Tag: drake maye

10 things Hard Knocks could reveal about New York Giants

The New York Giants will appear in the first-ever offseason edition of HBO’s Hard Knocks, which is set to premiere on Tuesday, July 2.

The five-part docuseries will cover the Giants’ entire offseason from January through June, including Black Monday, the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, the 2024 NFL draft, and team minicamps.

“As we enter our 100th season, we look forward to providing our fans with the opportunity to see what it takes to build an NFL roster. Beginning the moment the previous season ended, we gave NFL Films unprecedented access to this critical time of the year. We know viewers will gain insight from moments that have never been captured before and are excited for them to learn more about our Giants history,” said Nilay Shah, Giants senior vice president of marketing and brand strategy.

The potential for storylines and drama is high. How revealing will the Giants get? Exactly what did cameras capture?

Here’s a look at # things the football world could see and learn on Hard Knocks Offseason.

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Beginning last season, reports arose that head coach Brian Daboll and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale were clashing. That came to a head early in the offseason when Daboll fired two of Martindale’s closest confidants, the Wilkins brothers, sending the veteran DC into a rage.

Martindale reportedly blew up on Daboll and stormed out of the building before the two sides “parted ways” days later.

Did Daboll fire Drew and Kevin Wilkins in an effort to push Wink out the door? What was really said behind closed doors? And did HBO cameras catch that final blow-up between the two?

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After more than a year of negotiation, running back Saquon Barkley hit free agency and was quickly scooped up by the Philadelphia Eagles in mid-March. That decision left a horrible taste in the mouths of Giants fans.

After Barkley turned down an above-market deal a year earlier, the Giants opted not to match Philly’s offer.

What did HBO catch during those negotiations and how did the final conversation between Barkley and the Giants organization play out?

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Although losing Barkley was the big story, the Giants also allowed safety and team captain, Xavier McKinney, to walk via free agency.

McKinney had expressed a desire to remain with the Giants while also pushing for what he felt he was worth.

It would be interesting to see how those negotiations went and how each side reacted to McKinney joining the Green Bay Packers.

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General manager Joe Schoen made a big splash in free agency by acquiring linebacker Brian Burns in a trade from the Carolina Panthers.

How did those talks begin? How quickly did they come together? And how did the Giants organization react when they got such a steal of a deal?

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The Giants spent a significant amount of time, money, and effort scouting the many quarterback prospects ahead of the 2024 NFL draft.

How was that scouting coordinated? What were the Giants specifically looking for? How did they view each prospect? Who did they want to target and who did they rule out or grade further down the board?

Although insignificant now, it would be interesting to see in hindsight.

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After Martindale left the Giants, rumors about Mike Kafka’s unhappiness with Brian Daboll continued to swirl. While interviewing for head coaching positions, reports arose suggesting Kafka was willing to move laterally in an effort to exit East Rutherford.

Instead of allowing that to happen, the Giants promoted Kafka from offensive coordinator to assistant head coach and offensive coordinator.

Despite the promotion, Kafka’s exact role remains unclear and it’s possible he’s stripped of play-calling duties.

How did Daboll handle those rumors and reports behind the scenes? What conversation led to Kafka’s promotion and how were those in the front office handling the entire situation?

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Ahead of the NFL draft, reports suggested the Giants were aggressively trying to trade up for a quarterback. After the draft had concluded, it was determined that North Carolina’s Drake Maye, who went to the New England Patriots, was the focus of that attempt.

The Giants ultimately passed on J.J. McCarthy and other remaining quarterback prospects at No. 6 in favor of wide receiver Malik Nabers. The draft concluded without Schoen adding another QB.

HBO should have captured a firsthand look at those conversations and potential trade calls.

How much were the Giants really offering? Was Schoen baiting other teams? Was Jones aware of the potential trade prior to Round 1? A lot of information could be revealed on Hard Knocks.

