan’Dale Robinson (knee), TE Darren Waller (hamstring), LT Andrew Thomas (hamstring), OT Matt Peart (elbow), OLB Azeez Ojulari (hamstring), LB Cam Brown (ankle), CB Deonte Banks (calf), CB Cor’Dale Flott (hamstring), S Gervarrius Owens (hamstring), and PK Graham Gano (ankle) were limited in practice.

THE COACHES SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following coaches are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The team practices again on Friday (11:45AM-1:15PM). Head Coach Brian Daboll, the position coaches, and select players will also address the media.

Sep 112023
 
Daniel Jones, New York Giants (September 10, 2023)

Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

DALLAS COWBOYS 40 – NEW YORK GIANTS 0…
The New York Giants were completely and utterly embarrassed by the Dallas Cowboys 40-0 on Sunday night at MetLife Stadium. The Giants begin the season 0-1 and in last place in the NFC East.

The scoreboard was telling, but so were the overall game stats. Despite running 66 offensive plays, the Giants were held to 14 first downs and 171 total net yards, including only 63 net yards passing.

The Giants received the football to start the game and had their best offensive possession of the night, moving from their own 25-yard line to the Dallas 8-yard. However, on 3rd-and-2, a false start on left tackle Andrew Thomas and a bad snap by center John Michael Schmitz pushed New York back to the 21-yard line. Place kicker Graham Gano’s 45-yard field goal attempt was blocked and returned for a touchdown. The Cowboys missed the extra point. It was all downhill for the Giants after that.

After the Giants went three-and-out on their second possession, the Cowboys responded with a 9-play, 72-yard drive that resulted in a 21-yard field goal to make the score 9-0. On the third play of New York’s third possession, a pass from quarterback Daniel Jones went off of the hands of running back Saquon Barkley after contact from a defender. It was intercepted and returned 22 yards for a defensive score. The Cowboys were now up 16-0.

The Giants went three-and-out again near the end of the first quarter. Dallas responded with another field goal drive, this time moving 60 yards in 11 plays to make it 19-0.  On the very next offensive snap by the Giants, Jones was intercepted at the New York 38-yard line. Five plays later, the Cowboys pretty much ended the game with a 2-yard rushing touchdown that made the score 26-0.

The Giants gained 57 yards on their sixth possession of the half, but the drive ended with a missed 36-yard field goal. After a three-and-out by the Cowboys, the half ended appropriately with Daniel Jones being sacked.

If the 26-0 halftime deficit wasn’t dreary enough, Dallas made it worse by marching down the field (10 plays, 75 yards) for a touchdown on their opening drive of the third quarter. 33-0. The Giants gained one first down before Jones was sacked twice more and the team was forced to punt. After a Dallas punt, the Giants gained 30 yards and then turned the football over on downs at midfield as the third quarter ended.

The Cowboys opened the fourth quarter with their final touchdown drive of the night, an 8-play, 50-yard affair that resulted with another rushing score. On New York’s very next offensive snap, wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins fumbled the ball away after a 24-yard catch. Dallas mercifully went three-and-out. Then came a ridiculous 10-play drive by the Giants that picked up three first downs but only netted 19 yards due to penalties and sacks. The Giants turned turned over the ball on downs again. The game ended with a whimper three minutes later.

The Giants’ 12 offensive possessions resulted in:

  • a blocked field goal for a touchdown
  • two interceptions, one resulting in a touchdown
  • a fumble
  • two turnovers on downs
  • a missed field goal
  • three punts
  • the end of the half and the end of the game

Jones, who was harassed much of the night, finished the game 15-of-28 for 104 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions. He was sacked seven times, losing 47 yards, and hit 12 times. No Giant had more than three catches or 36 receiving yards. Barkley rushed 12 times for 51 yards and Jones rushed 13 times for 43 yards.

The defense allowed five scoring drives, including three rushing touchdowns. Dallas was 6-of-13 (46 percent) on third down and 1-of-2 on fourth down. The Giants had no sacks only hit the quarterback three times. They did not create a turnover.

GAME VIDEO LOWLIGHTS are available on YouTube.

INACTIVES AND INJURY REPORT…
On Saturday, the Giants activated (standard elevation) RB Taiwan Jones from the Practice Squad to the 53-man roster.

