Tag: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

Wright compares Emmanuel Forbes to former NFL Pro Bowl cornerback

DRC spent 12 seasons in the NFL.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was a first-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals back in 2008. The No. 16 overall pick from Tennessee State spent his first three seasons with the Cardinals before he would go on to play 12 NFL seasons for six teams, including finishing his career in Washington in 2019.

Rodgers-Cromartie had an excellent career, earning one second-team All-Pro and two trips to the Pro Bowl. He’d finish his NFL career with 30 interceptions and seven touchdowns.

During Rodgers-Cromartie’s time in Arizona, he was teammates with Washington Commanders team president Jason Wright. Wright’s final two NFL seasons came with the Cardinals from 2009-10 before he retired. In 2020, the Commanders hired Wright as team president.

In a recent appearance on the “Pat McAfee Show,” Wright discussed Washington’s first-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft, Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes.

In fact, Wright said Forbes reminded him of Rodgers-Cromartie.

“I played with a guy, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie when I was with the Cardinals,” Wright said. “DRC is it. He was incredibly explosive; he could go up and get the ball, he had a natural knack for tracking the ball, he was slight in the frame, but he would stick his head in there when he needed to, and I would argue Emmanuel is more willing to do that much more than DRC was. And so we feel really good about the pick.”

Forbes, like Rodgers-Cromartie, was also selected No. 16 overall.

 

7 of the top 50 draft prospects draw comparisons to current and former Giants

Doug Farrar gives 7 of the top 50 prospects in the 2023 NFL draft a pro comparison to current or former members of the New York Giants.

One of the more entertaining parts of the pre-draft process is learning which pro comparisons are given to top prospects. It’s a measure that helps casual fans recognize potential and understand what sort of style certain players will bring to the NFL.

Pro comparisons also help break up the relentless monotony of mock drafts.

Late last week, Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar offered up his comparisons for the top 50 prospects in the 2023 NFL draft class. Seven of them were compared to players who, at one point or another, suited up for the New York Giants.

Here’s a look at all seven prospects who were compared to current or former members of Big Blue.

Ex-Giant Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie believes he could have played WR in the NFL

Former New York Giants CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who plays WR in the AFFL, believes he could have played the position in the NFL, too.

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During his time in the NFL, former New York Giants defensive back Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was one of the fastest players in the entire league. Now, Rodgers-Cromartie is thriving in the American Flag Football League.

Not only that, DRC is playing on both sides of the ball. He lines up at wide receiver for the Kings of Florida in the AFFL — something he says he could have done during his NFL career.

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Rodgers-Cromartie’s speed alone makes you wonder what he could have accomplished as a pass catcher in the NFL. He’s excelled at the position in the AFFL, but did take a few snaps at the position during his time with the Arizona Cardinals.

“My first year with the Cardinals, [there were] a few times I was at wide receiver,” Rodgers-Cromartie told Giants Wire. “You know, I always tell every team I go to, I always go to the offensive coordinator and say, ‘hey, if you need a decoy, just send me deep. If you happen to throw it, you throw it. But if you need a decoy, just send me deep. I’ll take the top off somebody.’

“In my mind, I’ve always been a receiver. That’s why I always tell corners, you’ve gotta learn to turn that head and find that ball. You’ve gotta become the receiver. That’s what I was good at, just finding the ball in the air.”

It’s not an uncommon thought for many of the league’s top defensive backs.

“Every defensive back thinks he could be a wide receiver and every wide receiver thinks they could play defensive back.” AFFL CEO Jeff Lewis added.

Certainly, there is some crossover between the skills at the two positions. However, it isn’t as easy as the flip of the switch, either — which is why it is rare to see a player who is playing both defensive back and wide receiver.

As DRC continues his career in the AFFL, it will be interesting to see what other former NFL defensive backs he tries to recruit to play wide receiver in the AFFL.

