May 302013
 

New York Giants Complete Fourth OTA Practice – Nicks Still MIA: The Giants concluded their fourth Organized Team Activity (OTA) practice on Thursday. Their fifth OTA will be held on Friday at Timex Performance Center, but that practice is not open to the media.

OTA practices are voluntary but participation is encouraged. The Giants are currently in the final phase of their offseason workout program. During this final phase, no live contact is permitted, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are permissible.

The Giants’ final five OTA practices will be held next week, June 3-7. The following week the Giants will hold a mandatory, full-team mini-camp on June 11-13. The Giants will then be off until they have to report to training camp on July 26. The first training camp practice at the Timex Performance Center will be held on July 27.

Missing from Thursday’s “voluntary” practice were WR Hakeem Nicks, WR Victor Cruz, DE Jason Pierre-Paul, and DE Justin Tuck. Head Coach Tom Coughlin said he expected Pierre-Paul and Tuck to participate in Friday’s OTA.

Coughlin was asked if he had been in contact with Nicks. “I have not. No,” replied Coughlin. “Certainly I am (disappointed that he is not here).”

Coughlin was also asked if he was given a reason why Nicks was not participating in the OTAs. “None,” said Coughlin. “Now at one point Hakeem told me that he was going to be here and then he was not here. Now the strictest interpretation, as everybody knows, is it’s a voluntary program.”

The Star-Ledger is reporting when Nicks’ agent was asked why his client was missing from OTAs and whether this had to do with his contract, the agent replied, “Everything is all good. We have no comment…We’re not talking.”

Video highlights are also available at Giants.com. A brief practice report is also available from the following site:

Roster Moves: Following up on yesterday’s “News and Notes” update, the Giants officially confirmed that they have signed rookie free agent TE Chase Clement (LSU) and unrestricted free agent LB Kyle Bosworth (Jaguars). To make room for these two players, the Giants waived S John Stevenson and TE Morgan Newton.

“I can definitely play all the (linebacker) positions,” Bosworth said. “I just got here today. It was my first day of OTAs. I’ve still got to do a lot of learning in the playbook, but I’m able to fit in with the Will, Mike and Sam (weakside, middle and strongside linebacker). I’m very versatile. I’ve played and started. I’ve been on every single special team, so basically wherever they need me I’ll be able to do it. Whatever they ask and I’ll be ready to go.”

CB Aaron Ross played with Bosworth in Jacksonville in 2012. “He’s definitely a hard worker,” Ross said. “I think he’s a player that knows the game. I think he’s a really smart player. With that combination, I think we’re getting a great player. I did (enjoy playing with him). He was easy to play with, very coachable and he picks up on the defense really well. He works really hard. He’s one of the guys that improve day to day.”

Marc Ross Promoted to Vice President of Player Evaluation: The Giants announced on Thursday that they have promoted Marc Ross to Vice President of Player Evaluation. He had been the Director of College Scouting.

“Marc has done an outstanding job of running our college scouting and the draft, and we wanted to give him a title that reflected that,” said General Manager Jerry Reese. “He will continue to do that, but I also want him to work on some special projects in pro personnel along with pro personnel director Ken Sternfeld.”

Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s Press Conference: The transcript and video of today’s press conference with Head Coach Tom Coughlin are available at Giants.com.

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

Article on RB Andre Brown: RB Andre Brown Ready to Showcase All by Dan Salomone of Giants.com

Article on WR Rueben Randle: Coughlin: Randle’s ‘Chance to Step Up’ by Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com

Article on LB Kyle Bosworth: Giants Add Nephew of ‘The Boz’ to Roster by Kieran Darcy of ESPNNewYork.com

Quotes: Head Coach Tom Coughlin commented on a few specific players yesterday:

  • WR Brandon Collins: “Collins has made a couple of plays over the last couple of days.”
  • WR Louis Murphy: “(Murphy and El Manning have) made quite a few plays. They really have. When the receivers are on the same page and he’s very confident that they’re going to maneuver according to the way they’re supposed to and he’s been very, very sharp and he and Murphy have made some plays…(Murphy has) done a good job of (picking up the offense). “
  • TE Bear Pascoe: “We’re very confident that Bear, no matter what role we place him in, he does an outstanding job. We’re very sorry about Henry’s (Hynoski) injury. Henry’s a very optimistic young man. A day after he had the surgery he had three rehabs, so he’s ready to go. He’s trying to get ready to go and Bear has had opportunities to play in that spot, the B-Tight End and the Y-Tight End and he’s always done a nice job. He’s a guy that will learn it and he’ll be very much into what’s happening.”
  • DE Damontre Moore: “(Moore) has shown some good ability to get off on the snap.”

QB Eli Manning on WR Louis Murphy: “He’s come in and worked really hard. Back in early April, going over to Duke and working those days and learning the offense and asking questions and being here in the offseason, being there for routes and trying to pick up everything in this offense and so he’s got talent. He can really run, he can stretch the field and he’s got the desire and the commitment to be a good player and to bring another threat to this offense.”

Article on the Retirement of Former Giants WR Steve Smith: Giants React to WR Steve Smith Retirement by Michael Eisen of Giants.com

Article on Former Giants’ Offensive Lineman and Assistant Coach Bill Austin: Remembering Former OL & Coach Bill Austin by Michael Eisen of Giants.com