Feb 212018
 
John Greco, New York Giants (December 24, 2017)

John Greco – © USA TODAY

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NEW YORK GIANTS RE-SIGN GUARD JOHN GRECO…
The New York Giants have re-signed offensive guard John Greco. 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). The Giants signed Greco in November 2017; he played in six games with no starts. Greco has started 70 of the 117 regular-season games he has played in, including starts at right guard (45), left guard (24), and center (1).

NEW YORK GIANTS CUT LINEBACKER ISHAQ WILLIAMS…
The New York Giants waived/injured linebacker Ishaq Williams on February 15. The Giants originally signed Williams after he impressed as a tryout player during the May 2016 mini-camp. Williams had been out of football since 2013 after being implicated in an academic dishonesty scandal at Notre Dame. Williams was signed to the Practice Squad in September 2016 and the 53-man roster in December 2016. He did not play in any games. Williams was injured/waived and then placed on Injured Reserve in May 2017 (where he spent the entire season) after needing knee surgery.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Exclusive Giants.com interviews with the following players are available at Giants.com:

  • DE Romeo Okwara (Video)

ARTICLES…

May 312017
 
Wayne Gallman, New York Giants (May 12, 2017)

Wayne Gallman – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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NEW YORK GIANTS SIGN WAYNE GALLMAN…
The New York Giants have signed running back Wayne Gallman – their 4th-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft – to a 4-year contract. The New York Post is reporting that the contract is a 4-year, $2.8 million deal that includes a $419,641 signing bonus. The only unsigned draft pick is tight end Evan Engram, the team’s 1st-round selection.

ISHAQ WILLIAMS PLACED ON INJURED RESERVE…
Linebacker Ishaq Williams, who was waived/injured by the New York Giants on May 25 with a knee injury, has been placed on Injured Reserve by the team. Williams was signed to the Practice Squad in September 2016 and the 53-man roster in December 2016. He did not play in any games. The Giants originally signed Williams after he impressed as a tryout player during the May 2016 mini-camp. Williams had been out of football since 2013 after being implicated in an academic dishonesty scandal at Notre Dame.

NEW YORK GIANTS OTA PRACTICES…
The New York Giants held two more Organized Team Activity (OTA) practices on Tuesday and Wednesday. Those practices were not open to the media or public. Teams may conduct a total of 10 days of OTA practices. No live contact is permitted, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills are permitted.

The team’s remaining OTAs will be held on June 2, June 5-6, and June 8-9. A mandatory mini-camp will be held on June 13-15. Friday’s OTA practice will be open to the media.

Giants.com has provided the following notes and video highlights from the last three OTA practices:

OTA #3:

OTA #4:

OTA #5:

GIANTS INSIDER WITH CB JANORIS JENKINS…
The video of a Giants Insider Q&A with cornerback Janoris Jenkins is available at Giants.com.

ARTICLES…

May 252017
 
B.J. Goodson, New York Giants (May 25, 2017)

B.J. Goodson – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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MAY 25, 2017 NEW YORK GIANTS OTA PRACTICE REPORT…
The Giants held their third voluntary organized team activity (OTA) practice on Thursday. No live contact is permitted during OTAs, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are allowed.

The seven remaining OTA practices will be held on May 30-31, June 2, June 5-6, and June 8-9. A mandatory mini-camp will be held on June 13-15.

INJURY REPORT AND ABSENTEES…
Tight end Rhett Ellison (soreness), safety Darian Thompson (recovering from lisfranc injury), and linebacker J.T. Thomas (recovering from torn ACL) did not practice.

Cornerback Eli Apple (thigh or hamstring) left practice early with a wrap around his leg.

Wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr., defensive end Olivier Vernon, and defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa were no-shows for the voluntary OTA.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • The first-team offensive line was Ereck Flowers at left tackle, Justin Pugh at left guard, Weston Richburg at center, John Jerry at right guard, and Bobby Hart at right tackle.
  • The second-team offensive line was Michael Bowie at left tackle, Adam Gettis at left guard, Brett Jones at center, D.J. Fluker at right guard, and Adam Bisnowaty at right tackle.
  • With Odell Beckham, Jr. absent, Brandon Marshall and Sterling Shepard “started” but Tavarres King also saw quite a bit of time with the first unit.
  • The second-team quarterback was Josh Johnson.
  • First-team defense included defensive ends Jason Pierre Paul and Romeo Okwara; defensive tackles Robert Thomas and Damon Harrison; linebackers Devon Kennard, B.J. Goodson, and Jonathan Casillas; cornerbacks Janoris Jenkins and Eli Apple; and safeties Landon Collins and Andrew Adams.
  • Stansly Maponga, who was at defensive end last season, saw snaps at linebacker.
  • Mykkele Thompson saw reps at cornerback.
  • Wide receiver Brandon Marshall beat cornerback Janoris Jenkins deep for a long touchdown. Later, Jenkins broke up a pass intended for Marshall.
  • Tight end Evan Engram was spotted lining up in multiple positions.
  • Wide receiver Darius Powe made a nice catch from quarterback Josh Johnson.
  • Donte Deayon saw work at nickel corner.
  • Quarterback Josh Johnson hit wide receiver Dwayne Harris in stride over the middle for a touchdown.
  • Place kicker Aldrick Rosas was sharp, including nailing one from 50 yards out with plenty of distance to spare.
  • Linebacker Mark Herzlich saw reps at tight end and made a catch down the seam from quarterback Davis Webb. Tight end Evan Engram also made a nice catch from Webb.

