New York Giants Free-Agency Tracker 2025: Grading Every Free-agent Move

Be sure to bookmark this page. We will track and grade all the Giants' incoming moves and issue grades as they're made.

The New York Giants are likely to be busy over the next several weeks as they look for ways to address some of their roster's most glaring holes.

Already, the Giants have made three minor moves in re-signing their own pending free agents: long snapper Casey Kreiter (UFA), quarterback Tommy DeVito, and outside linebacker Tomon Fox.

Their first big signing was to add Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo. The Giants lacked a shutdown corner, and if Adebo, who is coming off a broken leg, passes his physical, he can be that guy for the Giants.

The Giants also added veteran depth to their defensive line with the signing of Roy Robertson-Harris, whom the Seahawks released last week. Robertson-Harris offers more pass-rush firepower than current roster member Rakem Nunez-Roches.

On Day 2 the Giants landed a relatively big fish (no pun intended) with their signing of Dolphins safety Jevon Holland. They also (hopefully) crippled the Dallas Cowboys defense with their signing of defensive end Chauncey Golston.

Day 3 was more about the Giants bringing back a couple of under-the-radar free agents of their own, offensive lineman Greg Van Roten, their starting right guard last year, and receiver/return specialist Ihmir Smith-Marsette.

March 14

Giants Sign Jeremiah Ledbetter for More D-line Depth

The Giants continued to add depth to their defensive line, which was one of the most depth-starved units on the defensive side of the ball.

New York added veteran defensive tackle Jeremiah Ledbetter to a one-year, $1.775 million deal that could top over $2 million with incentives. Ledbetter, who was most recently with the Jaguars, is primarily a 3-technique and special teams contributor. He also offers position flexibility in that he can kick out to defensive end in a three-man front.

He has appeared in 53 regular-season games with five starts, 32 of those games coming over the last two seasons with the Jaguars. He has 80 career tackles (36 solors), 10 tackles for loss, 12 quarterback hits, and 3.5 sacks.

The Giants, interestingly enough, seem to be taking a page from the EAgles' playbook with this influx of defensive line depth. New York has also added Chauncey Golston and Roy Robertson-Harris to their defensive front.

Grade: B

Giants Add More Special Teams/Defensive Depth

Sep 29, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (45) is introduced before the start of the game against the New England Patriots at Levi's Stadium. | Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

The Giants continued to add depth to their inconsistent special teams unit by adding linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, formerly with the San Francisco 49ers, who released the 6-foot-2 and 223-pounder on February 18.

Flannigan-Fowles has posted 24 solo special teams tackles and 21 assists and has a forced fumble. He’s also finished second on the 49ers in special teams tackles three times during his career, in 2020, 2021, and 2022.

He has appeared in 73 NFL regular-season games, with seven starts, and has 96 tackles (54 solo), six tackles for loss, one sack, and one interception.

Grade: B+

March 12

Giants Re-sign WR/Return Specialist Ihmir Smith-Marsette

The New York Giants have brought back another one of their own unrestricted free agents for 2025 in receiver and return specialist Ihrmir Smith-Marsette.

Smith-Marsette was originally a fifth-round draft choice by the Vikings in 2021. A receiver by trade, he has appeared in 33 games with one start for four different teams: Vikings (2021-2022), Bears (2022), Chiefs (2022-2023) and Panthers, who released him at the end of August.

Smith-Marsette, who the Giants signed on September 9 after the team placed Gunner Olszewski on injured reserve with a groin issue.

The Newark, N.J. native immediately made an impact for the Giants as a return specialist, averaging 7.9 yards per return on punts (14th among returners with at least 20 punt returns) and 34.6 yards per return on kickoffs.

Smith-Marsette also returned a 100-yard kickoff for a touchdown last season against the Colts and had another return for a touchdown nullified by a penalty.

Grade: A

Giants Re-sign OL Greg Van Roten

After exploring the free-agent guard market only to be discouraged by the price range, the Giants are going back to a familiar face in Greg Van Roten.

Van Roten was one of two Giants who didn't miss a snap last year. He joined the team just after the start of training camp, and he was a solid contributor on the offensive line who gave the team snaps at center when John Michael Schmitz had to miss time with an injury.

The re-signing of Van Roten is interesting because the team, as we've been reporting, plans to cross-train Evan Neal at guard, and it also has Jake Kubas returning.

Van Roten, it would seem, is a fallback option if Neal can't make the transition, though we say that without having seen Van Roten's contract numbers and structure.

