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[New York Giants]

NY Giants 2026 NFL Draft scouting report: Sam Roush, TE, Stanford

Stanford tight end Sam Roush runs with the ball after making a catch against Cal. | Getty Images

The New York Giants are undergoing an overhaul on both sides of the ball in 2026 and beyond. And while we can guess at what it will look like, we don’t know for sure what the new regime has planned.

One of the constants for both new head coach John Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy has been good tight end play. The Giants have talented tight ends, however the play from them has been uneven.

Staford tight end Sam Roush has been very consistent in the face of poor quarterback play and is also a Pro Ready blocker. Could he be an option if the value is right and the Giants decide to move on from Daniel Bellinger?

Prospect: Sam Roush (86)
Games Watched: vs. Pitt (2025), vs. Miami (2025), vs. Cal (2025)
Red Flags: none

Measurables​

Height: 6-foot 5⅝
Weight: 259
Arm length: 31
Hand size: 9 ¾ inches

Strengths​

Best traits

• Blocking
• Play strength
• Competitive toughness
• Pass catching
• Football IQ

Roush is a big, powerful, athletic, and well-rounded tight end with a near prototypical blend of size, speed, and play strength.

Roush is a classic “Y” tight end who’s almost tailor built to be an in-line tight end is already an excellent blocker. He plays with great leverage and technique, allowing him to drive defensive backs and most off-ball linebackers off the line of scrimmage. He also has the play strength to “lose with dignity” or even stalemate edge defenders as a run blocker or pass protector.

He’s a relatively capable route runner and executes a fairly diverse route tree in Stanford’s offense. Roush is a dependable catcher of the ball who does an excellent job of locating and tracking the ball, framing the catch, and securing the pass before turning upfield. He has enough long speed to threaten defenses vertically up the seam and is typically efficient in his releases and route stems.

Roush is a smart pass catcher who understands route concepts and how to play without the ball, as well as how to find voids in zone coverage and make himself available in scramble drills. Those traits combine to make him an effective weapon as well as a reliable checkdown option.

Weaknesses​

Worst traits

• Agility
• Change of direction
• Arm length

Roush is a well-rounded tight end prospect, though he has a couple issues in his profile.

First and foremost, he has limited agility and change of direction skills. Roush has a tendency to round off his breaks which can make it easier for defenders to stay in phase, particularly on short and sharply breaking routes. Likewise, it can make it a bit difficult for him to turn upfield after working back to the ball, or foul his accuracy when blocking smaller defenders in space. He simply won’t be confused with more athletic “hybrid” tight ends who can move more like receivers.

Roush also has short (31-inch) arms which impact him as a receiver and as (potentially) as a blocker. He has a relatively big catch radius by virtue of his height, however it isn’t nearly as big as it would be if he had long arms with which to extend and pluck the ball out of the air. Likewise, Roush may not be quite as effective a blocker against longer-limbed defenders at the NFL level. He’ll have a more difficult time establishing inside leverage and controlling defenders if he isn’t able to get his hands on them first.

Game Tape​

(Roush is the Stanford tight end wearing number 86)

Projection​

Sam Roush projects as a classic “Y” tight end at the NFL level. Whether or not he has starting upside or is regarded as a very good blocking TE2 with pass catching upside will likely depend on the needs of the team evaluating him, as well as his athletic testing.

Teams looking for a hybrid tight end will want to look elsewhere. Likewise, 11-personnel teams that want a big, athletic “matchup nightmare” might move down their boards as well. That said, Roush should become a good, reliable option, with the upside to start for whichever team selects him.

Does he fit the Giants? Yes

Final Word: A Day 2 value who could slip to Day 3

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...l-draft-scouting-report-sam-roush-te-stanford

 

[New York Giants]

NFL mock draft 2026: Cynthia Frelund gives NY Giants surprise selection

Jermod McCoy | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

NFL mock drafts become boring and repetitive after a while, especially for a team like the New York Giants that is selecting early in the first round. Again and again, the group-think focuses on the same players.

That is why mock drafts from NFL Network analytics expert Cynthia Frelund can be refreshing. She uses a data-driven model to project picks based on which players will help teams win the most games in the upcoming season. Her results are often outside the mainstream of traditional mock drafts.

Frelund’s pick for the Giants in her first mock draft of 2026 is such an example.

Wide receiver? No. Offensive line? No? Safety Caleb Downs? No. Edge defender or linebacker? No.

Frelund selected a cornerback. And, she did not select the cornerback most analysts have rated as the No. 1 cornerback in the 2026 draft class, Mansoor Delane of LSU.

Frelund’s choice for John Harbaugh and Dennard Wilson’s defense? Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy.

Frelund writes:

McCoy tore his ACL in January 2025 (he missed all of last season), so we’ll have to see how his medical evaluations turn out during the draft process (including at the NFL Scouting Combine). But my model loves his potential and upside: He has the highest rating for a true press corner in this year’s class. Also, at just 20 years old, he’s two years younger than my No. 2 rated corner, Mansoor Delane.

Valentine’s View​

I LOVE this pick. I fully understand why Delane will likely be selected before McCoy — it’s tough to sell selecting a player who did not play in 2025 due to an ACL injury at No. 5.

Watch the 2024 tape of McCoy. He is an aggressive press-man cornerback with ball skills, the ability to run and mirror, and some attitude.

Here is a video scouting report:

Everything with McCoy, of course, depends upon his recovery from the ACL injury.

Here is a scouting report on McCoy including some thoughts from former Big Blue View contributor Joe DeLeone, now a college football analyst:

The It-Factor: “If my grading ended today on him I would have a blue chip grade on Jermod McCoy… this is a top 10 pick all day in my opinion if healthy… He’s a turnover creator.” ~ Joe DeLeone

McCoy’s Versatility: “Defenses with varying schemes, particularly those emphasizing zone patterns, highlight his football IQ and spatial awareness, he can process information quickly and anticipate plays.” ~ NFL Scout

Coaching Staff View On Rehab: “He’s handled it really well from the very beginning. Just his mindset and how he’s approached every single day… He’s done an elite job throughout his rehab.” ~ HC Josh Heupel

“The most competitive in the room, I can honestly say, he’s itching to do whatever it takes.” ~ DB Coach Willie Martinez

Pro Comp: “Jermod McCoy is magnetic in coverage… My pro comparison for Jermod McCoy is Pittsburgh Steelers [former Detroit Lions] cornerback Darius Slay… Slay earlier in his career was a guy who played more press coverage, had the high-end ball skills and athletic traits.” ~ Joe DeLeone

I absolutely get why this would be an unlikely selection. Still, I think McCoy is a potentially electric player who has the right skill set to play in the aggressive defense the Giants seem likely to deploy.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...raft-jermod-mccoy-tennesseee-cb-no-5-torn-acl

 

[New York Giants]

NY Giants 2026 NFL Draft scouting report: Keith Abney II, CB, Arizona State

Arizona State cornerback Keith Abney II intercepts a pass against West Virginia. | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Cornerback is a premium position in the NFL draft, not just because of the rare athleticism necessary to be elite, but the impact that a great corner can have on every play.

The New York Giants need to get better play from their secondary in 2026 than they did in 2025. A big part of that is expected to come from improved accountability and coaching, to get the players already on the roster playing up to expectations. But even so, they could still have a need at cornerback which they could turn to the 2026 NFL Draft to fill.