GIANTS CUT ISHAQ WILLIAMS AND RAHIM MOORE…
The New York Giants officially announced on Thursday that the team has signed unrestricted free agents defensive end Devin Taylor (Detroit Lions) and safety Duke Ihenacho (Washington Redskins). To make room for these two, the Giants waived/injured linebacker Ishaq Williams and terminated the contract of safety Rahim Moore.

Williams was signed to the Practice Squad in September 2016 and the 53-man roster in December 2016. He did not play in any games. The Giants originally signed Williams after he impressed as a tryout player during the May 2016 mini-camp. Williams had been out of football since 2013 after being implicated in an academic dishonesty scandal at Notre Dame.

Moore was signed by the Giants to a reserve/future contract in January 2017. Moore was originally drafted in the 2nd round of 2011 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. The Giants pursued Moore in free agency in 2015 before he signed with the Houston Texans, who waived him in March 2016 after he was benched for the bulk of the season. Moore signed with the Browns last year but he did not make the team.

GERALD HODGES SIGNS WITH THE BILLS…
Unrestricted free agent linebacker Gerald Hodges (San Francisco 49ers) has signed a 1-year contract with the Buffalo Bills. Hodges visited the Giants on Wednesday.

VICTOR CRUZ TO SIGN WITH THE BEARS…
Former New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz (2010-2016) will sign a 1-year contract with the Chicago Bears. The Giants cut Cruz in February.

HEAD COACH BEN MCADOO…
The transcript of Ben McAdoo’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:

ARTICLES…

Feb 152017
 
Jonathan Casillas and Janoris Jenkins, New York Giants (September 18, 2016)

Jonathan Casillas and Janoris Jenkins – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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Ever since the New York Giants moved to the 4-3 defense in 1994, the team has largely de-emphasized the acquisition of linebackers in terms of premium resources. The last time the Giants drafted a linebacker in the 1st round was 1984 (Carl Banks). The last three linebackers drafted in the 2nd round were Clint Sintim (2009), Kanavis McGhee (1991), and Pepper Johnson (1986). From time to time, the Giants have spent big money on linebackers in free agency, including Michael Barrow (2000), Antonio Pierce (2005), and Michael Boley (2009). Not surprisingly, the overall play of the position has declined since its golden era of the 1980s, with the last linebackers to make the Pro Bowl being Pierce (2006) and Jessie Armstead (2001). Now annually, the team’s talent level at the position is usually considered sub-par and the defensive weak spot.

In 2016, of the defense’s three levels, the linebacking corps once again took a backseat to the defensive line and secondary. But while the linebackers were not a team strength, they did play at a more respectable level than their recent predecessors. This is a polite way of saying, “Well, at least the linebackers didn’t suck!”

The surprising headliner was Jonathan Casillas, who arguably had the best season of his career. Keenan Robinson stayed healthy and added more speed to the position. And Devon Kennard finally stayed healthy for a full 16 games. Overall, there weren’t many big plays from this group, but they did a respectable job on a defensive unit that improved from dead last in the NFL to 10th in terms of yardage allowed and 2nd in terms of points allowed.

THE STARTERS

Jonathan Casillas had his best season to date as a pro in 2016. Casillas played in every game, with 15 regular-season starts (72 percent of all defensive snaps), and finished the year with 96 tackles, 1.5 sacks, eight pass defenses, and one forced fumble. Casillas was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the New Orleans Saints after the 2009 NFL Draft. He has played for the Saints (2009-11), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2013-14), and Patriots (2014). The Giants signed him as a free agent in March 2015. Casillas lacks ideal size and has issues against the run at times, but he is a good athlete with fine speed and performs well in coverage. Caillas does not make many impact plays and is not much of a blitzer (6.5 career sacks).

