NFL free agency has begun, and we're keeping track of every major signing, trade and release of the 2025 offseason, with analysis from our NFL Nation reporters and grades from our experts. The new league year began Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET, making free agent signings official. The first round of the 2025 NFL draft begins April 24 on ESPN.
Here's a breakdown of every 2025 NFL free agent signing by the New York Giants and how each will impact the upcoming season:
Lil'Jordan Humphrey, WR
Humphrey agreed to a one-year deal with the Giants.
What it means: The Giants added a receiver with some size. Humphrey is listed at 6-4, 225 and has some ability to make plays downfield. He's averaged a healthy 12.4 yards per reception during his five years with the Saints, Patriots and Broncos. His presence only further puts into question the future of Jalin Hyatt. The Giants' third-round pick in 2023 wasn't happy last season and finished with just eight receptions for 62 yards in a limited role. Do the Giants trade him this offseason? It seems like a realistic possibility.
What's the risk: Minimal. Humphrey's deal isn't going to break the bank. He's a depth piece who will compete for a No. 4 or 5 receiver spot on the Giants. The problem that Humphrey and New York might run into is that he brings little special teams value, if any at all. That's tough for a backup receiver. Humphrey didn't play any special teams the past two regular seasons for the Broncos.
Victor Dimukeje, LB
Dimukeje agreed to a one-year deal with the Giants.
What it means: This is the Giants countermove after Azeez Ojulari signed with the Eagles. There was some interest in bringing Ojulari back, but he chose Philadelphia based on the opportunity for success getting to rush the passer for a winning team. The Giants then added Dimukeje the following day as depth behind Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux. Dimukeje pressured the quarterback at a solid 18% rate last season with the Cardinals, despite not recording a sack. All four of his career sacks came in 2023.
What's the risk: Dimukeje doesn't have the same track record of success as a pass rusher as Ojulari, although he is more durable. Maybe it's buried in that 6-2, 262-pound frame, but it hasn't been consistent in his first four professional seasons. In fact, Dimukeje fell out of favor in the Cardinals' pass rush packages last year. Perhaps a change of scenery is the answer after a promising '23 campaign.
Jeremiah Ledbetter, DT
Ledbetter agreed to a one-year deal with the Giants.
What it means: Depth, depth and more depth on the defensive line. Ledbetter is a rotational defensive tackle. Throw him into the mix. Clearly the Giants are going with the strength by numbers approach on the defensive line. Ledbetter, 30, is a veteran who is entering his eighth professional season with his fourth team.
What's the risk: Just because the Giants are adding a lot of bodies doesn't mean they're the answer. Ledbetter had a pedestrian 28% run stop win rate last season. That was below average for a defensive lineman.
Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, LB
Flannigan-Fowles agreed to a one-year deal with the Giants.
What it means: Flannigan-Fowles and C.J. Board fill the veteran linebacker and special teams roles. They likely take the roles of Matthew Adams and Ty Summers from last season. Flannigan-Fowles comes to the Giants after five seasons with the 49ers. He also brings some value on defense, with seven career starts and an interception on his résumé.
What's the risk: Not a ton. He's a veteran with experience in the league on special teams and defense who comes at a relatively low cost. It's not a move that is going to fix the Giants' leaky run defense or anything, but it serves its purpose.
Greg Van Roten, G
Van Roten agreed to a one-year deal with the Giants.
What it means: The Giants pivoted after missing out on free agent guard Will Fries, who signed for over $17 million per year with the Minnesota Vikings and elected to bring back Van Roten instead. Van Roten played 100% of the offensive snaps last season and was serviceable. He was 52nd out of 64 guards with an 89.9% pass block win rate. So far, the Giants are bringing back everyone from the league's 31st-ranked offense aside from the quarterback. They're clearly hoping their younger players take the next step and the QB cures a lot of their woes.
