June 10, 2021 New York Giants Mini-Camp Report

 Posted by
Jun 102021
 
Kadarius Toney, New York Giants (June 8, 2021)

Kadarius Toney – © USA TODAY Sports

JUNE 10, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS MINI-CAMP REPORT…
The third and final day of the New York Giants 3-day mandatory mini-camp was held on Thursday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. No live contact is permitted during the mini-camp.

The two remaining Organized Team Activity (OTA) practices will be held on June 14-15, without media access. The players will then be off until reporting to summer training on July 27.

“There are going to be a lot of things we talk about today logistically, getting ready for camp,” said Head Coach Joe Judge before practice. “Generally speaking, we are going to talk to the team about training, being in shape, making the right decisions off the field. There are a lot of resources for us in this building and it is important for us to stay connected throughout the summer. When they need something, we are always available. Generally that’s the message. We will meet individually with our players by position and find out what their plans for the summer are. We will close out with summer goals, training camp goals. This won’t be the last time we see everybody. We’ll still have OTAs next week on Monday and Tuesday and we will be able to meet extensively with some of the guys here as well.”

GIANTS PLANNING TO HOLD JOINT PRACTICES WITH BROWNS AND PATRIOTS…
Although not officially announced by the team, the New York Giants are planning to hold joint summer training camp practices with two of their preseason opponents: the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots. The joint practices are not expected to take place in New Jersey but at the Cleveland and New England team facilities.

“I am a big fan of (joint practices),” said Head Coach Joe Judge. “I think it’s a great time in training camp to break the monotony, to get some competition against a friendly opponent. With both programs, the Browns and the Patriots, I’ve got great relationships with both coaches, known them both for a sustained period of time. In all of our conversations, I think one of the things you try to find in this are not only teams that are going to schematically help you with some of the things you are going to see throughout the season but most importantly you want to make sure you go out there and have a good, quality practice. The guys are going to compete. You want to make sure you keep it between the lines, the guys are not doing anything dirty, outside the whistle. So it’s important you know the coaches and what kind of program you are going against.

“I think it’s great for the team, it helps you get exposure to different schemes you may not see from your own team in training camp outside having to draw cards or scout teams. It is actually a way to take something off your players at a certain time. You kind of ramp them up and build them the first few weeks of training camp and then when you go ahead and do a cooperative practice with another team, you’ve got to figure it’s no longer the offense is always going, the defense is always going. When our offense is on the field, our defense is on the sideline resting, making adjustments, talking to the coaches and then vice versa, so actually, it breaks it up for them a little.

“There are some things that aren’t finalized for training camp. The thought process is it’s a opportunity to get our team on the road through training camp, stay together, but also with the change in the preseason schedule, both organizations thought it would be a good idea to exchange a little bit year by year and that way the fans would have two exposures to really deal with each team. We’ve got two home games this year. We’re fortunate. New England has got the one. Next year it will flip. This will give us an opportunity, especially when we have fans, for our fans to see us exposed against another opponent.”

ABSENTEES AND INJURY REPORT…
Not practicing were WR Kadarius Toney (excused absence due to family emergency), RB Saquon Barkley (knee), TE Kyle Rudolph (foot), LB Cam Brown (unknown), LB Ryan Anderson (unknown), and RB Taquan Mizzell (unknown).

“(Rudolph, Brown, and Anderson) are working on different things right now,” said Head Coach Joe Judge. “Kyle is making progress every day and this guy works really, really hard. You can tell he’s a vet. He has a lot of experience. He knows his body very well. He’s in there and he’s opening up the door with the coaches every morning bright and early. He’s an early morning guy. But Kyle has done a great job for us in terms of classes and everything he can do and he’s done a great job right now with our medical staff doing everything to get ready to get back on the field as soon as he can. We’ll see what kind of ground he makes up the next few weeks leading up to training camp but like all our players, we won’t put him on the field until we know he’s fully ready to go out there and play 100 percent… Kyle obviously had the off-season surgery and we have to check with the doctors where they feel he is at a certain point. In terms of the rehab and where he’s going to be, we have to make sure they can build the conditioning and football movement and not just be pain free and make sure he’s structurally safe.”

CB Aaron Robinson (unknown) was limited, being kept out of team drills.

WR John Ross (unknown) and S Josh Kalu (unknown) left practice early.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • There was a heavy emphasis on red-zone passing drills on Thursday.

https://twitter.com/Giants/status/1402785080267923461

HEAD COACH JOE JUDGE…
The transcript of Joe Judge’s press conference on Thursday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available at Giants.com.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

June 9, 2021 New York Giants Mini-Camp Report

 Posted by
Jun 092021
 
Lorenzo Carter, New York Giants (May 27, 2021)

Lorenzo Carter – © USA TODAY Sports

JUNE 9, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS MINI-CAMP REPORT…
The second day of the New York Giants 3-day mandatory mini-camp was held on Wednesday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. No live contact is permitted during the mini-camp, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are allowed.

