The Super Bowl is over, and football fans are greeting Jones at the next stage in the NFL-not-ending storyline.
Don’t be afraid, there are many on the horizon to keep your interest.
Next weekend, the NFL Scouting Combine will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
The schedule is as follows:
- Thursday, February 27th: Defensive linemen and linebacker
- Friday, February 28th: Defensive back and tight end
- Saturday, March 1st: Quarterback, wide receiver, running back
- Sunday, March 2nd: Offensive Lineman
The New York Giants are particularly interested in Friday’s session as they have a huge presence in the quarterback market this offseason.
The day after the combine, March 4th, the deadline for clubs to designate a franchise or transition player will expire at 4pm New York time.
The Giants are not expected to use this season’s tag.
The league’s new year begins on Wednesday, March 12th at 4pm New York time. A salary cap must be set and all teams must be under unformalized numbers.
This week, the NFL announced that the cap would be “between $277.5 million and $281.5 million.”
The Giants are expected to have approximately $53 million in cap space available for use in free agent trading and current player contract expansions.
The “Legal Tampering” period begins at noon on Monday, March 10th.
Clubs will be able to negotiate contracts with certified players agents who will become unlimited free agents upon expiration of their 2024 player contract at 4pm on New York Time on March 12th.
Hope Giants general manager Joe Shane will once again become very active in the free agent market. The Giants are looking for help with quarterbacks, cornerbacks, interior defensive lines and even wide receivers.
Other important dates:
- March 30th – April 2nd: Annual League Meeting in Palm Beach, Florida. Learn about rules changes and other major issues.
- April 16: Deadline for the club to be tested, visited, interviewed or conducted with draft-qualified players at the club facility.
- April 21: Offseason training programs can be started with teams returning head coaches.
- April 23rd: The deadline for clubs to perform physical examinations with time, tests, visits, interviews (including videos and phone calls), or draft-qualified players at any location.
- April 24-26: NFL Draft, Green Bay
Other things to note…
The NFL will announce the award of the compensation draft topic in the first week of March.
The giant could be active in the trade market. The veteran rumoured deal to start a quarterback could become a reality if the Los Angeles Rams and Matthew Stafford are unable to reach an agreement on a restructured deal.
The Giants also try to cut fat on their roster, rebuild contracts whenever possible, and perhaps even let go of some players.
The Giants will have to exercise their fifth year choice until May 1 with two first-round picks in 2022, outside linebacker Cavontibodeau and offensive tackle Evan Neal. They are expected to pick up Thibodeau’s options.
