Giants sign linebacker Ryan Jones (Baltimore Ravens)

[BleedinBlue]

I know nothing of this guy. I think he was an undrafted free agent out of college last year and was on Baltimore's roster. They cut him after an injury.

 

Like Josh Gordy, probably 1-year, minimum NFL pay. Maybe a diamond in the rough, maybe a piece of gravel in the rough.

 

 

From last years analysis:

 

"On Tuesday, the Baltimore Ravens announced the signing of Montana Tech linebacker Ryan Jones.

 

"It's just a very unique opportunity that is probably not going to happen very many times coming out of Montana Tech," said Tech head football coach Chuck Morrell. "He's put a lot of time into his training. The whole staff is excited for him right now."

 

Last season Jones recorded 83 tackles, 8.5 of those for a loss. He also recorded 5 sacks.

 

Jones hadn't received much attention after the season, but put himself on to NFL scouts radars with a big performance at the University of Montana Pro Day. Jones ran a 4.68 second 40 yard dash, posted a 37 inch vertical and knocked out 28 reps on the bench.

 

"It's a tough business to crack into," Morrell said. "I think he went in there and definitely impressed some people with his numbers. He's a really versatile player."

 

Morrell says Jones should fit well with the Ravens, who have been known for their defense over the last decade.

 

"He's got the length to be able to play the edge, but also runs extremely well," said Morrell. "I think the combination of those two things make him an intriguing prospect. He's got his foot in the door, now it's time for him to shine."

https://www.fantasysp.com/news/nfl/1892544/giants-sign-linebacker-ryan-jones

[Nas]

Sounds like a really good pick up...

[BleedinBlue]

Sounds like a really good pick up...

He could surprise, but I wouldn't get my hopes up. All his numbers are from college 2 years ago from a tiny school (Montana Tech) that I didn't even know had a sports program.

 

But who knows - no one drafted Victor Cruz because he came from a small school and he made the leap. That's very, very rare.

 

My bet is that he's fodder for practice. He'll have to have a masterful summer training camp and pre-season to keep from being cut. Making the practice squad would be considered a success.

 

But again, who knows?

[JMFP]

I suppose Spags liked him enough that they made an offer for him....he was productive in college, injured as a rookie. Low risk move, I suppose the more competition the better at linebacker.

[BleedinBlue]

5 things about LB Ryan Jones

 

1. Originally an undrafted rookie out of Montana Tech in 2014, Jones signed with the Baltimore Ravens last May and was waived-injured the following month. He has yet to play in an NFL game.

 

2. The 6-foot-4, 245-pound linebacker impressed teams at his Pro Day, where he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.68 seconds, bench pressed 28 reps at 225 pounds and had a 34-inch vertical jump.

 

3. After two years at Sierra College, Jones notched 127 tackles, 10.5 sacks and an interception in two seasons a Montana Tech.

 

4. As a senior in 2013, Jones recorded 83 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and one interception for the Orediggers.

 

5. A native of Reno, Nev., Jones prepped at Hug High School, where he was a second-team all-league defensive end.

[Sephiroth]

The ho-hum offseason continues...

[Tempest]

The ho-hum offseason continues...

 

I remember the ho-hum offseason of 2007, good times

[Nas]

The ho-hum offseason continues...

 

 

I remember the ho-hum offseason of 2007, good times

 

Yep. I don't think anyone can underestimate the injuries we had... but the fact we didn't make changes in the S&C dept bothers me a great deal.

[BleedinBlue]

Personally, I think they've done the off season free agent period right. The attempted to get a stud or two that didn't choose to go to the Giants, so they focused on some decent backups.

 

Last year we were so devastated with losses and had such little depth, we were signing players off practice squads around the nation and using them for starters. Having NFL ready backups is important as a safety net for injuries. We were ill-prepared for the mass of injuries we dealt with last year. Thank heavens OBJ turned out to be the real deal to give us something to cheer about and a reason to watch a game to the very end. Some of the draft picks showed promise in their first year, mainly Kennard and Richburg.

 

This year should be different in that we should have some depth.

 

The Giants have also put themselves in a position to have a lot of cap space next year.