Keenan Robinson officially only started 6-of-16 regular-season games, but he was second in playing time on the team among all linebackers (71 percent of all defensive snaps). Robinson finished 2016 with 83 tackles and seven pass defenses. Robinson was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins, where he missed time in 2012 (four games with right pectoral tear), 2013 (entire season with left pectoral tear), 2014 (three games with a knee injury), and 2015 (four games with a shoulder injury). The Giants signed him as a free agent in March 2016. Robinson has decent size and is a good athlete who runs well. Versatile, he can play inside and outside linebacker. Robinson is more of a run-and-hit linebacker than stout run defender at the point-of-attack. Robinson is solid in pass coverage. He only has 1.5 career sacks and has been injury prone. Robinson does not make many impact plays.

Devon Kennard played in every game with nine regular-season starts, playing in 47 percent of all defensive snaps. He finished 2016 with 61 tackles, one sack, one pass defense, and one forced fumble. Kennard was drafted in the 5th round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Giants. He missed playing time in 2014 (four games with hamstring and toe injuries) and 2015 (seven games with hamstring and foot injuries). Kennard is a big, strong linebacker who is a bit of a DE/LB ‘tweener. In fact, the Giants will use him at defensive end in pass rush situations. Kennard plays the run well and can get heat on the quarterback, but he is not as strong in coverage. To date, he has not put up big numbers or made many big plays. Kennard has been somewhat injury prone.

While Kelvin Sheppard started 11-of-16 regular-season games at middle linebacker in 2016, he only received 39 percent of defensive snaps. Sheppard finished the year with 50 tackles and two pass defenses. Sheppard was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. He was traded to the Indianapolis Colts in April 2013 and signed with the Dolphins in September 2014 and Giants in April 2016. Sheppard is more of a two-down linebacker who plays the run better than the pass. While he has good size, Sheppard lacks ideal overall athletic ability. Sheppard does not make many big plays.

THE RESERVES

B.J. Goodson was drafted by the Giants in the 4th round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He played in 15 regular-season games with no starts, playing in one percent of defensive snaps. Goodson finished his rookie season with nine tackles and one forced fumble. Goodson is a big, strong, physical linebacker who plays the run better than the pass. He is a big hitter and good tackler. To become a complete player, Goodson has to improve his pass coverage. Goodson lacks ideal speed and agility.

Mark Herzlich remains primarily a reserve linebacker and special teams player who occasionally is called upon to play on defense (one percent of defensive snaps in 2016). Herzlich played in 14 regular-season games, missing two with a concussion. He finished with seven tackles on defense. 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. Herzlich has very good size but is a sub-par athlete for the position. He is a good run defender, but struggles in coverage and is not much of a blitzer. Herzlich is a good special teams player.

Deontae Skinner was added to and released from the Practice Squad multiple times in 2016. He also was signed to the 53-man roster in October and again in December. Skinner played in four games in 2016 and was credited with five tackles. Skinner was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the New England Patriots after the 2014 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Patriots (2014-2015) and Eagles (2015-2016). Skinner is a big, instinctive linebacker with decent agility but who lacks speed.

Ishaq Williams was signed to the Practice Squad in September 2016 and the 53-man roster in December 2016. He did not play in any games. The Giants originally signed Williams after he impressed as a tryout player during the May 2016 mini-camp. Williams had been out of football since 2013 after being implicated in an academic dishonesty scandal at Notre Dame. Williams has a nice combination of size and overall athletic ability.

INJURED RESERVE

The Giants placed J.T. Thomas on Injured Reserve in September 2016 after he suffered ligament damage to his left knee in the regular-season opener. Thomas was originally drafted in the 6th round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. The Bears waived him in August 2013 and he was claimed off of waivers by the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Giants signed Thomas in March 2015. In 2015 with the Giants, Thomas played in 12 games with 11 starts, missing four games with an ankle injury. Thomas lacks ideal size, but he is a good athlete who runs well. Versatile, Thomas can play all three linebacker positions. However, he does not many impact plays and is better suited as a reserve. Thomas is a good special teams player.

Dec 202016
 
Ryan Nassib, New York Giants (September 1, 2016)

Ryan Nassib – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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GIANTS PLACE SHANE VEREEN AND RYAN NASSIB ON IR…
The New York Giants have placed running back Shane Vereen (triceps) and quarterback Ryan Nassib (right elbow) on season-ending Injured Reserve. Both will have surgery this week. To fill these roster spots, the Giants signed linebacker Ishaq Williams off of the team’s Practice Squad and signed running back George Winn.