Inactive for the game were WR Wan’Dale Robinson (knee), DL D.J. Davidson (knee), LB Cam Brown (ankle), CB Cor’Dale Flott (hamstring), S Gervarrius Owens (hamstring), and OL Shane Lemieux.

CB Deonte Banks left the game with cramps. LT Andrew Thomas injured his hamstring on the blocked field goal and eventually departed the contest. He will have an MRI to determine the severity of the injury. PK Graham Gano took a cleat to his calf and underwent x-rays after the game.

POST-GAME REACTION…
Transcripts and video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Brian Daboll and the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

GIANTS RE-STRUCTURE CONTACTS OF TWO MORE PLAYERS…
ESPN is reported on Saturday that the Giants have re-structured the contracts of defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence and inside linebacker Bobby Okereke. Both moves converted 2023 base salary into signing bonuses, creating a total of $1.55 million in additional cap space.

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Head Coach Brian Daboll will address the media by conference call on Monday.

Sep 062023
 
Don "Wink" Martindale, New York Giants (January 21, 2023)

Don “Wink” Martindale – © USA TODAY Sports

SEPTEMBER 6, 2023 GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The New York Giants issued their first official injury report of the 2023 season on Wednesday. Everyone on the 53-man roster practiced.

RB Gary Brightwell (knee), WR Wan’Dale Robinson (knee), TE Lawrence Cager (ankle), DL D.J. Davidson (knee), LB Cam Brown (ankle), CB Cor’Dale Flott (hamstring), and S Gervarrius Owens (hamstring) were limited in practice.

THE COACHES SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following coaches are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The players are off on Thursday and return to practice on Friday (11:45AM-1:15PM). Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will also address the media on Friday.

Jul 272023
 
Daniel Jones, New York Giants (July 26, 2023)

Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

JULY 27, 2023 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their second summer training camp practice of the year on Thursday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

“There is good competition at some certain spots,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll before practice. “You will see it out there. We’re rotating different positions and giving everybody a fair opportunity to go out there and show what they can do. Offensively, defensively, different spots in the kicking game, whether it’s on the punt team, the kickoff team. That’s the time to do it, right now, to make sure you’re giving everybody a fair shot in a competitive situation.”

GIANTS ADD ANOTHER DEFENSIVE LINEMAN…
The Giants have signed free agent defensive lineman Kevin Atkins, who last played for the XFL’s St. Louis BattleHawks in the spring. The 24-year old, 6’2”, 307-pound Atkins was originally signed by the San Francisco 49ers after the 2022 NFL Draft, but waived in late August.

ABSENTEES AND INJURY REPORT…
The following players remain on injury or did-not-report lists:

  • Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List: WR Sterling Shepard (ACL), WR Wan’Dale Robinson (ACL), OG Marcus McKethan (ACL), DL A’Shawn Robinson (meniscus), DL D.J. Davidson (ACL), and CB Aaron Robinson (ACL)
  • Active/Non-Football Injury (NFI) List: WR Jamison Crowder (calf)
  • Reserve/Did-Not-Report List: DL Vernon Butler

“(Butler) didn’t report,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll. “We are kind of working through some things. That is really all I got for you. I understand the question, but that’s where we’re at.”

DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches (concussion protocol) and S Gervarrius Owens (unknown) also did not practice.

“He is sore,” said Daboll of Nunez-Roches, who was in a car accident yesterday. “He won’t practice again today. It could have been worse, so I’m glad he’s where he is right now. I think he’s making progress.”

