Giants got a player in Kadarius Toney that Packers, Jaguars both eyed
The Giants must feel good about drafting a player that so many other teams openly coveted.
Add the Green Bay Packers to the list of teams who wanted Kadarius Toney, who the Giants selected No. 20 overall after their first-round trade back.
Packers GM Brian Gutekunst, it turns out, “resisted the temptation to trade up for Florida wide receiver Kadarius Toney, a player the Packers were extremely high on,” per The Athletic’s Bob McGinn. Green Bay “had their fingers crossed that Toney might fall to them” at No. 29.
That wouldn’t have happened even if the Giants hadn’t picked Toney, however, because Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer said it “broke my heart” that he couldn’t get Toney at No. 25.
“You watch him play and he’s a human highlight reel,” Meyer said.
Both teams seemed to believe it was possible Toney would be available at their pick. Regardless, Toney has a lot of fans around the league. Barring an NFLPA-prompted player action, we should get our first look at Toney on the field this weekend at Giants rookie minicamp in East Rutherford, N.J.
The Giants, for the record, now have used their first pick in the draft on an offensive player for five straight years (Evan Engram, Saquon Barkley, Daniel Jones, Andrew Thomas and Toney). Hopefully that builds more than the NFL’s 31st-ranked scoring offense, which they were in 2020.
The Daily News accurately predicted 24 of the 32 players (not picks) selected in the first round of this year’s NFL Draft, and 16 of the 32 positions targeted by specific teams at their picks. But there is room for improvement. We accurately predicted only six of the 32 picks on the nose (six of the top seven, to be exact). Like many NFL front offices, we expected four or five QBs to go in the top 10, but only three did. That changed the board in a big way, including for the Giants, who traded back and picked Toney, one of the eight we hadn’t projected as day one guys. The first player drafted that wasn’t on the Daily News’ final board was Alabama tackle Alex Leatherwood to the Raiders at No. 17.
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Alabama and Ohio State led all colleges with 10 players drafted apiece in 2021. Georgia and Notre Dame boasted nine draft picks apiece, and Florida and Michigan each had eight players selected. The Crimson Tide had a stunning six players selected in the first round, including three in the top 10, and eight players taken in the top two rounds.
Dave Gettleman’s primary corner additions in 2018-19: first-round pick DeAndre Baker (released); free agent B.W. Webb (left in free agency); fifth-round pick Corey Ballentine (released); third-round supplemental pick Sam Beal (2020 opt-out, future unknown).
Giants’ primary corner investments since hiring Joe Judge in Jan. 2020: free agent James Bradberry; fourth-round pick Darnay Holmes; seventh-round pick Chris Williamson (released); free agent Adoree Jackson; third-round pick Aaron Robinson; sixth-round pick Rodarius Williams.
Bottom line: a bare cupboard has prompted an expensive run at the corner position the past two years.
Tom Brady reportedly delivered a speech on an NFLPA call last week, urging players to have intense negotiations with coaches about modifying “overly competitive” offseason work rules and drills. This can’t be the same player who held off-site workouts against the wishes of the union and league in summer 2020 as COVID-19 raged across the country, can it? At least the union didn’t ask Brady to give a lecture on the importance of wearing masks.
The Giants had 83 players under contract as of Monday morning with their six draft picks and three undrafted free agents not yet on the roster. That means at least two players will need to be released to accommodate all nine of the Giants’ rookies to fit under the 90-man threshold, once they all sign.
More jobs will be in jeopardy, as well, if the NFL and the players’ union decide to keep training camp rosters at the reduced maximum of 80, as they did last summer due to COVID-19. Teams had to reduce rosters to 80 by the first week of August or split their squad for camp activities to promote social distancing.
Negotiations between the league and union for 2021 training camps are still ongoing. The Giants can carry up to 90 for now. This count does not include running back Sandro Platzgummer, a roster exemption through the International Pathway Program.
Signing an unrestricted free agent no longer impacts a team’s compensatory pick formula for 2022. This explains the ongoing second wave of veteran visits and signings, including corner Jason McCourty’s recent deal with the Dolphins (he had visited the Giants, too).
There are also players like Lions running back Kerryon Johnson and Bears left tackle Charles Leno who were not released until after the draft and got a late start on finding a new home. That’s why the Eagles were able to claim Johnson off waivers this past weekend and why Leno was suddenly free to visit Washington Monday.
The Giants won’t get any compensatory picks in the 2022 draft after acquiring way more than they lost this spring. But they’re always in the market for a bargain to upgrade their team (read: Logan Ryan in Aug. 2020).
If they’re still seeking help at offensive guard, here are some notable free agents with their age, 2020 snap percentage and PFF grade out of 100, respectively, ranked highest to lowest by grades: Bengals’ Alex Redmond (26, 41.6%, 61.5), Falcons’ James Carpenter (32, 73.6%, 56.1), Cardinals’ J.R. Sweezy (32, 56.9%, 52.5), Chargers’ Trai Turner (27, 45.7%, 34.8).
Given Judge’s strong Patriots ties, it’s also worth pointing out New England’s Jermaine Eluemunor, 26, a former Ravens draft pick who has played every position except center (68.0 PFF grade as a tackle in 2020).
The following unsigned Giants UFAs won’t count toward any team’s comp pick formula now: S Nate Ebner, S Adrian Colbert, OT Cameron Fleming, RB Dion Lewis, RB Alfred Morris, C Spencer Pulley, DE Jabaal Sheard.
Ebner, 32, is expected to re-sign with the Giants but has been trying out to compete in a second Olympics with the U.S. Rugby team in Japan this July. Ebner isn’t under contract, but the Giants said in March that they “fully support” their special teams captain competing. The team even hypothesized that Ebner “could theoretically miss just the first week or so” of training camp.