Rangers: Pavel Time

So Pavel Buchnevich's KHL team was just eliminated, and thus he is eligible to sign with the Rangers.  And of course they should sign him and try to bring him over right way, regardless of whether or not AV would play him.   Pavel is probably the the Rangers best offensive prospect, and one they've somehow kept out of all of their ill-advised trades of the last few years. Kovacs is going to be good, too, and there's nice upside in a few other places, too.   But Buch is the only one, at this point, who might have that Zinger/Beckham impact for the Rangers.   He's been likened to a poor man's Malkin.  But a lot of times these poor man comp's turn out rich.  I wish the Rangers had the kind of coach who'd love to play an exciting young talent, but AV dumped Duclair and has been inconsistent with Dylan and Oscar, so...   But get him signed, Rangers.

More: the Rangers signed Boo Nieves and Steven Fogarty today, and they'll probably head to the AHL.

This Week on the Blog

This past week saw the Rangers seemingly wake up, Zinger showing he ain't dead yet, the Giants sit on their hands, and the Yanks continue their maddening handling of young talent.  Let's hope this week is better.

Rangers:  Suddenly Kreider, Stepan and Miller are playing like we always hoped they would.  What's more, Nash is starting to score, and Yandle continues to be more productive than his usage pattern should allow.   AV has been terrible at mixing in mid-season "upgrades" and Staal is now in the same boat that Yandle's been in for over a year.  I can't believe Gorton hasn't just taken Glass away from AV, but he hasn't and that's on him.   They're magic number for the playoffs is down to 6, and they certainly are capable of a run.  Klein and McDonagh are a much better top pair than Girardi and McD were.  Now the just have to work McIlrath in for Boyle.

Knicks:  This year is a wash, but they really do have to get a better coach over the summer, as well as start, immediately, building around Kristaps.  That's about it.

Yanks:  Today, the Yanks sent down Refsnyder.   There's just something wrong there, and it's not based on production. Also, they want to use Bryan Mitchell as a swing man, because the rotation is determined by paychecks and not by merit. Mitchell has had a great Spring and really looks like the stud he's always hinted at becoming. It's a shame that he doesn't have a big enough contract and isn't old enough to get chance after chance.  Let's hope he doesn't hurt his arm as they screw around.

Giants:  The Giants made a huge splash on the first day of UFA, but have sat on thir hands since.  They still have big needs on the OL, at WR, at FS, and possibly at most other spots.  Not sure what they are waiting for, since all of the FA RT's that would be top 5, are gone.   They really should solve one or two other spots before the draft, and I wouldn't mind at all if they hit the trade market.  They say Mo Wikerson is on the market.  Maybe JPP and a pick?    They still have a lot to do personnel wise before they can start the season.

Anyway, here's hoping we all get some great news this week.  Rock on.

This Week on the Blog

This past week saw the Rangers jumping in and out of the tank, the Yanks continue to get ready, the Knicks demsonstrate their irrelevance and the Giants do nothing.  Hopefully, this week will be better all around.

Rangers:  The Rangers took 3 out of 6 points on this West Coast swing.  Vigneault still won't let big acquisitions play in the crunch, and it hasn't helped.  The Rangers may well have a run in them this year, but with their D, it will have to be a hell of show by Hank and the O if they want to get out of the second round.   They have a lot of thinking, and roster fixing to do whenever this season ends.  And they should look long and hard at their coach.

Yanks: The top 4 Yankee starters, Severino,  Tanaka, Pineda and Eovaldi are all coming along nicely. So's Nova, but not so much CC.  Let's see if they're capable of an honest decision if the time comes.  Starling Castro has continued to look like a right handed Cano, and who knows?  Maybe he'll have the same kind of age 27 year Robbie had.  Refsnyder is handling the 3B challenge marvelously and looks like he'll make the team - of course that remains to be seen.  Sanchez still isn't hitting, and it's looking more and more like Romine to start the season.   The bullpen still needs to be figured out, too.