WR Darius Slayton injured his left foot or ankle, but later returned to practice.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • As expected until next week, the Giants are still not in full pads and remain in helmets and shorts.
  • First-team offensive line was LT Andrew Thomas, LG Ben Bredeson, OC John Michael Schmitz, RG Mark Glowinski, and RT Evan Neal. Head Coach Brian Daboll said Schmitz and Ben Bredeson, who started at center yesterday, will rotate at starting center.
  • The starting defensive backs were CB Adoree’ Jackson, CB Deonte Banks, slot CB Cor’Dale Flott, S Dane Belton, and S Xavier McKinney. Yesterday, Darnay Holmes and Jason Pinnock were starting at slot corner and safety.
  • Darrian Beavers and Micah McFadden split first-team reps at inside linebacker alongside Bobby Okereke.
  • Ben Bredeson took snaps at left guard, center, and right guard.
  • Nick McCloud, who had been moved to safety in the spring, practiced some at cornerback today. He blanketed WR Darius Slayton to cause an incompletion in red-zone 1-on-1 drills. McCloud also continued to take reps at safety.
  • CB Darnay Holmes forced a throw-away in 1-on-1 drills and later broke up a pass.
  • In 1-on-1 drills, QB Daniel Jones connected on touchdowns with TE Darren Waller, WR Collin Johnson (twice), and WR Parris Campbell. Johnson beat CB Deonte Banks twice with Banks missing a jam on a fade pass.
  • Also in 1-on-1 drills, QB Tyrod Taylor threw scores to wide receivers Kalil Pimpleton (twice), Jaydon Mickens, and Jeff Smith.
  • In 7-on-7 drills, CB Deonte Banks had good coverage on a deep pass. Then S Xavier McKinney made a diving interception on an overthrown pass by QB Daniel Jones intended for TE Darren Waller.
  • CB Zyon Gilbert intercepted a pass that he tipped to himself while falling to the ground.
  • S Dane Belton broke up one pass intended for TE Darren Waller.
  • CB Tre Hawkins intercepted a pass from QB Tyrod Taylor intended from for WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton in 1-on-1 drills.
  • TE Darren Waller and WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton each dropped a pass.
  • QB Daniel Jones received 12 reps in 11-on-11, team drills and finished 7-of-9, with four of the passes being completed to TE Darren Waller. TE Daniel Bellinger and WR Darius Slayton also had catches over the middle. The two incompletions were broken up by corners Adoree’ Jackson and Deonte Banks.
  • TE Lawrence Cager made a nice leaping catch of a pass from QB Tyrod Taylor.
  • CB Cor’Dale Flott looked good jamming wide receivers in the slot with the first-team unit.
  • WR Collin Johnson stood out with a deep, back-shoulder catch from QB Tyrod Taylor against CB Darren Evans.
  • CB Deonte Banks knocked away a pass late in practice before CB Amani Oruwariye intercepted another pass.

HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The transcript of Brian Daboll’s press conference on Thursday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available on YouTube.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The New York Giants practice Friday evening (5:00-7:00PM). The practice is open to the public. Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will also address the media.

Jul 252023
 
Saquon Barkley, New York Giants (January 15, 2023)

Saquon Barkley – © USA TODAY Sports

A week after failing to reach an agreement on a multi-year contract, the New York Giants and running back Saquon Barkley have agreed on a new 1-year contract reportedly worth up to $11 million and which includes a $2 million signing bonus. The agreement also reportedly includes $1 million in incentives if Barkley reaches 1,300 yards, 11 touchdowns, 65 receptions, and the Giants make the playoffs. There was no provision in the contract preventing team from placing the Franchise tag on Barkley again next year.

This deal replaces the 1-year, $10.1 million Franchise Tag placed on Barkley back in early March. Barkley is now expected to report to summer training camp today on time. There will be no holdout.

Per Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) rules, the deadline for any team to sign a Franchise player to a multi-year contract was by 4:00PM on July 17th. After that date, Barkley could only sign a one-year contract with the Giants for the 2023 season. The contract cannot be extended until after the team’s last regular-season game in early January 2024.

According to previous media reports, Barkley did turn down a 3-year contract offer before the July 17th deadline with with an annual value between $11-11.5 million with $22-23 million in guaranteed money.

 

Jul 182023
 
Saquon Barkley, New York Giants (September 26, 2022)

Saquon Barkley – © USA TODAY Sports

Attempts to reach an agreement on a multi-year contract by the New York Giants and free agent running back Saquon Barkley have failed. The deadline for a new deal came and passed on Monday. The team placed a Franchise Tag on Barkley in early March. To date, Barkley has not signed the 1-year, $10.1 million tender and is currently not under contract.

Per Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) rules, the deadline for any team to sign a Franchise player to a multi-year contract was by 4:00PM on July 17th. After that date, Barkley may sign only a one-year contract with the Giants for the 2023 season, and such contract cannot be extended until after the team’s last regular-season game in early January 2024.

Barkley has only two options right now. He can sign his 1-year, $10.1 million contract or hold out. The Giants cannot fine him since he is not under contract. However, every regular-season game he misses will cost him almost $600,000 in base salary he would earn under a signed Franchise tender. But again, there can be no new long-term deal until January 2024. Nevertheless, Barkley is not expected to report with the rest of the veterans to summer training camp on Tuesday, July 25th. (Rookies report today).