Williams was signed to the Practice Squad in September 2016. The Giants originally signed Williams after he impressed as a tryout player during the May 2016 mini-camp. Williams was out of football since 2013 after being implicated in an academic dishonesty scandal at Notre Dame. Williams has a nice combination of size and overall athletic ability.

Winn was originally signed by the Houston Texans as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2013 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Texans (2013), New England Patriots (2013), Oakland Raiders (2013), Pittsburgh Steelers (2013), Dallas Cowboys (2013), and Detroit Lions (2014–2016). The Giants signed him to their Practice Squad in November and cut him on December 13th. Winn has played in 19 regular-season games with no starts, accruing just 74 yards on 23 carries (3.2 yards per carry). Winn is a hard-nosed, between-the-tackles runner. Good special teams player.

NFL PENALIZES GIANTS FOR USING WALKIE-TALKIES…
The NFL has penalized the New York Giants for “illegally” using walkie-talkies during the December 11th game against the Dallas Cowboys. Head Coach Ben McAdoo used a walkie-talkie to communicate with quarterback Eli Manning for five plays when the regular head-set communication system broke down.

The NFL has moved the Giants 4th-round pick to the end of the round, following any compensatory picks (but no more than 12 spots below where their pick would have been). The Giants were also fined $150,000 and Ben McAdoo was personally fined $50,000.

DECEMBER 20, 2016 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The New York Giants held another light jog-thru on Tuesday. Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul (core muscle) is the only player who did not participate.

Cornerback Janoris Jenkins (back), linebacker Jonathan Casillas (knee), linebacker Keenan Robinson (shoulder), safety Nat Berhe (concussion), offensive tackle Will Beatty (lower leg), offensive lineman Marshall Newhouse (shoulder), and long snapper Zak DeOssie (hamstring) practiced on a limited basis.

“(Jenkins) moved around a little bit on the field today, he was limited,” said Head Coach Ben McAdoo. “We’ll see, it’s still early to tell (if he will play on Thursday)… There’s still soreness.”

“I don’t know (if I will play on Thursday),” said Jenkins. “I am just focused on getting better every day and we will see what happens… I am glad that it wasn’t anything serious and I am glad that I got the result that I got… It is just a bruise, man. That is what it is.”

Defensive end Owagmagbe Odighizuwa (knee) fully practiced.

HEAD COACH BEN MCADOO…
The transcript of Ben McAdoo’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:

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
There is no media availability to the New York Giants on Wednesday. The team plays the Eagles in Philadelphia on Thursday night.

Dec 192016
 
Ben McAdoo, New York Giants (December 18, 2016)

Ben McAdoo – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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DECEMBER 19, 2016 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The New York Giants held a jog-thru practice on Monday. Not practicing were defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul (core muscle), cornerback Janoris Jenkins (back), linebacker Jonathan Casillas (knee), running back Shane Vereen (triceps), offensive tackle Will Beatty (lower leg), offensive lineman Marshall Newhouse (shoulder), and quarterback Ryan Nassib (right elbow).

In the game against the Lions on Sunday, Vereen re-injured his surgically-repaired triceps muscle that had caused him to miss nine games and is likely done for the season. “Yes, he re-injured his triceps,” said Head Coach Ben McAdoo. “It’s unfortunate. He worked his tail off to get back to where he was. I’m disappointed for Shane.”

McAdoo is also unsure of Jenkins’ status. “It was a nasty collision,” said McAdoo. “We took every precaution we could afterwards. Everything checked out. Right now it’s a painful bruised back… Right now, it’s too early to tell (if he will be able to play against the Eagles on Thursday night).”

Linebacker Keenan Robinson (shoulder), defensive end Owagmagbe Odighizuwa (knee), safety Nat Berhe (concussion), and long snapper Zak DeOssie (hamstring) were limited.

ISHAQ WILLIAMS TO BE PROMOTED TO 53-MAN ROSTER…
NJ.com is reporting that the Giants will sign defensive end/linebacker Ishaq Williams to the 53-man roster from the team’s Practice Squad. The Giants originally signed Williams after he impressed as a tryout player during the May 2016 mini-camp. Williams was out of football since 2013 after being implicated in an academic dishonesty scandal at Notre Dame. Williams has a nice combination of size and overall athletic ability.

MONDAY BEN MCADOO CONFERENCE CALL…
New York Giants Head Coach Ben McAdoo addressed the media by conference call on Monday to discuss the team’s 17-6 victory over the Detroit Lions:

McAdoo: No official statement today. Quick turnaround against a division rival on the road. Our focus is Philadelphia. I’ll do as best I can to help answer your questions about Detroit, but our focus is on Philly.

Q: Obviously your defense has been playing exceptionally well. Where do they stack up with the rest of the league?

