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Colin Cowherd devises Browns trade for Odell Beckham Jr. A trade for the three-time Pro Bowl talent seems unlikely.

• Josh Edwards - 6 hours ago
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The New York Giants have set the market price for wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. as two first-round picks. They are not actively pursuing a trade but the door is left ajar for that possibility. When the reports began to leak out earlier this week, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jarvis Landry was quick to recruit his former LSU teammate to northeast Ohio.

FS1's Colin Cowherd devised a potential trade involving the Browns and Giants. Cleveland would sent the No. 4 overall selection and either a second (the team has three) or third round pick (the team has none in 2018) to New York in exchange for the three-time Pro Bowl talent. The Browns would take USC quarterback Sam Darnold No. 1 overall in that scenario while the Giants would have a number of different opportunities with the No. 2 and No. 4 overall selections.

In theory, the idea sounds intriguing but there are some issues. The Browns are not going to part with the No. 4 overall selection for a player that has been a distraction on and off the field with his tantrums and the latest hotel escapade. The 25-year old has also missed 17 games over the past four seasons.

The media looks at any first round selection as the same. Cleveland's No. 4 overall selection and the Los Angeles Rams' No. 23 overall selection are not the same. In this wishful scenario, General Manager John Dorsey is not giving up the No. 4 overall selection and additional picks. He is not giving up the No. 4 overall selection period. Any team that acquires Beckham would do so knowing that he is asking for $20 million annually. The figure would represent nearly 9-percent of a team's salary cap.

Beckham is a luxury for Cleveland as well. In addition to Landry, Cleveland has Josh Gordon and former first round pick Corey Coleman at the wide receiver position. If Gordon stays clean, Beckham is unnecessary.

The Browns hired Beckham's former wide receivers coach with the Giants and LSU, Adam Henry, this off-season. Landry and Beckham spent three seasons in Baton Rouge learning from the coach. A reunion would likely be welcome.

In 2005, the Minnesota Vikings shipped 28-year old wide receiver Randy Moss to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for the No. 7 overall selection, a seventh round choice and linebacker Napoleon Harris. It could potentially cost more to acquire the 25-year old Beckham. However, teams have seen a watered down trade market this off-season with players like Robert Quinn, Jason Pierre-Paul, Marcus Peters, Tyrod Taylor, Landry and others being moved for less than their value.

Since being taken with the No. 12 overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft, Beckham has accumulated 313 receptions for 4,424 yards and 38 touchdowns in the regular season. In his lone playoff appearance, he recorded four receptions for 28 yards.

John Mara confirms Odell Beckham Jr. is not on the trade block John Mara just dropped the hammer on the Odell Beckham Jr. trade rumors.

• Dan Schneier - 67 minutes ago
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(Photo: Jerry Lai, USA TODAY Sports)

Odell Beckham Jr. will most likely remain with the New York Giants for the 2018 season and beyond.

After more than 24 hours of speculation formulated from multiple anonymous sources about Beckham's intentions to hold out if not given a new contract and about the Giants dangling their star receiver in trade talks, co-owner John Mara dropped the hammer on these anonymous reports.

"He's not on the block," Mara said on Tuesday evening, outside the Ritz-Carlton hotel at the NFL's annual owners' meetings, via SNY. "Is that going to stop clubs from possibly calling us? No. But he's not on the block. We're not shopping him around.

Mara confirmed that the only player who was technically "untradeable" on the roster is left tackle Nate Solder due to the dead salary cap ramifications of moving on from him after he signed a massive four-year, $62 million deal earlier this month.

"We're not looking to get rid of him, OK?" Mara said. "I'd like him to be a Giant. But if you're asking me for a 100 percent guarantee, nobody has that-except maybe Nate Solder because we couldn't afford the appreciation (on his newly-signed four-year, $62 million contract)."

Mara claims the story has taken its own legs and created a stir on social media and outside of the organization. There hasn't been much talk about the rumor inside the Giants' organization. This statement aligns with what general manager Dave Gettleman told the media earlier on Tuesday when he relayed that neither Beckham himself or his agent have said a word to the Giants about the anonymously-sourced reports.

Mara also added that he is not going hang up the phone if another team calls them about trading for Beckham and blows them away with an offer they can't refuse.

"There's no harm in having people call.

"It's certainly a conversation we would have to have if somebody overwhelmed us," Mara said. "Yes."

Mara then dropped one final hammer on the rumor that never made any sense in the first place.

"I don't how much more clearly I can say it," he said. "I don't want him to be traded. I want him to be a Giant. But I can't sit here and tell you that it is 100 percent guarantee that that's going to happen. I can't say that about any player-except Nate Solder."

Steve Tisch dismisses Odell Beckham video as 'background noise' The New York Giants co-owners each offered very different comments on the Odell Beckham Jr. contract situation.

• Dan Schneier - Mar 26, 11:47 AM

(Photo: William Hauser, USA TODAY Sports)

Odell Beckham Jr. and the New York Giants are in the very earliest stages of contract negotiations,

Co-owner Steve Tisch offered more details on the contract situation with Beckham and the Giants from the NFL owners meetings in Orlando on Monday. According to ESPN's Dan Graziano, Tisch seemed unphased by Beckham's recent viral video.

Tisch's comments did not match up perfectly with what Giants co-owner John Mara said about Beckham's upcoming contract, the leaked video, and more from the owners' meetings over the weekend. Mara refused to call the star wide receiver "untouchable" in trade talks when discussing him at the NFL owners meetings in Orlando.

