Oct 032021
 
Jabrill Peppers, New York Giants (October 3, 2021)

Jabrill Peppers celebrates OT coin toss – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS 27 – NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 21 (OT)…
It took overtime to do it, but the New York Giants won their first game of the 2021 season on Sunday afternoon by upsetting the New Orleans Saints 27-21. The Giants scored 17 unanswered points late in the contest. With the win, the Giants are now 1-3 on the season.

While New Orleans dominated the Giants in the running game (170 to 83 yards) and time of possession (37:31 to 27:35), New York held the advantage in total yards (485 to 405) and net yards passing (402 to 235). The turnover battle (one apiece) and first downs gained (21 each) were equal.

Offensively, the game did not start off well for the Giants, who only picked up one first down on their first two drives of the game, both resulting in quick punts. New York managed to gain three first downs and 57 yards on their third possession, but that drive ended with place kicker Graham Gano missing a 35-yard field goal (his first miss in 37 attempts).

Meanwhile, the Saints were having their own issues on offense. Their first drive picked up 13 yards before being forced to punt. New Orleans gained 44 yards and reached the New York 29-yard line on their second possession, but on 4th-and-3, running back Alvin Kamara was held short of the 1st-down marker by defensive end Leonard Williams and linebacker Lorenzo Carter, turning the football over on downs. The Saints reached the New York 40-yard line on their third possession, but missed a 58-yard field goal.

The scoreless game broke open midway through the second quarter. On the first play of the Giants’ fourth drive, quarterback Daniel Jones threw a deep strike to wide receiver John Ross for what was originally ruled a 51-yard touchdown. Officials later ruled that Ross fumbled as he was reaching the end zone; however, since Ross recovered the loose ball within the end zone, the touchdown was upheld. The Giants led 7-0.

However, as has been a constant occurrence this year, the Giants’ defense weakened at the end of the first half and surrendered the lead. The Saints drove 75 yards in 13 plays, with quarterback Jameis Winston throwing a 15-yard touchdown on 3rd-and-6 with less than 30 seconds to play before halftime. The first half ended with an intercepted pass on a Hail Mary from Jones.

The game was tied 7-7 at the break.

Momentum kept shifting the way of the Saints at the beginning of the 3rd quarterback. New Orleans received the ball to start the second half, and it only took them three plays to gain 75 yards and score an 8-yard touchdown on run by quarterback Taysom Hill. The Saints were now up 14-7.

The Giants responded with a 10-play, 70-yard drive, setting up a 1st-and-goal from the 3-yard line. But New York couldn’t push it in and the Giants settled for a 23-yard field goal to cut the score to 14-10. It appeared matters would get worse for the Giants on New Orleans’ second drive of the half when Winston threw a 46-yard touchdown pass. However, the play was nullified by an offensive holding penalty. On the very next snap, cornerback James Bradberry intercepted a deep pass from Hill at the New York 12-yard line.

The Giants picked up one first down and punted. The Saints appeared to take control of the game on the ensuing drive as they drove 63 yards in 11 plays, with the possession ending with another 8-yard run by Hill for the touchdown, this one on 3rd-and-2. The Saints were now up 21-10 with just over 12 minutes left in the contest.

Both teams exchanged punts. New York got the ball back with seven minutes on the clock. Wide receiver C.J. Board first returned the punt 28 yards. Then, on the first offensive play, Jones found running back Saquon Barkley wide open down the left sideline. Barkley caught the ball, cut back inside, and scored from 54 yards out. Jones then scrambled for the 2-point conversion and the score was 21-18 with less than seven minutes still left to play.

The Saints gained two first downs and ran almost four minutes off of the clock. The Giants started their final drive of regulation at their own 24-yard line with 3:01 to play. New York was able to gain 59 yards in 11 plays to set up a clutch, 48-yard field goal by Gano to tie the game with about half a minute left to play. The big play on the drive was a 28-yard catch-and-run by wide receiver Kenny Golladay on 3rd-and-7. The Saints could do nothing on their final two plays and the game went to overtime.