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Speaking of the war room during trade conversations, what about the remaining five picks? Will we get a glimpse at the Giants’ draft board? What back-and-forth was held before each pick? And were the Giants always targeting the prospects they eventually took or will HBO reveal some other targets they missed out on?

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A large portion of the Hard Knocks docuseries will ultimately focus on quarterback Daniel Jones. He’s a lightning rod and his presence will drive attention among fans, reporters, analysts, and executives.

How did Jones handle all of the offseason rumors? Where is he in terms of rehab as he recovers from a torn ACL and a second neck injury?

Perhaps a better question is: Will we get any insight into the severity of Jones’ neck injuries and what that means for him at this point in his career?

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The HBO cameras will also catch a lot of what has yet to happen. The Giants are into organized team activities (OTAs) at this point and through rookie minicamp, but much remains.

How did rookies handle their first time on the field as Giants? What were the introductions to their veteran team members like? And what went into undrafted players earning a spot on the 90-man roster?

And what happens from here? It’s the Giants. It’s the bright lights of New York. There are sure to be plenty of storylines between now and the premiere of Hard Knocks.

Read all the best Giants coverage at NorthJersey.com and Giants Wire.

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Did Giants create a QB smokescreen in hopes of drafting OT Joe Alt?

The New York Giants selected LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers with the sixth overall pick in last week’s NFL draft.

Experts have lauded the addition of Nabers as a solid one by the Giants, but was Nabers their first choice?

There’s speculation that had Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt not been selected by the Los Angeles Chargers one spot before the Giants, they would have taken him instead of Nabers or Washington’s Rome Odunze.

At least that’s what ESPN’s Adam Schefter thinks — something he admits is just speculation.

“The Giants wanted Joe Alt to slide to them. That’s my belief,” Schefter said. “That was the hope — that he was going to get to them. I think some of the quarterback talk for the Giants might have been a little camouflage to try to get someone like Minnesota to trade up.”

The point is moot as Alt was not there at No. 6 and the Giants did not use any of their six picks last week on an offensive lineman.

Veteran NFL reporter Mike Garafolo debunks the idea of Alt to the Giants, saying their big swing last week was for UNC quarterback Drake Maye, whom they were unsuccessful in prying away from the New England Patriots.

The Giants ended up with Nabers, who many experts widely consider a player who is ready to compete at the NFL level from Day 1.

Read all the best Giants coverage at NorthJersey.com and Giants Wire.



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New York Giants offered Patriots 2025 first-round pick to move up

The New York Giants made a “last-ditch” effort to trade up from No. 6 to No. 3 but the New England Patriots chose to stay put and select North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye, who was Big Blue’s target.

The Patriots were said to want a massive haul in return for the No. 3 spot and that turned out to be true.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports that the Giants offered the No. 6 overall pick in addition to their 2025 first-round pick but were rebuffed.

The Giants, meanwhile, did wind up putting their 2025 first-round pick in their offer to move from No. 6 to No. 3.

The Giants, of course, got a weapon for Daniel Jones, selecting star receiver Malik Nabers.

Even with the additional assets thrown in, the Giants didn’t stand much of a chance. Not only were the Patriots seeking even more than that, but they had a better offer from the Minnesota Vikings which still wasn’t enough.

Earlier this week, Minnesota offered the Nos. 11 and 23 picks, and its 2025 first-rounder, with pick swaps favoring the Vikings as part of the proposal; and that offer ticked up with New England on the clock.

The Giants had the opportunity to select J.J. McCarthy, Michael Penix Jr., or Bo Nix with their first-round pick but ultimately settled on Nabers.

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New York Giants named a favorite team fit for QB Drake Maye

The New York Giants hold the sixth overall selection in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.

Many mock drafters are predicting Big Blue grabs a stud wide receiver with the pick as the top four quarterbacks could be off the board by the time they are on the clock.