A: That’s a great question, but we don’t look at it like that. We focus on the week of preparation and executing the game plan, taking things week by week and not necessarily comparing ourselves to other teams in the league defensively. I’m not sure where that gets us.

Q: Any update on Janoris Jenkins?

A: It was a nasty collision. We took every precaution we could afterwards. Everything checked out. Right now it’s a painful bruised back.

Q: Will he be OK for Philadelphia?

A: Right now, it’s too early to tell.

Q: Did Shane Vereen re-tear his triceps?

A: Yes, he re-injured his triceps. It’s unfortunate. He worked his tail off to get back to where he was. I’m disappointed for Shane.

Q: By re-injured, you’re saying he re-tore it?

A: He re-injured his triceps, yes.

Q: What are the challenges of this quick turnaround?

A: It’s a divisional opponent. We know them and they know us. That helps and makes it very competitive. The challenges are trying to get the reps physically so guys can see it and take a look at it on their feet. You want to be smart with how much they get on their feet. We will do some things and dial the speed down a little bit. We need to make sure we put our preparation in off the field, on the film as much as possible. Different guys learn different ways, so we need to do the best we can in tailoring the plan to the players and their learning styles. We’ll keep them sticking and moving as much as we can. In and out of the meeting rooms with film and slides. Whatever we can do to help them learn.

Q: With a chance to clinch on Thursday with a win, do you use that as a carrot for them?

A: We’re excited for the game this week. It’s a division rival. You could throw the records out the window. It’s going to be a physical game on a short week. We need to focus on taking care of the task at hand and focus on taking care of each day and the plan for each day. Then going out and kicking the ball off on Thursday night.

Q: What do you see out of the Eagles? They’ve struggled a lot the past few weeks. Are they doing some things on film that do concern you though?

A: I think it is a team that looks like they are getting healthy at the right time here at the end of the season. They are running the ball fairly well on offense. They had some success yesterday running the football and we will have to be ready to stop the run. They are possessing the ball for a good amount of time per ballgame. They are one of the best teams in the league, if not the best team in the league. Defensively, their defensive line makes everything go for them. It seems like we have said that a lot as of late. But their defensive line is playing well. They have Bennie (Logan) back. He didn’t play the first time against them and they have some talented playmakers there and their special teams always makes it go for them. Their special teams provide a lot of juice, a very talented group there.

Q: Damon Harrison said that not only did you bring up winning the Super Bowl at the beginning of the season, but that you bring it up every meeting. How do you go about that?

A: Well, we talk about everything is out in front of us and we have to make sure we are taking care of the task at hand and that is the important thing for us. We make sure that we focus our attention and we have to be where our feet are, especially in a week like this where every second counts and we can’t waste a second of any day leading up to the ball game. We have to make sure we are where our feet are and dial into our preparation.

Q: How do you feel about the running back time share? Is that something where Perkins can become the number one back or are you happy with having it split?

A: Yeah, we are confident in all our backs. We feel that they are a little different as far as running styles go. Perkins is a guy that is playing some good special teams for us and when he gets an opportunity to get the ball, he is doing a nice job there and he is growing.

Q: How do you approach the short week for the first time as a head coach. Will you go about it any different than maybe Tom Coughlin would?

A: Yeah, we are going to stick and move. We have had some success here the last couple years on the Thursday night game. It is a little bit later in the year, it is an opponent that we are familiar with, they are familiar with us. But we just need to stick and move. That is the most important thing that we can do. Keep things as fresh as we can keep them for the players, make sure we get them up and down, they can’t be in their seats all the time, we can’t have them on their feet all the time. We have to stick and move there.

Q: Odell tweeted that he thought if he had done what Ezekiel Elliott did last night that he would have been fined. Do you agree with him on that?

A: I’m not sure what you’re referring to, so I don’t have any comment on that.

Q: You didn’t watch the Dallas game last night?

A: I did not, no. I’m focused on our football game and trying to put our players in the best position I can on Thursday night.

Q: A couple of weeks ago after the Pittsburgh game you said you were going to send the tape to the league and I don’t think we ever followed up with you. You said you were waiting to hear what they said about what you thought were some missed calls. Were you happy with what you heard back?

A: We had communication with the league office but we keep those communications internal.

Q: Eli talked earlier today about having to take what the defense gives when they play to prevent the deeper passes. Is it an adjustment to play call against that defense? Has the team adjusted? Do you have to adjust to it and do you think it’s just the reality that you have to deal with, maybe the rest of the season.

A: I think you go into each game and you plan for each game the way it looks on film. When you get to the game, you have to be able to adjust and improvise and at the end of the day, you can’t go broke taking a profit. If it’s a two-high shell game, all game, you have to find ways to complete the ball, find ways to run the ball and adjust as you go.

