Monday Reading

Giants

QB

Leonard NYDN: Eli Manning's certain Giants return is all about controlling the legacy
https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/giants/ny-sports-main-eli-manning-giants-20190317-story.html

Schwartz NYP: Eli Manning getting richer, and Giants’ QB plan gets clearer
https://nypost.com/2019/03/17/eli-manning-gets-richer-and-giants-qb-plan-gets-clearer/

WR
Valenzuela NYDN: Giants' Cody Latimer is coming back for more
https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/giants/ny-sports-cody-latimer-20190318-story.html

Schwartz NYP: Giants re-sign familiar face to fill receiving hole
https://nypost.com/2019/03/18/giants-re-sign-familiar-face-to-fill-receiving-hole/

NFL

King FMIA: How The Odell Deal Got Done, and an NFL Free Agency Wet Blanket

“A week ago this morning, there’d been no seeds planted for the Odell Beckham Jr.-to-Cleveland trade. Sources very close to both the Giants and Browns have told me there was no contact made about Beckham until last Tuesday morning—half a day before the deal was finalized shortly after 7 p.m. that night. So there was no talk of Beckham in the previous Olivier Vernon-for-Kevin Zeitler deal, as had been speculated.”

“The Giants had this attitude about Odell Beckham entering last week: As long as he’s ours, he’s ours. If we get a good to very good offer for him, we’ll trade him. If not, we’ll cope with him and continue to wait for the right offer, and if he’s on the team, we’ll make it work. Not the best way to proceed, but that was their reality. From the Giants’ point of view, the reality was his talent made him un-cuttable, but the energy it took to corral his greatness was something they would have preferred to live without. The maddening thing about watching this happen in the last week is how polarizing this was. It was either, Beckham is ruining the team—dump him, or Are you crazy! You can’t trade this Hall of Fame player!
The reality is it was probably smart to trade him. That doesn’t, however, make the decision to sign him for $18 million a year less than seven months ago very smart.

So … last week. I believe GM Dave Gettleman thought it was a sign of desperation to reach out and try to scare up offers—that he learned under Ernie Accorsi, who played that kind of game with the Chargers in last-second Eli Manning trade during the 2004 draft. So Gettleman reached out first to only one team before dealing Beckham: Buffalo. When the Antonio Brown deal fell through, Gettleman called Bills GM Brandon Beane wondering if he was so interested in Antonio Brown, how about Beckham? Beane didn’t bite.
Hearing the persistent rumors, Cleveland GM John Dorsey reached out Tuesday morning. No harm, no foul, he figured. That began a back-and-forth over the next 10 hours, approximately, that featured about 12 ideas/offers/counter-offers. The Giants wanted two first-round picks for Beckham, but I believe Gettleman knew that bounty might be tough to get because Beckham had proven himself a difficult player to handle. The Browns discussed some other players. But Gettleman, smarting from the prospect of losing safety Landon Collins in free agency to Washington (still hard to fathom why the Giants didn’t franchise their unquestioned defensive leader, Collins, at $11 million for 2019), had studied one Cleveland player he wanted: the 25th pick in the 2017 draft, versatile if slightly disappointing safety Jabrill Peppers. And at some point during the day, my understanding is Gettleman made it clear that the trade would not get done without Peppers being in it.
That was okay with Cleveland. My read of Peppers—and when I asked a couple AFC people about him in recent days, the view was shared—is that he was a good and aggressive run-defender and okay but not very instinctive or disruptive against the pass. He allowed, per Pro Football Focus metrics, passer ratings of 128.4 and 116.5 in coverage in his first two NFL seasons. If that doesn’t get better, Peppers won’t be a long-term Giant. But in the Giants’ eyes, Peppers could replace Collins, and he’d be the second first-round pick Gettleman wanted. And the Giants had made an iffy pick in the 2018 Supplemental Draft last summer, using their 2019 third-rounder on Western Michigan cornerback Sam Beal. Cleveland’s mid-first-round pick (17th overall), and the former first-rounder in Peppers, and the low third-rounder (95th overall) this year replacing the third-round pick they’d lost … all of that was compensation enough for Gettleman.