"Giants co-owner Steve Tisch says he hopes Odell Beckham is with the Giants in 2018. Calls recent video "background noise." Says of potential long-term contract, "At the moment, conversations between Dave Gettleman and Odell's representatives are at the earliest, most premature stages." - Graziano

“I think when you are 3-13, nobody is untouchable,” Mara said to Giants reporters at the owners' meetings. “There is nothing on the horizon right now, but you never know.

Of course, Mara made it clear the Giants are not interested in trading the generational talent and this is a scenario they hope to not see come to fruition.

“We are certainly not shopping him. But, again, when you are coming off a season where you are 3-13 and played as poorly as we played, I wouldn’t say that anybody is untouchable. . . You always listen. But that’s not a scenario that I would like to see happen.”

Mara's comments are in stark contrast to everything he has said about Beckham in the past. During previous conversations with the media, Mara has stated he has plans for Beckham to retire as a member of the Giants. It has become abundantly clear Giants ownership is disappointed in Beckham's inability to stay out of the headlines this offseason. Earlier this month, a controversial viral video leaked that showed Beckham in a Paris hotel room with an Instagram model.

Mara admitted that he hopes Beckham uses better judgment to help avoid viral videos like that one leaking again.

“I think too often he allows himself to get put in bad situations, and he needs to use a little better judgment. ... I don’t know what was in that video exactly, but I’m tired of answering questions about Odell’s behavior and what the latest incident is," Mara said at the NFL owners meetings in Orlando, via WFAN.

John Mara won't commit to Odell Beckham being a Giant in 2018, 'disappointed' in latest viral video

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ORLANDO — This was the definition of a dramatic pause.

Giants team president John Mara hesitated, breathed and took several seconds Sunday afternoon to answer the question: Could he foresee a scenario in which Odell Beckham Jr. wouldn’t be on the Giants this coming season?

“I can’t answer that one way or the other,” Mara said in a hallway of the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes in Orlando at the NFL owners’ meetings. “I mean we’re certainly not shopping him, if that’s what you’re asking (laughs). But when you’re coming off a season where you’re 3-13 and played as poorly as we played, I wouldn’t say anyone’s untouchable.”

So would Mara listen if a team called to ask for a Beckham trade?

“You always listen to those things,” Mara added, “but that’s not a scenario I would like to see happen.”

Earlier in the interview, though, Mara had been asked directly if Beckham is untouchable in the wake of the Jason Pierre-Paul trade, and he’d answered: “I think when you’re 3-13 that nobody is untouchable.”

Mara said he was “disappointed” in Beckham’s presence in a recent viral video that appeared to show Beckham and a model with drugs and a pepperoni pizza in bed. And though Mara hasn’t spoken to OBJ about the video since, Mara made clear such behavior makes it more difficult for him to make a long-term commitment to the player.

“I think that’s something you certainly have to take into consideration, yes,” Mara said. “I think too often he allows himself to get put in bad situations and he needs to use a little better judgment … I don’t know what was in that video exactly, but I’m tired of answering questions about Odell’s behavior and what the latest incident is. I think he knows what’s expected of him, and now it’s up to him.”

Mara acknowledged also that he wasn’t just now growing tired of Beckham’s antics. Mara admitted he was already at that point in January at Pat Shurmur’s introductory press conference when Mara had suggested Beckham meet with Shurmur to discuss how he should “act.”

“Yeah, I think you could say that (I’d reached that point in January), yes,” Mara said. “I think it’s been an ongoing process, and listen: he knows what we expect of him. And now it’s up to him.”

Mara additionally said he thinks it’s “a possibility” that the Giants will have Beckham play on the fifth and final year of his rookie contract.

“I don’t think we’ve made a determination on that just yet,” Mara said. “In terms of the contract, that’ll get done when it’s supposed to get done, but again, he knows what we expect of him and now it’s up to him. And I still believe that he’ll be able to show us what we expect of him, but it’s up to him.”

Of course, that would be up to Beckham, too. He could hold out if he wishes for the money he believes he’s owed. He certainly has looked strong and recovered from his broken left ankle in videos he’s posted on Instagram. And the Giants’ offense that was just OK with him was ludicrously bad without him for most of 2017.

Mara, who basically guaranteed last summer that it was a matter of when and not if that Beckham would get a megadeal, now is lukewarm to the idea.

“I think at some point (we’ll get it done), but who knows,” Mara said.

GM Dave Gettleman declined comment on all matters in the Ritz lobby to the Daily News Sunday morning. Assistant GM Kevin Abrams, the man who hammers out the contracts, is here in Orlando, too.

Shurmur, at least, told The News Sunday afternoon at the Ritz that he met with Beckham in California during his recent quarterback prospect tour and had a “great” meeting with OBJ.

“I had an opportunity to visit with Odell and got a chance to get to know him a little better,” Shurmur said.

Mara speculated Shurmur and Beckham may have discussed his viral video but Shurmur declined to describe their conversation in detail any further other than noting they did not talk football or his future with the team because they’re not allowed.

It’s worth asking, though, in light of Mara’s comments and the Pierre-Paul trade: Will Shurmur even get a chance to coach Beckham this fall?

“I don’t think there’s anything on the horizon right now,” Mara. “But you never know.”

Jason Pierre-Paul reacts to being traded by the New York Giants Jason Pierre-Paul found out about being traded away from the New York Giants like everyone else.

• Dan Schneier - 96 minutes ago
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Jason Pierre-Paul found out he was traded by the New York Giants like everyone else did on Thursday.

According to NFL Network's Kim Jones, Pierre-Paul did not find out about the trade until after it was completed. He was surprised to not hear from Giants general manager Dave Gettleman before hand.

