Sep 172023
 
Graham Gano, New York Giants (September 17, 2023)

Giants celebrate game-winning field goal – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS 31 – ARIZONA CARDINALS 28…
The New York Giants at least temporarily saved their season with one of the most memorable comebacks in team history on Sunday, defeating the Arizona Cardinals 31-28 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The Giants trailed the Cardinals 20-0 at halftime and 28-7 in the third quarter. Twenty-four unanswered points propelled them to the franchise’s largest comeback since the 1940s. However, the victory may have come at a price with running back Saquon Barkley suffering a potentially significant injury to his right ankle late in the game.

Following up on their 40-0 embarrassing performance against the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday night, the Giants continued to look dreadful in the first half against the Cardinals on both offense and defense.

How bad was it?

New York’s five first-half possessions resulted in five first downs, 81 total yards, three punts, one interception, and the half ending with a sack of quarterback Daniel Jones. Meanwhile, Arizona’s five offensive possessions resulted in 16 first downs, 241 total yards, a missed field goal, two touchdowns, and two field goals. At the break, the lifeless Giants were all-but-dead, trailing 20-0.

The Giants received the football to start the second half. After a touchback on the kickoff, all it took was three plays for New York to finally get on the scoreboard for the first time this season. Jones completed a 58-yard pass to wide receiver Jalin Hyatt down to the Arizona 17-yard line. Two plays later, Jones ran around left end for a 14-yard touchdown. Cardinals 20 – Giants 7.

That momentum was short lived as four minutes later, the Cardinals extended their lead 28-7 after an 8-play, 75-yard drive ended with a 3-yard touchdown pass by quarterback Joshua Dobbs and then a 2-point conversion. It was Arizona’s fifth consecutive scoring drive of the game.

Back came the Giants with a 75-yard drive of their own, this one taking 12 plays and ending with a 1-yard touchdown run by Barkley. On this possession, Jones completed a 29-yard pass to wide receiver Darius Slayton and ran for 13 yards on 3rd-and-12. Cardinals 28 – Giants 14.

The New York defense started off a bit shaky again late in the third quarter, giving up two first downs, including a 16-yard pass play on 3rd-and-11. But the defense stiffened at the New York 44-yard line and the Cardinals punted early in the fourth quarter.

The Giants drove for their third consecutive touchdown on the next series, which travelled 80 yards in 13 plays. Jones connected with Slayton for 15 yards and tight end Darren Waller for 25 on the first two plays. Jones also gained two yards on 4th-and-1. The drive ended with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Barkley on third-and-goal to make the score 28-21.

The Giants’ defense forced their first three-and-out on Arizona’s next possession and the New York offense started their fourth drive of the second half at their own 36-yard line with 7:31 to play. Jones scrambled for 15 yards on the first snap and then followed that up with a 31-yard pass to Hyatt to the Arizona 18-yard line. On 2nd-and-11, Jones connected with Waller for 13 yards to the 6-yard line. However, a touchdown run by Jones was nullified due to an offensive holding penalty on right tackle Evan Neal. After a 5-yard run by Barkley, Jones threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins on 2nd-and-goal. The game was now tied at 28-28 with 4:25 to play.

Aided by two false start penalties on the Cardinals, the Giants’ defense forced another three-and-out and the Giants got the ball back at their own 28-yard line with 2:31 left in the game. Barkley gained 18 yards on back-to-back passing and rushing plays. Jones then hit Slayton for 18 yards and Barkley gained 16 yards on a run. The Giants were now on the Arizona 20-yard line. Barkley lost three yards and then gained two on a play where he was hurt. Running back Matt Breida picked up five yards on 3rd-and-11 to set up place kicker Graham Gano’s game-winning 34-yard field with 19 seconds left.

The Cardinals did gain 19 yards on the first play of their final possession. But they were at their own 39-yard line with nine seconds left on the clock. The game ended after two more deep incompletions.

Jones finished the game 26-of-37 for 321 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception (which was off of the hands of Barkley). He also ran the ball nine times for 59 yards. Waller caught six passes for 76 yards. Slayton had 62 yards on three catches and Hyatt 89 yards on two catches. Barkley carried the ball 17 times for 63 yards and one touchdown.

Defensively, the Giants allowed 379 yards, including 151 yards rushing. For the second game in a row, the defense had no sacks or turnovers.

GAME VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS are available on YouTube.

INACTIVES AND INJURY REPORT…
On Saturday, the Giants activated (standard elevation) RB Taiwan Jones and OLB Oshane Ximines from the Practice Squad to the 53-man roster.

Inactive for the game were LT Andrew Thomas (hamstring), WR Wan’Dale Robinson (knee), OLB Azeez Ojulari (hamstring), TE Lawrence Cager, DL Jordon Riley, CB Darnay Holmes, and S Gervarrius Owens.

OG Ben Bredeson (concussion) left the game in the second half. RB Saquon Barkley potentially seriously injured his right ankle late in the game. Tellingly, Barkley did not address the media after game. X-rays were reportedly negative.

POST-GAME REACTION…
Transcripts and video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Brian Daboll and the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Head Coach Brian Daboll will address the media by conference call on Monday.

Sep 112023
 
Oompa Loompas

New York Giants offensive line in action!

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023 BRIAN DABOLL PRESS CONFERENCE…
New York Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll addressed the media on Monday (VIDEO):

Q: I’m curious what you thought when you went back and looked at the film. Was it what you expected? Was it worse than you expected? Did you come away seeing things that left you optimistic?

A: Yeah, it’s probably about what I expected after talking to you guys last night. There were a few things you can build on but when you get beat like the way we got beat, no excuses. I’d say there’s a lot of work that needs to be done, a lot of corrections that need to be made and that’s what we’ll do today.

Q: Anything specific that stood out to you?

A: No, it was a collective effort. I think seven times the ball was either in their hands or on the ground, which you start with ball security. We didn’t do a good enough job with that and there’s some things – third down and red zone situational football that we didn’t do a good enough job of. Then obviously, we didn’t score a single point so a lot to learn from, a lot to improve on and that’s what we’ll try to do today.

