New York Giants Mini-Camp Ends; Vonta Leach Update

New York Giants Mini-Camp Ends: The Giants’ three-day, mandatory, full-team mini-camp ended on Thursday. The practice on Thursday was simply a walk-thru. The veterans are now off until they have to report to training camp on July 26. The rookies will be around the team facility for one more week and then be off as well. The first training camp practice at the Timex Performance Center will be held on July 27.

Update on Giants’ Interest in FB Vonta Leach: According to The Star-Ledger, on Wednesday, the Giants spoke to the agent for FB Vonta Leach, who was recently released by the Ravens. The paper says the Giants are interested in Leach but told the agent that salary cap restraints would limit what the Giants could offer. The Star-Ledger also reports the Giants will continue to monitor the situation and see if a deal might be possible.

However, at least seven teams are interested in Leach and the Dolphins and Texans are reportedly the front-runners for his services.

The Giants’ interest in Leach is spurred by the injury status of FB Henry Hynoski, who recently underwent knee surgery (MCL and chip fracture).

Coach Media Q&As: Transcripts and video clips of Thursday’s media sessions with the following coaches are available at Giants.com:

• Head Coach Tom Coughlin (Video)
• Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride (Video)
• Defensive Coordinator Perry Fewell (Video)
• Special Teams Coordinator Tom Quinn (Video)

Player Media Q&As: Transcripts and video clips of Thursday’s media Q&As with the following players are available at Giants.com:

• CB Corey Webster (Video)
• CB Prince Amukamara (Video)
• S Antrel Rolle (Video)

Article on OG Chris Snee and DT Cullen Jenkins: Former Rivals Snee and Jenkins Glad to Be Giants Teammates by Paul Schwartz of The New York Post

Article on the Giants’ Linebacking Corps: Giants Linebacking Corps Looking to Regain Respect by Dave Hutchinson of The Star-Ledger

Article on CB Prince Amukamara: Amukamara Aims to Be Best Corner in NFL by Kieran Darcy of ESPNNewYork.com

Quotes: Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride on wide receivers Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks missing so much offseason work: “The thing is they haven’t been working. They haven’t been listening. They haven’t been growing; they haven’t been developing. They haven’t been receiving the coaching that they need to get better. To be quite frank, they need it. And the absence and not being here has hurt them and because of that, it has hurt us. But the good thing is that Brandon Collins and some of the other young receivers have had a chance to get some reps. Now the Jerrel Jernigans, down the road, they may be coming into a more integral part of what we have been doing offensively because of that.”

Gilbride on WR Rueben Randle: “Rueben benefitted (from the OTAs and mini-camp). I would say that he and the guys in the slot position benefited the most. Rueben, you see emerge from a guy that showed flashes at times. He always caught the ball well but maybe didn’t always run the routes as precisely, as crisply, as you wanted. He didn’t have quite the understanding you wanted. He looked like a guy that has been here for five or six years. He really benefitted from the opportunity. His whole demeanor, his whole professionalism, was outstanding. Now is that because they weren’t here or just because he had more reps? I don’t know but he certainly stepped into a leadership role. Not only did he grow he kind of became the bell cow of the receiving corps. He was first in line. He did all of those things. That was not what we saw last year; not by a longshot. So to see him growing like that was a great step forward for him, which will help us down the road…He is going to play – he is going to play a lot. He will play first and second-downs. He will be an outside receiver for us. Whether he is at the ‘X’ or the ‘Z,” he is going to play. He is looking like he deserves to be out there a significant time.”

Gilbride on RB David Wilson: “You see a guy like David Wilson who started with no clue on who to block, much less how to block, to a pretty good understanding of what it is that he has to do. Now it is a matter of doing it. And it is a matter of getting better at it. He is still not 100%. He still makes mistakes but there has certainly been some significant, some significant growth. Now until you get the pads on – and he has to show that he, as a smaller guy, can do the things necessary that other small backs in this league have done – you are still kind of holding your breath when you see him. But his approach has been great; his attitude in terms of trying to work on that aspect of the game. As a running back, what do you want to do? You want to run the ball. That is all you want to do. You don’t want to do anything else. But he realizes that in order to get the playing time that he wants to get that he is going to have to become a pass receiver; he is going to have to become a good pass protector. And he is going to have to do the things that maybe don’t fall into the strict definition of running the football. But the good thing is that he has been working his tail off.”

Defensive Coordinator Perry Fewell on LB Mark Herzlich: “Very commanding. He’s taken a leadership role out there and I think he has some good respect from his teammates in some of the things he’s done in the OTAs. Obviously, we want to find out what happens when the pads come on.”

Fewell on DT Cullen Jenkins: “I’m very impressed with Jenkins. He is a seasoned veteran, a proven veteran and I just see that for him to come to our football team and bring the type of energy that he displayed down at his previous team and then bring that to us, I think that’s a positive for our defense.”