"At the end of the day, it’s a business. I know that," Pierre-Paul told Jones in a phone conversation. “Tell everyone at the Giants that I wish them the best.”

Pierre-Paul had nothing but love for the Giants organization during his call with Jones. If you expected the embattled defensive end to be bitter than you were wrong.

“Thank you to the Giants for the 8 years I spent there," Pierre-Paul told Jones. "They’re making changes; I understand that. Thank you to fans that supported me, and thanks for the great Super Bowl run that we had.”

Pierre-Paul also told Jones that Gettleman explained the trade to him by telling him they got an "offer they can't refuse." This suggests the Tampa Bay Buccaneers approached the Giants with the trade offer for Pierre-Paul's services. On Thursday, it was announced the Giants will receive the No. 69 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft and the No. 106 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft for Pierre-Paul and the No. 102 overall pick.

Pierre-Paul admitted to Jones that the silver lining for him is that he'll be closer to his young son down in Tampa Bay, Florida. He will also be returning to South Florida where he played collegiate football at the University of South Florida.

Gettleman released a statement on the trade shortly after the news was announced.

“We appreciate everything Jason has done for the Giants,” Gettleman said, via Giants.com. “He was a fine player for us, and he helped our franchise win Super Bowl XLVI. We wish him well in the future.”

Things might be a bit awkward in 2018 when the Giants play the Buccaneers and see Pierre-Paul in another uniform lining up across from them. The Giants will host the Bucs and JPP will be making his return to MetLife Stadium. He will likely match up against left tackle Nate Solder or whoever the Giants decide to play at right tackle. If the Giants move Ereck Flowers to right tackle, we can already envision a potential revenge game for Pierre-Paul.

In the last three years combined, Pierre-Paul had just 16 1/2 sacks combined and was never going to be a fit for the Giants' new 3-4 base defensive scheme under new defensive coordinator James Bettcher. The Giants now have four 2018 draft picks in the top-70 overall. We always knew Gettleman loves Hog Mollies and was going to draft a defensive lineman early. His track record as Carolina Panthers general manager told us that much. Now he has one more pick to do it and fill that 5-tech void left by Pierre-Paul's absence. Some have speculated this trade will also bring in the draft's top defensive end -- Bradley Chubb -- into the mix for the Giants with the No. 2 overall pick.

The Giants drafted 45 players during the 2008 through 2013 NFL Drafts. There are now no longer any players from those draft classes still on the Giants roster. The Giants fans can just be thankful ex-general manager Jerry Reese is gone.

6 teams that won in free agency

Minnesota Vikings

Any time a team can land a top, young, franchise quarterback in free agency, they get put on the winners' list. The Vikings were able to convince Kirk Cousins that his best chance to win was in Minnesota. Now the Vikings have answered their revolving door quarterback problem, and firmly set themselves up to make a Super Bowl run over the next few years.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans are turning into Patriots south. Tennessee raided New England's free agents by signing Malcolm Butler and Dion Lewis. They kept Josh Kline and are building on their playoff appearance last year. Butler should help solidify a secondary that signed Logan Ryan in free agency last year and drafted Adoree Jackson in 2017.

New York Giants

The Giants biggest offseason need was to upgrade their offensive line. They went and signed Nate Solder to the largest contract in the NFL for an offensive lineman. Solder should bring some much needed leadership to the Giants front-five. They also picked up Jonathan Stewart who can mentor the running backs group, especially if they decide to invest in one in the upcoming draft.

Chicago Bears

The Bears needed to upgrade their wide receiving corps. They did so by signing Allen Robinson to a reasonable deal for a No. 1 wide receiver. They also added Taylor Gabriel who can help the team stretch the field. They even added a receiving tight end in Treu Burton. They did all of this while retaining Cameron Meredith and resigning Prince Amukamara. Not a bad few days for Ryan Pace and new head coach Matt Nagy.

New Orleans Saints

The goal of the Saints entire offseason plan was to keep Drew Brees. They not only kept the best quarterback in their franchise's history, they signed him to a rather reasonable deal. This allows the Saints to continue to build around Brees. They don't have to sacrifice anything on their defense, which they had to do in the past. They used the extra money to sign Patrick Robinson who will solidify their secondary and Demario Davis who can help in their linebacker rotation.

San Francisco 49ers

The Niners got Jimmy Garoppolo's contract out of the way early and kept Marquise Goodwin on the team with a three year deal. Then they upgraded at running back by signing Jerick McKinnon, and convinced Richard Sherman to sign a team friendly deal. The Niners will be everyone's hot pick to go from out of the playoffs to in the playoffs in 2018.

I’m not your mentor: Eli Manning says he won’t train Giants QB successor, but won’t turn his back either

— Eli Manning The Mentor?

Not really my job, he said Friday.

Eli playing the role of Brett Favre and ignoring Aaron Rodgers?

That’s not him, either.

Manning is back to being entrenched as the Giants’ starting quarterback after being solidly endorsed by the new management team of GM Dave Gettleman and coach Pat Shurmur, and seemed indifferent Friday whether they draft either Sam Darnold or Josh Rosen with the second overall pick on April 26.

If the Giants do take Darnold or Rosen with the plan to be Manning’s eventual replacement, he said he will not ask for a trade. He still very much wants to finish his career where it started.

“I have all intentions of finishing my career with the Giants,” he said. “That’s what I want to do. In football, like everything, it’s year by year. See what happens and go from there.”

Will he embrace the role of mentor to Darnold or Rosen?

