Tag: nfl draft

Chicago Bears sign 6 free agents to contracts after rookie minicamp

The Chicago Bears conducted rookie minicamp this weekend, where rookies (and some veterans) hit the practice field for the first time at Halas Hall.

Quarterback Caleb Williams and wide receiver Rome Odunze were the main attractions during the weekend, and their early chemistry shined during Friday’s practice. Unfortunately, Odunze was held out of Saturday’s practice due to hamstring tightness. But it’s clear Chicago’s top-10 selections are quickly building a rapport.

In addition to the Bears’ five draft picks and nine undrafted free agent signings, there were a handful of players there on a tryout basis. And it sounds like some of them made a strong impression.

Following two days of practice, Chicago signed six tryout players:

Nov 6, 2021; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) hugs USC Trojans wide receiver John Jackson III (80) during pregame warm-ups at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports

Experience: Rookie

College: USC

Height: 6-1

Weight: 215 lbs

Oklahoma’s Jayden Gibson (1) catches the ball for a touchdown over Arkansas State’s Leon Jones (2) during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Arkansas State Red Wolves at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. Oklahoma won 73-0.

Experience: Rookie

College: Arkansas State

Height: 6-1

Weight: 195 lbs

Nov 11, 2023; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Collin Schlee (9) is tackled by Arizona State Sun Devils defensive lineman Dashaun Mallory (0) on a scramble during the first half at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Alex Gallardo-USA TODAY Sports

Experience: Rookie

College: Arizona State

Height: 6-1

Weight: 275 lbs

Dec 22, 2023; Tampa, FL, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets linebacker Paula Moala (13) celebrates his sack of UCF Knights quarterback John Rhys Plumlee (not pictured) during the second half of the Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Experience: Rookie

College: Georgia Tech

Height: 6-0

Weight: 229 lbs

Oct 19, 2019; Columbia, SC, USA; Florida Gators wide receiver Freddie Swain (16) is brought down by South Carolina Gamecocks linebacker Ernest Jones (53) and South Carolina Gamecocks defensive back Israel Mukuamu (24) at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

Experience: Veteran

College: Florida

Height: 6-0

Weight: 199 lbs

Sep 8, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Buffalo Bills tight end Tommy Sweeney (89) runs against Los Angeles Rams linebacker Justin Hollins (58) in the second quarter at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Experience: Veteran

College: Boston College

Height: 6-5

Weight: 244 lbs

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Check out the new New York Giants 2024 NFL Draft hat

The NFL has unveiled their annual line of hats that your new favorite player is set to wear on the stage at the 2024 NFL draft.

Check out the new New York Giants 2024 NFL Draft Hat:

SHOP: New York Giants 2024 NFL Draft Hat

Each year, the league releases a new customized lid for each team that is given to prospects who are selected at the event. Notably, the first-round picks are handed a jersey, that year’s draft hat, and go over and give a hug to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

There are four versions for each team’s hat that come in stretch fit, snapback and fitted varieties, with prices varying on each. On Monday, every team’s version was released… except the Houston Texans and New York Jets.

Sorry Texans and Jets fans, with those clubs releasing new uniforms soon there’s still a bit of waiting to do.

We’ll bring you those updates, but for the other 30 teams, check out your favorite team’s newest headgear and be the first fan in your friend group to own a 2024 NFL Draft hat by checking them all out at Fanatics.

Buy NY Giants 2024 NFL Draft Hat

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Giants with 12th most 2024 NFL draft capital value

The New York Giants currently have the 12th most draft capital value for the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, according to Tankathon.

The way that this is determined is each draft pick, No. 1 through 257, is assigned a value and that cumulative total of each team’s selections determines these rankings.

Below, you will find each pick that the Giants hold in the upcoming draft and the value assigned to each selection, which for New York, totals 809.9 points. To read more about how these values are determined, click here.

6th overall: 342.4

47th overall: 151.3

70th overall: 122.5

107th overall: 90.3

166th overall: 55.6

183rd overall: 47.8

By this metric, the Giants rank in the top half of the NFL. However, that 809.9 figure is bolstered by the Giants picking near the top of each round after struggling through the 2023 season.

In terms of the actual number of draft picks, the Giants only have six. There are only two teams who will have fewer selections in this draft than the Giants.

This is something that could play a factor in how active the Giants are throughout the draft, specifically when it comes to trading up at any point. Unless they find a trade partner who is willing to accept 2025 draft capital as part of any deal, trading up would require the Giants to part with what, relatively speaking, is already just a few total draft picks.

