According to a report by Dan Duggan, Carter’s injury is not something that should overly concern Giants fans. “Harbaugh said Abdul Carter twisted his ankle. Harbaugh said it doesn’t look too serious,“ Duggan posted on X.

While the initial report of a twisted ankle triggered nightmare scenarios for the fanbase, it is especially critical considering Carter is entering a highly anticipated 2nd NFL season. As a rookie last year, he played in all 17 games, racking up 43 combined tackles and providing a consistent pass-rush presence.

If Carter were to miss any extended time, who would replace him?

Kayvon Thibodeaux remains one of the best internal options to step up. While Thibodeaux has plenty of experience as an OLB, his 2025 campaign was cut short, limiting him to just 10 games. The last time he played a full season was in 2023, when he appeared in all 17 contests.

Another intriguing name to watch is rookie Arvell Reese, who is widely considered a massive piece of the Giants’ future defensive foundation. However, because he is a rookie, giving him a full-time starting role right out of the gate is a decision Harbaugh and the coaching staff will likely weigh carefully.

Carter remains central to Harbaugh’s master plan for the defense, but the team boasts enough roster depth to weather a minor setback. Ultimately, because the injury is considered minor, these contingency plans remain purely speculative and shouldn’t impact the franchise’s start to the 2026 season.

“It’s annoying,” he said, via Jon Machota of TheAthletic.com. “It’s been annoying to prepare against. But obviously seeing it in practice every day, it’s kind of unique. Just seeing the different guys communicate and be able to understand and take what they learn from the meeting room and being able to easily translate it on the field. It’s good to go against. It’s very tricky.”

Strengthening the defensive unit is a must for America’s Team if they hope to compete in the NFC. Christian Parker will look to elevate his players to an elite level, giving Brian Schottenheimer the tools on both sides of the field needed to challenge their opponents.

Cowboys aim to improve their defensive performance in 2025

The Cowboys endured a dismal defensive campaign during the 2025 NFL season, finishing as one of the league’s most vulnerable units. Anchored at the bottom of the league, the defense surrendered a staggering 30.1 points per game, ranking last (32nd) in scoring defense.

Under defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, the unit struggled drastically in the secondary, giving up an average of 251.5 passing yards per game, which also ranked dead last across the NFL. Allowing 377.0 total yards per outing (30th overall) and a league-high 59 total touchdowns, the Cowboys’ defense consistently collapsed under pressure, ultimately undermining a potent offense and causing the team to finish the year with a frustrating 7–9–1 record.

Lamb leads an intriguing offense

To rebuild from a frustrating season, the Dallas Cowboys will look to lean heavily on their elite offense, which finished the 2025 campaign averaging an impressive 394.0 total yards per game (1st in the NFL) and scoring 27.7 points per outing.

Operating out of a highly explosive passing game, franchise quarterback Dak Prescott returns to the helm after a stellar year where he racked up 4,552 passing yards and 30 touchdowns. He will once again have a loaded arsenal out wide, led by superstar CeeDee Lamb, who pulled in 75 receptions for 1,077 yards and 3 touchdowns despite missing a chunk of the season.

Additionally, the Cowboys are confident on George Pickens’ situation heading into the future after locking in the Pro Bowl wideout—who led the team with a career-high 1,429 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns last season—via a $27.3 million franchise tag, ensuring that Dallas retains the league’s most lethal aerial tandem.

New faces on the Cowboys’ defense

Dallas has completely overhauled its defensive unit with an influx of impact talent that has already caught the attention of wideout CeeDee Lamb during team workouts.

Leading the re-engineered linebacking corps are dynamic former San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dee Winters and explosive edge rusher Rashan Gary, who arrives from Green Bay to provide elite pass-rushing punch. The secondary has received an equally massive upgrade with the arrivals of hard-hitting former Arizona Cardinals safety Jalen Thompson and former Los Angeles Rams cornerback Cobie Durant.

Together, this revamped group is flashing the playmaking energy needed to completely erase the memory of last year’s struggles and turn the Cowboys’ defense into a formidable force.