“Yes, in a sense,” he said Friday at a Super Bowl event where he was a spokesman for Courtyard Marriott.

Then he said, “It’s not your job to mentor somebody. I wouldn’t look at it as that role. I would look at it as it’s my job to prepare and compete and be ready to play each and every game. In that process you are always talking football, always helping out the other guys in the room.”

Manning is optimistic about a quick turnaround for the Giants from last year’s 3-13 misery. He was excited to hear Gettleman talk about improving the offensive and defensive lines. He has already met with Shurmur at the Giants facility and has been watching tapes of the Vikings offense, each play’s name written on the screen.

Manning is a diligent student so it’s no surprise that he’s familiarizing himself with Shurmur’s terminology. He says the offense has components from Andy Reid, Chip Kelly and Norv Turner.

He has no history with Shurmur other than meeting with him last summer when Shurmur’s son Kyle, the starting quarterback at Vanderbilt, attended the Manning Passing Academy. They have spoken and met a few times in the last two weeks.

“Very nice guy,” Manning said. “He’s had success. Excited to get back to work, learn the offense, get guys back in the spring and keep working on it.”

Manning will take the same approach with Darnold or Rosen as he did with Davis Webb and Geno Smith last year. “You are always helping them out. Nothing changes,” he said. “It’s about doing your job, but also helping the other guys around you. Having great communication in the quarterback room has always been important to me.”

But there is a big difference: None of Manning’s backups in the past were brought in specifically to compete with him and eventually take his job. If the Giants invest the second pick on a quarterback, the plan won’t be for him to sit for a couple of years unless Manning, at 37 years old, plays a lot better than he did last season.

When the Packers drafted Aaron Rodgers in 2005, Brett Favre made it clear he was not going to help Rodgers take his job. As a result, there was a lot of friction in their relationship. That is not part of Manning’s personality, but he is also protective of his job.

That was evident when Ben McAdoo benched him for one game in December, leading not only to fan backlash, but to Manning being quite upset. Even so, if Darnold or Rosen is a teammate next year, Manning will not ignore them.

“I’m not going to give a cold shoulder to anybody,” Manning said. “You are always trying to help other guys and talk. That’s just part of being a quarterback.”

He’s not concerned if Gettleman picks a potential franchise quarterback in less than three months. “They have to draft whether it’s for the future or now,” he said. “They got to figure out how to put the best players on the field. Whatever they draft, I’m fine with. It’s about me doing my job and that’s playing quarterback.”

Kurt Warner was the perfect mentor for Manning in 2004. He was a former Super Bowl MVP looking to re-establish himself as a starter and move on to his next job. Warner and the Giants knew he would be one-and-done. He started the first nine games before Tom Coughlin switched to Manning when the Giants were 5-4 after dropping two straight games.

The pressure will be on Manning to play well in 2018 and turn the Giants around. If he’s doing neither, the rookie will play. “I got to go out there and compete and win games,” he said. “If I am doing that, everything else will take care of itself.”

The Eagles, in the Super Bowl on Sunday, have provided the Giants with inspiration. They went from last place in the NFC East in 2016 with a 7-9 record to first place this season at 13-3, tying the Patriots for the best record in the league.

“I think we can turn it around,” Manning said. “We were an 11-win team the year before. There is talent there. It’s not that much changes from both years. We got to get back healthy and there will be some additions. We just got to play better football. There is enough talent to win a lot of football games.”

Manning said he is not motivated to want New England to beat the Eagles so the Giants will remain the only team to defeat them in the Super Bowl during the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady era.

“I don’t think of it in those terms,” he said. “I’m not rooting for one team over the other. I’m going to watch the game just as a fan of football, not a fan of either team.”He obviously hopes he’s back in the Super Bowl next year — but not as a mentor.

Steve Spagnuolo: Ben McAdoo will get another NFL head coaching job

Steve Spagnuolo believes Ben McAdoo did an "outstanding job" and will be a head coach in the NFL again.

The former Giants defensive coordinator stuck his neck out for the head coach whose job he temporarily took over when McAdoo was fired following a 2-10 start to the season and the benching of quarterback Eli Manning.

"It was a really tough year," Spagnuolo said Wednesday on SiriusXM radio with Jim Miller and Pat Kirwan. "I want to say this up front, Ben McAdoo, who was our head coach, in my opinion will be a head coach again. He did an outstanding job. I mean, we just had things kind of snowball the wrong way this year. Sometimes when that ball gets rolling the wrong way it's hard to push it back up and get going in the middle of it."

On top of the losing, the Giants battled a ton of injuries to key players such as Odell Beckham Jr. but also had disciplinary problems with two players getting suspended under McAdoo and others anonymously trashing the head coach to the media.

And that was before the plan to give Geno Smith a chance to play, ultimately resulting in Manning taking a seat to break his consecutive games streak.

Spagnuolo, though, said that seasons like this can sometimes be more valuable for a coach.

"Look, you live and you learn, right? I always think sometimes you get more out of a rough season like that than you do the great ones that we have," he said. "Some bonds are created when you go through adverse situations and we did have that."

Spagnuolo added that he enjoyed working for McAdoo and lauded the entire organization for the way things were handled the final month, in which the Giants went 1-3.

"I didn't want to see Ben go because I believe in him, I loved working for him," Spagnuolo said. "Then we had a month and I'm very, very proud of what the people in the building did, the players, coaches, it was not easy."

Spagnuolo, whose defense was ranked 31st this season, is not currently on any coaching staff.

He was interviewed to earn the Giants head coaching job on a permanent basis at the end of the season, but the organization hired Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur.