Abney might not go until the second day of the draft but he could become a starter for the right team. Could the Giants fall in love with Abney’s physicality and competitiveness?

Prospect: Keith Abney II
Games Watched: vs. Baylor (2025), vs. TCU (2025), vs. Texas Tech (2025)
Red Flags: none

Measurables​

Height: 6-foot (unofficial)
Weight: 200 pounds (unofficial)

Strengths​

Best traits

• Competitive toughness
• Disruptiveness at the catch point
• Ball skills
• Versatility

Abney II is a versatile cornerback prospect with a good blend of size and athleticism for the position.

He has experience lining up on both the left and right sides of the defense, as well as following receivers into the slot. Likewise, Abney is experienced in zone and both off and press-man coverages. He’s a relatively easy mover in space and transitions from his backpedal to running with receivers, or breaking on the ball, relatively fluidly. He has enough speed to carry receivers vertically or to have solid range when making plays in off coverage.

Abney is a very physical and competitive cornerback, and is utterly unafraid to mix it up in tight coverage, attack the catch point, or get his hands dirty in run support. He excels in attacking receivers hands at the catch point and saw a significant jump in ball production this year with 12 passes defensed in addition to a pair of interceptions.

He’s at his best in off-man, zone, and zone with pattern matching rules applied. That allows him to use his processing and physicality to disrupt the pass without being at risk for pass interference calls. His size and closing burst also allow him to make plays on the ball around receivers.

Finally, Abney is a willing tackler who brings his arms to wrap up and get ball carriers on the ground. He isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty taking on blockers or making tackles in run support.

Weaknesses​

Worst traits

• Press-man coverage
• Discipline in hand usage

Abney has a couple limitations in his profile that could stop him from becoming a “CB1” at the NFL level.

Most notably, he lacks elite athleticism for his position. Abney is a good athlete and a smooth mover for his size, but doesn’t quite have the oily hips and electric twitchiness that typifies top-flight corners. That feeds into the other major limitation in his game, though this is one he can work on with NFL coaching.

Abney’s competitiveness, physicality, and slight athletic limitations combine to make him rather “grabby” at the top of routes. He can have a tendency to be overly physical too early in the rep, and while college rules give more latitude to physical coverage, he could be prone to defensive pass interference calls at the NFL level. He’ll need to learn how to play with a light and when to be physical to avoid hurting his own defense. Improvements in technique, such as being more efficient with his turns in coverage, can help allow him to play tight without crossing over into interference territory.

Game Tape​

(Abney is the Arizona State cornerback wearing number 1 with white sleeves on both arms.)

Projection​

Abney projects as a CB2 or high-end CB3 at the NFL level.

He shouldn’t be drafted into a defense that’s built on Cover 1 schemes, nor expected to be an elite “shutdown” corner who follows teams’ top receiver and is expected to take them out of the game. Teams that are looking for elite athletes will want to look elsewhere.

Abney’s versatility, competitiveness, and physicality should earn him plenty of fans among the NFL’s various coaching staffs. Likewise, he has enough athleticism to match up with most receivers in the cover schemes most often played at the NFL level and should be a good pickup somewhere on the second day of the draft.

Does he fit the Giants? Possibly, depending on scheme

Final Word: A second round value

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/nfl-dra...outing-report-keith-abney-ii-cb-arizona-state

 

[New York Giants]

Survey results: NY Giants fans don’t want another Patriots Super Bowl victory

The Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots helmets on the field prior to Super Bowl LX | Getty Images

There’s one more game left to play of the 2025-2026 NFL Season, and the Seattle Seahawks will take on the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX.

The NY Giants have connections to both of these teams. On the Seattle side, there are a couple recent former Giants in defensive lineman Leonard Williams, safety Julian Love, and quarterback Drew Lock. The Seahawks are also quarterbacked by Sam Darnold, who the Giants passed up at No. 2 overall in 2018 in favor of Saquon Barkley. The last time the Seahawks made the Super Bowl, they were quarterbacked by Giants’ 2025 starter Russell Wilson.

The history on the other side is readily apparent. Ther is, of course, the enduring New York – Boston rivalry that spans every sport in which the two cities have a presence. The Giants and Patriots aren’t regular opponents like the Yankees and Red Sox, though they do play eveery preseason. However, the regular season games between these two teams tend to be great and the championship throwdowns have been legendary. The Patriots are also the new home of former Giants’ quarterback Tommy DeVito, who is still a fan favorite.

But an affinity for DeVito isn’t enough to tilt Giants’ fans rooting interest the Patriots, and Giants fans are pulling for Seattle at an overwhelming rate.

Giants fans voted for the Seahawks at an even higher rate than the national average, though only just higher. At the national level, 83% of fans voted that they want the Seahawks to win.

That isn’t much of a surprise. Pretty much every Giants fan — every non-Patriots — fan I’ve talked to has said something along the lines of “It’s too soon for the Pats to win again. They need a couple decades of mediocrity after the 2000’s and 2010’s.”

The Vegas line is predicting a much closer game than one fans want to see. The Seahawks are just 4.5-point favorites on FanDuel.

The Giants, meanwhile, are more concerned with building a machine that can get consistently put them in contention for The Big Game. The foundation for that will be Jaxson Dart and John Harbaugh, but the cornerstones on top of them are the Giants’ coordinator hires. And since we finally have the hires — Matt Nagy at offensive coordinator, and Dennard Wilson at defensive coordinator — we can finally ask the community how you feel about them.

Overall, the feeling is one best described as “cautiously optimistic”.

Taken as a whole, 55% of fans are optimistic about the hires. They likely feel good about the fact that Nagy was able to get Mitchell Trubisky to the playoffs twice, and he could do far better with Dart and only having to worry about the offense.

On the defensive side, what Wilson wanted to do with the Tennessee Titans defense was promising and fits the Giants’ personnel better than Shane Bowen’s scheme. That makes sense, given that Wilson also comes from the “Baltimore” school of defensive philosophy and the Giants are still built in Wink Martindale’s image.

It’s encouraging, and a sign of renewed hope around the fanbase, that only 2% of respondents are actually down on the hires.

Of course, the announcement of both hires was met with immediate skepticism as neither were fans’ first choices. Many fans are also trusting Harbaugh’s track record of hiring good coaches and building a culture. And that’s where the “cautious” part comes in, and nearly half of fans want to see how things develop before passing judgement.

How this all comes together over the course of free agency, the draft, and the offseason program will be fascinating — and hopefully fun — to watch.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/super-b...dont-want-another-patriots-super-bowl-victory

 

[New York Giants]

NY Giants free agents 2026: Jermaine Eluemunor decision will be telling

Jermaine Eluemunor | Getty Images

John Harbaugh understands the assignment when it comes to competing in the NFC East. During a recent interview, the New York Giants head coach said building a team that can compete with the two-time division champion Philadelphia Eagles must be a priority.

“The Eagles are the champs. So, we have to build a team to beat the Eagles. Everything we do, every practice we have, every every film session will be with that in mind. I mean, you better do it or you have no chance …

“It starts up front because they’re so good up front on both sides. I mean, you build better build an offensive line all across the board. I mean, especially interior offensive line that can handle those monsters that they have playing up front. Okay, that’s where it starts.”