In an exclusive interview with Bolavip, Banks reflected on his NFL career and shared his thoughts on the current state of the Giants. Selected third overall in the 1984 NFL Draft, Banks was well aware his draft position would matter little if he couldn’t prove he belonged in the league. Fortunately, he landed in the lap of a great head coach, Bill Parcells, and a young yet meticulous linebackers coach named Bill Belichick, who would go on to become defensive coordinator before ultimately making a name for himself as a head coach.

Banks knows what it takes to win. More importantly, he knows what it takes to win in a market like New York. Four decades have passed since Banks, Parcells, Belichick, Lawrence Taylor, Phil Simms, and company hoisted the franchise’s first Super Bowl, but the lessons taught then remain relevant today.

Although it still feels like yesterday to Banks, he understands that it has been far too long since New York enjoyed success. Banks loves the fact that he is still honored by the organization and will continue to be for years to come. Yet he comprehends better than anyone that fans deserve better than to cling to nostalgia. Perhaps, on the 40th anniversary of the Super Bowl XXI, the Giants will party like it’s 1987 now that John Harbaugh took charge of the team.

Banks on Bill Parcells changing Giants’ culture

Bolavip: You were recently at the New York Giants’ Town Hall event. How was that? And what’s it like to still be a part of the Giants organization so much time later?

Carl Banks: It’s always an honor to be a part of the Giants organization. To be able to continue to carry the torch for the legacy that I helped build. So, being a part of that and being an ambassador to what Giants football is and to be someone who was a part of bringing the first ever Super Bowl championship to the organization is quite an honor for me and I am very humbled that they asked me to participate in events like that.

Bolavip: You joined the organization in 1984. They had never won a Super Bowl and had too many losing seasons in a row. You really were a part of the change. What did it take to make it happen?

Carl Banks: Well, it took a culture change. We had to focus on the things that were important, the little things. Coach [Bill] Parcels was in his second year and he was not sure if he would make it through the season if he didn’t win. So, we were all in for him and we wanted to do whatever it took, not only for the coach, but for each other. We wanted to make sure that we held each other accountable and we played a brand of football that was tough, very physical, and very disciplined.

Bolavip: Being coached by Bill Parcels, what did he teach you? What did you take from him, one of the greats in Giants history?

Banks: You used two words, coach and teach. I think the one thing that if you ask any of my teammates, they will tell you [Parcells] was a great teacher as a coach. Our entire coaching staff were great teachers. They taught great fundamentals. They taught us what the important things were in order to create a winner and to be a consistent winner.

And he was very insistent upon that as a coach to make sure that we constantly did the little things right. He was a nag sometimes. He was very persistent in making sure that we did all the little things. We didn’t take any shortcuts. And I’m, again, grateful for that experience because the things that he taught us as a coach were things that I took into life after football, into my businesses, and allowed me to be a great leader in business.

Bill Belichick’s impact

Bolavip: You were also coached by Bill Belichick as defensive coordinator. Did you expect Belichick to have as much success as he did as a head coach too?

Banks: So, I first had Coach Belichick as a linebacker coach and then he became defensive coordinator. He was another person who was really detail-oriented, but he was also a coach who could take feedback and create solutions in real time. So I knew that the way he processed information and was able to transfer that or communicate that in a simplified way that players could go out and be productive, [it all] told me he had the ingredients to be a great head coach.

When he left the Giants and became the head coach of the Cleveland Browns, it was not an easy situation for him. Two years after I left the Giants, I joined Coach Belichick—myself and Thomas “Pepper” Johnson, but Pepper went a year before me—to help convey his message and how winning football was supposed to be played.

Cleveland had an abundance of talent and they just didn’t want to adapt to the principles of winning. Having someone like myself and Pepper Johnson, who had been a part of what Coach Belichick was doing and having that success, made it easier for us to communicate with our teammates in Cleveland.

We went on to have two very exciting years and had a historical defense one year. So that kind of laid the groundwork. Those successes laid the groundwork for him to then transition to the Patriots and become the greatest coach of all time.

Belichick’s first-ballot Hall of Fame snub

Bolavip: How shocked were you to learn [Belichick] wasn’t named a first-ballot Hall of Famer?