Q: Any update on (tackle) Andrew Thomas? I know he was possibly getting imaging today.

A: Yeah, he is. I don’t have it yet. I’ll have it on Wednesday.

Q: Last year after Week 1 to Week 2 you made some pretty significant lineup changes. (Former Giants wide receiver) Kenny Golladay and (former Giants inside linebacker) Austin Calitro both went from playing 40 something snaps to playing less than five snaps. How do you judge what a guy has done for you all of training camp and offseason to become a starter versus “hey, this guy didn’t play well against an opponent?”

A: That’s a good question. Again, we evaluate the tape, I’d say, with a critical eye starting with us as a staff first and the players and then if – not to go back into last year, but you sit down as a coaching staff during the week. Obviously, you take into account what happened the previous game and you have difficult discussions if you need to have them and then try to make the best decision you can for the team based off of – you do look at performance in training camp, no question about it, but you also are real with performance in the game, so I’d say it’s probably a little bit of both and at the end of the day you’ve got to make the decision you think is going to help your team.

Q: Without naming any names, is it fair to say those hard conversations are going to have to happen this week with guys who maybe didn’t perform as well yesterday?

A: Yeah, we try to have them every week regardless of the outcome of the game, so it’s a consistent theme of here’s what we can do better, here’s what we did well. It’s always a lot easier to hear them when you do well and you get a win than it is with a loss, but those are conversations that we have I’d say on the week-to-week basis after every game.

Q: Obviously, so much attention was paid to your offensive line, but your pass rush didn’t get any sacks or much pressure at all either. Do you chalk that up to the circumstances of the game and the score or is that an area that draws your attention to what needs to be much better?

A: I’d say every area. After a game like last night, every area we’ve got to draw our attention to. But that’s what we’ve got to do as a coaching staff, that’s what we’ve got to do as players. We’ve got to improve in, I’d say, a number of areas and try to take the next step the upcoming week.

Q: I went back and looked at your coaching record for 23 years in the NFL and I think this was your second worst loss you’ve ever taken as a coach, any sort of coach. My question is, what is the head coach, what do you think is their biggest responsibility after a game like that? I was looking at the Patriots from your days there and there were times where you guys got beat bad, I think Buffalo one year beat you 31-nothing, but next week came back and won. What did (Patriots head coach) Bill (Belichick) do maybe that helps you now or others that helped you and what do you think your role is?

A: I’d say you take it for what it’s worth. It was a poor performance. You learn from the things that you can learn from and then you really got to get focused on the next week. Whether it was a win or a loss, it really has no effect on the next week. Your job is to be honest, to show them some of the things that we can do better as a team. Whether it’s a staff, whether it’s players and then to get on to next week. Like I said, it’s a humbling league and one week doesn’t have much effect on the next week. Your preparation, your performance ultimately on Sunday, or whenever that day is, does. That’s what we will focus on, a lot to learn. We’ll do our best to teach it, to learn from it, to go out there and have a good week of practice and to get ready for the next week’s opponent.

Q: Did you walk out of there last night saying I know we are a lot better team than this?

A: I’d say when you walk out after a game like that, there is a lot of emotion. You put everything you got into it, and we didn’t perform well and that starts with me. There is a self-reflection and then you watch the tape, you go through whether it’s decisions, whether it’s plays, whether it’s techniques and then you move on to the next week.

Q: Did you sleep at all last night?

A: Not a whole lot, no.

Q: You are going to strive for consistency obviously every week. It’s going to be, you evaluate tape, you are going to talk about what you did well, what you didn’t do well, win or lose, but when it’s 40-nothing, is there a different hat that you have to put on in your Monday morning presentation to the players because it’s not a typical outcome?

A: I’d say what I say in there, I keep private, but certainly you understand that these guys are human and there is an element of emotion to it, and you know we didn’t perform well. So, you own it, you, again, tell them the things that you need to fix. It starts with you and then you move on. So, you can’t let it linger too long, you go through today, you go through the tape. It won’t be a fun tape to watch, it wasn’t with the coaches, it’s not with the players, but you know that’s what happened. So, you can’t run from it, you can’t hide from it, you own it, and then you move on.

Q: Is there a fine line between you’re my guys so and we’re going to have to get better versus we have other options if you are not performing.

A: I’d say we are all in this together. We’ve worked hard. Obviously the results were not good yesterday, but you keep your eye on the prize, you keep on grinding, you keep on working, and again, it’s one game here, so if it was the other way around, it’s still one game. I wish it was the other way around, but it wasn’t so you move on to the next week.

Q: I’m just wondering how tough it is to kind of deal with, for lack of a better phrase, the idea that on both lines, you really were manhandled it seemed last night.

A: I’d say we’ve got to do a better job. Again, some of that is scheme, some of it is play, some of it is situation. It’s hard to get into a rhythm when you feel like you’re climbing a slippery slope, and that’s what happened. We give a field goal up for a touchdown. Then we give up a — (running back) Saquon (Barkley) gets hit, that pops up, that’s a touchdown. We get the ball back and we throw an interception on the minus side. Then we miss a field goal. So, there was a slippery slope last night that I didn’t do a good job of getting them out of their way and getting them on to the next play. So yeah, that’s what it was.

Q: For the youngsters, the rookies in particular that you’re counting on for big roles, do you or does the rest of the staff, depending how you delegate, have to kind of check in with them after a game like this?

A: Yeah, I’d say you try to check in with all your players. Again, this is the greatest team sport, and we didn’t get it done yesterday. So, we are committed to improving, but sure, you have conversations, not just with the rookies, but the veteran players, too. There’s a lot of pride in that locker room from the people and you have a game like that, from really top to bottom, it’s not an easy thing, but you have to own it. It is what it is.

Q: With (kicker) Graham Gano getting X-rays, were they negative and then is there a chance you’re going to have to bring in a kicker for a workout?

