The Wednesday deadline for NFL teams to sign long-term deals with the players they labeled with the franchise tag came and went without the Giants announcing a new deal with defensive lineman Leonard Williams.
The Giants acquired Williams from the Jets in the middle of last season for a third-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft (which it used for safety Ashtyn Davis) and a fifth-round pick in the 2021 draft. Williams was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2015 draft and made the 2016 Pro Bowl, but his play only was middling during those last eight games; he recorded just one half of a sack and improved the run defense only slightly.