What's the risk: Van Roten just turned 35 years old. He has been up and down in recent years and is getting near the end of his playing career. In fact, this is probably the ideal situation for the New York native. He might not have played if a return to the Giants wasn't an option. If Van Roten is a backup and insurance, the Giants are probably better off. If he's starting and the offensive line isn't improved, it could be a bad sign for whomever is at quarterback.
Ihmir Smith-Marsette, WR
Smith-Marsette has agreed to a one-year deal with the Giants.
What it means: The Giants brought back Smith-Marsette as their returner. He earned their job with a strong finish to last season, which included a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in a Week 17 win over the Indianapolis Colts. Smith-Marsette played in 15 games for the Giants last season after returner Gunner Olszewski was injured in pregame warmups of the opener. It's now Smith-Marsette's job to lose entering the 2025 campaign.
What's the risk: The Giants didn't use Smith-Marsette much at wide receiver. He logged six total snaps on offense. He's a bit one-dimensional if that is going to be the case. Do the Giants want to use a roster spot on someone they strictly view as a returner, or do they envision a bigger role? This regime has been reluctant to use a roster spot on a pure returner in the past.
Stone Forsythe, OT
Forsyth has agreed to a one-year deal with the Giants.
What it means: More bodies on the offensive line. Forsythe has played in 53 games, including 14 starts, in his four years with the Seahawks. He joins James Hudson III as a potential swing tackle options after the disaster that was Joshua Ezeudu at tackle the past two seasons. It also could spell the end to Evan Neal at tackle. The expectation was that Neal would be moved to guard this offseason. The signings of Forsythe and Hudson seem to be the final straw.
What's the risk: The analytics don't paint a favorable picture of Forsythe. He had a 78.8% pass block win rate in nine games and five starts this past season. That would have been the second-worst PBWR of any tackle had he logged enough snaps to qualify. It was worse than Neal and Ezeudu.
Chauncey Golston, DE
Golston agreed to a three-year deal with the New York Giants.
What it means: Golston is more of a pass rush complement for Dexter Lawrence II on the interior. He had a career-high 5.5 sacks last season in 13 starts. He is a versatile defensive lineman who was primarily a defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys. But he can play outside/inside and will likely be moved around the line with the Giants. It's an important move for defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, who didn't have much on the interior last season besides Lawrence. Also, the Giants' gain is the division rival Cowboys' loss.
What's the risk: Golston isn't the biggest defensive lineman (listed at 268 pounds) and isn't exactly known for his run defense. This was among the Giants' biggest weaknesses last season. The Cowboys', too. Golston's new team in New York finished 27th in run defense, allowing 136.2 yards per game. It allowed 4.6 yards per carry. Golston probably isn't the solution for that problem.
Jevon Holland, S
Holland agreed to a three-year deal with the Giants.
What it means: The secondary will have a much different look this season with big-money additions in Holland and cornerback Paulson Adebo. Clearly that was a priority in free agency for New York. The Giants were too young and raw last season, without any real leaders on the back end. Holland, 25, should help fill that role. He is young, aggressive and known to be a good guy in the locker room. This should help the Giants' defense, which now has five different players making at least $10 million. No excuses for this not to be a good unit this season.
What's the risk: Doesn't seem to be much. Perhaps it's a lot of money for a player who has just one interception in the past two years? That's probably a bit nitpicky though. It is also a little curious that the Giants were willing to invest this much in a safety ($15 million per season) one year after allowing Xavier McKinney to leave in free agency.
Chris Board, LB
Board agreed to a two-year deal with the Giants.
What it means: The Giants added a leader for their special teams coverage units. This could affect Matthew Adams and/or Ty Summers, two veteran linebackers who played significant special teams roles last year for the Giants but are free agents. Board has been a mainstay on special teams everywhere he's gone. He has played at least 72% of the special teams snaps in each of his seven professional seasons with the Ravens, Lions and Patriots, and was tied for ninth in the NFL with eight special teams tackles last season. The Giants have had interest in Board for several years now. They finally got him to New York.