Shurmur then hired Cardinals defensive coordinator James Bettcher to replace Spagnuolo.

Ex-Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams issues warning to Giants about new GM Dave Gettleman

Former Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams has a warning for any Giants players who will be playing under new GM Dave Gettleman.

“He’s your problem now,” Williams said Tuesday on WFAN’s “Boomer and Gio” from radio row in Minneapolis. “That’s exactly what I’d tell them. For the vet players that are there now, be very cautious. Once he gets his guys in there, then he develops that relationship with them, and not developing a relationship with the guys that are already there because he doesn’t know them.”

Williams referred to his personal experience of being cut by Gettleman, as well as the exit of five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Steve Smith, as to why he feels the way he does.

“When you’re down in that locker room you are family ... If I’m friends with you or I’m a family member of yours, when I call you into the office to release you, I handle it in a family member type way,” Williams said. “Like, ‘Hey, we really appreciate everything you’ve done for this organization, really loved everything you’re doing,’ it’s more like breaking up with your girlfriend, ‘it’s not you, it’s me.’ Whatever excuses you give.

“When you come into an office somebody handling business, ‘Hey man, you’re gone.’ Like, wait, what? ... Nine years. I been here for nine years, I played through injuries ... I give everything you possibly can for an organization and the way they let you go is ‘Hey man, you’re out of here.’ They let Steve (Smith) go through a text message.”

Williams and Smith were both cut after the 2014 season, a year before the Panthers went 15-1 en route to the Super Bowl, where they lost to the Broncos, 24-10.

Gettleman was GM of the Panthers from 2013-16 before he was shockingly fired before the start of training camp for the 2017 season.

Dave Gettleman watches more tape, confirms Eli Manning will stay Dave Gettleman has finally found the time to watch all of Eli Manning's game tape before making a conclusion for 2018.

• Dan Schneier - 15 hours ago
• 0

Eli Manning will return as the New York Giants starter in 2018.

General manager Dave Gettleman finally had a chance to watch all of Manning's game tape from 2017, and not just the impressive performance against the Eagles late in the season, and he came away impressed with what he saw. Gettleman didn't outright say it, but it's clear he blames the old offensive scheme, play calling, poor pass protection on the offensive line, injuries at wide receiver, and the lack of a running game for Manning's struggles.

According to Calvin Watkins on Twitter, Gettleman said the Giants have talent and “we will build it one brick at a time." Gettleman also said Manning will return and the Philly game was not a “mirage.” Gettleman made these comments at the Senior Bowl in Mobile as the Giants begin their process of scouting the draft prospects in the 2017 class.

Manning has played behind one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL, relatively speaking, for nearly a decade. Former general manager Jerry Reese was never able to rebuild the 2007-2008 Giants offensive line that featured David Diehl, Rich Seubert, Shaun O'Hara, Chris Snee, and Kareem McKenzie. Reese's attempts to rebuild the offensive line focused on throwing the occasional early-round pick on undersized prospects from small schools (Weston Richburg) or project picks from warm-weather schools (Ereck Flowers).

Reese didn't grind game tape and have any convictions on mid-round offensive linemen. Therefore, the Giants rarely used multiple or even one mid-round draft pick on an offensive lineman or two in most draft classes. Gettleman will completely remedy that. During his tenure as Carolina Panthers general manager, Gettleman landed borderline Pro Bowl guard Trai Turner in round three, an above-average right tackle Daryl Williams in round four, and the best left guard int he NFL in Andrew Norwell as an undrafted free agent signing.

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Getting back to a focus on the run game will also help Manning. During his wrap-up interview with WFAN to end the 2017 season, Manning told the radio host that he would love to get back to the play-action passing game. This was an offensive concept that went missing under Ben McAdoo. Prospective new Giants head coach Pat Shurmur leans on the play-action passing game more than almost any offensive play-caller in the entire NFL. In 2017, Vikings quarterback Case Keenum ran play-action passes the third-highest percentage of any quarterback in the NFL and had quarterback rating above 110 on those plays.

Giants to hire James Bettcher as defensive coordinator Former Cardinals DC to take same job with Giants

• Steven Taranto - 9 hours ago

The New York Giants will hire former Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator James Bettcher to serve in the same role with the Giants, according to a report by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

According to Rapoport, Bettcher, who served as the Cardinals' defensive coordinator from 2015 until 2017, reportedly chose the Giants over the Tennessee Titans, which he also interviewed with. Bettcher was not retained by the Cardinals after Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks was hired to be the head coach of the team.

Bettcher will take over at defensive coordinator for Steve Spagnuolo, who served as the team's defensive coordinator from 2007 to 2008, and then again from 2015 to 2017. Betcher could have a Sean McVay-like impact for the Giants in 2018. McVay is an offensive-minded coach and Bettcher is a defensive-minded coach, but they share in common a passion for the Xs and Os and schematic side of football. Bettcher interviewed for the Giants defensive coordinator position in Mobile at the Senior Bowl on Tuesday and the franchise would be wise to move fast and go all-in on adding him to head coach Pat Shurmur's staff as his defensive coordinator. Bettcher has coordinated an elite defense according to advanced analytics website Football Outsiders over the past three seasons, finishing with the No. 3, No. 3, and No. 4 overall defense, according to FO's DVOA metric, respectively from 2015-2017.

The success of Bettcher's units is only an added bonus to what the Giants would be getting if they hired him as their defensive coordinator. The Giants would be getting one of the brightest young defensive minds in the NFL who could have an impact on the Giants defense similar to the one McVay had on the Rams offense in 2017.

