Giants Country

New York Giants Free Agency Updates: Giants Still Not Done in Free Agency?

Follow along for everything you need to know about the Giants free agency activity, plus some select items on former Giants around the league and targets that were linked to the Giants.

Patricia Traina

New York Giants Free Agency Updates: Giants Still Not Done in Free Agency?
New York Giants Free Agency Updates: Giants Still Not Done in Free Agency? /

Keep it here at Giants Country as we'll be updating this article throughout the next several days with any news and reports of Giants free agency activity. (Newest entries will be at the top.)

March 29 -- NT Danny Shelton to Visit Giants Per Report

As NFL free agency shifts into the second wave, the New York Giants, who were busy in the first wave, apparently have no plans to slow down.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, free-agent nose tackle Danny Shelton has a visit planned with the Giants on Monday, despite Giants head coach Joe Judge being down in Miami for the Hurricanes pro day.

Oct 18, 2020; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Detroit Lions defensive tackle Danny Shelton (71) walks on the field before a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field / Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Shelton, 6'2", 345 pounds, was originally a first-round draft pick by Cleveland out of Washington in 2015. He was traded along with a 2018 fifth-round draft pick to the Patriots for a 2019 third-round pick. Shelton spent last season with the Detroit Lions after signing a two-year, $8 million contract, but he finished his season on injured reserve. The Lions activated him off IR on January 2, 2021, and then released him on March 16, 2021.

Shelton has started 72 out of 87 career games and has 247 total tackles, 16 tackles for a loss, 5.5 sacks, and 18 quarterback hits. If he lands with the Giants, he'd presumably take on some of the snaps that previously went to defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson, whom New York lost to the Vikings in free agency.

March 24 -- OLB Kyler Fackrell Signs With Chargers

As the second wave of free agency kicks into gear, the Giants, who have lost only defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson to another team (Vikings), have now lost outside linebacker Kyler Fackrell to the Chargers.

Fackrell signed with the Giants last year on a 1-year deal in which he reached $500,000 of play time incentives. However, he didn't hit double-digit sacks, and thus wasn't able to collect a performance bonus on that. Still, he tied for second most sacks (4.0) on the team.

March 24 -- Giants Continue Adding Depth

The Giants big free-agent spending spree is over, but there is still work to be done to add depth.

And that's precisely what they did in re-signing inside linebacker Devante Downs to what's believed to be a one-year deal worth at least half of the $2.133 million right of first refusal tender he would have received as a restricted free agent.

Downs, who began last year as the other starting inside linebacker alongside Blake Martinez, is also a valued special teams player who will compete for a roster spot. 

March 24 -- Rudolph Signed Delivered Despite Foot Ailment

Tight end Kyle Rudolph's crazy 24 hours have ended.

Rudolph, one of the newest Giants, had his two-year contract cast into jeopardy when his physical exam revealed a problem with his foot (the same one that cost him four games at the end of last season).

Fortunately for Rudolph, he and the Giants still agreed to enter the contract, and the 10-year veteran tight end is determined to get the recommended surgery on his foot as soon as possible, so he doesn't have to miss any football.

"It’s kind of a blessing that we’re able to find this issue," Rudolph told reporters Wednesday via a video conference call. "It was an issue from the season, we can fix it in March, and I won’t miss any football. I’m extremely excited to be a New York Giant and I feel like it’s a blessing that I’m able to deal with it now in March and not be a New York Giant and something that we deal with during the season."

Rudolph is believed to have a lisfranc injury similar to what tight end Evan Engram had in 2019. But don't expect Rudolph to sit around any longer and hope for things to get back to normal post-surgery.

"Like anything in life, I attack it head-on and I’ll attack this rehab process head-on and I look forward to being out there with my teammates when we start playing football."

March 24 - Giants Restructure Two Contracts

Considering the Giants started the pre-free agency period in the red, they sure have figured out how to get everything they needed (and perhaps wanted) to get done.

That includes restructuring the contracts of cornerback James Bradberry and inside linebacker Blake Martinez to clear $7.5 million in space in 2021.

