Antonio Brown takes repeated aim at Giants’ Daniel Jones

Former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown, known for his erratic behavior, has chosen New York Giants QB Daniel Jones as next target.

Ex-NFL All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown, who has been known for his erratic behavior both on and off the field, has strangely chosen New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones as his latest subject to lampoon.

The 35-year-old Brown, who last played in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021, has lobbed several posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, blasting the Giants for sticking with Jones, whom he apparently has little respect for as a player or person.

As far as we know, Jones and Brown do not have a personal relationship and Jones has never commented about Brown — at least publicly.

It is a curious avenue for Brown, who has a long litany of bizarre behavior to his credit, to go down. Jones has been nothing but respectful and professional since joining the Giants back in 2019.

At some point, we’ll get Jones’ side to this, but then again, knowing him, he’ll just shrug it off.

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Giants great Tiki Barber fires back at ex-teammate Ryan Clark

New York Giants great Tiki Barber is firing back at Ryan Clark, who insinuated Barber was a bad teammate and didn’t embrace young players.

In the continuing war of words between New York Giants legend Tiki Barber and former NFL defensive back Ryan Clark — who are now both veteran media voices — Barber has answered the recent criticism laid on him by Clark over the departure of Saquon Barkley.

Barber, in tongue-in-cheek fashion, said Barkley was dead to him after signing a free agent deal with the rival Philadelphia Eagles.

Clark, in a congratulatory social media post to Barkley, ripped Barber as a bad teammate during the two seasons he spent with him as a Giant in the early 2000s.

Barber thinks Clark is making himself “sound like a fool.”

“Wow, Ryan Clark. You are making blank up,” Tiki said on his WFAN radio show last week. “Because you don’t know me like that, dude.

“I didn’t even realize how long you were on the Giants. Your first year, you were a practice squad player, and you were on the defensive side of the ball. What is he talking about, that I didn’t embrace young players? Ask Brandon Jacobs if I embraced him. Ask Derrick Ward if I embraced him. Ask David Diehl, or Richie Seubert, or any of those guys on my side of the ball if I embraced them. What the hell is he talking about? It’s like he’s fitting a narrative. He’s acting like I’m still a player when it pertains to my comments on Saquon Barkley, and he’s kissing Saquon’s (expletive) to ingratiate himself with Saquon. His comments make no sense because he’s not talking about someone he knows well enough to talk about.

“I honestly don’t remember interacting with him as a player. . . I thought he was a decent player, went on and had an okay career, won a Super Bowl, I give him kudos. But now that he’s the big wig at ESPN, he thinks he can just take shots, and his word is gospel? That Michael Strahan and Shaun O’Hara aren’t still my friends? What are you talking about?”

Barber wasn’t the only WFAN host to rebut Clark last week. Morning show host Gregg Gianotti blasted Clark, calling him classless and a “D-Bag.”

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Giants re-sign Lawrence Cager

The New York Giants have re-signed tight end Lawrence Cager to a one-year deal.

The New York Giants continued to add veterans to their tight end room this week, retaining Lawrence Cager on a one-year deal worth $1.1 million.

Cager, 26, played in 11 games last season with four receptions for 36 yards and a touchdown.

Cager will have a lot of competition for the third tight end role behind Darren Waller (assuming he doesn’t retire) and Daniel Bellinger. The Giants are also bringing back Tyree Jackson and added two free agents — Jack Still and Chris Manhertz — to the roster this week.

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Giants do not plan on trading Azeez Ojulari

The New York Giants reportedly have no plans to cut or trade edge rusher Azeez Ojulari following the acquisition of Brian Burns.

The New York Giants made a big splash early in free agency, acquiring edge rusher Brian Burns from the Carolina Panthers.

Immediately after that trade, the Giants signed Burns to a five-year extension worth $150 million with $87 million guaranteed.

That’s a hefty price tag for a team still cleaning up a messy salary cap situation. And it might lead one to believe that some cuts or trades are coming to help balance out the financial spreadsheet.

One potential option is fellow edge rusher Azeez Ojulari, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract and will account for a cap hit of $2.2 million.

Ojulari has failed to reach his ceiling since joining the Giants as a second-round pick in 2021. He’s also missed 16 games over that span due to a multitude of injuries, but despite that, Big Blue has no plans to sever ties.

Dan Duggan of The Athletic reports that the Giants do not plan to trade Ojulari and intend to keep him as part of their pass rush rotation, albeit in a more limited role.

Ojulari may seem expendable, but the Giants aren’t planning to trade the 23-year-old as he enters the final year of his rookie contract, according to a league source. Having a third edge rusher with 16 sacks over the past three seasons gives the Giants much better edge depth than they’ve had in years.