The Giants won the toss and never looked back. New York drove 75 yards in nine plays, including a 17-yard pass from Jones to Ross, an 18-yard pass to Barkley, and a 23-yard pass to  Golladay on 3rd-and-5. On 1st-and-goal from the 6-yard line, Barkley scored to win the game. (Barkley did fumble on this drive and tight end Kyle Rudolph saved the day by recovering the fumble).

Offensively, Jones finished the game 28-of-40 for 402 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. He also rushed four times for 27 yards. His leading receivers were Golladay (6 catches for 116 yards), wide receiver Kadarius Toney (6 catches for 78 yards), Barkley (5 catches for 74 yards and a touchdown), and tight end Evan Engram (5 catches for 27 yards). Barkley was the leading rusher with 13 carries for 52 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, the Giants allowed 170 yards rushing, including 120 yards by Kamara and two touchdowns by Hill. New York defenders did not sack the quarterback and were not credited with a quarterback hit. They forced no fumbles but did pick off one pass.

Video highlights are available at Giants.com.

ROSTER MOVES, PRACTICE SQUAD ACTIVATIONS, INACTIVES, AND INJURY REPORT…
On Saturday, activated WR John Ross (hamstring) from Injured Reserve to the 53-man roster. The team also elevated OC Jonotthan Harrison to the 53-man roster from the Practice Squad.

Inactive for the game were WR Sterling Shepard (hamstring), WR Darius Slayton (hamstring), OG Ben Bredeson (hand), DE Raymond Johnson, CB Sam Beal, and CB Josh Jackson.

S Jabril Peppers (hamstring) left the game in the 4th quarter and did not return. He did make the correct call on the overtime coin toss.

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

POST-GAME NOTES…
This was the Giants’ first victory in New Orleans since 1993. They had lost their five previous games in New Orleans.

This was the Giants’ first victory after overcoming a fourth-quarter deficit of at least 11 points since 2012.

The Giants had lost their previous 16 games in which they trailed after three quarters.

The Giants are 13-6-2 in overtime road games.

The Giants’ 402 net passing yards is the ninth-highest total in franchise history. The 402 yards is a career high for QB Daniel Jones. The 400-yard game was the first by a Giants quarterback since Eli Manning in 2017.

The interception of Daniel Jones’ pass on the Hail Mary at the end of the first half ended his streak of consecutive passes without throwing a pick at 124.

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Head Coach Joe Judge and select players will address the media by conference call on Monday.

Sep 292021
 
Wes Martin, Washington Football Team (August 20, 2021)

Wes Martin – © USA TODAY Sports

SEPTEMBER 29, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The New York Giants held a light, walk-thru practice on Wednesday at Quest Diagnostics Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Not practicing were WR Sterling Shepard (hamstring), WR Darius Slayton (hamstring), and OG Ben Bredeson (hand).

Limited in practice were RB Saquon Barkley (knee), FB Cullen Gillaspia (ankle), WR Kenny Golladay (hip), TE Kaden Smith (knee), CB Keion Crossen (elbow), S Logan Ryan (hamstring), S Nate Ebner (quad), and LS Casey Kreiter (knee).

The Giants have also designated wide receiver John Ross (hamstring) for return from Injured Reserve. The Giants placed Ross on Injured Reserve in early September 2021. The Giants have three weeks to activate Ross or keep him on Injured Reserve.

GIANTS SIGN WES MARTIN, PLACE BLAKE MARTINEZ ON IR…
The New York Giants signed guard Wes Martin off of the Practice Squad of the Washington Football team on Monday. The 25-year old, 6’3”, 315-pound Martin was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2019 NFL Draft by Washington. Martin played in 25 regular season games during his first two seasons, with 10 starts (five at right guard and five at left guard). Washington waived him in late August 2021 and signed him to the Practice Squad the following day.

As expected, the Giants have also placed linebacker Blake Martinez, who tore the ACL in his left knee last Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, on Injured Reserve. His season is over.

