Daniel Jones’ upward curve has seen him go from potential draft bust to franchise quarterback, rewarded with a four-year, $160-million contract by the New York Giants. Now, even one of Jones’ biggest critics is prepared to compare the 26-year-old to Tom Brady.

Chris Simms had been one of Jones’ main detractors, but the NBC Sports analyst put Big Blue’s QB1 no. 11 in his latest annual ranking of the top 40 quarterbacks in the NFL.

Jones just missed the top 10, but Simms, speaking to Ahmed Fareed on an edition of Chris Simms Unbuttoned, explained why he sees shades of seven-time Super Bowl winner Brady: “Size is a skill. … Daniel Jones, to me, is in a small class of quarterbacks in the NFL, where he can throw over the line of scrimmage. It keeps a variety of completions and throws still available to him that is not available to most quarterbacks in football, and it’s a short list. You know, him, (Justin) Herbert, Trevor Lawrence, Brady could kinda do that.”

Simply being mentioned in connection with Brady is testament to how far Jones progressed during 2022. His progression is why the Giants paid up this offseason and are counting on No. 8 to continue getting better and officially join the ranks of the elite at football’s most important position.

It’s a gamble, but the signs are good Jones can meet expectations.

Daniel Jones Improved in Every Area During 2022

Simms, son of two-time Super Bowl champion Giants quarterback Phil, gave Jones credit for more than just his 6-foot-5, 221-pound frame. Jones also earned plaudits for his improved arm and accuracy: “Go back and watch. I mean, he’s got games where you go 10-12 plays in a row where you go, ‘there’s nobody open,’. and he’s still getting completions or still getting positive yards. He’s a high-level thrower of the football. What I mean, like a Kirk Cousins, it’s incredible control and accuracy. He hits the bull’s-eye a lot on tight-window, 15- and 10-yard throws.”

While he’s one of the more mobile signal-callers in the NFL, Jones made strides as a passer by setting a career-high tally of 3,205 yards through the air. He also threw just five interceptions, the fewest in a season of his career.

One of his best throws was a 33-yard touchdown completed to Darius Slayton during a 23-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 7. As Next Gen Stats detailed, there was little separation between Slayton and his coverage, but Jones still managed to fit an “improbable” throw into a tight window.

Throws of this calibre became common for Jones on the watch of offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and head coach Brian Daboll. The latter helped turn Josh Allen into a star with the Buffalo Bills, and Simms believes Jones is on a par with Allen when it comes to running: “They could not have won and played the way they did without Daniel Jones’ skillset last year. His running is in the upper echelon of football’s runners. We know Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, right? He’s right there with Josh Allen and that crew right after it.”

Jones took his rushing threat up a notch last season. He amassed a career-best 708 yards on the ground, gaining 562 before contact, according to Pro Football Reference.

Many of Jones’ best runs were for crucial gains in clutch moments. Like when he dashed for eight bruising yards to help set up a Saquon Barkley touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings, a play highlighted by ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.

Jones is the driving force of both phases of the Giant’ offense, but he’ll be expected to do even more after the team bolstered his supporting cast.

Jones Has More to Work With This Season

Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen need Jones to share more with Brady than height. Brady was consistent enough to win six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and add a further title as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, although he was famously beaten by the Giants in Super Bowls XLII and XLVI.

Contrast that record with Jones, who is still striving to prove his championship credentials. The Giants are giving him every opportunity after trading for Pro-Bowl right end Darren Waller, signing wide receiver Parris Campbell in free agency and selecting natural deep threat Jalin Hyatt in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft.

Those new faces can help Jones expand the Giants’ passing attack after the offense mustered a league-low 28 completions of 20-plus yards last season. Ironically, Jones actually performed well throwing deep, despite the lowly overall figure.

Numbers from Lauren Gray of Pro Football Focus show Jones had a deep passer rating of 119.4, good for third in the league. He also completed 43.5 percent of his deep strikes, the ninth-best mark in football.

One of his notable completions was this 44-yarder to Slayton against the Dallas Cowboys.

Jones has a talent for the long game, but he needs more opportunities, with Gray noting how he tried only 23 vertical throws last season, the second fewest on the charts. Extra chances will be available now Jones has speedsters like Campbell and Hyatt to aim for on the outside.

More production vertically is the next step toward Jones becoming an elite QB and meriting Simms’ lofty comparisons.

Most Super Bowl champions see their ring as the ultimate embodiment of team excellence.

Kadarius Toney sees his as another way to flip the New York Giants the bird.

The wideout gave a bejeweled middle finger to “everybody in New York” and said he loves “trolling” his former team, according to a video posted to YouTube from his Super Bowl LVII ring fitting.

“I’m gonna go to the middle of New York with my middle finger up,” Toney said later in the video. “I love trolling. (The Giants) tried to troll me. I’ve got something for ‘em.”

Look at Toney’s stats with New York for his biggest troll job yet. 

The team’s top 2021 draft pick never found the end zone as a Giant. He played in only 12 career games in blue, according to Pro Football Reference. And when he arrived in Kansas City via trade last October, he tweeted — and subsequently deleted — a claim his hamstring was actually fine.

More recent Toney tweets seem to address the middle finger video.

It’s clear Toney still has an axe to grind with his former team. Here’s what you need to know about the drama between Big Blue and its ex-receiver.

Why Did Kadarius Toney Never Catch on With Giants?

New York entered its 2022 season with sky-high expectations for Toney.

Following a 39-catch rookie season, the Florida product was expected to be a key team contributor. Even head coach Brian Daboll sung his praises in training camp workouts.

“(Toney’s) done the rehab he’s needed to do. He’s been working hard in the meeting rooms,” Daboll told reporters in July 2022. “The plan and we’re not talking about injuries from what we did in the spring, but the plan was set in place. And… he’s out here without a red jersey, ready to practice.”

But Big Blue’s abundance of optimism soon turned into an abundance of caution.

Toney played just seven snaps in the team’s season-opening win in Tennessee. The following week, he landed on the team’s injury report with what Daboll described as a hamstring strain. And given Toney’s history — he missed seven games with COVID-19 and an oblique strain — the team decided to work him back slowly.

That decision clearly irked Toney, who sat out the rest of his time in New York.

Meanwhile, New York’s regime spared few details about why they made the move — despite a clear need at receiver all season long.

Said Daboll via the team’s official website: “We just thought it was for the best, for the team. Wish Kadarius well. I’m not going to get into any of the details. Our decision is for the team, and we’re moving on.”

In short: The boost Toney could’ve given New York’s passing game wasn’t worth his headaches. So Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen moved on — before too many middle fingers were raised.

Giants Got Most Out of Kadarius Toney By Trading Him

Toney was more valuable to the Giants as a trade piece than a player. 

New York recouped a 2023 third-round pick in its deal with Kansas City. That pick ended up as the compensation needed to land ex-Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller from the Raiders this offseason.

Waller has looked like the lynchpin of New York’s passing game so far. Toney never did.

“You hear about most guys and they’re listed in the program as 6-6 when they’re really like 6-4 or 6-5,” quarterback Daniel Jones said about Waller after organized team activities in May. “But he’s like a true 6-6 and he’s a true 250, 260 (pounds) and he can fly and he can run all the routes. He’s just an impressive athlete.”

Meanwhile, Toney helped his new team dispatch the Giants’ arch rival.

The Florida product caught a five-yard touchdown pass and broke the Super Bowl record for longest punt return (65 yards) in Super Bowl LVII. Both feats helped Kansas City beat the Philadelphia Eagles last February in Arizona. 

Toney’s in line for an even bigger role in Kansas City this season. But instead, he’s focused on burning the Giants, who traded him to a contender and helped him secure the very ring he’s using to flip them off.

At least on paper, the incoming crop of defensive rookies is loaded.

Despite the NFL tilting further in favor of the offense than ever before, there were 16 defensive players chosen in the first round to only 15 offensive prospects, headlined by EDGE Will Anderson and cornerback Devon Witherspoon both coming off the board in the top-five picks.

This spring featured one of the deeper cornerback classes in recent memory, and there should be at least a handful of immediate starters emerging from the first round alone.

So, which defensive rookies have the best chance of becoming immediate stars this fall? Here’s a prediction, with insight from NFL scouts and executives mixed in:

5. Joey Porter Jr., CB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Joey Porter Jr. follows his legendary father’s footsteps into a starting role in the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ defense, carrying an extra large chip on his shoulder from sliding out of the first round to No. 32 overall. That’s likely bad news for the rest of the NFL.

One of the longest cornerbacks in this year’s class, Porter’s 6-foot-2, 195-pound frame give him the ability to neutralize opposing receivers and caused opposing quarterbacks to shy away from targeting him last season.

“He’s going to be really good covering smaller receivers,” an AFC scout told Heavy. “He’s long, a really good athlete, and tough. The fact that he’s a Steeler seems to mean something extra to him, too.”

Porter Jr.’s massive wingspan helped him hold opposing receivers to just 143 total yards last season, according to Pro Football Focus, and opposing quarterbacks to a pedestrian 63.6 passer rating when targeting him. The Steelers have an instant starter and high-impact cornerback to continue building around, in Porter Jr.

4. Devon Witherspoon, CB, Seattle Seahawks

There might not be a cornerback with better ball skills in this year’s class than Devon Witherspoon, and he’ll walk right into a starting role in the Seattle Seahawks‘ secondary.

“Devon’s competitive as hell,” an NFC executive told Heavy. “And tough as they come. It’s like he was built to play for the Seahawks.”

According to Pro Football Focus, Witherspoon only allowed 22 receptions on 60 targets last season, surrendering just 3.3 yards per target with 14 pass breakups and three interceptions.

Seattle might not yet have its next incarnation of the “Legion of Boom,” but there’s a good chance that Witherspoon Island is about to pop up in the Emerald City thanks in large part to Witherspoon’s competitiveness and range on the outside.

3. Deonte Banks, CB, New York Giants

New York Giants defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale couldn’t contain his excitement that Banks would be the team’s selection as general manager Joe Schoen phoned in the No. 24 overall pick. It’s easy to see why.

While Banks had just one interception in 2022, opposing quarterbacks posted a mere 71.4 passer rating when targeting handsy 6-foot and 200-pound cornerback. Banks’ speed and versatility give him the potential to make an instant impact, and a worthy counter-punch to the NFC East’s bounty of elite receivers.

Banks’ presence on the perimeter affords Martindale a little more freedom to do what he loves most, and what his defense is built on; blitzing. New York has a long way to go in terms of building out a secondary, but Banks has the frame and athleticism to be a cornerstone.

2. Jalen Carter, DT, Philadelphia Eagles

General manager Howie Roseman once again managed to marry value with elite talent and need for the Philadelphia Eagles, stopping the slide of arguably the most dominant defensive player in this year’s class at No. 9 overall.

There likely won’t be much easing Carter into the Eagles’ rotation, following the departures of Ndamukong Suh and Javon Hargrave from a line that powered a run to the Super Bowl last season.

“From a talent standpoint, Jalen is a perfect fit for what the Eagles do up front,” an AFC South Scouting Director told Heavy.

Not only will Carter take up all kinds of space in the run game alongside Fletcher Cox, but his 16.3 pass-rush win rate last season at the University of Georgia gives him the potential to round out one of the more disruptive interior pass-rush duos in the league.

1. Will Anderson, EDGE, Houston Texans

The Texans are seemingly all in on importing the San Francisco 49ers‘ defense to Houston, and handed new head coach DeMeco Ryans a cornerstone to build around in EDGE rusher Will Anderson.

During his time in Tuscaloosa, Anderson was nearly unblockable. The explosive 6-foot-3 and 253-pound defensive lineman posted a stellar 20.4 pass-rush win rate in 2022, along with 14 sacks and 51 pressures. As a three-year starter, Anderson logged 207 pressures, underscoring just how disruptive he can be, while going up against some of the nation’s premier offensive tackles in the SEC.

Houston has a long way to go in terms of building out its front-seven, but Anderson is going to be the kind of player who wreaks havoc on opposing backfields, while potentially drawing double teams to create opportunities for the players around him, as well.

Darren Waller will change the way the New York Giants attack defenses and also make life easier for quarterback Daniel Jones, according to ESPN NFL Matchup analyst Greg Cosell.

He told the Ross Tucker Football Podcast about “the importance of a tight end that can line up as that boundary X, that single receiver to the short side of the field, because that very often dictates pre-snap looks and it allows the quarterback to understand what the defense is going to do before the snap of the ball.”

Cosell asserted how an offense “always” want to give its QB1 “as much information as possible through the use of personnel and formation before the ball is snapped.” Fortunately for the Giants, “Waller is one of those guys” who can make defenses obvious.

Aligning out wide is nothing new for the Pro-Bowl tight end the Giants traded for earlier this offseason. Waller often played the X receiver during his early and most productive years with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Giants Can Copy Familiar Formula to Unleash Darren Waller

Former Raiders’ head coach Jon Gruden began moving Waller into a wide alignment from the start of the 2019 NFL season. Shifting the tight end into space dictated what coverage shells defenses slipped into.

A great example came against the Denver Broncos in Week 1, when sending Waller in motion forced cornerback Isaac Yiadom (26) to follow him. That showed the Raiders the Broncos were in man coverage, giving the Silver and Black an obvious physical mismatch, pitting 6-foot-6, 255-pound Waller against 6-foot-1, 190-pounder Yiadom.

Lining Waller up as a wide receiver became a common scheme for the Raiders, as Cosell’s colleague Matt Bowen detailed.

Gruden’s strategy made Waller the go-to target for the Raiders. He embraced the role by making 90 catches from 117 targets, per Pro Football Reference.

Waller was even more productive in 2020, being targeted 145 times and snagging 107 receptions for 1,196 yards. Those numbers ensured Waller became a Pro Bowler, largely thanks to all the time he spent playing as the X, with Ryan Holmes of Put on Raiders detailing how the role created another “easy read” in the passing game, this time against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Giants’ head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka replicating the Gruden blueprint would solve a deficiency at wide receiver and also improve Jones’ big-play output through the air.

Giants Need More Big Plays Through the Air

Generating huge gains through the air proved a challenge for the Giants in 2022. The Jones-led offense mustered a mere 28 completions of 20-plus yards, easily the fewest in the NFL.

Jones struggled to push the ball vertically, averaging only 6.8 yards per attempt and just 3.4 completed air yards per attempt, per Pro Football Reference. Giants’ general manager Joe Schoen needs to see a jump in those numbers to justify the four-year, $160-million contract he handed to the signal-caller earlier this offseason, instead of paying star running back Saquon Barkley.

For those numbers to improve, Daboll requires third-round draft pick Jalin Hyatt to quickly emerge as a viable deep threat. Unfortunately, Hyatt “mostly worked with the third-team offense this spring,” according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic.

Hyatt’s development will take time, so the Giants should count on Waller to be the big-play target on the outside. That’s not too much to ask from a pass-catcher who has averaged 12 yards per catch during his career.

The worry is Waller’s injury history, since he’s missed 14 games the last two years with various ailments, including ankle, thigh and hamstring injuries. Keeping Waller healthy will be key to deploying him the way Cosell described. Especially when there isn’t another tight end on the roster as explosive, nor a wideout as physical.

If the Giants are able to give Waller plenty of snaps as the X, the 30-year-old will have little trouble returning to his Pro-Bowl form and giving Jones more chances to improve as a deep passer.

