Nov 142017
 
Keenan Robinson, New York Giants (August 27, 2016)

Keenan Robinson – © USA TODAY Sports

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KEENAN ROBINSON PLACED ON IR AND OTHER ROSTER MOVES…
The New York Giants placed linebacker Keenan Robinson on Injured Reserve on Tuesday. Robinson suffered a quad injury in the game against the Los Angeles Rams on October 5th. The Giants also waived wide receiver/returner Ed Eagan and defensive end Devin Taylor.

To fill those three roster vacancies, the Giants signed free agents offensive guard John Greco and linebacker Akeem Ayers, and promoted wide receiver/returner Kalif Raymond from the Practice Squad.

The Giants signed tight end Matt LaCosse and Nick Becton to the Practice Squad.

The injury-prone Robinson played in six games this season with three starts and had 32 tackles. He missed the season’s first two games with a concussion.

Eagan was signed to the Practice Squad in September and the 53-man roster in October. The 5’11’, 183-pound Eagan was originally signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2016 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Cowboys, Cleveland Browns, and Buffalo Bills. The Giants signed Eagan in August 2017.

The Giants signed Taylor in late October 2017. He had signed with the team in May 2017 but was cut in early September. Taylor was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.

The 32-year old, 6’4”, 318-pound Greco was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams. He has spent time with the Rams (2008-2010), Cleveland Browns (2011-2016), and New Orleans Saints (2017). Greco has started 70 of the 111 regular-season games he has played in, including starts at right guard (45), left guard (24), and center (1).

The 28-year old, 6’3”, 247-pound Ayers was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. He has spent time with the Titans (2011-2014), New England Patriots (2014), St. Louis Rams (2015), and Indianapolis Colts (2016). Ayers has started 57 of the 91 regular-season games he has played in, with 15.5 sacks, four interceptions, and four forced fumbles.

Raymond was signed to the Practice Squad in October 2017. The 5’9”, 160-pound Raymond was originally signed by the Denver Broncos after the 2016 NFL Draft. He has spent time with both the Broncos (2016) and New York Jets (2017). Raymond has played in six NFL games. The diminutive Raymond has not caught a pass, but he has returned nine kickoffs (24.7 yards per return) and 16 punts (9.3 yards per return).

LaCosse played in three games this season for the Giants with one start. The team waived him on Saturday to make room for fullback Shane Smith. LaCosse was originally signed by the Giants as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2015 NFL Draft. The Giants waived/injured him in August with a hamstring injury and re-signed him to the Practice Squad in November and the 53-man roster in December 2015. He played in two games in 2015 and finished with three catches for 22 yards. The Giants waived/injured Matt LaCosse in late August 2016 and then placed him on Injured Reserve with a knee injury that required surgery. LaCosse is a versatile player who played tight end, H-Back, and fullback in college. LaCosse has good speed and catches the football well.

The 6’6”, 322-pound Becton  was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2013 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers. He has spent time with the Chargers (2013), Giants (2014), New Orleans Saints (2014), Chicago Bears (2015-2016), Detroit Lions (2017), and Kansas City Chiefs (2017). Becton has played in six regular-season games with no starts.

NOTES…
The Giants have allowed a receiving touchdown to an opposing tight end in 10 consecutive games dating back to last year. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that is the longest such streak in NFL history.

In their last two games, the Giants gave up touchdown passes of 52 and 67 yards to the Rams, and 47 and 83 yards to the 49ers. It is the first time in their history they allowed two touchdown passes of at least 47 yards in back-to-back games.

This season, the Giants have held just one opponent to less than 100 rushing yards; Denver ran for 46 yards on October 15. Not coincidentally, that was the Giants’ lone victory.

ARTICLES…

Oct 102017
 
Brandon Marshall, New York Giants (October 8, 2017)

Brandon Marshall – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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BRANDON MARSHALL PLACED ON INJURED RESERVE…
A day after the New York Giants placed wide receivers Odell Beckham, Jr. (fractured ankle) and Dwayne Harris (fractured foot) on Injured Reserve, the team also placed wide receiver Brandon Marshall on IR with an ankle injury. All three were injured during the team’s 27-22 loss to the San Diego Chargers on Sunday and it is anticipated that all three will be out the remainder of the 2017 NFL season.

The Giants announced that Beckham had surgery on his left ankle on Monday night. Harris (5th metatarsal) and Marshall (ankle stabilization to repair torn ligaments) had surgeries performed on Wednesday.

To fill Marshall’s roster spot, the Giants signed wide receiver Ed Eagan from the team’s Practice Squad. The 5’11’, 183-pound Eagan was originally signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2016 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Cowboys, Cleveland Browns, and Buffalo Bills. The Giants signed Eagan in August 2017.

The Giants also signed wide receiver Kalif Raymond and offensive guard Ethan Cooper to the Practice Squad. The Giants terminated the practice squad contract of center Anthony Fabiano, who was signed last week.