The drawback, at least based on the information available, is that next year's cap space will be reduced by $7.5 million. That's because that $7.5 million, which came from converting portions of each player's base salary into a signing bonus, now prorates over the remaining life of both contracts.

But that might not matter, not if the cap does indeed rise due to the new media distribution rights recently negotiated and completed.

March 23 -- Giants Add to Defense, Special Teams

If you thought the Giants were done with free-agency spending, you thought wrong.

While the Giants are done with big-money signings, at least for now, general manager Dave Gettleman was still busy adding ancillary pieces to the roster, such as former Washington Football Team outside linebacker Ryan Anderson, who signed a one-year Veteran Salary Benefit contract.

Anderson will not only compete for a spot in the pass-rush rotation, but he can help out on special teams, an area that took a step backward for the Giants last season. Anderson recorded two tackles on special teams last year and has graded out with a 63 or higher mark from Pro Football Focus in the previous three seasons.

Defensively, Anderson is a situational pass rusher who figures to compete for a spot in the rotation. The Giants, mind you, haven't had an every-down pass rusher since the days of Jason Pierre-Paul, and it's still to be determined if one such player exists in this year's draft class. 

So it looks as though for the second year in a row, the Giants are going to rely on defensive coordinator Patrick Graham's scheme and a committee approach to generate a pass rush. 

March 22 - Giants Agree to Terms with Adoree' Jackson

The Giants have struck again.

New York welcomed in free-agent cornerback Adoree' Jackson, whom the Titans cut less than a week ago, to their facility, and by golly, they weren't about to let him get out of the building without locking him up to a new contract.

That's precisely what the Giants did, securing the Titans' first-round pick in the 2017 draft to a new three-year deal worth $39 million.

The acquisition gives the Giants an answer at cornerback No. 2, where they had looked at Corey Ballentine, Ryan Lewis, Isaac Yiadom, and Julian Love, all without any consistent success.

And with the Giants scheduled to have six picks in next month's draft, the addition of Jackson and receiver John Ross, both of who were once first-round picks, is like newfound picks for the Giants if they can keep them on the field and producing at a level that justifies their contracts.

In case there was any doubt, the Giants, who last year came close to winning a weak NFC East, are looking to put as much distance between themselves and the Cowboys, Eagles, and Football Team, all of whom have their share of problems. But will the Giants, who in 2014 and 2016 gave out free-agent contracts faster than that time Oprah gave away new cars, be able to find and sustain success for the long-term?

Stay tuned.

March 21 - Adoree' Jackson's Visit with Giants Underway

March 21 - Adoree' Jackson to Visit Giants Starting Sunday

Former Titans first-round pick Adoree' Jackson was due to visit the New York Giants beginning late Sunday afternoon.

Jackson, a cornerback whom the Titans cut earlier this year, was due to arrive in East Rutherford to undergo his COVID-19 test. If that comes back all-clear, he will go through a series of meetings with members of the organization.

Those meetings will also include a physical examination at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan and then sit-downs with head coach Joe Judge, defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson, and general manager Dave Gettleman.

Per ESPN's Jordan Schultz, the Giants, fresh off their signing of receiver Kenny Golladay to a blockbuster contract, have now prioritized getting Jackson signed to a deal. The Giants are believed to have enough cap space to fit Jackson in after getting the first year of Golladay's contract to just $4.5 million.

Safety Jabrill Peppers and slot cornerback Darnay Holmes are reportedly assisting with the recruitment of Jackson.

Jackson is coming off an injury-shortened season due to a knee ailment that limited him to just the final three regular-season games and the Wild Card matchup against Baltimore. 

Jackson, 5'11", 185 pounds, has been a solid cover cornerback. According to Ben Linsey of Pro Football Focus, Jackson, on passes 20+ yards downfield since 2017, has been targeted 51 targets with 14 receptions and 18 forced incompletions (2nd most in the NFL).

March 20 - Giants Reel in Kenny Golladay; Is Adoree' Jackson Next?

Considering the Giants got off to a slow start in free agency, general manager Dave Gettleman and company are sure making up for lost time.