Saquon Barkley wants to be paid like one of the top running backs in the NFL, so he should welcome the New York Giants using Derrick Henry as the benchmark in contract talks.

It hasn’t happened yet, but Ted Nguyen of The Athletic spoke with a couple of contract experts who believe the Giants will get a deal done with their franchise-tagged Pro Bowler. When they do, the terms will look a lot like what workhorse Henry receives from the Tennessee Titans.

Henry earns around $12.5 million annually, according to Spotrac.com, making him the third-highest paid back in the NFL. King Henry trails only New Orleans Saints’ star Alvin Kamara and Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers.

Barkley could soon join that exalted company, with Jason Fitzgerald, founder of OverTheCap.com, telling Nguyen the Giants should “basically, guarantee him what would be the equivalent of two tags plus maybe a few dollars more — $12 (million)-$13 million-a-year range.”

Fitzgerald’s thoughts echo those of Pro Football Focus salary cap specialist Brad Spielberger predicting Barkley is likely to be paid sooner than fellow back Josh Jacobs of the Las Vegas Raiders: “I think they’ll be similar, if they get done, with Jacobs more productive last season obviously, but Barkley carries the draft status cache (drafted second overall).”

Joining the same pay bracket as Henry would surely help Barkley reach a compromise with the Giants. It’s better for Big Blue to have their most dynamic playmaker signed up for the long haul, rather than making him play on the tag at $10.091 million for a single year.

Saquon Barkley Deserves Derrick Henry Money

Henry is a good benchmark for Barkley’s next deal because both are the focal point for their respective teams. ‘King Henry’ dominating the rushing charts in recent seasons has powered the Titans into become regular playoff contenders, just like Barkley’s stellar 2022 helped the Giants return to the postseason for the first time since 2016.

Barkley was the catalyst thanks to a career-high 295 carries to go with a tie for the team lead in receptions with 57. His prominence in the Giants’ offense was summed up his heavy workload during a 20-12 win over the Chicago Bears in Week 4, with ESPN’s Jordan Raanan detailing the numbers.

Henry knows all about 30-plus-carry games. The Titans have been content to feed him and keep feeding him whenever they need to make gains.

Tennessee’s reliance on Henry has been most obvious against AFC South rivals the Houston Texans, per The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov.

Busy days like these were common for Barkley last season, and when he was the feature of a game, the Giants usually won. That’s why it’s surprising general manager Joe Schoen didn’t pay up this offseason.

Giants Can Still Correct Contract Oversight

In fairness to Schoen, he was hamstrung somewhat by the value attached to even competent quarterbacks at the pro level. Daniel Jones enjoyed a banner season and led his team to 10 wins, two things sure to get a signal-caller paid.

Jones’ payday netted him $160 million over four years, but framing him as more important than Barkley is a tough sell. Especially given how much Giants struggle to produce yards and points without him, per The Game Day NFL.

Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll have worked to elevate Jones’ importance this offseason by equipping him with new targets like free-agent wide receiver Parris Campbell, rookie burner Jalin Hyatt and Pro-Bowl tight end Darren Waller. If the plan succeeds, nobody will care about Jones getting paid ahead of Barkley.

Yet, if a disgruntled Barkley, who hasn’t denied the possibility of a holdout, leaves Jones with too much slack to pick up, questions will be asked about the Giants’ contract strategy.

Saquon Barkley still doesn’t have the new long-term contract he wants, nor does he sound eager to play on the franchise tag for the New York Giants in 2023. It’s a sticky problem, but one general manager Joe Schoen could solve with a blockbuster trade for a record-setting wide receiver.

Mike Evans is the only wideout in NFL history to have posted nine-straight 1,000-yard seasons, but the veteran is also entering the final year of his contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Evans would make a great trade chip to tempt the Giants into parting ways with Barkley, according to Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton.

The deal would involve the Giants sending Barkley and a second-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft to Tampa Bay. While that looks lopsided in favor of the Bucs, Moton believes acquiring Evans would mean the Giants “finally land a No. 1 wide receiver who can elevate quarterback Daniel Jones. Evans and tight end Darren Waller can turn Big Blue’s aerial attack into a top-10 scoring unit, which would close the gap between the Giants and Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East.”

Moton also believes “the Giants can deal him (Barkley) in a sign-and-trade scenario.” That would be necessary since Barkley still hasn’t put pen to paper to accept the tag.

While snagging a legitimate go-to receiver should be tempting for the owners of one of the more pedestrian passing games in the league, the Giants should think twice about what life without Barkley would look like.

4-Time Pro-Bowl Wide Receiver Would Transform Giants

Life with Evans would be great for quarterback Daniel Jones, since the veteran pass-catcher has made it easy on every signal-caller he’s played alongside. Evans posted his first 1,000-yard campaign back in 2014, when Josh McCown and Mike Glennon were throwing the passes.

Since then, Evans has been the main man for Jameis Winston, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Tom Brady. Jones would certainly make the strides the Giants are banking on if he had Evans to aim for this season.

Schoen handed Jones a four-year, $160-million contract, handsome reward despite the QB leading a passing game that produced a league-low 28 completions of 20-plus yards. Improving big-play potential through the air has been a focus of the Giants’ offseason, leading to the arrivals of free-agent Parris Campbell, rookie Jalin Hyatt and Pro-Bowl tight end Darren Waller, who was acquired via trade with the Las Vegas Raiders.

The new faces will help Jones, but none will have the same impact Evans would in this offense. At 6-foot-5 and 231 pounds, the 30-year-old compares favorably to 6-foot-6, 255-pound Waller, but Evan is no mere intermediate target.

Instead, he’s a legitimate deep threat who’s averaged 15.3 yards per catch for his career. Evans would add the vertical element the Giants need, evidenced by this 63-yard touchdown grab against the Carolina Panthers in Week 17.

Evan has always had the knack for taking the top off of defenses, a quality the Giants have lacked too often in recent seasons. Jones is counting on Hyatt to be the burner who scares opposing cornerbacks, but the first-year flanker still has a lot to learn, unlike Evans, who is a proven commodity.

While he’s still viable as a deep playmaker, Evans also remains a size mismatch in the red zone. Like when he snatched this five-yard scoring strike over All-Pro Dallas Cowboys’ cornerback Trevon Diggs in Week 1.

Having two big targets like Evans and Waller to aim for, would make the Giants automatic from inside the 20.

There are lots of reasons why the Giants should want Evans, and dealing Barkley would free up the cap space to sign the decorated receiver. Yet, swapping a bluechip back like Barkley for any receiver wouldn’t be addition by subtraction.

Giants Still Need Saquon Barkley

Barkley’s return to form in 2022 powered Big Blue’s surprising renaissance behind an offense almost completely reliant on his dual-threat skills. Rather than buckle under the weight of responsibility, Barkley answered the call by staying healthy enough to rush for a career-high 1,312 yards and tie for the team lead with 57 receptions.

Those numbers are why Barkley wants to get paid on a par with the top running backs in the league. That desire is also why the 26-year-old hasn’t denied the possibility of a holdout, although Dan Duggan of The Athletic believes “sitting out and forfeiting $10.1 million would be counterproductive” to Barkley’s ambition to eventually earn a more lengthy and lucrative deal.

An impasse seems inevitable, but the Giants have re-presented a previous offer made to Barkley. While it appears unlikely more of the same again will prove the catalyst for a compromise, Schoen should remain focused on finding a way to sign Barkley for the long haul.

He’s a truly special player with his prime years still ahead of him, and those years would be more valuable to the Giants than trading for Evans.

Two New York Giants are ready to go from great to even greater. 

Left tackle Andrew Thomas and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence are both primed to wind up as first-team All-Pros in 2023, according to projections by Heavy Sr. NFL reporter Matt Lombardo.

Thomas and Lawrence both broke through in 2022, but neither was a first-team All-Pro.

Voters favored San Francisco’s Trent Williams over Thomas, while Lawrence was edged out by Kansas City’s Chris Jones and the New York Jets’ Quinnen Williams. Both star Giants ended up as second teamers.

But Lombardo thinks that could change for Thomas, whose dominant 2022 earned a 78.9 overall grade from Pro Football Focus — and an extra $14.1 million from the fifth-year option picked up by Big Blue:

“Andrew Thomas is one of the ascending stars along the offensive line, and the trajectory of his career has been ticking upward the past two seasons, in a big way. A Second-Team All-Pro selection in 2022, Thomas only allowed three sacks and continued to emerge as a stalwart along the Giants’ offensive line.”

Lombardo also believes bigger things are in store for Lawrence, who inked a four-year, $90 million extension this offseason after he became one of the best linemen in the game:

“Few humans walking the earth can move with the speed and burst that Dexter Lawrence shows on each snap, at a mammoth 6-foot-4 and 342 pounds. Not only does Lawrence take up boatloads of space against the run, but his 9.0 sacks and 63 total pressures are absolute game-wreckers up the middle for opposing quarterbacks. Lawrence was a Second-Team All-Pro selection in 2022, and playing another season in coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale’s scheme should create even more opportunities for Lawrence to destroy things up the middle. If he does, well, etch his name on the First-Team list this season.”

New York enjoyed a bounce-back season thanks in large part to players like Thomas and Lawrence. Should one of both of them make another leap, it’s easy to see the franchise doing the same.

Darren Waller Reveals Meaning Behind No. 12 Giants Jersey 

A new number means a lot to the Giants’ new star tight end.

Darren Waller picked No. 12 after his offseason trade to Big Blue, an homage to his battle with addiction and the 12-step program used by organizations like Recovery Centers of America that help lead people to recovery.

“12 is a number that has a lot of meaning to me,” Waller told NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. “As somebody that’s in recovery, there are certain programs that people like me are a part of and 12 is a very symbolic number. So, it’s just representing people that are in sobriety.”

Waller previously wore No. 83 in Las Vegas and Oakland. He’ll be the first Giant pass-catcher to wear No. 12 since receiver John Ross did in 2021.

Waller and Ross will play different positions for the Giants. But both were brought to New York to add another layer of juice to New York’s passing game — a job Waller can’t wait to do.

“Either Dabs or Kafka has mentioned (big plays) every day… they can shift the momentum of the game at any time,” Waller said, via the team’s official website. “They can give you juice, they can light up the stadium, like it’s just plays that give everybody a lot of momentum, a lot of excitement. So we need more of that.”

Ex-Giants Receiving Great Homer Jones Dies At 82

A Giants legend and inventor of the touchdown spike is dead at 82.

Big Blue legend Homer Jones passed away on June 14 after a battle with lung cancer, according to the team’s official website. He was known for his big play ability during an eight-year career that set the NFL record for career yards per reception (22.3 yards), per Pro Football Reference.

The two-time Pro Bowler was also known for his famous touchdown spike, which he first debuted after an 89-yard score against the Philadelphia Eagles on Oct. 17, 1965. 

Jones is survived by his six children and is remembered fondly by team president John Mara.

“Homer Jones had a unique combination of speed and power and was a threat to score whenever he touched the ball,” Mara said. “He was one of the first players (if not the first) to spike the ball in the end zone after scoring a touchdown and he quickly became a fan favorite. I remember him as an easygoing, friendly individual who was well liked by his teammates and coaches.”

The New York Giants could use some additional pass rushing help.

Why not go after a three-time Pro Bowler?

Big Blue should have Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter squarely on its radar, according to Pro Football Focus’ Brad Spielberger. A trade could materialize if Minnesota is still shedding payroll after letting several veterans go like Za’Darius Smith, Adam Thielen, and Dalvin Cook.

The Vikings are fielding trade calls for Hunter, according to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport. Other interested teams could include the Broncos, Texans, Bears, Panthers, Falcons, and Saints, per Spielberger.

Hunter, 28, is currently holding out of Vikings minicamp in search of a new contract. But in New York, he would instantly become the Giants’ most accomplished edge defender.

The 6-foot-5, 263-pounder has 71 sacks in 102 career games. He tallied 10.5 sacks last season, his fourth year with double-digit sacks in eight years. And with last season’s 86.3 overall grade, PFF’s Marcus Mosher named him as the Vikings’ “biggest surprise.”

“Hunter played 905 snaps for the Vikings, racking up 70 pressures to go along with 12 sacks,” Mosher wrote. “He’s back to being an elite edge rusher and one of the most feared defensive ends in the league.”

New York’s current pass rush lacks that serious fear factor. 

The team expects bigger production out of rushers Kayvon Thibodeaux and Azeez Ojulari. But that duo combined for one sack less than Hunter had last year as they both battled nagging lower-body injuries. And behind those starters, pass rushers like Jihad Ward, Oshane Ximines, Tomon Fox, and Elerson Smith are depth pieces, not starters.

Hunter would immediately start on Big Blue’s front — but prying him from the Vikings might not be easy. Here’s what you need to know about New York’s potential new trade target.

Giants Staffer Has ‘Deep Connection’ To Vikings’ Danielle Hunter

New York would know exactly how to deploy Hunter in its defense.

That’s because defensive line coach Andre Patterson was Hunter’s first positional coach, per Big Blue View’s Ed Valentine. The two have a relationship that dates back to the 2015 NFL draft, according to a profile on Hunter by The Athletic’s Chad Graff. 

Patterson was “so impressed by (Hunter’s) interview” at the NFL Combine that he bumped his draft grade from a fifth-round projection to a third-round projection. And when Patterson scouted Arizona State’s Pro Day, Hunter drove from his nearby pre-draft training just to visit him.

“He drove all the way to see me,” Patterson told Graff. “And, well, you stand around a long time at pro days just waiting. So I stood there and talked to him for probably an hour and a half. When I left there, I changed my grade again and gave him a second-round grade. I came back and said, ‘I have to have this guy.’ Everybody else was just going off the film so it was a major argument in the room. They didn’t know what I knew. Fortunately, he proved me right.”

That deep relationship might prove useful to the Giants in a trade scenario. So might Hunter’s “position change” in 2022.

Hunter “spend most of his career playing as a hand-in-the-ground” 403 defensive end, per Valentine. But last season, Vikings defensive coordinator Ed Donatell stood Hunter up. He played 927 of his 966 defensive snaps as an outside linebacker — the exact position he’d play in defensive coordinator Wink Martindale’s scheme.

Martindale should know Hunter’s system fit. Patterson knows Hunter’s elite skill set and personality. Combined, both defensive coaches can vouch for the eight-year veteran if trade interest ever becomes serious.

What Would It Coast Giants To Trade For Vikings’ Danielle Hunter?

New York might have to pay three times over for a player of Hunter’s caliber.

First, it’d have to surrender draft picks. Spielberger believes the Vikings would “fight hard” for a future second-round pick as compensation, but might settle for two third-rounders. Valentine thinks the cost could be even lower based on Minnesota’s Smith trade. 

“The Vikings sent Smith and 2025 sixth- and seventh-round picks to the Browns in exchange for fifth-round selections in 2024 and 2025,” Valentine wrote. “Could the Giants get Hunter for something similar? Perhaps a 2024 fourth-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round pick? Or, a fourth-round pick and the tantalizing but often-injured edge defender Elerson Smith?”

Even if the Giants trade for Hunter at a bargain, they’d still have to pay him handsomely.

Rapoport believes Hunter likely wants a “long-term, big-money pay day.” He’s currently due $5.5 million in the last season of a five-year, $72 million deal he singed in 2018, per Spotrac.

