Odell Beckham Jr.

The New York Giants Might As Well Reunite With Odell Beckham Jr.

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At this point, the New York Giants may as well reunite with Odell Beckham Jr., their former prodigy of a receiver who has also been somewhat down on his luck this year after being dealt to the Cleveland Browns in the offseason. That move, however, was carried out under the regime of Dave Gettleman, who may not return to the General Manager position this offseason.

Any argument for Beckham ending up a Giant again would assume two things. First, that Gettleman won’t be the GM of the team going into this offseason. The Giants may be reluctant to get rid of another GM, and after only a couple offseasons at that, so there’s a chance that they don’t even make the change that would almost certainly lead to another attempt at a full rebuild. Second, it assumes that the post-Gettleman front office believes that the Beckham trade was an ill advised idea.

It’s true, of course, that it looks like this might be a down season for Beckham. There’s still games to be played but at this point he has 805 yards and will likely head in for surgery after the season. The Browns as a team in general haven’t done much better this year. At 6-7 as of now, they aren’t the Super Bowl contenders that many predicted during the offseason. They aren’t even playoff contenders.

According to reports, it seems like Beckham is getting desperate to get out of Cleveland – and why wouldn’t he be? He never asked to be traded to the Browns and would likely have preferred to stay with the Giants. It’s clear from social media and press conference remarks that Beckham took offense with the decision by the Giants to send him off, something that was partly done for off the field reasons.

Dave Gettleman has shown a preference for getting rid of outspoken players, even if those said players are team leaders, but that might not be a factor in the future. The Giants could very well have a new General Manager who may have different views on players like Beckham.

Beckham becoming available in the offseason via trade isn’t necessarily far fetched – even if this season is a down season, playing for the Browns is something of an automatic excuse. Considering the reputation of the Browns and their quarterbacking play, it’s not reasonable to say that one bad season there is going to drop the value of a receiver too much in the eyes of many teams.

But could the Giants be one of the teams interested in making a trade?

If the Browns really are going to move Beckham at a reduced rate because of his apparently outspoken desire to get out of Cleveland, the Giants certainly have pieces to move, that might be on their way out any way due to the lack of success that the Giants’ current team composition has had over the past couple of years.

The Browns might have a hard time getting Beckham’s full value, based on the results of this season. But a package offering Janoris Jenkins, Nate Solder, and a draft pick – or something else along those lines, might be enough for the two sides to reach an agreement if the Browns do decide that they want to move on and end the Beckham era after one year.

Of course, there’s debate to be had about whether or not the Giants regret moving their best receiver, but it’s safe to say that many of the decisions of the current front office regime will be questioned by the next one should Dave Gettleman end up replaced this offseason. The plans of making Sterling Shepard into the next Beckham haven’t worked either, for the Giants. Golden Tate hasn’t reached his full potential, missing time this season due to both suspension and injury.

It’s a long shot, but the Giants reversing their trade and bringing back their former star receiver might not be the impossibility that it sounds like at first glance.

New York Giants news, 12/7 – Is Odell Beckham Jr. the reason Saquon Barkely is struggling?

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New York Giants, Odell Beckham Jr., Saquon Barkley

Good Morning, New York Giants Fans!

Twitter never ceases to amaze me with its fan-driven narratives and absurd statements. The latest New York Giants related tweet I scratched my head about was regarding Saquon Barkley’s struggles and that Odell Beckham Jr. might have his hand in the cookie jar.

Aside from Beckham Jr. being shipped to the Cleveland Browns, there are far more justifiable reasons for Barkley’s lack of production. The first argument I made pointed directly at the high ankle sprain he suffered in week three and his statistical output after the injury.

The first two weeks of the seasons saw Barkley break the 100-yard rushing mark twice, since then, he’s amassed ove 72 yards just once over seven games, as he rushed for 83 yards last week against the Green Bay Packers in the snow. There’s a clear dropoff here, after he sustained the injury.

Now, let’s factor in the lack of offensive line support. The front five for the New York Giants currently rank 26th in the league, per FootballOutsiders.com. Left tackle Nate Solder has been a liability for Big Blue all season and left guard Will Hernandez hasn’t seen the development most hoped he would experience. Solder and center Jon Halapio have both contributed towards his plateau. Right guard Kevin Zeitler has been solid, but right tackle Mike Remmers has had his issues as well.