Banks: I would say I was shocked if I didn’t think all of this was premeditated. I’m more disappointed than I am shocked. I think you have journalists who are on the selection committee that decided to settle grievances in an out-of-context way. There was no way anyone could justly state that the greatest coach of all time should not be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

[Belichick] did not have a lot of favor in the press. He treated everyone equally, but he was just not the used-car salesman that always had a story to tell. He was always about football. So I guess those in the media decided that they wanted to pay him back for that and it just wasn’t the right environment to do so.

The disdain that some in the media and some of his contemporaries had for him. They just thought this was a way to, I don’t know, knock him down a peg or whatever. But it does not diminish his accomplishments. He’s still the greatest coach of all time. Whether you put him in on the first ballot or the last ballot, his record and his résumé speak for itself.

Bolavip: What do you think, does it really matter? First-ballot? At the end of the day, he’s going to go to the Hall of Fame.

Banks: He’s going to go to the Hall of Fame. It is established that he is the greatest coach in the history of the NFL. It doesn’t matter where he goes in. Whenever he does go into the Hall of Fame, he will go in as the greatest coach in the history of the NFL.

John Harbaugh’s arrival in New York

Bolavip: With John Harbaugh just coming in. He gets such a good draft class for the Giants. What do you expect from this head coach who won a Super Bowl, can he be the one who takes New York back to the promised land?

Banks: I am very confident that he can do that. His résumé speaks for itself. He has been a consistent winner. His teams have a profile and they don’t deviate from the style of football that they play. That style of football is similar to the style that I played or that my teams played. They were big, they were fast, they were physical, they were smart. When you look at all of Coach Harbaugh’s teams, no matter who the personnel was, they all fit that profile. That’s why he won so many games.

Bolavip: This team with Harbaugh can really try to imitate or be quite similar to the ones that took the Giants organization to the next level. It has a lot of similarities that the fans, I guess, must be really excited about.

Banks: Yes, [fans should be] really excited.

Bolavip: Do you think the sky is the limit right now for New York?

Banks: Yes. I think they have to stay healthy. But I do believe that there’s a great opportunity ahead for this team if and when they really get the little things that are required to be an elite football team. When they get those things ingrained in them, then you’ll see an immediate shift to a different type of football than you have been seeing the last five, six, seven years from the Giants.

Bolavip: And do you see any player on today’s roster that has a similar skill set or mentality to you?

Banks: Well, I think it’s more about the mentality than the skill set. The requirements of today’s NFL player are a little different than when I played. However, I see a tremendous amount of talent at the linebacker position for the Giants. Each and every one of those players can be elite.

Brian Burns is already an elite player. Abdul Carter is going to develop into something that’s unblockable. I think maybe one player that’s kind of similar to me, because of his ability to play the run, and that’s Kayvon Thibodeaux, but he has a very unique skill set too. Those players [in New York] have an opportunity to really take it to the next level.

Carl Banks praises Arvell Reese

Banks: And then they drafted Arvell Reese, who is a linebacker by description, but he’s going to be such a utility defender. They can do a lot with him. He’s a big, fast kid, but he’s going to develop into kind of an ultimate weapon.

Tremaine Edmunds, who is 6-foot-5 and really good as an inside linebacker. They’ve got players that will have an opportunity to really put their skill sets on display with Dennard Wilson’s scheme because it’s similar to Don “Wink” Martindale’s scheme where guys are playing aggressive and not thinking a lot. That’s going to be to the benefit of guys with their skill sets.

Bolavip: Coming off as a rookie, third overall pick, what’s it like with the expectations set on you? How did you manage them? And what’s your message to this year’s Giants rookie class with Arvell Reese, playing the linebacker position like you did?

Banks: The expectations for me were a little different than a normal number-three pick. I came to the team and they had four All-Pro linebackers already there. So the expectation was high because I had to prove that I was worthy of being part of one of the most elite groups of linebackers in the NFL.

Myself and Gary Reasons were drafted that year and then they traded Brad Van Pelt and Brian Kelley and we replaced them. Once we replaced those players, especially me in particular because Brad Van Pelt was such an incredible football player and he was very close, they were a very close-knit group, people really wanted to know if I could live up to expectations. I didn’t feel pressure in the sense of, ‘I’ve got to prove myself’. The thing that I wanted to do was show that I had what it takes to be an elite player.