But, if by some chance, one of those four players — USC’s Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels of LSU, Drake Maye of North Carolina, and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy — fall to the Giants, Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus believes Maye would be the best fit for general manager Joe Schoen’s Giants.

I still have Maye as my QB2 in this class, but even then, I can recognize that he needs to hone his fundamentals, make his throwing motion more repeatable and consistent and not put the ball in harm’s way as much as he did in 2023.

Brian Daboll is the ideal coach to get that done with Maye. He did so with Josh Allen when he was the offensive coordinator in Buffalo for four seasons. He allowed Allen to still be who he is as a quarterback while limiting his mistakes.

The scenario is becoming more and more unlikely as the teams selecting first and second — Chicago and Washington — are expected to take Williams and Daniels, respectively, and New England is asking for a king’s ransom for the pick in a trade.

If a team does not meet the Patriots’ price, they are expected to take either Maye or McCarthy, as is any team acquiring the pick.

The Giants trading up to No. 3 would likely entail them sending No. 6 and No. 47 in this year’s draft plus next year’s first-round pick to the Pats.

If the Giants do end up with Maye, he may not be the starter on Day 1. Daniel Jones is still the starter, depending on the status of his knee, and Schoen inked Drew Lock to a one-year deal in free agency. There’s a bit of a traffic jam for Maye to overcome.

But Maye is the type of player that Daboll wants to run his offense. He would have to guide Maye through the NFL acclimation process in the beginning before handing over the keys.

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New York Giants ownership reluctant to trade up for quarterback

With 24 hours remaining until Day 1 of the 2024 NFL draft, rumors continue circulating about the New York Giants and what they intend to do with the No. 6 overall pick.

More and more reports have surfaced suggesting they’d like to trade up for a quarterback — specifically, North Carolina’s Drake Maye. However, that may not be the case.

Diana Russini of The Athletic reports that team ownership is reluctant to sign off on trading up for a quarterback after giving Daniel Jones a four-year, $160 million deal last offseason.

This general manager, Joe Schoen, did not draft Daniel Jones, but he did give him that contract last year. There was a time where I was digging on trying to find out if they were willing to trade up. There have been some mocks out there that had the Giants moving up to go get a quarterback. It was explained to me that that was just a really tough sell to ownership after giving Daniel Jones that contract last year that we’re going to now give up assets to replace a quarterback that we’re paying $40 million. I think there’s a really small chance that they do that. I think there’s a better chance that they trade out for more picks.

Publicly, Giants co-owner John Mara has given the green light for general manager Joe Schoen to take a quarterback but he maintains that Jones will be the starter in 2024.

“I still have a lot of confidence in Daniel,” Mara told NFL Network in March. “I think the Daniel that we saw in 2022 is the real deal. Last year he was hurt, a lot of his offensive linemen were hurt, and things just did not go our way. But I still have all the confidence in the world in him. Hopefully, he will be able to go by training camp, and yes, I think we all expect him to be the starter in 2024.”

“If they fall in love with a quarterback and believe that it’s worth pick No. 6 or moving up, I certainly would support that,” Mara told ESPN.

In about 38-40 hours, the speculation will be put to rest and we’ll know where the Giants are going in Round 1.



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If Giants want to trade up with Patriots, the cost may be astronomical

The New York Giants are open to maneuvering in the 2024 NFL draft and recently, Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports reported that they may consider a “blockbuster” deal to move up for quarterback Drake Maye.

Specifically, Vacchiano says, they may look to trade with the New England Patriots, who hold the No. 3 overall pick.

He is the prospect who could most entice the Giants to make a blockbuster move up from No. 6, according to multiple NFL sources familiar with the Giants’ thinking. With USC’s Caleb Williams almost certain to be taken by the Chicago Bears at No. 1, the 21-year-old Maye is believed by many around the NFL to be the next quarterback on the Giants’ list.