New York only has $3.82 million in current cap space, according to OverThe Cap. They’d have to be creative with other contracts to bring Hunter on.

According to Valentine, one potential solution could appear if New York extends Saquon Barkley — and if Barkley’s first-year cap number is low.

“The Giants will gain cap space if and when they agree to a long-term deal with Saquon Barkley, lowering the $10.091 million cap hit under the franchise tag,” Valentine wrote. “As they did with Darren Waller when they acquired him, the Giants could also negotiate an extension with Hunter that would lower his 2023 cap hit. The finances, then, appear workable.”

Of course, trading for another holdout might anger the team’s current one.

Barkley told reporters he’s seeking a respectful resolution to his own contract demands. A move to add — and then compensate — another star could easily be perceived as disrespect. 

In short: New York walks a tough tightrope by showing trade interest in Hunter. The potential upside, though, is incredible for a team looking to solidify its playoff hopes in 2023.

The NFL All-Pro list is the definitive measure of a player’s stature as the elite of the elite at his position, and the honor that garners the most respect when it comes to defining legacies.

Early summer is a time when hope springs eternal for NFL teams, and players, alike, as minicamps wind down and the grind of training camp and the upcoming season await with much optimism and promise. It’s also the perfect time to project out which players will shine the brightest in the fall.

Projecting which players will wind up as a First-Team All-Pro can be a daunting task, but easy all at once, by simply placing the name of the best player at his position the prior season into your projected list for the next one.

But, in order to make things a bit more interesting, to shine the spotlight a little brighter on some of the stars of the game that are knocking on the doorstep of reaching “elite’ status, we opted instead to make the list of players most likely to become a First-Team All-Pro selection for the first time.

Here are our selections:

QB: Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

Hurts very nearly stole the MVP and a first-team All-Pro slot from Patrick Mahomes last season, but the stage seems set for the 24-year-old to make another significant stride in his development. Given that this will be Hurts’ second season throwing to dynamic receiver A.J. Brown, as well as DeVonta Smith’s third NFL season (when receivers typically begin to peak), all of the pieces are in place for Hurts to take his game and the Eagles’ outlook to new heights.

RB: Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns

Chubb was a Second-Team All-Pro in 2022, and he’s one of the most feared backs in the game. The combination of the Browns‘ run-based scheme, an offensive line that can make a strong claim as one of the two best in the league, and Chubb’s ferocious running style give the 27-year-old a great chance to make the varsity squad in 2023.

RB: Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons

Running back might be the easiest position to make the leap to first-team All-Pro as a rookie. Especially when a rookie running back can expect the kind of workload Robinson can in Atlanta, combined with his explosiveness as a runner and versatility as a pass-catcher out of the backfield. If Robinson’s 104 forced missed tackles and 1,o71 yards after contact from last season at the University of Texas translate to the NFL, look out.

WR: A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles

Not only was A.J. Brown a touchdown-maker, catching a career-high 11 in his first season in Philadelphia, he was a monster averaging 6.4 Yards After the Catch per Reception. If that was Brown’s introduction to the Eagles‘ offense, imagine how much more prolific he’ll be in a second season as Hurts’ favorite target.

WR: Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals

Chase was a second-team All-Pro selection in 2021, but each year the dynamic receiver’s chemistry seems to strengthen with quarterback Joe Burrow. Injuries limited Chase to just 12 games last season, yet he still produced 1,046 receiving yards with nine touchdowns. Given that Chase averaged 4.8 Yards after The Catch per Reception, just imagine how productive he’ll be if he can stay on the field for the entire 2023 campaign.

WR: Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins

One might think that the addition of a speedster like Tyreek Hill on the other side might limit the production of a player like Waddle, but that’s not exactly how 2022 played out. Sure, Waddle only caught 75 passes (down from 104 in 2022), but his yards per catch average nearly doubled to an eye-popping 18.1. Waddle’s speed gives him the ability to take the top off a defense. Playing opposite Hill creates space. Don’t be surprised if Waddle finds a way to build on last season’s 1,356-yard and 8-touchdown outburst.

TE: T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings

Hockenson was an absolute revelation to the Vikings‘ offense, after arriving in a midseason trade. The 25-year-old caught 60 passes for 519 yards with 3 touchdowns during the final 10 games of the season. With Justin Jefferson flying down the perimeter, expect there to be plenty of room for Hockenson to operate underneath, and plenty of check down targets from Kirk Cousins for him to rack up yards and touchdowns this season.

LT: Andrew Thomas, New York Giants

Andrew Thomas is one of the ascending stars along the offensive line, and the trajectory of his career has been ticking upward the past two seasons, in a big way. A Second-Team All-Pro selection in 2022, Thomas only allowed three sacks and continued to emerge as a stalwart along the Giants’ offensive line.

RT: Kaleb McGary, Atlanta Falcons

McGary is a dominant presence along the line of scrimmage, and one of the Falcons’ building blocks on offense. Last season, McGary was Pro Football Focus’ No. 3 highest-rated offensive tackle, with an 86.6 overall grade. The addition of Robinson in the backfield will give McGary even more opportunities to showcase his ability as a lead-blocker in the running game, where he posted the highest run-blocking grade of anyone not named Trent Williams, at 91.6.

LG: Joe Thuney, Kansas City Chiefs

Joe Thuney has been a stalwart of consistency throughout his career, and he has elevated his game to new heights since arriving in Kansas City in 2021. Last season, Thuney was instrumental in keeping Mahomes upright, allowing only one sack and 15 total pressures. That kind of consistency up front makes it easy for a freelancer like Mahomes to create big-play opportunities.

RG: Teven Jenkins, Chicago Bears

Teven Jenkins is a road grader up front in the running game, a tactician in pass protection, and one of the anchors of the Chicago Bears‘ offensive line. Last season, Jenkins only allowed 2.0 sacks and 12 quarterback pressures. He’s already on the cusp of breaking through as an All-Pro, and if the Bears’ offense makes major strides, this could be his season to crack the list.

C: Creed Humphrey, Kansas City Chiefs

Creed Humphrey is the most consistently dominant young center in this league. Full stop. Humphrey is a complete mauler as a run-blocker, producing an elite 91.1 run-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus, and a stonewall in pass protection, where he didn’t allow a single sack last season, with just one surrendered through the first two seasons of his career. Maybe more impressive than the fact that Humphrey allowed just 21, quarterback hits is that he was flagged for only 4 penalties in 1,138 snaps in 2022. Humphrey is an ascending talent and perhaps next in line to be a permanent All-Pro fixture.

EDGE: Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders

There are few pass-rushers who strike as much fear in opposing offensive tackles as Maxx Crosby does when he’s flying off the edge. It is almost unfair that a player has that much burst and that much speed, flying off the corner. Beyond freakish athleticism, Crosby’s productivity speaks for itself; 15.0 sacks, 81 total pressures, 4 forced fumbles, and 70 tackles in 2022 as the centerpiece of the Raiders‘ defense. Given the exotic blitz packages defensive coordinator Patrick Graham is accustomed to drawing up, don’t be surprised if even those numbers from Crosby take a big jump in 2023.

EDGE: Montez Sweat, Washington Commanders

Montez Swat is borderline unblockable off the edge, where he produced 8.0 sacks and 63 total pressures as the centerpiece of the Commanders’ front-seven in 2022. What makes Sweat special is that he’s one of the more dominant run-stopping edge players in the game, on top of being a game-wrecker when rushing the passer. Sweat is one of the more complete players at his position, and if he continues his upward trajectory, could find himself on All-Pro lists this season.

DL: D.J. Reader, Cincinnati Bengals

Injuries limited D.J. Reader’s production last season, he missed six games due to a knee injury while finishing with 27 tackles and 1.0 sack, but don’t let those numbers fool you into thinking this isn’t one of the top players at his position. Reader is a matchup nightmare, a dominant interior pass-rusher, and as steady as they come against the run. If Reader can stay on the field all season, 2023 could be the year he solidifies his place among the elite of the position.

DL: Dexter Lawrence, New York Giants

Few humans walking the earth can move with the speed and burst that Dexter Lawrence shows on each snap, at a mammoth 6-foot-4 and 342 pounds. Not only does Lawrence take up boatloads of space against the run, but his 9.0 sacks and 63 total pressures are absolute game-wreckers up the middle for opposing quarterbacks. Lawrence was a Second-Team All-Pro selection in 2022, and playing another season in coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale’s scheme should create even more opportunities for Lawrence to destroy things up the middle. If he does, well, etch his name on the First-Team list this season.

LB: Tremaine Edmunds, Chicago Bears

Edmunds arrives in Chicago coming off the most dominant season of his prolific career. Once again surpassing 100 total tackles, Edmunds produced a team-high 101, while holding opposing quarterbacks to a passer rating of just 87.1. All that, only to leave Buffalo without a contract extension. Given Edmunds’ productivity, his talent, and the added motivation that comes with being spurned by your former team, expect big things from the centerpiece of the Bears’ revamped defense in 2023.

LB: Devin Lloyd, Jacksonville Jaguars

Lloyd didn’t waste any time throwing his weight around, as a rookie in the Jaguars’ linebacker corps last season. The Utah alum’s three interceptions led all linebackers, and he was consistently around the football, carding 110 total tackles. If Lloyd builds on his stellar rookie season, don’t be surprised to find him on this list by year’s end.

LB: Dre Greenlaw, San Francisco 49ers

A strong case can be made that each member of the 49ers’ front-seven could wind up an All-Pro, but Greenlaw should benefit more than most from Javon Hargrave’s arrival. Last season Greenlaw had 127 tackles and was just a brick wall against the run. Expect that to continue in 2023.

CB: Charvarius Ward, San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers boast one of the most talented defenses in the league, and the best defensive back on the roster might be Charvarius Ward, who is criminally underrated outside the Bay Area. Opposing quarterbacks managed only an 88.2 passer rating when targeting Ward last season, and receivers had little room to operate, averaging just 11 yards per catch. Given the combination of the 49ers’ ferocious front-seven and Ward’s prowess in man coverage, the stage could be set for the 27-year-old to have a career year in 2023.

CB: Asante Samuel Jr., Los Angeles Chargers

Entering his third season, Samuel Jr. hasn’t just already proven himself to be a legitimate ballhawk, but he continues to get better. Quarterbacks rarely targeted Samuel Jr. last season, and when they did, they managed a meager 97.6 passer rating on those throws. Samuel Jr. already etched his name in the record books, becoming the first player to pull down three interceptions in his playoff debut. If Samuel builds on a stellar finish to 2022, there’s a good chance he finishes 2023 as an All-Pro.

S: Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore Ravens

Hamilton is as versatile as they come at safety, and aims to build on a prolific rookie season, that was capped by him leading the Ravens’ defense with 9.0 tackles in a Wild Card loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Not only does Hamilton thrive in coverage, where he played both deep safety and in the slot while holding opposing receivers to only 9.9 Yards per Reception, but he’s a real weapon up near the line of scrimmage. Hamilton’s 2.0 sacks and 20 run-stops underscore his value at all levels of the Ravens’ defense.

S: Antoine Winfield Jr., Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Winfield Jr. is an ascending talent at the safety position, who could see more opportunities to create turnovers as head coach Todd Bowles dials up the pressure via the blitz this season. Moving to free safety this season could create more opportunities for Winfield to flash in coverage, where he held opposing receivers to just 10.5 Yards per Reception in 2022. If the Buccaneers’ defense bounces back, and Winfield plays a starring role, don’t be surprised when he winds up being an impact player this season.

The New York Giants signed Parris Campbell from the Indianapolis Colts in free agency as part of a makeover of the targets around quarterback Daniel Jones. Yet, wide receiver Campbell has been working at a different position during offseason drills.

Campbell spent time at running back during practice on Wednesday, June 14, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic. Duggan attached a note about how versatile wideouts Kadarius Toney and Wan’Dale Robinson did the same thing a year ago.

Campbell getting some work among the backs is a sign the Giants intend to continue using receivers in the running game. It’s a concept head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka used sparingly last season, but Campbell is an ideal fit for the hybrid role thanks to his history in Indy and at Ohio State.

New Face Can Become Giants ‘Wide Back’

Campbell has been a rushing threat dating back to his days with the Buckeyes. He carried the ball 23 times for 210 yards and two touchdowns during three years at Ohio State, per Sports Reference.

One of those scores came courtesy of this spectacular scamper against Michigan in 2018, highlighted by Fox College Football.

The Colts hardly made full use of Campbell’s skills as a runner after drafting him 59th overall in 2019. He tallied a mere 11 rushes during four years in Indianapolis.

One of Campbell’s best runs came against the Giants’ NFC East rivals the Washington Commanders in Week 8 last season.

What Campbell consistently proved whenever he took a handoff was his ability to gain yards in chunks before contact. The 6-foot, 208-pounder gained 89 of his 108 rushing yards for the Colts before contact, per Pro Football Reference.

Those numbers are ample proof of the game-breaking speed Campbell can attack defenses with from anywhere on the field. It’s up to Daboll and Kafka to design as many ways as possible to unleash that talent.

Their template should be the “Wide Back” role Deebo Samuel made famous with the San Francisco 49ers. The All-Pro wide receiver became a de facto running back during the 2021 season, carrying the ball 59 times and coining a hybrid role in the process.

Samuel added 42 carries to his workload last season, and while the Giants are unlikely to feed Campbell as often, Daboll’s already shown a willingness to get receivers involved on the ground.

Giants Still Looking to Replace Kadarius Toney

Daboll inherited Kadarius Toney and initially tried to maximize the hybrid skills the Giants’ first-round draft pick in 2021 had previously shown. Those traits were obvious on this jet sweep against the Tennessee Titans in Week 1, captured by Bobby Skinner of Talkin’ Giants.

Toney surprisingly didn’t fit in the Daboll scheme, eventually being traded to the Kansas City Chiefs. Watching Toney help the Chiefs win Super Bowl LVII must have had the Giants wondering what if?

The wondering can stop if Campbell assumes the role Toney should have made his own. It’s not as if Daboll and Kafka gave up on the role after Toney had left town.

Plays like this quick flip to rookie wideout Wan’Dale Robinson against the Jacksonville Jaguars, highlighted by Seven Rounds in Heaven, proved the Giants’ commitment to the hybrid plan.

The runs by Toney and Robinson were packaged in similar ways. Specifically, each involved a fake to running back Saquon Barkley to confuse and freeze a defense long enough for the speed around the corner to take full effect.

Daboll can use similar designs to free Campbell, although the latter’s primary responsibility will still be to help Jones improve as a passer. The latter needs to live up to the four-year, $160-million contract he signed this offseason, so new targets like Campbell, Pro-Bowl tight end Darren Waller and rookie deep threat Jalin Hyatt must deliver.

It’s a tall order for Campbell, who never exceeded 63 receptions nor 623 yards with the Colts. The track record of production isn’t obvious, but Campbell has been impressing from the slot during minicamp, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.

Sending Campbell out of the backfield could be one more way to get him the ball through the air, while flexing him from the slot to take a handoff from Jones would catch defenses playing pass cold.

The more ways the Giants can use Campbell, the easier it will be to keep defenses guessing and generate some much-needed big plays in both phases.

Days after New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley revealed he’s considering holding out the entire 2023 season rather than sign his franchise tag, the organization reportedly has done an about face in the negotiations.

According to a report from Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Giants have re-offered the proposal the team had made prior to applying the franchise tag to Barkley back in March.

