Sometimes it’s not what you know, but who you know, and the New York Giants have seemingly taken that saying to heart and then some since John Harbaugh walked through the doors as the team's new head coach.
The Giants have spent pretty much the offseason -- and the early part of 2026 -- bringing in players with some sort of connection to Harbaugh, a member of his coaching staff, or someone already on the team. Their latest addition might set a new precedent, taking that trend a step further, because he already knows two guys currently employed by the G-Men.
According to Giants insider Art Stapleton, New York is signing wide receiver Dontae Fleming to the practice squad after hosting the 24-year-old for a visit Tuesday. On the surface, adding a receiver who has never appeared in an NFL game isn’t exactly stop-the-presses material. His connections to Dalen Cambre and new backup quarterback J.J. McCarthy make everything even more interesting.
Dontae Fleming already has a couple of Giants in his contacts
His final college season was by far his best, with the 6-foot-1, 175-pound wideout catching 31 passes for 598 yards and scoring one touchdown. That's the college connection.
Then there’s the previous J.J. McCarthy relationship.
After going undrafted in 2025, Fleming signed with the Minnesota Vikings and spent his rookie season on their P-Squad before returning on a futures deal this offseason. That gave him plenty of face time with McCarthy before Minnesota eventually sent its former first-round quarterback to New York for a 2027 fifth-round pick.
And wouldn’t you know it, there’s already video evidence of the two connecting at Vikings training camp earlier this summer.
Does catching passes from McCarthy at practice mean Fleming is about to become the Giants’ newest offensive weapon? Obviously not. It doesn't even guarantee him staying power on the practice squad. But New York is thin enough at receiver to add him to their 18-man JV platoon.
Malik Nabers, Darnell Mooney, and Malachi Fields are currently the only receivers on the active depth chart, while Charlie Jones could see a larger role after Braxton Berrios’ season-ending foot injury. Fleming is a raw speed guy, running a 4.44-second 40-yard dash at his pro day and showing some big-play ability during his final year at Tulane.
And because the Giants and Vikings apparently haven’t exchanged enough players lately, Minnesota decided to join the party on Wednesday. One day after the G-Men added a former Vikings receiver, the Norsemen reportedly signed recently released Giants' 2026 nostalgia story Odell Beckham Jr. to their own P-Squad.
It’s about as close to a practice-squad trade as you’re going to get. At this rate, the Giants and Vikings might as well start sharing a transaction wire.
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