Which brings us to one of the biggest free agency decisions Harbaugh and the Giants have to make this offseason — whether or not to retain veteran right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor.

Reasons to keep Eluemunor​

Eluemunor is a good offensive lineman coming off the best season of his career. Unless you have a solid plan to replace him that you are sure you can execute, letting a player like that go might not be the way to prove you are serious about building “all across the board” offensive line.

Eluemunor, 31, started his career with Harbaugh in 2017 when the Baltimore Ravens made him a fifth-round pick. It took him until 2022 with the Las Vegas Raiders to become a full-time starting right tackle, and his play has continued to ascend. He played a career-high 1,088 snaps in 2025, had a career-best Pro Football and Sports Network Impact Score of 79.1, and his 98.0 Pro Football Focus pass blocking efficiency score with just 19 pressures allowed were both career-best marks as a full-time starter.

Keeping Eluemunor would allow the Giants to perhaps look at 2025 fifth-round pick Marcus Mbow as an option at guard, where Greg Van Roten is a free agent who will be 36 next season and Jon Runyan Jr. could be a cap casualty.

Keeping Eluemunor would also allow the Giants to focus their resources on other needs early in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Reasons to let him go​

Is Eluemunor simply a product of former Giants offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo? Since being traded from the Ravens to the New England Patriots in 2019, Eluemunor has always been coached by Bricillo. Can he succeed following Mike Bloomgren’s teachings? Probably, but it is still a consideration.

Perhaps the Giants believe Mbow, who has mixed success in 2025 and only a 92.6 pass blocking efficiency score with 26 pressures allowed in 209 pass blocking snaps, can be their right tackle. Perhaps they look at draft prospects Spencer Fano of Utah and Francis Mauigoa of Miami, both right tackles, and see players they don’t want to pass on.

Money is, of course, a factor. Eluemunor is coming off a two-year, $14 million contract with the Giants. He likely looks at this as the best chance he will ever have to cash in a big payday.

Spotrac isn’t sure Eluemunor will find the market he is hoping for, projecting a modest bump for him to a two-year, $17.3 million deal, roughly $8.6 million per year. If the bidding for Eluemunor gets into the $10-12 million per year range, maybe the Giants will see that as too rich. After all, you could make the case that the 2025 season could be Eluemunor’s ceiling as a player, and that paying him big money would not be a wise investment.

The verdict​

Re-sign.

Provided, of course, the free agent bidding doesn’t take the price to an exorbitant place.

I like Mbow, but in my view he did not show enough in 2025 to remove a quality veteran and hand him a starting job. In terms of the draft, re-signing Eluemunor allows the Giants to focus on another position at No. 5. Even if the Giants did sign Eluemunor and still want to use the fifth overall pick on an offensive lineman, scouts believe Mauigoa, who I personally like more than Fano, might be a better guard. The Giants could start him at guard as a rookie, get his feet wet, then make a decision about whether or not to move him outside.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...-mbow-nfl-draft-john-harbaugh-carmen-bricillo

 

[New York Giants]

NY Giants news: Veteran linebackers coach added to John Harbaugh’s staff

Frank Bush | Getty Images

The New York Giants are continuing to fill out John Harbaugh’s coaching staff, reportedly adding veteran linebackers coach Frank Bush.

Bush, 63, has been working in the NFL since 1987 when he became a college scout for the Houston Oilers. He began coaching Oilers’ linebackers in 1993. He spent the last two seasons working as linebackers coach for the Tennessee Titans, where Giants defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson was running the defense. Bush and Wilson also worked together with the New York Jets in 2019 and 2020.

Bush has spent most of that time coaching linebackers, but was also defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans in 2009 and 2010, and interim defensive coordinator for the Jets in 2020. Bush has worked for the Titans twice, Texans, Houston Oilers, Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis and Los Angeles Rams, Jets, Miami Dolphins, and Atlanta Falcons.

As Harbaugh continues to fill out his coaching staff, the Giants are waiting to learn if they will lose outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen. The Arizona Cardinals and Cleveland Browns have both requested interviews with Bullen for their defensive coordinator vacancies.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...inebackers-coach-john-harbaugh-dennard-wilson

 

[JJ]

LOL oh man the Giants are really going all in on this rebuild huh? Look I gotta be honest as a Bills fan watching from the outside - Harbaugh was a solid hire and I actually think the McCoy pick Frelund is suggesting could be GENIUS if the kid's knee checks out. Press corners who can actually play man coverage are worth their weight in gold in today's NFL. Yeah he missed 2025 but he's only 20 years old! That's insane.

The Eluemunor decision is interesting though. You guys gotta keep him. I don't care what anyone says - you don't just let a guy walk who had his best season at 31 and already has chemistry with your organization. The Giants offensive line has been a disaster for YEARS and now you're finally getting some stability there? Don't overthink it. Pay the man something reasonable and move on.

Also gotta laugh at the survey results - 90% of Giants fans rooting against the Pats I mean OBVIOUSLY. As a Bills fan I'm right there with you. Those jerks tortured us for two decades straight. Let them suffer in mediocrity for a while before they get another ring. Seattle better handle business.

The Bush hire makes sense too - continuity with Wilson from Tennessee. Harbaugh clearly has a plan here and he's executing it methodically. That's what good coaches do.

Now if only Josh Allen could get some of this organizational competence in Buffalo... we're still waiting on our Super Bowl over here

 

[New York Giants]

NFL free agency 2026: NY Giants’ DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches has uncertain future

Rakeem Nunez-Roches | Getty Images

The New York Giants need to get better and deeper along the interior of their defensive line. Is veteran Rakeem Nunez-Roches part of the solution?

Reasons to keep Nunez-Roches​

The 32-year-old Nunez-Roches, nicknamed ‘Nacho’, is a gregarious, fun-loving, always smiling 11-year veteran. He has 5.5 of his 9.0 career quarterback sacks with the Giants over the past three seasons. Injuries limited Nunez-Roches to nine games in 2025, but he had a career-best 3.0 sacks.

Nunez-Roches played a career-high 610 snaps for the Giants in 2024.

The view here is that ‘Nacho’ is an adequate rotational player when not relied upon to play a heavy volume of snaps, which was too often the case with the Giants the past three seasons.

Reasons to let Nunez-Roches go​

Has Nunez-Roches been part of the reason the Giants have struggled against the run the past three seasons? The best the Giants have done in yards allowed per rushing attempt is to finish 24th in the NFL.

Pro Football is not the be-all and end-all of judging performance. It can, though, give you patterns. The Giants signed Nunez-Roches to a three-year deal in 2023 , largely on the belief that ‘Nacho’ would bolster the run defense. In his three seasons, Nunez-Roches has produced the three worst run defense grades of his career, 43.8 in 2023, 48.9 in 2024 and 50.2 in 2025.

Nunez-Roches will be 33 next season. At some point, being a great guy who tries hard just isn’t enough.

Verdict​

Let him go.

Spotrac estimates a market value of $9.48 million over two years, roughly $4.7 million per year. That isn’t a ton of money when the salary cap will be above $300 million, but it probably is money the Giants could allocate elsewhere.

Nunez-Roches is serviceable. I would like to see the Giants try to find an upgrade.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...eem-nunez-roches-keep-let-go-defensive-tackle

 

[New York Giants]

NY Giants 2026 NFL Draft scouting report: Tim Keenan III, iDL, Alabama

Alabama nose tackle Tim Keenan III celebrates after a play. | Getty Images

NFL defenses are in a curious, and difficult, spot in 2026.

