New York Giants

If you thought it was odd to see a WWE wrestler on the coverage of Netflix’s NFL games on Christmas, that was just the appetizer.

Netflix will televise on March 25 its first-ever MLB game, the opening-night game between the New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants. On Friday, Netflix announced that New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston will be a “special guest” for the event.

Yes, Winston played baseball at Florida State. His initial NFL contract with the Buccaneers prevented him from playing baseball. And he’s a compelling TV presence — funny, entertaining, charismatic.

Still, he doesn’t come from the MLB ecosystem. Baseball aficionados will regard it as unusual to see him on the broadcast.

Netflix doesn’t seem to have an issue with unusual. This year’s Christmas games included clunky in-game interviews with former NFL players. It distracted from the action, and it made the presentation of the game seem amateurish.

There could nevertheless be a strategic benefit to Winston’s presence. “Eating a W” becomes an easy way to add a little something to the ball before a pitch.

It’s been more than four years since Brian Flores filed his landmark race discrimination lawsuit against the NFL and various teams. The case remains stuck at square one.

The six teams that are the subject of claims made by Flores, Steve Wilks, and Ray Horton — the Dolphins, Giants, Broncos, Texans, Cardinals, and Titans — continue to seek a stay of the proceedings, pending multiple different appeals. This week, the presiding judge declined to stay the litigation.

Currently, the Giants, Broncos, and Texans have a petition for appeal pending before the U.S. Supreme Court on the question of whether the claims made against them require mandatory arbitration. A ruling is expected within the next month or so. (The Supreme Court first has to accept the appeal before resolving the issue.)

The Dolphins, Cardinals, and Titans more recently had their efforts to force arbitration denied. That will inevitably be the subject of another petition for appeal to the Supreme Court, based on the broader conclusion that the NFL’s entire system of arbitration controlled by the NFL has been struck down.

Like most defendants to civil litigation, there’s value in slowing the process down as much as possible. Flores, Wilks, and Horton want to move the case along.

While, like all parties in civil cases, appeal rights can be exercised as to certain issues before the case has ended, there’s a point at which justice delayed becomes justice denied. It has been more than four years. At some point, it’s time to start addressing the merits of the case, and to stop spinning the wheels of the court system on the threshold question of where and how the case is going to be litigated.

As to the notion that the case would have moved faster if the plaintiffs had accepted the league’s arbitration procedures (even if the process is inherently rigged against them), consider this — the league’s designated arbitrator (according to the plaintiffs) did nothing with the claims for more than a year.

A defendant to a civil case can run, but it cannot hide. Unfortunately, the NFL and the six teams that have been sued have managed to run an ultramarathon in the effort to avoid having to answer the specific claims that Flores, Wilks, and Horton have made.

Common sense suggests that, if the NFL and the six teams had any real confidence in its arguments on the merits, they would eventually stand and fight instead.

Edge rusher Abdul Carter will have a new uniform number to go with a new head coach for his second season with the Giants.

The Giants announced on Friday that Carter has switched to No. 3. The 2024 first-round pick wore No. 51 as a rookie, but Russell Wilson is no longer with the Giants and that freed up his new number for this season.

Uniform numbers were an issue for Carter leading into last season as well. He wanted to wear No. 56, but the request to unretire those digits was slapped down by Lawrence Taylor. Carter then set his sights on No. 11, but Phill Simms had the same response as his former teammate when asked about giving Carter the chance.

Carter may now be settled for a while and the Giants will be hoping he builds his own legacy in No. 3 after his dalliances with jumping onto those built by previous members of the team.

Offensive lineman Joshua Ezeudu is re-signing with the Giants on a one-year deal, Jordan Ranaan of ESPN reports.

The Giants made Ezeudu a third-round pick in 2022, and he has appeared in 33 games with the team. Ezeudu has made seven starts at left tackle, two at left guard and one as an extra lineman in his career.

He spent all of last season on injured reserve after he injured his calf in training camp.

In 2024, he appeared in a career-high 17 games with three starts.

The Giants re-signed offensive lineman Evan Neal, another member of the 2022 draft class, last week.