If nothing else, the Giants offering Barkley the same deal that was on the table prior to quarterback Daniel Jones signing his long-term extension shows that the lines of communication remain open.

Barkley skipped the Giants’ OTAs and offseason program this spring, and is absent from the team’s mandatory minicamp, as he has yet to sign the franchise tag. The deadline for Barkley to either sign the tag or the sides to come to terms on a long-term contract is July 17.

This season, the franchise tag for running backs pays $10.09 million, which would be fully guaranteed for Barkley, but with no long-term security beyond the 2023 campaign.

“Me getting tagged, was I upset about it? Nobody wants to get tagged,” Barkley told reporters at his annual youth football camp. “To sit here and say I was frustrated, I was mad, I was upset, what really got me upset was the stories that got leaked out and how misleading they were and how untruthful they were.”

Inside the league, the belief is that the Giants and Barkley ultimately reach an accord.

“I really think Barkley’s situation is just haggling,” an NFC Executive told Heavy, on the condition of anonymity to speak freely about another team. “And it will ultimately be resolved over the summer.”

How Saquon Barkley’s Offer Stacks Up

According to a prior report from NJ Advance Media, the Giants originally offered Barkley $13 million with an additional $1 million in incentives that could push the total value of the deal to $14 million annually.

Barkley suggested that prior leaked contract details were inaccurate, during an appearance at his youth camp, but if the 26-year-old truly isn’t attempting to reset the running back market, the offer on the surface appears to be one that could thread the needle for both sides.

If Barkley would hit the incentives to push the value of the contract to $14 million APY, he would collect approximately $56 million, which would make him the third-highest paid running back in the NFL, behind only Alvin Kamara and Christian McCaffrey.

Barkley has repeatedly throughout his career stressed his desire to remain with the Giants, and the organization clearly values his contributions to the offense and as a face of the franchise off the field. Whether Barkley agrees that the offer the Giants made is representative of those contributions remains to be seen.

But, based on the position Barkley plays and the way it is viewed around the league, it isn’t difficult to see why the Giants came in at a number that doesn’t reset the entire market.

Why Saquon Barkley’s Contract Negotiations are Complicated

Barkley and the Giants have reached this juncture at a time when the running back position has been significantly devalued across the league, underscored by Dalvin Cook being released by the Minnesota Vikings at age 27, despite rushing for 1,173 yards with 8 touchdowns last season.

Likewise, Barkley is coming off a career-season in 2022, rushing for a career-best 1,312 yards with 10 touchdowns and adding 57 catches for 338 yards. Those impressive numbers came during a season in which Barkley eased any concerns about the lingering effects of a 2020 torn ACL and 2021 high-ankle sprain that had slowed him.

But, the Giants may be inclined to follow the trend of mitigating injury risk at the position by not paying based on past performance.

“Precedent sets the market,” Giants assistant general manager Brandon Brown told reporters. “And that’s something we don’t control. We don’t. What we do is we try to forecast and react. So that’s what we’ve done and the market is the market, but precedent dictates where it sits.”

Those concerns have to be weighed against Barkley’s significant impact on the offense, and his dominance down the stretch, including a two-touchdown effort in the franchise’s first postseason win since 2011.

Dexter Lawrence got his new long-term contract from the New York Giants this offseason, but the man who lines up next to him could be playing his final season for Big Blue.

Leonard Williams carries a significant salary cap hit worth $32.26 million into the 2023 NFL season. The 28-year-old is a prime candidate to have his deal restructured or even extended beyond 2024, but so far, neither of those things has happened, and Lawrence is clear about how the team should handle his fellow defensive tackle’s future.

Lawrence said “it’s really important just to keep the group together. Keep the core together. He’s a great leader. He’s always been a great leader, and just to have him around is a breath of fresh air,” per Dhani Joseph of the New York Post.

Williams being allowed to test free agency next year would be bad news for Lawrence and the Giants. Together they form arguably the strongest one-two punch along the interior of a defensive line in the NFL.

Dexter Lawrence Keen to Preserve ‘Top-Tier’ Duo

Lawrence enjoyed a breakout season in 2022, but he’s under no illusions about how much it helps to have Williams next to him. Describing their partnership as “top-tier,” Lawrence explained how “we’ve been playing together four, going on five years now. Sometimes we look at each other and know what’s about to happen and know what we want to do in that play,” per Joseph.

The value of the Lawrence and Williams partnership was vividly illustrated by this play against the Minnesota Vikings in last season’s Wild-Card Playoffs, highlighted by Nick Falato of SB Nation’s Big Blue View.

Williams (99) took on a double team, leaving Lawrence to work one-on-one against Vikings’ center Garrett Bradbury, an obvious mismatch No. 97 won to help Williams stuff running back Dalvin Cook.

This is the dilemma Williams and Lawrence pose to offensive lines. Double one and the other is free to cause havoc. Double both and Giants’ edge-rushers Azeez Ojulari and Kayvon Thibodeaux will feast.

Speaking of feasting on quarterbacks, Lawrence and Williams are just as effective creating pressure by themselves. The former set career-highs with 7.5 sacks, 36 pressures and 19 QB knockdowns last season, per Pro Football Reference. Williams chipped in with 2.5 sacks, 17 pressures and eight knockdowns, despite missing five games due to knee and neck injuries.

It’s little wonder Lawrence, who signed a four-year extension in May, wants Williams to stay for the long haul. Lawrence’s desire is echoed by Giants’ defensive line coach Andre Patterson, who told Joseph how combinations this dominant are rare: “It doesn’t happen a lot, as far as a coach in this league and when you have it, you’re real happy that you do and you try and keep it together as long as you can.”

Lawrence and Patterson want Williams’s future resolved, but they may not get their wish. Not based on recent reports about the player’s contract status.

Leonard Williams’ Status Still Uncertain

Things don’t bode well for Williams when “the Giants have shown no interest in an extension or a restructure, which would push more dead money onto next year’s cap,” according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic.

Forcing Williams to take a pay cut also seems unlikely, with Duggan rightly sounding an alarm about how that move would be perceived in the locker room. It means the Giants are in a tricky position, especially since Williams’ situation isn’t the only contract drama facing general manager Joe Schoen.

Running back Saquon Barkley also needs a new deal and has already left the door ajar for a potential holdout rather than play on the franchise tag. Signing Barkley should be the priority, but playing a waiting game with Williams has its own risks.

Letting the latter enter a contract year could motivate Williams to enjoy a banner season and send his value skyrocketing, leaving the Giants in a bidding war for his services next March. That’s a scenario Schoen has at least safeguarded against by adding Super Bowl-winning defensive tackles Rakeem Nunez-Roches and A’Shawn Robinson during this year’s free-agency period.

Robinson and Nunez-Roches are both able veterans, but neither is as dynamic as a fully healthy Williams. Nor do the new arrivals boast the same kind of rapport with Lawrence.

Negotiations are getting tense for the New York Giants and Saquon Barkley.

But are they tense enough for the team to pivot to another star running back?

Big Blue could go nuclear in contract talks by fully rescinding Barkley’s franchise tag and pivoting to free agent ex-Vikings star Dalvin Cook on a cheaper deal, according to NFL Network insider Peter Schrager.

Barkley, who still hasn’t signed his franchise tender and said he plans to hold out from Giants’ minicamp, would then become a free agent who could sign with any team.

“It’s a Machiavellian league,” Schrager said on Good Morning Football on June 9. “What if (the Giants) took Saquon off the franchise tag, let him be free, and brought in Dalvin Cook instead for half the price?”

Cook and Barkley are two different running backs. But theoretically, they’ve provided comparable game-changing value for their respective franchises.

Cook has the edge in production. The 27-year-old Florida State product has rushed for over 1,100 yards in four consecutive seasons, including a 1,557-yard campaign in 2020. He also has 15 more touchdowns in his career than Barkley does over 13 more career games, per Pro Football Reference.

Barkley, 26, has two 1,300-yard rushing seasons in New York. The former No. 2 overall pick might not have another unless he agrees to a long-term deal by the league’s July 17 deadline for tagged players.

A holdout isn’t out of the question if that deadline is passed, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. But that deadline can be avoided altogether if Big Blue makes the very bold move to swap their top runner for someone like Cook.

Would — and should — the Giants ever consider a star running back swap like this? Here’s what else you need to know about Barkley, Cook, and Big Blue’s backfield.

Should Giants Actually Swap Saquon Barkley for Dalvin Cook?

New York might gain more short-term financial freedom with a Barkley-Cook swap.

It also might gain some potentially serious long-term headaches.

Schrager believes Cook’s next deal could come in between $4 million and $7 million. That’s significantly less than the $10 million deal NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero thinks Cook is looking for after his June 9 release.

If Schrager is right, New York would stand to save money against its $3.8 million cap number by switching to Cook.

Barkley is already set to make $10.0 million this year on the franchise tender. He has walked away from offseason offers worth $12 and $14 million annually, according to Raanan and FOX Sports’ NFC East reporter Ralph Vacchiano.

The key question: Are any potential cap savings with Cook really worth it?

Barkley isn’t just an elite rusher who just helped key a playoff season. He’s a 2022 team captain that other players look to for leadership. Moving on a player like that in June — when most free agents have found new teams — could be too “cutthroat” for New York’s front office, according to GMFB co-host and ex-Giant Shaun O’Hara.

“Cold-blooded is what comes to mind,” O’Hara said in response to Schrager’s trade proposal. “To pull the rug out—  to pull that tag out from Saquon Barkley — I don’t know what kind of damage that does within the locker room.”

New York’s new regime has made a point to change the locker room culture. However lucrative, a Barkley release might set those efforts back quite a bit. 

What Would Happen If the Giants Moved on From Saquon Barkley?

New York knows what a player move looks like when it backfires.

It’d be a gamble to let Barkley hit the market, where a rival team like the Philadelphia Eagles could sign him like they signed ex-Giants star cornerback James Bradberry last offseason. It’d be an even bigger gamble to assume Cook would backfill Barkley rather than sign elsewhere. 

Barkley’s prospects are just as grim, according to Heavy Sports NFL reporter Matt Lombardo.

Only two ballcarriers, Carolina’s Miles Sanders and Detroit’s David Mongtomery, earned more than $6 million on the 2023 free agent market, per Spotrac. And NFL decision-makers told Lombardo they believe that trend will continue — even for backs of Barkley’s caliber.

“There’s no doubt this league is moving away from big second contracts for the top running backs,” one anonymous agent told Lombardo. “If I were advising Saquon, I would do a three-year deal worth $30 million… that would be three years of the current going rate for a franchise running back.”

Barkley might find other suitors, like the Bears. New York might find other running back replacements, like rookie Eric Gray. But the two sides are much likelier to find middle ground than they are to divorce.

Said Barkley: “I’ve been in talks with the Giants throughout the offseason. If at some point there’s a deal that is fair to both sides on the table, I’ll be ready to sign.”

Saquon Barkley and Dalvin Cook are the leading indicators that a brave new world has dawned in the NFL.

For years, the league has all but taken out billboards on major highways and full-page ads announcing that the days of running backs mattering are over.

Yet, that hasn’t exactly proven accurate by how teams have conducted business over the past half-decade.

Since the 2018 NFL draft, when Barkley was chosen No. 2 overall by the New York Giants, there have been nine running backs chosen in the first round. That includes the Atlanta Falcons taking Texas standout Bijan Robinson at No. 8 overall and the Detroit Lions taking Alabama speedster Jahmyr Gibbs at No. 12, this year, before flipping veteran D’Andre Swift to the Philadelphia Eagles in a trade later in the draft.

In an analytics-driven NFL, where running-backs-by-committee have become the norm, it isn’t that running backs don’t matter, it is that the league has decided it is cheaper with far more upside to prioritize youth at the position. Especially given the structure of the rookie wage scale that pays a maximum of $1.57 million from the second round of the draft onward.

“I think it’s just really hard to commit heavy, long-term dollars to that position,” an NFC personnel executive told Heavy.

Never might this new reality be more evident than Cook’s plight.

Dalvin Cook Could Have ‘Some Trouble’ Getting Big Offer

Just last season, Cook rushed for 1,173 yards with 8 touchdowns, while catching 39 passes for 295 yards and 2 touchdowns, while rattling off 30 explosive runs of 10 yards or more and forcing 51 missed tackles. At age 27.

Cook was released on June 9, after the Minnesota Vikings tried and failed to find a trade partner. It will be Alexander Mattison headlining the Vikings’ backfield, set to count $4.6 million against the cap this season, $5.8 million cheaper than Cook would have been.

“I think Cook will have some trouble getting a big commitment,” the executive said.

Gone, it seems, are the days of a bell cow back being the norm for NFL offenses. Back in 2005, there were 10 running backs who logged more than 300 carries, with Clinton Portis, Tiki Barber, Edgerrin James and Shaun Alexander all toting the rock at least 350 times. By comparison, only three running backs had more than 300 rushing attempts last season, with Derrick Henry carding a league-high 349.

Barkley has gone so far as to suggest he would consider holding out the entire season, frustrated by front office leaks and how the New York Giants have handled his contract talks after using the franchise tag on him back in March.

“Me getting tagged, was I upset about it? Nobody wants to get tagged,” Barkley told reporters at his annual youth football camp. “To sit here and say I was frustrated, I was mad, I was upset, what really got me upset was the stories that got leaked out and how misleading they were and how untruthful they were.”

In 2022, finally fully healthy from a torn ACL suffered Week 2 of the 2020 campaign, Barkley rushed for a career-high 1,312 yards with 10 touchdowns.

Whether Barkley’s situation with the Giants will get resolved remains to be seen. So, too, it sounds whether he will step foot onto an NFL field this season under the franchise tag.

“There’s no doubt this league is moving away from big second contracts for the top running backs,” a current NFL agent told Heavy. “If I were advising Saquon, I would do a three-year deal worth $30 million fully guaranteed, if we could get it. That would be three years of the current going rate for a franchise running back.”

There is certainly inherent risk of running backs’ production dipping as their careers progress, and added injury risk from the accumulation of all those touches. But, in an era where carries are largely split between committees, the top players at the position have not seen their compensation rise nearly to the level of other premium positions.

NFL Running Back Expenditure Nearing Kickers

Across the league, the average cap spending at the running back position is just $11 million, while wide receivers check in at $28.4 million on average and tight ends at $11.9 million.

How out of hand has the devaluation of running backs become? The average expenditure at the kicker position is $6.4 million against the cap, and five teams across the league spend $7.1 million or less at the running back position.

Something has to give. It’s either time for NFL teams to reevaluate and recognize the value the premier playmakers at the running back position offer, or else players to drastically change the way they structure their contracts to ensure the most possible guaranteed money upfront.

“It’s all about respect,” Barkley told reporters. “That’s really what it is.”

Saquon Barkley could still holdout to get his next contract with the New York Giants, but the Pro Bowl running back hopes it won’t come to that. Instead, Barkley wants to be “compensated respectfully,” per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The Giants placed the franchise tag on Barkley earlier this offseason after he set career-highs for rushing attempts and yards in 2022. Those contributions helped Big Blue return to the playoffs for the first time since 2016, and have Barkley prepared to play a waiting game for his next deal.

Barkley has put a circle around July 17 as the deadline for finalizing a long-term deal, even if it means sitting out this season, according to Schefter’s colleague Jordan Raanan: “That comes up in the conversation if something doesn’t get done by July 17.”