Offense are increasingly sophisticated and explosive, weaponizing every aspect of play design to move the ball and score points. In a response to explosive passing attacks, NFL defenses have shifted to two-deep coverages, but that in turn has led to a renaissance for rushing attacks.

Could that mean run defense specialists will see their draft stock rise? Players like nose tackle Tim Keenan III of Alabama certainly hope so.

The New York Giants, on the other hand, could be hoping that the stock of players like Keenan III stays depressed. They could certainly use a defensive tackle like him, but would much rather use a later pick. So which will it be? And could Keenan III be on the Giants radar?

Prospect: Tim Keenan III (96)
Games Watched: vs. Vanderbilt (2024), vs. Tennessee (2024), vs. South Carolina (2025)
Red Flags: “Lower leg” (required Tightrope surgery to repair, August 2025)

Measurables​

Height: 6-foot 1 ⅛ inches
Weight: 332 pounds
Arm length: 31 inches
Hand size: 8 ¾ inches

Strengths​

Best traits

• Strength and power
• Run defense
• Competitive toughness

Keenan III is a squat, massive, and powerful nose tackle prospect. Keenan III is built like a potbelly stove at 6-foot-1, 332 pounds, and he’s similarly hard to move when he doesn’t want to be moved.

He is a run defense specialist who excels at controlling interior gaps, creating piles, and generally eliminating an A or B-gap (or one of each) from the play. Keenan III typically keys the snap well, and has a pretty quick first step. He generally does a good job of keeping his pads low – to go with great natural leverage – and routinely able to anchor against double teams or drive individual blockers into the backfield.

Keenan III also has a powerful upper body which allows him to control blockers when he establishes inside leverage, as well as discard blocks at will to make plays when a blocker presses his gap. Runners frequently appear as though they’ve run into a wall when attacking a gap that Keenan III is defending, and he’s also able to keep linebackers clean to flow to the ball or blitz.

And despite his frame and mass, Keenan III offers truly excellent effort in pursuit. He’s very quick to diagnose the run, disengage, and redirect to pursue the ball. He’s willing to chase ball carriers down across the field, even though he has little hope of catching them.

Weaknesses​

Worst traits

• Athleticism
• Pass rush
• Endurance and conditioning
• Length
• Ankle health

Keenan III is great at what he does, however is a very limited prospect overall.

He’s massively powerful with an awesome anchor, but not much in the way of explosiveness or foot speed after his second step. Keenan III has very little upside as a pass rusher or as a penetrator for a team that uses a four-man rush. Likewise, he has a very stocky frame at 6-foot-1 with 31-inch arms, which limits his ability to defeat blockers on his way into the backfield. Those traits could also make it difficult for him to disengage from blockers at the NFL level.

Keenan III offers amazing effort in pursuit, however his range is predictably limited and he simply isn’t a factor beyond a couple yards. He also isn’t a factor as a looper on stunts and twists, nor can he scrape laterally to impact runs outside of his gap.

Teams will also want to do their due diligence on the health of his surgically repaired leg. He suffered a “lower leg” injury in practice before the season and had tightrope surgery to repair the injury. Keenan III was able to return, but didn’t hit his stride until the latter part of the season. The health of his leg could figure heavily into his draft stock.

Game Tape​

(Tim Keenan III is the Alabama defensive tackle wearing number 96 and a long pant leg on his right leg.)

Projection​

Keenan III projects as a rotational nose tackle at the NFL level.

There’s quite a lot to like about him, starting with the effort with which he plays. Keenan III’s energy level is infectious and he will absolutely have fans among coaches around the NFL. However, he is a true specialist on defense, and that could limit his draft stock.

Keenan III is an excellent run defender and a true nose tackle who can play in a 3 or 4-man front. However, he offers almost no upside as a pass rusher and his appeal could be limited for teams that depend on a four-man pass rush. Likewise, his ability to impact the play comes with a very limited range, and he quickly becomes a non-factor the further from his initial alignment the ball goes.

No team will be upset to draft Keenan III, however it should be understood that his athletic and schematic limitations will likely put a hard cap on the ceiling of his draft stock.

Does he fit the Giants? Yes

Final Word: A late Day 2 or early Day 3 value

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/nfl-dra...ft-scouting-report-tim-keenan-iii-idl-alabama

 

[New York Giants]

NFL free agency 2026: Should the Giants count on Greg Van Roten again?

Greg Van Roten | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

One of the more interesting decisions facing the New York Giants this offseason is whether or not to bring starting right guard Greg Van Roten back for another season. As NFL free agency approaches, let’s discuss the pros and cons.

Reasons to keep Van Roten​

Van Roten has played reasonably well as the Giants’ starting right guard the past two seasons. Certainly better than the much more highly-paid Jon Runyan Jr. has at left guard.

Van Roten will be 36 later this month. His pro football career started as an undrafted free agent with the Green Bay Packers in 2012 and included a two-year stint with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL in 2015 and 2016.

Van Roten remains a useful player, and shows no signs of breaking down as he has played more than 1,000 snaps in each of the last three seasons.

Should he continue to be a starter? That is a different question. Every team needs quality veteran backups who can step in and play competently in an emergency without a ton of practice reps. Van Roten could do that at both guard spots and center.

Spotrac estimates his market value at $5 million for one year. That might be high for Van Roten, who made $3.25 million in 2025. Still, his versatility and experience might make it a worthwhile investment.

Reasons to let Van Roten go​

Van Roten will be 36, and he isn’t going to get better. At some point, there will be regression. Maybe you move on before that happens, and Jaxson Dart or your running game pays for it.

Maybe Van Roten won’t be a scheme fit for what offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, senior offensive assistant Greg Roman, and offensive line coach Mike Bloomgren have in mind.

Maybe the Giants think they can get similar play at a cheaper price from Austin Schlottmann, who is also heading to free agency.

Verdict​

Keep him.

I have no issue with looking for a starter with more upside, but as I said above there is a lot of value for any offensive line in an experienced, competent player who can be a three-position backup.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-york-giants-free-agency/154173/greg-van-roten-stay-go-pros-cons

 

[New York Giants]

2026 NFL Draft: 10 takeaways from Dane Brugler’s top 100 prospects list

We are well and truly on the path to the 2026 NFL Draft. Mock draft season is in full swing and evaluators around the media landscape are releasing profiles and big boards.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler released his initial list Top 100 after the Super Bowl. Every evaluator’s rankings will likely change as we go through the process, with the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine as the most likely to reshuffle.

The New York Giants only have two picks in the Top 100, at least as things stand now. They could make moves to add draft capital, potentially working a trade, moving a player (or players) or finding a trade partner on draft night.

But while the Giants might not be making many picks in the Top 100, Brugler’s list is always interesting reading.

1) I don’t know if I’ll ever fully agree with Brugler​

I think acknowledging various biases is foundational to any good piece of analysis or evaluation, so I want to start off by acknowledging one of the biggest differences in how Brugler and I seem to view the draft. He seemingly passes every prospect through a “Height/Weight/Speed” filter and that often figures heavily in his evaluations. That’s an old school way of doing things — with the twist of using modern technology to accurately measure athleticism.

