RSS Giants Team Notes

[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

 

[New York Giants]

NY Giants free agency 2026: 5 wide receivers to consider

Alec Pierce | Getty Images

The New York Giants have overhauled their organization, and Super Bowl-winning head coach John Harbaugh is now steering the ship alongside Joe Schoen. Still, the nucleus of the Giants from the disappointing 2025 season remains, led by an exciting young signal caller, Jaxson Dart, who played less than a half of football with star wide receiver, Malik Nabers.

A healthy Nabers completely changes the potential of the Giants’ offense and will certainly put a massive smile on the faces of Matt Nagy and Chad Hall. Nagy, the new offensive coordinator, is an experienced coach who alternated play-calling during his tenure as head coach of the Chicago Bears. Hall is a 39-year-old former player who was the assistant quarterbacks coach for the Giants last season and the Jacksonville Jaguars coach in 2023-2024.

Hall is familiar with Wan’Dale Robinson, who is an impending free agent for the Giants, after a career year. We’ll start with Wan’Dale Robinson.

Wan’Dale Robinson, NYG​

To bring him back, or not?! Robinson caught 92 of his 131 targets last year for 1,014 yards with four touchdowns. He operated out of the slot on 68% of snaps and was an important contributor who worked well with Jaxson Dart last season. He was a reliable underneath target, who displayed vertical ability; he recorded his highest yards per reception (11.0) and aDot (9.0) by a wide margin with Dart, Jameis Winston, and Russell Wilson last season.

Robinson has expressed interest in returning, but will another team outbid the 25-year-old Joe Schoen second-round draft pick? Robinson is represented by The Sports and Entertainment Group. Their clients include Stefon Diggs, Christian Watson, and Josh Palmer. Diggs signed a three-year, $63.5-million contract with $16.6 million fully guaranteed with the New England Patriots last offseason, while recovering from a torn ACL at the age of 32.

Palmer, who was less accomplished than Robinson at the time, signed a three-year, $29 million contract with the Bills that included $18 million guaranteed. The two receivers now have comparable production, though Palmer has an extra year of experience. Robinson, meanwhile, is coming off the best season of his career, while Palmer signed his deal following one of the least productive seasons of his career.

Christian Watson received a one-year $11-million contract extension after he tore his ACL at the end of the 2024 season. The extension was signed in September of 2025 and kept him under contract through the 2026 season. The raise Watson received when he signed the contract was for $5.25 million, and he’s set to just earn $5.75 million in his final year (2026). There could possibly be a holdout over that number, but that does not regard Robinson.

The floor for Robinson’s contract is the deal Buffalo Bills receiver Khalil Shakir signed prior to the 2025 season. The Bills gave Shakir a four-year, $53.1-million contract with $30 million guaranteed, an average annual salary of $13.3 million. The ceiling for Robinson may be the deal Jakobi Meyers just signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars — a three-year, $60-million contract with $40-million guarnteed ($20 million AAV).

I see Robinson earning a bit less than Meyers in total AAV, and the Giants could be placed in a tough spot if a team strongly covets his skill set, especially after allocating significant money to Slayton last offseason (set to make 5.26% of the Giants’ cap).

The negotiation with Robinson should be interesting. Even if Robinson is retained, the Giants need to add more help to the wide receiver room.

Alec Pierce, IND​

Pierce makes sense if the Giants don’t re-sign Robinson, but still want to pursue an expensive wide receiver option. Pierce has led the league in yards per reception the last two seasons, and he’s coming off his best year. He caught 47 of 83 passes for 1,003 yards with six touchdowns and an insane 21.3 yards per catch, which was a full yard short of his 2024 total. He is one of the best deep threats in the league, and he’s excellent in one-on-one situations.

Daniel Jones and the Colts targeted Pierce 32 times in contested-catch situations, and he secured 14 of them — I would love to see the aDot on that specifically. He averaged 2.10 yards per route run and only dropped one pass last year. Pierce has secured 157 of 288 passes (54.5%) for 2,934 yards with 17 touchdowns.

Pierce is going to earn money, though. He may receive more than Robinson on the open market. Unfortunately for the Giants, Darius Slayton is supposed to fill the role that Pierce would inherit. Of course, they could co-exist, but the speed receiver who can win one-on-one outside would be valuable for Dart and a Greg Roman-led rushing attack that could feature a heavier box. Slayton failed with that role last year, but Pierce may still be too expensive for the Giants’ current cap situation.

---

---

Tyquan Thornton, KC​

Speaking of productive deep threats — particularly one who could likely be signed for a fraction of what it would cost to sign Pierce — this option deserves serious consideration.

Tyquan Thornton 2025 by the numbers.

Passer rating when targeted | 124.5
Yards per target | 12.17
Yards | 438
Touchdowns | 3
aDOT | 27.6
Routes ran from slot | 37.2%
Routes ran out wide | 62.8%
pic.twitter.com/2ZWGqqIjfD

— SleeperChiefs (@SleeperChiefsKC) January 8, 2026

#Chiefs WR win rate.
Minimum 200 routes.

*percentage of routes with a positive separation score

Tyquan Thornton 15.2%
Juju Smith-Schuster 10.2%
Rashee Rice 9.9%
Xavier Worthy 9.2%
Hollywood Brown 8.3%#ChiefsKingdom

pic.twitter.com/2ZWGqqHLq5

— SleeperChiefs (@SleeperChiefsKC) February 10, 2026

The 6-foot-2 wideout blazed a 4.28 in the 40-yard dash at the combine and delivered his most efficient season yet, totaling 438 yards on just 19 receptions with three touchdowns. Still only 25, he overlapped with Matt Nagy last season, giving this potential move some built-in familiarity.

If the Giants are looking for a cost-effective, relatively proven vertical threat who can immediately inject speed into the offense, Thornton — coming off a 23.1 yards-per-catch mark with the Chiefs — would be a strong value option at the right price.