The 5’9, 160-pound Raymond was originally signed by the Denver Broncos after the 2016 NFL Draft. He has spent time with both the Broncos (2016) and New York Jets (2017). Raymond has played in six NFL games. The diminutive Raymond has not caught a pass, but he has returned nine kickoffs (24.7 yards per return) and 16 punts (9.3 yards per return).

The 6’2, 322-pound Cooper was originally signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2017 NFL Draft. The Steelers waived Cooper in early September. Cooper played at a lower level of competition in college but he has good size and is a decent athlete.

BRANDEN ALBERT VISITING THE GIANTS?…
NFL.com is reporting that left tackle Branden Albert will visit the New York Giants this week after meeting with the Seattle Seahawks and leaving without a deal. The 32-year old Albert was originally drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 1st round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He has played with the Chiefs (2008-2013) and Miami Dolphins (2014-2016). In March 2017, Albert was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars. He announced his retirement in July, returned to the team, and was then cut in August. The 6’5, 315-pound Albert is a two-time Pro Bowler (2013 and 2015). However, Albert is clearly in the twilight of his career and has not played a full regular-season schedule since 2011.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum:

NOTES…
The 0-5 Giants have trailed at halftime in each of their five games this season. This season, the Giants and their opponents have each scored 56 second-half points. But the Giants have been outscored in the first half, 66-26.

The Giants have led in the fourth quarter in each of their last three games.

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants return to practice on Wednesday at 11:40AM.

Sep 202017
 
Evan Engram, New York Giants (September 18, 2017)

Evan Engram – © USA TODAY Sports

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INJURY UPDATE…
Right tackle Bobby Hart (ankle), linebacker B.J. Goodson (shin), linebacker J.T. Thomas (groin), and cornerback Janoris Jenkins (ankle) did not practice on Wednesday.

“It’s something (with Jenkins) that worsened as (last) week went on,” said Head Coach Ben McAdoo.

Wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. (ankle), tight end Evan Engram (concussion), and linebacker Keenan Robinson (concussion) practiced on a limited basis.

“(Engram is) in the protocol,” said McAdoo. “He had a non-contact practice today.”

“(Beckham) was in a limited role today and we’ll monitor him as the week goes on,” said McAdoo. “Today was really a jog-thru type practice for us.”

ED EAGAN SIGNED TO PRACTICE SQUAD…
The New York Giants have signed wide receiver Ed Eagan to the Practice Squad, filling the vacancy created when the Giants signed linebacker Curtis Grant to the 53-man roster on Monday. The 5’11’, 183-pound Eagan was originally signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2016 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Cowboys, Cleveland Browns, and Buffalo Bills. The Giants signed Eagan in August 2017 and cut him in early September.

DENNY MARCIN PASSES AWAY…
Denny Marcin, the Giants defensive line coach from 1997-2003 under Jim Fassel, passed away today at his home in Southport, North Carolina following a long illness.

HEAD COACH BEN MCADOO…
The transcript of Ben McAdoo’s press conference on Wednesday 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:

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice on Thursday at 11:20AM. The team’s coordinators and select players will also address the media after practice.

Sep 022017
 
Mark Herzlich, New York Giants (November 27, 2016)

Mark Herzlich – © USA TODAY Sports

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NEW YORK GIANTS REDUCE ROSTER TO 53; TRADE FOR CORNERBACK…
On Saturday, in order to meet the NFL’s 53-man roster limit, the New York Giants made 29 roster moves.

Players who were placed on Injured Reserve included:

  • LB Mark Herzlich (burner)
  • DT Josh Banks (shoulder – torn labrum requiring surgery)

Players who were cut included:

  • QB Josh Johnson
  • RB Shaun Draughn
  • RB Khalid Abdullah
  • FB Jacob Huesman
  • WR Travis Rudolph
  • WR Jerome Lane
  • WR Canaan Severin
  • WR Marquis Bundy
  • WR Ed Eagan
  • TE Will Tye
  • OT Adam Bisnowaty
  • OT Jarron Jones
  • OG/OC Jon Halapio
  • OG Matt Rotheram
  • DE Devin Taylor
  • DE Jordan Williams
  • DT Bobby Richardson
  • LB Deontae Skinner
  • LB Stansly Maponga
  • LB Curtis Grant
  • CB Donte Deayon
  • CB DaShaun Amos
  • CB Nigel Tribune
  • S Ryan Murphy
  • S Trey Robinson
  • PK Mike Nugent

The Giants also sent a conditional draft pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for cornerback Ross Cockrell. The 6’0”, 191-pound Cockrell was originally drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the 4th round of the 2014 NFL Draft. The Bills cut Cockrell in August 2015 and he then signed with the Steelers. In two seasons with the Steelers, Cockrell played in 31 regular-season games with 23 starts. He started all 16 games in 2016 and finished the year with 62 tackles and 14 pass defenses. He had two interceptions with the Steelers in 2015. Cockrell struggled with the Steelers this preseason.