For more quotes from former and current players who Bettcher coaches, some insight on his Xs and Os and schematic prowess, and more on, check out this feature on why Bettcher can make an incredible impact for the Giants in year one.

“I would love to see James Bettcher get the job,” said ex-Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians of the Cardinals head coach opening, via AZ Central, who added that Bettcher is "more than qualified" for the position.

"He’s ready to be a head coach anywhere," Arians said.

“I look at names that people are throwing out right now [as head coaching candidates],” Arians said, via Sports Illustrated. “and I’m shocked that James isn’t amongst them. He is extremely bright, high energy, an excellent communicator. When I first met him at Indianapolis, I knew he was going to be a star.”

New York Giants hire Shurmur as next head coach

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur has been hired as the New York Giants head coach.

The Giants announced the hiring late Monday afternoon, less than 24 hours after Shurmur and the Vikings were beaten by the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC title game.

The 52-year-old Shurmur replaces Ben McAdoo, who was fired in early December with the team mired with a 2-10 record and owners and fans upset with his handling of the benching of two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning.

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo took over for the final four games and posted a 1-3 record.

"He has an outstanding track record in developing young players, and it is clear his players respond to his guidance and direction," co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch said in a statement.

"We interviewed six talented and qualified candidates, and we feel like Pat, with his vision and experience, is the right person to lead our team."

The Giants won't officially introduce Shurmur until Friday. A winter storm in the Midwest is preventing him from coming to New Jersey on Tuesday and he will be at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, from Tuesday night through Thursday.

Shurmur returns to the head coaching ranks for the first time since leading the Cleveland Browns in 2011-12. He takes over a troubled team that posted a 3-13 record a year after making the playoffs.

Shurmur was interviewed on Jan. 6 by Mara, new general manager Dave Gettleman and assistant GM Kevin Abrams.

Following that meeting in Minneapolis, Shurmur had an hour-long phone conversation with Tisch.

"I can't wait to start working with Pat," said Gettleman. "I know he will provide the type of leadership we need to take our team back to where it belongs. I have followed Pat's career for many years, and he has had great success wherever he has been.

"What struck me during our conversation is that being the head coach of the New York Giants is not too big for him. He is made for this moment and this opportunity."

The Giants interviewed five other candidates, kicking it off with Spagnuolo three days after the season ended.

New York also spoke with New England coordinators Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia, Carolina defensive coordinator Steve Wilks and recently fired Broncos running backs coach Eric Studesville, who has since been hired as a running backs coach by the Dolphins. Wilks was hired as the head coach in Arizona on Monday

Shurmur has earned a reputation as a quarterback whisperer. NFC title game opponents Nick Foles of the Eagles and Case Keenum of the Vikings were tutored by him.

With the Giants, Shurmur will get to work with Manning and possibly the No. 2 pick in the draft, if New York uses the pick to pick an heir apparent.

But the Giants also had problems in the locker room. Three defensive backs — Janoris Jenkins, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Eli Apple were suspended for a game for conduct detrimental to the team.

Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen said Shurmur constantly put players in position to contribute and he doesn't take anything for granted.

"He's not a stubborn guy. He's going to throw stuff out if it's not working, and he's going to find things that guys are good at," Thielen said Monday as the Vikings cleaned out their lockers.

"So I think as a head coach, he's going to do that on both sides of the ball. Special teams, he's going to find guys who can make plays and let them do what they do. So I think he's going to have a lot of success as a head coach."

Shurmur has been a part of teams that have qualified for the playoffs nine times and won seven division titles. He was Philadelphia's quarterbacks coach when the Eagles played in the Super Bowl against New England in the 2004 season.

Shurmur is finishing his second year with the Vikings. He began last season as the tight ends coach and for the final nine games was also the offensive coordinator, the title he retained this season.

The Vikings finished 10th in the NFL in scoring (23.9 points), 11th in total yardage (356.9), and seventh in rushing yardage (122.3) this season.

Shurmur posted a 9-23 record in his two seasons with the Browns, going there after a two-year stint as the offensive coordinator with the Rams. He spent three seasons as the Eagles offensive coordinator after being fired.

Shurmur's NFL coaching career began with a 10-year run (1999-2008) in Philadelphia. He coached in college at Stanford and Michigan State.

Everything to know about Pat Shurmur, who is expected to be next Giants head coach

The expectation is for the Giants to hire current Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur once his season comes to an end, which could be next Monday or after the Super Bowl.

Shurmur will be just the fourth Giants head coach since 1997 (excluding interim coach Steve Spagnuolo) and will be joining a team coming off a 3-13 season and holding the No. 2 pick in the draft.

So, who exactly is this guy? Here is a little bit on what you need to know about Shurmur:

Age: 52

Birthplace: Dearborn, Michigan

College: Michigan State, was starting center for three seasons and co-captain during 1987 Rose Bowl victory over USC.

Experience: 18 years as coach in NFL, nine years as college assistant. Vikings offensive coordinator (2016-17), Eagles offensive coordinator (2013-15), Browns head coach (2011-12), Rams offensive coordinator (2009-10), Eagles quarterbacks coach (2002-08), Eagles tight ends/offensive line coach (1999-01), Stanford o-line coach (1999), Michigan State tight ends coach (1990-97).