A: I’d say that we’re not there yet. He did. I don’t have the results just yet. That’d be a Wednesday deal.

Q: (Cornerback) Deonte Banks, has he come out okay from the cramping?

A: Yeah, it was really cramps. So, I think that’s trending in the right direction.

Q: Any other injuries or concerns health-wise pop up on the day after?

A: No, I’d say we came out fairly clean. Obviously G.O. (safety Gervarrius Owens) and (cornerback Cor’Dale) Flott are working their way back. Tae (cornerback Deonte Banks), we talked about him. (Inside linebacker) Cam (Brown) is working his way back. (Tight end) Darren (Waller) came out okay. (Wide receiver) Wan’Dale (Robinson) is working his way back. And then waiting on Thomas and (tackle) Matt Peart, got an MRI; he’s still there.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The players are off on Tuesday and return to practice on Wednesday (12:45PM-2:45PM). Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will also address the media on Wednesday.

Sep 042023
 
Daniel Jones, New York Giants (December 4, 2022)

Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

GIANTS RE-STRUCTURE CONTACT OF DANIEL JONES…
According to media reports, the Giants have re-structured the contract of quarterback Daniel Jones, converting $8.42 million of his base salary into a signing bonus. The move created $6.315 million in cap space. His 2023 cap hit has been reduced from $21.75 million to $15.435 million.

Jones had signed a 4-year, $160 million contract in early March.

HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The transcript of Brian Daboll’s press conference on Monday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available on YouTube.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

MORE PRACTICE SQUAD MOVES…
Last Thursday, the Giants signed offensive lineman Jaylon Thomas and cornerback Kaleb Hayes to the team’s Practice Squad. To make room for these two, the Giants terminated the Practice Squad contracts of offensive lineman Tyre Phillips and cornerback Gemon Green.

On Monday, the Giants placed wide receiver Cole Beasley on the Practice Squad/Injured List with a quad injury. To fill that vacancy, the team signed wide receiver Cam Sims to the Practice Squad.

The 23-year old, 6’3”, 311-pound Thomas was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2023 NFL Draft. The Ravens cut him last Tuesday. Thomas played all five offensive line positions in college and worked at center for the Ravens in the preseason.

The 24-year old, 6’0”, 195-pound Hayes was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2023 NFL Draft. The Jaguars cut him last Tuesday.

The 27-year old, 6’5”, 214-pound Sims was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Washington Redskins after the 2018 NFL Draft. In his five seasons with Washington, Sims played in 55 games with 17 starts, catching 57 passes for 804 yards and three touchdowns.

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The team practices on Tuesday afternoon (12:45-2:45PM). Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will also address the media.

Jul 272023
 
Daniel Jones, New York Giants (July 26, 2023)

Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

JULY 27, 2023 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their second summer training camp practice of the year on Thursday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

“There is good competition at some certain spots,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll before practice. “You will see it out there. We’re rotating different positions and giving everybody a fair opportunity to go out there and show what they can do. Offensively, defensively, different spots in the kicking game, whether it’s on the punt team, the kickoff team. That’s the time to do it, right now, to make sure you’re giving everybody a fair shot in a competitive situation.”

GIANTS ADD ANOTHER DEFENSIVE LINEMAN…
The Giants have signed free agent defensive lineman Kevin Atkins, who last played for the XFL’s St. Louis BattleHawks in the spring. The 24-year old, 6’2”, 307-pound Atkins was originally signed by the San Francisco 49ers after the 2022 NFL Draft, but waived in late August.

ABSENTEES AND INJURY REPORT…
The following players remain on injury or did-not-report lists:

  • Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List: WR Sterling Shepard (ACL), WR Wan’Dale Robinson (ACL), OG Marcus McKethan (ACL), DL A’Shawn Robinson (meniscus), DL D.J. Davidson (ACL), and CB Aaron Robinson (ACL)
  • Active/Non-Football Injury (NFI) List: WR Jamison Crowder (calf)
  • Reserve/Did-Not-Report List: DL Vernon Butler

“(Butler) didn’t report,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll. “We are kind of working through some things. That is really all I got for you. I understand the question, but that’s where we’re at.”

DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches (concussion protocol) and S Gervarrius Owens (unknown) also did not practice.

“He is sore,” said Daboll of Nunez-Roches, who was in a car accident yesterday. “He won’t practice again today. It could have been worse, so I’m glad he’s where he is right now. I think he’s making progress.”

WR Darius Slayton injured his left foot or ankle, but later returned to practice.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • As expected until next week, the Giants are still not in full pads and remain in helmets and shorts.
  • First-team offensive line was LT Andrew Thomas, LG Ben Bredeson, OC John Michael Schmitz, RG Mark Glowinski, and RT Evan Neal. Head Coach Brian Daboll said Schmitz and Ben Bredeson, who started at center yesterday, will rotate at starting center.
  • The starting defensive backs were CB Adoree’ Jackson, CB Deonte Banks, slot CB Cor’Dale Flott, S Dane Belton, and S Xavier McKinney. Yesterday, Darnay Holmes and Jason Pinnock were starting at slot corner and safety.
  • Darrian Beavers and Micah McFadden split first-team reps at inside linebacker alongside Bobby Okereke.
  • Ben Bredeson took snaps at left guard, center, and right guard.
  • Nick McCloud, who had been moved to safety in the spring, practiced some at cornerback today. He blanketed WR Darius Slayton to cause an incompletion in red-zone 1-on-1 drills. McCloud also continued to take reps at safety.
  • CB Darnay Holmes forced a throw-away in 1-on-1 drills and later broke up a pass.
  • In 1-on-1 drills, QB Daniel Jones connected on touchdowns with TE Darren Waller, WR Collin Johnson (twice), and WR Parris Campbell. Johnson beat CB Deonte Banks twice with Banks missing a jam on a fade pass.
  • Also in 1-on-1 drills, QB Tyrod Taylor threw scores to wide receivers Kalil Pimpleton (twice), Jaydon Mickens, and Jeff Smith.
  • In 7-on-7 drills, CB Deonte Banks had good coverage on a deep pass. Then S Xavier McKinney made a diving interception on an overthrown pass by QB Daniel Jones intended for TE Darren Waller.
  • CB Zyon Gilbert intercepted a pass that he tipped to himself while falling to the ground.
  • S Dane Belton broke up one pass intended for TE Darren Waller.
  • CB Tre Hawkins intercepted a pass from QB Tyrod Taylor intended from for WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton in 1-on-1 drills.
  • TE Darren Waller and WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton each dropped a pass.
  • QB Daniel Jones received 12 reps in 11-on-11, team drills and finished 7-of-9, with four of the passes being completed to TE Darren Waller. TE Daniel Bellinger and WR Darius Slayton also had catches over the middle. The two incompletions were broken up by corners Adoree’ Jackson and Deonte Banks.
  • TE Lawrence Cager made a nice leaping catch of a pass from QB Tyrod Taylor.
  • CB Cor’Dale Flott looked good jamming wide receivers in the slot with the first-team unit.
  • WR Collin Johnson stood out with a deep, back-shoulder catch from QB Tyrod Taylor against CB Darren Evans.
  • CB Deonte Banks knocked away a pass late in practice before CB Amani Oruwariye intercepted another pass.

HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The transcript of Brian Daboll’s press conference on Thursday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available on YouTube.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The New York Giants practice Friday evening (5:00-7:00PM). The practice is open to the public. Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will also address the media.

Jun 232023
 
Isaiah Hodgins, New York Giants (January 15, 2023)

Isaiah Hodgins – © USA TODAY Sports

With New York Giants training camp beginning in late July, BigBlueInteractive.com (BBI) breaks down each of the team’s positional groups until the players report at Quest Diagnostics Training Center.

FIND A COMPLETE LIST OF ALL BREAKDOWNS HERE

POSITIONAL BREAKDOWN: Wide Receivers

2022 YEAR IN REVIEW: Plans quickly went awry at this position in 2022. On paper, $72 million Kenny Golladay, 2021 1st-round draft pick Kadarius Toney, the talented but oft-injured Sterling Shepard, and 2022 2nd-round pick Wan’Dale Robinson were to form the core of group that was supposed to provide a nice combination of size, speed, quickness, experience, and play-making ability. By year’s end, none were contributors. Golladay, perhaps the biggest bust in NFL free agent history, ended up with just six receptions on the season. Toney had two catches before being traded to the Chiefs. Shepard tore his ACL in Week 3 and Robinson tore his ACL in November.

Who picked up the slack? Unbelievably, Marcus Johnson started seven games, but only had nine receptions. David Sills started five games and had just 11 receptions. Richie James, who had been signed mostly for his return skills, led the group with 57 catches. Darius Slayton, who barely made the team as the 7th receiver and wasn’t even active early in the season, started a team-high 11 games at the position, and finished with 46 catches. As a group, Golladay (1), Toney, Shepard (1), Robinson (1), Johnson, Sills, James (4), and Slayton (2) had just nine touchdown catches. It was ugly and you’d be hard-pressed to find a worse group in the League.

The Giants did have some good fortune when they claimed little-known wideout Isaiah Hodgins off of waivers from the Buffalo Bills in early November. Due to the dearth of talent at the position and his experience with Brian Daboll, Hodgins quickly saw the field, playing in eight regular-season games with five starts. He finished with 33 catches for 351 yards and four touchdowns (team high tied with Richie James). In the playoff game against the Vikings, Hodgins caught eight more passes for 105 yards and a touchdown.

Collin Johnson, who was making some noise early, tore his Achilles’ tendon in training camp. Kalil Pimpleton, Makai Polk, and Jaydon Mickens were on the Practice Squad.

ADDITIONS/SUBTRACTIONS: The Giants finally had the cap room in March to cut Kenny Golladay after two seasons of his disastrous 4-year contract. The Giants appear to have made no effort to re-sign their leading receiver, Richie James, and he departed in free agency for the Chiefs. Marcus Johnson remains an unsigned free agent whose NFL career is likely over.

The Giants re-signed Isaiah Hodgins, Darius Slayton, Sterling Shepard, David Sills, Kalil Pimpleton, Makai Polk, and Jaydon Mickens with Slayton receiving the biggest investment at two years and $12 million.

The new additions have been significant. Parris Campbell, Jamison Crowder, and Jeff Smith were signed in free agency. The Giants traded up in the 3rd round to draft Jalin Hyatt. Bryce Ford-Wheaton was signed as a rookie free agent after the draft.

TRAINING CAMP STORY LINES:  The pundits, media, and some of the fans have focused on the apparent absence of a “true number one” wideout. Based on early indications, the number one target in this offense is actually going to be tight end/wide receiver hybrid Darren Waller with the true wide receivers being more complementary targets. The good news is that the Giants now appear to have a plethora of NFL-caliber options. There are no Toney’s refusing to practice. Or $72 million players who can’t get open, but you can’t cut. Marcus Johnson and David Sills won’t be starting. While there may be no Pro Bowlers, there could be eight guys on the team who are legitimate NFL players. The concern? What is the upside of all of these eight players? Will any of them present problems for opposing defenses? That remains to be determined.

The story lines are almost as numerous as the players vying for playing time. Who receives the most snaps? With Waller and Daniel Bellinger at tight end, how often will the Giants use 3- and 4-wide receiver sets? Can seriously injured players such as Wan’Dale Robinson, Sterling Shepard, and Collin Johnson regain earlier form? Will Robinson and Shepard start and/or finish training camp on the PUP? Can Parris Campbell stay healthy and re-capture his collegiate form as a true difference maker? Was Isaiah Hodgins productivity a mirage or did the Bills make a huge mistake? Does Jamison Crowder have anything left in the tank as receiver and returner? Can Jalin Hyatt get off press coverage and how rapidly can he be brought up to speed? How many make the 53-man roster?