It’s not ideal for Ojulari to have his contract year crashed by Burns. But even pass-rush specialists cash in, so Ojulari could secure a solid payday if he’s productive in a reduced role.

Ojulari is still entirely capable of being a productive player for the Giants, but he must find a way to remain on the field. Perhaps a smaller, more specified role will help keep him healthy.

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Giants told Russell Wilson that Daniel Jones would remain starter

During their meeting with Russell Wilson, the Giants reportedly told him Daniel Jones would remain QB1 and playing time was not guaranteed.

Shortly after the New York Giants signed quarterback Drew Lock, Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider caused a stir.

Appearing on The Wyman and Bob Show, Schneider claimed that the Giants sold Lock on the possibility of winning the starting job over Daniel Jones.

“They basically sold him on the opportunity to compete to be the starter,” Schneider said. “And he felt like it was the right opportunity. He looked at Baker Mayfield’s opportunity last year and felt that this could be something similar.”

The only problem? That never happened.

During his introductory press conference, Lock told reporters that Giants brass made it abundantly clear that Jones would remain the starter and he would serve as the backup.

“Daniel Jones is the starter of this team. That’s been conveyed to me,” Lock said. “Now, I need to come in and push Daniel to be the best that he can be. That’s the role that I played for Geno (Smith), that’s the role I played for Teddy (Bridgewater).”

It’s a message that wasn’t delivered to Lock alone.

Before inking Lock to a new deal, the Giants held an “exploratory meeting” with veteran quarterback Russell Wilson, who ultimately ended up signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports that like Lock, the Giants informed Wilson that Jones would remain the starter and there was no guarantee he’d receive significant playing time.

Lock, indeed, was not offered a chance to compete for the starting job, according to a league source. The Giants did sell him on the idea of working with head coach Brian Daboll, who has a quarterback-friendly system that led to Jones’ best season in 2022.

There’s a pattern here, too. The Giants had an exploratory meeting last week with Russell Wilson, and the team didn’t make any promises about playing time, according to league sources. That’s been the Giants’ approach as they’ve built toward the 2024 season with Jones as the expected starter.

Despite outside speculation, Giants general manager Joe Schoen has been remarkably transparent about the team’s stance on Jones. When he’s healthy, he’s the starter and their faith in him has not waned.

Jones, who is recovering from a torn ACL, is expected to be ready for the start of training camp.

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Report: Giants reached out to Evan Neal’s team about moving to guard

The New York Giants reportedly reached out to Evan Neal’s team to discuss the possibility of him moving inside to left guard.

The New York Giants focused heavily on retooling their offensive line over the first week of free agency, signing Jermaine Eluemunor, Jon Runyan Jr., Austin Schlottmann, and Aaron Stinnie.

Of the group, only Eluemunor has significant experience at tackle.

After their introductory press conferences, it seems like Runyan and Eluemunor are slated to play guard with Schlottmann and Stinnie serving as backups. It would also mean Evan Neal reassumes his role as the team’s starting right tackle.

“Evan Neal is a really good player in my opinion. I think he has a lot of potential,” Eluemunor told reporters.

But those roles aren’t quite set in stone. At least not yet.

ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reports that the Giants have reached out to Neal’s team to discuss the possibility of him moving to guard. More specifically, to left guard alongside Andrew Thomas.

“I’ve also heard that the Giants had talked with Evan Neal’s team a little bit about playing left guard,” Raanan said on the Breaking Big Blue podcast.

For now, Neal remains penciled in at right tackle but Raanan doesn’t believe that will remain the case long-term — unless, of course, Neal drastically improves.

“Evan Neal, from what I understand, is the right tackle only until he’s not the right tackle,” Raanan said.

General manager Joe Schoen has refused to publicly entertain the idea of Neal moving inside to guard but it’s slowly becoming the most likely outcome.

Expect Neal and Eluemunor to see time at right tackle throughout the summer with a final decision being made closer to Week 1.

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Michael Strahan amused that Jon Runyan has to root for Giants

Michael Strahan is delighted that his long-time rival and friend, Jon Runyan, now has to root for the New York Giants.

It’s no secret by now that New York Giants Hall of Fame defensive end Michael Strahan and former Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Jon Runyan are long-time friends.

It didn’t start out that way. The two men were fierce rivals on the field with Runyon charged with keeping Strahan off Donovan McNabb’s back.

Strahan recently told Giants.com’s Michael Eisen the story of how their friendship was forged back in 2002 at the Pro Bowl by Runyan’s wife, Loretta.

“We’re hanging out by the pool, and there’s this nice lady talking to me,” Strahan said. “She said, ‘You should meet my husband. There’s just families hanging out.’ And I’m like, ‘Okay, I’ll meet your husband.’ Freaking Jon Runyan. It was his wife (Loretta). She set me up.