The Giant closed the deal on receiver Kenny Golladay, the last of the top remaining free-agent receivers, who signed a four-year, $72 million deal to catch passes from Daniel Jones, a quarterback with whom Golladay expressed a desire to grow and mature as players.

But hey Giants fans, it's okay to be a little greedy, even after the team managed to sew up a deal for Leonard Williams earlier in the process and now Golladay. Up next on the Giants' free agent radar is former Titans cornerback Adoree' Jackson, a first-round draft pick in need of a fresh start.

But it sure does sound like the Giants have some competition for Jackson, as reports have the Cardinals, Chiefs, Eagles, and Rams all as having an interest in the Titans' cast-off.

Jackson was due to arrive in East Rutherford for a visit by Sunday. And if the Giants--who at this point have no doubt have to restructure a few contracts to create salary cap space--can somehow land the cornerback, they truly will be on easy street come the draft.

March 19 - Golladay's Visit With Giants Ends; "Went Well," Per Report

Free-agent receiver Kenny Golladay's visit with the New York Giants is over, per a report by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, who said the visit went well and there remains interest by the team.

Golladay's medical check and meetings with head coach Joe Judge, and general manager Dave Gettleman, were positive to where there remains interest in the receiver. 

So why no contract just yet? The most likely reason is that the Giants need to do some finagling of their cap while continuing negotiations with Golladay's agent, Todd France. 

Golladay is still in the Northern New Jersey area, for the time being, perhaps to give the Giants some time to work things out on their end with France. 

But unless something breaks later Friday evening, it looks as though this courtship is going to spill into the weekend before the outcome is known.

March 19 - Giants to Meet with CB Adoree' Jackson

Receiver, linebacker, running back, tight end, defensive line--one by one, the Giants have been working their way down the list of positions searching for upgrades. While we await news about the outcome of receiver Kenny Golladay's visit with the Giants, now comes word that cornerback is finally on the board.

Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported that former Titans first-round draft pick Adoree' Jackson, who was teammates with safety Logan Ryan, is scheduled to visit with the Giants.

The Giants are thought to be looking for a solid No. 2 cornerback to play opposite of James Bradberry, and Jackson certainly has the talent to fill that role.

However, much like the team is doing due diligence on Golladay amid reports that his time in Detroit didn't end well, the Giants are likely going to do the same with Jackson, released by the Titans earlier this off-season. 

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Terry McCormick, a longtime Titans beat writer who covers that team for Titans Insider, recently reported there were whispers about Jackson's attitude during his rehab from injury.

To provide some context into that, Jackson missed 13 games in 2020 due to a knee injury that, according to Justin Melo of Music City Miracles, was shrouded in some secrecy.

Adding to that, Titans general manager Jon Robinson, during a press conference earlier this year, had this to say, according to Mike Herndon, who also covers the Titans:

When it comes to injuries, we're talking a slippery slope as no one can tell for sure how another person is feeling. Considering the Titans replaced 25-year-old Jackson with 32-year-old former Giant cornerback Janoris Jenkins, it's not hard to see why there is some speculation by the Titans beat writers regarding what's behind Jackson's release.  

March 18 - Giants Sign ILB Reggie Ragland

The Giants are continuing to pile on the depth signings, and this latest one, inside linebacker Reggie Ragland, is interesting.

Ragland played his college ball at Alabama with Nick Saban (enter Joe Judge connection). He was a second-round pick by the Bills, but a torn ACL followed by his release saw him never play a down for them. 

After spending three years with the Chiefs, Ragland ended up with the Lions last year, where current Giants personnel man Kyle O'Brien worked for five seasons. 

But that's not what's so interesting. The interesting part is the Giants drafted four linebackers last year, two of whom can play inside (Tae Crowder and Carter Coughlin). 

Both youngsters flashed, but the Giants, who parted with Devante Downs and David Mayo, are apparently looking to push the youngsters a bit with some veteran competition.

Ragland, per a report, is signing a one-year veteran salary benefit deal. That means he won't count 100% toward the cap (his hit will be the same as a second-year player's base salary plus whatever additional bonuses he got so long as it doesn't exceed $90,000). 

