With the NFL offseason officially underway, the New York Giants continued to make small moves for the 2023 roster by re-signing exclusive rights free agent Isaiah Hodgins.
In his postseason press conference, general manager Joe Schoen said the Giants’ priority this offseason would be to re-sign their own players, and while he was undoubtedly referring to big names like Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley, and Julian Love, the team has been making good on that promise with small free agents to start the offseason.
With this signing, Hodgins joins offensive lineman Jack Anderson and tight end Lawrence Cager as exclusive rights free agents who have already been re-signed by the Giants.
No terms have been announced so far on the deal, but an exclusive-rights free agent typically gets a one-year contract at the league minimum. Since the Giants offered him a deal, he cannot negotiate with other teams, which means he is essentially taking what the Giants give him.
Not that it bothers Hodgins, who announced the move on his own Twitter account.
WE BACK🗽 pic.twitter.com/MrMYjvvnMA
— Isaiah Hodgins (@IsaiahHodgins) February 16, 2023
Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll were familiar with Hodgins since he was a sixth-round pick by the Bills in 2020 when Joe Schoen and Daboll were both in Buffalo. He was injured during his rookie season and then never really got an opportunity to break into the Buffalo receiving corps this year, playing in only three games and hauling in just six receptions before the Bills waived him at midseason.
For Buffalo, it was likely just a numbers game. While they wanted to keep Hodgins, they had just traded for safety Dean Marlowe at the deadline and placed cornerback Tre’Davious White on the active roster, so they needed to free up two roster spots. With all of their injuries on defense, the Bills decided to hold onto extra defensive players and let Hodgins go.
The Giants swooped in quickly.
After being elevated, Hodgins quickly became the team’s best wide receiver over the second half of the season. In eight games, five of which were starts, he caught 33 passes for 351 yards (10.6 yards per catch) with four touchdowns.
Hodgins was a standout at Oregon State, registering 1,171 yards and 13 touchdowns in his final season and averaging 13.2 yards per catch during his entire collegiate career. He just needed the opportunity to show what he could do at the next level.
With the Giants recently voiding the contract of Sterling Shepard and set to see Richie James and Darius Slayton become free agents, there could be a lot of turnover in the receivers’ room. More so if the team cuts Kenny Golladay, as they are expected to do.
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