Playing alongside Lawrence Taylor

Banks: When you step on the field with Lawrence Taylor, you see instantly that whatever you were doing is not as good as what he is. So you have a barometer, you have a level that you have to strive for in order to get on the same plain as Lawrence Taylor. His effort, his speed, his tenacity. So in order to be an elite player, you’ve got to come close to what he is.

Nobody’s ever matched what he is, but you can come close and you can perfect the things that you do well at an elite level. That was kind of my goal. Once I took the field and practiced with Lawrence Taylor, it was like, ‘I’ve got to be elite at something and perfect my responsibilities.’

Bolavip: What would you say was your eliteness coming from? What did you perfect?

Banks: Hard work. You know, I had the good fortune of being tutored in my last college season by the great Hall of Famer Jack Ham. He taught me some of the ins and outs of playing the position and then from there I incorporated that into my skill set. It was just a matter of implementing it at the professional football level.

I did that and continued to work at it. I continued to study myself and how I could get better at every technique, every little thing, and it made me the most dominant strong-side linebacker during my career.

Working for the Jets and the rivalry in NY

Bolavip: Heading to the other team in New York, the Jets, you worked for them as a director of player development. How was that change from one organization to the other in the same city? Did the fans let you know about the decision?

Banks: I don’t think I got too much negativity from the fans and I think that’s because Bill Parcels was there as the head coach and president. Because he has credibility, I have credibility. We were there to do a job. People probably weren’t happy with it, but they understood why I was there and the respect that I had in New York as a champion and as a person certainly helped with fans not being so angry.

Bolavip: Is the Giants-Jets rivalry really a rivalry with the NFL’s scheduling of them so in between? Is there a lost opportunity to have a real battle for New York?

Banks: I think the inner-city or inner-state rivalries are not as strong as they used to be. The Jets have to deal with Buffalo [Bills]. That’s their rival. They’re in the division. The Giants have to deal with Philadelphia [Eagles] and Washington [Commanders]. That’s their rival.

Bragging rights for who is the best team in the city is just not determined if you win that game, a preseason game against the Jets. Back when I played, it was more important to the fans, but I think in the last 20 years the Giants have had better teams and obviously have won two Super Bowls since. The rivalry aspect of it just really doesn’t make much sense.

The NFC East rivalries

Bolavip: You mentioned Philadelphia and Washington. Is Dallas really a strong rival? But it feels far away geographically speaking, right?

Banks: The [Cowboys] are a rival, but traditionally for the Giants, the teams that really gave them and give them problems are: Philadelphia. Because Philadelphia is the gold standard of the NFC East. Dallas is striving to be better than Philly, but most in the division believe that as talented as the Dallas Cowboys are, they’re still beatable. They’re a team that you feel you can go in and play and beat.

With Philadelphia, a true rival, you’re striving to be as good as them. You’re striving to knock them off the throne. Obviously you have to respect the Dallas Cowboys because they have so much talent and their quarterback is elite. They have really elite wide receivers, but when you play the Dallas Cowboys, you always find yourself with an opportunity. That’s not always the case when you play Philadelphia. Philadelphia is just so dominant. And so that is where, in my opinion, you kind of define what a rivalry is.

And then Washington has always been that team, ever since I played, that you love to beat. And it’s great competition. You love the competition against Washington. I don’t know for whatever reason. Our fan bases are super respectful of each other while really cheering vigorously against us, right? Washington fans have always been respectful of our teams, but they cheered so hard against us. I think the same thing applies to Giants fans when it comes to Washington. There’s this lovable hatred.

Whereas the Philadelphia fans are just so ruthless, so you want to get to a point where you can knock them out and then have ultimate bragging rights. Eagles fans have vitriol toward everybody. They don’t like anybody.

Banks sees Dak Prescott as the best QB in the NFC’

Bolavip: Being in a division with so many good quarterbacks, like nowadays in the NFC East every team has their franchise quarterback figured out, from a defensive standpoint what’s it like? Do you want to prove it wrong? What’s the message?