Q: Back to Shane Vereen for a second, what’s the next step in the process with him at this point?

A: I just got off the practice field and we’re going to have more to talk about on Shane moving forward. It’s too early, to my knowledge, I don’t know of any surgical procedures or anything needed yet. I need to speak to the training room.

Q:  You had four rookies on the field late in the game yesterday. What does that say about your confidence to put those young guys out there in that spot?

A: Offense, defense or special teams?

Q: Offense in the fourth quarter?

A: We have faith in our young players. We got them reps early in the season. This is why we did it, because we’re going to trust them moving forward.

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

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice at 1:05PM on Tuesday. There is no media availability to the team on Wednesday.

Sep 042016
 
Geremy Davis, New York Giants (September 13, 2015)

Geremy Davis – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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NEW YORK GIANTS CLAIM DT ROBERT THOMAS…
The New York Giants claimed defensive tackle Robert Thomas off of waivers from the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. To make room for Thomas, the team waived defensive tackle Montori Hughes.

The 6’3”, 325-pound Thomas was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Washington Redskins after the 2014 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Redskins (2014-15), Seahawks (2015), Patriots (2015), Dolphins (2015), and Panthers (2016). To date, Thomas has only played in one regular season game. Thomas is a big, strong tackle who plays hard.

The Giants signed Hughes to the 53-man roster from the Practice Squad in November 2015. He ended up playing in seven games as a reserve, and finished the season with six tackles. Hughes was originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts. In his two seasons with the Colts, Hughes played in 16 games with one start. The Colts waived him in September 2015 and the Giants then signed him to their Practice Squad.

NEW YORK GIANTS PRACTICE SQUAD SIGNINGS…
The Giants have signed the following ten players to their 10-man Practice Squad:

  • QB Logan Thomas
  • WR Geremy Davis
  • WR Darius Powe
  • OL Adam Gettis
  • OL Shane McDermott
  • DE Stansly Maponga
  • LB Ishaq Williams
  • CB Donte Deayon
  • CB Michael Hunter
  • S Andrew Adams

All ten of these players were with the Giants this summer in training camp and the preseason. They were all waived on Saturday except for McDermott who was waived on Tuesday.

Sep 032016
 
Will Johnson, New York Giants (June 6, 2016)

Will Johnson – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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GIANTS CUT ROSTER TO 53 PLAYERS…
The New York Giants made 22 roster moves on Saturday in order reduce the roster to 53 players as required by the NFL.

The Giants waived or terminated the contracts of the following players:

  • QB Logan Thomas
  • RB Andre Williams
  • WR Geremy Davis
  • WR Darius Powe
  • WR Anthony Dablé
  • OL Adam Gettis
  • OL Dillon Farrell
  • OL Ryan Seymour
  • DE Stansly Maponga
  • DT Jermelle Cudjo
  • DT Louis Nix
  • LB Brad Bars
  • LB Ishaq Williams
  • CB Donte Deayon
  • CB Michael Hunter
  • CB Leon McFadden
  • S Justin Currie
  • S Andrew Adams

The Giants placed the following player on Injured Reserve:

  • FB/TE Will Johnson (burner)

The Giants waived/injured the following players:

  • OL Emmett Clearly (finger)
  • OL Jake Rodgers (ankle)

As expected, place kicker Josh Brown was placed on the NFL’s Reserve/Suspended list for a 2015 domestic violence incident. He will be eligible to return to the team on September 12th, a day after the first regular-season game.

“Football is a people business,” said Head Coach Ben McAdoo. “Building relationships, developing chemistry and improving in our game. When you approach it that way, it makes this time of year even harder because you develop those relationships with these players, and you’re all working together toward the same goal. That’s the way it goes in this business. You can’t take everybody with you, especially at the beginning. But they’re fine young men, they handled themselves well, and we wish them the best moving forward.

“It was a challenge. We let a lot of good players go, some who will be playing for other teams. And at some point you may see some of them back here. It was tough. It wasn’t just one position. You wanted to make sure you did what was best and took the best 53 and rounded out the roster the best way you can. But there were some good players we had to let go.

“I’m very comfortable with two quarterbacks on the roster. Eli (Manning) has played a lot of football. Ryan (Nassib) is a guy who had some ups and downs of late, but he’s a guy we have confidence in. He can put the players around him in a position to be successful and take advantage of it.” 