So when the deal got to the one and the three and Peppers, Gettleman and Dorsey agreed. By my measure, the Giants got about 80 percent value for Beckham; I’m not as high on Peppers as Gettleman obviously is—or as Gettleman has to be. Gettleman had to decide whether he wanted to leverage the Cleveland offer with other teams. Because Beckham’s stock had been tarnished, it’s doubtful, for example, that he could have fetched better than 17-95-Peppers from the 49ers for picks and/or a player in the next two drafts. The Niners have been sniffing around Beckham for months. But they’re just not a good match right now. The Giants need high picks and/or productive players. The Niners wouldn’t have wanted to trade a high pick this year or next plus rising star defensive tackle DeForest Buckner … and the Giants might not have wanted to settle, say, for next year’s first-rounder and this year’s second-rounder (36th overall) plus a lesser player than Buckner (say safety Jaquiski Tartt). The Giants need help now. So Gettleman took the bird in the hand. He lanced the boil.
In the coming days, or at the NFL meetings in Phoenix, Gettleman will be pressed on why he said, “You don’t give up on talent,” and then he gave up on it. He’ll probably say he didn’t give up on talent—he used Beckham to get more talent, including Peppers and two picks in the first three rounds in a draft stocked on defense, where the Giants are woebegone. Gettleman’s history in Carolina was to build from the inside out, to build his lines first. The Giants now have picks 6, 17, 37, 95 and 108, and even if they pick a quarterback first, New York should pound the defensive side of the ball with at least three or four of those choices.
So now the Giants can approach 2019 and beyond without the distraction of Beckham—but also without his greatness. I do not buy that it’s a great move; I do not buy it’s a bad move. And I can tell you the Giants, absent a strong pitch by Cleveland, would still have Beckham on the team today.

One last Giants-related thing: the Aug. 28, 2018 signing of Beckham to the five-year, $90-million deal. Think back to last August. Beckham had a quiet offseason, mostly, and part of the allure of the Giants job for rookie coach Pat Shurmur was to coach him. If Gettleman did not sign him before the season, the Beckham contract would have been the Sword of Damocles over the Giants’ season. And so the deal got done. Six weeks later, Beckham appeared in the ill-fated ESPN interview alongside Lil Wayne (Non Sequitur of the NFL Season) and questioned Eli Manning’s ability. Josina Anderson asked Beckham, who signed the biggest contract for a receiver ever, and was playing in the media capital of the world, if he was happy. “That’s a tough question,” he said. Strange thing to say, and, inside the Giants and around New York, the answer went over like a fart in St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Shurmur disciplined Beckham. But it didn’t get much better from there—and missing the last month of the season with a quad injury left some in the organization wondering how hurt he was.
Part of me says, “Good luck, Cleveland.” And maybe history will repeat itself and Beckham eventually will be a problem. Maybe he won’t. His best football friend and one of the only people who can tell him when he’s being an idiot, Jarvis Landry, is the leader in the receivers room. His LSU receivers coach (and two-year position coach with the Giants),
Adam Henry, coaches the wideouts in Cleveland. And there’s Freddie Kitchens, the head coach who appears to have some blunt-force trauma to his communications...”

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/03/18/odell-beckham-trade-browns-nfl-free-agency-fmia-peter-king/

BALTIMORE
Shaffer Baltimore Sun: Ravens' investment in Earl Thomas suggests a defensive trade-off: pass rush for turnovers
https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/bs-sp-ravens-defense-turnovers-earl-thomas-20190317-story.html

DENVER
Fredrickson Denver Post: Broncos Ja’Wuan James credits family for rise to NFL’s highest-paid right tackle
https://www.denverpost.com/2019/03/17/broncos-jawuan-james-highest-paid-right-tackle-family/amp/

Klis 9News Denver: KAREEM JACKSON'S WILLINGNESS TO PLAY SAFETY COULD HELP EXTEND CAREER
https://www.9news.com/article/news/kareem-jacksons-willingness-to-play-safety-could-help-extend-career/73-9bdef5b1-fe08-4b42-ba6c-5921a4a3db8c

GREEN BAY
Dougherty Mil JS: Why Packers won't be splurging in free agency again next year
https://www.packersnews.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/dougherty/2019/03/17/packers-free-agency-dougherty-packers-wont-splurging-next-year/3178457002/

LOS ANGELES RAMS
Klein LA Times: Rams and quarterback Blake Bortles might be a good fit
https://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/la-sp-blake-bortles-rams-20190317-story.html