“It is what it is,” tweeted Barkley on social media at the deadline.

The New York Post is reporting that the Giants’ final offer was a 3-year contract with an annual value between $11-11.5 million with $22-23 million in guaranteed money. The paper says both sides were within $1-2 million, but could not close the gap.

Jun 202023
 
Saquon Barkley, New York Giants (September 26, 2022)

Saquon Barkley – © USA TODAY Sports

With New York Giants training camp beginning in late July, BigBlueInteractive.com (BBI) breaks down each of the team’s positional groups until the players report at Quest Diagnostics Training Center.

FIND A COMPLETE LIST OF ALL BREAKDOWNS HERE

POSITIONAL BREAKDOWN: Running Backs

2022 YEAR IN REVIEW: Heading into 2022, there was real concern that the trajectory of Saquon Barkley’s career was going to be eerily and tragically similar to that of Tucker Frederickson, the top overall selection in the 1965 NFL Draft selected by the Giants. The uber-talented Frederickson was drafted in front of NFL legends Dick Butkus, Gale Sayers, and Joe Namath, but saw his career derailed early due to knee injuries. He was never the same and retired after seven seasons. Barkley had not played a full season since his rookie campaign in 2018 and was a shadow of his former self in the 13 games that he did play in 2021, coming off his serious knee injury in 2020. His former explosion was not there. Worse, he looked gun-shy and tentative, averaging just 3.7 yards per carry.

However, 2022 proved to be Barkley’s second-best season. While he still not completely recapture the dynamism of his rookie season, Barkley ran with a tougher and more physical style. He finished the season with a career-high 295 rushing attempts for 1,312 yards (4.4 yards per carry), and 10 touchdowns. He also tied for the team lead in receptions with 57 passes for 338 yards. Barkley only fumbled the ball once, out of bounds. He also played in every game, except for being a healthy scratch in the regular-season finale. Barkley made his second Pro Bowl.

The oddity to Barkley’s 2022 season was how his usage declined as the year progressed. Before the bye, Barkley averaged 20 carries and 97 rushing yards per game. Immediately, after the bye, he carried the ball a career-high 35 times against the Texans for 152 yards. After that, over the course of the next seven regular-season games, Barkley averaged 14 carries and 54 rushing yards per game. In the two playoff games, in total, he carried the ball only 18 times for 114 yards. Why? Wear-and-tear issues or concerns? Greater emphasis on throwing the ball? Note that the Giants were 7-2 through the Houston game, 2-4-1 in the remaining regular-season games before the meaningless finale, and 1-1 in the playoffs. Coincidence?

Barkley’s primary back-ups were Matt Breida (54 carries for 220 yards and one touchdown, 20 catches for 118 yards) and Gary Brightwell (31 carries for 141 yards and one touchdown, five catches for 39 yards). Unexpectedly, Bredia’s usage did not increase as Barkley’s declined in the second half of the season. The Giants simply did not run the ball as much. Breida only averaged four touches per game, both as a runner and receiver.

Undrafted rookie free agent Jashaun Corbin spent the season on the Practice Squad.

ADDITIONS/SUBTRACTIONS: Saquon Barkley remains unsigned as the team’s Franchise player.  The Giants re-signed Matt Breida to a 1-year, $1.4 million deal in free agency and drafted Eric Gray in the 5th round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

TRAINING CAMP STORY LINES: Almost all of the media and fan attention now is on Saquon Barkley’s contract situation. July 17 is the key date. That is the deadline for teams that designated a Franchise player to sign a multi-year contract extension. After this, Barkley can only sign one-year contract that cannot be renegotiated until after the regular-season is over. Barkley’s hands are pretty much tied after July 17. He can sign his 1-year, $10 million tender or make a statement and hurt the team by holding out during training camp and the preseason. But he can’t change his contract situation after July 17 and before 2024.

So the key story line here is will Barkley hold out and be rusty when the regular-season starts? This may all be moot if he signs a multi-year deal before July 17. If not and he misses training camp and the preseason, it could impact the team on the field in September.