Quarterbacks coached: Case Keenum (2017), Sam Bradford (2010, 2015-17), Mark Sanchez (2014-15), Nick Foles (2013-14), Brandon Weeden (2012), Colt McCoy (2011), Marc Bulger (2009), Jeff Garcia (2006), Donovan McNabb (2002-08)

Coaching tree: Andy Reid (1999-08), Chip Kelly (2013-15), Steve Spagnuolo (2009-10), Mike Zimmer (2016-17)

Notable offensive coaches he's worked with: Brad Childress (OC in Cleveland), Marty Mornhinweg (OC in Philadelphia), Bill Lazor (QB coach Philadelphia), Bill Musgrave (QB coach Philadelphia), Tony Sparano (O-line coach in Minnesota)

Notable defensive coaches he's worked with: Dick Jauron (DC in Cleveland), Bill Davis (DC in Philadelphia, linebackers coach Cleveland), Ken Flajole (DC in St. Louis)

Fun fact: Shurmur is the nephew of Fritz Shurmur — former defensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers from 1994-98 and defensive coach in the NFL from 1975-98. His son, Kyle, is the starting quarterback at Vanderbilt.

Report: Eli Apple’s career with Giants is ‘done’

The New York Giants may still need to hire a new general manager, a new head coach and a new coaching staff, but those remaining with the team feel one thing is certain: cornerback Eli Apple will not return in 2018.

The Giants suspended Apple on Wednesday for repeated outbursts and conduct detrimental to the team, this time stemming from an altercation with cornerbacks coach Tim Walton and a crude comment made to the New York media.

"We have suspended Eli for a pattern of behavior that is conduct detrimental to the team," interim general manager Kevin Abrams said in a press release.

Because Apple was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team, it opens the door for the Giants to void his guaranteed money and cut his dead cap hit in half.

And it now appears that's exactly the route the Giants intend to take.

Although he apologized for his comments after a mandatory meeting with interim head coach Steve Spagnuolo and Apple on Wednesday morning, Pro Bowl safety Landon Collins stated bluntly earlier this week that the sophomore cornerback was a locker-room "cancer."

Collins may have flown solo with his comments, but the decision to suspend Apple and prevailing theory that his career with the Giants is over lends some credence to Collins' "cancer" comments, however distasteful they may have been.

Where Apple ends up in 2018 remains to be seen, but there's no denying he's done irreparable harm to his reputation and cost himself millions upon millions of dollars.

Eli Apple, inactive, celebrates Cowboys RB Rod Smith’s TD run against Giants on Twitter

Eli Apple has more explaining to do.

Apple, the Giants’ corner in the doghouse who was scratched for a fourth straight game on Sunday, retweeted a Twitter account hailing Cowboys running back Rod Smith’s 81-yard touchdown against his own Giants teammates.

Apple and Smith were Ohio State teammates in 2014, but … still.

Apple, 22, approached outside the Giants’ locker room after a 30-10 loss to Dallas, said he couldn’t talk but would be available to speak today at the team’s next open locker room.

Apple, listed out with ankle and back injuries, also tweeted a cryptic “gotta smile in times adversity” message with an upside-down smiling face as his team fell to 2-11.

Apple has been disciplined throughout the season. Ex-coach Ben McAdoo benched him for three series against the Chargers in Week 5 for reportedly yelling at an assistant coach in practice. Apple said after that game that the “culture” needed to change, implying he was a scapegoat.

Apple then reportedly was criticized in a team meeting for a lack of effort after the San Francisco loss and reportedly threatened to leave the team.

The Giants suffered yet another injury to a crucial player — this time strong safety Landon Collins. Collins left the game in the middle of the fourth quarter with a left ankle sprain after chasing down Cole Beasley on a 50-yard catch and run.

Collins walked off the field and did not return, but said it is only a mild sprain and is not expecting it to end his season.

“I guess I turned a different way and as my body went over my foot, something tweaked I guess,” he said.

Wide receiver Darius Powe, however, had his season end when he broke his right foot on his first career catch in the first half of his NFL debut. Powe said he knew his foot was broken when the play happened but kept playing through the pain.“Until I couldn’t run no more,” Powe said.

ODELL SIGHTING

Odell Beckham Jr. was back on the sidelines on Sunday, watching the Giants play while sitting on the bench.

After the Daily News criticized him for being mum on all the drama surrounding the team while consistently talking about himself, Beckham said earlier this week via Twitter that he would attend the game .

“I CANNNNT waitt to be back in Met Life Sunday. It’s time to get this train back on the right track. 10....lead the way brotha. We all support you,” he tweeted.

INACTIVE LIST

Right tackle Justin Pugh (back) remained inactive for the fourth straight game and fifth time in the last six, with a season shutdown now possible. Linebacker B.J. Goodson (ankle) also was inactive for the fifth time in six games after re-injuring his last week in Oakland. Joining them on the inactive list were Apple, WR Travis Rudolph (hamstring) and healthy scratches WR Tavarres King and DT Khyri Thornton.

O-lineman Chad Wheeler dressed despite a concussion last Sunday in Oakland but Bobby Hart started at right tackle. Others who were banged up during the week but still played Sunday included RB Orleans Darkwa (illness), WR Sterling Shepard (hamstring) and DE Jason Pierre-Paul (finger).“Until I couldn’t run no more,” Powe said.

Giants fire Ben McAdoo, GM Jerry Reese during tumultuous Big Blue season

A fog hung over East Rutherford on Monday morning. Around 10:30 a.m., Giants co-owner John Mara fired GM Jerry Reese. Then he fired head coach Ben McAdoo. And then the day ended with Reese packing his car in the dark at 5 p.m. under the floodlights, while McAdoo left unseen.

Dec. 4, 2017, forever will be remembered as Blue Monday — a total house-cleaning of a franchise gone wrong.

Assistant GM Kevin Abrams will take over as interim GM, and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will take over as interim head coach.