Banks: Washington has a very elite quarterback in Jayden Daniels. Dak Prescott is the best quarterback in the conference, not just in the NFC East. He’s the best quarterback in the conference. Jalen Hurts is a very good quarterback and I think doesn’t get enough credit for the things that he can do. And then, now the Giants have Jaxson Dart.

When you have that type of talent at the quarterback position on every team in the division, you have to look at how you can take advantage of other areas. Take advantage of offensive lines. If the offensive line is weak. I think Washington’s offensive line is not the best in the division. Philadelphia had the best offensive line, but with Lane Johnson not there, they took a step back.

Dallas had a really good offensive line, they took a step back a little bit. So, if you can have a defense that can really control the line of scrimmage, you have a chance to neutralize some of the talents of the quarterback.

Bolavip: Do you think the division is truly up for grabs for New York this season?

Banks: Well, it’s up for grabs if you can compete. The Giants have to be able to compete. They can win any game within the division. They have to compete, and that’s something they’re trying to get to. They’re building the right type of personnel that will allow them to physically compete. And then now it comes down to execution.

40th anniversary of Super Bowl XXI

Bolavip: It will surely be a special season for the Giants. For you as well, the 40th anniversary of the first Super Bowl win in the organization’s history. Does it feel that long ago when you hear it’s been 40 years now?

Banks: No, you really don’t think it was that long ago because the memories are always so fresh. I guess when it’s been so long in between really strong seasons, fans tend to reflect back on the great times of the Giants.

Both of our Super Bowls and then the two after that, is where fans really want to see the team get back to. When you don’t have a lot to look forward to, you kind of look back and cling to the good times. So hopefully, obviously those Super Bowls will never be forgotten, but hopefully the fans have things to look forward to as well.

Bolavip: You were named the 17th greatest Giant of all time. What does it mean to you?

Banks: It’s an honor. It’s an honor to be a part of basically the ultimate Giants team. If I’m in that top 20, that’s a beautiful thing. My satisfaction and the happiness that I get is from being part of winning. Being part of bringing the first championship to New York and the fans really approving of the job that you did, the performance that you gave them, the satisfaction that you gave the fans.

That’s the thing that really matters to me more so than where I rank amongst top Giants. As long as I know I gave my best and I was able to help bring a championship to a city that never had one.

Bolavip: You were at the Giants Town Hall with Phil Simms. What’s your relationship with Phil? Do you still talk with one another 40 years later?

Banks: Yeah, Phil and I are really good friends. We still talk to each other. We text, message a lot about things we see in football and we talk a lot of X’s and O’s. It’s a lot of fun spending time with him.

The hardest QBs Banks faced

Bolavip: You played against a lot of great quarterbacks. Who was the hardest one to figure out, to get down or reach?

Banks: Well, I think Joe Montana will go down as one of the greatest of all times and he was very difficult to play against. He didn’t run a lot, but he ran enough. He made great decisions and he’s just a winner. He’s just so talented.

In terms of who was the hardest quarterback to deal with, it’s probably Randall Cunningham because he was a player that you really couldn’t game-plan for. You just had to go into the game and adjust to what he was doing because he was so good and so athletic.

He was just not predictable on what was going to happen in the game. He’s not like a typical quarterback where you can look at film and say, ‘Okay, we’re going to do these types of things.’ With him, it was just whatever happens on game day, that’s how you would have to adjust. Big headache, big headache.

Bolavip: When you played, was Philadelphia the team you wanted to beat the most, especially on the road? Which was the toughest to deal with?

Banks: Yeah, the [Eagles] were tough. Washington was a team, though, that we needed to beat in order to be in the Super Bowl.

The interesting thing about the era that I played in, especially in the 1980s, there were three teams that won all the Super Bowls except one. It was New York, Washington, and San Francisco. Chicago won one championship in the 1980s [1986] and the rest of the Super Bowls were won by New York, Washington, and San Francisco.

Being that Washington was in your division, you knew that if you could beat Washington, win your division, you had a pretty good chance of going and beating the 49ers or playing the 49ers for a chance to go to the Super Bowl.