Grade: A-

Giants Add Offensive Lineman Stone Forsythe

September 18, 2022; Santa Clara, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle Stone Forsythe (78) after the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Recognizing that they miscalculated having a viable swing tackle on the roster last year, the New York Giants added Seattle offensive tackle Stone Forsythe to the roster.

Forsythe will compete with new offensive tackle James Hudson III for the swing tackle role behind projected starters Andrew Thomas and Jermaine Eluemunor.

Forsythe, 6-foot-8 and 306 pounds was a sixth-round draft pick by Seattle in 2021 (No. 208 overall) out of Florida. According to Pro Football Focus, since joining the NFL, the 27-year-old Forsythe has allowed 74 career pressures in 678 pass-block snaps.

According to Tyler Alsin of Field Gulls, the right side of the Seahawks offensive line was a problem last season.

Alsin noted that 56.6% of the pressure quarterback Geno Smith faced the previous season came from that side of the line, with 32.1% of that pressure coming from the right tackle spot, where Forsythe played in the first six games (five starts).

He played in 298 pass-block snaps in that stretch and allowed 35 pressures.

Grade: C-

March 11

Splash! Giants Sign Free Agent Safety Jevon Holland

Miami Dolphins unrestrictred free agent Jevon Holland has signed with the New York Giants. — Sep 24, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins safety Jevon Holland (8) is introduced onto the field before a game against the Denver Broncos at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The New York Giants opened Tuesday morning by bringing in free agent safety Jevon Holland from the Miami Dolphins.

With a three-year contract worth $45.3M, with $30.3M guaranteed at signing, Holland is now the eighth-highest-paid safety in the NFL.

After letting Xavier McKinney walk to the Green Bay Packers after the 2023 season, the Giants have corrected their mistake with Holland.

Still just 25 years old, Holland has the potential to outperform this contract, while safeties currently on rookie contracts will surpass this value.

Holland already has plenty of experience, with over 3,500 snaps played during the first four years of his career.

Pairing Holland with Tyler Nubin gives the Giants a safety room with the versatility to help open up the defensive scheme in 2025.

Grade: A

Giants Add More Special Teams/Defensive Depth

The Giants continued to address last year's shaky special teams unit with the addition of linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles.

Flannigan-Fowles entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the San Francisco 49ers out of Arizona. The 49ers released the 6-foot-2, 223-pounder on February 18 as part of a cap savings move.

Flannigan-Fowles has appeared in 73 NFL regular-season games, with seven starts, and has 96 tackles (54 solo), six tackles for loss, one sack, and one interception. The interception came in 2024, a season in which he started a career-high three games.

Flannigan-Fowles’s bread-and-butter is special teams. He’s posted 24 solo special teams tackles and 21 assists and has a forced fumble as part of his stats. He’s also finished second on the 49ers in special teams tackles three times during his career, in 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Grade: B+

Giants Land DL Chauncey Golston from Cowboys

Nov 24, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive end Chauncey Golston (99) celebrates with Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (13) after batting down a pass against the Washington Commanders during the third quarter at Northwest Stadium. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Giants added another veteran and versatile defensive lineman to their front in Chauncey Golston, previously with the Dallas Cowboys, who signed a three-year, $19.5 million deal, late Monday night.

Golston can play multiple positions on the defensive line and offers some pass-rushing prowess as a potential rotational defensive lineman who should help the Giants get home more often with their quarterback pressures.

Golston is a defensive end who can also play inside on pass-rushing downs, similar to how the Giants once deployed Justin Tuck years ago. He was selected by the Cowboys in the third round of the 2021 draft (pick No. 84 overall) out of Iowa.

The 6-foot-5, 268-pounder has appeared in 64 games with 16 starts and has 135 career tackles (68 solo), eight tackles for loss, 9.0 sacks, 17 quarterback hits, and seven sacks over his four years in the league. He projects as a rotational down lineman who can also give a team snap when standing up.

Grade: B

March 10

Surprise! Giants Re-sign Receiver Darius Slayton

Lesson learned? In what was a pleasant surprise, the New York Giants re-signed wide receiver Darius Slayton to a three-year, $36 million deal.

The deal is pleasantly surprising for a couple of reasons. First, had Slayton left, the Giants would have had a hole to fill at WR2. Slayton might not be a superstar receiver, but he has been solid throughout his career.

Despite the addition of Malik Nabers, Slayton, who ended the year frustrated with how the season went, still received the same number of targets he had the year prior.

From a bigger-picture perspective, let’s hope this signing shows that General Manager Joe Schoen has learned to stop letting homegrown talent leave.