[Bigblue25]

 

I remember the ho-hum offseason of 2007, good times

That 2007 team was coming off back to back playoff berths with a solid roster. This roster has holes and their getting third stringers at spots with no starters. Maybe Reese nails the draft like he did in 2007

[Nas]

Personally, I think they've done the off season free agent period right. The attempted to get a stud or two that didn't choose to go to the Giants, so they focused on some decent backups.

 

Last year we were so devastated with losses and had such little depth, we were signing players off practice squads around the nation and using them for starters. Having NFL ready backups is important as a safety net for injuries. We were ill-prepared for the mass of injuries we dealt with last year. Thank heavens OBJ turned out to be the real deal to give us something to cheer about and a reason to watch a game to the very end. Some of the draft picks showed promise in their first year, mainly Kennard and Richburg.

 

This year should be different in that we should have some depth.

 

The Giants have also put themselves in a position to have a lot of cap space next year.

 

Until you remember you'll need to resign Eli AND JPP AND Prince and maybe you don't have so much room afterall.

[BleedinBlue]

Until you remember you'll need to resign Eli AND JPP AND Prince and maybe you don't have so much room afterall.

They are going to have a shit load of money to play with. It's going to be an interesting year for all three of these guys to see what kind of year they have. If they are all worthy of pro-bowl status, it will cost a lot to resign them. If they have mediocre years, the Giants will probably low ball them and if they walk, they walk.

[Sephiroth]

That 2007 team was coming off back to back playoff berths with a solid roster. This roster has holes and their getting third stringers at spots with no starters. Maybe Reese nails the draft like he did in 2007

Exactly. The Giants need so much to go right this year to be competitive. Unless Spags and Reese both pull off miracles we'll be talking about who Cowher will be taking with a top ten pick next year.

[Bigblue25]

Exactly. The Giants need so much to go right this year to be competitive. Unless Spags and Reese both pull off miracles we'll be talking about who Cowher will be taking with a top ten pick next year.

And they didn't get guys cheap they gave Vereen, Harris and Thomas a bunch of money

[Allstarjim]

Camp body.

[Herc]

I'll wait till after the draft before I'm officially unimpressed

[Nas]

Exactly. The Giants need so much to go right this year to be competitive. Unless Spags and Reese both pull off miracles we'll be talking about who Cowher will be taking with a top ten pick next year.

 

I don't think the holes are as many as most think...

[Dragon]

I don't think the holes are as many as most think...

IMO it's...

OG - 1

DE - 1

S - 2

LB - 1

WR - 1 (for now)

[BleedinBlue]

IMO it's...

OG - 1

DE - 1

S - 2

LB - 1

WR - 1 (for now)

Agreed, although I would love to add to your list, a big TE to groom into our future Gronk/Whitten type badass. Jesse James comes to mind. I will be thrilled if he becomes a Giant.

[Nas]

Agreed, although I would love to add to your list, a big TE to groom into our future Gronk/Whitten type badass. Jesse James comes to mind. I will be thrilled if he becomes a Giant.

 

The name is badass...

[Nas]

IMO it's...

OG - 1

DE - 1

S - 2

LB - 1

WR - 1 (for now)

 

All of those can be covered in the draft and in later signings... I do think we're pretty set at DT so I'm glad you don't have it listed...

[BleedinBlue]

The name is badass...

Yeah - I know of two other Jesse James, and they were both bad asses. One was a notorious western outlaw, the other builds bad ass cars and was married to Sandra Bullock, but was tapping other chicks at the same time.

 

This Jesse James - the TE out of Penn State is also a bad ass. He's huge - the biggest TE out there. What pisses me off is that I thought he was flying under the radar, but I read in this morning's news that the Eagles have brought him in for a pre-draft visit and are interested in him. I don't want the Eagles to have him on their team just like I don't like Whitten on the Cowboys. Big TE's tend to dominate our Giants and Whitten has been killing us for years now. If we can't have him, I hope he doesn't go to a team in our division.

 

Here's a write up on him from ESPN:

 

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Jesse James is a freak of nature.

 

Really, there's no other way to describe the 6-foot-7, 272-pound tight end. Coaches and teammates tried their best Saturday to brainstorm other fitting adjectives or ways to encapsulate the junior's ability. But, without fail, they kept returning to that same phrase.

 

"Jesse is just a freak of nature," fellow Penn State tight end Adam Breneman said. "I don't know how else to describe him."