In fact, one league source said he believes that if Maye somehow gets past the Washington Commanders at No. 2 — which is far from a certainty — the Giants would consider making an aggressive offer to the New England Patriots to move up from No. 6 to No. 3 to draft him. It’s not clear if New York would be willing to do the same for LSU’s Jayden Daniels or Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, the other two top quarterbacks likely to be available at that spot.

The Patriots have been the focus of much speculation in recent weeks with several analysts suggesting they could trade down despite their own need for a quarterback.

Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston reports that if the Patriots do opt to trade down, the price to take their spot will be steep. And we’re not just talking slightly improved value based on the NFL value trade chart but rather, an astronomically one-sided haul.

“What kind of currency do the Patriots need to see coming to them? I keep circling back to it’s got to be three first-round picks,” Curran said this week. “From what I’m hearing, it’s going to take a lot more than that for the Patriots to be moved off their spot because they as a team, collectively, understand the opportunity that these three quarterbacks represent at the top of the draft.”

Curran was specifically talking about what the Patriots would want from the Minnesota Vikings, who have a longer climb to No. 3 than the Giants. However, if that’s what they’re seeking to move back, they aren’t likely to give New York a much better deal.

For skeptics, the initial response to this will be, “Well, you can hope for just about anything but…”

That’s an understandable instant reaction but it’s made with the assumption that the Patriots feel they have to trade back. They don’t. They’re in a position to grab a top quarterback and start fresh and are under no pressure to accommodate any other team.

Ultimately, if Curran’s reporting is accurate, that essentially prices the Giants out of any trade-up with New England.

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New York Giants may consider a ‘blockbuster move up’ for Drake Maye

It’s well known by now that the New York Giants could be eyeing a quarterback in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft in three weeks in Detroit.

They have the sixth overall selection in the first round, but it may not be enough to snag the player they allegedly covet — North Carolina’s Drake Maye — reports Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports.

Vacchiano believes the Giants may have to move up in the order if they want to draft Maye and it would require a “blockbuster” deal.

He is the prospect who could most entice the Giants to make a blockbuster move up from No. 6, according to multiple NFL sources familiar with the Giants’ thinking. With USC’s Caleb Williams almost certain to be taken by the Chicago Bears at No. 1, the 21-year-old Maye is believed by many around the NFL to be the next quarterback on the Giants’ list.

In fact, one league source said he believes that if Maye somehow gets past the Washington Commanders at No. 2 — which is far from a certainty — the Giants would consider making an aggressive offer to the New England Patriots to move up from No. 6 to No. 3 to draft him. It’s not clear if New York would be willing to do the same for LSU’s Jayden Daniels or Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, the other two top quarterbacks likely to be available at that spot.

The Giants have shown interest in Maye, meeting with him three times over the past two months. The irony is that Maye is being compared to the Giants’ current quarterback, Daniel Jones, and a player they liked (but passed on in favor of Andrew Thomas) in Justin Herbert.

“Drake is more Daniel than Justin,” one scout told the New York Post. “His arm is not live like Justin’s, but he is mobile and you can move the pocket or do some designed runs with him.”

ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper gave The Post his view of Maye in comparison to Herbert.

“Not as much in terms of the accuracy,” Kiper told The Post. “That’s the one thing that was off this year. He looks the part of Herbert physically and athletically, but he didn’t play like him. He was missing some open receivers, he was off-target with some balls that were caught that weren’t thrown precisely … to maximize yards after the catch. He didn’t play his best football late in the year.”

That isn’t deterring any team — other than Chicago — from having Maye atop their draft boards. He appears to be a coachable player and will likely land with a team that has the infrastructure to help him succeed right away.

Washington has Kliff Kingsbury as their offensive coordinator now and New England has hired Alex Van Pelt. The Giants have Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka.

Two teams that could trade up — Minnesota and Denver — are run by two coaches who specialize in quarterback play in Kevin O’Connell and Sean Payton, respectively.