If Ragland, who is a decent enough downhill thumper but who has had his share of adventures in coverage, doesn't prove to be an upgrade, the Giants can cut him with minimal dead money hitting their cap.

March 18 - Giants Adding TE Kyle Rudolph

The Giants are adding former Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph in what now makes for a very interesting scenario. But first, let's tackle the football angle (see what I did there?)

Rudolph still has a lot of good football left in him. A combination of a foot injury and the emergence of receivers Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen seemed to shift the tides a bit in Minnesota, who concluded that Rudolph was no longer worth the money.

With the Giants, he could become that solid and consistent pass receiving tight end that the Giants have yet to get out of Evan Engram. Combine that with finding a solid blocker from either Levine Toilolo or Kaden Smith (or a draft pick), and now suddenly, offensive coordinator Jason Garrett has what he needs to run a decent two-tight end set.

As for Evan Engram, despite the vote of confidence he received from head coach Joe Judge, if the Giants are to sign a top-shelf receiver such as Kenny Golladay, they're going to need cap space,,. What better way to free up $6 million and recoup at least one draft pick than to shop Engram to a tight end-needy team?

March 18 - Kenny's Coming to New Jersey (with a Twist)

Free-agent receiver Kenny Golladay was due to arrive in New Jersey Thursday afternoon. But there is a new twist to this story. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, Golladay met with the Bears Wednesday. Chicago, mind you, currently has receiver Allen Robinson on a franchise tag, making this revaluation rather interesting.

If Golladay were to sign with the Bears, would Chicago then rescind the tag from Robinson, freeing him up for the Giants (where his old weather experience would be a plus for the northeast-based Giants)? Would a trade for Evan Engram then be a possibility?

The plot thickens.

 March 18 - Oh, and This Also Happened

Leonard Williams will be on a conference call with reporters today. We'll have coverage of that on our Twitter account and we'll also have a write up after here on the site.

March 18 - Giants Add a New Backup Quarterback

Quarterback Colt McCoy was everything the Giants could have asked for in an understudy to starter Jones. Unfortunately, with the Giants looking to take the league's 31st ranked offense and scoring offense to newer heights, they are being proactive in ensuring that the backup to Jones can do what needs to be done.

Enter Mike Glennon, a journeyman quarterback who was most recently with the Jaguars. Once a third-round draft pick of the Bucs, Glennon offers a significant upgrade over McCoy: arm strength. Glennon has a cannon for an arm and has been known to make some fantastic throws deep down the field.

This is important for the Giants as it was lacking from the backup quarterback game last year. With the Giants looking to add speed to their receiving corps, they need quarterbacks to make all the throws with a consistent degree of accuracy. Jones could. McCoy, not so much.

Glennon, however, can at least based on his prior history. While the Giants hope they won't have to turn to Glennon--that would mean Jones is unavailable--they at least can sleep a little better in knowing that if they do have to call upon their backup quarterback, there shouldn't be that much of a drop-off to where they have to cut the deeper throws out of the game plan.  

March 18 - Giants Eyeing Another Edge Rusher?

The Giants are interested in outside linebacker Brandon Copeland, this per a report by Michael Rothstein of ESPN, who also reports that the Falcons are interested in Copeland.

Dec 29, 2019; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills running back Frank Gore (left) avoids the tackle attempt of New York Jets outside linebacker Brandon Copeland (51) during the second quarter at New Era Field / ich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Copeland, whom Rothstein said will visit the Giants, is 6'3, 263 pounds. He began his career in 2015 with the Lions, for whom he played two seasons. In 2018, he moved on to the Jets, where he spent two seasons before joining the Patriots last season.

Copeland, who is more of a situational player and special teamer, has appeared in 66 games with 18 starters. He has 119 total tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 19 quarterback hits, and seven sacks.

March 17 - Giants Add a Young, Ascending Pass Rusher

The Giants are slowly but surely filling in some of their most pressing needs, addressing edge rusher in the form of Ifeadi Odenigbo, whom the Giants signed from the Minnesota Vikings.

