Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Quick Hits | Bret Bielema Update, Changes to the Tag and What it All Means
Bret Bielema Will Remain with the Giants
For this year, at any rate. Bielema, hired by Joe Judge to be the Giants outside linebackers coach and senior defensive assistant, has twice flirted with college head coaching jobs since becoming linked to the Giants.
Earlier in the month, he was reportedly interested in the Michigan State job and, more recently, the Colorado position, which went to former Miami assistant Karl Dorrell.
Unless another college head coaching job opens between now and the start of the 2020 NFL season, Bielema, who reportedly is interested in returning to the college ranks, will be a contributing member to the Giants staff.
Franchise/Transition Tag Window Delayed
The start of the annual NFL tagging period, which was set to begin on Tuesday, February 25 (the first day of the NFL Combine), has been pushed back by two days and now will run from February 27 - March 12.
The NFL Player's Association is hoping to meet with the Owners, who, on Thursday of last week, approved a new CBA that, if ratified, would ensure labor peace for the next decade.
The CBA was supposed to be voted on by the players union Friday, but that was postponed after the 11-member NFLPA Executive Committee involved in the negotiations with the owners voted 6-5 against recommending the proposed agreement to the 32-member board of player representatives.
In a statement released by the NFLPA, the union said, “Our player leadership looks forward to meeting with NFL management again next week before the Board takes a vote shortly after.”
If the new CBA ultimately ends up being accepted by the players, that would mean some of the league rules put in place for 2020, the last year of the current CBA, would be changed.
One rule that would be affected would be the ability of teams to use both the franchise and transition tags on two different players. If a new deal is agreed to, that option reverts to teams being allowed to apply their choice of one of the tags to one player.
From the Giants perspective, they probably weren't going to use both tags anyway. Of their pending free agents, it's believed that only defensive lineman Leonard Williams could be tag-worthy barring the absence of a new deal being reached before then.
New Drills Coming to the Combine
It's been said that the game of football evolves every year, so in keeping with that belief, the combine organizers are introducing some new drills for the various positions this year while getting rid of some outdated ones.
NFL.com's Nick Shook outlined the 16 new drills that are debuting this year just in time for the workouts' move to prime time.
Among the new drills include the end zone fade route for receivers and tight ends, mirror, and screen drills fro offensive linemen, and run and club drill and run-the-hoop drills for defensive linemen.
Some of the drills that will no longer be conducted include the close and speed turn, pedal and hip turn drills fro defensive backs, pass drop drill for linebackers, and the toe tap drill for tight ends and receivers.