 

Added strength coach Dwight Galt: "He's a freak. ... Athletically, talent-wise, there's not another tight end in the country better than him, for sure. He's got speed, he's got strength, he's got agility, he's got size. He's got everything."

 

James lived up to that billing during Saturday afternoon's annual Lift for Life event, which pit the offense and defense against one another in seven strength competitions while helping raise money to fight kidney cancer. During the 225-pound bench press, the weights exploded off James' chest so quickly it was as if they came from a balloon stand. The tight end's spotter called out "Seven!" before his defensive end opponent reached three.

 

The reps came so quickly, it was easy to lose count. Once finished, a Penn State trainer turned to James' spotter and asked about the final tally. Upon hearing the answer, he just shook his head and looked confused: "What? ... Twenty-seven?" James' teammates alternated between head-shaking and patting him on the shoulder.

 

Had James reached that number in any of the last 10 NFL combines, he would've placed within the top five at his position -- and he would've been at the very top in 2008 and 2011. Compared to the most recent combine, his 27 reps were two fewer than first-round offensive tackle Taylor Lewan and one more than first-round defensive tackle Dominique Easley.

 

"He'll surprise you every day. You never know what's coming with Jesse," Christian Hackenberg said. "It's actually interesting when you get out there with what he does, just how good he is and how fast he is and how strong he is."

 

It's not easy to overthrow James, who reportedly runs in the 4.6 range and stands as the second-tallest player on the 121-man roster. That might have something to do with his recent addition to the Mackey Award watch list. Of course, the fact he's Penn State's leading returnee with 25 catches and 333 yards doesn't hurt either.

 

Put simply, yes, the guy's a freak.

 

"To get a guy that big that does what he does, I haven't seen that," Galt said. "I've been really lucky. I had five tight ends in the NFL at one time, including Vernon Davis and Dan Gronkowski, Rob's brother, and I'll tell you what -- I'll put Jesse James up there with any of them. The kid is really that athletic and that good of a player."

 

Players spoke in such revered and hyperbolic fashion about James that, at times, it seemed as if they were discussing Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster. Tailback Akeel Lynch just laughed when asked about what impressed him most about James and cautioned that it might not sound believable.

 

While most players dead lift with five or six plates and let out painful groans between each lift, Lynch said, Penn State's tight end takes it a step further. Lynch smiled, bent his knees and pantomimed lifting up and down with ease. "And he puts the max weight you can on a bar," Lynch said. "He's a freak. He's a good guy, but he's a freak."

 

On Saturday, James performed 12 reps on the dead lift at 495 pounds. And he promised before the event that he planned to take it easy since this was for charity. ("I won't put too much on today, but it'll be fun.") So what exactly is the max weight the junior can dead lift?

 

"I have no idea," he said matter-of-factly, with a slight shrug. "We haven't found it."

 

James is one of the last players who would exaggerate his talent. The aw-shucks kid from the small, blue-collar borough of Glassport, Pennsylvania, didn't mind dissecting Hackenberg's improvement or waxing poetic on how the freshman receivers were coming along. But it was as if his white T-shirt grew itchy whenever he was asked about himself.

 

"I'm not really the person to talk to about that," James said. "That's just how I was raised."

 

Added offensive guard Miles Dieffenbach: "That's the way he is. Modest guy, really good guy."

 

Humility might serve him well, but the Nittany Lions need someone to step up in a big to make up for more than 125 receptions of lost production from last season. (Allen Robinson, who caught 97 balls in 2013, is now in the NFL.) James is certainly a candidate to be that player, at least in the end zone, and expectations are soaring for the junior.

 

It's still to be determined how James' speed and strength will transfer over to the gridiron this season. But at least one thing is for certain.

 

"He's a freak," Dieffenbach said. "A freak of nature."

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/103749/psu-te-james-lauded-for-freakish-ability

 

 

 

 

 

[Dragon]

 

All of those can be covered in the draft and in later signings... I do think we're pretty set at DT so I'm glad you don't have it listed...

If and only IF we have a great draft. I'm really concerned about our WRs. Our offense was absolutely INEPT before OBJ made his debut. If he goes down we're gonna be back to the same thing.