Keys behind Super Bowl XXV win

Bolavip: And there was also a team in Buffalo that went to the Super Bowl but couldn’t win it four times in a row. And you beat them with a missed field goal. What’s it like being outside, on the sidelines and knowing your destiny, your fate, and the Super Bowl is hanging on somebody else and you can do nothing about it?

Banks: Well, I was on the field during that kick, but I think the way that game was going, if they hit that field goal, we would have all taken our helmets off, shook their hands, and said, ‘Great game.’

It was just such a hard-fought game. But I think the key to that missed field goal was probably orchestrated before Buffalo even took the field. Sean Landeta’s punt. If his punt was 10 yards shorter and Buffalo started with field position with 10 more yards than they started, we could’ve all done the same thing and they would have kicked the field goal and won it. I think Sean Landeta had a great deal to do with how that series began and how it ended.

Bolavip: Does winning bring you together as a team, or do you think the team was already united before you won the Super Bowl?

Banks: Well, the journey brings you together because you have to be really connected in order to achieve anything in sport, in a team sport. You forge a bond where it’s one for all and all for one. We just continue to fight for each other and we become very close as a result of that. That bond is never broken.

In sports, egos come, but I think in order to win, you’ve got to put egos aside. That doesn’t mean you put your pride aside. It doesn’t mean you put your identity aside. But you understand that no one is bigger than the collective. You have stars within the collective and you always acknowledge and give deference to that. But when you have a guy as great as Lawrence Taylor, who was one of the best teammates you could ever have, that just tells you the ego is not part of it.

Bolavip: Did you feel unbeatable whenever Lawrence Taylor was on the field?

Banks: We, as a team, felt unbeatable. Lawrence made us that much more formidable. It was one of the greatest teams of all time.

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH CARL BANKS ON BOLAVIP US:

“Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett plans to report to minicamp this week despite a contract impasse with the team, sources tell Josh Weinfuss and me. How much he does on the field remains uncertain. Brissett is due a $4.9M salary and wants a raise,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on X.

While Brissett is scheduled to make $4.9 million this season, that below-market figure is likely a major incentive for him to keep fighting for his spot. By showing up, he proves his commitment to the team while keeping the pressure on management to move contract talks in the right direction and secure him a raise.

A Career Year in Arizona Fueling Leverage

Brissett’s strong 2025 campaign is the primary catalyst for his contract demands. While the Cardinals struggled to a 1-11 record in his 12 starts, Brissett put up impressive individual numbers, throwing for 23 touchdowns against just eight interceptions. He also set a career-high with 3,366 passing yards, stats that clearly have him feeling confident about what he can accomplish in his second year with the system.

As a 10-year NFL veteran, Brissett has never been unleashed as a passer quite like this. He completed 315 of 485 attempts (a efficient 64.9% completion rate), proving that his arm talent is elite and that he is ready to deliver if given the opportunity, whether in Arizona or elsewhere.

If the Cardinals decide to move on from Brissett, they do have options in a post-Kyler Murray quarterback room. The depth chart features veteran Gardner Minshew II, rookie Carson Beck, and Kedon Slovis. Still, Brissett represents their most proven commodity, and how Arizona handles this dispute could shape the franchise’s trajectory for the 2026 season.

Despite the individual success, Beckham’s time with the Giants ended without the team reaching the heights many expected. Years later, as he prepares for a second opportunity in New York, the veteran receiver was asked whether he has any regrets about how things unfolded.

Beckham’s answer revealed a player who has made peace with the past while still acknowledging that some goals were left unfulfilled. “As far as regrets, I’m kind of one of those people who, for better or for worse, is like never regretting anything because at one point in time it was exactly what you wanted. So, I don’t hang my hat on it. I learned from it.”

Does Odell Beckham Jr. regret his first Giants tenure?

While Odell Beckham Jr. said he generally avoids dwelling on regrets, he admitted there is one aspect of his first New York Giants chapter that still bothers him.

“If I regret anything, it would be not winning here and not being the guy that I know that I could have been and allowing things to get in the way of that. So, other than that, I wish that things could have went differently, but they went exactly how they were supposed to. Maybe if I would have stayed here, something worse could have happened. I take for what it is. I want to make the most of the opportunity now.”