It may be best for Barkley to grin and bear the situation. The 2023 New York Giants are arguably the most-talented team of Barkley’s pro career. Improved play by a dual-threat at quarterback, the presence of the dangerous Darren Waller and an emerging Daniel Bellinger at tight end, a capable group of wide receivers, hopefully an improved offensive line, and a top-notch coaching staff should open things up for him as a runner and receiver. In other words, he should have more room to operate. Teams can’t simply concentrate on him. What will be interesting to watch is the run-pass ratio moving forward. That may be the #1 on-the-field story line at running back. Does Barkley come close to averaging 20 rushing attempts per game? Likewise, could his impact grow as a receiver?

ON THE BUBBLE: The Giants carried three running backs on the 53-man roster in 2022. Barring injury, Saquon Barkley and Eric Gray are locks, with Matt Breida being very close to a lock as well. The question is do the Giants carry four this year, and if so, will it be Gary Brightwell or Jashaun Corbin? One would have thought Brightwell was toast after the hiring of Brian Daboll, but his usage went way up under the new coaching staff and he flashed at times. He also plays special teams. Corbin is a forgotten player who could still surprise.

FROM TEAM OFFICIALS/COACHES: Assistant General Manager Brandon Brown on Saquon Barkley: “We love Saquon. He knows how I feel about him, he knows how we feel about him collectively.”

Running Backs Coach Jeff Nixon on Matt Breida: “Matt Breida is a great guy to have around; he has a veteran presence and really understands the offense. You know, he was with Coach Daboll in Buffalo, so he’s kind of like in his third year in the offense. Great guy to have around to help some of our younger running backs.”

Running Backs Coach Jeff Nixon on Gary Brightwell: “He got opportunities last year, I thought he performed well. He started the last game against Philly. He’s still an arrow-up player. I think he’s getting a lot better.”

Running Backs Coach Jeff Nixon on Jashaun Corbin: “Corbin you know, he was on the Practice Squad last year, but I really like his progress and he knows the offense. He’s going to really be able to show what he can do during training camp.”

Running Backs Coach Jeff Nixon on Eric Gray: “He’s someone we thought performed as a three-down running back (at Oklahoma). Fortunately for him, his college coach was DeMarco Murray, so he had a really good one that kind of trained him to be to be a pro running back, and he’s been a constant pro since he’s been here. He fits right in with this group of running backs that I want to coach.”

Running Backs Coach Jeff Nixon on what he looks for in a running back: “I want to coach guys that can play on all three downs and who can be complete running backs. I always say I know the running backs can run the football. I mean, that’s what they naturally do. But what separates them from being great is if they can also catch the ball out of the backfield and block, so we try to train them to do all three things equally… I think we have a talented group of running backs and the way things are now in the NFL, you have to be three and four deep at that position. I feel we have that.”

(Side note on Jeff Nixon: He was hired this offseason by Brian Daboll and has served as both an interim offensive coordinator and assistant head coach at the NFL level).

PREDICTIONS/CLOSING THOUGHTS: In my opinion, Saquon Barkley has two realistic options. He can accept a multi-year deal for less than he expected to receive by July 17th, or he can sign his 1-year Franchise tag by opening day. Sitting out a season for a 26-year old running back, who has only been relatively healthy in two of his five NFL seasons, does not seem a wise course of action. $10 million is $10 million. You can’t make that money up. The question is does he want to gamble, sign the tender, risk a lesser season and/or injury in 2023, and take another shot at the plate next offseason? My guess is no and that a deal will be done by 4PM on July 17. The realistic worst-case scenario is that Barkley throws a hissy fit by holding out of camp and the preseason, looking rusty in September, and then getting hurt.

Will Barkley ever regain his rookie-year explosion? Probably not. That next-level dynamic athleticism seems to be gone. That does not mean he can’t still break huge plays as a runner and receiver. He’s still darn shifty and fast. And he actually ran tougher and more physically in 2022 than he did as a rookie.

There is also something else Barkley had in his rookie season in 2018. That was Odell Beckham, Jr. Beckham’s presence opened things up for Barkley as a runner and a receiver. That’s been missing from the Giants’ offense for the past four years. If he stays healthy, Darren Waller should have a similar impact on Barkley in 2023. Defenses should not be able to crowd the line of scrimmage like they have. Moreover, if Parris Campbell, Jalin Hyatt, or Daniel Bellinger start to draw attention, Barkley’s job gets even easier. There will likely be some continued growing pains on the offensive line at left guard, center, and right tackle, but the arrow does seem to be pointing up on the offensive line. That obviously will help, particularly as the season progresses.

