In second wave of free agency, Giants may be bargain hunters

Jets star Brandon Marshall wins civil assault suit

Mark Lennihan/AP Brandon Marshall left the courthouse once the case went to the jury and did not return, so he was not in the room when the verdict was read. Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall won the civil suit levied against him by a California woman in Manhattan federal court for assault and battery on Friday. Christin Myles, who accused Marshall of punching her in the face outside the Marquee nightclub on Mar. 11, 2012, sought at least $75,000 in damages for her medical expenses and her pain and suffering. The jury deliberated for just over an hour before

April 15, 2016

D’Brickashaw Ferguson thanks fans in retirement letter

Kathy Willens/AP D’Brickashaw Ferguson says that a desire ‘to pursue other goals in life’ led him to retire. D’Brickashaw Ferguson formally announced his retirement Saturday morning in a letter posted on the team’s official website. The three-time Pro Bowl left tackle never missed a snap due to injury in his 10-year career. He’ll be honored in the team’s Ring of Honor one day. His thank you letter to fans, teammates, etc. is below: My Fans, As I considered the words I would say to you, I recognize a simple truth: It just isn’t easy saying goodbye. MEHTA: FERGUSON RETIREMENT

April 15, 2016

Myers: Ferguson leaving money, saving health in retirement

Maddie Meyer/Getty Images While he spoke candidly about concussions in December, D’Brickashaw Ferguson was never diagnosed with one in his 10-year career. D’Brickashaw Ferguson is 32 years old and played 10 years in the NFL and the only snap he missed in his career came on a trick play. So, he is not part of the epidemic of young players in the last two years who are getting out of the NFL early rather than risk brain injury, even though it’s before they max out on their earnings potential. Ferguson made $67 million with the Jets and never was

April 15, 2016

Jets trade for Broncos' Ryan Clady to replace D’Brickashaw

Kathy Willens/AP Broncos offensive lineman Ryan Clady blocks for Knowshon Moreno. That was fast. On the same day D’Brickashaw Ferguson made his retirement official, the Jets traded for his replacement, dealing for former Broncos tackle Ryan Clady, according to a source. Gang Green is giving up a 2016 fifth-round pick in exchange for the tackle and will also receive a 2016 seventh-rounder, according to a source. Those are the same terms the Jets struck with the Bears a year ago in a deal for wide receiver Brandon Marshall. Clady, a four-time Pro Bowler, started 16 games in 2014 for

April 15, 2016

Advocate blasts Greg Hardy’s clueless, harmful stance

Ric Tapia/AP Greg Hardy denies ever assaulting women in an interview he did with ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Domestic violence experts responded with dismay Tuesday to disgraced football star Greg Hardy’s claim in an ESPN interview that violence against women is “nonexistent in most southern homes.” “Domestic violence does not discriminate, it impacts every race, geographic region, educational background,” Katie Ray-Jones, the CEO of the National Domestic Violence Hotline, tells the Daily News. “It knows no boundaries. It’s a reg resilient issue that people don’t talk about.” Hardy, who was suspended four games last season over evidence that he battered

April 7, 2016

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Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Chris Conte (l.) is a more affordable safety option than the Chargers’ Eric Weddle.

It was a big splash start to free agency that every Giants fan wanted, with Jerry Reese handing out more than $200 million in player contracts and giving away $114 million in guaranteed money.

And the embattled GM may not be done yet.

For all the moves Reese made to rescue the Giants from mediocrity, the franchise remains a work in progress. The first week of free agency saw the club address its defensive line issues and get help in the secondary, but several holes could still prevent Big Blue from rejoining the NFL’s elite.

Reese still has around $20 million in salary cap room, according to overthecap.com, though, so he has a few budget chess moves left. Here’s a look at several of his most pressing issues for the second wave of free agency:

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WIDE RECEIVER

Good thing the Giants can count on Odell Beckham Jr.’s production, because they can’t count on any of their other receivers. But with the focus on defense, they barely sniffed around any of the top-tier free agent receiving options.

There was interest in ex-Bengals receiver Mohamed Sanu, who signed with the Falcons, but there was little indication that they were going to pursue the likes of Rishard Matthews (who signed with the Titans) or new Lion Marvin Jones. The Giants got Victor Cruz back, but after three straight years that ended on injured reserve, can the one-time star be reliable?

Few players remaining on the market are worthy of a long-term investment, but a vet such as Anquan Boldin or Marques Colston could make sense on a one-year deal. Reese could also aim to address the position early in the draft.

VACCHIANO: GRADING THE GIANTS’ FREE AGENCY SPENDING SPREE

SAFETY

Landon Collins, the Giants’ 2015 second-round pick, started all 16 games last season, and while he performed unevenly, he showed potential. He seems entrenched at one starting spot, but the other spot remains open.

Could the Giants entrust the safety position to their trio of youngsters coming off injury, Bennett Jackson, Mykkele Thompson and Nat Berhe? Don’t put it past Reese, since that seemed to be his plan at the position last year (and never mind that the plan backfired colossally).

But don’t be shocked if the Giants shop for a budget veteran. No, they’re not going to be players for ex-Charger Eric Weddle, the lone big-money safety left. But there’s word they’re interested in Bucs safety Chris Conte.

MYERS: GIANTS GAMBLE IN ERA WHERE YOU CAN’T BUY NFL TITLES

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A veteran like Anquan Boldin could be availabelt to the Giants on a one-year deal.

MIDDLE LINEBACKER

The Giants ended last week by signing ex-Washington linebacker Keenan Robinson to a one-year, $3.5 million deal, and he probably gets first crack at Jon Beason’s old job.

But Robinson is much like the Reese signings of old, a tantalizing talent with a checkered injury past. He hasn’t played a full 16-game slate in his four-year NFL career, and the first two years of his career ended with him on injured reserve due to pectoral tears.

That seems less like an answer at middle linebacker and more like yet another question mark. The Giants have several Plan B options on the roster (most notably, equally injury-prone linebacker Devon Kennard), but it wouldn’t be shocking to see them add another veteran at the position.

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OFFENSIVE LINE

The offensive line really isn’t as awful as it once was, not with Ereck Flowers entrenched at left tackle, Weston Richburg at guard, and Justin Pugh as a movable piece. But it still could use a consistent right tackle, and John Jerry is hardly an ideal starting guard.

The Giants had ex-Seahawk Russell Okung in for a visit Friday, but he left without a deal. He could still be an option, though, if the price is right. There are several young offensive lineman available as well.

Tags:: anquan boldin ,; chris conte ,; new york giants ,; nfl ,; nfl transactions

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Jets star Brandon Marshall wins civil assault suit

D’Brickashaw Ferguson thanks fans in retirement letter

Myers: Ferguson leaving money, saving health in retirement

Jets trade for Broncos' Ryan Clady to replace D’Brickashaw

Advocate blasts Greg Hardy’s clueless, harmful stance

In second wave of free agency, Giants may be bargain hunters