Aside from the lack of production in the trenches, dealing with a rookie quarterback in Daniel Jones has been a work in progress. There have been times where Jones fails to recognize blitzes and dooms Barkley from the start. Eli Manning was far better at identifying defensive looks and audibling to help his players succeed. Manning was also known for his dump-off tactics, which benefited Barkley tremendously.

Overall, the OBJ factor in Barkley’s struggles could be present, but it’s so small it’s not even worth considering in the big picture.

Nonetheless–

Your top news of the day:

John Fennelly – Giants’ 2018 draft class has stumbled in Year 2

Carson Depp – New York Giants: Is Julian Love the future alongside Jabrill Peppers?

Mike Rosenstein – Head coach candidate to replace Giants’ Pat Shurmur comes with warning for Steve Tisch, John Mara from NFL insider

Ryan Dunleavy – Why Saquon Barkley could bust out now that Eli Manning is back

Tyler Henry – Bill Polian: Dave Gettleman has a plan for the Giants

New York Giants: How Cleveland Browns fans feel about the Odell Beckham Jr. trade after 13 weeks

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New York Giants, Odell Beckham Jr.

When considering the Odell Beckham Jr. trade orchestrated by New York Giants GM Dave Gettleman and Cleveland Browns GM John Dorsey, it’s safe to say, both sides aren’t exactly happy with the return. However, Giants fans can sit back and enjoy the madness Beckham is once again stirring, as Brown’s fans are already imploding.

Big Blue ended up with Kevin Zeitler, Jabrill Peppers, Dexter Lawrence, and Oshane Ximines in the deal. It’s fair to include Zeitler due to Olivier Vernon being a cap-cut casualty anyway. Gettleman managed to gain an integral piece on the offensive line for a lost cause, who has been a ghost for the Browns since making the move.

Beckham, on the other hand, has gone six straight weeks without recording 100 yards or more through the air and has just three touchdowns on the season with a quarterback who was expected to be better in Baker Mayfield. This is a testament to Eli Manning’s skill-set and how well he was able to utilize Beckham over the years.

The New York Giants don’t miss Odell Beckham Jr.:

Several days ago, Beckham made a controversial statement, stating, “no one knows what the future holds.” Of course, the media had a field day with his comments, but he made it clear he wanted to be in Cleveland pursuing a playoff birth this season.

However, Browns fans have already begun singing a familiar tune.

This marks only three tweets out of the 10’s I scrolled past in less than three minutes. Not that the Giants are any better with OBJ on the field, but the drama has quieted down significantly since his departure. The losses continue to pile up, and head coach Pat Shurmur has emerged as the target for every adverse event.

New York has one of the more intimidating media networks, and that’s a reality players and coaches sign up for when they elect to try and resurrect an organization desperately gasping for air.

New York Giants news, 10/31 – Alec Ogletree a goner? Dave Gettleman’s methods

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New York Giants, Alec Ogletree

Good Morning, New York Giants Fans!

With the trade deadline coming and going, most believed the New York Giants would be sellers, but they stayed pat and kept all of their veteran players.

Janoris Jenkins, Nate Solder, and Alec Ogletree all remained with the team, but that doesn’t mean general manager Dave Gettleman doesn’t have plans for them. All three serve a purpose this season, and the New York Giants must climb out of a 2-6 funk to prove they can be a competitive team moving forward. That’s why Gettleman ended up being a buyer, trading for Leonard Williams of the Jets.

The defensive lineman will add a commanding presence alongside Dexter Lawrence, but he’s in the final year of his rookie contract, which means he will get paid this offseason. Gettleman sacrificed a fifth-round pick to do be the first one to offer him a new deal.

However, Gettleman’s methods stretch further than just trading and signing new players. When it comes to players already on the roster, maximizing their value becomes the priority, especially when they’re overpaid and underproducing.

Ogletree is a prime example of that ideology. He hasn’t been the most effective linebacker since his inception with Big Blue last season, and that will likely spell the end of his tenure in New York. This season, he counted $11.25 million against the cap in dead money, and next year he will be just $3.5 million. Cutting him shouldn’t be the priority, though. Finding a suitable trade partner will be the focus for Gettleman, as unloading his $3.5 million in dead-cap is essential.

Tying up money in non-existent players spells “doom” for most franchises. Gettleman took the $16 million hit on Odell Beckham Jr. this season, which resulted in a first-round pick, a third-round pick, and safety Jabrill Peppers. A solid return, but it restricted the New York Giants from signing other players this season. Signing big-money free agents this past offseason would have been redundant, considering rookie quarterback Daniel Jones was the priority — giving him ample experience and developmental time.