Odenigbo had two stints with the Vikings, the first of which didn't end well when the coaching staff tried to move him inside, a position that was not a fit. Notes Will Ragatz of Fan Nation's  Inside the Vikings: 

In 2020, Odenigbo's role changed significantly. With all of his top DE teammates from the prior season either in new places or injured, he became a full-time starter. After Yannick Ngakoue was traded, Odenigbo spent the rest of the season as essentially the Vikings' only NFL-caliber pass rusher. He led the team with 42 pressures (per PFF), including eight against the Jaguars in Week 13. No one else had more than 22. Despite Odenigbo's pressure and hurry rates improving on a larger sample size, he finished with just 3.5 sacks. A lot of that can be attributed to the fact that he saw the fifth-highest double-team rate of any edge rusher in the NFL.

Here is a snippet of what LockedOn Vikings host Luke Braun had to say about Odenigbo. (Note: The full interview and scouting overview by Luke will be available on the LockedOn Giants podcast Friday.

Odenigbo projects as a weak-side situational pass rusher and figures to compete with Oshane Ximines and Carter Coughlin. 

March 17 - Kenny Golladay to Make a Rare Free-Agent Visit to the Giants

Unfortunately, on the 16th anniversary of the Giants' signing of receiver Plaxico Burress, a big-bodied X-receiver who created nightmares for defenses, history isn't going to repeat itself.

But the good news is another big-bodied receiver capable of creating matchup nightmares, much like Burress did back in the day, could be on the horizon if things work out between the Giants and free agent Kenny Golladay of the Lions.

Golladay and the Giants have had a "steady communication" with each other since the league's legal negotiating window opened Monday. Golladay has reportedly been disappointed but not discouraged by how the market has shaped up for his services, though that comes as little surprise given the depth of receiver in the draft.

Regardless, Golladay, who has a one-year "prove it" offer on the table from the Bengals, remains interested enough in the Giants that he's agreed to come to East Rutherford for a visit that could happen before the end of the week. 

The purpose of the visit--a rare visit at that given the global pandemic is still in full effect--is to undergo a medical exam and to have a heart-to-heart with general manager Dave Gettleman and head coach Joe Judge, both of whom have carefully rebuilt the Giants locker room culture.

If everything checks out with the medical side of things and the Giants can come up with a better deal than the Bengals' reported one-year offer, the Giants will have finally found Plaxico 2.0 after over a decade of searching.  

March 17 - Giants Decline to Tender Two Restricted Free Agents

The Giants did not extend a tender offer to two of their restricted free agents. Inside linebacker Devante Downs and cornerback Ryan Lewis now become unrestricted free agents who are free to sign anywhere.

March 17 - Nate Solder's Deal is Done

Talk about a classic case of having your cake and eating it, too. The Giants found a way to save the $6 million they would have saved had they simply cut offensive tackle Nate Solder while salving some of the dead money.

New York and the veteran offensive tackle have agreed to a new deal. Solder's $9.9 million base salary was lowered to roughly $4 million (believed to include some play-time incentives should he beat out Matt Peart for the starting right tackle role). If Solder doesn't win the starting job, he will serve as the swing tackle.

Had the Giants cut Solder, they would have had to eat $10.5 million in dead money and pay for a swing tackle. 

March 17 - Giants Re-sign Long Snapper Casey Kreiter

The Giants signed long-snapper Casey Kreiter. Kreiter joined the team last year on April 1, 2020.   

Kreiter began hi NFL career in 2014 as an undrafted free agent with the Cowboys in 2014. He then moved to the Broncos in April 2016. In 2019, he was named to his first Pro Bowl.

March 17 - Giants Waiting Out Receiver Market

The Giants are still in need of a big-time receiver. However, the reason why they haven't rushed to get a deal done with any of the big names still on the market (e.g., Kenny Golladay, Juju Smith-Schuster, Curtis Samuel) isn't necessarily related to their cap space situation (which remains fluid, by the way).

Instead, the free-agent market for receivers has progressed at a snail's pace due to the abundance of top receiver talent in the 2021 draft class and the peace of mind it gives teams in knowing that they can potentially find a play-making receiver in the top three rounds without having to spend a small fortune.