I used to be the same way. However, seeing players like Steve Smith Sr. Jason Kelce, Odell Beckham Jr., Aaron Donald, DeVonta Smith, Devon Achane, the Kendricks brothers, and Ivan Pace Jr. all have success as “undersized” players for their positions, while players with “prototypical” or “freakish” profiles bust convinced me to re-evaluate my process for evaluations.

Now my personal mantra is “Size Is Not A Skill Set”. I’m not saying that I’m right and he’s wrong, but rather something to keep in mind as we go through the list.

2) This will be a defense-driven draft​

If there’s one thing that leaps off the page when looking at this draft class, it’s that this is definitely a stronger defensive class than offensive class. A quarterback is going to go first overall, but the rest of the Top 20 will likely be dominated by defense. Not exclusively defensive players, mind you, but it’d be a surprise if we got more than six or seven offensive players between picks 2 and 20.

That might not impact the Giants’ draft, as there might only be three players off the board that they care about. If they want to continue to add to the defense, there should be good options available. Likewise, they should also have impact players available on the offensive side of the ball as well. But the general theme of the first round should be established pretty early.

3) A good draft to trade back — if you can find a partner​

One of the other things that simply leaps off the page is how flat the talent level is in this draft. There will probably be 20 (or so) players to carry first round grades in this draft, but how each individual team views them could vary tremendously. Some teams could see Denzel Boston as WR1 in this class and a Top 5 pick, while others could see him as 20.

That obviously makes trading down highly attractive, as your board could dictate that you get similar value at 15th overall as fifth overall, with additional draft capital. On the flip side, there isn’t much trade bait at the top, that is, unless, teams simply fall in love with a position player like the Jaguars did Travis Hunter.

It’ll be fascinating to see how that plays out and impacts the draft. I suspect we could either see teams be highly aggressive trying to get “Their Guy” or a very sedate night, without much in between.

4) Ty Simpson will be a lynchpin​

The Alabama quarterback could well be the second quarterback off the board. He was in contention to be QB1 at times this season and has significant upside. However, he also only has one season of starting experience and had an uneven season.

That said, this is an undeniably weak quarterback class and the question is how far the NFL allows Simpson to fall on draft night. The New York Jets are an obvious team to watch given their plethora of first round picks, but so too are the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Rams. Matt Stafford is an MVP but we don’t know how long he’ll be able to play at that level or even want to keep playing. The Rams have a late first round pick they could use to take Simpson — or perhaps as a trade chip if they want to make an aggressive move.

It’s something that bears watching.

5) Day 2 is the sweet spot for interior linemen​

If you want to add an interior lineman, either offensive or defensive, Day 2 is the place to do it. This class doesn’t have much in the way of high level talent on the interior. There is no Quinten Nelson or Ndamukong Suh who commands a high pick and will be a Day 1 game changer. However, there are plenty of (somewhat limited) guards and defensive tackles who will carry Day 2 grades. That doesn’t mean the classes are weak by any means, and there will be good players available throughout the Friday portion of the draft.

That could actually work out for the Giants if they follow the Ravens’ recent history of drafting a receiver or defensive back in the first round and a lineman in the second.

6) The fall of Peter Woods​

Okay, I probably could have just expanded the subhead to say “What happened at Clemson?” but I was just talking about defensive tackles, so I thought I’d stay at the position.

Woods was widely considered a Top 10 lock coming into the season thanks to his athleticism and versatility. He split time between defensive tackle and defensive end in 2024 and had a solid-enough season (3 sacks, 4 hits, 13 hurries), but he was completely unable to back that up as a more pure defensvie tackle this year.

It was a common theme at Clemson, with T.J. Parker suffering a similar fall, while Cade Klubnick went from being in the “QB1” discussion to a likely Day 3 pick.

Parker, at least, had a great week at the Senior Bowl to begin rehabilitating his draft stock. However I’m not sure how much trust you can have in the rest of the Clemson prospects, and Woods is the poster boy for that.

7) Dane might be too low on Kenyan Sadiq​

I was wondering if there might be some kind of mistake in Brugler’s list as I scrolled down and didn’t see Oregon TE Kenyan Sadiq… At least not until I got to 20th overall. As I mentioned above, I suspect there will be about 20 first round grades given out on average this year. That would suggest that Brugler isn’t convinced that Sadiq should be a lock to be drafted in the first round.

I’m not ready to plant a flag in the ground on Sadiq just yet, but I think his eventual evaluation will be closer to Michael Meyer, Brock Bowers, or Tyler Warren than a second round tight end. He could be among the first offensive players off the board.

8) Edge is quietly stacked this year​

I mentioned above that this draft is going to be driven by the defensive side of the ball, and Brugler’s Top 100 is simply littered with talented edge defenders. It isn’t as good as last year’s edge class, but the depth is impressive.

Personally, I tend to think Brugler is too low on Rueben Bain Jr. and Romello Height (see above on differences in opinion with respect to measurables). But there should be good pass rushers and edge defenders available at just about every pick in the first three rounds. Offenses could be in for a tough time this year, particularly as the 2025 class matures.

---

Valentine’s View​

Chris kindly left room for me to add a pair of my own takeaways. So, here they are.

1.) The Sonny Styles love​

I was a bit surprised to see Brugler rank Styles, an off-ball linebacker, as his No. 5 overall prospect. I watched Styles recently, and my comment to Chris was “the Giants could use some of that in the middle of the field.”

Can you select an off-ball linebacker No. 5 in the draft? I don’t know. I do know I think Styles is going to be a terrific defender who has all the skills needed to be on the field on every down.

2.) Day 2 is also a wide receiver sweet spot​

Chris said above that he believes Day 2 of the draft to be a sweet spot for interior linemen. He is probably right. It is also, though, a sweet spot for wide receivers.

Brugler has 14 receivers ranked from No. 22 to No. 99. They are:

KC Concepcion, Texas A&M (No. 22); Denzel Boston, Washington (No. 25); Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana (No. 27); Germie Bernard, Alabama (No. 45); Chris Brazzell, Tennessee (No. 46); Malachi Fields, Notre Dame (No. 49); Chris Bell, Louisville (No. 53); Antonio Williams, Clemson (No. 61); Ted Hurst, Georgia State (No. 62); Elijah Surratt, Indiana (No. 65); Brenen Thompson, Mississippi State (No. 74); Zachariah Branch, Georgia (No. 75); Reggie Virgil, Texas Tech (No. 94); Bryce Lance, North Dakota State (No. 99).

Unfortunately, the Giants don’t have a third-round pick.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/nfl-dra...dane-brugler-top-100-prospects-list-ny-giants

 

[New York Giants]

NY Giants NFL free agency 2026: Could Browns’ lineman find home in New York?

Wyatt Teller | Diamond Images/Getty Images

As well as the New York Giants offensive line played in 2025, with John Harbaugh now as head coach the Giants figure to put resources into revamping that line this offseason.

Could Cleveland Browns’ veteran right guard Wyatt Teller be in play for New York?

After seven years, three Pro Bowls, and two second-team All-Pro honors with the Browns, the eight-year veteran appears to be on his way out of Cleveland.

Jared Mueller of SB Nation’s Dawgs by Nature told Big Blue View that it seems “highly likely” the 31-year-old Teller has played his last snap with the Browns.

The Giants might be in the market for upgrades on the interior of the offensive line as offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, offensive line coach Mike Bloomgren, and senior offensive assistant Greg Roman work to revamp the team’s running game.

