NFL free agency: Isaiah Hodgins not tendered by New York Giants

Wide receiver who starred during late-season run in 2022 is now a free agent

The New York Giants won’t tender restricted free agent wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins, making him an unrestricted free agent. They will tender Nick McCloud, a cornerback and key special teams player.

ESPN’s Jordan Ranaan had that news shortly before the 4 p.m. ET deadline for tendering restricted free agents. Art Stapleton added the Giants “wanted to retain him, but on a minimum deal with incentives to reach half the total of that at $1.5M.”

Hodgins starred in eight games after the Giants plucked him off the waiver wire from the Buffalo Bills in 2022. He caught 33 passes for 351 yards and four touchdowns to help the Giants make a playoff push.

Hodgins could not build on that success in 2023. With many of his snaps taken by rookie Jalin Hyatt as the Giants committed to the young speedster, Hodgins caught only 21 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns.

The ‘right of first refusal’ tender, the cheapest of the RFA tenders, is $2.985 million. It is possible, as Stapleton indicated, that the Giants try to bring Hodgins back at a lower number.

Ranaan was also first with the McCloud news. A press release from the NFL announing RFA tenders has made the move official. McCloud, who turns 26 in July, has played in 31 games with 11 starts for the Giants the past two seasons. Right now, he could be considered a starting cornerback opposite Deonte Banks.

Tight end Lawrence Cager, another restricted free agent, appears to be back. Cager, who announced his own return via social media, has been a Giant since joining the team’s practice squad in October of 2022. He caught 13 passes in six games that season, and four in 11 games in 2023. He did not appear on the league’s list of players who had been tendered, which means he likely accepted a lesser contract.

The Giants’ other restricted free agent is guard Wyatt Davis. He was also not tendered.