“I met this morning with Jerry Reese and Ben McAdoo and relieved both of them of their responsibilities,” a solemn Mara said to open a 2 p.m. press conference in the Giants’ auditorium. “(Co-owner) Steve Tisch and I met after the game (in Oakland Sunday) and agreed to talk this morning, which we did. And we agreed that wholesale changes needed to be made to this organization to get us back to the team that we expect to be. And we also agreed that it was pointless to wait any longer to make these changes.”

Mara said the general manager search “starts right away,” with ex-Giants GM Ernie Accorsi serving as a consultant to the process. And he hopes to have his GM in place before the head coach in an “ideal scenario.” He admitted firing Reese and McAdoo now “is somewhat of a tactical advantage” to start looking at candidates immediately with a franchise-defining draft and likely top-three pick awaiting in April.

Reese, 54, departs with two Super Bowl wins, in 2007 and 2011, but was on his way to missing the playoffs for the fifth time in the past six years primarily due to mismanagement of the roster and draft.

Reese’s first draft in 2007 contributed meaningful players to that year’s Super Bowl run with a roster mostly assembled by Accorsi, who now will direct the Giants’ search for a new GM. Reese also hit big in the 2014 first-round on Odell Beckham Jr. and in the 2015 second-round on Landon Collins.

But only 10 of Reese’s 43 draft picks from 2010-15 remain on the team. And his refusal this offseason going into Year 11 to upgrade the offensive line was nothing short of malpractice, while the signing of Brandon Marshall was a dud. He was spared two years ago when Tom Coughlin was shown the door but couldn’t survive a second historically bad season in three years.

“I don’t think there was any one final straw,” Mara said of the tipping point for Reese. “I just think that where we are as a franchise right now, you know, we’re 2-10. We’ve kind of been spiraling out of control. I just felt like we needed a complete overhaul. I don’t think there was any one event or one final act to precipitate that.”

McAdoo, 40, meanwhile, completed a dramatic fall from grace following a promising rookie season in which the Giants went 11-5 and snapped a four-year playoff drought. He was fired with two years remaining on a four-year contract.

“I’ve been around long enough not to get shocked by many things, but I certainly did not see this coming,” Mara said of the startling turnaround.

McAdoo lost 11 of his last 13 games beginning with last January’s 38-13 blowout Wild Card playoff loss in Green Bay and finished with a 13-16 (.448) record as head coach, a position he took over after two seasons as Coughlin’s offensive coordinator coming from Mike McCarthy’s staff in Green Bay.

The deciding factor, even though Mara tried to deny it Monday, was McAdoo’s benching of Eli Manning that — while directed by Mara — sent the fan base over the edge, watching a coach with no credentials make their quarterback’s eyes well up with tears and end his consecutive start streak at 210 (second all-time to Brett Favre’s 297).

McAdoo’s Manning fiasco was only the latest embarrassment in a season rife with player suspensions, effort problems on defense, injuries, poor game plans, and anonymous player quotes ripping the coach and Spagnuolo.

All of that is why the Giants fired a coach midseason for the first time since 1976, when Bill Arnsparger was let go seven games into his third season at 7-28 (.200). LeRoy Andrews in 1930 was the only other Giants coach released in season. Jim Fassel announced his own firing with two games left in 2003 but coached the last two games.

The beginning of the end for McAdoo was that wild week in January before the 25-point loss in Green Bay: Odell Beckham Jr. and the receivers took a boat trip in Miami six days before the game, and then Beckham punched a hole in the wall at Lambeau Field after the loss. McAdoo did nothing to discipline Beckham, as he also did nothing when left tackle Ereck Flowers had shoved a reporter in Green Bay earlier that season.

Then this season, when Beckham lifted his leg and pretended to pee like a dog in the end zone in Philadelphia, McAdoo did nothing. Mara called Beckham’s actions unacceptable.

Mara said he spoke to several players concerned by blowout losses and poor efforts but said he did not get feedback that guys were quitting on the coach, and yet Sunday’s 24-17 loss to the Raiders at the Black Hole in Oakland was the Giants’ fifth loss in their last six games.

And three of their final four games will be home against NFC East rivals in the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, the Philadelphia Eagles the following week and Washington on New Year’s Eve, and the threat of empty seats and more over-the-top outrage was a factor, too.

“I was certainly cognizant of what the fan reaction was likely to be over the last four weeks, but that wasn’t the final determining factor,” Mara said.

The Giants co-owner accurately did not blame injuries for the team’s horrible record and laid some of the responsibility at the feet of underperforming players.

“We still started out 0-5 with a relatively healthy roster up until that fifth game when all of our wide receivers got hurt,” Mara said.

The time for moving players out will come in the offseason. Monday, it was time for the GM and coach to go.

ok maybe I'm crazy but that's what they said

what??! Geno and Eli are switching places??

Moving?

:cwy:

just trying to stay ahead of you Jerz x

Boi please I am slowly moving into the gutter!

am I just a girl? I literally want to cry about this! I want to see geno get his teeth knocked out! We need to continue to lose so we can get better draft picks. The fact that Mcadoo sucks and benched Eli is killing me! Eli is the man and the man to teach the next QB. Am I the only person pissed the fuck off?? Or am I just being a girl? shit I'm still pissed!! FIRE MCADOOF AND REESE! let's get an oline!

nice D on 4th and 1

your performance in the pick em is making me want to kick your ass.

hes already gone, j

noooo I am so sad about that :cwy: It breaks my heart!

I don't like this at all. Geno wins this game (which he won't) We lose Eli.

I don't give a shit there is no way you make this right.