I suspect we have seen the last of Saquon getting 30 touches per game. But will he get 20 on a regular basis? There is an economic cost/benefit component to that discussion as well. On the other hand, fewer touches can extend Barkley’s career and enhance his future earning potential.

Keep an eye on Eric Gray. By season’s end, he may firmly entrench himself as the #2 back on the team. He’s got some Ahmad Bradshaw in him.

Final side note: Some Giants fans have gotten too angry and irrational about Saquon Barkley. He didn’t force the team to draft him with the #2 pick in 2018. The team did that. If you want to be pissed at someone, be pissed at the team. They didn’t even listen to trade offers. That said, Barkley had one of the most incredible rookie seasons in NFL history despite playing on a terrible team. He’s been a class act and a good teammate. The injuries are out of his control. And despite it all, he’s still been the best player on offense since drafted. And he knows it. That’s where his contract frustration is coming from, and it is completely understandable. I’m not advocating for the team to give him a huge contract, but fans may want to cut out some of the hostility. He’s a good guy and one of the best players in the NFL.

FINAL DEPTH CHART: Saquon Barkley, Matt Breida, and Eric Gray (with Gary Brightwell and Jashaun Corbin being offered PS contracts).

Mar 072023
 
Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones, New York Giants (November 13, 2022)

Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

The New York Giants have agreed to contract terms with quarterback Daniel Jones shortly before the 4:00 PM deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition players. The NFL Network is reporting that the deal is a 4-year, $160 million contract with the potential to be worth an additional $35 million. $82 million in guaranteed money reportedly will be paid in the first two years of the deal. Unless re-signed or tagged, Jones would have been an unrestricted free agent on March 15.

With the Giants not needing to use their Franchise tag on Jones, they were able to designate running back Saquon Barkley as their non-exclusive Franchise player. As of this moment, Barkley would count $10.09 million against the 2023 cap. However, the Giants’ press release said that the team and Barkley are still negotiating on a long-term deal.

A non-exclusive franchise player must be offered a one-year contract for the average of the five largest prior year salaries for players at the position or 120 percent of his prior year salary, whichever is greater. A non-exclusive franchise player may negotiate with other NFL teams, but if he signs an offer sheet from another team, the original team has a right to match the terms of that offer, or if it does not match the offer and thus loses the player, is entitled to receive two first-round draft picks as compensation.

Jan 222023
 
Saquon Barkley, New York Giants (January 21, 2023)

Saquon Barkley – © USA TODAY Sports

COLTS INTERVIEW MIKE KAFKA…
The Indianapolis Colts announced that they completed their interview with New York Giants Offensive Coordinator Mike Kakfa for their head-coaching vacancy.

GIANTS SIGN 10 PLAYERS TO RESERVE/FUTURE CONTRACTS…
The New York Giants have signed 10 players to reserve/future contracts. All 10 players were on the team’s Practice Squad:

  • RB Jashaun Corbin
  • WR Jaydon Mickens
  • WR Kalil Pimpleton
  • WR Makai Polk
  • TE Dre Miller
  • OT Korey Cunningham
  • OT Devery Hamilton
  • DT Vernon Butler
  • CB Zyon Gilbert
  • S Trenton Thompson

The Giants signed OG Solomon Kindley to a reserve/future contract on January 11. He had also been on the Practice Squad.

The Athletic is reporting that OT Roy Mbaeteka turned down a reserve/future contract offer from the Giants. Mbaeteka, a Nigerian, has chosen to return to the International Pathway Program (IPP), which assures him of being on some team’s Practice Squad for three years. Mbaeteka, who was with the Giants in training camp, only spent part of the year on New York’s Practice Squad as a conventional Practice Squad player.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

  • QB Daniel Jones (Video)
  • RB Saquon Barkley (Video)
  • WR Isaiah Hodgins (Video)
  • WR Wan’Dale Robinson (Video)
  • LT Andrew Thomas (Video)
  • RT Evan Neal (Video)
  • DL Leonard Williams (Video)
  • OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (Video)
  • S Xavier McKinney (Video)
  • S Julian Love (Video)

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
General Manager Joe Schoen and Head Coach Brian Daboll will address the media on Monday.