Next offseason will be the “all-in” period for Gettleman, who will need to fill positions such as inside linebacker, outside linebacker, offensive tackle, and free safety.

Nonetheless–

Your top news of the day:

Paul Schwartz – Leonard Williams is getting used to his new Giants reality

John Fennelly – Evaluating Giants rookies at the midway point
Matt Lombardo – Giants blueprint: How Dave Gettleman can complete rebuild this offseason after disastrous 2-6 record at midseason

Alexander Wilson – The New York Giants could build a monster defensive line with new addition

Cay North – Trade Deadline Leaves New York Giants With Awkward Second Half Of 2019

New York Giants could target highly touted wide receiver in 2020 NFL draft

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With the New York Giants clinging to a string of hope to climb back into the NFC East playoff race, they find themselves in a peculiar position. Either they continue to lose and land in a top-10 spot in the 2020 NFL draft, or they miraculously burst into the flavorful and exciting team they’re bound to be (we hope).

Rookie quarterback Daniel Jones leads the charge, and gaining back both Saquon Barkley and Evan Engram against the Arizona Cardinals in week seven will undoubtedly help increase his potential for success. But in the off-chance they fall to the Cardinals and journey into unknown Detroit territory, they could be harping on the question — what unit needs to be helped the most?

The New York Giants might not be able to pass up this fantasy:

The 2020 NFL draft holds plenty of talent, and wide receiver might be the most package sealed overnight delivery option. There is talent at the position bleeding from the seams of the upcoming draft, but Alabama star wideout Jerry Jeudy lives in a world of his own.

Replacing Odell Beckham Jr. might not be necessary considering the success the team has had offensively when the starters are healthy, but bringing in an elite player to add another dimension to the offense could be enticing.

General manager Dave Gettleman will likely consider his options on the defensive side of the ball — inside and outside linebacker seem to be the most pressing need.

Jeudy is a 6-foot-1 speed-demon with a stanky leg move that’ll blow your socks off. His 538-yards and six touchdowns through six games are impressive, but the Alabama offense is so potent they don’t feel the need to force the ball his way. Last year, he hauled in 1315-yards and 14 scores through 15 games — he’s on pace to replicate those statistics.

Some scouts believe that Jeudy could be the 1st overall pick next draft, the first wide receiver to achieve that feat since Keyshawn Johnson. Nonetheless, I think that the Giants will stick to improving their defense, but if Jerry managed to slip a few picks to them, it would be incredibly hard to pass up on his skill-set. Especially, considering the potential out the Giants have in Golden Tate’s contract after 2020.

New York Giants news, 10/2 – Will the Giants pursue Stefon Diggs in a trade?

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Should the New York Giants inquire about Stefon Diggs?

Good Morning, New York Giants Fans!

With the New York Giants gearing up to face the Minnesota Vikings in week five, the biggest news of the week wasn’t in regards to the game, but rather a potential trade target, who’s coincidentally on the opposing team.

Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs was reportedly on the trade market earlier in the week, despite this reality being a rumor. Reports stated that the rumors were false, but with the displeasure occurring in the wide receiver room for Minnesota, it is only fair to believe they could be forcing their way out. After the departure of now head coach of the Giants, Pat Shurmur, the Vikings offense lost a bit of its juice.

Diggs earned 849 yards over 14 games in 2017 with Shurmur but tallied 1021 total yards and nine touchdowns last season. The Vikings have committed to a run-first offense which has ultimately hurt the statistics for the wide receivers.

Adam Thielen, Diggs’ teammate, stated:

”You have to be able to throw the ball.”

The frustration growing among the receivers could force the Vikings hand, and with Diggs potentially on the trade market, the idea of the Giants swooping in and stealing him is certainly possible. However, I wouldn’t recommend it.
The only way the Giants should theoretically attempt to trade for Diggs is if the Vikings are willing to accept a third-round pick or less. General manager Dave Gettleman has done a fantastic job drafting the past two years, which makes draft capital even more valuable.

For argument’s sake, Diggs is on a team-friendly contract. His cap hit is only $12.5 million this season and only reaches a maximum of $15 million in 2021 and 2022. In comparison, Odell Beckham Jr. is earning $17 million this season. Additionally, Diggs‘ contract has a low dead cap. If the Giants wanted to cut him in 2021, he would only count $6 million in dead cap.

The mantra for Big Blue moving forward, though, should be to alleviate any chance of carrying over dead salary into future seasons.