On Monday morning, before the Chiefs traded for former Jets quarterback Justin Fields, someone was throwing spaghetti on the question of whether Kansas City was eyeing Russell Wilson as Patrick Mahomes insurance.

With the Chiefs off the board, what’s next for Wilson?

His days as a starting quarterback have ended. The only teams with a current vacancy at the top of the depth chart are the Cardinals and the Steelers. A Pittsburgh reunion is highly unlikely, even if Aaron Rodgers doesn’t return.

The Raiders possibly, maybe would be interested in a short-term bridge, if they aren’t comfortable with putting Fernando Mendoza on the field right away. Wilson may not be inclined to once again be the three-game starter before getting the tap.

Then again, Wilson may not have many choices. Which raises the question of whether he’s willing to take whatever he can get, making him one of the very rare former franchise quarterbacks who’ll accept being No. 2 or No. 3 on a depth chart.

Joe Flacco, who was twice the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL, is and has been willing to do that. Most of the guys who were once at or among the top of the market won’t accept anything other than a gift-wrapped starting job.

It can’t be easy for a guy who has spent so much time as “the guy” to accept becoming “just another guy.” But it happens to any pro football player who stays beyond the shelf life of his high-end skills.

In preparation for his current shot at free agency, Wilson parted ways with his longtime agent, Mark Rodgers, and hired David Mulugheta of Athletes First. During Wilson’s best years, it helped him to have an agent who had one and only one NFL client; the negotiations on Wilson’s contracts were never compromised by the agent’s broader business interests as to other players he represented.

Now, Wilson needs the help of someone who may have the league-wide goodwill to get Wilson a roster spot in exchange for keeping the agent happy as to the looming negotiations with a higher-profile client.

The mere fact that Wilson made the change represents an acknowledgement, conscious or not, that things have changed for him. He still has a high degree of confidence in his skills. Which isn’t surprising. For all NFL players, confidence that borders on delusion is a must.

At some point, however, the basis for the confidence evaporates. By the end of last season, Wilson had slipped behind Jameis Winston on the Giants’ depth chart.

Wilson’s third foray into free agency continues. Two years ago, he took the minimum from the Steelers because the Broncos owed him $39 million. This time around, the minimum salary of $1.3 million may be Wilson’s only option.

And the overriding question will be whether, after earning more than $315 million in his career, he’s willing to commit seven or more months for the smallest payday since signing his slotted four-year, $2.996 million deal as a third-round pick, 14 years ago.

The Giants hosted center Ryan Bates on a free agent visit on Monday.

Bates, 29, has spent the past two seasons with the Bears.

The Giants are seeking a backup behind starter John Michael Schmitz Jr.

Bates began his NFL career in 2019 with the Bills and was in Buffalo for five seasons. He played 73 games with 19 starts for the Bills, including 15 starts at left guard in 2022.

The Bears acquired him for a fifth-round pick in 2024. He played 19 games with two starts, both in 2024, when he had two stints on injured reserve (with shoulder and elbow issues early in the season and a concussion late in the season).

The Giants are adding another target for second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart.

According to multiple reports, they have agreed to terms with wideout Darnell Mooney. It will be a one-year deal worth up to $10 million for the former Falcon.

Mooney was released by Atlanta earlier this week after spending the last two seasons with the team. Mooney had 64 catches for 992 yards and five touchdowns in 2024, but dropped to 32 for 443 yards and a touchdown during the 2025 season.

Mooney had 213 catches for 2,593 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Bears in his first five seasons.

The Giants have also added tight end Isaiah Likely and wide receiver Calvin Austin to go with a returning Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, Isaiah Hodgins, and Theo Johnson.

The Giants are adding a piece to their secondary on Friday.

Defensive back Elijah Campbell’s agents Drew Rosenhaus and Shawn O’Dare told Adam Schefter of ESPN that Campbell has agreed to terms with the NFC East club. It’s a one-year deal in Jersey for Campbell.

Campbell appeared in 10 games for the Dolphins last season and he played in 65 games for the team over the last five seasons. He spent much of that time playing a core special teams role.