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Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie: Young players won’t understand Tom Coughlin

Ex-New York Giants CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie praised his former coach, Tom Coughlin, but admits younger guys won’t understand him.

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Most players who played under former New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin have nothing but good things to say.

Coughlin, of course, earned a lot of respect from his players and fans during his time with the Giants due to his victories over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII and Super Bowl XLVI.

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Although Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie did not win a Super Bowl with Coughlin, the time he spent with the coach still appears to be something the former NFL cornerback values.

“I think when you’re young, you’re not going to understand Tom Coughlin. You know, because when I got there everything [was] structured and it makes sense,” DRC told Giants Wire last week. “Tom Coughlin is a coach that not only prepares you for on the field, but off the field for life as well with all his rules as far as coming in early. You know he set all the clocks in the locker room five, 10 minutes earlier and the way you had to dress in and out of the hotel.

“Younger guys aren’t going to understand that but the older you get, you’re going to understand that it’s more than just football with him. He’s really preparing you for life after football. I think I got that after he left.”

It didn’t feel that way for Rodgers-Cromartie initially. It was a bit of a shock but it didn’t take him long to figure things out with the help of safety Antrel Rolle.

“At first I came in like, ‘all these rules, man.’ Coming from teams where it wasn’t that structured, it was kind of hard but I got it — once Antrel Rolle sat me down and was like ‘this is how he is, he’s not budging for nobody. I don’t care how good you are, how many plays you’ve played, it’s his way’ — and you have to understand that and buy in,” he said.

Coughlin was always a tough coach with the Giants, but he was also always fair and most of his former players can attest to that.

Rodgers-Cromartie likely got to appreciate Coughlin after their time together was over. When Coughlin departed, things changed rather drastically under Ben McAdoo.

The structure that Coughlin brought to the table likely led to the Giants two Super Bowl victories. It also set his players up to be better men away from the field, which is something most value more than the rings.

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Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie: Antrel Rolle led me to sign with Giants in 2014

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie says Antrel Rolle was the “determining factor” in his decision to sign with the New York Giants back in 2014.

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It’s no secret that NFL players talk to each other and that there’s a certain level of recruitment going on when former teammates are available via free agency.

Back in 2014, when the New York Giants signed Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, it was pretty clear that safety Antrel Rolle played a role in bringing in his former teammate from their days in Arizona.

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What wasn’t clear was just how much of a role Rolle played in DRC coming to the Giants.

Rodgers-Cromartie, who currently plays in the AFFL, recently spoke with Giants Wire about signing with New York in 2014 and made it clear that Rolle was the determining factor in the move. He even called Rolle his mentor.

“I played with Antrel Rolle in Arizona,” DRC said. “You know he was my mentor out there. So he gave me a call and said, ‘look, I really want you to come over here and play with me’ and you know, that was the deciding factor. That was it and then he leaves the next year but he definitely got me to come over there.”

Rolle, of course, was a part of the Super Bowl XLVI roster and was a captain for the Giants during his time with Big Blue. He left via free agency in 2015 and while many believed he was past his prime at that point in his career, it was still hard for Giants fans to see him move onto another team.

Still, the recruitment of DRC is one that the Giants needed at the time and Rolle deserves credit for going above and beyond in his role as the captain.

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Ex-Giant Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie: Eli Manning is a Hall of Famer

Former New York Giants DB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie believes Eli Manning is a Hall of Famer.

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Not many players were lucky enough to play with both Eli Manning and Peyton Manning during their NFL career.

Former New York Giants cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie falls into that category and thinks highly of both Mannings.

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With Peyton being inducted into the Hall of Fame this past weekend in Canton, Ohio and as the time goes along, the debate continues over whether or not two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning should also get the Hall of Fame nod.

Rodgers-Cromartie, who played alongside Eli from 2014-2017, certainly thinks so.

“Yeah, I do. I do,” Rodgers-Cromartie, who now plays in the AFFL, told Giants Wire.