An argument against trading for Diggs would be how well rookie passer Daniel Jones has performed in just two NFL starts. With 567 passing yards and five total touchdowns, Jones has proved that he doesn’t need a plethora of talent to win football games. He has done so without Saquon Barkley for a majority of the time and without Golden Tate. When his offense is fully healthy, Jones will be more than capable of operating at a high-level. Therefore, Diggs is not essential.

Nonetheless–

Your top news of the day:

Michael Eisen – Inside the Numbers: Historic start for Daniel Jones

Jordan Dajani – Golden Tate returns to Giants for Week 5: Here’s how it impacts Daniel Jones’ progression
Mark Schofield – Scouting the Giants defense: Pat Shurmur said the team made some tweaks, so what did we see?
John Fennelly – What will Golden Tate bring to Giants offense?
Alexander Wilson – Did the New York Giants find a game-changing defender on defense?

New York Giants News, 9/29 – The offensive player we need to talk more about

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New York Giants, Evane Engram

Good Morning, New York Giants Fans!

While New York Giants rookie passer Daniel Jones has been the talk of the town after a 336-yard, four score performance in his first NFL debut, most are overlooking out fantastic his tight end has been.

After years of hoping Evan Engram would blossom into a premier pass-catching tight end, his time has finally come, and the departure of Odell Beckham Jr. has aided that.

Through three games this season, Engram has tallied 277 yards and two scores, already cutting his 2018 totals in half. Last week, he helped the offense with 113 yards and a touchdown — his 75-yard catch and run sparked a change in momentum for the Giants in the second half.

With Cody Latimer missing time against the Buccaneers and Golden Tate missing the first four games of the season, Engram has been stellar in his third season as a professional. His numbers post-Beckham have been astronomically better, as he nearly doubled his production without the Giants top wideout in 2018.

Engram is not only playing at his peak performance, but he’s doing it at the perfect time with Jones taking over at the helm for Big Blue. He will continue to be an essential target for the new quarterback and act as a security blanket when pressure closes in on the pocket.

Nonetheless–

Your top news of the day:

John Fennelly – Giants’ Plan B at ILB starts with putting Ryan Connelly in charge

Joran Raanan – It’s Wayne Gallman’s show in Giants backfield

Dan Benton – Giants’ Pat Shurmur called Tom Coughlin before benching Eli Manning

Chris Pflum – Film Study: Evan Engram and Sterling Shepard were fantastic in Tampa

Alexander Wilson – New York Giants: 3 keys to beating the Washington Redskins in week 4

New York Giants: Odell Beckham Jr. Believes Trade was Personal

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New York Giants, Odell Beckham Jr.

The New York Giants traded away their superstar receiver Odell Beckham Jr earlier this season to the Cleveland Browns. He believes the trade wasn’t business at all but he was ultimately sent there in an attempt to ruin his career.

Beckham spoke with reporters where he said, “This wasn’t no business move. This was personal. They thought they’d send me here to die.” Ever since Beckham’s trade, he’s been nonstop talking about the New York Giants.

The star receiver also believes the New York media was responsible for setting a negative persona on him. He blames the NY media for highlighting his in-game outbursts, fights, and theatrics. Most notably, his fight with Josh Norman during the 2015 season.

Beckham seems that he wants to move past his New York career and begin something new in Cleveland, however, it seems every time he speaks to media its negative things about the Giants. Instead of focusing on turning around the lousy few years the Browns have had, he’d rather talk bad about past teammates and coaches.

All Beckham is doing is showing how smart of a move it was by Dave Gettleman to get him out of New York. Gettleman addressed the situation a few weeks ago by simply saying, “Odell Beckham plays for the Cleveland Browns now, we’re moving on.” It seems that everyone else has moved on besides OBJ…

The Giants are also looking to turn things around this season with big names Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley, Jabrill Peppers, and Sterling Shepard.

 

New York Giants News, 8/21 – The truth about Baker Mayfield’s comments

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New York Giants rookie QB Daniel Jones called a "loser" by Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns.

Good Morning, New York Giants Fans!

Believe it or not, the Giants are more popular in Ohio than the Cleveland Browns. Probably because there’s not enough good food and Baker Mayfield/Odell Beckham Jr. seem to be more concerned with a random team like the Giants than their own.

The football gods blessed us by not putting them on “Hard Knocks…” just imagine the drama that would have ensued. However, in an interview with GQ magazine:

Near our booth, a SportsCenter segment about the New York Giants catches Mayfield’s eye. “I cannot believe the Giants took Daniel Jones,” Mayfield says, about New York’s much-maligned draft-day decision to spend the sixth pick on the quarterback from Duke (whose college record was a measly 17–19). “Blows my mind.”