The most surprising cut was running back Andre Williams. “Andre is a guy that played some good football for us,” coach Ben McAdoo said. “We’re going to miss him. It was another one of those really tough (roster) decisions to make. We feel that with Rashad (Jennings), Shane (Vereen), Orleans (Darkwa), Paul Perkins, and Bobby Rainey, we have some versatility there to play all three downs, and on special teams as well.”

With Will Johnson placed on Injured Reserve, the Giants currently have no fullbacks on the roster. “It’s unfortunate that it’s come to this,” McAdoo said. “(Johnson) came in and played some good ball for us. He’s a guy that we think highly of… We’ll do (fullback) by committee.”

Wide receivers Tavarres King and Roger Lewis both made the 53-man roster over wide receiver Geremy Davis.

“Roger and T.K. are two guys that really took a big jump,” McAdoo said. “They hit the ground running in the offseason, made tremendous strides and got better and improved. They pushed each other along with the rest of that group. There was great competition in that group. Geremy was a guy we drafted here that we think very highly of. Sometimes, you have to make those tough decisions.”

Offensive center/guard Brett Jones, the former Canadian Football League player who spend the entire 2015 season on Injured Reserve with a knee injury, also made the team.

“Brett has made some big jumps, some big gains,” McAdoo said. “It’s a shame what happened to him last season. He’s been able to rebound. He’s a great student of the game. He’s a guy that has improved tremendously and will add some versatility inside for us… We look forward to getting (recently re-signed) Will (Beatty) out there on the practice field and getting his legs underneath him. He’ll be working hard to get in football shape and playing multiple positions for us.”

Rookie undrafted defensive end Romeo Okwara also man the 53-man roster. “He really came on in camp,” McAdoo said. “He really didn’t do a lot in the offseason because he had a hamstring injury. But he bounced back. He takes his coaching well and he really plays with a great amount of energy and passion… I think we have a nice group of defensive ends. (Olivier Vernon, Jason Pierre-Paul, Owamagbe Odighizuwa, Kerry Wynn, and Okwara) all have some value inside, and they can play inside and outside for us. They can play the run and play the pass. It’s a good group.”

Others to make the squad were safety Mykkele Thompson and cornerback Trevin Wade.  “Mykkele is a guy who showed up and made some plays for us on special teams,” McAdoo said. “Wade really played tremendously the other night and took advantage of his opportunity vs. a great quarterback and a great offense, and showed very well.

“The roster is a living, breathing organism. It never stops changing. There’s always movement in the roster. Things are always moving.”

RYAN MALLECK WAIVED OFF OF INJURED RESERVE…
The New York Giants have waived tight end Ryan Malleck off of Injured Reserve. The Giants waived/injured Malleck and then placed him on Injured Reserve with a burner earlier this week. The Giants signed Malleck as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2016 NFL Draft.

UNIFORM NUMBER CHANGES…
The following New York Giants players have changed their uniform jersey numbers:

  • CB Eli Apple: from #28 to #24
  • RB Paul Perkins: from #39 to #28
  • OT Will Beatty: from #64 to #65
  • DT Montori Hughes: from #79 to #99
Aug 132016
 
Jonathan Casillas, New York Giants (August 12 2016)

Jonathan Casillas – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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MIAMI DOLPHINS 27 – NEW YORK GIANTS 10…
The Ben McAdoo era began with a 27-10 preseason defeat at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Friday night. McAdoo decided not to play quarterback Eli Manning and wide receiver Odell Beckham. Quarterback Ryan Nassib struggled in Eli’s place. But the starting defense played well and the offense did just enough to help New York take a 10-0 advantage in the first quarter. However, aided by four turnovers, the Dolphins scored 27 unanswered points to win an unexciting contest.

The Giants drove 74 yards in nine plays on their opening possession to take a 7-0 lead. The drive was highlighted by a 19-yard run by running back Shane Vereen and a diving 24-yard catch by rookie wide receiver Sterling Shepard on 3rd-and-6. Two plays later, running back Rashad Jennings scored from three yards out. The Giants were fortunate, however, in that Miami was flagged with two costly penalties on this drive, including a botched shotgun snap on 3rd-and-11.

Meanwhile, the Giants defense did not allow a first down on Miami’s first five offensive possessions. The defense stopped the run and pressured the quarterback. Late in the 1st quarter, linebacker Jonathan Casillas intercepted quarterback Matt Moore at the Dolphins 30-yard line and returned it to the 11-yard line. Despite setting up a 1st-and-goal from the 1-yard line, the Giants offense could not punch it in and New York settled for a 20-yard field goal to go up 10-0.