[BleedinBlue]

If and only IF we have a great draft. I'm really concerned about our WRs. Our offense was absolutely INEPT before OBJ made his debut. If he goes down we're gonna be back to the same thing.

I'd be surprised if they burned an early pick on a skill player because of the high risk and short careers of that type of player. I suspect they'll build the trench or go for an edge rusher of some sort. Plus, I think they are higher on Randle than some fans think. And of course, OBJ is NOT sitting on the bench for anyone to play.

 

The Giants have spent more time checking out Justin Hardy than any other WR which gives me the idea he's on their radar. He'd be a top 10 pick if he was taller. He's definitely built to be a slot receiver and with Cruz an unknown at this point, I suspect they are looking for a backup in case he's not the Cruz of old.

 

Listed at 6 feet, he showed up at the combine barely reaching 5'10" so his stock fell like a brick. Most feel that he will be a superb slot receiver and not a long ball threat. He's a scrapper. He caught 387 passes for 4,541 yards and 35 touchdowns at ECUA. His last three seasons at East Carolina, he topped 1,000 receiving yards each season. As a senior this past season, he had 121 receptions for 1,494 yards with 10 touchdowns and is NCAA's all time leading receiver.

 

From SB Nation:

 

"After the New York Giants lost Victor Cruz to a patellar tendon tear in one of the worst games in recent memory against Philadelphia, even as Odell Beckham emerged as the league's hottest rising star, there's still a ton of questions about the Giants' wide receiving corps.

 

We know the Giants have been working out wide receivers in anticipation of the draft, could they possibly be in the market for Victor Cruz insurance? Let's take a look at a guy in Justin Hardy who could provide a reliable slot presence.

 

Pros

 

- Plays vicious and angry. Will knock you on your ass in run blocking and attacks the ball in the air.

 

- Terrific route runner. Makes sharp cuts and great acceleration in and out of breaks.

 

- Great body control and catch radius to contort body and adjust to errant throws

 

- Intelligent. Knows where the first round marker is and will adjust route/himself to get there.

 

Cons

 

- Slot receiver only at 5-foot-10, 192 pounds.

 

- Not physical enough to win consistently at the catch point due to his size.

 

- Not a deep threat

 

Does He Fit With The Giants?

 

Yes. He's a good fit for any team that needs a slot receiver. He's almost a prototype for the position, with the aggressiveness and anger needed to overcome the physical limitations. As Mike Mayock says, he's "quicker than fast" and he's got terrific body control to rein in catches in traffic. He's a good blocker and is ready to mash in the quagmire that is the shallow zone, where you've got corners, safeties, linebackers, running backs and others mucking around.

 

I saw a pro comparison of Beckham's teammate at LSU, Jarvis Landry, on Twitter for Hardy and I definitely think I agree with that. He plays with the same fire and the same passion to go down and do the dirty work. He goes late day 2 or early day 3 for me".

http://www.bigblueview.com/2015-nfl-draft/2015/4/16/8420157/2015-nfl-draft-prospect-profile-justin-hardy-wr-east-carolina-ny-giants

[Bigblue25]

I'd be surprised if they burned an early pick on a skill player because of the high risk and short careers of that type of player. I suspect they'll build the trench or go for an edge rusher of some sort. Plus, I think they are higher on Randle than some fans think. And of course, OBJ is NOT sitting on the bench for anyone to play.

 

The Giants have spent more time checking out Justin Hardy than any other WR which gives me the idea he's on their radar. He'd be a top 10 pick if he was taller. He's definitely built to be a slot receiver and with Cruz an unknown at this point, I suspect they are looking for a backup in case he's not the Cruz of old.

 

Listed at 6 feet, he showed up at the combine barely reaching 5'10" so his stock fell like a brick. Most feel that he will be a superb slot receiver and not a long ball threat. He's a scrapper. He caught 387 passes for 4,541 yards and 35 touchdowns at ECUA. His last three seasons at East Carolina, he topped 1,000 receiving yards each season. As a senior this past season, he had 121 receptions for 1,494 yards with 10 touchdowns and is NCAA's all time leading receiver.

 

From SB Nation:

 

"After the New York Giants lost Victor Cruz to a patellar tendon tear in one of the worst games in recent memory against Philadelphia, even as Odell Beckham emerged as the league's hottest rising star, there's still a ton of questions about the Giants' wide receiving corps.