If this team is serious about building a winning culture, it needs more players like Slayton in the locker room to help show younger players the right way to be professionals.

Grade: A

Giants Improve Offensive Line Depth in James Hudson III

The New York Giants have addressed their swing tackle spot in free agency with the signing of former Cleveland Browns OT James Hudson III.

Hudson had primarily played right tackle throughout his career until the 2024 season, when he transitioned full-time to left tackle.

I would expect Hudson to be a backup, but considering how many injuries the Giants' offensive line has sustained in recent years, there’s a path to playing time.

Hudson’s two-year deal is worth $12M, with another $4M in incentives that could be fulfilled with playing time.

This also gives the Giants more flexibility on the offensive line, something they’ve prioritized with almost every veteran line signing.

Grade: A-

Giants Special Teams Get a Boost with Chris Board

In just about every mock draft, we’ve seen the New York Giants draft a linebacker who could also be a core contributor to special teams.

General Manager Joe Schoen made a different decision by addressing that need in free agency by signing Chris Board.

Board has bounced around between the Ravens, Patriots, and Lions throughout his career as a special teamer who plays a pure depth role defensively.

He’s not going to wow anyone, and on an inexpensive contract, he shouldn’t be expected to.

A veteran linebacker who also contributes on special teams and, more importantly, allows the Giants to use draft capital elsewhere.

Grade: B+

Giants Boost D-Line Depth by Adding Roy Robertson-Harris

The New York Giants, who tried to roll with youth on the defensive line last year only to see that experiment not produce the desired results, went back to the veteran route, adding defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris to a reported two-deal, $10 million deal.

Robertson-Harris, 6-5 and 290 pounds has been in the league since 2017, when he signed as an undrafted free agent with the Chicago Bears. He was most recently with the Seahawks, who acquired him via trade from the Jaguars in 2024. Robertson-Harris played in 11 games last season for Seattle, registering 13 tackles, one tackle for loss, and a quarterback hit.

Robertson-Harris’s big appeal is his versatility, which allows him to play anywhere on the defensive line. Unlike Rakeem Nunez-Roches, whom the Giants signed in 2023, Robertson-Harris provides a little more juice regarding the pass rush, having recorded 25 career sacks to Nunez-Roches’s eight.

Robertson-Harris should get his share of defensive snaps, but the Giants will likely search for a starter to flank Dexter Lawrence II in next month’s draft.

Grade: B+

Giants Agree to Terms with ex-Saints Cornerback Paulson Adebo

The New York Giants made their first free-agent move of 2025 by agreeing to terms with former Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo. When healthy, Adebo is considered one of the top cornerbacks on the market.

Adebo, who reportedly agreed to a three-year, $54 million deal, is coming off a broken leg last season that limited him to seven games, so he must satisfy a physical with the Giants before his signing is complete.

When healthy, he’s been the type of shutdown cornerback the Giants have been missing ever since James Bradberry was here and in the back end of his prime. Over the last two seasons (22 games), Adebo, per Pro Football Focus, has forced 29 incomplete passes and has seven interceptions. Those stats put him first and tied for fourth over that two-season span.

The drawback to Adebo’s aggressive style of play, though, has been penalties. Despite missing seven games last year, he finished third on the Saints in penalties with nine. And since 2021, he’s been flagged 27 times, second most among all NFL defenders.

However, there is more to like than dislike about Adebo's game, namely his ability to create turnovers and his aggressive play style, which has resulted in a career 88.9 NFL rating.

Adebo is also a sure tackler, missing just six tackles last season before his injury. He projects as a CB1 for the Giants and is projected to replace Cor’Dale Flott in the starting lineup.

Adebo's new deal comes to $18 milion per year over three years with $36 million fully guaranteed.

Grade: A-

March 8

Giants Re-Sign Tight End Chris Manhertz for Another Year

Chris Manhertz, New York Giants — Sep 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants tight end Chris Manhertz (85) during the second half against the Minnesota Vikings at MetLife Stadium. | John Jones-Imagn Images

The New York Giants re-signed tight end Christ Manhertz to another one-year deal. Manhertz, who turns 33 on April 10, was a solid yet underrated part of the offense last year, primarily fulfilling the blocking role, which is his strength.

According to Pro Football Focus, Manhertz was the highest-graded of the Giants’ four tight ends overall in both pass and run blocking, and it wasn’t even close.

Although he was credited with allowing three pressures, that was an improvement from his 2023 season with Denver, when he allowed five.

Manhertz started last season slowly but found his footing, consistently coming up with blocking wins at the point of attack. He also caught all three pass targets sent his way, including one for a touchdown.

