New York Giants News

Giants news, 5/5: Dexter Lawrence, rookie minicamp, Bryce Ford-Wheaton, more headlines

New York Giants news for Saturday

By JamesPHickey May 6, 2023, 6:00am EDT

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Giants’ DT Dexter Lawrence says Hall of Fame, not money, is his ultimate goal

New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence now has life-changing money, having on Friday signed his four-year, $90 million contract ($60 million guaranteed). Now, though, Lawrence is on to his next objective.

“My ultimate goal is to be legendary, to be a Hall of Famer,” Lawrence said. “I got drafted. That’s one step. OK, let’s have a good rookie year. OK, let’s not make the same mistakes the next year. Let’s keep building until you get where we’re at, and I’m not where I want to be.”

And the signing made the head coach and GM want to dance

Do your dance, 97 pic.twitter.com/p0jEJtNB69
— New York Giants (@Giants) May 5, 2023

More from Big Blue View

Other Giants observations

One major 2023 NFL Draft takeaway for all 32 NFL teams | NFL Draft | PFF

New York Giants: They Nailed It. I loved the Giants’ draft. No team in the NFL played more Cover 1 or Cover 0 (man coverage concepts) last year than the Giants, and they selected one of the best man coverage corners in the draft in Deonte Banks. They also got their future starting center in John Michael Schmitz in the second round while adding one of the best vertical threats in the class at receiver with Jalin Hyatt. This was a home-run draft with three impact players in three rounds.

Deonte Banks in uniform for the first time as a New York Football Giant

Let’s get started pic.twitter.com/di5X77wVT2
— New York Giants (@Giants) May 5, 2023

Giants sign 9 undrafted rookie free agents | Giants.com

In addition to their seven-man draft class, the New York Giants announced the signings of nine undrafted free agents with rookie minicamp here. Those signed are DE Habakkuk Baldonado, Pittsburgh; LB Troy Brown, Mississippi; DB Alex Cook, Washington;QB Tommy DeVito, Illinois; WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton, West Virginia; DB Gemon Green, Michigan; LB Dyontae Johnson, Toledo; TE Ryan Jones, East Carolina; and LS Cameron Lyons, North Carolina-Charlotte

Meet the Giants UDFAs: Why a WR picked NY despite calls from Pete Carroll, Nick Sirianni | The Athletic

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and Eagles coach Nick Sirianni both called Bryce Ford-Wheaton after the draft concluded last Saturday, but he chose to sign with the Giants, largely due to the bond he formed with coach Brian Daboll during a pre-draft visit.

“I talked to him for a long time,” Ford-Wheaton said. “My phone was blowing up while I was on the phone with him. I was sending everybody else to voicemail because in my head I was already like, ‘This is where I want to go.’”

“The determining factor was I had David Sills, one of my old teammates, up there. He’s done what I’m trying to do right now.”

Giants’ Brian Daboll happy to let rookies ‘compete it out’ | New York Post

“Your job as a coaching staff, I’ll say this until I’m done coaching, is to get good players and find a way to use them. You have a playbook, but our playbook really isn’t finished quite yet. We just added some players, and we have to do a good job as a staff of going out there on the practice field and trying different things, seeing how people respond, running different routes, or doing some different blocking schemes.

Lawrence expects No. 26 will get paid as well

Dexter Lawrence said Friday he believes Giants RB Saquon Barkley is "gonna get what he deserves" financially.
— Big Blue View (@bigblueview) May 5, 2023

2024 NFL mock draft: Todd McShay’s early first-round predictions - ESPN.com
As for the Giants, McShay has Brian Daboll’s squad picking 19th in the first round. There, he projects they’ll bolster their defensive line: Michael Hall Jr., DT, Ohio State

The Giants will have some decisions to make along the defensive line, with Leonard Williams, Jihad Ward and A’Shawn Robinson all set to play on expiring deals this season. (Dexter Lawrence just agreed to a four-year extension.) Hall is explosive on the interior, picking up 4.5 sacks last season. I could see him fitting in with New York nicely.

2023 NFL Draft: The most questionable selections made by each team | CBSSports.com
Jordon Riley, DT, Oregon (Round 7, No. 243 overall)

Brandon Dorlus...was never the focal point of my Oregon film study so I do not have a strong opinion on him. For that reason, he is the most questionable selection. All things considered, a late seventh-round pick being the team's most questionable selection is likely a good indication of its overall draft class.

Best Offensive Lines in the NFL 2023: Eagles, Browns, and Lions Battle Atop Rankings | ProFootballNetwork.com

29) New York Giants. Slowly but steadily, the Giants are rebuilding their offensive line. Thomas is already one of the league’s best tackles, but Neal needs to show growth after struggling during his rookie campaign. Schmitz is a wild card — if the rookie center can offer an improvement over Jon Feliciano, last year’s starting pivot, New York could rise in our rankings.