“Today was a challenging day. This week was a challenging week,” said Head Coach Ben McAdoo. “You have to hand it to the players. They really worked hard in camp. And then Thursday night really made it tough on us. It’s a tough day every time you go through it. The second year is probably harder than it was last year, considering the relationships you build with the men on the team.”

Regarding the competition between quarterbacks Geno Smith and Josh Johnson for the primary back-up job behind Eli Manning, McAdoo said,  “It was a close call. Both men earned an opportunity and can play in this league. We wish Josh the best and thanked him for everything he’s done for us.”

Aldrick Rosas beat out veteran Mike Nugent for the team’s place kicker. “We know Aldrick has a big leg, and we really liked the way he responded throughout training camp and in the preseason games,” McAdoo said. “Mike Nugent was a guy that came in and was a great teammate and was a pro. He pushed Aldrick, which made him better, and it made Aldrick better. I think at the end of the day you go with the players who’s been here (since January) and has the biggest upside.”

Five of the team’s six 2017 draft choices made the 53-man roster. Bisnowaty was waived despite being drafted in the 6th round. In addition, three rookie free agents are on the team: FB Shane Smith, OT Chad Wheeler, and LB Calvin Munson.

“Munson is a guy we were excited about from a special teams perspective,” McAdoo said. “He’s also a guy that can add depth at linebacker. We had a lot of guys nicked at the linebacker position, so he got to play a lot of football for us, which is good for him. We need to get him going on the special teams as well. It’s a credit to Munson, he’s done a nice job jumping in with both feet and really taking advantage of his meeting time and his field time.

“Wheeler probably should have been drafted in the middle rounds somewhere. He slid on the board and we were fortunate enough to get him as a free agent. He’s a talented player who has a little bit of a mean streak in him, which we like. Fundamentally, he’s coming along, and we feel he has a bright future for us.

“Shane Smith – we wanted to take the best 53 and not be concerned about which position they play. It just happens to be he’s a fullback and he really fits in well with the tight end group as far as his skill set. He can do a variety of things for us on special teams and on offense. It adds another piece to your board. You can move him around. He has some flexibility.”

Last year, in his second season, Will Tye was promoted to the starting tight end spot at midseason after the bye week. He played in all 16 regular-season games, with 10 starts, and finished the year with 48 catches for 395 yards (8.2 yards per catch) and just one touchdown. Tye was originally signed as a rookie free agent after the 2015 NFL Draft by the Giants. In 2015, he played in 13 games with seven starts, and finished the season with 42 catches for 464 yards and three touchdowns. Tye was voted to the Pro Football Writers NFL All-Rookie Team.

“Will is a guy that played a lot of football for us and played well,” McAdoo said. “That was a tough decision to make, but we feel we chose the best four (tight ends) for our football team moving forward. We’re excited to get going with those guys.”

Herzlich was signed as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2011 NFL Draft. He has started 17 regular-season games in his six seasons with the Giants, eight of which were in 2014. Last year, Herzlich played in 14 regular-season games, missing two with a concussion. He finished with seven tackles on defense.

“We felt it was best to put Mark on IR this year and give him an opportunity to get healthy,” McAdoo said. “He’ll still be involved with the team, whether it’s in the locker room, or in the meeting rooms. Mark will still be around to help the guys.”

Veteran DE Devin Taylor, who the Giants signed in the offseason, was also cut. “We have a lot of talented players in that defensive line room, a lot of depth in the room,” said McAdoo. “Devin Taylor can play in the league – he’s played in this league and he’s started in this league. He’ll probably go somewhere else and do the same thing. We’re confident with the group of men we have in the room.”

ARTICLES…

Aug 182017
 
Steve Spagnuolo, New York Giants (June 13, 2017)

Steve Spagnuolo – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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ROSTER MOVES…
The New York Giants have waived/injured wide receivers Keeon Johnson (foot) and Kevin Snead (hamstring). To fill their roster spots, the Giants signed wide receivers Canaan Severin and Ed Eagan.

Severin was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2016 NFL Draft. He spent his rookie season on Injured Reserve with a shoulder injury. The Steelers waived him on Monday.

Eagan was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2016 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Cowboys, Cleveland Browns, and Buffalo Bills.

Johnson and Snead were signed by the Giants as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2017 NFL Draft.

INJURY REPORT – KEENAN ROBINSON BACK IN THE CONCUSSION PROTOCOL…
Linebacker Keenan Robinson left practice early on Friday and is once again in the concussion protocol. Wide receiver Andrew Turzilli (hamstring?) and offensive lineman Adam Gettis (leg?) also left practice early.

Wide receiver Dwayne Harris (upper body soreness), wide receiver Darius Powe (hamstring), linebacker Mark Herzlich (stinger), and linebacker J.T. Thomas (knee) did not practice.

Cornerback Eli Apple (ankle) was limited.

THE COACHES SPEAK…
Transcripts of the media sessions with the following coaches are available in The Corner Forum:

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum:

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Ben McAdoo and select players will address the media on Saturday. There is no media availability to the team on Sunday. The Giants play the Browns in Cleveland on Monday night.