ON THE BUBBLE: Last season, the Giants started the year with seven wide receivers on the 53-man roster. They will likely carry six or seven this year. The true locks are probably Wan’Dale Robinson (2nd round draft pick) and Jalin Hyatt (3rd round draft pick), with the caveat that Robinson may start and finish camp on the PUP. Early indications are that Parris Campbell will be a significant contributor and he’s very close to being a lock. One would think Isaiah Hodgins is a lock unless last year was truly a mirage. The Giants did re-sign Darius Slayton to a 2-year, $12 million deal so he should be more favored to make it as well. That’s five, leaving Sterling Shepard, Collin Johnson, and Jamison Crowder vying for one or two spots.

Though long shots, I would not completely discount Jeff Smith, Makai Polk, and Bryce Ford-Wheaton.

FROM TEAM COACHES/PLAYERS: Offensive Coordinator Mike Kafka on Jalin Hyatt: “Jalin is doing a nice job. He’s right on schedule. He’s working. He’s growing. That’s one thing you’ve seen from him from the first day in rookie camp, to the next day, then you’re working through this Phase III part of it, is his growth and his familiarity and comfortability with the offense.”

Wide Receivers Coach Mike Groh on Jalin Hyatt: “I think if we had major concerns (with the route tree) maybe he wouldn’t be here. Very pleased with what he has shown us on the field so far… We have a lot of confidence in the player that he can be. ”

Wide Receivers Coach Mike Groh on Parris Campbell: “I think he has done a great job of coming in and learning our system, being able to assimilate very quickly and build a relationship with Daniel (Jones) out there on the field, build that kind of rapport that is very important between quarterbacks and receivers.” (Note: Groh coached Campbell for two years with the Indianapolis Colts).

Parris Campbell on the wide receivers: “This is definitely probably the fastest total complete group that I’ve played with in my career. I mean, we’ve got speed all across the board. It’s speed that can do a lot of different things. It’s not just guys running in a straight line fast, it’s ball in the hands fast. In their routes fast. We complement each other. I’m excited for what’s to come.”

Sterling Shepard on the wide receivers: “It’s probably the (largest) receiver group I’ve been a part of since I’ve been here… We wanted to bring in competition… We’re definitely going to see what we have because we have a lot of guys that can play some good ball. I love the fact that we added more play-makers. It’s not just on one person to make all the plays. We’ve got a lot of guys that can do it.”

Sterling Shepard on his rehab status: “I’m right on schedule where I wanted to be, a little bit ahead… My goal is to be ready for the season.”

PREDICTIONS/CLOSING THOUGHTS: Nothing is set stone and everything seems in flux at the position. That has led to speculation that the 2023 New York Giants will use a committee approach at wide receiver with new starters and/or adjusted playing time on a week-by-week basis. That’s certainly possible. The coaching staff has proven to be flexible and able to adjust on the fly. Players returning from injury or getting injured can certainly change the situation as well. However, cream tends to rise to the top and there are opportunities for players to lock down starting jobs.

I am going to take John Schmeelk’s lead and break down the position into the following three baskets:

  • Receivers with size: Isaiah Hodgins, Collin Johnson, David Sills, Makai Polk, Bryce Ford-Wheaton
  • Outside receivers with speed: Darius Slayton, Jalin Hyatt, Jeff Smith
  • Slot receivers: Parris Campbell, Wan’Dale Robinson, Sterling Shepard, Jamison Crowder, Kalil Pimpleton, Jaydon Mickens

Looking at these baskets, I would think ideally the Giants want two players from each group. That is, two receivers with size, two with outside speed, two who can play the slot. One of these six needs to have return skills on special teams. However, right now, the Giants seem to have more quality at the slot position. You could make the case for Campbell, Robinson, Shepard, and Crowder all making the team, though that seems difficult on paper.

Complicating matters a bit are questions about the ability of Campbell and Shepard to play outside, and Hyatt’s heavy usage as a slot receiver in college without facing press coverage. Really complicating matters are injury rehab questions with Wan’Dale Robinson and Sterling Shepard.

Shepard tore his ACL in September and seems closer to returning. He was running routes at or near full speed in mini-camp. While he might start training camp on the PUP, it does not look like he will be on it very long if he does. The status of Robinson is more vague. He tore his ACL in November. There was one unconfirmed report that he should be ready by training camp, but no updates during the OTAs and mini-camp. That said, Giants.com‘s Lance Meadow recently predicted him making the 53-man roster recently. Does he know something or is he just spit-balling?

Let’s look at the early signs. The starters in spring were Hodgins and Slayton outside with Campbell in the slot. Campbell seemed to be the headliner from the reports, being used in a variety of ways including out of the backfield similar to how the coaches intended to use Kadarius Toney and Wan’Dale Robinson last year. Campbell also has a lot of experience on jet sweeps/end arounds with the Buckeyes and Colts. He’s got a running backs mentality blended with legit 4.3 speed. The question with him is staying healthy.

The presence of Saquon Barkley, Darren Waller, and Parris Campbell is going to place a ton of pressure on opposing defenses in the short-to-intermediate zones, with all three also being able to easily sneak down the field for the big play. Each can also do damage after the catch. Campbell could be poised for a very big year. This offensive scheme is ideal for his skillset, being used on bubble screens, jet sweeps, getting the ball to him on quick passes over the middle in full stride, etc. What will be fascinating to watch is when Wan’Dale Robinson is fully healthy. How will the coaching staff employ him with Campbell? Probably similar to the plans they had in place with Kadarius Toney and Robinson that we never saw. (Remember the “why do the Giants have both Toney and Robinson?” debates).