---

---

Rashid Shaheed, SEA​

The Giants’ special teams unit was turbulent last season, and Rashid Shaheed would provide an immediate upgrade for coordinator Chris Horton — especially if Gunner Olszewski is not re-signed. More importantly, Shaheed’s elite speed and big-play ability as a receiver would represent a significant boost for Jaxson Dart and the offense.

After being traded to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 10 from the New Orleans Saints, Shaheed played a key role in Seattle’s run to secure the Super Bowl, showcasing exactly the type of explosive impact the Giants currently lack opposite of Malik Nabers. Shaheed is just 27 years old, coming off a 62 catch (99 targets), 765-yard season with just two touchdowns. Shaheed will be cheaper than Robinson or Pierce, and could be a solid consolation for New York.

JuJu Smith-Schuster, KC​

I’m not including JuJu Smith-Schuster solely because of his familiarity with Matt Nagy, but also as a potential depth slot option if the Giants decide not to re-sign Wan’Dale Robinson. Smith-Schuster isn’t the most dynamic receiver at this stage of his career, but at 29, he remains a dependable 11-personnel piece who can block effectively from the slot. Over the past two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, he has totaled 55 receptions on 73 targets for 652 yards and three touchdowns.

Realistically, after investing in Darius Slayton last offseason, the Giants may prioritize wide receivers through the draft while bringing in cost-effective veterans to compete for the final receiver spots. Smith-Schuster fits that mold — an affordable option who can handle slot snaps or shift outside if the team wants to utilize a power-slot look with Malik Nabers, similar to how Kansas City deployed Rashee Rice.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...ivers-to-consider-alec-pierce-tyquan-thornton

 

[New York Giants]

NY Giants free agency 2026: Is OL Austin Schlottmann worth bringing back?

Austin Schlottmann | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Veteran center/guard Austin Schlottmann showed the value of having capable veteran backup offensive linemen in 2025, when he played well in four starts for the New York Giants as a fill-in for John Michael Schmitz.

Schlottmann, 30, posted a career-best 70.8 Pro Football Focus grade while playing 362 snaps, also a career-high. According to PFF, Schlottmann had a phenomenal 99.2 pass blocking efficiency rating, allowing just three pressures in 212 pass blocking snaps.

Reasons to keep Schlottmann​

Schlottmann is a perfectly capable backup at center or either guard position. He understands the role and is a plus to have on a roster. He is also inexpensive, having carried a salary cap hit of just $1.42 million in 2025.

Reasons to let Schlottmann go​

Will his presence be superfluous? It will be if the Giants invest heavily on the interior of the offensive line and bring back Greg Van Roten as a backup. Van Roten, with experience at both guards and center, could fill that same three-position backup role. The cost would be more, but only marginally so.

The verdict​

I would like to see him back. Again, though, it depends. If the Giants are penciling Van Roten into that backup role, spending money on Schlottmann would likely be unnecessary.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...schlottmann-future-keep-let-go-greg-van-roten

 

[New York Giants]

NFL free agency 2026: NY Giants called fits for 2 of ESPN’s top 50

Nahshon Wright | Getty Images

ESPN has identified the New York Giants as fits for two of top 50 2026 NFL free agents. Matt Bowen says center Tyler Linderbaum and cornerback Nahshon Wright are players the Giants should go after.

Tyler Linderbaum, C, Baltimore Ravens​

ESPN ranks Linderbaum as the No. 3 free agent expected to be available.

Bowen says:

Linderbaum can follow coach John Harbaugh to New York. Given his movement traits, he would fit the Giants’ zone and gap schemes, and his 97.2% pass block win rate with the Ravens tied for second among 31 qualifying centers last season. The Giants would be landing the top offensive lineman in free agency … but let’s keep an eye on the Raiders here, as well. They could also use Linderbaum’s tone-setting mentality on the interior.

Valentine’s View​

Bowen follows the crowd in connecting Linderbaum to the Giants. Earlier this offseason, I predicted that the Giants would add Linderbaum after signing Harbaugh as head coach. Nick Falato had Linderbaum at the top of his list of free agent offensive linemen for the Giants to consider this offseason.

Harbaugh has said again and again since being hired by the Giants that building in the trenches is a must to compete with the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East. I can think of no better way for Harbaugh to show he is serious about doing just that than signing Linderbaum, a three-time Pro Bowler in four NFL seasons, to upgrade the interior of the Giants’ offensive line.

John Michael Schmitz is an adequate NFL center. Whatever quibbles you have with Linderbaum, he is a far superior run blocker ad marginally superior pass blocker in comparison to Schmitz.

The league’s current highest-paid center is Creed Humphrey of the Kansas City Chiefs. with an average annual value of $18 million per year. It is right to question whether the Giants should be willing to make Linderbaum the league’s highest-paid center, as Falato did, if that is what signing him requires.

Perhaps this would be a challenge for new senior VP of football operations and strategy Dawn Aponte. The four-year, $68 million contract center Cam Jurgens signed with the Eagles, which pushes nearly $30 million in cap charges into void years might be an example of how the Giants could spread the cap cost of a Linderbaum mega-deal.

Nahshon Wright, CB, Chicago Bears​

ESPN ranks Wright as the No. 37 free agent expected to be available.

Bowen says:

With a need to add more playmakers in the secondary, the Giants should target Wright, who had five interceptions and returned one for a touchdown last season with the Bears. Under new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, Wright can use his long 6-foot-4 frame and good instincts in Cover 2 and press-man.

Valentine’s View​

This one makes me squeamish. A five-year veteran entering his age 28 season, Wright is coming off a fantastic season that was clearly the best of his career.

Wright had five of his six career interceptions, 11 of his 16 career pass breakups, and the only two forced fumbles of his career in 2025. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time. He posted a solid 86.8 passer rating against, though 6 of the 60 completions he allowed went for touchdowns.

Problem is, in his first four seasons Wright was not that kind of player. Not close.