Giants: Ugh. After the first wave of FA, the Giants basically sat on their hands.  Right now, their heading toward the dregs of free agency, and the draft with major needs at RT, RG, S, NCB, WR, LB, TE and K. They could also use another passrusher.   They have about 25 million left to spend, and no one to really spend it on.  The OL situation is ludicrous.  I liked the Penn option, but was more enthusiastic at Massie, Schwartz, Allen, and others who came off the board in week one of UFA, and all of whom could have fit under the current cap and taken pressure off of Eli and the draft.    As it is now, the Giants have about 5 options left to fix the OL:

1) Sign RFA Schraeder and give up the #40 pick in the draft.   This would solve things, but the upcoming draft is deep in right tackles and guards, and they might miss a better player than Schraeder at 40.

2) Pray really hard that Stanley drops to number 10 in the draft.

3) If Stanley doesn't fall, pray really hard for a trade down that let's them pick Conklin, as well as hit two homeruns in the second round.

4) Go BPA at 10, and then take whomever from the group of Ifedi, Decker, and Spriggs is still on the board at 40.   They should probably be prepared to trade up if two of them are already gone.

5) Keep the 10th pick and take Conklin.  He won't be a playmaker, but he could be an 8-10 year solution for one of the 5 spots, and we really only have 3 of them currently filled.

So, you see, the Giants are in a tight spot and it's one they could have avoided in week one of UFA.  OL has to be job one, but those other needs would be in any year where we had a set OL.

Knicks:  The Knicks signed G Tony Wroten this week.   That would have been fine and good in a ten day deal situation, but they're saying he wont play till Summer League.  It's sort of mistifying that they would commit future dollars when they'll need all the space they can get going forward.    Also, Melo's starting to make noise.

So there they are.   I hope all of you have great weeks.  I'm planning to.

T Donald Penn is Visiting With the Giants

Donald Penn is visiting the Giants today.  Penn has spent his career playing for the Raiders and Bucs, who've been mostly terrible.  Over his career.  Penn; however, has been excellent, playing both left and right tackle.  Penn's only knock is that's he's 32.  He's also never missed a game, and knows Coach Sullivan. The Giants have three young, and possibly four young starters on the OL.  Penn could lead them.  He's a better player than Okung, at this point, so if the Giants can front load a three year deal or something for him, he should not be allowed to leave the building.   It would be great if they got this solved to day.  Otherwise, they have to go after Ryan Schraeder, or spend a first or second day pick on OL.

UPDATE:  Apparently, the meeting is set for later this week and not today.

This Week on the Blog

Last week may turn out to be a watershed time for the Giants, while the Yanks, Rangers and Knicks just sort of muddled along.  This week will probably provide fewer player movement fireworks, but could clarify some things for all four teams.

Giants: Last week the Giants grabbed the best available passrusher, corner and run stuff.  And they got a linebacker, who, when healthy, has been good.   They went into FA with 60 some odd million dollars and are now down in the 20's.  They've still done nothing about OL, WR, S, Nickle CB or K.  The OL and S positions have lingered for years.  They could absolutely fix the OL this week with a winning bid on RFA RT Ryan Schraeder, but it will cost them pick 40, and their should be good options for RT at pick 40.   Or even in the first round if Stanley is gone, and the Giants realize it's legal to trade down for more picks - which this roster could really use.  We'll see what happens.  They could do some dumpster diving, or find some young FA's who were backups for others but might be good enough to start.

Yanks:  The Yanks aren't hitting particularly well in ST, but the under 30 starters have all shown glimpses of being useful when the season starts or useful soon.   Pineda's pounding the zone.  Eovaldi seems to be free and easy, and Luis Severino hit 98 on the gun the other day.  Severino got trashed from the stretch in his first outing, but has looked much better since.  Kaprielian looked great his first time, then had some trouble against the Mets.  Refsnyder looks like he'll make the team as a back up 3b, 2b and OF.  I hope they'll give him lots of chances at third if the starter continues to flounder.  They're already giving us a preview of the NY to Scranton bullpen shuttle.