Maye is going to have a soft landing no matter where he ends up. Of course, Washington could end the suspense quickly by simply taking him at No. 2.

How much would it cost the Giants to move up to get Maye? They’d have to pay a premium if they have to deal with Washington, a division rival. New England would ask less as they are one spot down, but not much.

Should Maye fall to No. 4, things will get interesting. Arizona, who holds the fourth pick, has made it known they are open for business as are the L.A. Chargers at No. 5.

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New York Giants trade up for Drake Maye in latest Lance Zierlein mock

If the New York Giants want a top quarterback in the 2024 NFL draft, they’ll likely have to trade up to select one.

The top three quarterbacks are expected to go off the board over the first three picks and a fourth will likely be selected in the top five following a — you guessed it — trade up.

In the latest mock draft from NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein, that exact scenario plays out but with a twist.

Four quarterbacks are selected over the first four picks, two as a result of a trade-up. One of those goes to the Giants, who somehow convince the New England Patriots to bail on their plans for a rookie quarterback.

The Giants end up with North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye — a player some would argue is the most flawed quarterback of the projected top five.

In this three-spot move up the board, the Giants probably have to pay more than the standard trade chart would indicate, since the supply side of the quarterback position is dwindling but the demand remains high. Brian Daboll fostered Josh Allen’s raw talents in Buffalo and could have a chance to do the same with this toolsy but inconsistent North Carolina product.

Not only do the Giants end up with the most inconsistent quarterback available but as Zierlein notes, they pay dearly for him.

Although Zierlein didn’t outline the exact details of this trade, the Jimmy Johnson draft trade value chart suggests the Giants would need to make up 600 points in this trade. That means picks No. 6 (1,600), No. 47 (430), and No. 70 (240) for pick No. 3 (2,200).

That’s a hefty price to pay for Maye and it would likely be even more than that if other teams entered a potential bidding war.

Bottom line? It’s a bad trade for the Giants and not at all worth it.

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New York Giants beginning to meet with 2024 NFL draft prospects

Fresh off the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, the New York Giants have begun to meet face-to-face with prospects at team facilities in East Rutherford.

On Wednesday, general manager Joe Schoen & Co. reportedly hosted North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye, reports The Giant Insider.

The 21-year-old Maye is widely considered a top quarterback option and most mock drafts have him going No. 2 overall to the Washington Commanders. None have him slipping further than No. 5 overall, which is where a trade would likely come into play.

In addition to Maye, The Giant Insider also reports that Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt and Alabama edge rusher Dallas Turner made their way to East Rutherford this week.



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Giants’ Brian Daboll one of best offensive minds in NFL

The New York Giants could be looking at a quarterback with the sixth overall selection in the 2024 NFL draft.

If North Carolina’s Drake Maye is still on the board when the Giants pick, they could reel him in. He would like that as his interactions with Big Blue thus far have all been positive.

“It was good in there. Meeting with coach (Brian) Daboll, big fan of him, offensive mind, one of the best,” Maye told reporters at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis this weekend.

“So, it’s just getting in there, getting to know those guys, Mr. Schoen. So, it was good in there.”

Maye also has a relationship with former Giants quarterback Eli Manning, whom he also gave glowing praise to.

“Eli, big fan. I think Eli would probably say he’s probably seen me too much, I’ve been following him around. It was always on Zooms,” Maye said. “I think the biggest thing is being a sponge, soaking it all in.

“I don’t have all the answers, and I don’t know it all just being up there with Eli, and like I said, David Moore, I’ve trained with him down there in Alabama; he was his backup at Ole Miss. So, just kind of the small world of connections and I’m just trying to soak it all up.”

Maye was asked if the future Pro Football Hall of Famer gave him any advice.

“Yeah, just be myself,” he said. “Don’t be somebody I’m not, and at the end of the day, don’t give the NFL too much spotlight or credit. You know, just going out there playing ball.”

Solid advice from one who knows.



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