MIAMI
Kelly Sun Sentinel: Miami Dolphins sign veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-dolphins/fl-sp-dolphins-ryan-fitzpatrick-20190317-story.html

Hyde Sun Sentinel: A St. Fitzpatrick's Day Miracle! Dolphins get their perfect QB
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-dolphins/fl-sp-hyde-dolphins-fitzpatrick-signing-20190317-story.html

MINNESOTA
Tomasson Twincities.com: Free agent Nick Easton leaves Vikings for four-year, $24 million deal with Saints
https://www.twincities.com/2019/03/17/free-agent-nick-easton-leaves-vikings-for-four-year-24-million-deal-with-saints/amp/

Chris Tomasson (@christomasson)
3/18/19, 1:17 AM
Source says the Vikings offered Nick Easton a raise over the $2.914 million he made last season but they couldn't compete with the Saints after they freed up about $7 million in salary-cap room from Max Unger's retirement. Vikings have only about $6 million left under the cap

NEW ORLEANS
Katzenstein Nola.com: Saints to sign offensive lineman Nick Easton, who has experience starting at center
https://www.nola.com/saints/2019/03/saints-to-sign-offensive-lineman-nick-easton-who-has-experience-starting-at-center.html

NEW YORK JETS
Cimini ESPN NY: Green day: Jets' blockbuster trade with Colts still resonates a year later
http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/79256/green-day-jets-blockbuster-trade-with-colts-still-resonates-a-year-later?

PITTSBURGH
Fittipaldo Pittsburgh Post Gazette: Steelers sign former Rams linebacker Mark Barron
https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2019/03/17/Steelers-sign-former-Rams-linebacker-Mark-Barron/stories/201903170188

SEATTLE
Condotta Seattle Times: Seahawks sign D.J. Fluker to 2-year, $9 million deal to solidify offensive line
https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/seahawks/seahawks-reportedly-signing-d-j-fluker-to-2-year-deal-to-solidify-offensive-line/

WASHINGTON
Copeland Washington Post: Redskins far from done after opening week of free agency
https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/sports/2019/03/17/redskins-far-done-after-opening-week-free-agency/

Adam Schefter
@AdamSchefter
Former Jaguars’ and Giants’ OT Ereck Flowers is visiting the Redskins tonight, per source. Could rejoin former Giants’ teammate Landon Collins in Washington.

Redskins.com: Redskins See Landon Collins As The 'Tone-Setter' Their Defense Has Been Looking For 
https://www.redskins.com/news/redskins-see-landon-collins-as-the-tone-setter-their-defense-has-been-looking-fo

AAF]

Dudley Alabama.com: Birmingham Iron snaps 2-game losing skid as Nick Novak makes field goal on final play
https://www.al.com/sports/2019/03/birmingham-iron-snaps-2-game-losing-skid-as-nick-novak-makes-field-goal-on-final-play.html

Colleges/Draft

Lombardo NJ.com: NFL Draft Pro Day Tour to begin Monday at Temple Owls, continues with Penn State Nittany Lions, Maryland Terrapins, more | What to expect
https://www.nj.com/giants/2019/03/njcom-nfl-draft-pro-day-tour-to-begin-monday-at-temple-owls-continues-with-penn-state-nittany-lions-maryland-terrapins-more-what-to-expect.html

Lindsay GBN: 2019 Three-round projection (3-17-2019)

1. 1-6 Montez Sweat ER Mississippi State
2. 1-17 Andre Dillard OT Washington State
3. 2-37 Jaylon Ferguson DE Louisiana Tech
4. 3-95 Gary Jennings WR West Virginia

https://gbnreport.com/2019-two-round-projection/

QB

On Murray Part 2
Nick Turchyn (@Tmanic21)
3/17/19, 5:56 PM
Just gonna add to this thread w/some concerns after watching more tape. These are more questions/follow ups (if I had the access) than anything else

Nick Turchyn (@Tmanic21)
3/17/19, 5:56 PM
Decision Making
When trailing in games, really looked to buy time in the pocket and hang on to verticals. Part of this is situational ball for sure, but multiple examples of going off schedule when a 15-20 yard gain exists in structure to that read. This is a balancing act in NFL

Nick Turchyn (@Tmanic21)
3/17/19, 5:56 PM
Decision Making (2)
and as he transitions think an O w/bona fide run game (including him) is key for efficiency. Exacerbated in red zone where timing is critical, where simple staples (i.e Dbl China) were abandoned even in favorable pre-snap looks. Prob a matter of experience