Wright was a third-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys in 2021. In three seasons with Dallas, he started only three games. He was traded to the the Minnesota Vikings and spent the year on the practice squad, playing in one game. He signed a 2025 futures contract with the Vikings and was released before the 2025 NFL Draft even rolled around, landing with the Bears.

It is certainly fair to ask if Wright is just a one-year wonder. Wright’s projected market value, via Spotrac, is three years, $50 million, or roughly $16.7 million per year.

That is a tough contract to dole out when a player has had one successful season in five years.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...linderbaum-nahshon-wright-potential-fits-espn

 

[New York Giants]

NY Giants 2026 NFL Draft scouting report: Genesis Smith, S, Arizona

Arizona safety Genesis Smith (number 12) defends a pass against Kansas State | Getty Images

It’s a common belief that the New York Giants need help in the secondary, and they could be down to just two safeties after free agency. They’ll have options at the top of the 2026 NFL draft, but what if they choose to go in another direction?

Arizona’s Genesis Smith has some of the best movement and coverage skills of any safety — and perhaps any defender — in the draft. However, he’s also a divisive player due to his tackling and run defense. The question is why are those problems in his game, and can they be solved through better coaching.

If so, Smith may be one of the greatest potential steals in the draft.

Prospect: Genesis Smith (12)
Games Watched: vs. Kansas (2025), vs. Cincinnati (2025), vs. Arizona State (2025)
Red Flags: none

Measurables​

Height: 6-foot-2 (unofficial)
Weight: 205 pounds (unofficial)

Strengths​

Best traits

• Foot quickness
• Hip fluidity
• Range
• Coverage ability
• Ball skills

Genesis Smith has an ideal blend of size and athleticism for the safety position. He’s listed at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds and appears to match the listed size on tape. Smith combines prototypical size with excellent athleticism and movement skills, which allow him to play a wide variety of roles in a secondary.

Smith was asked to play deep coverage zones, both in split field alignments and as a center-field safety. He was also used as a “Middle Safety” in schemes that incorporated elements of the “Air Raid Killer” defense, as well as a slot defender. His athleticism also allows him to execute post-snap coverage to help disguise the play call. Smith has great range in coverage and can cover a lot of field when he commits to a course of action.

He also has extremely quick feet and fluid hips for a safety, bordering on “cornerback” movement skills. He’s able to pick up and run with receivers down the field, avoid schemed traffic, and transition from a backpedal to driving on the ball extremely quickly. He’s very disruptive at the catch point, and quarterbacks seem to have learned to avoid him in coverage.

Smith seems to have a good understanding of route concepts and has a very quick downhill trigger, quickly closing on underneath passes or running plays. He doesn’t seem to fear contact and is willing to take on blocks from offensive linemen or deliver big hits in the run or screen games.

Weaknesses​

Worst traits

• Run fits
• Angles to the ball

The biggest weakness in Smith’s game is plain to see: Tackling in general and run support in particular. However, there are enough flashes of upside in those departments that teams will need to investigate the “why” behind the lapses.

It seems as though the issues are two-fold. To start, Smith tends to take highly aggressive paths to the ball. When it works, Smith creates highlight reel hits. However, they can also make breaking down and tackling difficult, or create avenues for yards after the catch if he misses the tackle.

Smith also tends to make poor decisions with his run fits, picking the wrong gap or over-pursuing and creating cutback lanes. This seems to be more of a systemic issue within the Arizona defense, as their Back Seven can all try to key on the front side of plays, and ignore back-side contain.

Smith was often asked to play the Middle Safety in Arizona’s defense – a position somewhat like the middle linebacker in a Tampa 2 scheme – and it appeared as though he was often caught trying to compensate for other defenders being out of position.

Overall, Smith’s draft stock could depend heavily on his board work and how satisfied teams are by why he had those lapses in run defense. And, of course, whether they think it can be improved through coaching.

Game Tape​

(Smith is the Arizona safety with long hair and a sleeve on his left arm wearing number 12.)

Projection​

Genesis Smith’s projection at the NFL level is a complicated one.

He has the traits to be a starting safety in the NFL, and a potentially good one at that. His size, athleticism, movement skills, and ability in coverage are all incredibly intriguing and would normally be drafted somewhere in the second round. However, his lapses in tackling and run support are equally as concerning, and could sink his stock if he doesn’t adequately satisfy the NFL’s concerns in that area.

He could still be a Day 2 pick if he makes good use of his opportunities in the Draft Process. A strong workout as well as good interviews and board work could go a long way toward answering any questions the NFL may have. However, a poor process could see a precipitous fall for Smith on draft day.

Does he fit the Giants? Possibly, depending on his intangibles

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

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...draft-scouting-report-genesis-smith-s-arizona

 

[New York Giants]

NY Giants free agency 2026: Will Gunner Olszewski get chance to return?

Gunner Olszewski (80) runs with the ball. | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Is what Gunner Olszewski brings to the table enough for him to earn a chance to make the New York Giants roter in 2026?

That is up to head coach John Harbaugh, maybe with an assist from general manager Joe Schoen.

Reasons to keep Olszewski​

Players who have the ability to be plus returners on both kickoffs and punts have value. Olszewski, a 29-year-old six-year veteran has shown that ability. He isn’t dynamic, but he can handle both jobs and occasionally fill in at wide receiver.

Among 59 players who handled at least 15 kickoff returns in 2025, Olszewski’s 26.2 yards per return average was 25th, just above league average. His punt return average of 9.2 yards placed him 18th among 28 qualifiers with at least 15 returns. All in all, he was roughly league average combining both skills.

Olszewski cost just $1.17 million in 2025 with no money guaranteed at signing, so he certainly isn’t expensive.

Reasons to let Olszewski go​

Harbaugh’s special teams with the Baltimore Ravens were not average. Under the direction of Chris Horton, now the Giants’ special teams coordinator, Baltimore’s special teams were usually among the league’s best. A ceiling as an average returner might not be good enough for the Giants’ new regime.