To help paint the picture of what this might look like, using the trade value chart as our guide, if the Giants were to move from pick six to pick four, they may have to part with their third-round pick to do so. If they wanted to jump from pick 47 to, let’s say, pick 40, they might have to part with their fourth-round pick.

On the flip side, because the Giants have only six selections, trading down at some point could be a more realistic option for them. This, of course, is dependent upon how the board falls and whether GM Joe Schoen still feels that he can get a player that he really likes despite moving back.

Again, using the trade value chart, moving back from pick six to pick 10, for example, would net the Giants third and fourth-round picks from the Jets. If they were willing to move from pick 47 to pick 57, they could potentially gain one of Tampa Bay’s third-round picks in the process.

How the board falls and how the Giants have evaluated the players available when they are on the clock will determine if either of these trade-up or down scenarios are actually options for them.

In terms of having the opportunity to add impact players, the Giants are positioned quite well with four selections in the top 107 picks of the draft. This also happens to be a very strong draft class at receiver and along the offensive line, two positions the Giants should look to address, in addition to it being a good cornerback class at the top of the draft as well.

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Of interest to Giants? Cardinals open to trading 4th overall pick

Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort mentioned recently that the team was open to listening to trade offers for their fourth overall selection in the upcoming NFL Draft. Could this be of interest to the New York Giants?

In reality, the only way we will see the Giants move up from pick six to pick four is if they are going to take a quarterback. Daniel Jones is still under contract for three more seasons, but as the old saying goes, the best time to draft a quarterback is when you really don’t need one.

Jones is coming off an ACL injury, and has dealt with neck injuries prior to that. Before his 2023 season ended, he was battling up and down play, averaging just 5.7 yards per pass attempt with two touchdowns to six interception. From a cap perspective, the Giants can get out of Jones’ deal following this season.

Of course, nothing is certain this time of the year, but Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels seem to be the consensus top two picks in the draft.

We also are confident in saying that New England is going to take a quarterback at pick three, and that will either be Drake Maye or JJ McCarthy. The Giants have reportedly had both players in for pre-draft visits.

The Cardinals, who have the fourth overall pick, and the Los Angeles Chargers at pick five, aren’t in the quarterback market. However, with Minnesota holding two first round picks, they are primed to make the jump from pick 11 into the top five to select a quarterback.

If the Giants also find themselves in the quarterback market, the Vikings are the primary reason why they would feel the need to trade up to pick four rather than hoping a quarterback falls to them a sixth overall.

In terms of draft capital value, the Giants rank 12th in the NFL. This is largely due to them picking at the front end of each round. In terms of total draft picks, the Giants only have six selections, with only two teams having fewer.

That in itself makes moving up more difficult because GM Joe Schoen will go from already having not many selections to having even fewer.

Using the trade value chart as our guide, if the Giants were to make that leap from pick six to pick four, they would have to part with their third-round pick and perhaps could receive the Cardinals’ fifth-round pick in return to help the math workout. This chart, of course, doesn’t take into account that the demand might drive the value up as well, forcing the Giants to part with even more.

On top of all of that, the Giants very well might not even be in the quarterback market, and Schoen is just doing his offseason due diligence at the position like every general manager should.

How the Giants have gone about this offseason tells us that an early first-round quarterback is not on their radar. Drew Locke has stated that the starting job belongs to Daniel Jones, while it was reported that in an exploratory meeting with Russell Wilson, he was made aware that he wasn’t going to be guaranteed the starting job.

Schoen mentioned at the NFL combine that it’s a good quarterback draft class, and not only at the top. Perhaps Michael Pratt from Tulane or Spencer Rattler from South Carolina are two quarterback options for the Giants later on in the draft.

If the Giants hang tight at pick six, while they probably won’t get their quarterback, they will have the opportunity to land one of the top wide receivers in this year’s class, most likely either Rome Odunze or Malik Nabers. Finding a true No. 1 target in the passing game is a top priority for the Giants this offseason.

Given all of these factors, I would guess that we aren’t going to see the Giants trading up from pick six to pick four in this draft. In fact, given the depth of this year’s draft class at receiver and along the offensive line, coupled with the Giants only having six draft picks, perhaps trading down is an even more in-play option for them.

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Jets seven-round NFL Mock Draft 2.0: An Aaron Rodgers protector

We are inching closer to the 2023 NFL Draft.