The Giants, who have been linked in mock drafts to Alabama's Jaylen Waddle and Devonta Smith and LSU's Ja'Marr Chase, aren't necessarily locked into those options in the draft. However, if one should fall to them at No. 11, it would be hard to envision them passing up the player.

But the Giants' goal is simple. They do not want to overspend on a receiver, not with edge rusher still a need, and certainly not with some big contract decisions looking on the horizon (Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley, and Dexter Lawrence can all seek contract extensions as of next year while Jabrill Peppers and Evan Engram will be free agents after this season).

And their approach--being patient--is completely practical, not just because of how the market shaped up but also given their own delicate salary cap situation.

March 16 - NFL Insider Has Doubts Regarding How Serious Giants Are About Kenny Golladay

The Giants need a No. 1 receiver in the worst way, but NFL insider Albert Breer of SI.com's MMQB doesn't think that it will be Detroit's Kenny Golladay.

As you can see from Breer's tweet, he doesn't go into detail as to why things didn't end great in Detroit for Golladay (though in a follow-up tweet, Breer emphasized that he wasn't pointing any fingers at Golladay but merely was pointing out how things "went sideways" during the receiver's final season there).

March 16 - Giants Reportedly Had Interest in Floyd, Henry

Remember how yesterday, ESPN reported that the Giants had an interest in Rams pass rusher Leonard Floyd? Well, according to a new ESPN report, the Giants made a hard push for Floyd only to lose out on him a second time (they first lost out on him when the Bears jumped ahead of them in the draft order to swipe Floyd out from under their noses).

Floyd re-signed with the Rams on a four-year, $64 million deal, leaving the Giants to continue their search for a pass rusher.

But Floyd apparently wasn't the only player the Giants missed out on. ESPN also reports the team was "in the mix" for tight end Hunter Henry, who ultimately signed with the New England Patriots.

That last nugget is interesting because the Giants recently restructured Levine Toilolo, and they have both Evan Engram and Kaden Smith under contact. Engram is entering the option year of his rookie deal, and there have been some of the opinion that the Giants should look to trade him.

The interest in Henry could also provide some insight into how the Giants potentially see the first round in next month's draft taking shape. Florida tight end Kyle Pitts is said to be the best tight end prospect on the board, so perhaps the Giants, who hold the 11th overall pick, fear they won't have a chance at Pitts and wanted to make sure they got themselves a legitimate play-making tight end in free agency.

We'll never know.

March 16 - Giants Get it Done With Leonard Williams

After beginning the second day of the pre-free agency negotiating period far apart with defensive lineman Leonard Williams, the two sides ended their impasse and agreed on a new three-year deal worth $63 million with $45 million fully guaranteed.

The contract, which lowers Williams' cap hit to $11 million in the first year, gave the Giants some much-needed breathing room to the tune of just over $8 million. With that money, the Giants added former Bengals wide receiver John Ross on a one-year, $2.5 million "show me" deal and fullback/special teams player Cullen Gillaspia.

Unfortunately for the Giants, Williams' deal does come too late for them to potentially get Dalvin Tomlinson back in the fold. But the good news is that with the wide receiver market being lukewarm that perhaps the Giants might be able to compete for Kenny Golladay. 

Golladay has been linked to New York as a potential player of interest but whose initial price tag is believed to have been outside of the Giants' range.

March 16 - Giants, Leonard Williams Still Not Close on New Deal

The official start of free agency is still a day away. Still, with numerous teams around the league taking advantage of the open negotiating window, the Giants, who per Over the Cap began the day with just $271,994 of cap space, have been hamstrung by their inability to get a long-term deal done with defensive lineman Leonard Williams, on whom they placed the franchise tag.

That's per a report from the NFL Network's Mike Garafolo (h/t MysortsUpdate), who reports that while the Giants want to get things done with Williams, there isn't much progress because Williams is reportedly asking for "a lot more" per year than $19 million cost of his tag.

General manager Dave Gettleman always likes to say that contracts get done when they get done. However,r the longer this goes on, the less likely the Giants will be able to fill at least one major need. 