Rangers:  Rangers got Nash and Lundqvist back, but only managed to gain 1 out of 4 points in back to backs against Detroit and Pittsburgh this weekend.  Suboptimal.  But at least Kreider, Stepan and McD are starting to play like they can.

Knicks: Kurt Rambis seems desperate to keep the Knicks job, and I think that's a shame for KP and the other young Knicks. We need to keep kicking this can down the street till June when we can trade Melo and start building around KP.  Also, they should keep KP at the 4 and not try to make him a 5.

We'll see what happens.  Have a great week everyone.

Giants: Okung Paying a Visit

Seattle FA LT Russell Okung will make his first free agent visit tomorrow and it will be to the Giants.  This is a bit of a surprise.  Since Russell is repping himsefl everyon thought he was going back to Seattle.  Why pay an agent to take you where you already are.  Okung was the 6th overall pick back in 2010, the same draft where the Giants took Beatty.  And just like Beatty, Okung has been fine when he's been able to go, but he has missed some time - though not as much as Beatty - to injuries.

Okung is pretty purely a Left Tackle and if the Giants sign him that would almost certainly mean Flowers will become the Right Tackle.  Then, save for another RG being brought in to compete with Bobby Hart, the Giants would then probably take a T/G in the first three rounds of next month's draft.  And everything would be solved - until Okung gets hurt.  Unless he's ready to have a long healthy span, either Pugh or Flowers will end up getting reps at LT.  So it is important that the Giants use the draft to improve depth.   I can't really stand to see Newhouse out there again, and Jerry is also hard to take.

Interesting visit.

Giants Make Robinson Their MIKE

Giants are apparently signing former Washington MLB Keenan Robinson.  Robinson is coming off a bad season where he had shoulder or arm troubles and couldn't tackle.  The year before he looked like an ascendant player and even won NFC Defensive Player of the Week for a 14 tackle game.  He's also had some good games against the Giants in the past.  If he's healthy, and I'm pretty sure ownership wouldn't sign off on a Beason 2 type, then the Giants have their Mike and things could be really fun.   We'll have to see how the deal is structured.  Could be a prove it sort of thing with some bells and whistles on a one year deal.

The Giants After Day One

The Giants, on Day 1 of NFL Free Agency, finished rebuilding their Defensive Line and grabbed another playmaking CB to pair with DRC.   They still have a lot to do between FA, the Draft, UDFA, possible trades, the June Market, the Supplemental Draft and Final Cuts.    Having said that, they put their collective foot in the ground and made a statement.  

Overall, they completed three pairs.  Janoris Jenkins with DRC.  Snacks with Hank, and Olivier Vernon with JPP and commited over 200M.   Going into the rest of FA, they still have plenty of room to do more, and they'll have to.

Jenkins has a reputation of being a gambler who makes as many big plays as he does bad guesses. Hopefully working with DRC, and hopefully a veteran, yet to be named safety will help him.  With the Giants, JJ will be reunited with CB Coach Tim Walton, who coached him during his Freshman season with the Rams.  If he can just use slightly better judgment, he could become a very big player for the Giants, because he can catch and he can score.

Meanwhile, the Giants new DL Coach, Patrick Graham and Asst. Coach Jeff Zgonina, may be the happiest men in America today.  Snacks Harrison gives them an elite run stopper, who can also push the pocket and occupy double teams for the passrushers.  It also means they don't have to rush Louis Nix, Montori Hughes or any other huge DT they find into action.   With Olivier Vernon they are getting an elite edge player, whose sacks have been a little up and down in Miami's rotation, but whose pressures have been off the charts.  JPP's were, too, for the half a season he played after the accident, and you have to figure with that force coming up the middle more of them will turn into sacks going forward.