Starting right guard Greg Van Roten will be 36 next season, and is a free agent. Starting left guard Jon Runyan Jr. is an adequate player, but the Giants could save $9.25 million against the cap by cutting him this offseason.

It is fair to wonder if Bloomgren, who coached the offensive line in Cleveland in 2025, would push for Teller to join him with the Giants.

It is also fair to wonder how much Teller has left in the tank. His last All-Pro honor came in 2021, and his last Pro Bowl selection was in 2023. Calf injuries have slowed him the last two seasons, as he has missed eight games over that time period.

“He had a bunch of calf issues that limited him. He also had an attitude issue when Baker [Mayfield] was traded away, which seemed to sap his effort,” Mueller said. “So a fresh start, good. Just not sure if the pounding has stripped him of elite skills. So, depends on the contract.”

Teller’s Pro Football Focus grades have steadily declined:

• 2020 — 92.2
• 2021 — 84.9
• 2022 — 70.3
• 2023 — 72.8
• 2024 — 62.6
• 2025 — 62.3

Teller’s situation is reminiscent of former Giant Kevin Zeitler. One of the best guards in football since being a first-round draft pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2012, Zeitler had the two worst seasons of his career with the Giants in 2019 and 2020. Since being a salary cap cut by the Giants before the 2021 season, Zeitler has gone on to have five typically excellent seasons better than what he produced in New York.

Could Teller, a 2018 fifth-round pick by the Buffalo Bills who was traded to Cleveland a year later, experience a similar resurgence at his next NFL stop?

Is that a chance you would like to see the Giants, or does his recent decline and his injury issues give you pause?

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...leveland-browns-mike-bloomgren-greg-van-roten

 

[JJ]

LOL okay Giants fans, lemme give you some straight talk from a Bills fan perspective on a few of these topics.

First off - Wyatt Teller. Yeah we drafted him back in 2018 and honestly didn't know what we had. Traded him away for basically nothing and he became a Pro Bowler in Cleveland. Classic Bills move from that era. BUT... and this is a big but... the guy is 31 with declining grades and calf issues that won't go away. Those PFF numbers dropping from 92.2 to 62.3 over five years tells you everything you need to know. He's cooked. Bloomgren wanting his buddy from Cleveland doesn't mean it's a smart signing. Pass on this one unless it's dirt cheap.

That Tim Keenan III scouting report is interesting though. Dude sounds like a classic run-stuffing nose tackle who won't do jack squat on passing downs. In today's NFL where you need versatile guys who can get after the QB? That's a problem. Late Day 2 or Day 3 value sounds about right. Don't reach for him.

And Van Roten at 36? Keep him as a backup, sure. But if you're counting on him as a starter you're already in trouble. Harbaugh knows how to build offensive lines - let him and his staff figure this out.

The draft being defense-heavy could actually help you guys grab some offensive talent that falls. Just saying.

 

[New York Giants]

It’s time for the NY Giants to distance themselves from Steve Tisch

Steve Tisch | Getty Images

Details of Steve Tisch’s disturbing relationship with convicted sex offender and accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein were revealed on Thursday in an in-depth investigative piece by The Athletic.

In light of this latest report regarding what The Athletic headlined as a “transactional friendship” between the two, it is time for Tisch, the Giants, and the NFL to go beyond the flimsy statements that have been made to date.

It is time for Tisch to resign or be forcibly removed from his positions as executive vice president and chairman of the board for the Giants.

An original NFL franchise that considers itself a pillar of the league and a franchise that is an NFL crown jewel can no longer have Tisch’s name on its marquee.

Consider this damning statement from The Athletic:

Since the Department of Justice released more than 3 million emails last month, powerful individuals have had their dealings with Epstein scrutinized. But the Tisch-Epstein dynamic — revealed in dozens of unguarded emails exchanged between them in 2013 — stands out for how singularly focused it was on Epstein’s ability to connect Tisch with young women. There was scant talk about philanthropy or business opportunities present in many other Epstein relationships. Rather, Epstein, a convicted sex offender who was charged with sex trafficking before his death in 2019, merely plucked women from his orbit and delivered them to Tisch.

This alleged conduct from Tisch is, of course, reprehensible. It makes Tisch’s original statement when his name first surfaced in the Epstein files look disingenuous. That statement read:

“We had a brief association where we exchanged emails about adult women, and in addition, we discussed movies, philanthropy, and investments. I did not take him up on any of his invitations and never went to his island. As we all know now, he was a terrible person and someone I deeply regret associating with.”

Epstein was convicted of procuring a child for prostitution in 2008. It seems unfathomable that in 2013, when Tisch and Epstein were corresponding, Tisch did not know exactly what Epstein was.

Here is more from The Athletic that would indicate Tisch knew who he was dealing with:

In April 2013, Epstein emailed an invitation to Tisch to join him for breakfast, and 22 minutes later, Tisch responded: “Absolutely.” Epstein’s schedule showed a meeting the next morning. …

At the time of that meeting, Epstein had been sued repeatedly by sex abuse victims, served 13 months of work-release custody, registered as a Level 3 sex offender — the highest risk to reoffend — and been dubbed a “billionaire pervert” and “child-sex creep” by a New York tabloid.

Tisch, meanwhile, was a well-known lothario. In 2008, TMZ published a video captioned “Tisch is a tush guy.” It showed him outside a Hollywood club with two young women. He hugged them and ran a hand over one of the women’s buttocks. A New York gossip column claimed Tisch was overheard “boasting that he’s been dating on both coasts.”

Tisch can’t possibly expect anyone to believe he didn’t know about Epstein.

Tisch, of course, is not the first rich, powerful man to use his position to allegedly try and keep company with young, beautiful women. He won’t be the last.

That doesn’t, in any way, excuse what the reporting in The Athletic reveals.

The Giants, and the NFL, can’t simply ignore this. It isn’t going away.

That doesn’t mean Tisch will be forced to sell his family’s 45% ownership stake in the Giants.

It is important to remember that John Mara and Steve Tisch are not sole owners of the franchise. The Mara family owns 45%, split among 11 siblings. The Tisch family 45% share is split among Steve Tisch, his brother Jonathan, and his sister, Laurie, both of whom are also on the team’s Board of Directors.

Unless evidence surfaces that Tisch’s siblings are also somehow tied to Epstein, which is not the case as of now, it seems unlikely that the family would have to sell its share.

Removing Steve Tisch from the masthead and from any decision-making, public role with the franchise, though, seems entirely appropriate. And necessary.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...uences-time-for-giants-to-distance-themselves

 

[New York Giants]

NY Giants NFL free agency 2026: Cor’Dale Flott looking for big payday

Cor’Dale Flott | Getty Images

New York Giants cornerback Cor’Dale Flott has switched agencies and is now represented by Athletes First, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic.

The first page of Athletes First’s website tells you why this is a big deal as Flott approaches free agency. That page casually boasts that the nine highest-paid players in NFL history have been represented by Athletes First. Giants fans might remember that Daniel Jones was represented by Athletes First when he got his mega-deal from New York.

The message is clear: Flott, coming off his best season and entering free agency while still just 24 years old, is intending to get PAID.

Check the Athletes First Instagram page if you want to see some of the agencies high-profile clients, one of whom is Brian Burns of the Giants.