The Giants can’t afford to risk Barkley holding out once the real action begins. Not when he remains the catalyst for head coach Brian Daboll’s offense, even after general manager Joe Schoen gave quarterback Daniel Jones several new receivers.

Jones getting a new contract ahead of Barkley has created an unwanted distraction for a team looking to build on last season’s surprise turnaround.

Giants Need ‘Frustrated’ Saquon Barkley on Board

Jones was always the more likely to get paid for the long term because he plays football’s most important position. Running backs are not valued anywhere close to QBs, although Barkley remains one of the most dynamic ground-based playmakers in the NFL.

He’s aware of his importance, but Barkley doesn’t want to be seen as “greedy,” per Raanan: “Me getting tagged, was I upset about it? Nobody wants to get tagged. To sit here and say I was frustrated, I was mad, I was upset, what really got me upset was the stories that got leaked out and how misleading they were and how untruthful they were.”

Barkley’s main frustration concerns how the Giants’ contract offers have been reported, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic. Specifically, “Barkley believes he has been painted in an unfavorable light” because of a lack of reporting about how those offers were structured.

The structure of the tag is simple enough. Barkley will earn $10.091 million this season, but that’s well below what some of the league’s highest-paid backs earn annually. Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans earns an average salary of $12.5 million, per Spotrac.com, while San Francisco 49ers’ star Christian McCaffrey tops the charts with an annual salary of over $16 million.

Barkley is at least as valuable to the Giants as Run CMC is to the 49ers. Barkley’s value was proved by 295 carries for 1,312 yards and tying for the team lead with 57 receptions.

The Giants rode Barkley all the way to a 10-win season, starting in Week 1 against the Titans, per ESPN’s Field Yates.

Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka were smart enough to maintain a high workload for Barkley. It made things easier for Jones, who took advantage of the attention paid to Barkley to enjoy a banner season and ultimately be rewarded ahead of his teammate.

Giants Made Right Contract Decision

The decision to pay jones ahead of Barkley will remain a controversial one, but the Giants just about got it right. Schoen could hardly do any different when success in the NFL is so closely aligned with even competent quarterback play.

Jones was more than competent in 2022, throwing for a career-best 3,205 yards. No. 8 was particularly effective on RPOs, amassing 111 yards through the air, while compiling 652 off of play action, according to Pro Football Reference.

The threat of Barkley running was a major factor in the success of these play designs, but Jones proved his worth in obvious passing situations during the business end of the season. He posted a 114.1 rating while throwing for over 300 yards against the Minnesota Vikings in the playoffs, including this touchdown strike to Isaiah Hodgins against eight-time Pro-Bowl cornerback Patrick Peterson.

The Giants have bet big on Jones producing more throws like this in 2023. It’s why they gave him a four-year, $160-million contract to go with trading for Pro-Bowl tight end Darren Waller, signing Parris Campbell in free agency and selecting Jalin Hyatt in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft.

Jones has the weapons he needs to become a more accomplished and productive passer, but he’ll still suffer without Barkley. The Giants don’t have another game-breaker in the running game, even after bringing Matt Breida back in free agency and having high hopes for potential draft steal Eric Gray.

Although they’ve started laying the groundwork for life without Barkley, the Giants aren’t there yet. It leaves Schoen facing a tricky decision armed with just $4,634,387 left under this year’s salary cap.

Daniel Bellinger of the New York Giants must have spent some time in the weight room — because he showed up to practice looking like Daniel Dumbbell-inger.

The Giants’ second-year tight end appeared noticeably more muscular in photos taken at organized team activities this week. And due to the stark transformation from Bellinger’s rookie season, the photos have spawned jokes on social media.

Bellinger’s new physique coincides with his new responsibilities in Big Blue’s offense.

He’s no longer the top tight end option after Pro Bowler Darren Waller arrived via trade earlier this year. Bellinger, the team’s 2022 fourth-round pick out of San Diego State, will likely be asked to block more after a 30-catch rookie season, according to Sport Illustrated’s Patricia Traina.

“As a rookie, Bellinger stood out with his blocking, both on the edge and on the move,” Traina wrote. “Now that he’s upgraded his physique and strength, imagine how much better he’ll be against the big boys he’ll likely see on the edges.”

Despite fewer targets, Bellinger’s role could still “expand significantly” in 2023, per Traina.

Waller has played in only 20 games since his last Pro Bowl season three years ago. He played in only nine games (six starts) last season. It’s no stretch of the imagination that he could miss time now that he’s in New York.

By the looks of it, though, Bellinger is more than ready to step up.

Giants’ Adoree Jackson Eager to Mentor Rookie CB Deonte Banks

Big Blue’s top cornerback is looking to mentor the team’s top rookie.

Adoree Jackson has six years of NFL experience on his resume. Now, the veteran who was once mentored by players like Logan Ryan and Malcolm Butler in Tennessee is looking to advise first-round pick Deonte Banks, according to the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz.

“I’m excited,” Jackson told Schwartz and other reporters after team OTAs. “Watched (Banks’) tape. Like him. Watched him go through the walk-throughs, different things. Talked to him. He’s got a good head on his shoulder. Seems like a great guy. I was excited to get D-Banks.”

Banks’ arrival hyped up more Giants than just Jackson, too.

Draft room cameras caught defensive coordinator Wink Martindale bear-hugging Giants brass after Banks’ selection. And last year’s top pick on defense, Kayvon Thibodeaux, is thrilled at the possibility of another cornerback giving him more time to rush passers.

“I mean, we just brought in a corner,” Thibodeaux told Schwartz. “I know that will help. I’m excited to see some more lockdown coverage. I’m excited to be able to make things happen.”

PFF: Dexter Lawrence, Leonard Williams Tandem Named Top D-Line Duo

No NFL team fields a better one-two punch on its defensive line than the Giants.

So says Pro Football Focus’ Gordon McGuinness after naming Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams as the league’s best interior lineman duo heading into 2023.

Big Blue is shelling out big bucks for Lawrence and Leonard to live up to lofty expectations.

Williams carries the third-highest cap hit in football, according to Spotrac. Lawrence, who broke out as a second-team All Pro in 2022, just received a major contract extension. Both are expected to key a Martindale defense that lives by the havoc it can wreak on quarterbacks.

The good news? New York is deeper behind their D-line duo in 2023.

Lawrence and Williams both played over 75% of the team’s 2022 defensive snaps, per Traina. But this year, they’ve added pieces up front like A’Shawn Robinson, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, and seventh-round pick Jordon Riley.

The New York Giants still can’t iron out a deal with star running back Saquon Barkley.

But maybe the Chicago Bears can.

If Big Blue and Barkley can’t agree on a long-term deal by the July 17 deadline, a blockbuster Barkley trade to the Windy City would be “worth consideration,” according to Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine. 

“The Giants and the running back still have yet to iron out a long-term agreement,” Ballentine wrote. “Right now, the 26-year-old is set to play on the tag this season and the clock is ticking. A trade for Barkley would give the Bears one of the best groups of talent around their quarterback in the league.”

Chicago was once the betting favorite to land No. 26 in free agency, per OddsChecker.com. But Barkley never made it that far.

Earlier this year, New York slapped the franchise tag on their 1,312-yard rusher to prevent him from moving to another team. Long-term contract negotiations between the team and player have been a rollercoaster ever since.

There’s no indication New York wants off the Barkley ride yet. General manager Joe Schoen would need Barkley to sign his franchise tag tender just to open up the very possibility of a trade.

But as Ballentine said, the clock is ticking. League rules stipulate that franchise-tagged players like Barkley have until July 17 to strike long-term deals with their teams. That leaves a little over a month for negotiations that have stalled and sputtered thus far — or a trade that would give both sides a fresh start.

What Would a Bears-Giants Barkley Trade Look Like?

Schoen might not be able to pull off a last-second deal with Barkley like he did with quarterback Daniel Jones. But would he really consider a trade?

Trade negotiations would start with a four-pick package similar to what the 49ers gave up for Christian McCaffrey, per Ballentine. They would also need to involve teams that value the run game and could offer Barkley the contract he’s looking for in New York.

In other words: The Chicago Bears.

According to OverTheCap, no team has more current cap space than Bears’ $32 million. They’re also armed with a bevy of future draft picks after trading down from the No. 1 overall spot in the 2023 NFL draft in April. And Ballentine believes Barkley would represent a big upgrade for Chicago, which posted the second-most rushing attempts in football last year.

“The Bears let (David) Montgomery walk,” Ballentine wrote. “They replaced him with Roschon Johnson in the draft and D’Onta Foreman in free agency. Those two, combined with Khalil Herbert, give the team a solid group of backs. However, none of the three is the same kind of difference-maker as a healthy Barkley.”

A healthy Barkley would command a healthy trade return, though.

Carolina recouped four draft picks by trading McCaffrey: Second, third, and fourth rounders in 2023, plus a fifth-round pick in 2024. New York would hypothetically look for a similar package back if it ever dealt Barkley to Chicago.

Here’s what the Bears could hypothetically offer New York to land Barkley in a trade:

• 2024 third-round pick
• 2024 fourth-round pick (via Eagles from Jalen Carter trade)
• 2025 second-round pick (via Panthers from Bryce Young trade)
• 2025 fifth-round pick

That haul seems expensive, but Chicago still keeps both its 2024 first-round picks. In doing so, it can continue surrounding their quarterback, Justin Fields, with the kind of talent Ballentine thinks they need.

“The idea of putting a dynamic running back beside Fields in the backfield could open up the Bears offense,” Ballentine wrote. “A trade for Barkley would give the Bears one of the best groups of talent around their quarterback in the league.”

What Would the Post-Saquon Barkley Giants Look Like?

No one Giant could be called upon to fill Barkley’s giant cleats in the unlikely event of a trade. 

Barkley is a locker room leader and 2022 team captain. He was responsible for over half of New York’s rushing yardage and nearly one-third of its total yardage during last season’s playoff run. And he’s one of the most recognizable and marketable players in professional sports, let alone football.

More leadership could come from established Giants like Jones, defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence, and edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux. It could also be mined in new additions like ex-Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller or fostered over time in draft picks like cornerback Deonte Banks or center John Michael Schmitz.

Barkley’s on-field production would be just as tough to replace, too.

Based on last year’s pecking order, veteran Matt Breida would be next in line to take Barkley’s snaps. Gary Brightwell and Jashaun Corbin would also be called upon for more meaningful snaps. But no player would likely be called on more than fifth-round rookie runner Eric Gray.

The Tennessee and Oklahoma product rushed for 1,366 yards in his final collegiate season and is already considered a hidden gem of his draft class. And while Schoen said he didn’t select him as Barkley’s heir apparent, Gray could still be a potential steal. 

“In a draft with less RB depth than 2023 had, Gray would have been no worse than a third-round pick — even with the questions about how much work his frame can handle in the NFL,” wrote Nick Baumgartner of The Athletic. “If the Giants wind up moving on from Saquon Barkley, Gray’s addition would look that much better.”

The New York Giants’ next big move could be to its coaching ranks.

Big Blue is hosting former Minnesota Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier on a two-day visit expected to spark “dialogue,” according to CBS Sports Sr. NFL Insider Josina Anderson. Frazier is also visiting with the Green Bay Packers and Washington Commanders, per Anderson.

Big Blue’s current braintrust certainly trusts Frazier’s football mind.

Frazier was the Bills’ defensive coordinator from 2017 to 2022, an almost-perfect overlap with now-Giants coach Brian Daboll and now-Giants general manager Joe Schoen. That Bills connection even led Schoen to interview Frazier twice for New York’s head coaching gig before Daboll was hired, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

After a clunky departure from Buffalo that involved reports of a one-year sabbatical, Frazier made clear his goal of coaching again in 2023. And the 64-year-old coach could be yet another candidate who joins the Giants in hopes of bigger roles to come.

“Hopefully, an owner will give me a chance to talk to him about an opportunity,” Frazier told The MMQB’s Albert Breer on May 30. “If that doesn’t happen, I’m good. I’ve had a good career. I’m good. My goal is to be a head coach. I know I don’t have much time left, I’m at an age where it seems like owners are going younger and younger, but I think I have some things I can bring to the table. We’ll see what happens.”

Here’s what else you need to know about a potential Frazier fit in New York.

Could Leslie Frazier Replace Wink Martindale As Giants Defensive Coordinator?

Frazier’s visit to East Rutherford is just a friendly one — for now.

His two-day stay with Big Blue is more of a drop-in with Schoen and Daboll and less of a “job interview” for a 2023 role, according to NJ.com’s Art Stapleton.

The fastest path to another gig could be on Big Blue’s sidelines, though.

Wink Martindale garnered interest from the Indianapolis Colts for his work coordinating New York’s patchwork playoff defense in 2022. And his 2023 unit is expected to improve following player additions like linebacker Bobby Okereke, defensive linemen A’Shawn Robinson and Rakeem Nunez-Roches, and rookie cornerback Deonte Banks.

It wouldn’t be shocking to see Martindale appear on more shortlists if his unit takes another step forward. And it wouldn’t be shocking to see Frazier as a potential replacement, considering what Frazier accomplished during Schoen and Daboll’s last season in Buffalo.

“Under Frazier’s watch, the Bills defense led the NFL in total yardage allowed during the regular season (272.8 per game),” Stapleton wrote after the 2021 season. “The Bills also tied for third with 30 takeaways, finishing in the top 10 of that category for the fifth consecutive season.”

An injury-marred 2022 season lowered Frazier’s stock. But according to FanSided’s Doug Rush, he’d still make a great hire behind Martindale.

“He just met with the Commanders (and Packers) as well, so I would think that Frazier is definitely looking to land a job again,” Rush tweeted. “Going with his former Buffalo colleagues with the Giants now would make sense given their experience together.”

What Would Leslie Frazier’s Giants Defense Look Like?

Frazier’s scheme could be his biggest hiring hurdle.

New York has run some variation of a 3-4 defense dating back to 2017. But unlike coordinators like James Bettcher, Patrick Graham, and Martindale, Frazier has historically used a four-down front. 

“Frazier uses a 4-3, so… a switch would be on deck,” Stapleton wrote of the then-head coaching candidate in 2022. “He also uses some Tampa Cover 2 he learned at the hip of Hall of Famer Tony Dungy. (His) defensive influences are Dungy and the late Jim Johnson of the Eagles.”

Big Blue once found Super Bowl success under another Johnson disciple in ex-coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. But the logistics of switching fronts could pause a rebuild Schoen and Daboll have been working so hard on.

For instance, nose tackle Dexter Lawrence would no longer play over center in a 4-3 alignment. Defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux might need to rush more passers from a three point stance. Cornerbacks and safeties like Adoreé Jackson and Xavier McKinney might play more zone under Frazier than they ever did under Martindale.

New York might not be eager to ask its top defensive players to do something different after showing so much promise in 2022. For full insurance against a Martindale departure, it’d help to get Frazier in the building as soon as possible.

Darren Waller can help the New York Giants become “the poor man’s version of the Kansas City Chiefs,” according to former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky.

Speaking on an edition of ESPN’s NFL Live, Orlovsky explained how Waller can make the Giants “Kansas City-lite” by being their own version of Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce. Specifically, Waller, acquired in an offseason trade with the Las Vegas Raiders, can create matchup problems whenever he’s moved around by Giants’ offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, the way the Chiefs move perennial All-Pro Kelce across formations.