PRACTICE SQUAD MOVES…
The New York Giants have signed OC/OG Sam Jones and LB Omari Cobb to the Practice Squad.

The 25-year old, 6’5”, 305-pound Jones was originally drafted in the 6th round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. He has spent time with the Broncos (2018-2019), Arizona Cardinals (2019-2020), Indianapolis Colts (2020-2021), and Atlanta Falcons (2021). Overall, Jones has played in five regular-season games with no starts.

The 24-year old, 6’4”, 223-pound Cobb was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Kansas City Chiefs after the 2020 NFL Draft. He spent most of his rookie season on the Practice Squad of the Chiefs, but did play in one regular-season game in December. The Chiefs cut Cobb in late August 2021, signed him to the Practice Squad the next day, and then cut him from the Practice Squad in mid-September.

The Giants terminated the Practice Squad contracts of WR Matt Cole, OT Foster Sarell, and DL Willie Henry.

HEAD COACH JOE JUDGE…
The transcript of Joe Judge’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:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice again on Thursday afternoon (12:30-2:30PM). The coordinators and select players will also address the media.

Sep 202021
 
Nick Gates, New York Giants (September 16, 2021)

Nick Gates – © USA TODAY Sports

SEPTEMBER 20, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The New York Giants held a light practice on Monday at Quest Diagnostics Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. However, Head Coach Joe Judge did provide an update on the following players:

  • OG Shane Lemieux (knee): “From everything we’ve talked about, we can’t rule anything out right now in terms of (his season) being over. He’ll obviously have to wait and see how his body responds. I’m very hopeful that he can come back, but that being said, I don’t have a crystal ball right now on that… I know he’s talking to the doctor about a couple different procedures right now, so we’ll see where that goes.”
  • OC/OG Nick Gates (broken leg): “We’re all thinking long-term right now for Nick. He won’t play this season obviously, but we’re all thinking long-term for Nick and what’s best for him individually. We’re going to do everything we can as an organization and as a team to support him and help him along the way… I just know it was a traumatic injury. Obviously, there’s going to be a great deal of recovery involved with that.”
  • TE Evan Engram (calf): “He’ll be out here today kind of moving around a little bit. We’ll see where he’s at physically in terms of where we can push him through practice. We’ll see what that looks like today in terms of having a better view of what the weekend may hold, but he’s making consistent improvements. He’s been doing a good job with the trainers. Everything he’s been asked to do, he’s done, so it’s moving in the right direction.”
  • CB Adoree’ Jackson (ankle): “He’s continuing to improve. I see him and his play and his speed and reaction on the field keeps improving right there. I haven’t heard him complain any. I think guys with injuries like that kind of stay on throughout the course of the year. I don’t think you ever assume something’s past it. We talk to our guys all the time, any kind of a sprain or soft tissue injury, you’ve just got to assume it’s always there for the remainder of the year – get treatment on it, take care of your body, put yourself in position. He’s done a good job being a pro with that as far as staying out here, so in terms of where he is with anything, I think he came out of the game the other day in a pretty good position. He’ll be out here with us today.”

GIANTS SIGN GUARD TO PRACTICE SQUAD…
The New York Giants have signed offensive guard Cole Banwart to the Practice Squad. The 24-year old, 6’4”, 298-pound Banwart was originally signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2021 NFL Draft. Banwart was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 List and then cut in early September.

HEAD COACH JOE JUDGE…
The transcript of Joe Judge’s press conference on Monday 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:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The players are off on Tuesday and return to practice on Wednesday.

Sep 132021
 
Joe Judge, New York Giants (September 12, 2021)

Joe Judge – © USA TODAY Sports

SEPTEMBER 13, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The New York Giants did NOT practice on Monday. But because of the short week, they provided the following estimated injury report.

TE Evan Engram (calf), OG Shane Lemieux (knee), and LB Cam Brown (hamstring) did not practice.

RB Saquon Barkley (knee) was limited in practice.