INJURY REPORT…
Not practicing were RB Saquon Barkley (knee), TE Kyle Rudolph (foot), LB Cam Brown (unknown), LB Ryan Anderson (unknown), and RB Taquan Mizzell (unknown).

WR John Ross (unknown) and CB Aaron Robinson (unknown) were limited, being kept out of team drills.

TE Nakia Griffin-Stewart left midway through practice with a trainer.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • Multiple media sources said that WR Kadarius Toney had a strong practice, even beating CB James Bradberry in one drill. He demonstrated good quickness in and out of his breaks and made a number of sideline catches. Toney was also active returning punts.
  • WR David Sills saw some work with the first team.
  • Starting at inside linebacker alongside Blake Martinez was Tae Crowder.

https://twitter.com/Giants/status/1402407595474706433

THE COACHES SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following coaches are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

June 8, 2021 New York Giants Mini-Camp Report

 Posted by
Jun 082021
 
Daniel Jones, New York Giants (May 27, 2021)

Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

JUNE 8, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS MINI-CAMP REPORT…
The first day of the New York Giants 3-day mandatory mini-camp was held on Tuesday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. No live contact is permitted during the mini-camp, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are allowed.

“The #1 focus is building our football movement, get the players in shape,” said Head Coach Joe Judge before practice. “Give them more exposure to our techniques and systems and schemes on the field. What I would really like this to do is just give these guys a jumpstart carrying into the five-week break until we head back to training camp, but they have got a feel for what they have to work on in that absence and also a feel for their conditioning and overall shape and strength they have to work on right now throughout the summer.

“It’s invaluable having meeting time and being in the same room as opposed to Zoom. It’s invaluable being on the field together, and not only play and execute but also mistakes you make to know how that felt and how you have to correct those and then you develop chemistry with the players around you going forward.

“The one thing we can work on this time of year that you don’t need pads is communication. To me with the rookies, one of the most important things they can get right now is the communication with the vets, guys who understand our system a little better, have a little more experience with what we are doing and getting used to being on the field and talking with it.

“You have to remember when these guys got here a few weeks back, they are naturally just shy guys walking down the hallways trying to learn everyone’s faces and names. For them it’s not natural to sit down and have a conversation and say, hey, can we try to bridge that gap as much as we can. This is part of the process to make sure when they are on the field there’s no hesitation in having the confidence to speak up and make the right check, put yourself and be in the right play call and be all on the same page.

“In terms of this time in the spring overall with the rookies, this is really valuable. The more time you get with them here just to help them catch up, really, the goal for the rookies this time of year is just give them an opportunity when they get to training camp to be able to compete with the vets in front of them. The reality is every vet in this league has an advantage over every rookie based on maturity level, experience, expertise, they know how to handle their body better and they have seen NFL football and know the speed of the game.

“The advantage rookies have is they are younger, they are generally healthier and they recover faster with their young bodies. That’s generally their advantage right now. They have to mentally catch up and technically catch up on the field with the fundamentals to be able to compete with our vets when we get to training camp.”

ABSENTEES AND INJURY REPORT…
Not sighted at practice were RB Saquon Barkley (knee), TE Kyle Rudolph (foot), WR John Ross, LB Cam Brown, LB Ryan Anderson, and RB Taquan Mizzell. CB Aaron Robinson did not practice much. Aside from Barkley and Rudolph, it is not known if the other players are dealing with injuries. However, press reports said all were accounted for, in other words, no one was absent without permission.

Tight end/wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin left practice early with trainers with an unknown ailment.

Wide receiver Kadarius Toney slipped a few times during practice and left late after his last slip.

68-year old Running Backs Coach Burton Burns also left the field due to heat exhaustion. The team said he is fine.

“In terms of where (Barkley is) at right now, he comes in every day, he attacks every day from a rehab standpoint,” said Head Coach Joe Judge. “He’s had a phenomenal attitude and great motivation, he’s been tremendously positive.

“We are going to make sure that we take Saquon’s rehab at the correct rate for his individual body and injury. It’s not any mirror of anybody else’s injury out there. We have to make sure that we let him get it at his pace and put him on the field, can play 100 percent aggressive and confident and he’s going to play safe and he can play effective. Typically we do Saquon’s rehab in the morning before practice so when the players get out there he’s already been off the field and a lot of times he’s not out there when you’re out there.

“We are getting a lot of our rehab done during some of the meeting time. Couldn’t be happier with how he is working, showing tremendous leadership this off-season. He’s chomping at the bit to get back on the field. We are taking it day-by-day and he’s getting better every day.”