Spotrac estimates Flott’s market value at four years, $38 million, $9.5 million per year. Pro Football Focus ranks Flott No. 242 on its list of the top 250 free agents heading to the open market in April. There is not yet an assigned market value.

If Spotrac’s estimate is in the ballpark, should the Giants pay that?

Reasons to pay Flott​

The former third-round pick in GM Joe Schoen’s first draft in 2022, Flott has developed into a good player. He took a starting job away from first-round pick Deonte Banks in 2025, and had a career-best season.

Flott had career bests in completion percentage allowe (52.2), yards per target (6.9), passer rating against (73.3), passes defensed (11), and snaps played (797).

The Giants have let a number of good, home grown players leave in recent years. Some, like Julian Love and Saquon Barkley, are now Super Bowl champs. Others, like Jones and Xavier McKinney, have played exceptionally well in new locations.

Reasons to let him go​

There are 31 NFL cornerbacks making at least $10 million annually. Does Flott deserve to join them, or come close to joining them? That depends on what you are looking for from your cornerbacks.

At 6-foot-2, 175 pounds Flott is still rail thin. I asked him one time, it might have been during 2025 training camp, if he had been able to put on any weight since the Giants drafted him in 2022. He admitted to having been able to add a grand total of 3 pounds in roughly three years. So, physically, he is what he is.

Will a player at that size who historically struggles to set the edge or defend the run be a guy head coach John Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson want to commit a gob of money to? Only once in four seasons has Flott scored at least in the 50s in Pro Football Focus’s run defense grading. In each of the last three seasons, he has missed more than 15% of his tackle attempts.

Perhaps Harbaugh and Wilson will want bigger, more physical players at cornerback.

There is also the reality that in a salary cap league, choices must be made. If the Giants decide offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor and wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson are higher priorities, they may not have the resources to sign Flott and fill other needs.

Verdict​

Let him go.

My gut instinct tells me Flott might be Harbaugh’s cup of tea at cornerback. I also believe Eluemunor and Robinson might be higher priorities.

I don’t like the idea of letting Flott go because I think he is still an ascending player. I just believe that might be the reality of the situation.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...e-flott-cornerback-sign-let-go-athletes-first

 

[New York Giants]

NY Giants hire new head athletic trainer for first time since 1981

The New York Giants announced Friday afternoon that they have hired Adam Bennett as their new head athletic trainer.

Bennett is a certified athletic trainer, strength and conditioning specialist, and holds a certified performance sports scientist certification

Bennett had previously been the head athletic trainer for the University of Miami, a position which he held since 2023. Prior to helping Miami to the 2025-2026 College Football National Championship, Bennett worked with injured service members at the Special Operations Command Headquarters at McGill Air Force Base.

When with the Air Force, Bennet was working to rehab old, as well as new, injuries.

“In the military, you’re dealing with injuries that might be six, 10, 12 years old and they just didn’t deal with it because they were going on deployment after deployment and they had to go, go, go,” Bennett said in 2024 interview with the Hurricanes’ official website.

Bennet has also been the head athletic trainer at FAU from 2017 to 2021.

Ronnie Barnes had previously been the Giants’ head trainer, holding the position since 1981. His role with the team changed earlier in the offseason. Barnes will continue to oversee the team’s medical services.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...ad-athletic-trainer-for-first-time-since-1981

 

[New York Giants]

NY Giants NFL free agency 2026: Is there still a place for TE Chris Manhertz?

Chris Manhertz | Getty Images

It is easy to look past the importance of a player like New York Giants tight end Chris Manhertz. After all, the veteran free-agent-to-be has just 30 receptions in an 10-year career.

Reasons to keep Manhertz​

Basketball teams all need players who don’t need the ball to contribute. There are lots of other things that go into winning. Football teams are the same. Manhertz is one of those guys who does the unappreciated grunt work so that other guys can get the glory, and his team has an opportunity to win.

Manhertz has been one of the league’s best blocking tight ends for a decade. He still is. For the Giants, he has also been a willing and valuable special teams contributor. In 2025, he played 218 special teams snaps, the most of his career. For a 33-year-old, that is unusual.

Manhertz is also a veteran leader familiar with the NFL’s ups and downs. Also, by NFL standards he works cheap. Spotrac calculates his 2026 market value at $1.1 million after he made $1.4 million in 2025.

Reasons to let Manhertz go​

NFL teams need blocking tight ends. It would be nice, though, if that blocking tight end also had to be respected as a viable receiving threat.

If the Giants can find a younger player with a bit of receiving upside to fill that role at a bargain price, the little bit of added versatility that might bring could be helpful.

Verdict​

Keep him.

He is still good at his job, and if the John Harbaugh Giants are as serious about building in the trenches as we believe they will be they will need a player like Manhertz. If nothing else, bring him back and let him compete for a roster spot. If you wind up cutting him, the dead money hit will be fairly insignificant.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...rtz-tight-end-stay-go-john-harbaugh-matt-nagy

 

[New York Giants]

NY Giants NFL free agency 2026: Could the Giants go BIG at fullback?

Patrick Ricard | Getty Images

We don’t know at this point in time if New York Giants offensive coordinator Matt Nagy will want to include a fullback in his offense. It is a pretty safe bet, though, that head coach John Harbaugh would prefer to have one.

A quick check of the 53-man rosters over his 18 years as head coach of the Baltimore Ravens shows only two seasons — 2017 and 2018 — during which Baltimore did not carry a true fullback on its roster.

If the Giants want a fullback they could, theoretically, turn inward and convert 280-pound defensive tackle Elijah Chatman into a full-time player at that position. Chatman did dabble at fullback in 2025, playing three snaps on offense.

Or, the Giants could make about as big a splash as you can make in the modern NFL when you are signing a fullback by bringing 300-pound Patrick Ricard to New Jersey from the Ravens.

Ricard, entering his age 32 season, played both fullback and defensive tackle for Baltimore in his first three seasons. He has been a full-time fullback since 2020.

Ricard is a one-time First-Team All-Pro (2024), a two-time Second-Team All-Pro, and a six-time Pro Bowl selection.

Nikhil Mehta of SB Nation’s Ravens website, Baltimore Beatdown, does not believe Ricard will stay in Baltimore.

“I think Ricard probably leaves,” Mehta said. “There were rumors that he was disappointed with the smaller contract he had to take in 2025. Ben Johnson’s scheme [where offensive coordinator Declan Doyle came from] doesn’t feature a fullback, either, so it does not seem like he would have a place in the Ravens’ new offense.”

Signing someone like Ricard would be a good way for Harbaugh to send a message regarding the type of team he wants the Giants to be. With eight years as a player for Harbaugh under his belt, Ricard might also be one of those players who can help implement the culture Harbaugh wants in the locker room.

Ricard made $2.87 million for Baltimore last season, down from the $4.1 million he earned in 2024.

Would you like to see Ricard leading Giants’ running backs through holes next season? Let us know in the comments.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...back-baltimore-ravens-john-harbaugh-matt-nagy

 

[New York Giants]

NY Giants’ coach John Harbaugh: Drafting Caleb Downs ‘just fine with me’

John Harbaugh | Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

New York Giants coach John Harbaugh recently sat for an insightful interview with Mike Francesa. Below, five takeaways.