Rodgers-Cromartie also detailed the difference between Peyton and Eli, noting that Eli was far more charismatic and engaging than people realized.

“[Peyton] is a little more serious than [Eli] but you know, they are both great quarterbacks,” DRC said. “Peyton’s very structured. I remember one time a receiver dropped the pass and he started the whole period over. So I used to say in practice, ‘please don’t drop, please don’t drop.’

“Eli [was] the same way in general but he’s more lackadaisical. He’s way more goofier than what people think he is. When I think of quarterbacks, I think of serious, not really jokesters. You can’t really play with them but Eli, man… You come to the locker room, I see him with practice squad players. [Everyone] jokes with him. He takes the time to have conversations with the smaller guys on the team and that really stuck with me.”

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about the goofy side of the former Giants’ quarterback.

Most of Eli’s former teammates believe that the two-time Super Bowl MVP is a Hall of Famer. Recently, Steve Weatherford raved about Eli and didn’t shy away from calling him a Hall of Famer.

Ultimately, it will come down to the votes when Eli is eligible.

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Ex-Giant Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie thriving in American Flag Football League

Former New York Giants CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is thriving in the AFFL and Giants Wire has the video to prove it.

Former New York Giants defensive back Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was one of the better cornerbacks in the league during his time in the NFL. Now, with his NFL career in the rearview mirror, DRC has kept his competitive juices flowing by playing in the American Flag Football League.

Rodgers-Cromartie sat down with Giants Wire this week to talk about his time in the AFFL. DRC plays for the Kings of Florida and used to play flag football during his NFL offseasons.

This is DRC’s first year in the league but if his excitement is any indication of his plans, don’t expect him to be one-and-done in the AFFL.

Rodgers-Cromartie is one of a handful of former NFL players in the AFFL, including Michael Vick, Chad Johnson, Terrell Owens, Vince Young and Danny Wuerffel, among others.

AFFL CEO Jeff Lewis sees the trend of former NFL players moving on the flag football continuing in the future.

“It’s very common to find that NFL guys are playing flag,” Lewis said. “Just to compete and just to get a rise and it’s happening all over. You’d be surprised like I remember I went to a tournament and there was a little 4-on-4 game going on and there’s a guy in his defensive crouch and I’m like ‘that guy looks a lot like Devin Hester’ and they were like ‘that’s because it is.'”

DRC did admit he does actively try to recruit former teammates of his from his time in the NFL.

“I definitely recruit guys because the more I’ve been getting into this game,” Rodgers-Cromartie told Giants Wire. “The more I learn about the strategy and how it works. So my main thing is I’m a defender and you’ve always gotta have speed. So I’m always recruiting DBs (defensive backs).”

Rodgers-Cromartie specifically mentioned Charles James, who was a teammate of DRC’s during his time with Big Blue

“I try to recruit all the speed guys that can cover. In this league, you need guys that can cover but if you can’t pull the flag, it don’t even matter,” he said.

Recently, Rodgers-Cromartie made a pretty sick catch you can see here:

The AFFL is growing every year and are currently entering their fourth year of operations and the first season of the women’s division. Both the men’s and women’s divisions have $200,000 prizes for the championship-winning team.

DRC and his teammates on the Kings of Florida will be in action this weekend, Saturday, August 14, against Your Tax Gurus at 9:00 a.m. EDT in the quarterfinals. The game can be viewed on Facebook along with the rest of the AFFL’s quarterfinal action.

CBS Sports Network will be broadcasting the semifinals on Sunday and if DRC’s squad moves on from the quarterfinals, they will play in the Semis at 6:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday, August 15.

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Ex-Giant Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie says he’s not done playing just yet

Former New York Giants CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is looking to make an NFL comeback and has some workouts scheduled post-draft.

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For those of you who thought you saw the last of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, think again. The 35-year-old former Pro Bowl cornerback is back seeking employment in the NFL.