Campbell had 45 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery while with Miami. The Giants have also added Greg Newsome and Ar’Darius Washington to their secondary this week.

Giants running back Cam Skattebo says he’s improving in rehab from the ankle injury that ended his 2025 season.

Skattebo told Rich Eisen on Wednesday that he just started running, although he still has a ways to go before he can run at a full sprint.

“I’m getting better. I ran for the first time today about 75 percent,” Skattebo said.

Skattebo said 75 percent is a gentle pace and he’s not overdoing it at this point in his rehab.

“Not very fast,” Skattebo said. “I can get away from like a baby hippo, maybe. That’s about it. A little bit over a jog, just striding out, not exploding yet and getting into that, but the jog and the striding.”

Skattebo suffered the injury on October 26, so it’s been less than five months of recovery. With almost six months to go before Week One, the Giants will hope he’s running at 100 percent speed when the season starts.

The following are PFT’s top 100 free agents for the start of the 2026 league year. The rankings include prospective unrestricted free agents and released players. The list will be updated as events warrant, with signings, tags and re-signings denoted when announced and/or reported. Players released after initial publication may be added and all 100 players initially on the list will still be listed after any additions.

1. Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens. (Placed the franchise tag on him on February 27.)

2. Colts quarterback Daniel Jones. (Placed the transition tag on him on March 3.)

3. Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Raiders on March 9.)

4. Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Panthers on March 9.)

5. Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson. (Agreed to a four-year deal with the Ravens on March 11.)

6. Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts. (Placed the franchise tag on him on February 24.)

7. Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce. (Agreed to four-year deal with Colts on March 9.)

8. Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Rams on March 9.)

9. Jets running back Breece Hall. (Placed the franchise tag on him on March 3.)

10. Packers quarterback Malik Willis. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Dolphins on March 9.)

11. Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray. (Signed a one-year deal with the Vikings on March 12.)

12. Bucs cornerback Jamel Dean. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Steelers on March 9.)

13. Seahawks WR/KR/PR Rashid Shaheed. (Agreed to re-sign with Seahawks on a three-year deal on March 9.)

14. Packers offensive tackle Rasheed Walker. (Agreed to one-year deal with Panthers on March 13.)

15. Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker. (Agreed to sign with the Chiefs on March 9.)

16. Colts offensive tackle Braden Smith. (Agreed to two-year deal with Texans on March 10.)

17. Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Raiders on March 9.)

18. Seahawks edge rusher Boye Mafe. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Bengals on March 9.)

19. Packers linebacker Quay Walker. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Raiders on March 9.)

20. Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Commanders on March 10.)

21. Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the 49ers on March 9.)

22. Seahawks defensive back Coby Bryant. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Bears on March 9.)

23. 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings.

24. Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs. (Agreed to four-year deal with Patriots on March 10.)

25. Jaguars running back Travis Etienne. (Agreed to four-year deal with Saints on March 9.)

26. Broncos edge rusher John Franklin-Myers. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Titans on March 9).

27. Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

28. Eagles edge rusher Jaelen Phillips. (Agreed to a four-year deal with the Panthers on March 9.)

29. Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel.

30. Bills center Connor McGovern. (Re-signed on March 7.)

31. Jets guard Alijah Vera-Tucker. (Agreed to a deal with the Patriots on March 9.)

32. Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen. (Agreed to a one-year deal with the Eagles on March 10.)

33. Chiefs safety Bryan Cook. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Bengals on March 9.)

34. Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright. (Agreed to one-year deal with Jets on March 10.)

35. Bills edge rusher Joey Bosa.

36. Dolphins edge rusher Bradley Chubb. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Bills on March 11.)

37. Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely. (Agreed to three-year deal with Giants on March 9.)

38. Chargers edge rusher Odafe Oweh. (Agreed to a four-year deal with the Commanders on March 9.)

39. Steelers offensive guard Isaac Seumalo. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Cardinals on March 9.)

40. Lions defensive tackle D.J. Reader.

41. Browns linebacker Devin Bush. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Bears on March 9.)

42. Bears safety Jaquan Brisker. (Agreed to a one-year deal with the Steelers on March 12.)

43. Rams safety Kamren Curl. (Agreed to three-year deal with Rams on March 6.)

44. Bills offensive guard David Edwards. (Agreed to four-year deal with Saints on March 9.)

45. Patriots edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson. (Agreed to a one-year deal with the Commanders on March 11.)

46. Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill.

47. Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor. (Agreed to three-year deal with Titans on March 9.)

48. Chargers offensive guard Zion Johnson. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Browns on March 9).

49. Browns offensive guard Joel Bitonio.

50. Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert. (Agreed to a one-year deal with the Eagles on March 15).

51. Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone. (Agreed to a two-year deal with the Buccaneers on March 9.)

52. Panthers center Cade Mays. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Lions on March 9.)

53. Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack. (Agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Chargers on March 7.)

54. Bears safety Kevin Byard. (Agreed to a one-year deal with the Patriots on March 11.)

55. Colts edge rusher Kwity Paye. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Raiders on March 9.)

56. Falcons linebacker Kaden Elliss. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Eagles on March 10.)

57. Ravens edge rusher Dre’Mont Jones. (Agreed to three-year deal with Patriots on March 9.)

58. Browns offensive guard Wyatt Teller. (Agreed to two-year deal with Texans on March 17.)

59. Lions edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad. (Agreed to a one-year deal with Bucs on March 12.)

60. Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner.

61. Giants wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson. (Agreed to a four-year deal with the Titans on March 9.)

62. Patriots safety Jaylinn Hawkins. (Agreed to a two-year deal with the Ravens on March 11.)

63. Cowboys edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney.

64. Saints linebacker Demario Davis. (Agreed to two-year deal with the Jets on March 9.)

65. Panthers running back Rico Dowdle. (Agreed to a two-year deal with the Steelers on March 9.)

66. Falcons edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie. (Agreed to a one-year deal with the Eagles on March 12.)

67. Titans offensive guard Kevin Zeitler.

68. Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Broncos on March 9.)

69. Cardinals safety Jalen Thompson. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Cowboys on March 9.)

70. Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton. (Agreed to three-year deal with Buccaneers on March 9.)

71. Saints edge rusher Cameron Jordan.

72. Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Seahawks on March 9.)

73. Giants offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor. (Agree to three-year deal with the Giants on March 9.)

74. Commanders center Tyler Biadasz. (Agreed to three-year deal with Chargers on March 6.)

75. Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk. (Agreed to a one-year deal with the 49ers on March 16.)

76. Browns tight end David Njoku.

77. Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. (Agreed to return to Chiefs on March 9.)

78. Giants offensive guard Greg Van Roten.

79. Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota. (Re-signed with the Commanders on March 9.)

80. Jaguars cornerback Montaric Brown. (Agreed to three-year deal with Jaguars on March 9.)

81. Falcons defensive tackle David Onyemata. (Agreed to a one-year deal with the Jets on March 9.)

82. Bucs linebacker Lavonte David.

83. Bengals guard Dalton Risner. (Re-signed with Bengals on March 2.)

84. Vikings safety Harrison Smith.

85. Giants quarterback Russell Wilson.

86. Ravens wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

87. Jets safety Andre Cisco. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Jets on March 13.)

88. Buccaneers running back Rachaad White. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Commanders on March 12.)

89. Packers edge rusher Kingsley Enagbare. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Jets on March 9.)

90. Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen.

91. Dolphins cornerback Rasul Douglas.

92. Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins. (Agreed to re-sign with Texans on March 9.)

93. Titans tight end Chig Okonwko. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Commanders on March 11.)

94. Eagles safety Reed Blankenship. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Texans on March 9.)

95. Raiders offensive guard Dylan Parham. (Agreed to a two-year deal with the Jets on March 11.)

96. Browns safety Rayshawn Jenkins.

97. Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton. (Re-signed with the Broncos on March 9.)

98. Broncos outside linebacker Justin Strnad. (Re-signed with the Broncos on March 8.)

99. Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco.

100. Colts cornerback Mike Hilton.

101. Bills defensive tackle DaQuan Jones.

102. Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier. (Agreed to two-year deal with Cardinals on March 9.)