Verdict​

I have no issue with giving Olszewski a similar minimum contract with no guaranteed money and letting him compete for a job.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...kickoff-punt-return-keep-let-go-john-harbaugh

 

[New York Giants]

NFL free agency 2026: NY Giants a potential Mike Evans landing spot?

Mike Evans | Getty Images

Mike Evans will return for a 13th NFL season, but the future Hall of Fame wide receiver will reportedly “explore his free agency options” after 12 seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Should the New York Giants be one of those options?

The Giants, of course, are facing the possibility of losing 1,000-yard receiver Wan’Dale Robinson in free agency. Even if they keep Robinson adding pass-catching weapons for second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart seems like it should be a priority. Malik Nabers is a star when healthy, but the Giants need more playmakers.

Evans, who will be 33 next season, had more than 1,000 yards receiving for the Buccaneers in each of his first 11 NFL seasons.

Evans played in only eight games in 2025 due to a broken collarbone and a hamstring injury. He finished the year with just 30 receptions and 368 receiving yards.

ESPN had this to say about the possibility Evans could leave the Buccaneers:

Evans has long said that he wants to be a “Buc for life” — and that he’s very fond of the team and the city of Tampa — and the Bucs have wanted this as well. But Evans also has said he wants to carefully weigh his options, knowing that he is in the tail end of his career.

The Athletic still ranks Evans as the No. 7 free agent on its list of the top 150 expected to be available.

Evans’ record-tying streak of 11 consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 yards ended in 2025 as he battled injuries. He was limited to eight games because of a hamstring injury and a broken clavicle. But he still has a rare size-speed-physicality blend. Evans is elite at the catch point in 50-50 situations. He is tough to handle at the line of scrimmage, even for bigger corners. And he is a three-level threat who can win in the short, intermediate and deep parts of the field.

Evans was finally healthy for a Week 15 game against the Atlanta Falcons. He caught six passes for 132 yards. This game showed he still has the goods, though health will be a factor as Evans enters his age 33 season.

The Athletic’s contract projection for Evans is two years, $51 million

Pro Football Focus ranks Evans No. 13 on its list of the top 250 free agents. PFF’s contract projection is one-year, $18 million with $15 million guaranteed.

A six-time Pro Bowler, the 6-foot-5, 231-pound Evans has caught 866 passes for 13,052 yards with 108 touchdowns during his 12-year career.

A healthy Evans would help the development of Jaxson Dart and the productivity of the Giants’ offense. Would Evans consider the Giants now that John Harbaugh is head coach, or would he look for a team with a more consistent playoff pedigree in recent years?

If Evans is willing to consider the Giants, is he a player they should pursue?

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...pot-malik-nabers-wandale-robinson-jaxson-dart

 

[New York Giants]

10 steps for fixing the NY Giants — Which are right, and which are wrong?

Dexter Lawrence | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Having others critique my work on a daily basis, some nicely and some not so nicely, is always an “enjoyable” experience. Today, I thought I would turn the tables on a colleague who covers the New York Giants.

Dan Duggan of The Athletic posted his 10-step offseason plan for the Giants earlier this week. Here, I am going to lay out the guts of Duggan’s well-thought out plan and offer my view of each of his 10 steps.

1. Cut LB Bobby Okereke​

Duggan writes, in part:

He has a $14.5 million cap hit for 2026, the final year of his contract. That’s the eighth-highest cap hit among linebackers, and Okereke hasn’t played close to that level since 2023.

It’s unlikely that Okereke will turn it around at age 30. The Giants can cut him for $9 million in cap savings while eating $5.5 million in dead money. Those savings would be better directed toward a replacement as part of an overhauled linebacker corps. Okereke is due a $3 million roster bonus on March 13, so a decision will come by then.

The market is flooded with linebackers this offseason, so the Giants will have options to replace Okereke.

Valentine’s View​

This one feels like a no-brainer. Okereke’s 2023 season, his first with the Giants, was the best of his seven-year career. The farther we get away from it, the more it feels like an outlier. Saving the $9 million and getting younger and more athletic at a position that has always been critical to Harbaugh-coached teams seems like an easy call.

Nakobe Dean, anyone?

2. Extend DL Dexter Lawrence​

Duggan writies:

Ideally, the Giants would just ride it out with Lawrence, who has two years remaining on the four-year, $90 million extension he signed in 2023. But it seems unlikely that Lawrence will be content with that since his compensation has been surpassed by many other defensive tackles. Adding $3 million in incentives last summer was a peace offering, but the sides are coming to a crossroads.

The Giants will need to take a leap of faith either way. If they trade Lawrence, they’d be shipping away a player who was considered the best defensive tackle in the league as recently as last summer. A package like the Jets got when they traded defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to the Cowboys in November — a first-round pick, a second-rounder and a player — would be enticing. But the Giants just watched Leonard Williams, who they traded in 2023, win a Super Bowl as part of a dominant Seahawks defensive line at age 31.

On the other hand, committing to Lawrence would be risky based on his performance last season. There hasn’t been a clear explanation for his decline in production (nine sacks in 2024, a half-sack in 2025), but he’s still treated like a game-wrecker by opponents. I’m betting that the 28-year-old comes back motivated to reclaim his status as the most disruptive interior defensive lineman in the league.

Valentine’s View​

Duggan is right here on a couple of counts. No matter what the Giants do with the 350-pound star defensive tackle, there is risk involved.

• Trade him and no matter what the return you risk another example of letting a terrific player go and watching him have massive success elsewhere.
• Ride it out with his contract and you risk having an unhappy player who feels under-valued. Lawrence was not himself last year and, as Duggan said, no real explanation has ever been offered. I wonder if he was simply worn down after having experienced just one winning season in seven years.
• Extend him and you risk throwing away a lot of money on the back end of that deal. Remember how quickly Damon ‘Snacks’ Harrison fell off the map? Players as big and as special as Lawrence don’t last forever. Your knees, ankles, back aren’t meant to do what Lawrence does at his size. Once they go, they go. And, they can go quickly.