Orlovsky, who spent 12 years with five teams, including the Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, anticipates the Giants “putting Darren Waller by himself, like the Kansas City Chiefs do so much.” The approach can get “Waller into matchups that he loves,” while also creating favorable mismatches for other weapons on the Giants’ offense.

Orlovsky identified 2023 third-round draft pick Jalin Hyatt as somebody who could be “on a cornerback three for a defense.” There’s also the chance for Pro-Bowl running back Saquon Barkley to face “a light box, meaning lesser defenders to stop the run ’cause they’re paying attention to Waller.”

Those are just some of the ways Kafka can use Pro-Bowl tight end Waller to make the Giants “not all that different from what Kansas City did with Travis Kelce.” It’s a bold prediction, but there’s every chance Waller can deliver, provided he stays healthy.

Pro Bowler Can Be Kelce-Lite in Giants’ Offense

Waller may not quite match Kelce’s CV, but he’s no slouch among the best tight ends in the NFL. A Pro Bowl berth in 2020, along with two seasons posting 1100-plus receiving yards, prove Waller’s credentials.

At his best, Waller is a size and speed mismatch capable of attacking defenses from multiple positions. No linebacker can be trusted to stay with the veteran over the middle, nor trail him vertically, while few defensive backs can get around the 6-foot-6, 255-pounder in one-on-one situations.

A great example of the latter problem came when the Raiders faced the Giants in 2021, with Bobby Skinner of Talkin’ Giants highlighting how Waller beat cornerback James Bradberry.

Movement is the key to creating these kinds of mismatches, and numbers from a game against the Los Angeles Chargers in 2020 show how productive Waller can be from different alignments, per Next Gen Stats.

This kind of variety is similar to how the Chiefs continue to use eight-time Pro Bowler Kelce. That usage is something Kafka saw firsthand during five seasons as a member of the Chiefs’ staff.

Kafka witnessed some of the early iterations of a strategy that evolved into making Kelce the most productive pass-catcher in the league when in motion last season, according to Next Gen Stats. The same source highlighted how those schemes created a touchdown for No. 87 against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII.

Play like this make Kelce the go-to option for Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes. It means the Chiefs don’t have to rely on standout wide receivers, a formula Waller can help the Giants replicate, even though not everybody is convinced he’ll have that kind of impact.

Doubts Raised About Giants’ Most Important Receiver

On paper, the Giants have what they need to reproduce some of what the Chiefs do with Kelce. That’s the theory, but it all hinges on Waller avoiding injury, something Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine has a hard time believing will happen.

Ballentine cited how “Waller is 30 years old, has only played in 20 games over the last two seasons and averaged just 43.1 yards per game this season, his lowest total in four years.”

Those are legitimate concerns, especially since the Giants lack credible depth behind Waller. Daniel Bellinger missed five games as a rookie due to a fractured eye socket that eventually required surgery, while Lawrence Cager is a converted wide receiver who’s spent most of his career on practice squads for the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns.

It’s easy to see how much Giants’ quarterback Daniel Jones could come to rely on Waller. Jones has a lot to prove after being awarded a four-year, $160 million contract, and building a rapport with a playmaker like Waller will be key to the QB1 taking his game up a level.

Fortunately, a connection already appears to be forming during OTAs, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, who described how Jones wasted no time targeting Waller.

Jones needs Waller to deliver his Pro Bowl form, something that should happen if Kafka moves the tight end around like Kelce. The matchups problem a roving Waller can create will give Jones quicker reads and easier throws.

Saquon Barkley’s future still isn’t entirely secure, but the Pro Bow running back could enjoy his best season yet with the New York Giants, thanks to a “big-time weapon” from the 2023 NFL draft.

Eric Gray didn’t come off the board until the fifth round, but the 172nd player taken is expected by Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic to “help Barkley right now” in a duo that “could be a lot of fun.”

Barkley doesn’t necessarily need the help, but having a surprise package draw attention away from their lead workhorse can only help keep the Giants’ best player fresh. Helping Barkley stay healthy for a second-straight season will be crucial for his chances of at least repeating the career year he enjoyed in 2022.

Maybe that won’t happen if the Giants become more expansive through the air after surrounding quarterback Daniel Jones with new pass-catchers this offseason, but a Gray and Barkley double act is one more way for Big Blue to add variety to how they attack defenses.

Rookie Gem Tipped to Cause Mismatches from Backfield

Baumgardner believes “the Giants can put both backs on the field together and create matchup problems all over the place.” It’s a tantalizing prospect, particularly with two offensive minds as creative as head coach Brian Daboll and coordinator Mike Kafka designing the plays.

Daboll and Kafka dabbled with ways to pair Barkley with backup Matt Breida at times last season. A good example came against the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild-Card Playoffs, when Breida went in motion on a jet sweep to convert 3rd-and-1, while Vikes’ inside linebackers were frozen by Barkley’s presence behind Jones.

It was creative use of personnel, and the Giants can find more ways to include multiple running backs in certain formations. One way would involve putting Barkley and another runner in the same backfield then moving one out, either by flexing a back into the slot or splitting out wide to act as another viable receiver for Jones.

The ploy would take advantage of Barkley’s skills as a receiver, something endorsed when he tied for the team lead with 57 receptions last season. Breida is also adept catching passes out of the backfield and has 103 career grabs to his credit.

While Breida is a useful veteran the Giants wisely brought back in free agency, Gray can be a more dynamic change of pace for Barkley.

Late-Round Sleeper Generating a Ton of Buzz

This is far from the first time Gray has been touted as a potential steal from this year’s draft class. The Giants ranked him highly ahead of Round 5, while the 23-year-old has already been tipped to help his new team produce something special on offense.

There are good reasons to believe Gray can live up to the billing. Reasons like Gray’s 5.6-yards per carry average during two years at Tennessee and as many with Oklahoma.

Gray has legitimate shiftiness and a low centre of gravity, two things that make the 5-foot-9, 206-pounder tough to find and tackle in tight spaces. This run, highlighted by Nick Falato of SB Nation’s Big Blue View, showcases the best qualities of Gray’s game on the ground.

Where Gray’s game gets particularly interesting is in his work as a receiver. He made 99 catches at the collegiate level, often showing the versatility to be moved around and line up as a receiver.

This touchdown grab against Oregon in 2021 is a fine example, after Gray split out wide then motioned back to hide at the base of a bunch set.

It won’t be difficult for Daboll to replicate similar designs and make Gray a factor in passing situations. The rookie was praised by NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein for being “a reliable threat out of the backfield with soft hands and a willingness to block,” all qualities tailor-made for third-down work.

Using Gray for third downs and some red-zone packages would ease the burden on Barkley, who carried the ball 295 times, the fourth-most in the league, last season. He ran the ball 175 times more than the next most-active ball-carrier, Jones.

Daboll would be wise to reduce the Giants’ dependancy on Barkley this year. It could happen naturally after Jones got a four-year, $160 million contract, while Barkley was was given the franchise tag.

Jones will have to air the ball out more often to justify the new deal. He he has new targets, notably wide receivers Parris Campbell and Jalin Hyatt, along with Pro-Bowl tight end Darren Waller, who can help make it happen.

Yet, the Giants will still need to stay strong on the ground to win, so the more Daboll and his staff get Gray and Barkley involved, the better. It will require keeping Barkley fresh, something he hasn’t always been after knee and ankle injuries cost him 21 games in three years before last season.

If Gray can give Barkley a breather, while also providing No 26 with some genuine competition for RB1, it might even convince the veteran to accept the next contract offer from the Giants.

At least one coach and executive from around the NFL share concerns about Jalin Hyatt’s attitude. The wide receiver is a potential draft steal for the New York Giants, having been taken in the third round, despite boasting some first-round talent, but the former Tennessee star has been branded “squirrelly” and “naive,” amid concerns “he’s got some arrogance to him.”

That’s the view of an unnamed executive and an anonymous coach interviewed by Dan Duggan of The Athletic. Both drew attention to the personality traits of a player Duggan described as “the Giants’ most polarizing pick.”

The executive’s take cautioned Hyatt is “just young, little squirrelly, maybe a little naïve. I don’t know if he totally gets it as far as being a pro.”

While that’s a mild note of concern, the coach raised alarm bells with his assessment Hyatt’s “got some arrogance to him, like ‘I’ve got all the answers.'”

Each of Duggan’s interviewees also had some reservations about Hyatt’s physical attributes, along with his level of production. That’s quite a long list of potential negatives for the Giants to consider regarding a prospect being counted on to expand a pedestrian passing game for quarterback Daniel Jones.

Fortunately, not every concern raised here has to be a negative for the first-year wide receiver.

A Bit of an Attitude Is a Good Thing for a Wide Receiver

The Giants know all about dealing with a so-called “diva” wide receiver. A bit of an attitude is often a good thing at the position, something Odell Beckham Jr. proved after being drafted 12th overall by Big Blue back in 2014.

Beckham had his issues in New York, but he also delivered on the field, to the tune of three Pro Bowl seasons and winning the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. OBJ also set a historic pace to 5,000 receiving yards.

While Beckham’s time with the Giants too often became defined by drama away from the field, a healthy ego is usually a must for any dynamic wideout. It’s what drives a receiver to demand his place as the focal point of a passing game.

Beckham had that confidence in himself, and so does Hyatt. The latter demonstrated as much during an awkward exchange with an assistant for the Dallas Cowboys, referenced by Duggan, ahead of the draft.

Hyatt’s willingness to defend the range of his game, in this case the ability to run routes beyond just being a speed threat, is good news for the Giants. It’s the kind of confidence they need to elevate a passive group of receivers.

There’s nothing passive about Hyatt promising “any team I go against is going to spark me,” per Giants Videos.

Playing with a chip on his shoulder is inevitable for Hyatt after he slipped into the third round. It’s the best way for him to set about proving there’s more to his talent and numbers than meets the eye.

Giants Don’t Need to Worry About College Numbers

Dallas wide receivers coach Robert Prince isn’t the only one to question Hyatt’s savvy and nuance running routes. The coach Duggan spoke with revealed “there’s a lot of people who don’t think the guy is a great route runner.”

Even Duggan noted how the Volunteers’ offense “called for a limited route tree with free releases.” Perhaps that’s why the executive interviewed felt comfortable labelling Hyatt “a one-year producer for a reason.”

These arguments needn’t be a concern for Giants’ head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, despite the disparity in Hyatt’s numbers. His stats jumped from 21 catches and 226 yards as a sophomore to 67 receptions for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns during his senior year, per Sports Reference.

The sharp increase can be attributed to the Volunteers finally realizing what they had, and what they had was a dynamic speedster who’s more than a straight-line, go-route runner.

Instead, Hyatt’s field-stretching speed can be unleashed in a variety of ways. Tennessee proved as much by regularly putting him into stack alignments, like for this touchdown against Alabama, highlighted by Tyler Browning of AtoZ Sports Nashville.

Hiding Hyatt behind another receiver to prevent defensive backs from jamming to slow his release is just good coaching. It’s a practical way to maximize the acceleration of a true burner.

Daboll and Kafka are creative enough to do the same and give Jones the big-play specialist he needs. Jones was awarded a four-year contract worth $160 million, despite leading a passing attack that produced an NFL-low 28 completions of 20-plus yards.

The Giants need Jones to take advantage of Hyatt as a deep threat, but they should also move him around to let his speed to torch defenses at every level. That’s how the Kansas City Chiefs expanded the route tree for 5-foot-10, 185-pound Tyreek Hill.

Hyatt, at 6-foot and 175 pounds, has a similar physical profile and playing style to Hill. The rookie can be for the Giants what Hill has been for the Chiefs and Miami Dolphins.

Giving Hyatt a chance to prove his doubters wrong early and often is the best way for the Giants to help Jones improve his own game and expand the possibilities for a new-look pass offense.

Don’t count the New York Giants out of the DeAndre Hopkins sweepstakes. 

Head coach Brian Daboll didn’t rule out a Hopkins signing and confirmed Big Blue’s front office is doing its “due diligence” in the three-time All-Pro wide receiver.

Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen are at least entertaining a move for Hopkins, who was released by the Arizona Cardinals on May 26 and is garnering serious free agency interest, according to Heavy Sports NFL reporter Matt Lombardo. 

“Like last year, anytime there is someone available that’s a free agent, I would say Joe (Schoen) and his staff are going to look into it, research it,” Daboll told reporters before the team’s fifth OTA on March 31. “We talk about a lot of different players, regardless of who it is. That’s part of our job, to make sure we are doing our due diligence.”

Hopkins has only played in 19 games since his 1,400-yard first season in Arizona. But the 30-year-old would offer New York a highly sought-after WR1 and the chance to cap its impressive offseason, according to Pat Leonard of the NY Daily News.

Wrote Leonard: “Daniel Jones got paid. The Giants are loading up, and Hopkins as another piece definitely wouldn’t hurt.”

Giants Battling Chiefs and Bills in ‘Arms Race’ to Sign DeAndre Hopkins?

Big Blue isn’t the only NFL club doing its homework on Hopkins.

The Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills are locked in an “arms race” for the 10-year veteran, according to ESPN NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler. But both are more cap-strapped from the Giants, who currently possess $4.1 million in space according to the latest NFL Player’s Association records.

The Chiefs believe Kadarius Toney could develop into a WR1 after his midseason trade from the Giants, per Fowler. And a recent move to sign ex-Buccaneers tackle Donovan Smith might make a Hopkins move even tougher.

“That (Smith signing) drained some of their resources — I don’t know if they could quite pull it off,” Fowler said on ESPN’s “Keyshawn, JWill & Max.” “They do believe Kadarius Toney can be a No. 1-type receiver. I don’t get the sense that they’re overly desperate to make this happen, but there’s certainly some interest.”

Fowler thinks Bills could be a more serious “threat” to the Giants to sign Hopkins.

“When you talk to other NFL teams, they believe the Bills are a threat here and they have been for awhile,” Fowler said. “I still suspect that you have two contenders in the AFC that are sort of trying to combat each other and make sure one doesn’t get Hopkins over the other. So it’s a little bit of an arms race there.” 

With star quarterbacks, steady ownership, and top defenses, both the Chiefs and Bills would satisfy Hopkins’ wish list he offered to the “IAMATHLETE” podcast before his release. So would the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys, two more teams Fowler sees as sleepers for Hopkins.

The biggest sleeper team could be Big Blue, though.

“New York has many supporting players at wide receiver but no alpha,” Fowler said. “Is it time to give Daniel Jones an elite guy once and for all? Perhaps Darren Waller assumes that role, but he’s a tight end. The NFC East is only getting better, and the Giants might need to win some shootouts.”

DeAndre Hopkins Would Make Giants ‘Instant & Obvious Playoff Contender’

Hopkins would give Big Blue its biggest receiving threat since Odell Beckham Jr.

So says FOX Sports NFC East reporter Ralph Vacchiano, who believes the team’s current receiving corps “is basically a group of Nos. 2 and 3 receivers who hope that one of them proves to be a No. 1 by default.”

“They don’t have anyone that can come close to Hopkins,” Vacchiano wrote. “Maybe Darren Waller, if he stays healthy, but that’s a big if after two injury-plagued seasons. Plus, he’s a tight end. The Giants still need a No. 1 receiver. And while they have high hopes for Jalin Hyatt, their third-round pick, it’s a stretch to think he could have Hopkins-like potential, at least at first.”