Rodgers-Cromarite last played in 2019 for Washington, a gig that ended after two weeks as DRC landed on season-ending injured reserve with torn ligaments in his ankle. He did not play in 2020.

DRC began his career with the Arizona Cardinals, who selected him with the 16th overall pick in the 2008 NFL draft out of Tennessee State. He went on to play for the Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos before inking a five-year, $35 million deal with the New York Giants in 2014.

DRC was named to his second Pro Bowl in 2015 and was released by the Giants in a cost-cutting move after the 2017 season. He signed with the Oakland Raiders in 2018 but retired after seven games. He came out of retirement to play for Washington the next year.

In January, DRC signed on to be a voluntary coach at his alma mater where former NFL star running back Eddie George was recently named head coach and Hue Jackson the offensive coordinator.

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Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie named Giants’ best FA signing of past decade

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie has been named the New York Giants’ best free agent signing of the past decade.

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The New York Giants, under the direction of general manager Dave Gettleman, have been hitting it out of the park in free agency, inking several top players this month. This comes on the heels of a successful free agent haul last year that reaped James Bradberry and Blake Martinez.

The Athletic recently ran a piece on each NFL team’s best free-agent addition of the past decade. For the Giants, they chose cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who the team bowled over with a five-year deal back in 2014.

This exercise would be a lot easier if it went back one more year so it could include the 2010 signing of Antrel Rolle. The Giants haven’t hit on many free agents since 2011, which is a big reason why they’ve only made the playoffs twice in the past decade. A spending spree in 2016 produced some one-hit wonders (DE Olivier Vernon, DT Damon Harrison, CB Janoris Jenkins) and it’s too soon to crown 2020 free agent signings James Bradberry and Blake Martinez.

So that leaves Rodgers-Cromartie, who signed a five-year, $35 million contract with the Giants in 2014. “DRC” made the Pro Bowl as an outside corner in 2015 and then was a second-team All-Pro in 2016 after shifting inside to the slot on the Giants’ best defense of the past decade. The freakishly athletic Rodgers-Cromartie had 11 interceptions in four seasons.

The Giants appear to be improving in the area of pro scouting and personal, largely drawing on Gettleman’s experience as the GM down in Carolina. Many of the players he scouted in those drafts are now reaching free agency, making the vetting process a little smoother.

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Eli Manning headlines ESPN’s NFC East All-Decade Team

Retired New York Giants QB Eli Manning headlined ESPN’s NFC East All-Decade Team, but he wasn’t the only Giants to earn the honor.

On Tuesday, ESPN announced the latest portion of their divisional All-Decade Team, this time focusing on the NFC East which houses the New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles.

Unsurprisingly, quarterback Eli Manning was named the Giants’ best player of the decade. He also drew the honor of leading the NFC East All-Decade Team at quarterback over the likes of Tony Romo, Nick Foles and Carson Wentz.

Years with team: 2004-19

Manning played the entire decade and earned a Super Bowl MVP during that time. How many other Giants have that on their résumé? Answer: None. The end of the decade — and Manning’s career — wasn’t pretty, but the first few years of the 2010s were the best of his professional life. Manning’s 8.4 yards per attempt in 2011 were by far the best of his career. So were his 308.3 yards per game. He made three of his four Pro Bowls during this 10-year span and was the unequivocal face of the franchise. A pretty easy selection considering the accomplishments.

Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. earned an “honorable mention” as the Giants’ best player and also earned a spot on the NFC East All-Decade Team.

Odell Beckham Jr., WR, 2014-2018. His first three seasons were off the charts. He was among the two or three best players in the NFL at his position during that time, and nobody had more touchdown receptions (35). The only problem was that it didn’t last longer, in large part because of injuries and drama.

Other Giants to make the team including defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and safety Landon Collins. Tom Coughlin also drew an “honorable mention” as the head coach, but that honor ultimately went to Doug Pederson of the Eagles.

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