The wild cards in all of this are numerous:

  • The glaring missing component is the consistent outside deep threat. With all of the underneath threats, can Darius Slayton re-capture his eight touchdown rookie season? He doesn’t have to catch 6-8 passes a game, but the team needs him to stretch the defense and not disappear for long stretches. He proved he could be that deep threat in 2019, but has been far too inconsistent since then. Which version do we get?
  • If Slayton can’t do it, can Jalin Hyatt? He has great speed and great hands. But he has to prove he can get off press coverage. And it usually takes rookie wide receivers some time to learn pro-level concepts. If Hyatt can develop quickly, this offense could be a nightmare to defend. When Hyatt is on the field, the defense has to respect his deep speed, opening things up underneath for Waller, Barkley, Campbell, Bellinger, and company.
  • What is the true upside of Isaiah Hodgins? Is he as good as he looked late in the 2022 season, meaning that the Bills made a huge mistake in cutting him? If he can develop into a reliable, consistent security blanket for Daniel Jones, that would be a huge asset. Keep in mind, he scored five touchdowns in nine games for the Giants.
  • Collin Johnson was making noise in training camp last year before he got hurt. He’s also saw a lot of action this spring in non-contact drills. He is not a speedster, but he is intriguing because of his 6’6”, 220-pound frame. Preseason flash-in-the-pan or a legitimate roster contender?
  • Sterling Shepard is the kind of guy you love to root for. However, he simply has not been able to stay healthy. Shepard has missed significant time in five of his seven NFL seasons and has played in just 10 games the past two years. Every preseason we hope for breakout season and every year he gets hurt. But can you completely count him out? I wouldn’t.
  • Jamison Crowder. Full disclosure, I live in the DC area so I saw a lot of Crowder when he played in Washington. He’s always impressed me. Quarterback issues with the Jets and a broken ankle with the Bills in 2022 limited his productivity, but we’re talking about a 30-year old with 4,667 yards and 28 touchdowns. It shows you how much the talent level has improved at the position that he’s on the fringe on this roster. He also has experience as a returner. Crowder and Shepard may be vying against each other for the final roster spot and the return ability helps his cause.

If I had to go out on a limb, I say by the end of the year, Hodgins, Campbell, and Hyatt are the core group with Robinson being the jack-of-all trades/gadget player. Not impressed? Just keep in mind the presence of Waller and Bellinger at tight end.

FINAL DEPTH CHART: Isaiah Hodgins, Parris Campbell, Jalin Hyatt, Darius Slayton, Collin Johnson, and Jamison Crowder.

Wan’Dale Robinson to start the year on the PUP for four weeks.

The toughest call is on Shepard, an extremely popular player. The issues here are three-fold: (1) injury-proneness, (2) lack of special teams value, and (3) how much playing time would he receive? He would have to push Hodgins outside or Campbell inside for playing time. It is possible the team keeps seven wideouts again, however.

Look for 3-4 wide receivers to be on the Practice Squad again. I would think Jeff Smith and Bryce Ford-Wheaton are two obvious choices.

May 312023
 
Parris Campbell, New York Giants (May 31, 2023)

Parris Campbell – © USA TODAY Sports

MAY 31, 2023 NEW YORK GIANTS OTA PRACTICE REPORT…
The Giants held their fifth voluntary organized team activity (OTA) practice on Wednesday. No live contact is permitted during OTAs, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are allowed.

Head Coach Brian Daboll was asked before practice specifically about 11-on-11 drills. “We do walkthroughs with it,” replied Daboll. “So, different things, tempo it down, kind of teach it and review some of the stuff we studied in the offseason. We’ll stay with that today… there’s rules for contact and stuff. So, we just take that out of it and again, teach our concepts, blocking schemes, how to take on blocks, run fits, protection things. Tempo it down a little bit and make sure we get it right so when we get into training camp, when we’re going full speed with pads on, we’ve got something to draw from.”

The five remaining OTA practices will be held on June 2, June 5-6, and June 8-9. A mandatory mini-camp will also be held June 13-15.

INJURIES AND ABSENTEES…
Not spotted at were RB Saquon Barkley (unsigned Franchise player) and DL Vernon Butler (rehabbing undisclosed injury inside the building).

WR Sterling Shepard (recovering from knee surgery), WR Wan’Dale Robinson (recovering from knee surgery), TE Andre Miller, OG Marcus McKethan (recovering from knee surgery), ILB Darrian Beavers (recovering from knee surgery), DL A’Shawn Robinson (recovering from knee surgery), DL D.J. Davidson (recovering from knee surgery), OLB Elerson Smith (recovering from foot surgery), CB Aaron Robinson (recovering from knee surgery), S Dane Belton (recovering from unspecified offseason surgery), and S Jason Pinnock worked on the side.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • Fielding punts were RB Eric Gray, WR Darius Slayton, WR Jaydon Mickens, WR Kalil Pimpleton, WR Jeff Smith, and CB Darnay Holmes.
  • First-team offensive line was RT Evan Neal, RG Mark Glowinski, OC John Michael Schmitz, LG Ben Bredeson, and LT Andrew Thomas.
  • Joshua Ezeudu did rotate in at left guard with the first-team.
  • Starting at cornerback were Adoree’ Jackson and Deonte Banks.
  • CB Deonte Banks saw most of his snaps at left cornerback and broke up a pass from QB Daniel Jones intended for WR Isaiah Hodgins.
  • CB Adoree’ Jackson broke up two passes, including one intended for WR Isaiah Hodgins.
  • Cor’Dale Flott was the first-team slot corner.
  • Nick McCloud received first-team reps at safety although Xavier McKinney and Bobby McClain remained the first-team safety duo.
  • WR David Sills, who was injured at the end of the third OTA practice, was back on the field and beat CB Deonte Banks on a play.
  • QB Daniel Jones connected on another long pass to TE Darren Waller.
  • WR Jalin Hyatt saw some reps with the first-team offense.
  • At one point in practice, during red-zone drills, QB Daniel Jones threw three straight touchdowns, including to wide receivers Parris Campbell, Isaiah Hodgins, and Darius Slayton. Slayton beat CB Deonte Banks on his touchdown.
  • Eight of QB Tyrod Taylor’s completions went to WR Collin Johnson.
  • WR Kalil Pimpleton flashed at practice, including catching a touchdown pass from QB Tyrod Taylor, beating CB Darnay Holmes. Pimpleton also made a deep catch against CB Cor’Dale Flott.
  • WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton caught a couple of passes, but also dropped one.
  • CB Zyon Gilbert picked off an overthrown pass from QB Tommy DeVito.
  • WR Jalin Hyatt worked with QB Daniel Jones after practice, as did a number of other players. “If you look out there, it looks like practice is still going on because there are a lot of guys still training with each other, helping each other out,” said OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux after practice. “That’s the culture we’re building.”

HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The  transcript and video of Brian Daboll’s press conference on Wednesday are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

GIANTS.COM OTA#4 PRACTICE REPORT…
The team’s fourth OTA practice was not open to the public. However, the Giants did publish the following practice report on their website:

Mar 202023
 
Jon Feliciano, New York Giants (January 21, 2023)

Jon Feliciano – © USA TODAY Sports

JON FELICIANO SIGNS WITH 49ers…
New York Giants unrestricted free agent center Jon Feliciano has signed a 1-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers. Feliciano is the third unrestricted free agent to depart from the team this offseason, joining center/guard Nick Gates and safety Julian Love.

The Giants signed Feliciano in March 2022 after he was cut by the Buffalo Bills. The Giants converted him from guard to center, where he started 15 regular- and two post-season games, missing one game due to a neck injury and the other a healthy scratch in the regular-season finale. Feliciano had an up-and-down year. His veteran presence and knowledge of Brian Daboll’s offense helped the offensive team. While he brought a toughness, feistiness, and grittiness to the line, his athletic limitations proved to be an issue against better opponents. Feliciano was also flagged six times (four holding, one ineligible downfield, and one taunting penalty).

The 6’4”, 325-pound Feliciano was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. He signed as a free agent with the Bills in March 2019. Feliciano has now played in 97 regular-season games with 54 starts. He is a versatile player who can play both guard positions and center.

For a listing of the team’s free agents, see the New York Giants 2023 Free Agency Scorecard.

GIANTS ADD CORNERBACK…
The Giants have signed cornerback Leonard Johnson, a cornerback from Duke University who tore the ACL in one of his knees while training before the 2022 NFL Draft. Because of the injury, Johnson went undrafted and did not sign with any NFL team last year.

DARIUS SLAYTON PRESS CONFERENCE…
Wide receiver Darius Slayton, who the Giants re-signed as an unrestricted free agent, addressed the media on Monday. The transcript of this press conference is available in The Corner Forum, while the video is available on YouTube.

Mar 162023
 
Jihad Ward, New York Giants (December 4, 2022)

Jihad Ward – © USA TODAY Sports

GIANTS RE-SIGN JIHAD WARD AND DARIUS SLAYTON …
The New York Giants have re-signed unrestricted free agents defensive lineman/linebacker Jihad Ward and wide receiver Darius Slayton. Media sources say Ward’s contract is a 1-year deal. Slayton’s contract reportedly is a 2-year, $12 million deal with incentives that could reach another $4.5 million.

The Giants signed Ward as an unrestricted free agent from the Jacksonville Jaguars in March 2022. Ward surprisingly became an important on-field and locker-room veteran presence for the rebuilding ball club. He played in all 17 regular-season games with 11 starts (58 percent of defensive snaps), finishing the year with 43 tackles, seven tackles for losses, three sacks, 13 quarterback hits, four pass defenses, and two forced fumbles. It was the most-productive season in Ward’s seven-year NFL career. The 6’5”, 287-pound Ward was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. He has spent time with the Raiders (2016-2017), Dallas Cowboys (2018), Indianapolis Colts (2018-2019), Baltimore Ravens (2019-2020), and Jaguars (2021). Ward has played in 85 regular-season games with 26 starts. While not flashy pass-rush presence, Ward is a tough, gritty edge-setter against the run. He also also shift inside when called upon.

Slayton began the 2022 season as the team’s 7th wideout, barely making the 53-man roster. Due to the revolving door at the position, by the end of the season, he was entrenched as a starter. Slayton played in 16 regular-season games with 11 starts, catching 46 passes for a team-leading 724 yards (15.7 yards per catch) and two touchdowns. However, he also dropped seven passes, or nearly 10 percent of his opportunities. The Giants drafted Slayton in the 5th round of the 2019 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he played in 14 games with nine starts, catching 48 passes for 740 yards and eight touchdowns. But Slayton has not really progressed since that impressive debut season, only catching seven total touchdown passes from 2020-2022, while also dropping 19 passes during that same timespan. Slayton combines decent size (6’1”, 194lbs) with very good overall athleticism and speed. Slayton can stretch the field and get deep. He can adjust well to the football, but his hands are very suspect, even being prone to double-clutching passes he does catch. Slayton is also not a very physical receiver and can have issues beating press coverage.

For a listing of the team’s free agents, see the New York Giants 2023 Free Agency Scorecard.

BOBBY OKEREKE PRESS CONFERENCE…
Linebacker Bobby Okereke, who the Giants acquired as an unrestricted free agent from the Indianapolis Colts, addressed the media on Thursday. The transcript of this press conference is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available on YouTube.

Jan 152023
 
Daniel Jones, New York Giants (January 15, 2023)

Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS 31 – MINNESOTA VIKINGS 24…
The New York Giants upset the Minnesota Vikings 31-24 in a Wild Card playoff game at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Sunday. The playoff win was the team’s first since the 2011 season. The Giants will play the Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia next Saturday in the divisional round.

In terms of overall team stats, the Giants out-gained the Vikings in first downs (28 to 21), total net yards (431 to 332), net yards rushing (142 to 61), net yards passing (289 to 271), and time of possession (33:36 to 26:24). The Giants were 7-of-13 (53.8 percent) on 3rd-down conversion attempts and 2-of-2 on 4th-down conversion attempts. Neither team turned the ball over.