That said, I think extending him is the right gamble to take. Double down on a guy who has been a great player, reward him for his patience with the organization, build the best team you can right now with Jaxson Dart on his rookie deal and John Harbaugh in his honeymoon phase. Deal with the fallout later if you have to. It shouldn’t be that painful with the constantly skyrocketing salary cap.

Like Duggan, I think Lawrence will have a bounce-back year in 2026.

3. Don’t trade Kayvon Thibodeaux​

Duggan writes:

Thibodeaux is certainly not untouchable; the Giants should listen to offers. If a team offers a Day 2 pick for Thibodeaux — well, it was nice knowing you. But that’s unlikely for a player who had 2½ sacks in 10 games last season and is due $14.8 million in 2026 on his fifth-year option.

Giving Thibodeaux away for a Day 3 pick isn’t worth it. The team is finally in position to try to win. Thibodeaux is a quality player at an inflated, but not unreasonable, salary who helps make the pass rush the strength of the defense. While a bit of a luxury, he’s an asset as the No. 3 edge rusher.

Valentine’s View​

I am on record as having said that trading the 2022 No. 5 overall pick might be the right play for the Giants. I don’t want to talk out of both sides of my mouth, but maybe that is what I am about to do. Duggan is absolutely right that there is a case to be made for keeping Thibodeaux in 2025.

There are questions John Harbaugh and Joe Schoen have to ask themselves when it comes to Thibodeaux.

• Do they have any intention of signing him beyond the 2026 season?

If the answer to that is yes, or if that determination has not been made before the upcoming NFL Draft, then keeping him in a rotation with Abdul Carter and Brian Burns is certainly in play. If the answer is no, there are other questions.

• Are you willing to take a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft? Or, do you want to risk letting Thibodeaux go to free agency in a year with the hope that you “might” get a third-round compensatory pick in 2027?

I’m going to disagree with Duggan here that a fourth-round pick is not enough. There is no guarantee of getting a compensatory pick for Thibodeaux, third round or otherwise, if you let him go to free agency next offseason. If a team is willing to give up a fourth-round pick in the upcoming draft I feel like that is a better play than hoping you can get a third-round compensatory pick in 2027. That extra fourth-round pick would have added value for the Giants this year because they don’t have a third-round pick after the Jaxson Dart trade. Having a second fourth-round pick would soften the blow of sitting out Round 3.

• Could you find a player-for-player trade for Thibodeaux that might address a different need? You could backfill edge depth with a veteran free agent and/or a mid-round draft pick.
• How badly do you need the $14.75 million in salary cap savings that trading Thibodeaux would generate?

I can certainly see both sides of this coin. How the Giants proceed depends on how they want to play their hand.

4. Re-sign RT Jermaine Eluemunor, CB Cor’Dale Flott​

Duggan writes:

The Giants finally got their offensive line to a stable place last season. It would be a huge mistake to remove a pillar of that foundation and trust that the 31-year-old Eluemunor can be replaced by second-year pro Marcus Mbow or another cheap, young player. Instead, the Giants should pay Eluemunor as long as the price tag is reasonable — PFF projects a three-year, $36 million contract — and have Mbow continue developing.

Flott is a tougher call, and there are valid arguments against paying him. He has only had one year of high-level play and his slight frame might not be the best fit for the defense Harbaugh and coordinator Dennard Wilson are building. But similar to Eluemunor, the Giants aren’t in position to let quality players at premium positions walk.

Valentine’s View​

I have always felt that the Giants would end up keeping just two of their three big free agents, with wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson being the third player in that category. Earlier in the offseason, I had Flott as the odd man out. I am coming around more and more, though, to the idea that keeping Flott might be the better play.

I will talk about Robinson in a minute. Let’s talk about Flott here. Part of the reason I am thinking more and more about retaining Flott is that the free-agent cornerback market does not thrill me. Flott, with a market value projected by The Athletic to be three years, $22.5 million, will almost certainly be a lot less expensive to sign than Robinson. Also, if the Giants don’t draft Mansoor Delane of LSU at No. 5 or trade for someone like Marlon Humphrey of the Ravens it seems unlikely they would be able to draft someone as ready to play as Flott already is.

At a rail-thin 175 pounds, Flott is not a perfect fit for an aggressive press-man defense where the cornerbacks will need to support the run, which is what the Giants are expected to employ. Still, you can’t perfectly address every problem in one offseason and Flott is an ascending cornerback entering his age 25 season.

5. Let WR Wan’Dale Robinson walk​

Duggan writes:

Robinson made impressive strides in 2025, topping 1,000 yards receiving and increasing his yards per catch average by 3.5. But those numbers will be difficult to replicate when Malik Nabers returns as the passing game’s No. 1 option. Robinson became more of a downfield threat last season, but the 5-foot-8, 185-pounder’s size limitations are real. The Giants should be able to find a receiver with a comparable skill set in the middle rounds of the draft.

Valentine’s View​

It was gratifying to watch the 5-foot-8 Robinson gain more than 1,000 receiving yards in 2025. Since they selected him in the second round in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Giants had always told us they thought Robinson could be a real play-making weapon. That finally materialized in 2025.

Reality, though, is that kind of production from Robinson is not sustainable. Robinson’s breakout year happened largely because Malik Nabers missed 13 games, and the Giants had to try to get explosive plays from someone. The other reality is 5-8 wide receivers don’t do what Robinson did last season. He was the first 5-8 or shorter receiver since Richard Johnson in 1989 to surpass 1,000 receiving yards. Robinson’s season was an outlier, and it’s difficult to get ahead betting on outliers.

Paying him $21 million annually over three years, which is what Pro Football Focus projects, or even $16 million annually over three years, which is what The Athletic projects, seems like an overpay. Pay him big money, and it feels like there is a good chance you will be paying for expected production you won’t get.