Sometimes, keeping your mouth shut is the best way to stay out of trouble. Evading police and going to jail should have taught him a little more self-control. However, his response seemed to shed a different light on the situation.

A nice thing to say after the fact, but who knows what really happened and if Baker truly feels that way. He should have peaked at Jones’ receiver’s numbers before making any comments — 33 dropped passes last season and yet Duke still managed to win a Bowl Game. They can thank Jones the “loser” for that.

Nonetheless, his comments made waves on Tuesday, even sparking further negative attention from Beckham Jr., who made sure to stab his old team once more. He stated that the Giants trading him wasn’t a business move and that they essentially tried to kill his career by sending him to Cleveland. Can somebody please explain to me how having Mayfield, Myles Garrett, David Njoku and plenty of other talented players puts him in a worse position than on the Giants.

I’m convinced OBJ is simply either unintelligent or on psychedelics.

Anyway–

Your top Giants news of the day!

John Fennelly (Giants Wire) – Giants’ Dexter Lawrence bothered by relentless Daniel Jones criticism

Kevin Patra (NFL.com) – Odell Beckham: Giants traded me to Cleveland ‘to die’

Zach Braziller (NY POST) – Alec Ogletree’s transformation could make him Giants threat

Chris Pflum (Big Blue View) – Evan Engram: “It’s crazy how much better I’ve gotten at blocking”

Alexander Wilson (Empire Sports Media) – New York Giants: How veteran defender Markus Golden can leave his mark

New York Giants: Training Camp and 2019 Season Thoughts

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The start of the New York Giants training camp is a time when most fans find a reason to be optimistic about the upcoming season for the football team they dedicate 17+ weeks to. It’s also necessary to pause and provide some introspection on the team and address some of the mainstream storylines that have circulated across the Giants message boards and Twitter.  Below are my thoughts at we conclude the first two weeks of training camp. 

  • The Giants desperately need Lorenzo Carter to take a major leap. The Giants linebacking unit may be the worst in the league. Carter was their best cover linebacker last year and is the only player I trust to not be a liability on third down. It wouldn’t surprise me if B.J. Goodson and Alec Ogletree’s playing time was reduced in passing situations, both struggled in coverage last season. Carter might even be more valuable to the Giants playing out in space as he is rushing the passer.
  • The defense will likely stink again this season. The Giants had the 24th ranked defense by DVOA last year and is unlikely to improve this year. The Giants don’t have anyone on the roster that proved they could consistently rush the passer last season, their linebackers will struggle to defend the run and the pass and they don’t have any corners that played well in coverage last year. Furthermore, the Giants will be relying on a lot of young players (B.J. Hill, Carter, Dexter Lawrence, Sam Beal, DeAndre Baker, Grant Haley, Julian Love, and Oshane Ximines) to play well this year. It’s unrealistic to think that most of these young players can be impactful on a consistent basis.
  • Evan Engram is an upgrade over Golden Tate. The loss of Golden Tate will hurt the Giants, but not as much as people may think. Evan Engram will get more targets in Tate’s absence, and at this point of their careers, Engram is a more explosive receiver than Tate. Engram needs to improve his route running and struggles to shake from coverage, but Shurmur finally figured out how to use Engram in the second half of the season. Get him in space and let him run. I expect the Giants to use him more to stretch the field than they have in the past. 
  • The offense will not be better without Odell Beckham Jr. this year. For the first time since 2010, the Giants should have an above-average pass-blocking offensive line. However, don’t expect the Giants offense to be better than last year when they ranked 13th by DVOA. It’s too simple to look at the last four games of the season, wipe out the Titans game and come to the conclusion the Giants offense can thrive without Beckham. It can’t. Without Beckham, defenses can focus on containing Barkley and will have confidence their secondary can hold up against the Giants receivers. Shurmer will have to be extra creative with his scheme and play calling to help the Giants receiver get open against man coverage.
  • Daniel Jones needs first-team reps. The Giants can help Jones grow without sacrificing victories this season. He needs to be given first-team reps in training camp and the preseason. Eli Manning does not require 100% of the reps with the starters to get himself ready for the season. Giving Jones a portion of those reps will help Eli rest his arm while giving Jones valuable experience playing behind the first-string offensive line. The Giants will learn very little about the potential of their first-round pick if he’s spending camp and preseason running for his life.