The Vikings received the football to start the game and easily drove 70 yards in 12 plays, gaining seven first downs, to take an early 7-0 lead. Quarterback Kirk Cousins was 7-of-7 on the drive and finished up the possession with a 1-yard quarterback sneak for the score. Minnesota’s next two possessions resulted in only one first down and two punts.

Not counting their last possession where they started at their own 10-yard line with 45 seconds left, the Giants only had three offensive drives in the first half. Those three possessions resulted in 17 points:

  1. Five plays, 75 yards, touchdown. After a holding penalty pushed put the Giants in a 1st-and-20 situation to start the drive, quarterback Daniel Jones completed two passes and ran the ball twice for a total of 57 yards. Then running back Saquon Barkley broke off a 28-yard touchdown run around left end.
  2. Four plays, 81 yards, touchdown. Jones completed a 47-yard pass to wide receiver Darius Slayton. After a 4-yard pass to tight end Lawrence Cager and a 16-yard run by Barkley, Jones threw a 14-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins.
  3. Twenty plays, 85 yards, field goal. Starting at their own 9-yard line, this marathon drive took almost 11 minutes off of the clock. However, a 4-yard touchdown run by Jones was erased due to an illegal shift penalty. New York settled for a 25-yard field goal by kicker Graham Gano.

Despite this offensive success, the Vikings managed to keep the game close with their last possession of the first half by easily driving 75 yards in eight plays to cut the score to 17-14 on Cousin’ 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver K.J. Osborn with 45 seconds left on the clock.

At the break, the Giants led 17-14.

New York’s offensive momentum continued at the start of the 3rd quarter. It took the Giants just six plays to travel 75 yards. Jones completed two passes to Hodgins for 42 yards, Barkley ran for 24 yards, Slayton picked up three yards on an end around, and then Jones threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to tight end Daniel Bellinger. The Giants were now up 24-14.

Back came Minnesota, however, as on their first possession of the second half they ran eight plays for 75 yards. Cousins threw a 3-yard touchdown to tight end Irv Smith to cut the score to 24-17.

The Giants were finally forced to punt for the first time on their second possession of the half. Cornerback Nick McCloud did create a fumble on the ensuing punt return, but it was recovered by the Vikings. Minnesota then tied the score with a 12-play, 56-yard drive that included an 18-yard completion on 4th-and-2 from the New York 43-yard line. It appeared that the Vikings converted on 4th-and-1 at the 16-yard line, but a false start wiped out the play and Minnesota settled for a 38-yard field goal with 12:34 left in the game.

With the score tied up at 24-24, the Giants began their game-winning, 12-play, 75-yard drive. Jones only completed half of his passes on this possession, but five of his attempts went for 58 yards. He also picked up a critical two yards on a quarterback sneak on 4th-and-1 from the Minnesota 7-yard line. Barkley finished this possession off with a tough, 2-yard touchdown run to give New York a 31-24 lead with 7:47 to play.

The Giants’ defense forced a quick three-and-out on the ensuing drive. Up by a touchdown with 6:12 left in the game, the Giants were able to picked up two first downs, including a very risky 4th-and-1 conversion attempt at their own 45-yard line. Jones gained the needed yard on another tough quarterback sneak and Minnesota was forced to use all three of their time outs to stop the clock. The Giants could have ended it early, but on 3rd-and-15, Slayton dropped a pass from Jones that may have picked up the first down. The Giants punted the ball away with just over three minutes to play.

With 2:56 on the clock, Minnesota got the ball back at their own 12-yard line. On 2nd-and-4, defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence was flagged with a highly questionable roughing-the-passer penalty. A 13-yard completion then moved the ball to the Minnesota 46-yard line. On 3rd-and-8, cornerback Cor’Dale Flott broke up pass. On 4th-and-8, Cousins’ final pass was completed, but tight end T.J. Hockenson, who killed the Giants for much of the game, was tackled five yards short of the 1st-down marker by safety Xavier McKinney. The Giants then knelt on the ball to seal the win.

Jones finished the game 24-of-35 for 301 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions (114.1 quarterback rating). He also ran  the ball 17 times for 78 yards, including two 4th-and-1 conversions. His leading target was Hodgins, who caught eight passes for 105 yards and a touchdown. Barkley carried the ball nine times for 53 yards and two touchdowns.

Defensively, the Giants did not sack Cousins, but they officially hit him 11 times. Four of those were by Dexter Lawrence. The Giants were also credited with five tackles for losses, including two by cornerback Darnay Holmes. Vikings’ All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson was held to seven catches for 47 yards.

GAME VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS are available on YouTube.

PRACTICE SQUAD ACTIVATIONS, INACTIVES, AND INJURY REPORT…
On Saturday, the Giants activated (standard elevation) RB Jashaun Corbin and WR Kalil Pimpleton from the Practice Squad to the 53-man roster.

Inactive for the game were RB Jashaun Corbin, WR Kalil Pimpleton, OG Jack Anderson, OG Wyatt Davis, DL Henry Mondeaux, ILB Micah McFadden, and CB Rodarius Williams.

LB Azeez Ojulari (quad contusion) and S Jason Pinnock (abdomen) left the game and did not return. Pinnock was taken to the hospital, but later returned to the locker room and said he was “good.”

POST-GAME REACTION…
Transcripts and video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Brian Daboll and the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

https://twitter.com/Giants/status/1614805912803328008

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Head Coach Brian Daboll will address the media on Monday. The players are off on Monday.

Jan 122023
 
Jason Pinnock, New York Giants (December 24, 2022)

Jason Pinnock – © USA TODAY Sports

JANUARY 12, 2023 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
WR Marcus Johnson (knee), RT Evan Neal (ankle), DL Leonard Williams (neck), OLB Azeez Ojulari (ankle), CB Adoree’ Jackson (knee), and S Jason Pinnock (shoulder) were limited in practice on Thursday.

OC Jon Feliciano (back) and S Xavier McKinney (fingers) fully practiced.

THE COACHES SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following coaches are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The players practice again on Friday (11:45AM-1:15PM). Head Coach Brian Daboll, the position coaches, and select players will also address the media.