The reason Ben McAdoo's picture is at the top is that it wasn't an interesting day for him.   He comes from offense, but on the first big shopping day of his administration, they went all defense.  If you'll recall, when TC (who also came from O, but had been an HC), was hired, they got him Kurt Warner, then some FA OL's then traded up in the Draft for Eli, then took Snee in the second.   And the fact that McAdoo was on the phone with Vernon before he made his decision, is a good indicator that he intends to coach the whole team, and that he knew the D needed more on Day 1 than his O does.

That said, they still should have gotten an OL or two for the right side.  But we'll keep harping about that until its solved.  We're in year 6, but it was an impressive day 1, otherwise, for the McAdoo Regime.

Multiple Reports: Giants Get Olivier Vernon

Wow.  In a move that could absolutely electrify the Giants DL, the Giants have apparently agreed with 25 year old ascendant DE Olivier Vernon.  This is just breaking, but the numbers must be big given that Jacksonville was apparently also bidding.   Vernon was graded as the third best edge rusher in the NFL last season and is really just coming into his own.   With the pocket now pushable, and JPP who still has his burst coming off the other edge, this could be fun again.  Hopefully the Giants will allow Owa, Wynne and a Draft Pick to create the waves and waves of passrushers, and will now turn their attention to the OL, S, LB, WR and possibly TE.

Giants Snag Snacks

The Giants, today, made up for their mistake in letting Linval Joseph go two years ago by signing Snacks Harrison to team with Johnathan Hankins at DT.   Better late than never, but this should really, really help our run D, provided the Giants can also get another starting DE, MLB and deep safety so Landon can play in the box.   Get all that done, and the Giants will be able to shut down the run like they used to.

And while the Giants have gotten a starting CB and DT today, they haven't hit anything else that we know of and still have a daunting number of first team needs.  I liked it so much better when they were solid and could shop by want and not need.

Giants to Sign Janoris Jenkins

When the NFL year restarts in five hours, the Giants will sign fomer Ram, former North Alabama Lion and former Gator CB Janoris Jenkins.  The deal is reportedly for 5/62.5.   This is a crazy market.  Jenkins is the CB I thought they would get, but I would have thought it would be for less.  Of course, all that matters is how the guarantees work, and if he can stay healthy, and play out his contract.  The Cap will keep going up, and the Giants will keep knowing how to manage.

The big question is who else?  Olivier Jordan has had his transition designation stripped, so he should be front a center.  Iloka is apparently going back to Cincy, so Safety is still as issue, as is OL, DT,  LB, WR and TE.  Hopefully they can hit their targets.

With JPP Back, Giants Now Hungry for Snacks?

Earlier today the Giants locked up JPP for another year.  And now it appears they want to add Jet DT Damon "Snacks" Harrison to their DL.   They'll still need another DE, but pairing Snacks with Hankins on the inside should shut down the run -  but good.

And of course, giving JPP a prove it deal was the right way to go.  He had a really impressive number of pressures in his return from catastrophic injury and with the right DT's collapsing pocket, combined with another passrush DE coming off the other edge, he could write a great new chapter - especially if his latest surgery and continued recovery helps his grip.

They still have to fix the OL, get a S and CB, as well as a LB, WR, TE and RB.   We'll see if they decide to save any position for the draft.

Giants Showing Interest in Some Players

The "legal" tampering period has begun and the Giants have already been linked with three players, not including the DE's we talked about over the weekend, who would make tremendous sense for them.

George Iloka is a big safety who can play in the box, but has the athleticism and coverage ability to play free safety.  That would let Landon Collins really develop in the box, and would create a pretty fearsome starting duo, and immediately turn Berhe, Jackson and Thompson into nice young depth, if they can stay healthy.

The bigger deal is that they've alread contacted RT Mitchell Schwartz and RG Mike Harris.  And those two would absolutely solve the right side and give the Giants 5 real OL's they can roll out on game day for the first time since the Super Bowl OL's started breaking down.  These two, or two like them would be absolutely huge upgrades.