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • It was a light practice with little to report.
  • Fielding punts were WR Kadarius Toney, CB Adoree’ Jackson, CB Darnay Holmes, WR Dante Pettis, WR Darius Slayton, WR Sterling Shepard, and RB Corey Clement.
  • The starting offensive line remained LT Andrew Thomas, LG Shane Lemieux, OC Nick Gates, RG Will Hernandez, and RT Matt Peart.
  • RB Gary Brightwell had a nice, one-handed catch down the sideline.

https://twitter.com/Giants/status/1402327565373693953

HEAD COACH JOE JUDGE…
The transcript of Joe Judge’s press conference on Tuesday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available at Giants.com.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

Giants Rookie Mini-Camp Ends; Team Signs Corey Clement and Kelvin Benjamin

 Posted by
May 162021
 
Corey Clement, Philadelphia Eagles (November 15, 2020)

Corey Clement – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS ROOKIE MINI-CAMP ENDS…
The third and final day of the New York Giants rookie mini-camp was held on Sunday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. With COVID protocols remaining in place, only 22 players were in attendance.

Voluntary “Phase II” workouts for all players will be held from May 17-21. These on-field workouts may only include individual player instruction and non-contact, walkthrough drills. Offensive players can only line up against other offensive players, and defensive players can only line up against other defensive players.

Voluntary “Phase III” workouts will then be held from May 24-June 18. Activities during this 4-week period include in-person meetings and classroom instruction subject to COVID protocols and 10 days of organized team practice activity (OTAs). No live contact is permitted, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are allowed. Teams can also hold one mandatory mini-camp for veteran players (Giants will hold theirs on June 8-10). 

However, it is not known how many players will actually show up to Phase II and Phase III voluntary workouts as the NFL Players Association is arguing that its members should stay away from team facilities supposedly due to COVID. Players who do not attend in person could still participate in virtual meetings if they choose to do so.

GIANTS SIGN COREY CLEMENT AND KELVIN BENJAMIN…
The New York Giants have signed free agent running back Corey Clement and tight end/wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin, two of the five tryout players who attended the rookie mini-camp. Benjamin is a former 1st-round wide receiver who the Giants are attempting to convert to tight end. To make room, the Giants also waived running back Jordan Chunn and tight end Nate Wieting.

The 26-year old, 5’10”, 220-pound Clement was originally signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2017 NFL Draft. In four years with the Eagles, Clement has played in 46 regular-season games with no starts, rushing the ball 163 times for 655 yards (4 yards per carry) and seven touchdowns. He also has caught 37 passes for 340 yards and two touchdowns. Clement is best remembered for his 4-catch, 100-yard rookie performance in Super Bowl LII that also included a touchdown reception. His next three seasons were shortened by knee, shoulder, and COVID issues. Clement also has experience returning kickoffs and punts. He does have some ball security issues, with six career fumbles.

The 30-year old, 6’5”, 245-pound Benjamin was originally drafted in the 1st round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. As a wide receiver, Benjamin has spent time with the Panthers (2014-2017), Buffalo Bills (2017-2018), and Kansas City Chiefs (2018). He missed all of the 2015 season with a torn ACL and did not play football in 2019 and 2020. Benjamin has played in 61 regular-season games with 52 starts, catching 209 passes for 3,021 yards and 20 touchdowns.

The Giants signed Chunn to a future/reserve contract in January 2021. The 6’0”, 230-pound Chunn was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Dallas Cowboys after the 2018 NFL Draft. He spent time on Dallas’ Practice Squad in 2018 and 2019 before the team waived him in July 2020.

The Giants signed Wieting to the Practice Squad in November 2020, cut him in December, and re-signed him to a future/reserve contract in January 2021. The 6’4”, 250-pound Wieting went undrafted in the 2020 NFL Draft. He spent some time with the Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins before signing with the Giants.

New York Giants Rookie Mini-Camp Begins

 Posted by
May 142021
 
Kadarius Toney, New York Giants (May 14, 2021)

Kadarius Toney – © USA TODAY Sports

MAY 14, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS ROOKIE MINI-CAMP REPORT…
The first day of the New York Giants three-day rookie mini-camp was held on Friday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. With COVID protocols remaining in place, only 22 players are in attendance. (At the 2019 rookie mini-camp, 75 players participated).

The on-field work emphasized individual drills.

“Really this is an orientation weekend,” said Head Coach Joe Judge. “This isn’t a competition weekend. This isn’t a situation where we are cutting down the team this weekend. This is just get the guys out there moving on the grass, take a look at them and get a better idea where they are physically. These are guys that have not been with a team now for at least five months. So being out there for the first time in team activities, drills and the pace and practice, as opposed to individual workouts with a trainer are much, much different. So you know, all these guys got to get in football shape which is just part of the process of being out here in spring and working them forward.