There are also a number slot receiver types available in the middle of the draft who could become productive players.

6. Sign DT John Franklin-Myers​

Duggan writes:

The Giants have built up their edge rush in recent offseasons, but it’s time to take the interior spot next to Lawrence seriously. No more relying on cheap stopgaps to be starters. Lawrence was at his best when he had Williams as a sidekick.

Valentine’s View​

Joe Schoen’s mistake was not in trading Leonard Williams to the Seattle Seahawks in 2023. Reality is, Williams looked at the time like a past-his-prime player who was beginning to break down and would be demanding a big-money contract a rebuilding team was going to correctly be reluctant to pay.

Schoen got extra draft capital in the deal that turned into Tyler Nubin and Marcus Mbow. Sure, you can argue he could have used that draft capital better. The theory was right, though. Schoen also used the money he saved to engineer a trade for Brian Burns, a terrific player who is four years younger and should have a longer runway of success.

Schoen’s mistake has been never adequately filling the hole next to Dexter Lawrence that was left by Williams’ absence.

Middling veterans like A’Shawn Robinson, Roy Robertson-Harris, and Rakeem Nunez-Roches weren’t going to get that done. Neither were late-round draft picks like D.J. Davidson and Jordon Riley. A pass-rushing third-round pick like Darius Alexander was a nice step, but Alexander’s 30.3 Pro Football Focus run defense grade tells you he did not look like an every-down player in 2025.

The 29-year-old Franklin-Myers will likely be the best defensive tackle on the free agent market. He has 14.5 sacks combined the past two seasons, and is a quality run defender.

The Athletic proposes a three-year, $54 million contract for Franklin-Myers, and says:

Franklin-Myers is an elite interior rusher with alignment versatility. He tied for ninth in pass-rush efficiency among interior defensive lineman with at least 250 pass-rush snaps. He has a blend of power and quick twitch. He uses violent hands to shed linemen with a go-to swim move, and he makes linemen look silly because he is so sudden. Franklin-Myers has an acute sense for when quarterbacks are trying to climb the pocket, and he can shut down scramble escape lanes through the A and B gaps.

Lawrence needs a real running mate on the interior of the defensive line. Franklin-Myers could be the answer.

7. Sign G Isaac Seumalo​

Duggan writes:

There will be calls to sign Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum, but his PFF projected contract of four years for $80 million is prohibitive, considering the Giants’ bigger needs elsewhere. They’re better off making an economical upgrade at guard and then spreading money around to value signings at wide receiver and linebacker. The Giants don’t need to spend top dollar on Linderbaum to infuse some Ravens culture into the team. Fullback Patrick Ricard, who has spent his entire nine-year career in Baltimore, is an obvious budget-friendly target.

Valentine’s View​

I think a big move along the interior of the offensive line is coming. It won’t shock me if that portion of the Giants’ offensive line is completely revamped next season to be a more physically dominant, power run game suited group.

As such, I think Linderbaum is going to be the play for Harbaugh and the Giants. The connection from Baltimore and the idea that Harbaugh could start his reconstruction of the offensive line with the player who led his Ravens’ line seems too enticing to ignore.

Maybe the Giants get outbid for Linderbaum, but I believe they will make a big push for him.

8. Draft Ohio State safety Caleb Downs at No. 5​

Duggan writes:

Trading down from No. 5 to acquire more picks would be ideal, but there doesn’t figure to be much demand for this selection in a weak quarterback draft. I’m generally a proponent of position value, but Downs could be an exception if he’s as good as the hype suggests. The Giants’ talent at premium positions (QB, LT, WR, OLB) gives them more freedom to take the best player available with the fifth pick. Harbaugh knows firsthand how valuable a game-changing safety can be after deploying Kyle Hamilton, the 14th pick of the 2022 draft, for the past four years in Baltimore. Downs could be the chess piece that makes the Giants’ defense click.

Valentine’s View​

We have already been through this discussion a number of times, and BBV readers should know by now that I would support the pick. To make it worthwhile, Downs would have to be the player draft analysts think he could be. If he is, though, this is a player who could be the leader of the Giants’ secondary for a decade. I have pointed out consistently that Downs would be a Harbaugh type selection, even if it goes against conventional NFL wisdom.

9. Trade back to acquire more picks​

Duggan writes:

The Giants need to adopt the Ravens’ practice of stockpiling draft picks. The Ravens averaged 8.9 picks per draft during Harbaugh’s 18 years in Baltimore. The Giants have averaged 7.8 picks per year during general manager Joe Schoen’s four drafts. That may not seem like much of a difference, but one more swing per year obviously increases the odds of a hit — and Schoen’s average is inflated by having 11 picks in his first draft when he twice traded back in the second round. He turned the extra Day 3 picks from those two drafts into safety Dane Belton and linebacker Micah McFadden. Despite that positive return, Schoen hasn’t traded back in the past three drafts, averaging 6.7 picks in those drafts. The Ravens had more than seven picks in 14 of Harbaugh’s 18 drafts.

Valentine’s View​

Long-time Big Blue View readers know that I am always in favor of a trade down. One of the core tenets of the ‘Big Blue View Rules for Draft Success’ is to trade down and get more swings whenever possible. That gives you more bites of the apple, and the chance to soften the blow of any misses you do have in the draft. I think trading down for extra picks is generally the right thing to do, provided you are comfortable with the player or players you might be leaving on the draft board.

Duggan is right that the Giants should aspire to have more than seven selections as often as possible. With only one quarterback likely to be picked before the Giants are on the clock at No. 5, trading down from that spot seems difficult. Maybe they could trade back from No. 37 in Round 2 and squeeze a third-round pick out of someone.

There is, though, another way to add some picks this year, and perhaps in 2027.

Trading Thibodeaux and center John Michael Schmitz.

We have talked about trading Thibodeaux. If the Giants sign Linderbaum, and that is an unknown right now, Schmitz becomes a spare part. He has never played guard, and I have doubts that he could do so adequately. If Linderbaum is signed, trading Schmitz for draft assets and having someone like Greg Van Roten or Austin Schlottmann as the primary center-guard backup seems like the best play.