Now, back in New York, Beckham has a chance to write one final chapter with the team that drafted him. And if there is one regret he hopes to erase, it is leaving the Giants without helping deliver the success he always believed was possible.

The 49ers are squatting Aiyuk’s contract, delaying having to release him to avoid the cap hit. But Aiyuk is tired of it. Aiyuk said on his Instagram, “Stop running from the belt. The truth is they (49ers) scared. They gonna say, ‘Oh, yeah, B.A. did this, B.A. did that.’ You know that s—. But what they not gonna say is ‘B.A. suck at football,’ because they know how I get.”

Aiyuk kept going. “And they running from that belt that’s on the way. It’s inevitable. It’s coming. Stop running.” Basically, once Aiyuk is out of the team, he’s all but promising to decimate the Niners on the field when they cross paths.

Why are the 49ers keeping Aiyuk?

In simpler terms, it’s because they can. The fact is that the relationship broke way back, in 2014, after Aiyuk tore his ACL just weeks after the 49ers gave him a 4-year, $120 million extension. Aiyuk then defaulted that contract, which allowed the Niners to void $26 million in guarantees for 2026.

That move gave the Niners the ability to cut Aiyuk until the eve of training camp. The thing is the 49ers want to trade him, to avoid paying all the rest. However, Aiyuk hasn’t played in two years, his market is freezing cold, and the contract should have to be re-worked as no NFL team is willing to swallow it.

What is Aiyuk’s best play?

Aiyuk should just report to training camp, and force the Niners hand to deal with him. If not, the 49ers will just do nothing, and that harms Aiyuk more than it does to them. After all, they don’t need Aiyuk, but Aiyuk needs to get on the field as soon as possible.

At 33 years old, Beckham understands the reality of where he stands in his career. Injuries and the passage of time have changed the circumstances surrounding him, but the former Pro Bowler remains determined to prove he can still make an impact at the highest level.

That mindset was evident when Beckham recently reflected on what this latest chapter with the Giants means to him and how he is approaching the uncertainty surrounding his NFL future.

Is Odell Beckham Jr. retiring with Giants after 2026 season?

Odell Beckham Jr. made it clear that he is not looking too far ahead. “It’s just a different game. I’m still ready. I look at it like this. God is giving me one more opportunity to play and whatever I do with that is that. I’m not saying that this is my only year and I’m not saying that I got five more for you. I’m just looking at it like this is my opportunity now. We’ll see where it goes from there.”

The veteran receiver acknowledged that he does not know how many seasons remain in his career. Rather than focusing on retirement or long-term plans, Beckham is concentrating on making the most of the opportunity in front of him.

For now, though, Beckham is embracing the challenge. Whether this turns out to be his final NFL season or the beginning of an unexpected late-career resurgence, the former Giants star is determined to make the most of what he views as another chance to leave his mark on the league.

“I mean, Brady. When you go seven Super Bowls it’s hard to…there’s not anybody close. And so it gets hard to debate that. I put Brady as number one, and for me, Aaron Rodgers is probably number two.”

Williams’ answer immediately drew attention across the NFL because of the second name on his list. While few would be surprised to see Tom Brady at the top, Williams’ decision to rank Aaron Rodgers as the second-best quarterback ever is particularly noteworthy given the history between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers.

Who is the greatest QB of all time?

Tom Brady is the greatest QB of all time according to Caleb Williams, but, Aaron Rodgers got a tremendous recognition from the Bears’ star. For more than a decade, Rodgers tormented the Bears while establishing himself as one of the most successful quarterbacks in NFL history. As a result, many Chicago fans still associate him with some of the franchise’s most frustrating moments.

That makes Williams’ praise especially significant. Rather than letting the rivalry influence his opinion, the Bears quarterback openly acknowledged Rodgers’ greatness and placed him ahead of numerous legendary passers.

The timing is also interesting because Rodgers is preparing for what is expected to be his final NFL season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. As one generation of quarterbacks begins to take over the league, Williams made it clear that he still views Rodgers as one of the defining players in NFL history.