‘Big fan’ of Caleb Downs​

Would the Giants draft the Ohio State safety at No. 5? Harbaugh certainly did not run from the idea.

“Big fan, big fan,” Harbaugh said of Downs. “We favor Hall of Fame safeties, so if we have a chance to draft a potential future Hall of Fame safety in Caleb Downs, that would be just fine with me.

“We’ll take the best player. You know, when you draft that high, you take the best player. It’s not a need pick. It’s the best player pick because you’re going for the guy that’s going to be that kind of a player. You’re talking about a guy that you would like to see someday wearing a gold jacket if possible. That’s what the goal is with that pick. …

“That guy would be just fine with me. I’d take him in a second.”

Hiring a coaching staff​

Harbaugh admitted that Todd Monken getting the head-coaching job with the Cleveland Browns threw a “monkey wrench” into assembling a staff.

“You’re happy for guys like Todd in that case, but kind of mad for yourself,” Harbaugh said. “So it’s a tough challenge.”

Fifteen of the coaches on Harbaugh’s 31-coach staff have worked with Harbaugh previously, and there are few inexperienced coaches on the Giants’ staff.

“We want to hit the ground running. I mean, our goal is as soon as those players come back, man, they see the program, it’s in place, and we’re rolling,” Harbaugh said. “We’re not trying to learn each other or figure each other out.

“We’re going to be practicing our game planning in the offseason for at least our division games and make sure that we’ve got everything ironed out. I wanted a bunch of coaches that know what they’re doing and also kind of know how we’re going to operate, know what the value system is going to be, what the expectations are going to be, just how things are going to work.”

‘Principles and methods’​

Francesa asked Harbaugh about the idea of imposing a system on players rather than building one around them. Harbaugh gave a detailed, insightful answer.

“There’s principles and principles and there’s methods. So, a system in the sense of scheme in terms of like the way we teach techniques, those kind of things, that’s method. Okay? That’s changeable. That’s for the players. Like we want to build an offense around Jaxson Dart. That’s where it starts. And then from there, the rest of the players,” Harbaugh said. “Same thing with the defense. We have a defensive belief system. We have a structure. We have a way of calling defenses. But the defenses we call, the way we teach them, it’s going to be based on the guys. We got a front. Okay? We’re going to start with our front. It starts up front on both sides. That defensive front is going to be where we begin and we work from there.

“But as far as the way we play the game, our effort, our attitude, our physicality, our discipline, our football intelligence, all those things, those are things that you just don’t compromise. Those things are never going to change. Those are self-evident football truths … Those are things that are always going to be required for winning football teams.”

On Jaxson Dart: ‘I see talent’​

The second-year quarterback is a big part of why Harbaugh took the Giants job.

“I see talent, first of all. He can throw it from different platforms. He’s got touch. He can throw it deep. He can put it in tight windows. All those different kind of things. He’s mobile. He runs around. He’s tough. He’s courageous. You certainly see that,” Harbaugh said. “ But I also see the intangibles. I see a guy really wants to be great. Wants to work at it. Wants to show up. Wants to study tape on his own. He’s interested in everything we’re doing. He’s interested in the draft, free agency, the roster. It’s fun being around him. The times I’ve been around him, it’s been a blast being around him because I just think he’s all in.

“Don’t we want to work with people who are all in for the common cause and that’s what he’s all about.”

Ownership ‘critically important’​

Harbaugh told Francesa that Giants’ ownership was”probably more important that quarterback” in his desire to get the Giants job. Harbaugh said he had a “great partnership” in Baltimore with owner Steve Bisciotti, and he feels that with the Giants, as well.

“It’s the same way here. John’s in the office every day. Chris is in the office everyday. Those guys are amazing. So, yeah, that was a must. I love the Mara’s,” Harbaugh said. “We go to the owner’s meetings and I’d see John Mara in competition meetings and talk to him and get to know him. I always call him Mr. Mara. I still call him Mr. Mayor. He says, “Call me John.” I’m like, “Okay, Mr. Mara.” I’ll try to remember that. He’s such a a powerful, iconic, smart man in the NFL. …

“It’s a family-owned team with the highest type of family.”

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...wns-just-fine-with-me-mike-francesa-interview

 

[New York Giants]

NY Giants 2026 NFL Draft scouting report: Josiah Trotter, LB, Missouri

Missouri linebacker Josiah Trotter celebrates after making a play against Kansas. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

It’s always interesting when the son of a former NFL player enters the draft. That’s the case here with linebacker Josiah Trotter from Missouri.

The name likely rings a bell for New York Giants fans, as his father, Jeremiah Trotter, was a long time nemesis of the Giants. The elder Trotter played 12 seasons in the NFL, most of which came with the Philadelphia Eagles. Now it’s time for Josiah to enter the League, and he does so hoping to outshine his father’s All Pro and Pro Bowl legacy.

Prospect: Josiah Trotter (40)
Games Watched: vs. South Carolina (2025), vs. Alabama (2025), vs. Oklahoma (2025)
Red Flags: none

Measurables​

Height: 6-foot-2 (unofficial)
Weight: 240 (unofficial)

Strengths​

Best traits

• Run defense
• Instincts
• Explosiveness
• Tackling
• Twitch
• Power

Josiah Trotter is a densely built and explosive linebacker prospect. He is a twitchy athlete with good short-area quickness and great play strength to take on and defeat blocks when he uncoils his hips.

Trotter shows great football IQ and instincts when playing downhill in the run game. He routinely makes an accurate first move toward the play in run defense and shows a clear understanding of blocking schemes. Trotter wastes little time making his run fits and approaches gaps like a running back. His explosiveness allows him to shoot gaps and blow up plays in the backfield, while also being agile enough to negotiate the trash and scrape laterally in pursuit.

Trotter has enough play strength to take on blocks from offensive lineman, with enough power to stack and shed to make plays on the ball.

He has the upside to be a true MIKE in the NFL, showing good communication skills and the ability to get his teammates lined up on the pre-snap phase.

Trotter’s traits suggest untapped upside as a blitzing linebacker, though he wasn’t often used as such in college.

Weaknesses​

Worst traits

• Pass defense
• Long speed
• Coverage

Trotter’s greatest weakness is, easily, in pass defense.

As instinctive, explosive, and all-around skilled as he is as a run defender, the opposite is true in pass defense. Trotter’s twitchy athleticism and football IQ suggest upside in that area, however it has yet to materialize.

He appears uncomfortable and unsure of himself when dropping into coverage zones. He can be prone to losing track of offensive players or needing to wait until he sees the play develop to move toward the ball. Likewise, his short-area quickness can serve to quickly take him out of position when he bites on misdirection or mis-reads the play. Trotter also has limited long speed, leading to limited range in coverage and he can quickly have his pursuit angles broken by athletic receivers in space.

Game Tape​

(Trotter is the Missouri linebacker wearning number 40.)

Projection​

Josiah Trotter will likely begin his career as an early down and short-yardage linebacker, as well as a special teams player.

Trotter has the potential to be a three-down, and starting, linebacker in the NFL. However, he will need to make significant improvements in his pass coverage before teams trust him on neutral or passing downs. That could limit his draft stock, though his interviews and board work could convince teams to bet on his upside with a relatively high pick.

Does he fit the Giants? Possibly

Final Word: An early Day 3 or later Day 2 pick

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...aft-scouting-report-josia-trotter-lb-missouri