10. Decline CB Deonte Banks’ fifth-year option​

Duggan writes:

It’s nice to end this exercise with a layup. There will be no consideration of picking up Banks’ fifth-year option, which is projected at $12 million. Banks doesn’t seem like a fit in Harbaugh’s program, though the 2023 first-rounder has enough talent to get a shot to prove himself this offseason. Banks showed last season he can be a capable kick returner, but he’s the type of player often swept out by a new regime.

Valentine’s View​

Obvious no-brainer. It will be interesting to see if Banks makes it to training camp and gets an opportunity from Harbaugh to turn his career around, or gets bounced to the curb as an example to Giants’ players that the lack of effort Banks has shown at times the past couple of years won’t be tolerated.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...ny-giants-which-are-right-and-which-are-wrong

 

[New York Giants]

NY Giants, Tennessee Titans’ intertwined offseason, explained

Sebastian Joseph-Day | Getty Images

The New York Giants and Tennessee Titans are having a crazy, mixed-up, intertwined NFL offseason.

Former Giants’ head coach Brian Daboll and two of his assistants, Carmen Bricillo and Shea Tierney, are now Titans’ assistant coaches. Former Titans’ head coach Brian Callahan and two of his assistants, Dennard Wilson and Frank Bush, are now Giants’ assistant coaches.

Matt Nagy, the front-runner to take Callahan’s old spot as Titans’ head coach, did not get that job. He got the Giants’ offensive coordinator job, and Callahan now works for him.

There are a number of Titans’ and Giants’ free agent players who could also be changing sides this offseason.

Chris Belcher of the Bleav in Titans podcast dropped by the ‘Valentine’s Views’ podcast on YouTube to discuss all of this craziness. Listen to the full episode above. Some of the major takeaways are below.

Brian Callahan in a ‘great spot’​

[NOTE: You can hear most of this starting at the 7:06 mark]

Former Giants head coach Brian Daboll is now in Tennessee as offensive coordinator. There, he will work with Cam Ward, the quarterback the Giants tried and failed to move up for in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Former Titans head coach Brian Callahan is now the Giants’ quarterbacks coach and pass game coordinator. in New Jersey, Callahan will help guide Jaxson Dart, the quarterback Daboll was largely responsible for the Giants trading up to select after they could not get Ward.

It is a bit weird. Could it be, though, that both coaches are now in roles more suitable to their skillsets?

Belcher told me he believes Callahan is in a “great spot” with the Giants.

Callahan has been an assistant coach on teams quarterbacked by Peyton Manning, Matthew Stafford, Derek Carr, and Joe Burrow.

Belcher said he “could not agree more” that quarterbacks coach or offensive coordinator, a role where he can work directly with quarterbacks, might be what Callahan is best-suited for.

“You look at his track record of working with Peyton Manning, Joe Burrow, Matt Stafford, etc., etc., and we don’t exactly know what his role was with those quarterbacks. We know that he wasn’t exactly calling plays. We know he was essentially the offensive analyst slash quarterback’s coach slash work with the offensive coordinators, work with the play callers, what have you at various stops,” Belcher said. “But we know that those quarterbacks have had lots of success over the years. So Callahan has talent when it comes to that, for sure.”

Belcher said Callahan was “way too far in over his head” as a head coach.

“The one thing that always stood out in my mind about Brian Callahan’s introductory press conference with the Titans is the point he drove home [about] the importance of his relationship with the quarterback. He wants to be in lock in step with that quarterback every every minute of every day. Off the field, on the field, doesn’t matter,” Belcher said. “So, I think removing the head coach responsibilities allows him to invest in an already explosive Jaxson Dart.

“I think the table is set nicely for Callahan’s situation in New York.”

Dennard Wilson ‘is going to be great’​

[NOTE: This section starts at 21:56]

There are Giants fans who wonder what John Harbaugh was thinking when he hired Dennard Wilson to be the team’s defensive coordinator. After all, the Titans went 3-14 last season and finished 28th in the NFL in points allowed. They did not exactly have a great defense.

“The Titans had a really good defense in 2024. And a lot of people just look at their record and look at the points that they gave up in 2025 and say they had a crappy defense. They didn’t have a crappy defense,” Belcher said. “I think what hurt the Titans the most, and there is clear evidence, go look it up, the injuries. They couldn’t keep guys healthy. They lost four starters in the secondary in a half of a football game this year. Halfway through the season, lost two starting safeties and two starting corners in the first half of a ball game, and they were out for the whole year.

“Dennard Wilson can’t get out there and play for them. He can only coach the guys that are available.”

Wilson worked for Harbaugh with the Baltimore Ravens in 2023, and Belcher defended Harbaugh hiring him to run the Giants’ defense.

“I didn’t want to let Dennard go because he made a lot of lemonade out of what he was given,” Belcher said. “And I think he’s going to be great in New York.”

Caleb Downs a ‘no-brainer’​

[NOTE: Belcher’s comments regarding Downs begin at 27:30]

Wilson was a safety as a player. John Harbaugh has coached Brian Dawkins, Ed Reed, and Kyle Hamilton. We ended up discussing whether or not Ohio State safety Caleb Downs was a fit for the Giants at No. 5.

“Kyle Hamilton in four years has arguably become the best safety in the NFL and he did that under under a guy who knows a thing or two about being a great safety in the NFL. So I think Caleb Downs has all the talent in the world. I previously worked for CBS and I worked a lot in the high school recruiting and followed guys into college and Caleb Downs even in high school was just off the charts. This guy’s going to be insane, and then he got to college and he proved everybody right.

“So I think if if you’re looking for a spot in the secondary and you marry that with a Dennard Wilson, former safety, you marry that with that defensive coordinator, I think it’s a no-brainer for the Giants.”