Nick Turchyn (@Tmanic21)
3/17/19, 5:56 PM
Quick Game
Best w/shorter routes in isolation that terminate in space (hitch/curl/comeback) vs slants/glance/angle. Scattershot at times where timing meant more than placement. Improvement in this area should be quick bc of his quick feet, espec to NFL receivers who win early

Nick Turchyn (@Tmanic21)
3/17/19, 5:56 PM
in conclusion, concerns are small and more about inexperience than "he cant". Would avoid PCers whose answer to pressure is overwhelmingly quick game. Traits open up parts of PBs that are rarely visited. Honestly think he could run Halfback pass type plays out of Wildcat

Dan Schneier (@DanSchneierNFL)
3/17/19, 5:27 PM
Rewatching Kyler Murray Pro Day, some NFLNet analysis that stood out via @ Move the Sticks
"The ball jumps out of his hand..One of the things he does on tape that is pretty unique is he doesn't have to drive his cleats into the ground to be able to drive the ball and be accurate.

Dan Schneier (@DanSchneierNFL)
3/17/19, 5:32 PM
More from @ Move the Sticks;
"The best throws are firm throws. They’re not huge blow the doors off power throws...you'll see some anticipation...The ball’s out early, it’s firm, it’s where it needs to be. It’s a really, really pretty ball when you get a chance to see it here live."

Dan Schneier (@DanSchneierNFL)
3/17/19, 5:36 PM
More from & Move the Sticks:
"One of the things about him I really like is his ability to change the trajectory of the ball. We’ve seen flat balls that have been driven, we’ve seen corner routes he’s put some air under, and we’ve seen a nice firm ball on those corner routes."

Dan Schneier (@DanSchneierNFL)
3/17/19, 5:40 PM
More NFL Net analysis that I agree with: 1. Statement made with 35+ Pro Day throws from w/in pocket. Statement = Murray is an effortless thrower from the far hash to the sideline. Just because he's 5-10 doesn't mean he can't drive the ball. He can drive it, and it's catchable.

Dan Schneier (@DanSchneierNFL)
3/17/19, 5:42 PM
Another thing @ Move the Sticks mentions room for growth in that while he doesn't need to drive his cleats into the ground to generate velocity/accuracy, good coaching can help him get the most out of his arm talent by driving his feet into the ground + using the base/platform

Dan Schneier (@DanSchneierNFL)
3/17/19, 5:46 PM
For me, Murray's ability to throw from any arm angle w/ any trajectory is so INVALUABLE in today's NFL w/ how unlikely it is to guarantee a clean pocket.
@ Move the Sticks described as:
"You see some guys everything’s flat and hard, he can change trajectory pretty easy.”

DE
Rapoport NFL.com: Combine tests reveal Sweat has heart condition
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001023042/article/combine-tests-reveal-montez-sweat-has-heart-condition

Pflum BBV: Should the Giants try to develop Michigan DL Rashan Gary’s traits?
https://www.bigblueview.com/platform/amp/2019/3/17/18269507/2019-nfl-draft-prospect-profile-rashan-gary-michigan-dl-scouting-report-ny-giants-news

Tony Pauline (@TonyPauline)
3/17/19, 4:23 PM
Louisiana Tech pro day is Tuesday but potential first round pick Jaylon Ferguson is already a busy man. He's having dinner tonight with the Kansas City Chiefs and meeting with the New York Giants & Buffalo Bills tomorrow

LB
Tam Stony Brook Statesman: Shayne Lawless offered workouts from NFL teams

“Stony Brook Football linebacker Shayne Lawless, who completed his senior season in 2018, has received offers to complete private workouts with the New York Giants, New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles, according to an Instagram post made by his agent Jumaane Ford.”

https://www.sbstatesman.com/2019/03/17/shayne-lawless-offered-workouts-from-nfl-teams/

Giants Birthdays 3-18

Beasley Reece SS/FS W-DAL 1977 NYG 1977-1983 3-18-1954

Dec. 7, 2018 – NFL Alumni (NFLA) has named Beasley Reece Chief Executive Officer, the organization announced today.
https://www.nflalumni.org/news/beasley-reece-named-ceo-nfl-alumni/