“I’d never had a conversation with him, never desired to. We literally talked there, and from then on, I could play tough and hard against him, but I couldn’t hate him. I had to channel something else besides thinking I had to hate the guy to play well against him because he’s such a nice guy, such a good guy, and his wife was such a sweetheart. I can’t hate this guy.”

Runyan was mentioned in Strahan’s Hall of Fame acceptance speech, an event in which Runyon — and his son, Jon Jr. — attended.

This week, when the Giants signed Jon Runyan Jr. to a free agent contract, the relationship came ‘full circle’ as the younger Runyon stated.

Strahan got a kick out of his old team adding the son of his nemesis/friend this week.

“One of my favorite things is knowing that Jon Runyan has to root for the Giants,” Strahan said, laughing. “That was the first thing that came to my mind, ‘Thank God, now Jon has to actually root for the Giants. This is going to be awesome.'”

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2024 NFL draft: Is J.J. McCarthy the player the Giants want?

The buzz continues to build about the New York Giants and their potential desire to land QB J.J. McCarthy in the 2024 NFL draft.

The New York Giants hold the sixth overall selection in the 2024 NFL draft and according to SNY’s Connor Hughes, all options are still on the table after Round 1 of free agency — even quarterback.

“The main position to watch here is quarterback, specifically Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy,” writes Hughes.

“The buzz is there that he’s the player the Giants want. League sources spoke highly of McCarthy when polled by SNY. One high-ranking executive said he’ll be a ‘better pro than college player.’ Another general manager said he has everything teams look for — size, athleticism, arm strength, accuracy, played in a pro-style offense. He added, ‘he’s also very coachable.'”

The Giants have a quarterback room with three players who have NFL experience in Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, and Tommy DeVito but none of them are considered the future at quarterback past this season.

The Giants could be looking for that player in this draft and will have to act quickly if they are to get him with quarterbacks likely to go in the first three selections (Chicago, Washington, and New England).

Arizona and the Los Angeles Chargers could also be tempted by a blockbuster offer from a team looking to move up.

It’s very likely that team could be the Minnesota Vikings, who bettered their lot by acquiring another first-round pick from Houston this week. They are rumored to like McCarthy if they can get in front of the Giants.

That will be tough if Marvin Harrison Jr. is on the board for either the Cardinals or the Chargers. Both teams are starving for wide receivers after purging their rosters of several starters.

As for quarterbacks, all three of the top teams in the draft have moved off their starters from last season. Chicago is seeking to deal Justin Fields. Washington recently dealt Sam Howell to Seattle and the Pats sent Mac Jones to Jacksonville last week.

If McCarthy is to be a Giant, general manager Joe Schoen has to hope that Arizona and L.A. stand pat. That is, if a quarterback is his goal here.

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Bryce Huff says he chose Eagles over Giants

Bryce Huff says he chose to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles over the New York Giants and several other teams.

The New York Giants entered the offseason in need of edge rush depth and before acquiring Brian Burns from the Carolina Panthers, had their eyes on some of the free agents.

However, there were other destinations that those free agents deemed to be more desirable.

Consider linebacker Bryce Huff, who recently signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he will join former Giants running back Saquon Barkley.

Huff revealed that he passed over the Giants, his former team, the New York Jets, and others to sign with the Eagles.

Huff was signed by the Jets as an undrafted free agent shortly after the 2020 NFL draft. He played the last four seasons with Gang Green, exploding in 2023 with 29 tackles (19 solo), 10 sacks, and one pass defensed.

The Eagles entered free agency on fire, grabbing up their targets quickly with fair contracts. The Giants’ limited cap space has certainly been a problem, but you have to think that the perceived environment around the team isn’t great.

Huff isn’t the first player to pass on the Giants and sign elsewhere, and he certainly won’t be the last. But hearing yet another player choose a division rival is disheartening, to say the least.

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Buccaneers agree to terms with ex-Giants OL Ben Bredeson

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have agreed to terms with former New York Giants offensive lineman Ben Bredeson.

The New York Giants acquired offensive lineman Ben Bredeson in a 2021 trade with the Baltimore Ravens. He went on to start 24 games over the last two years, both at guard and at center, but he will no longer suit up in blue as he agreed to terms with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Friday.

The Giants’ offensive line was awful last season. Changes needed to happen along the line, the Giants have to strengthen the wall protecting Daniel Jones.

Was Bredeson the weakest link? Not remotely, but his loss is just the beginning. The entire line needs an overhaul and general manager Joe Schoen has made that a focus this offseason.

John Michael Schmitz will be around to play center, provided he can stay healthy, but the Giants will have to find additional resources to ensure Jones can remain under center.

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