 

We know the Giants have been working out wide receivers in anticipation of the draft, could they possibly be in the market for Victor Cruz insurance? Let's take a look at a guy in Justin Hardy who could provide a reliable slot presence.

 

Pros

 

- Plays vicious and angry. Will knock you on your ass in run blocking and attacks the ball in the air.

 

- Terrific route runner. Makes sharp cuts and great acceleration in and out of breaks.

 

- Great body control and catch radius to contort body and adjust to errant throws

 

- Intelligent. Knows where the first round marker is and will adjust route/himself to get there.

 

Cons

 

- Slot receiver only at 5-foot-10, 192 pounds.

 

- Not physical enough to win consistently at the catch point due to his size.

 

- Not a deep threat

 

Does He Fit With The Giants?

 

Yes. He's a good fit for any team that needs a slot receiver. He's almost a prototype for the position, with the aggressiveness and anger needed to overcome the physical limitations. As Mike Mayock says, he's "quicker than fast" and he's got terrific body control to rein in catches in traffic. He's a good blocker and is ready to mash in the quagmire that is the shallow zone, where you've got corners, safeties, linebackers, running backs and others mucking around.

 

I saw a pro comparison of Beckham's teammate at LSU, Jarvis Landry, on Twitter for Hardy and I definitely think I agree with that. He plays with the same fire and the same passion to go down and do the dirty work. He goes late day 2 or early day 3 for me".

http://www.bigblueview.com/2015-nfl-draft/2015/4/16/8420157/2015-nfl-draft-prospect-profile-justin-hardy-wr-east-carolina-ny-giants

 

Tyler Lockett is the guy I keep hearing.

 

Lockett is great route runner. quick off the line and can track the deep ball well. Ran a 4.4 forty with a 4.07 20 yard shuttle, 6.89 3 cone and 11.14 60 yard shuttle. Slight build at 5'10 182 lbs. Provides punt return ability. Father played a year for Coughlin in Jacksonville

 

from cbssports.com

 

 

 

STRENGTHS: Runs like the wind with speed to stretch the field and get behind the secondary on vertical patterns. Sudden, decisive footwork off the snap and in his breaks to sell routes and attract holding penalties. Dynamic and deliberate route runner. Doesn?t slow down in his cuts, showing sharp burst to create space. Deadly stop-and-go and double moves with a strong understanding of how to separate in his routes. Slippery as a ballcarrier with excellent start/stop quickness, changing gears well with his spatial awareness and vision. Instinctive and decisive returner. Tracks and adjusts well, confidently attacking the ball with his hands. Terrific sideline awareness to toe tap with coordination while finishing. Scrappy and not afraid to get physical in tight coverage, using his hands to create room to work. Experienced lining up inside and outside, starting 42 games in college. Extensive experience as a return man at Kansas State with a school-record 2,196 career kick return yards (28.5 average) and four touchdowns and 488 career punt return yards (15.2) and two scores. Holds 17 school records, including breaking his father?s career marks for catches (249), receiving yards (3,710) and touchdown receptions (29). Two-year team captain with strong football character and instilled competitive drive. Football bloodlines as his father (Kevin) and uncle (Aaron) both played wide receiver for Bill Snyder at Kansas State in the mid-1990s ? Kevin was a second rounder (47th overall) in the 1997 NFL Draft and played seven seasons in the NFL.

WEAKNESSES: Shorter-than-ideal and thin-framed with very little muscle mass or room to bulk up. Short arms and small hands with a marginal catching radius. Will fight the ball at times with a bad habit of running before securing, leading to drops. Not a reliable plucker away from his body. Light and can be knocked off his route easily, struggling to win in contested situations despite his high competitive nature. Was rarely engaged by Big 12 defenders before he touched the ball and has never been challenged by press coverage. Goes down too easily with arm and fingertip tackles and won?t pick up yardage after contact with virtually no power to his game as a ballcarrier. Limited as perimeter blocker. Room to improve his ball security with six fumbles on his resume. Frail-looking frame leads to durability concerns and was banged up at times in college, including a lacerated kidney (Nov. 2011) and a nagging hamstring issue that plagued him throughout 2014.