NYT 8-1-1981

GIANTS FIND REECE IS VERSATILE PLAYER

“In his five years in the National Football League, Beasley Reece has played wide receiver, cornerback and mostly strong safety. This year, the Giants have switched him to free safety and Reece is exuberant.
''Things have gone very well so far,'' Reece said today at the Giants' camp at Pace University. ''I'm proud of how I'm doing on the routine plays. It's tougher recognizing the trick plays. The coach has set up the most difficult plays I'll see. He has the offense creating illusions for me. But I think I'm almost ready to play and play it well.''
In simplest terms, the strong safety covers the tight end, and the free safety roams as more or less a center fielder does in baseball. But it is not that simple.
''When I got the job, guys on other teams called me and said I would last five more years,'' Reece said. ''But the way I play, it's difficult to sit in the middle. I'm going to be pretty aggressive and try to make tackles on the line of scrimmage.'' Last Line of Defense
The free safety, like the center fielder, is often the last line of defense, so his mistakes are there for everyone to see. ''People say free safety is less disciplined than strong safety,'' said Reece, ''but it's a different kind of discipline. If you're wrong at free safety, we're talking about a touchdown. At strong safety, if you misread the play a little bit, you may give up a short completion or even have time to get back in the play. If a free safety goes for a pump fake, it's maybe a touchdown.''

At age 27, Reece is a man for many things besides football. He studied piano, mostly classical, for 12 years and plays jazz or a cross between soul and jazz. He rides horses. He cooks.

Last winter, he played 45 games with the Giants' basketball team and made perhaps 25 other appearances for the club. He was sometimes shocked by the reaction of listeners.
''Little kids have never seen the Giants have a winning season,'' he said. ''They have a lot of questions. They say, 'How many games did you guys win last year?' I tell them four, and they laugh. They're wearing Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys T-shirts in New Jersey. I want to see that change.''

Bill Singletary LB W-SD 1974 NYG 1974 3-18-1951

Temple HOF

“Bill Singletary was the first star of the Wayne Hardin Era in Temple football. He played offensive guard for the Owls and at that somewhat obscure position received national attention and wide acclaim. He was the first Temple player ever named to Playboy Magazine's All-American team and was also selected for the Walter Camp and Gridiron Magazine All-American teams as a senior. He received wire service All-American recognition as well. He was also the first Temple player to have his football uniform number retired when his "64" was honored after the 1972 season. Hardin has said Singletary meant as much to Temple as Heisman Trophy winners Roger Staubach and Joe Bellino did to his Navy team. Following his brilliant collegiate career he was drafted by the San Diego Chargers as a linebacker. He also played professionally with the New York Giants and Philadelphia Bell. He had been a standout offensive and defensive tackle and was an all-South Jersey player at Camden's Woodrow Wilson High School.”

In Memoriam

Art Best RB W-CHI 1980 NYG 1980 3-18-1953 Died 10-14-2014

Gaines Davis G UDFA-Texas Tech 1936 NYG 1936 Born 3-18-1914 Died 4-04-1972

Lubbock Morning Avalanche 2-14-1936

Former Texas Tech Star Signs Football Contract With New York Pro Giants; To Report About August 15 “Gaines Davis, 220-pound guard who ended three years of varsity football nt Texas Tech last tall, yesterday received, signed and returned a contract to play professional football for the Now York Giants. Davis, former all-state lineman from Abilene High school, has been tagged as one of the greatest guards ever to play at Texas Tech. He was a regular in 1934 and 1935. He decided to turn professional a few weeks ago after he had received several attractive offers from the Giants and other teams of the national pro league. He was also prompted by tfte advice of Gwynn Dowell, former Tech backfield star who played with the Chicago Cardinals last season.

Can Keep Secrets
The Tech guard, who receives his third varsity letter next week, was secretly married in 1934. The secret was kept until he had played his last two years of college football. With the Giant contract yesterday came a letter from Tim Mara, wealthy owner of the New York team, outlining plans for the coming season. The Giants are to play fourteen league games, after opening the season against an All-star team. Davis expects to report to New York about August 15.”

Benny Friedman TB Purchased by the Giants from Detroit (with whole team) 1929 NYG 1929-1931 Born 3-18-1905 Died 11-23-1982

BBI: Benny Friedman: The QB Who May Have Saved the New York Giants
https://www.bigblueinteractive.com/2006/02/13/the-quarterback-who-may-have-saved-the-giants-benny-friedman/