Although not a sexy signing, Manhertz is a solid, inexpensive and under-the-radar signing that was expected given how much the coaches leaned on him last year.

Grade: A

Giants Re-Sign Punter Jamie Gillan to 3-Year Deal

Dec 25, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Giants punter Jamie Gillan (6) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The New York Giants re-signed the final piece of their kicking battery, inking punter Jamie Gillan to a three-year deal worth up to $10.5 million. The full APY of Gillan’s contract is an estimated $3.4 million, which would tie him for second highest APY with Jack Fox of the Lions.

The left-footed Gillan missed four 2024 games with a hamstring issue, which affected his numbers. Only 3.6% of his 56 punts went for touchbacks, the second-lowest mark of his career.

He also hit 48.2% of his punts inside the 20, the best mark of his career. Ever since, the Giants have had him move toward more of a one-step punting motion, which resulted in zero blocks for the second season in a row. His holding for place-kicks was also pristine.

Grade: A-

March 7

Giants re-sign OLB Tomon Fox

The Giants made another minor signing before the annual free agency open negotiating window on Monday by re-signing outside linebacker Tomon Fox.

Fox, who was set to be an exclusive rights free agent, has appeared in 28 games for the Giants, with one start in his three seasons with the team. He has 39 career tackles (23 solo), five tackles for loss, four quarterback hits, and two sacks in his NFL career.

While not a sexy move, it gives the Giants some depth at the outside linebacker position, as the team is not expected to re-sign pending free agent outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari. Whether Fox has a roster spot in 2025 will obviously have to be determined this coming summer if he makes it to training camp.

Fox’s contract is a one-year deal worth approximately $1.1 million.

Grade: C+

March 6

As expected, QB Tommy DeVito re-signs with Giants

Dec 15, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito (15) warms up before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at MetLife Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Giants general manager Joe Schoen has been talking about Cedar Grove, New Jersey native Tommy DeVito's return ever since the 2024 season ended because DeVito was to be an exclusive rights free agent who, if he didn't resign with the Giants, would need to sit out the upcoming season.

The Giants and DeVito are finally getting around to the formalities of the contract, which should be signed, sealed, and delivered before the end of the weekend. ERFA contracts are based on the number of accrued NFL seasons a player has, so for 2025, players with two years of accrued seasons, as DeVito has, would mean a $1.03 million, no-frills contract.

Although DeVito wasn't able to retain the starting job last year after surprisingly being named the Giants starter following the benching and release of Daniel Jones, the appeal in bringing him back was more for continuity's sake.

DeVito is likely to be the only quarterback on the Giants roster with experience in Brian Daboll's system, which players have described as one of the more complex ones. As such, DeVito can serve as a resource for both veteran and rookie signal-callers up and running.

Grade: B

March 5

Long snapper Casey Kreither re-ups with Giants

Oct 7,, 2022; Thundridge, United Kingdom; New York Giants long snapper Casey Kreiter (58) is greeted by children during practice at Hanbury Manor. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Another year, another one-year contract for long snapper Casey Kretier has been nothing short of a rock on an otherwise inconsistent Giants' special teams unit.

Kreiter, who first signed with the Giants in 2020, is a two-time team captain (2022 and 2024) who has not missed a game since joining the Giants.

Last year, he recorded a career-best five tackles (three solos) on special teams, adding to his Giants career total of 11 special teams tackles over five seasons.

Grade: A

March 14

Giants Sign Jeremiah Ledbetter for More D-line Depth

Giants Add More Special Teams/Defensive Depth

March 12

Giants Re-sign WR/Return Specialist Ihmir Smith-Marsette

Giants Re-sign OL Greg Van Roten

Giants Add Offensive Lineman Stone Forsythe

March 11

Splash! Giants Sign Free Agent Safety Jevon Holland

Giants Add More Special Teams/Defensive Depth

Giants Land DL Chauncey Golston from Cowboys

March 10

Surprise! Giants Re-sign Receiver Darius Slayton

Giants Improve Offensive Line Depth in James Hudson III

Giants Special Teams Get a Boost with Chris Board

Giants Boost D-Line Depth by Adding Roy Robertson-Harris

Giants Agree to Terms with ex-Saints Cornerback Paulson Adebo

March 8

Giants Re-Sign Tight End Chris Manhertz for Another Year

Giants Re-Sign Punter Jamie Gillan to 3-Year Deal

March 7

March 6

As expected, QB Tommy DeVito re-signs with Giants

March 5

Long snapper Casey Kreither re-ups with Giants

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