The Giants should also have “their fingers crossed” for the health of receivers like Wan’Dale Robinson, Parris Campbell, and Sterling Shepard, per Vacchiano. All three pass catchers have missed significant time with injuries; two of those wideouts (Robinson and Shepard) had season-ending ailments just last season.

Hopkins will be 31 before the 2023 season. But at the very least, he’d add another body to New York’s room. And at the very best?

“He’s a top-5 receiver in the league,” Vacchiano said. “He would be the greatest gift they could give Daniel Jones outside of the contract extension they just gave him. Assuming everything else goes right… Hopkins would vault the Giants’ offense close to the top 10 and make them an instant and obvious playoff contender.”

The New York Giants couldn’t get the most out of Kadarius Toney, but one former NFL general manager believes the wide receiver drafted 20th in 2021 can emulate “explosive” Tyreek Hill for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2023.

It’s a lofty comparison, but ex-Minnesota Vikings GM Rick Spielman is comfortable predicting Toney will take on a similar role to the one Hill occupied for the Chiefs before last season. Spielman told The 33rd Team, “if Toney can stay healthy, he reminds me a lot of Percy Harvin, except he’s a better receiver. I envision some of the things Tyreek Hill did in that offense and how explosive he became. Toney has all of those physical traits.”

Staying healthy was a major problem for Toney during his season and a bit with the Giants, one reason the team traded him to the Chiefs midway through last season. Head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen got a third-round pick in return, a selection the Giants sent to the Las Vegas Raiders to trade for Pro-Bowl tight end Darren Waller this offseason.

Daboll is counting on Waller to become the kind of game-breaking pass-catcher Toney never morphed into for the Giants. Yet, the former Florida standout did help the Chiefs win Super Bowl LVI, and Spielman believes Toney “should be more of a focal point this season, especially now that he understands the system.”

Another year’s experience and Patrick Mahomes throwing him passes can equal bigger things for Toney, but the Giants need to find their own version of Hill. Fortunately, a member of this year’s draft class fits the bill.

7-Time Pro Bowler a Tough Act to Follow

Hill’s a tough act to follow for Toney, since ‘The Cheetah’ went to seven Pro Bowls and earned All-Pro honors four times before being traded to the Miami Dolphins a year ago. The deal earned the Chiefs five picks for the league’s premier deep threat.

Taking the top off of defenses became Hill’s calling card in Kansas City. His ability to stretch the field made him feared, like when he hauled in this 44-yarder on 3rd-and-15 to help beat the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV.

The play, known as “2-3 Jet Chip Wasp,” showcased Hill at his best. His vertical threat became such an effective weapon it changed the way teams defended the Chiefs and their Mahomes-led offense.

Defenses became increasingly reliant on two-deep coverage shells to try and take away Mahomes’ deep ball to Hill. All the shell coverage forced the Chiefs to make adjustments, changes that became easier to implement without Hill.

They were also changes that helped Toney show the Giants what they were missing.

Giants Wasted Draft Flop’s True Potential

Toney can’t match Hill’s vertical speed, few receivers in the NFL can manage that particular feat. What Toney can do is be used to gash defenses in multiple ways.

Chiefs’ head coach Andy Reid and now-former offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy explored many of those ways last season. They used Toney on screens, jet sweeps and even some direct handoffs.

His biggest impact still came as a wideout, though, like when Toney caught the key touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl.

Seeing Toney torch their NFC East rivals must have had the Giants wondering what if? It’s an easy question to ask because it’s surprising a gifted offensive mind like Daboll couldn’t find a role for a playmaker as versatile as Toney.

There were issues, like the numerous injuries that derailed Toney’s rookie campaign. He also felt more wanted and “accepted” away from the Giants.

Daboll was okay letting Toney join a new team even though his own offense lacked a true No. 1 weapon in the passing game. The problem arguably persists, even after the arrival of Waller, but the Giants hope a third-round pick can remedy the issue.

Giants Can Develop Their Own Tyreek Hill

A burner on the outside is still something Giants’ quarterback Daniel Jones needs to help him take his game to the next level. What he needs is somebody with Hill’s best attribute, namely game-changing speed.

That’s what Jalin Hyatt should bring to the offense after being drafted 73rd overall. He posted a 4.4 40 time at the Scouting Combine, after establishing a reputation as a vertical weapon at Tennessee.

Hyatt averaged 18.9 yards per reception during his final season with the Volunteers, including this 60-yard score against Alabama.

Hyatt has the kind of speed Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka — who once served as Mahomes’ position coach while Hill was on the roster with the Chiefs — can unleash from anywhere on the field. That should mean not only isolating Hyatt against single coverage on the outside, but also using him from the slot and finding ways to free him in space for yards after the catch off shorter throws.

Getting Hyatt involved early and often will make it easier to forget about Toney, even if he does become the next Hill with the Chiefs.

The New York Giants will field the Big Apple’s best quarterback next year.

Big Blue’s Daniel Jones provides a better option at signal caller than the Super Bowl-bent New York Jets currently have in Aaron Rodgers, according to a statistical analysis by NJ.com’s Bob Brookover. 

That analysis tabulated both passers in terms of completion percentage, yards, touchdowns, and interceptions from the 2022 season.

It also considered outside metrics from last season, like the grades Pro Football Focus gave to Jones and Rodgers’ offensive lines and ESPN’s all-encompassing QBR.

“Here’s the thing: Jones, by almost every measure, was better than Rodgers last season,” Brookover wrote of his findings. “And there is plenty of reason to believe that will be the case again in 2023.”

Jones edged out Rodgers in their meeting last season, a 27-22 Giants victory over the Green Bay Packers in London. He completed all but six passes and posted a 100.2 passer rating — better than Rodgers’ 96.3 rating.

He also was intercepted three times in a loss to Rodgers’ Packers at MetLife Stadium in 2019, his rookie year. 

We won’t need to wait long for a rubber match. Jones and the Giants host Rodgers’ Jets in Week 8, a game Brookover believes will speak volumes about which team and passer truly owns New York.

“There’s no denying… that Jones was the better quarterback a season ago,” Brookover wrote. “The two will meet again  on Oct. 29 at MetLife Stadium — and then we’ll have a pretty clear idea about how good each team and each quarterback is playing in 2023.”

Here’s what else you need to know about the New York battle between Jones and Rodgers:

Giants’ Daniel Jones Has ‘Advantage’ Over Jets’ Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers is a “future Hall of Famer” sent from Green Bay to end Gang Green’s 12-year playoff drought, according to Brookover.

But according to statistics Brookover amassed on the two, Rodgers will also be out-quarterbacked by his Giants counterpart.

In the comparison, Jones earned an “advantage” over Rodgers in nine categories from 2022: Completion percentage, interceptions, total turnovers, rushing yards, combined yards, PFF’s offensive line grades, passer rating, ESPN’s QBR, and head-to-head statistics from that London game.

“Jones completed 21 of 27 passes for 217 yards and ran 10 times for 37 yards in the Giants’ 27-22 win over the Packers in London,” Brookover wrote. “He had a 100.2 passer rating. Rodgers completed 25 of 39 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns without any rushing attempts. He had a 96.3 passer rating. Advantage: Jones.”

Brookover believes Jones is “coming off his best season” at 26 while Rodgers, 39, is “coming off his worst season.” But 2022 success doesn’t always correlate to the following season, so the trajectory of both passers was considered, too.

Jones and Rodgers received equal marks with stable coaching situations. For the first time in his pro career, Jones will start a season with the same head coach and offensive coordinator. Rodgers has never played for Jets coach Robert Saleh, but spent four seasons with offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett in Green Bay.

The pressure felt by both players evens out, too.

“Jones just received a four-year contract that guarantees him $82 million over the next two seasons and expectations have been raised for the quarterback and the Giants,” Brookover wrote. “Rodgers is under enormous pressure to win a Super Bowl in the next two years, which could represent the remainder of his career.”

But Jones edges Rodgers in off-field demeanor, per Brookover. His familiarity with both his Giants teammates and the New York media should serve him well in 2023.

“There’s pretty much no chance (Jones will) create any incendiary issues,” said Brookover. Rodgers is new to New York and the Jets, but he has been in the national spotlight for a long, long time. He doesn’t seem to care too much about saying whatever is on his mind. Advantage: Jones.”

Daniel Jones ‘Not Worried’ About Aaron Rodgers’ Arrival

With Rodgers in town, Jones said he has no problem being New York’s other quarterback. 

“I’m not worried about that,” he told the New York Post’s Steve Serby. “Just focused on what we’re doing here.”

Jones’ Giants are in a much better spot after a 2022 playoff run. But they’re in a different roster position and division than the crosstown Jets are altogether. 

“The Future Is Now for Rodgers — 40 on Dec. 2 — and the Jets,” Serby wrote. “But even if it isn’t Jones’ style to volunteer that the four Lombardi Trophies standing in the lobby inside 1925 Giants Drive look a little lonely, it is time for him to be (Eli) Manning as he enters his fifth season.”

Therein lies a big difference between Jones and Rodgers. 

The latter carved out his own legacy after taking over for a legend in Brett Favre, winning a title himself and four NFL Most Valuable Player awards.

The former took over for a legend in Eli Manning, but has yet to carve that legacy for himself — at least not yet. 

Picking Deonte Banks 24th overall in the 2023 NFL draft was a smart move by the New York Giants, but it’s not the only way to solve the team’s cornerback problem. Marcus Peters is still on the market in free agency and remains a natural fit for a defense called by former Baltimore Ravens’ coordinator Don ‘Wink’ Martindale.

The “Giants could use someone who can generate turnover production after recording only six interceptions last season,” according to Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox. Peters has a solid track record as a turnover generator, a quality that goes well with the heavy pressure created via Martindale’s sophisticated blitz schemes.

Putting a three-time Pro-Bowler and two-time All-Pro alongside Banks and Adoree’ Jackson would turn cornerback into a team strength. Yet, Knox believes “the Giants would, however, have to land Peters on a team-friendly deal, as they have just $4.6 million in cap space available.”

It’s a scenario general manager Joe Schoen ought to explore since the Giants compete in an NFC East division loaded with some of the NFL’s elite wide receivers.

30-Year-Old is Proven Commodity Giants Need

Peters’ credentials as an interception machine are first rate. He has 32 career picks to his credit and tied for the league lead in INTs as a rookie for the Kansas City Chiefs back in 2015.

Returning takeaways for touchdowns hasn’t been a problem for Peters, who found the end zone twice on Martindale’s watch in 2019. His big plays included this pick-six against the Seattle Seahawks.

Playing in off-man coverage and breaking on the ball has long been a hallmark of Peters’ opportunistic playing style. Unfortunately, a torn ACL that cost the veteran the entire 2021 season may have taken away some of his natural ball-hawk skills.

Peters returned in 2022, but played like a shell of his former self, allowing a 64.3 completion percentage and seven touchdowns, per Pro Football Reference. One of those scores was surrendered against Tyreek Hill and the Miami Dolphins in Week 2.

While there’s no shame in being beaten by Hill, the premier deep threat in the game, the play highlighted how Peters appeared to have lost a step last season. Nonetheless, the Giants could offer the right environment for the eight-year pro to get back on track.

Especially since there’s an obvious space for Peters on the depth chart.

Giants Still Need Cornerback Help

The present state of the team’s cornerback situation reveals how much the Giants are counting on Banks to transform things. It’s a risk, particularly if the rookie takes time getting up to speed.

That’s how things have appeared during OTAs, when “Banks did not work with the starters” during a practice session open to the media, according to NJ.com’s Darryl Slater. Although Slater believes it’s a good thing “Martindale apparently isn’t handing Banks the starting job,” the eventual plan is surely for the rookie to be in main lineup on Day 1, despite concerns about his ball skills.

Banks will likely start alongside Jackson, a 27-year-old who can play at a high level when healthy. Jackson has talent, but he’s also scheduled to be a free agent in 2024.

The contract situation, along with a lengthy injury history, means the Giants extending Jackson’s stay at MetLife Stadium wouldn’t “make much sense,” in the view of ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.

Jackson may be playing on borrowed time, but options begin to look suspect beyond him. Darnay Holmes, Amani Oruwariye, Cor’Dale Flott and Rodarius Williams are the notable names in reserve, but there’s a lack of marquee playmakers to combat the gifted wideouts within the division.

Those pass-catchers include A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith for the Philadelphia Eagles, CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks of the Dallas Cowboys, as well as Washington Commanders’ trio Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson and Curtis Samuel.

The Giants need as many proven corners comfortable in man coverage as they can get to win one-on-one matchups against these passing attacks, while Martindale sends waves of pressure up front.

Dexter Lawrence made the leap from former first-round draft pick to All-Pro for the New York Giants in 2022, and another key starter is tipped to make the same progress this year.

Left tackle Andrew Thomas will become a first-team All-Pro in 2023, according to Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton. He believes Thomas “could reach his full potential at an All-Pro level with continuity in the Giants’ offensive system.”

It’s a strong argument since Thomas is entering his fourth season as the unchallenged blindside protector for quarterback Daniel Jones. He’s also getting a second exposure to the system favored by head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka.

As Moton pointed out, their schemes should become more expansive this season, thanks to the arrival of “multiple pass-catchers, including tight end Darren Waller (via trade with the Las Vegas Raiders), rookie third-rounder Jalin Hyatt, Jamison Crowder and Parris Campbell. If Jones shows some improvement in the passing game, Thomas may get some of the spotlight as his top offensive lineman.”

More pass blocking will not only let Thomas firm up his All-Pro credentials. It can also strengthen his case for a contract extension featuring terms at the top end of the lucrative offensive tackle market.

Former 4th-Overall Pick Growing in Stature Every Year

Thomas has improved every season since being drafted fourth-overall in 2020. While he flashed the potential to dominate as a rookie, his debut season was ultimately marred by too many sluggish performances.

Things changed in 2021, despite an ankle injury costing Thomas four games. He started 16 games last season and was named second team All-Pro, behind only Trent Williams of the San Francisco 49ers.

Plays like this block against 9.5-sack edge-rusher Uchenna Nwosu against the Seattle Seahawks, highlighted by Nick Falato of SB Nation’s Big Blue View, were the hallmark of Thomas’ banner campaign.

Protecting the pocket was a standout feature of Thomas’ game last season, per numbers from Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus, who noted the player’s “89.9 pass-blocking grade in 2022 was one of the highest marks in the league, and he allowed just seven sacks or hits on 700 pass-blocking snaps.”

Thomas was also a force in the running game. His power and drive helped Saquon Barkley return to form in spectacular style by rushing for a career-high 1,312 yards.

Barkley thrived thanks to blocks like this one by Thomas on Jacksonville Jaguars’ defensive end Josh Allen (41), per Falato.

Thomas has done all he can to merit All-Pro status. He’s also done enough to guarantee his next payday will be a big one after the Giants picked up his fifth-year option this offseason.

Giants’ Linchpin Primed to Get Paid

He may be under contract for two more years, but Thomas’ long-term future represents a tricky decision for the Giants. Specifically, general manager Joe Schoen must choose the right moment to begin talks about an extension for the 24-year-old.

Starting those talks now could be cheaper than waiting, according to former player agent Joel Corry. The contract analyst for CBS Sports explained to the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy why the deal will hinge on how much the Giants want to exceed what Laremy Tunsil earns with the Houston Texans.