Here we still favor the plan of adding one of Johnson or Williams and one of Jackson or Vernon at DE, unless JPP stays, then it's one of the other 4 with JPP.  Ayers wants 10M a year and that's a non-starter.

The Giants also need a CB, and help at LB, WR, and TE.   But if what we're hearing about today is the beginning of a plan, I really like it.

Mario Williams to Visit Giants

Having left Miami without a deal, former pro-bowl DE Mario Williams is coming to NYC to start a visit with the Giants tonight that will lead into tomorrow.    This is the structure for a lot of the FA's they've entertained over the years.  Dinner in the City then out to the Stadium for negotiations, then a physical at The Hospital from Special Surgery, and if thats passed the guy becomes a Giant.    It's unknown, at this point if the Giants are planning on signing Charles Johnson, who also visited today and may still be visiting.  I don't think they'd want both, prefering a mix of a vet and an up and coming player, but who knows?  They may just be trying to get JPP or Ayers to blink.

Update:  Now Rappaport, who initially said Williams is visiting tonight and tomorrow, said it's expected soon, but no date yet. I wonder if that means there's movement on the Johnson, JPP or Ayers front.

Former Falcon DE Adrian Clayborn is also being linked with the Giants.

This Week on the Blog

Alright, this past week saw the Yanks start playing their Spring Training games, the Rangers mostly win, the Knicks struggle, and the Giants express interest in some recenly cut defensive ends.  This week is bound to be more exciting.

Giants:  NFL Free Agency opens on Wednesday, and the "legal" tampering window opens tomorrow. By this time next week, the Giants will most certainly have some new players, and we'll have a great idea of what they're trying to do.   In fact that may have a new player today as recently cut Panter DE, Charles Johnson is paying a visit.  Johnson played with a bad hamstring this season, and was unproductive during the regular season and outstanding in the playoffs.   He's been a good player for a long time both against the pass and run, and a leader.   He's about to turn 30, so there may be something left.   The Giants really do need leaders on D, and Johnson has always been one.  So we'll see if anything gets done.  And if Charles can pass a physical.  The Giants had also reached out to Mario Williams, but he visited Miami first.  Ideally, for me, anyway, the Giants would get Johnson or Williams plus a 20 something DE like Olivier Vernon or Malik Jackson, here in FA.

Rangers: The Rangers are playing at a much higher level lately, though Hank got dinged during that weird passage in Pittsburgh. Raanta was good Friday, and they've called up Magnus Hellberg, in case Hank's issue lingers.  Staal hasn't scored, but he has been active.  They're playing the Islanders this afternoon, and Isles have been  a bad "style of play" match up for the Rangers over the past couple of years. Let's hope they've figured something out, and Hank is back soon.  Buchnevich's team has advanced to the second round of the KHL playoffs, so they'll have to keep waiting, there.

Yankees:  Yanks have started playing some games, and kids like Aaron Judge, Jorge Mateo and James Kaprielian have all made the most of their opportunities and all looked impressive.  Severino and Lindberg had bad showings, fortunately it's so early and they have to start somewhere.  Severino's trouble came out of the stretch.  Still, it's good to have Yankee games back, and these early ones are fun because so many prospects are getting to play.

Knicks: Rambis doesn't look like he's the guy.  Carmelo's frustration is starting to boil over.   Kristaps didn't play last night.  Let's just kick everything till the offseason where they better have a great plan.

Big week coming right up.  Enjoy it, folks!

Yanks: Chapman Gets 30 Games

So Aroldis Chapman got 30 games and he is not appealing, because the 30 games do not prevent him from filing for free agency come November.  So, at least this isn't hanging over their heads any more, and it should give the kids like Lindberg and Pazos chances to work the 7th, in Girardi's atavistic system.  So it looks like MLB is going to suspend even when there are no charges.  And in these types of cases that's probably fine.