What's the risk: Board is going to be 30 this summer. Aside from that, he's a bit one-dimensional in that he doesn't provide much value on defense. In 2023 with the Patriots, he was on the field for one defensive snap. But he did follow that up with 168 defensive snaps this past season for the Baltimore Ravens. So maybe the Giants can find him a defensive role, even if it's to help against the run in short-yardage situations? Or maybe that is just what he is at this point of his career -- a special teams player.
James Hudson III, OT
Hudson agreed to a two-year deal with the Giants.
What it means: Extra depth on the offensive line, particularly at the tackle position. This was desperately needed after the Giants fell apart the past two years when left tackle Andrew Thomas went down with a foot injury. Hudson has started 17 career games at tackle during his four professional seasons. He should fill the swing tackle spot for the Giants, who had Josh Ezeudu in that role all spring and summer last year only to abandon the plan after he started one game. Hudson now seems to be extra insurance for Thomas and right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor.
What's the risk: Hudson is coming off shoulder surgery that ended his season in October. He has also never been able to grab a lasting starting role despite several stints as a starter. Even this past season, Hudson's 84.2% pass block win rate was actually lower at tackle than Evan Neal's. And Neal's struggles since being a top-10 pick in 2022 by the Giants is one of the reasons Hudson is being signed. At least Hudson gives the Giants more depth and options.
Darius Slayton, WR
Slayton agreed to a three-year deal with the Giants.
What it means: The Giants will roll it back with a similar receiving corps as last year. Malik Nabers and Slayton will be on the outside with Wan'Dale Robinson in the slot. As general manager Joe Schoen said at the NFL scouting combine, the belief is that a quarterback will cure a lot of the Giants' woes. Now they just have to find that QB. It's a bit of a surprise that Slayton returns after finding himself buried on the depth chart twice in the previous three years and Schoen not wanting to adjust his contract to Slayton's liking last spring. But it didn't stop the longest-tenured Giant (tied with Dexter Lawrence II) from coming back.
What's the risk: Slayton is only 28 years old so there shouldn't be much of a drop-off on the horizon, even though he's reliant on his speed. If anything, this could prompt some sort of move with 2023 third-round pick Hyatt after a frustrating season. Hyatt wasn't thrilled with falling behind Slayton on the depth chart last summer and the veteran's re-signing puts a significant role for Hyatt in serious question.
Roy Robertson-Harris, DT
Robertson-Harris agreed to a two-year deal with the Giants.
What it means: The Giants started adding to their defensive line depth. It was imperative after struggling to stuff the run for the second consecutive season. The Giants have Lawrence, but they don't have much else on the interior. Rakeem Nunez-Roches is a quality rotational player and now the Giants can add Robertson-Harris to the mix. He's likely not going to be the only defensive line addition this offseason. In addition to free agency, it's considered a strong group of defensive linemen in the draft.
What's the risk: Robertson-Harris turns 32 this summer. He split last season between the Seahawks (11 games) and Jaguars (six games). He's known as a big-bodied power rusher who can set the edge. But he's not the be-all, end-all to the Giants' run defense woes. How much can he bring to the defense? He's more likely a rotational player than a mainstay.
Paulson Adebo, CB
Adebo agreed to a three-year deal worth $54 million with the Giants.
What it means: The Giants added a veteran corner they can plug into the lineup alongside Deonte Banks or Cor'Dale Flott. It was a top priority for the team. The former Saint is a young, ascending player. He had 10 passes defended in just 262 coverage snaps last year before breaking a femur. He's just 25, which provides hope he can continue to grow, and there is a chance he develops into a true shutdown corner.
What's the risk: Adebo is coming off a serious injury. He broke a femur in October. It took four to five months for him to recover from the injury. GM Joe Schoen focused last year on players with a clean injury history because of the team's problems during the 2023 season. Clearly, Adebo does not fall into that category. This is a shift in approach. Also, he has never been a true No. 1, spending the first three years of his career working alongside Marshon Lattimore. So this will be a step up in competition against No. 1 receivers, plus there will be bigger expectations for him to perform now that he's getting paid.