New York Giants News

Giants news, 7/4: Andre Patterson, Matt Peart, Darius Slayton, more headlines

New York Giants news for Tuesday

By JamesPHickey Jul 4, 2023, 6:00am EDT

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Good morning, New York Giants fans!

Doing it his way: Giants’ defensive line coach Andre Patterson has found success with unique style

From the profile of the Giants defensive line coach by BBV's Ed Valentine

Patterson took pride in watching Lawrence blossom. It wasn’t, though, different than watching any player realize his potential.

“My job is to help my players get better. It’s not about me. I don’t let my ego get in the way. It’s not about what people say about me. It’s about me helping my players achieve their dreams,” Patterson said. “And when I say dreams, that’s a big word because some guys in the room are just trying to make the team. Some guys in the room are trying to fight to be starters. Some guys in the room are trying to get their second contract. Some guys in the room are trying to go to the Pro Bowl, and some guys in the room, if you’re lucky, have the ability to be the best at their position in the league.

“And so it’s about me doing whatever I have to do to help them achieve their dreams and their goals. It’s not about me. It’s not about me protecting my image or my label. It’s about me doing whatever I have to do to help my players achieve their goals.”

Other Giant observations

Joe Burrow’s contract, Jimmy Garoppolo’s foot and one summer concern for all 32 NFL teams | The Athletic

Will Saquon Barkley and the Giants reach a long-term deal?

Barkley’s contract situation has been one of the biggest questions of the offseason, even before he was franchise tagged in March. But the months of negotiations will come down to a July 17 deadline to reach a deal or the running back will play on the $10.1 million tag. Earlier this month, Barkley spoke to reporters for the first time since being tagged and expressed frustration by leaks of the team’s offers. While Barkley can leverage the threat of sitting out and he didn’t rule out the scenario, it’d be very drastic for a player who is conscious of his legacy. But as Barkley pointed out numerous times in his June remarks, they’ve got until July 17 to hammer out a deal.

Every NFL Team’s Biggest X-Factor Entering 2023 Season | The 33rd Team

A resurrected Waller would not just mean a No. 1 receiving option for a Giants offense lacking anything close to an actual No. 1 wideout. It also means a new dynamic, flexible piece to pair with incumbent dynamic, flexible piece Saquon Barkley. The franchise-tagged sixth-year pro is one of the few running backs who can be a veritable threat from anywhere in the formation.

But guys like that, in some ways, are only super valuable if there is a similar weapon to go alongside them. (Best example: Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel in San Francisco.) Otherwise, the implications of their positional flexibility can only go so far. Waller potentially makes Barkley more dangerous.

Ranking Most Underrated WRs in NFL Ahead of 2023 Season | Bleacher Report

Topping the list is Giants wideout Darius Slayton.

Outside of fantasy, Slayton also remains underrated, and the offseason additions of Darren Waller and rookie Jalen Hyatt will likely keep him overlooked in New York. Even in an inconsistent Giants passing attack, though, he has topped 700 yards in three of his four seasons and has provided a passer rating above 96.0 in two of them.

What's really impressive about Slayton is his efficiency. This past season, he ranked fourth in the NFL in yards per target (10.2), behind only A.J. Brown, Jaylen Waddle and Dallas Goedert—and one spot ahead of Tyreek Hill.

Browns: Ranking Deshaun Watson and all 32 starting quarterbacks | USAToday.com

17. Daniel Jones, New York Giants

I probably would not have paid Daniel Jones what the Giants did. But he did enough under Brian Daboll, and the head coach is creative enough offensively to make it work. I do think Jones is physically gifted enough to avoid the Cousins clone allegations, but after four years you have to wonder if Jones has arrived at his ceiling as a mid-tier quarterback.

NFL’s All-Underpaid Team: Travis Kelce and More Players Who Deserve Bigger Contracts | Bleacher Report

Giants offensive lineman Andrew Thomas was one of two tackles on the list. Thomas has improved markedly in each of his first three seasons with Big Blue and should be in line for a raise as the league’s 32nd-highest-paid tackle.

Ranking top five NFL rookie cornerbacks by who will be most productive in 2023 |. CBSSports.com

3. Deonte Banks, Giants

Banks was the most eye-opening, rocket of an athlete in a loaded cornerback class in the 2023 draft. He ran 4.35 in the 40-yard dash with a 42-inch vertical and a broad jump in the 98th percentile at the position. The Giants moved up one spot to ensure they'd land Banks, because he's an ideal scheme fit for Wink Martindale's aggressive, blitz-happy, man-coverage heavy defense. On 60 targets in his coverage area at Maryland in 2022, Banks surrendered just 26 grabs. That crazy-low reception rate of 43.3% probably jumped off the page at the Giants scouting department and coaching staff. There were some coverage blips on Banks' film, which is why he's a little lower on this list. But I have plenty of faith Martindale will deploy him correctly as a rookie in one of the most unique schemes in football.

2023 NFL head coach rankings: Andy Reid remains No. 1 | CBSSports.com

15. Brian Daboll (Giants)

One year isn't enough to crown him the next big thing, but Daboll took a fledgling roster almost entirely devoid of proven offensive weapons, only to revive both Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley while securing an upset road playoff win. A strong run game won't be enough to lift them all the way, but his infectious confidence has brought new life to what had become a stale franchise.