The failure to score from the 1-yard line was a bad omen. After the first drive where the Giants gained five first downs, the team did not gain more than one first down on any drive for the remainder of the game. In their final 13 possessions, the Giants gained seven first downs. Nassib was dreadful, only completing 7-of-15 passes for 75 yards. Two of his his deep throws were underthrown and intercepted. He also carelessly fumbled the ball away, setting up the Dolphins at the Giants 5-yard line. Nassib was lucky a couple of other throws were not picked off.

Nassib’s three turnovers led to 17 second quarter points by the Dolphins, one touchdown coming off of a fluke 51-yard pass where the intended receiver tipped the ball to another receiver who scored. In the second half, the Dolphins scored again on a short field after a fumble by running back Paul Perkins at New York’s 25-yard line.

New York finished the game with only 69 net yards passing (the Dolphins had 192). The Giants did out-rush the Dolphins 158 to 104. The second- and third-team players on the Giants offensive line struggled.

Some defensive highlights included:

  • Two quarterback hits by DE Olivier Vernon.
  • Three quarterback hits and two sacks by DE Owamagbe Odighizuwa.
  • One sack by DE Stansly Maponga.
  • An active game – including four tackles – by DE Romeo Okwara.
  • Four tackles and one sack by DT Greg Milhouse.
  • Seven tackles and two tackles for a loss by LB B.J. Goodson.
  • An aggressive game by CB Eli Apple, including a solid tackle short of the sticks.

Video highlights/lowlights are available at Giants.com.

INJURY REPORT…
Not playing were WR Victor Cruz (groin), DE Kerry Wynn (groin), LB Keenan Robinson (groin), LB J.T. Thomas (hamstring/PUP), and DT Jay Bromley (ankle/PUP).

CB Eli Apple (lower leg strain), WR Sterling Shepard (groin strain), WR Geremy Davis (hamstring), and TE Will Johnson (burner) all left the game and did not return.

Head Coach Ben McAdoo did not think the injuries to Apple, Shepard, or Davis were serious.

“I’m feeling fine,” said Apple. “It’s just a lower leg strain, it’s gonna be fine.”

“I feel good,” said Shepard. “It’s just sore from practice, but it’s all good now.”

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

ARTICLES…

Aug 102016
 
Mike Sullivan and Eli Manning, New York Giants (July 30, 2016)

Mike Sullivan and Eli Manning – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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AUGUST 10, 2016 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their eleventh summer training camp practice on Wednesday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

INJURY REPORT…
New York Giants defensive tackle Jay Bromley (ankle) and linebacker J.T. Thomas (hamstring) remain on the Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List.

Wide receiver Victor Cruz (groin), defensive end Kerry Wynn (groin), and linebacker Keenan Robinson (groin) did not practice. “I’m doing good,” Cruz said. “Better.”

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • For the second day in a row, the first-team wide receivers were Odell Beckham, Geremy Davis, and Sterling Shepard (slot).
  • The defense used a three-safety package in 7-on-7 drills with the first-team including Darian Thompson and Nat Berhe deep with Landon Collins in the box. Another package had Leon Hall and Berhe deep with Collins and Thompson closer to the line.
  • The dime defense had a look with Jason Pierre-Paul and Devon Kennard at defensive end and Olivier Vernon and Owamagbe Odighizuwa at defensive tackle.
  • Kelvin Sheppard and Jasper Brinkley continue to see reps at middle linebacker with the first-team. B.J. Goodson received second-team reps at middle linebacker.
  • In 11-on-11 drills, cornerback Janoris Jenkins broke up a slant pass intended for wide receiver Geremy Davis. Jenkins later almost picked off another pass intended for wide receiver Dwayne Harris and broke up another pass intended for Davis in the end zone. Jenkins had a good practice.
  • Defensive end Stansly Maponga flashed at right defensive end.
  • Quarterback Eli Manning hit wide receiver Odell Beckham for a touchdown against cornerback Eli Apple. Manning and Beckham later hooked up for another touchdown.
  • Defensive tackle Greg Milhouse flashed by collapsing the pocket.
  • Quarterback Ryan Nassib hit tight end Will Johnson for a touchdown.
  • Wide receiver Anthony Dable caught a touchdown against cornerback Matt Smalley.
  • Cornerback Donte Deayon flashed in coverage.
  • Quarterback Logan Thomas was not sharp.
  • Place kicker Josh Brown nailed a 63-yard field goal in practice.

JERRY REESE ON ESPN RADIO
The audio of ESPN Radio’s interview with General Manager Jerry Reese on Wednesday is available at ESPN.com.

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:

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
There is no practice on Thursday. The Giants play the Dolphins in the preseason opener on Friday. The twelfth training camp practice will be held on Sunday from 11:10AM – 12:50PM. Weather permitting, this will be the last training camp practice open to the public this year.