March 16 - Giants Eyeing Cordarrelle Patterson? Things have been quiet for the Giants thus far on Day 2 of the free agency negotiating period, but ESPN suggests that the team could be eyeing Bears WR/RB/KR Cordarrelle Patterson.

Interestingly, last year before the Giants Week 2 game against the Bears, Giants head coach Joe Judge openly gushed about the 6'2", 220-pound Patterson, whom he had in New England in 2018.

"Patterson is one of the best to ever play the game as a kick returner. Simply put, this guy is someone that you’ll read about in history books," Judge said last year.

"When you play against this guy, everybody on the field better be aware of where he’s at, whether that’s offense or on special teams," he continued.

“He’s done a tremendous job covering kicks. I’ve had personal experience with CP from my days somewhere else. He’s just a pleasure to coach, he’s a fun competitor to be around. He’s just good for the locker room.”

There's no question the Giants return game can use a boost, but Patterson would bring so much more than that. He has a career average of 9.7 yards per reception and has otherwise been a durable player, missing just one game in his career.

While not necessarily the No. 1 receiver the Giants desperately need, Patterson would undoubtedly be an excellent depth signing if the Giants can afford him.

March 15 - Giants Lose Dalvin Tomlinson to Vikings

The Giants were hoping to retain free agent defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson, but in the end, the lack of available money coupled with a two-year deal worth $22 million from the Minnesota Vikings proved to be too steep for the Giants to match at this time.

Tomlinson becomes the latest in a long line of Giants defensive tackles to walk out the door and the second one since Linval Joseph in 2014 to head to the Minnesota Vikings. 

Earlier in the day word came out that the Giants re-signed Austin Johnson to a new contract worth more than what he signed or the previous year. That contract's numbers seemed to foreshadow Tomlinson's departure.   

March 15 - Giants Officially on the Board

The Giants have agreed to terms with running back Devontae Booker on a two-year contract worth up to $6 million, per a report. Booker, 5'11", 219 pounds, spent the first four years of his career with the Denver Broncos before signing with the Las Vegas Raiders last season.

Booker has appeared in 77 games with seven starts and has rushed for 382 yards on 382 carries and nine touchdowns. He's also caught 122 out of 164 pass targets for 956 yards and one touchdown and has experience as a kickoff returner, having returned 30 kickoffs for 626 yards (20.9 average)

Booker replaces both Wayne Gallman and Dion Lewis, two unrestricted free agents. Booker will backup Saquon Barkley and will presumably get a chance to compete for the team's kickoff return role.

March 15 - Giants Reportedly Had Eye on Pass Rusher 

The Giants were reportedly courting free agent edge rusher Leonard Floyd according to ESPN's Dianna Russini. 

Jan 16, 2021; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Los Angeles Rams linebacker Leonard Floyd (54) tackles Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones (33) during the first half of a NFC Divisional Round playoff game at Lambeau Field / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

However, Floyd, once the apple of the Giants eye in the 2016 draft, has re-signed with the Rams on a four-year, $64 million deal according to Russini's colleague, Adam Schefter.

March 15 - Nate Ebner Eyes Olympics

Giants safety/special teams player Nate Ebner, who has a history as a rugby player, is trying out for the National Rugby Team.

As a member of the U.S. National Rugby Team in 2016, Ebner participated in the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Rio.

Ebner joins approximately 30 players trying out for the 12 spots on the U.S. team that will be coached by Mike Friday. 

That 12-member team will compete in the XXXII Olympiad set to begin July 23 in Tokyo after having been postponed from last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

March 15 - Giants Get on the Board

Well sort of. The Giants re-signed one of their own, defensive tackle Austin Johnson, who first came to the team last year on a one-year deal. Johnson is a solid run-stuffing defender who figures to provide depth if the team loses Dalvin Tomlinson in free agency.

Johnson recorded 18 tackles (eight solo), two tackles for a loss, one forced fumble and a sack last year in 231 rotational snaps on the Giants defensive line, a 5.2 run-stop percentage per Pro Football Focus.