Tunsil is the highest-paid left tackle in the NFL, earning an average of $25 million annually for three years, per Dunleavy. Corry believes “there’s no deal to be made unless you are topping Tunsil. You could make a case Thomas was the best left tackle last year, so you can either do it now and be a little above Tunsil or, if he has another year like last year, it’s going to be much above.”

It’s not a stretch to suppose Thomas will play above Tunsil’s level in 2023. The latter is part of a rebuilding team under first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans, who will ask Tunsil to protect a rookie quarterback, second-overall pick C.J. Stroud.

Thomas, meanwhile, is four years younger, playing for a team that went to the playoffs last season and has since retooled its offense. Jones is surrounded by more weapons and will need to air the ball out more often to justify the four-year deal worth $160 million he signed before free agency.

If Jones makes strides as a passer, Thomas will be having a season good enough to add some zeroes to his next contract. Having their QB1 paid and secured gives the Giants more funds to pay Thomas, who Corry believes should keep an eye on the next deal given to Tristan Wirfs of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers: “If I’m him, if we don’t get something done now, I’m waiting for (Buccaneers’) Tristan Wirfs’ deal to get done — that is going to be a blockbuster when they are not paying a quarterback there — and then trying to top him.”

The Giants won’t want other marquee tackles to inadvertently set Thomas’ market. It’ll be better for Schoen to lay some early groundwork for an extension on the Giants’ terms.

There’s a new receiving option on the market for the New York Giants.

And his name is DeAndre Hopkins.

Hopkins would make an “ideal fit” with the Giants after his May 26 release from the Arizona Cardinals, league sources told Heavy Sr. reporter Matt Lombardo. Sources also linked the three-time All-Pro receiver to the crosstown New York Jets and New England Patriots.

“That dude (Hopkins) is still legit,” another NFL executive told Lombardo. “Just phenomenal hands, damn good size, and lots of experience.”

Those elite traits make Hopkins the ultimate cherry on top of a Giants’ dream offseason.

New York’s first big move extended franchise quarterback Daniel Jones. Its most recent move saw defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence ink a long-term deal. And in between, general manager Joe Schoen filled plenty of holes at tight end, linebacker, defensive line, and cornerback.

But a bonafide, battle-tested top receiver remains a glaring need. And one just hit the market who could perfectly round out Jones’ passing attack.

Here’s what else you need to know about New York’s potential pursuit of Hopkins.

Would DeAndre Hopkins Actually Sign With The Giants?

Lombardo’s sources see Hopkins as a perfect fit with Big Blue.

We’ll know soon if the feeling is mutual.

League sources expect the 30-year-old wideout “to be a hot item now that he’s available,” per Lombardo. More teams than just the Giants, Jets, and Patriots are expected to be in the mix for his services, too.

Hopkins indicated some level of interest in both the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills in a video posted by CBS Sports’ All Things Covered podcast. Weeks later, he outright outlined what he’d look for in his next team on the IAMATHLETE podcast. 

Both the Chiefs and Bills might fit Hopkins’ wish list. But so might the Giants one year into their rebuild.

New York’s ownership group is widely seen as one of the league’s most stable.  Jones might not be on the passing level of Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen, but he’s a true leader who gathered his offense for informal workouts in April. And New York’s defense looks as formidable as it has in years under coordinator Wink Martindale.

Hopkins’ compensation might be a hurdle for New York to clear, though.

He was set to make $19.45 million in non-guaranteed base salary, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Pro Football Network’s Dalton Miller believes a Hopkins could command a new deal worth around $38 million over two seasons.

A Hopkins-Giants pact could be a tough financial squeeze. Per FOX Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano, the team only has $6.1 million in current cap space. That means a new contract would need to be extremely backloaded, per FanSided’s Doug Rush. 

In the end, it’s all up to Hopkins. Schoen can find avenues for financial relief if a player of his caliber wants to come to New York.

How Well Would DeAndre Hopkins Fit With In The Giants’ Offense?

How “ideal” a fit would Hopkins be in New York?

Consider that the Clemson product missed six games in 2022 for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy. He still managed to bring in 64 passes, more than any other Giant in 2022. And he tallied 717 yards, just seven behind 2022 receiving leader Darius Slayton.

Another consideration: Hopkins put those numbers back without quarterback Kyler Murray for stretches in Arizona last year. It’s not tough to project better stats with a healthier Jones and a target like Darren Waller drawing attention.

Hopkins wouldn’t need to be much of a deep threat, either. He could remain in his role as a chain mover and route-runner with speedier options like Slayton, Parris Campbell, and rookie Jalin Hyatt clearing coverage for him.

Add it all up and the Giants get a WR1 who could tilt the scales of power in the NFC East, according to Lombardo.

“Hopkins would be a worthy counter-punch to the Philadelphia Eagles‘ acquisition of A.J. Brown last offseason, and the Dallas Cowboys’ picking up Brandin Cooks this offseason, in an NFC East that looks to be more competitive than ever,” Lombardo wrote. “Hopkins would add an element of game-breaking speed and big-play ability on the perimeter in Brian Daboll’s scheme.”

Daboll once helped Stefon Diggs put up career-best numbers. Given the opportunity, perhaps Hopkins can do the same in his Giants offense.

There was little chance Hopkins would play in Arizona this season, given that the 30-year-old was set to count $29.9 million against the cap for the 2023 season. Now, Hopkins gets to pick his next destination, and should expect a robust market.

“I wouldn’t rule out the New England Patriots,” a league source told Heavy. “They aren’t out of the question. But, he would be an ideal fit with either of the New York teams.”

Hopkins is coming off a bit of a tumultuous 2022 campaign that saw him suspended for the first six games for violating the NFL‘s performance-enhancing drug policy. However, the 6-foot-1 and 212 pound playmaker still managed to pull down 64 passes for 717 yards with three touchdowns.

“That dude is still legit,” an NFC Personnel Executive told Heavy. “He’s going to be a hot item now that he’s available. Just phenomenal hands, damn good size, and lots of experience. He just needs to prove he can stay healthy, to make signing him worth it.”

Conventional wisdom suggests there should be 31 teams — or at least any team with the requisite cap space to make a marquee addition such as Hopkins, should be on the phone trying to add him to their offense. But, where are Hopkins’ best fits?

DeAndre Hopkins’ Best Fits in Free Agency

New York Jets

If the Jets have shown anything during this offseason, it is that they are all-in on making a run.

After landing Aaron Rodgers in a blockbuster trade with the Green Bay Packers, the Jets could quickly climb the AFC East hierarchy by dropping Hopkins into Rodgers’ supporting cast, alongside veteran Allen Lazard and upstart Garrett Wilson, who caught 83 passes for 1,103 yards with 4 touchdowns as a rookie, last season.

New York currently sits with only $6.38 million in cap space, but Hopkins is the type of player general manager Joe Douglas would do cap gymnastics over trying to acquire. It’s easy to envision Hopkins making a similar impact on the Jets’ Super Bowl chances as A.J. Brown did just down the New Jersey Turnpike in Philadelphia, for the Eagles, last season.

New England Patriots

If the Patriots are serious about keeping pace in the AFC arms race, it would be expected they would put on a full-court press for Hopkins.

Conversations with sources inside the league suggest the Patriots might be the best destination for Hopkins. There is also a video clip that went viral in recent weeks of Bill Belichick seeking Hopkins out prior to a game, and talking up how much he respects him. Now, Belichick has the chance to pick Hopkins up of the free agent scrap heap.

For a franchise with a young quarterback such as Mac Jones or Bailey Zappe, there are few players who could make more of a tangible and significant impact on their development than Hopkins.

New York Giants

The New York Giants are on a mission to continue surrounding Daniel Jones with game-altering weapons.

General manager Joe Schoen traded for All-Pro tight end Darren Waller earlier this offseason, drafted speedy wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, and added steady veteran receiver Parris Campbell in free agency.

Hopkins would be a worthy counter-punch to the Philadelphia Eagles‘ acquisition of A.J. Brown last offseason, and the Dallas Cowboys’ picking up Brandin Cooks this offseason, in an NFC East that looks to be more competitive than ever. Hopkins would add an element of game-breaking speed and big-play ability on the perimeter in Brian Daboll’s scheme, similar to the impact Stefon Diggs made on the Buffalo Bills when he arrived into Daboll’s system.

Evan Engram earned Pro Bowl honors with the New York Giants in 2020, but it was a rare high point from a time the tight end was glad to put behind him. Engram joined the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency last offseason and he’s admitted life with the Giants “just wasn’t for me.”

Speaking on the 2nd Wind podcast, Engram admitted he “had to grow up” after a difficult time in New York: “I wanted to be great where I got drafted … but that just wasn’t for me. At the end of the day, I needed Jacksonville. I needed the coaches I had there, I needed the relationships I’ve built with the guys there.”

Engram detailed how he changed thanks to “the best time of my life” during his first season with the Jaguars: “It was the first time in my career where I didn’t want to leave the building. It was a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, I’m in the building just staying because I want to work, I want to watch more film, I’m staying with Trevor (Lawrence) after the day is over watching film with him.”

The difference between Engram with the Giants and what he produced in Jacksonville was night and day. He set career-high marks with 73 catches for 766 yards and emerged as the type of roving playmaker the Giants hoped they were getting when they selected Engram 23rd overall in the 2017 NFL draft.

In the meantime, the Giants’ own options at tight end lacked dynamism, a problem they hope the offseason trade for Pro-Bowler Darren Waller will solve.

1st-Rounder Struggled to Adapt to Life in New York

Things didn’t work out for Engram in a tough New York market. The player detailed how witnessing the reaction reserved for two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Eli Manning opened his eyes about expectations with the Giants: “They were killing him.”

Talking about Giants’ fans, Engram said “when you do good, they love you. When you do bad, like, they going to let you know. They not going to let you forget either. They love you, they hate you, they love you again, like, that’s just what it is.”

Engram also wasn’t ready for the response he got during injury layoffs: When I’m on the field, I was ballin’. Like, when I was healthy, I was doing my thing, but when I was hurt, like obviously, I’m not playing, so like, people were killing me.”

Staying healthy was a problem for Engram during his career with the Giants. He missed 16 games with several injuries, including concussions and knee and foot problems.

There were different setbacks when Engram made it onto the field, and he spoke candidly about his issues dropping passes: “I had a lot of drops. I had some key drops in some big games that, like, at the end of the day hurt my team.”

Engram was guilty of 23 drops in four seasons, with 11 of those occurring during the 2020 campaign, per Pro Football Reference. Lapses like those made it easy for the Giants to move on from Engram when Joe Schoen took over as general manager and Brian Daboll became head coach in 2022.

The decision to part ways looked like it backfired when Engram finally emerged as a consistent weapon with the Jaguars.

Giants Still Searching for Game-Changer at Tight End

Engram gave the Giants a glimpse of what they were missing when the two teams met in Week 7. The Giants won 23-17, but Engram turned four catches into 67 yards, including this impressive catch highlighted by Nate Tice of The Athletic.

A pass-catcher capable of stretching the field from the slot is something the Giants need to expand a pedestrian aerial attack. Their pass offense generated a league-low 28 completions of 20-plus yards last season, but Engram averaged over 11 yards per reception seven times for the Jags.

It’s a quality the Giants are counting on former Las Vegas Raiders’ star Waller to emulate. He’s averaged 12 yards a catch for his career and proved his enduring ability to stretch the seams with this grab against the New England Patriots.

If he can stay healthy, Waller should quickly become a staple of an offense designed and called by Daboll and coordinator Mike Kafka. They need No. 83 to make the position his own after 2022 fourth-round pick Daniel Bellinger lost five games to an eye injury that required surgery.

A Waller and Bellinger double act can give quarterback Daniel Jones the inside targets he needs to take his game up a level after signing a four-year contract worth $160 million. The combination can also make the Giants forget about how well Engram is doing without them.

Edge-rusher is a position of strength for the New York Giants, thanks to starters Kayvon Thibodeaux and Azeez Ojulari, but it’s a different story in reserve. Depth is suspect, even after Jihad Ward and Oshane Ximines returned in free agency, so the Giants should sign a “bargain” Super Bowl winner who would add experience and production at a “high-value position.”

That’s the advice from Bleacher Report’s David Kenyon, who named Carlos Dunlap as one of three cost-effective pass-rushers who should be on the Giants’ radar: “Even if Leonard Floyd or Yannick Ngakoue are too expensive for New York, how about Justin Houston, Markus Golden or Carlos Dunlap?”

Helping the Kansas City Chiefs win Super Bowl LVII last season makes Dunlap the most intriguing name on the list. That’s despite Houston reportedly drawing interest from around the league and already being mentioned as a good fit for the Giants and defensive coordinator Don ‘Wink’ Martindale.

Veteran Edge a Natural Fit for Giants

Houston’s status as a “hot commodity” in free agency was confirmed by Heavy’s Senior NFL Reporter Matt Lombardo. He also named the four-time Pro Bowler an “ideal fit” for the Giants.

The connection is a good one since Houston spent the 2021 season playing for Martindale with the Baltimore Ravens and is well-versed in the play-caller’s fondness for the blitz. Houston would make an impact at MetLife Stadium, but so would Dunlap, and for many of the same reasons.

Specifically, 34-year-old Dunlap shares Houston’s versatility and ability to create pressure from multiple angles. Although he spent most of 2022 playing as a traditional defensive end in the Chiefs’ 4-3 scheme, Dunlap operated as a standup rusher more often as a member of hybrid fronts for the Seattle Seahawks during the previous two seasons.

No matter where or how he lined up, Dunlap showcased an enduring talent for putting heat on the pocket. He recorded four sacks in a situational role for the Chiefs during the regular season, including this one against Malik Willis and the Tennessee Titans in Week 9.

Dunlap joined the 100-sack club a week later against the Jacksonville Jaguars, proof of his solid track record for getting after quarterbacks. The Giants need as many quality pass-rushers as they can get if they’re going to build on last season’s surprise success and emerge as the dominant force in the NFC East.

Pass-Rush Depth a Blueprint for Success in the East

Having Thibodeaux and Ojulari primed to dominate, while also retaining Ward and Ximines, might makes the Giants appear well-stocked in the pass-rush department. Yet, they only need to look at their division rivals to see the importance of a deep and talented contingent of QB hunters.

Notably, the Philadelphia Eagles owned the division in 2022 thanks to a front-line bounty headlined by Haason Reddick, Josh Sweat, Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox. The trio combined for 45 of the Eagles’ NFL-leading 70 sacks.

Even the second-placed Dallas Cowboys were able to put a fleet of destructive edge-rushers onto the field. Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Dante Fowler and Dorance Armstrong Jr. all brought the heat to varying degrees.

The Giants can match this effect if they add a proven pass-rusher alongside Thibodeaux and Ojulari. Houston or Dunlap fit the bill, with the latter flexible enough to line up on either side, like for this sack of Kyler Murray when the Seahawks beat the Arizona Cardinals 38-30 to close out the 2021 season.

While his numbers for the Chiefs won’t wow anybody, Dunlap logged 13.5 sacks during less than two full campaigns in Seattle.

At 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds, Dunlap can also kick inside to pressure the interior in certain looks. Putting him on the field with Thibodeaux, Ojulari and All-Pro nose tackle Dexter Lawrence would give the Giants a formidable front four in obvious passing situations.

The extra production and schematic flexibility he would generate make Dunlap worth a cost-effective, one-year contract from a team $4,634,387 under the salary cap.