NFL notebook: Giants wide receiver Shepard gets hefty extension

[April 11, 2019]  The New York Giants are finalizing a four-year, $41 million contract extension with wide receiver Sterling Shepard, NFL Network reported Wednesday.

The deal includes $21.3 million in guaranteed money, according to ESPN.

Shepard, a second-round pick out of Oklahoma in 2016, set career highs last season with 66 catches for 872 yards. He has started 42 of his 43 games with the Giants, catching 190 passes for 2,286 yards and 14 touchdowns.

The Giants also re-signed wide receiver Russell Shepard (no relation), who confirmed the news on social media.

--Meanwhile, the Giants hosted former New York Jets cornerback Morris Claiborne and former Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle Corey Liuget on free agent visits, ESPN reported.

A former first-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys, the 29-year-old Claiborne started 30 games over the last two seasons for the Jets, breaking up 22 passes and making three interceptions.

Liuget, 29, was released by the Chargers earlier this offseason. He has 24 career sacks since being drafted in the first round in 2011, though just three since 2015. He missed 10 games last season due to a suspension and a knee injury.

--Projected top-five NFL draft pick Nick Bosa admitted in an interview with ESPN that he has scrubbed his Twitter account clean of anything that could be considered political.

Bosa, a former Ohio State defensive end, frequently had tweeted his support for President Donald Trump, and he also criticized former San Francisco 49ers quarterback-turned-social activist Colin Kaepernick.

However, knowing he could wind up in a liberal city, such as San Francisco, where the 49ers hold the No. 2 pick, he chose to clean the slate.

--At least three more quarterbacks reportedly are visiting this week with the Washington Redskins, who hold the No. 15 pick in this month's draft.

NFL Network said Duke's Daniel Jones, Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins and Northwestern's Clayton Thorson all have meetings scheduled with the Redskins, who have already hosted Missouri's Drew Lock and Auburn's Jarrett Stidham.

Jones will visit Wednesday night and Thursday, Thorson meets with the team Wednesday, and Haskins is due sometime this week, according to NFL Network. West Virginia's Will Grier is also expected at Redskins Park in the coming days, according to NBC Sports Washington.

Giants wide receiver Sterling Shepard (87) stiff arms Atlanta Falcons defensive back Sharrod Neasman (41) in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

--Free agent tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins signed a contract with the New England Patriots. Terms were not announced, but multiple outlets reported it's a one-year deal for the veteran minimum.

The team also confirmed the re-signing of kicker Stephen Gostkowski.

Meanwhile, ESPN reported the Patriots brought in former Broncos and Texans wide receiver Demaryius Thomas and former Jaguars running back T.J. Yeldon for free agent visits.

--The Jets signed former Alliance of American Football quarterback Brandon Silvers, the team announced.

Silvers, 24, started three games for the Memphis Express and passed for 777 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. In four seasons at Troy from 2014-17, Silvers passed for 10,677 yards with 71 TDs and 29 picks.

The Jets also brought former Chiefs running back Spencer Ware in for a visit and will host former Packers and Ravens running back Ty Montgomery on a visit on Thursday, ESPN reported.

--The Buffalo Bills signed former Lions and 49ers defensive end Eli Harold to a one-year deal.

Harold, 25, had a career-high four sacks along with five quarterback hits in 13 games as a reserve last season for the Lions, who acquired him from the 49ers late in training camp.

A third-round pick in 2015, Harold has nine career sacks in 61 games (25 starts).

--The Dallas Cowboys released guard Parker Ehinger and defensive tackle Aziz Shittu.

Ehinger, 26, was acquired from the Chiefs in a trade during training camp last year, but he sustained a season-ending knee injury less than a week later and missed the whole season. He started four games in 2016 and one in 2017 with Kansas City.

Shittu, 24, was on and off the Cowboys' practice squad last season. He has not appeared in a regular-season NFL game.

--Field Level Media

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