March 15 - Cap Space Musing

Just spitballing here, but maybe once the Giants get a long-term deal done with Leonard Williams and finalize Nate Solder's cap number (hopefully both before the start of free agency), perhaps that's why there has been nothing substantial to come out of the Giants camp so far?

After all, wouldn't it stand to reason that until they know what kind of space they have from those two deals, that the Giants can't proceed to the next step?

But getting back to Williams, while there is no proof of this being the case, it's certainly fair to wonder if one of the holdups in the deal getting done is the unresolved grievance he has against the Giants.

Leonard Williams at Giants practice.
Leonard Williams / Giants.com

Last year Williams' presentation filed a grievance arguing he should be paid like a defensive end. The Giants, however, argued that Williams is a defensive tackle. (Per Pro Football Focus, Williams played the majority of his snaps at defensive tackle, and the criteria for determining how a player should be classified does boil down to where he plays the majority of his snaps the year prior).

The cost difference comes to about $2 million as far as the tag is concerned, but it could be potentially more on the APY for a new contract.

If this grievance doesn't get resolved soon, perhaps the Giants and Williams will look to split the difference so they can get on with business. Eventually, all the details will unwind.

March 16 - Giants Eyeing Cordarrelle Patterson? Things have been quiet for the Giants thus far on Day 2 of the free agency negotiating period, but ESPN suggests that the team could be eyeing Bears WR/RB/KR Cordarrelle Patterson.

Interestingly, last year before the Giants Week 2 game against the Bears, Giants head coach Joe Judge openly gushed about the 6'2", 220-pound Patterson, whom he had in New England in 2018.

Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

"Patterson is one of the best to ever play the game as a kick returner. Simply put, this guy is someone that you’ll read about in history books," Judge said last year.

"When you play against this guy, everybody on the field better be aware of where he’s at, whether that’s offense or on special teams," he continued.

“He’s done a tremendous job covering kicks. I’ve had personal experience with CP from my days somewhere else. He’s just a pleasure to coach, he’s a fun competitor to be around. He’s just good for the locker room.”

There's no question the Giants return game can use a boost, but Patterson would bring so much more than that. He has a career average of 9.7 yards per reception and has otherwise been a durable player, missing just one game in his career.

While not necessarily the No. 1 receiver the Giants desperately need, Patterson would undoubtedly be an excellent depth signing if the Giants can afford him.

March 15 - Golladay "Being Patient"

Projected Giants free agent target Kenny Golladay, the Lions wide receiver, told Josina Anderson that he's being patient and "enjoying the process" as he goes through free agency for the first time in his career. 

It's not clear if Golladay, believed to be one of the top receivers on the market, has received any offers just yet, but either way, it will be interesting to see if his new deal's APY matches the projected APY by Spotrac ($17 million).  

March 15 - Ex-Giants Faring Well So Far

On this first day of the legal negotiating window, all’s quiet on the Giants front, but on the former Giants front, things are off to a fast start.

Outside linebacker Markus Golden, who started his career with Arizona before signing as a free agent with the Giants in 2019 and then again in 2020 before being traded to Arizona last year for a sixth-round draft pick, has a two-year agreement in place to return to the Cardinals.

Golden's return would appear to cast some doubt about whether the team will seek to retain edge rusher Haason Reddick, who famously had five sacks last year against a young Giants offensive line trying to protect an immobile quarterback.

Reddick has been mentioned as a possible Giants target for the defense.

And speaking of edge rushers, the big winner of the day, at least so far, is former Giants edge rusher Romeo Okwara, whom the Giants cut coming out of 2018 training camp.

Okwara found new life with the Detroit Lions, for whom he has posted 19.0 sacks in three seasons, including a career-high ten last year.

Okwara agreed to terms on a three-year deal worth $39 million with the Lions—not bad for an undrafted free agent.

And in case you missed it, earlier today, guard Kevin Zeitler, whom the Giants cut last week, signed a new three-year deal with the Ravens worth a reported $22.5 million with $16 million guarantees. Zeitler's new deal also includes an $8.925 million signing bonus and his 2021 base salary is $1.075 million.

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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