In a little over two weeks, the Panthers will be on the clock and one of the best three-day periods in the sports calendar will commence.

The Jets enter this year’s draft with less needs than any draft in recent memory.

That is a testament to the roster that general manager Joe Douglas has built.

There are still positions that need work but the Jets should have more directions they can go this year than in the past few years.

We used the PFF mock draft simulator to help us out and here is what we came up with for the Jets 2023 Draft:

Round 1, No. 13 overall: TRADE

Sending the No. 13 pick to the Rams for a 2023 second-round pick (No. 36 overall), a 2023 third-round pick (No. 77 overall) and a 2024 first-round pick.

Previous Pick: Calijah Kancey, DT, Pitt

The top two offensive tackles were already drafted with Paris Johnson and Broderick Jones both going in the top 10.

Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, a wild card for the Jets here, went a pick before we were on the clock.


The Jets are still working on a trade for Aaron Rodgers.
AP

I considered Northwestern lineman Peter Skoronski but he is more of a guard than a tackle.

Without a lot of attractive options at 13, I decided to deal the pick.

Don’t kill me over the fairness of the trade.

The PFF simulator accepted the trade.

I dropped out of the first round but picked up a first-rounder next year and two Day 2 picks this year.

This gives us the flexibility to move back into the first round with the extra picks or sit tight.

Next year, we will have an extra first-round pick in case we need to move up to draft a quarterback if Aaron Rodgers is one and done with the Jets.

Round 2, No. 36 overall (acquired in trade with Rams): Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State


Ohio State offensive tackle Dawand Jones.
Jose / Marinmedia.Org / Csm/Cal Sport Media/Sipa USA

After moving out of the first round, we take the best tackle still on the board.

Jones is a monster at 6-foot-8 and 374 pounds. His wingspan is 87 ¾ inches.

We can slot him in at right tackle and let Mekhi Becton and Duane Brown fight it out for the left tackle spot.

Protecting Aaron Rodgers is a priority and Jones will help the Jets do that.

Round 2, No. 42 overall: Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State

Previous Pick: Luke Wypler, C, Ohio State

Henley is a repeat from last week, although we take him one spot higher this week. The Jets are not likely to keep both of their second-round picks. One is most likely going to be sent to the Packers in a deal for Rodgers. If they stay here, linebacker is a position that needs to be addressed. They need a third linebacker right now and C.J. Mosley is not going to play forever. It is time to start building depth at the position.

Round 2, No. 43 overall: Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Edge, Kansas State

Previous Pick: Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State


Felix Anudike-Uzomah at Kansas State’s Pro Day.
AP

You can’t have enough edge rushers.

Anudike-Uzomah had 20 ½ sacks in three seasons at Kansas State and can give the Jets some depth on the edge to go along with Carl Lawson, John Franklin-Myers, Jermaine Johnson and Micheal Clemons.

The Jets don’t need him to start right away but he can play special teams and become a starter later.

Round 3, No. 77 overall (acquired in trade with Rams): Nathaniel Dell, WR, Houston

Dell was a team captain at Houston, something the Jets love.

He is undersized at 5-8, 165 pounds but was highly productive in college.

He led FBS in receiving yards (1,398) and receiving touchdowns (17) in 2022.

He also can return punts.

Want to catch a game? The Jets schedule with links to buy tickets can be found here.

Round 4, No. 112 overall: Juice Scruggs, C, Penn State

Previous Pick: K.J. Henry, Edge, Clemson

This may be a little bit of a reach but the Jets need to add on the interior of the defensive line and I’m going to take a shot here with Scruggs.

He was a team captain at Penn State and started 17 games at center for the Nittany Lions over the past two years.

He won’t fix the Jets’ center issues right away but can be a backup for now.

Round 5, No. 143 overall: Kobie Turner, DT, Wake Forest

Previous Pick: Ronnie Hickman, S, Ohio State

Turner is an older prospect at 24 years old.

He played at Richmond, which is Douglas’ alma mater, before spending a post-graduate year at Wake Forest.

The Jets need depth on the interior of their defensive line.

It would be a surprise if they did not address it in this draft.

Round 6, No. 207 overall: Anthony Johnson Jr, S, Iowa State

Previous Pick: Aidan O’Connell, QB, Purdue

Johnson is known as a high-character player and is another team captain.

This late in the draft, the Jets can grab a good locker room guy who can contribute on special teams.

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