That stability is important for a franchise hoping to support young quarterback Jaxson Dart and take another step forward offensively. While training camp battles will emerge across the roster, there currently appears to be little uncertainty at several spots along the offensive line.

According to Giants insider Dan Duggan, there is no meaningful competition at center or left guard at this stage of the offseason. “I don’t see any real competition for Schmitz at center, and Runyan is the heavy favorite at left guard. Runyan got every first-team rep in the only open practice reporters have viewed so far this spring; there’s no competition until someone else gets reps with the starters.”

Could Giants cut Jon Runyan?

Even though Jon Runyan currently looks locked into as starter for the New York Giants, Duggan believes there is one scenario worth monitoring as the offseason progresses.

If another lineman emerges and proves capable of handling a starting role, the Giants could be tempted to make a difficult financial decision before the regular season begins.

“The scenario in the back of my mind is that if someone emerges, Harbaugh’s favorite Daniel Faalele is the obvious candidate, Runyan could land on the chopping block for cap savings ($9.25 million) around cut day.”

Per Mike DeFabo of The Athletic, Bernard “has a really high floor… has a good shot” of entering the rotation. DeFabo states Roman Wilson is the WR3 right now, but that could change if Bernard keeps impressing.

After all, the Steelers used a second-round pick on him, that is major draft capital to relegate him as a whole. Plus, Roman Wilson hasn’t exactly delivered as promised, so the spot is there for the taking.

Physical wideouts are what the Steelers want

Bernard is undoubtedly a very strong wideout. Add that to Michael Pittman and DK Metcalf, and the Steelers have arguably the most physical WR room in the NFL. It seems like new head coach Mike McCarthy wants to overpower the rest.

Add that to having one of the strongest tight ends in the NFL like Darnell Washington, and Pat Freiermuth also in the mix, and the mission is clear: tear and wear opposing defenders until they give up.

Germie Bernard’s 2025 stats

Playing for a blue-chip program like Alabama, Bernard had the spotlight on him. In 2023, Bernard racked up 862 yards on 64 receptions for seven touchdowns. However, he added 116 rush yards and two additional tuddies on the ground.

“This offseason is different than last,” McDaniels said recently to the press. “Last offseason, we were just getting to know the language and learning how to operate within a system of offensive football. This year, we’re trying to take that and then go to the next phase of that, the next level of that, in his case which is obviously playing the position of quarterback.

“He knows a hell of a lot more than he did last year at this time. He’s trying to either really turn the corner and perfect some things that he has an opportunity to do that with, or trying to learn a few new things and evolve as a player and as an offense. He’s had a great attitude. Super fun to be around every day. Fun like he was last year, but it’s a more accelerated version.”

Now the goal in Foxborough is clear: not only to build on what they achieved last year, but also to add another championship ring to their collection. Can Maye and McDaniels finally get it done?

Can Maye improve his 2025 numbers?

Drake Maye put together an absolute masterpiece of a sophomore season in 2025, throwing for 4,394 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, and only 8 interceptions with a spectacular 72% completion percentage, leading the New England Patriots all the way to the Super Bowl.

Now, the third-year quarterback is looking to take his game to an even higher level and build on those elite numbers thanks to some massive offseason upgrades. By bringing in a premier, game-changing WR1 in A.J. Brown alongside the incredibly reliable Romeo Doubs, the Patriots have suddenly handed Maye a pair of absolute weapons.

With this lethal new wide receiver duo at his disposal, Maye is perfectly set up to stretch the field, command the offense with even more authority, and firmly cement his status as one of the undisputed elites in the NFL.

McDaniels’ experience developing quarterbacks

Josh McDaniels is a flat-out wizard when it comes to maximizing quarterbacks, and his track record speaks for itself. He was the mastermind behind the most lethal, dominant versions of Tom Brady in New England, drawing up the exact schemes that helped the GOAT secure multiple rings and put up historic, MVP-caliber numbers.

McDaniels just has this elite football mind for reading his passer’s strengths, slowing the game down for them, and building high-octane offenses based on pure rhythm and timing—proving that when he gets his hands on a talented QB, he knows exactly which buttons to push to take them to the next level.