Giants news, 3/4: Heave does of NFL Draft, and a dash of Saquon Barkley

New York Giants headlines for Sunday

Good morning, New York Giants fans!

From Big Blue View

• Big Blue View mailbag: Brock Bowers, Daniel Jones, offensive line, more
• TE Darren Waller ‘still undecided’ on NFL future
• Mark Glowinski being released by Giants, per report
• Jonah Jackson, Danielle Hunter named free agent targets for Giants
• Rome Odunze’s viral Combine workout moment
• Giants mock draft: Could J.J. McCarthy be a real option at No. 6?
• What will the Giants do at quarterback? That may not be fully in their control

More Giants headlines

Giants GM Joe Schoen on What the Team Looks for in Offensive Line Prospects | Sports Illustrated
Schoen stated that draft pedigree isn’t as important as the intangibles.

“To me, the O-line, it doesn’t matter really where they come from; more of the makeup of the kids, the toughness, the grit, the ability to communicate,” Schoen said. “There’s five starters, 32 teams. Not everybody is going to be a first-round pick or a talented kid. It’s those meat and potato guys that can get every ounce of talent out of themselves to play at the next level that you’re looking for.”

NY Giants: QB evaluation at NFL Combine comes with undeniable reality
NY Giants dug deep into their evaluation of quarterbacks at the NFL Combine. But at No. 6 overall, there might not be a path to draft one they want.

NFL combine QB rankings: How do executives, coaches view the top 6 prospects? – The Athletic
Caleb Williams remains No. 1, but is Jayden Daniels on the verge of passing Drake Maye at No. 2? Can J.J. McCarthy crack the top three?

Time to draft Daniel Jones’ replacement? Everything I learned about Giants at NFL combine – The Athletic
The durability concerns around Jones are what make taking a QB early in the NFL Draft a very realistic possibility.

Ex-Seahawk Chad Wheeler sentenced 81 months for assault – ESPN

NFL insider notes: Curveball in L’Jarius Sneed negotiations, Justin Fields trade inches closer, TE prospect’s stock on the rise
L’Jarius Sneed, the cornerback from Kansas City, has been the topic of much discussion here at the combine.

2024 NFL Combine Day 2: Insider notes on NC State’s Payton Wilson and more

Since last summer, starting with my preview of NFL prospects from North Carolina State, I’ve mentioned the medical red flags that were bound to be raised on Payton Wilson, the talented Wolfpack linebacker. Even as late as yesterday, when I wrote about his tremendous workout at the Combine, I again mentioned that medicals will ultimately dictate where Wilson lands in the draft.

Today I received word that Wilson, and another player from the ACC, received the worst medical grades from the group of players that worked out Thursday. A source characterized the grades and reports as “ugly”. The other player mentioned was Braden Fiske of Florida State, another player pointed out for his outstanding combine performance.

2024 NFL Free Agency notes: Latest on Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs’ dilemmas, NFLPA trouble brewing and Mason Rudolph’s Steelers future [FOR ED!!!!]

The addition of these ball carriers is sure to water down the free-agent market at the position, as supply will exceed demand. As a result, Barkley and Jacobs could receive contracts below market value. Several people I’ve spoken with tell me the NFLPA shoulders much of the blame.

Reports last summer said that both Barkley and Jacobs turned down multi-year contracts and played under one-year deals. Sources tell me that some at the NFLPA recommended neither player sign the multi-year contract that was offered, believing that the compensation in those deals was not high enough.

Now both face the specter of entering a watered-down free agent pool of running backs, which will hamper their leverage negotiating a new contract.

Russini: What I’m hearing at the NFL combine on the Bears, Kirk Cousins and more – The Athletic

Don’t expect running backs to get franchise-tagged this year, as the price has exceeded the market. Based on multiple conversations with different teams, Josh Jacobs and Saquon Barkley sit at the top of free agent running back lists, followed by the next wave of backs like Derrick Henry, D’Andre Swift and Tony Pollard.

That said, teams were acting like they’d rather pay those second-tier players around $6 million rather than $10 million-plus to Jacobs and Barkley. Despite the free agent market including the most talented group of backs we’ve seen available in years, I don’t sense that changing their declining value around the NFL.

J.J. McCarthy’s upside is tantalizing. The question is how high it actually goes – Yahoo Sports
McCarthy weighed 17 pounds heavier at the combine than he did at Michigan, which could be significant. Here’s what the tape tells Nate Tice about arguably the draft’s most polarizing prospect.

NFL draft scouting combine takeaways: Xavier Worthy’s 40 builds buzz
There were plenty of notable developments at the 2024 NFL scouting combine, but Xavier Worthy seized the spotlight with his record 40-yard dash time. Meanwhile, Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy may be ascending.

2024 NFL Mock Draft: QBs taken with top 4 picks for first time ever, creating ripple effect throughout Round 1 – CBSSports.com
Exploring what the draft could look like if J.J. McCarthy becomes a top 4 selection

NFL combine buzz: Latest intel on free agency, draft, trades – ESPN

Who, if any, among the star free agent running backs will get paid? Some sources I talked to think the Giants’ Saquon Barkley is the one with the best chance to clear the $10 million-per-year mark. Obviously Barkley is looking for more than that, and it’s possible he could get closer to what he’s looking for. But the RB market is flooded with talent, and all of the factors that frustrated top backs like Barkley, Josh Jacobs and Austin Ekeler a year ago are still present. Jacobs, still just 26 years old, is another one to watch if any of these guys are going to get nice deals, but it could be rough out there again for the position.

Malik Nabers talks Giants

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