New tight end Ricky Seals-Jones hopes to be Giant long-term
The Giants know their new tight end can catch difficult passes at critical moments in games.
He did it in September against them.
Ricky Seals-Jones, a free agent who officially signed a one-year contract with the Giants on Friday, made a beautiful but crushing grab in the back of the end zone for Washington in Week 2, leaping over cornerback Adoree’ Jackson and giving his team a fourth-quarter lead in its eventual win.
"Hopefully I can make some more plays like that in the Big Blue," he said.
If he can, he may stay in Big Blue for a while. That’s his goal after bouncing around the league for most of his career, now playing for his fourth team in four seasons and fifth overall. Now Seals-Jones wants to settle down and thinks the Giants might be the one for him.
"I’m very anxious," he said. "I’ve got to do [what I do] every year, I come in and try to make plays and secure a long-term thing. So, I’m just here to try to do that here. Come in, make some plays, and help the team win and do my thing."
The biggest difference for him this season will likely be the opportunity he will get. The Giants have parted ways with their top three tight ends from last season, releasing Kyle Rudolph and Kaden Smith and allowing Evan Engram to go to Jacksonville as a free agent. Seals-Jones arrives on a team with an almost empty tight ends room and immediately moves to the top of the depth chart.
"I feel like some places I’ve always been the number two or three guy," he said. "I feel like for me just to have the opportunity to come in and fight for the one spot is good."
Seals-Jones has played for Arizona, Cleveland, Kansas City and Washington. In 54 regular-season games with 15 starts he has 90 receptions for 1,044 yards and 10 touchdowns. Last season in Washington he played in 13 games with six starts and caught 30 passes for 271 yards and two scores.
"I feel like I’m a complete tight end," he said, "so I just have to come out, work hard and show the coaches what I can do and go from there."
And maybe, finally, not go from there too but stay for a while.
Ryan to Bucs
Logan Ryan, released by the Giants on Thursday, did not have to wait long for his next opportunity. The 31-year-old safety agreed to terms with Tampa Bay on Friday morning and will be joining with former Patriots teammate Tom Brady. Ryan won two Super Bowl rings with Brady in New England.
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