“Right now, we’re just trying to get them out there and get them moving. This is all very new for these guys in terms of walking around the building. These guys have as much on their plate in terms of finding out where their locker is, where to eat in the cafeteria, where they shower as much as getting out there, where they stretch where an individual is and when we blow the horn for group and special teams, where they run to. So it’s a learning experience for these guys. They try to get on the field and just move as fast as they can. Like I said we’ve got to get these guys in football shape and it’s just part of the process.

“None of their fundamentals will be good enough and none of their conditioning will be good enough. That’s our job to get them going. That’s why we have to be out there and we have to train them and practice and catch up where the vets are at, so when they get to training camp they can compete on equal ground.

“It truly is just orientation. At this point obviously we can identify things they have to work on. We can identify where they are currently. However I’d say every rookie you get right now, just from the nature of not being on a team for the duration that they have been training for the Draft and all that kind of stuff, they are all far behind. You know, they really are. Most of these guys are all further behind now than they were when they finished their college seasons. So we have to get them back going, get them caught up, get them in our systems and in our schemes, and they have got a long way to go, and that’s true of any rookie class.

“I’ve been part of rookie mini-camps before where you put them out there and it’s full competition, you are doing hard one-on-ones and seven-on-seven and team as much as you can. To be honest with you, if we had 70 guys out there, we wouldn’t have done anything different today. The focus was on fundamentals and getting acclimated to our system and how they practice so when we get out there through the duration of spring and training camp, they have to jump and get going and compete against the vets.”

PARTICIPANTS…

2021 NFL Draft Picks (6):

  • WR Kadarius Toney
  • OLB Azeez Ojulari
  • CB Aaron Robinson
  • OLB Elerson Smith
  • RB Gary Brightwell
  • CB Rodarius Williams

2021 Signed Undrafted Rookie Free Agents (3):

  • OC/OG Brett Heggie
  • OT/OG Jake Burton
  • DE/LB Raymond Johnson

New York Giants First-Year Players (8):

  • QB Clayton Thorson
  • RB Jordan Chunn
  • RB Sandro Platzgummer
  • WR Derrick Dillon
  • TE Nakia Griffin-Stewart
  • TE Nate Wieting
  • DL David Moa
  • LB Cale Garrett

Undrafted rookie and veteran tryout players (5):

  • QB Nathan Rourke (rookie)
  • RB Corey Clement (4-year veteran)
  • RB Ito Smith (3-year veteran)
  • FB Frank Feaster (rookie)
  • TE Kelvin Benjamin (former 4-year veteran WR working at TE)

CAM FLEMING SIGNS WITH DENVER BRONCOS…
New York Giants unrestricted free agent offensive tackle Cam Fleming has signed a 1-year contract with the Denver Broncos. The Giants signed Fleming as an unrestricted free agent from the Dallas Cowboys in March 2020. He ended up starting all 16 games at right tackle, by far the most in his career in a single season. But Fleming was arguably the weak link up front, regularly missing blocks. Fleming was also credited with four false starts and two holding penalties. The 6’5”, 320-pound Fleming was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. After four years in New England, he played two seasons with the Cowboys. In seven NFL seasons, Fleming has played in 91 regular-season games with 42 starts.

HEAD COACH JOE JUDGE…
The  transcript and video of Joe Judge’s press conference on Friday are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

ARTICLES…

Giants Offseason Workout Program Dates; Scout Chris Watts Let Go

 Posted by
May 062021
 
New York Giants Helmet (October 15, 2017)

© USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS OFFSEASON WORKOUT PROGRAM DATES SET…
The NFL and the New York Giants have announced the offseason workout program dates:

  • May 14-16: New York Giants Rookie Mini-Camp
  • May 24-25: New York Giants OTA Offseason Workouts
  • May 27: New York Giants OTA Offseason Workouts
  • June 2-4: New York Giants OTA Offseason Workouts
  • June 8-10: New York Giants mandatory Mini-Camp
  • June 14-15: New York Giants OTA Offseason Workouts

Per the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), teams are only allowed to hold voluntary offseason activities over the course of a 9-week period in three phases:

Phase One (April 19-May 14): Activities during this 4-week period are limited to strength and conditioning, virtual meetings, and physical rehabilitation only.

Phase Two (May 17-21): On-field workouts may only include individual player instruction and non-contact, walkthrough drills. Offensive players can only line up against other offensive players, and defensive players can only line up against other defensive players.

Phase Three (May 24-June 18): Activities during this 4-week period include in-person meetings and classroom instruction subject to COVID protocols, 10 days of organized team practice activity (OTAs). No live contact is permitted, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are allowed. Teams can also hold one mandatory mini-camp for veteran players.

In addition, teams may hold a rookie football development program for a 7-week period, beginning on May 17.

GIANTS FIRE SCOUT…
InsideTheLeague is reporting that the Giants have fired scout Chris Watts, who had been with the team since 2005. More recently, Watts was the southwest area scout for the Giants.

ARTICLES…