Giants free agents to Tennessee?​

[NOTE: This part of our discussion began at about the 30:57 mark]

With coaches criss-crossing from Tennessee to New York and vice versa, it makes sense that a few free agents will do the same. Belcher and I discussed the three main Giants’ free agents — right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor, wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, and cornerback Cor’Dale Flott.

Here are Belcher’s thoughts on those three players:

Eluemunor …

Belcher said Eluemunor “sounds interesting,” but admitted that JC Latham is the right tackle and the Titans are unlikely to move him.

“Would Jermaine be able to switch inside? Would he play guard at this point in his career?,” Belcher asked.

The answer is that he could as he has played guard before. The question is whether he would. He has been against that idea in the past and told me during the season that he had no interest in moving inside to allow the Giants to play Marcus Mbow at right tackle.

Eluemunor feels right tackle is his best position, and he feels he has earned the right to play where he is best-suited.

Would he play guard for Bricillo? The ex-Giants coach’s presence in Tennessee might be the only thing that would entice Eluemunor to do that. Eluemunor and Bricillo have been together in New England, Las Vegas, and New York.

Robinson …

“As a Kentucky fan, Wan’Dale Robinson sounds lovely to me,” Belcher said. “But I feel like that position is sort of filled with Chimere Dike, who was a Pro Bowler in his rookie season and led the NFL on all purpose yards.

“As much as I would like Robinson, I don’t think they go for him.”

Flott …

Belcher thinks there is a chance Tennessee would be interested in Flott.

“I think there’s always a chance because the Titans need corner help obviously. Because they need help everywhere, especially if they cut L’Jarius Sneed from this crazy, ridiculous contract [four years, $76 million] that they signed him to. Then we’re going to need some help. Now, because the defense the defensive minds from the Giants aren’t necessarily coming to Tennessee I wonder if they would take a look at that, but corner is certainly a spot of need and I’m open to any and all suggestions, any and all talent that you might be able to throw at me.”

Titans free agents to New York?​

[NOTE: This section begins at 38:40]

I was particularly interested in Belcher’s thoughts on Tennessee tight end Chig Okonkwo and defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day.

Joseph-Day …

Belcher said Joseph-Day, who will be 31 this season, is a “prime candidate” to join Wilson in New York.

“I think a lot of his production came because of how good Jeff Simmons was playing. How many double teams that Jeff Simmons drew and just the attention that he was getting really opened up the game for Sebastian Joseph Day,” Belcher said. “I think he’s a really good defensive lineman and I think you pair him with Dexter Lawrence and you put him on the same defense with Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux and I think he can he can make noise.”

Okonkwo …

Daniel Bellinger and Chris Manhertz are free agents, and Theo Johnson is tantalizingly talented but frustratingly inconsist.

“Dude moves and looks like Kyle Pitts without being called Kyle Pitts,” Belcher said. “Dude is one of the fastest tight ends in the NFL. Dude has just incredible moves, can get off the ball, and why doesn’t he getthe attention that other guys get? Because he plays in Tennessee. That’s why.”

Okonkwo has more than 50 receptions in each of the last three seasons.

Belcher said he believes the Titans will try to keep Okonkwo, who is entering his age 27 season.

“That’s a nice dynamic weapon for New York if you can if you can bring him in,” Belcher said. “I know that Callahan did some nice things with him. I know that the previous regime did some nice things with him. He just needs the right situation to be able to thrive.”

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...nessee-titans-intertwined-offseason-explained

 

[New York Giants]

NY Giants news: Roles of 6 new hires to coaching staff explained

The New York Giants announced six more hirings on Friday, including Sam Rosengarten as director of high performance and five football analysts.

Rosengarten has nine seasons of NFL experience, all with the Baltimore Ravens.

What are the duties of a “director of high performance”? The Giants explained Rosengarten’s role this way in their official press release.

He held the same role in Baltimore, where he oversaw player monitoring systems, training load management, recovery protocols, and performance analytics. He integrated real-time biometric monitoring during practice, advanced player‑monitoring protocols, and injury‑prevention strategies tailored to the demands of the NFL.

His expertise helped shape new data applications within the organization, driving innovation in injury forecasting and personalized athlete development to enhance player availability, optimize performance, and support overall team success.

Prior to working for the Ravens, Rosengarten led the Buffalo Sabres’ injury‑prevention program for two seasons and oversaw all day‑to‑day care of the players.

Here is more on Rosengarten from the press release:

Originally from Melbourne, Australia, Rosengarten is a board‑certified physical therapist, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, and a sports physiotherapist in both Australia and the United Kingdom.

He has also consulted for the NBA’s New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder, as well as England’s Lawn Tennis Association, among others.

Rosengarten has spent more than 17 years working with athletes in professional sports environments around the world. He has built a reputation for utilizing cutting‑edge technology to optimize athletic performance and reduce injury risk.

About the new analysts​

The analysts hired by the Giants were Skyler Mornhinweg, Taylor Kolste, Patrick Moynahan, Kyrell Michael, and Bonner Bordelon.

Mornhinweg is the son of long-time NFL coach Marty Mornhinweg. His coaching experience includes the University of Colorado (assistant quarterbacks coach), Columbia University (quarterbacks coach), Midwestern State (quarterbacks coach/offensive coordinator), and Ohio State (graduate assistant). He was a quarterback at Florida and Columbia as a player.

Kolste was offensive coordinator for the University of Mary last season after previously working as an assistant quarterbacks coach at the University of Kentucky. He has also coached at Boise State and Southern Utah.

Moynihan was defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach at Utah Tech last season.

Michael served as a player personnel assistant for the Las Vegas Raiders last season after originally joining the organization in 2023 as part of the NFL’s Nunn‑Wooten Scouting Fellowship program.

Bordelon spent last season at the University of Texas at San Antonio, where he was the specialists coach and assistant special teams coordinator. He has also worked at Utah Tech, TCU, and SMU.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...es-to-john-harbaughs-coaching-staff-explained