SEPTEMBER 13, 2021 JOE JUDGE PRESS CONFERENCE…
New York Giants Head Coach Joe Judge addressed the media on Monday to discuss his team’s 27-13 loss to the Denver Broncos and the upcoming game against the Washington Football Team:

Q: I know it’s a new season, but if you look at this offense since you’ve been here and since (Offensive Coordinator) Jason (Garrett) has been here, you guys haven’t really been able to score consistently. When you look at just the offensive system that you guys are running, what gives you confidence that you can get to a point where you will be putting points on the board like teams around the league do?

A: I think the big focus for us right now is really just focused on making sure we’re going to keep putting players in a position to be successful. I saw a lot of positive things yesterday from players like (Wide Receiver) Kenny (Golladay) and (Wide Receiver Sterling) Shep (Shepard). Those guys (were) making plays down the field. I think those guys definitely showed up and made an impact for us. To me, there’s a number of plays you can play with and you can draw up a lot of different patterns and routes. Obviously, we have to be creative and give the players a chance. I’m more focused right now on the fundamentals and the execution to go with, making sure we’re emphasizing ball security, running, blocking, making sure we can break tackles and extend plays right there, protecting leverage on the routes. But in terms of just the overall system, our focus right now is really more on putting the players in position and get them going. I saw a lot of improvement from a lot of guys. I was pleased with the way the offensive line played last night from a big picture standpoint. Obviously, there were some things we’ve got to clean up, but I was pleased with the step forward those guys have taken and improved consistently. It was good to have them out there for obviously the entire game length. Different than a preseason or a practice competitively, so it was good getting them out there and having a lot of execution together. That’s obviously moving in the right direction for us.

Q: (Running Back) Saquon (Barkley) said after the game that he needed to see how his knee responded before meeting with the medical staff and you guys when it comes to Thursday and beyond that. Just curious how Saquon came out of yesterday and after you’ve watched the tape, what did you see from him?

A: It was good having him out there, obviously. The emphasis was really getting this guy out there, getting his feet wet. He hasn’t had the opportunity to play in the preseason. Obviously, he hasn’t played since last year when the injury happened, so the focus for us was really getting him out there, letting him get going, getting in sync of playing in the game. Obviously, it was the first time he was truly under a live fire with fully getting tackled and all that stuff from all different angles, so it was good and encouraging to see him come out of there. I thought he responded well. For all accounts right now, he came out of the game good for us. In terms of Thursday we’ll see what the game plan brings as we move on forward. I didn’t see any setbacks from anything last night and I didn’t get any reports on anything as far as medically with him. But in terms of him meeting with the medical staff, that’s kind of just part of the normal procedure for him and for all of our players that are dealing with anything.

Q: I saw that (Safety) Jabrill Peppers only played half of the snaps on defense yesterday. What was the thought process there and beyond that, how did you feel like the secondary helped up against (Broncos Quarterback) Teddy Bridgewater yesterday?

A: I think, obviously, Teddy played a really good game. They moved the ball consistently and stayed on the field, and our job is to get them off the field and disrupt his timing. I thought the guy played a good game. Obviously, give credit where credit is due and he’s a good player, he’s on a team for a reason. We’ve got to make sure we keep sharpening up how we’re calling plays and putting players in position and making sure that we execute when it’s called our way. In terms of Pep, I wouldn’t read anything into that at all. Pep’s a guy who’s going to play a lot of ball for us. Pep’s going to play a lot in a significant role, he’s a captain on this team, he’s a key member of our defense and our special teams units. A lot of it was kind of based around making sure we try to thin some of the loads out for this guy in different things he had to handle. It wasn’t anything reflected on how he’s played or performed. If anything, we came out of there with some of the things he did in the game, saying, ‘Hey, he’s a guy we want to have on the field as much as possible.’ So, we’ve just got to make sure that we consider some of the things that he’s doing and when he’s available having him out there on the field for us. The plan was really just with his best interest in mind, in terms of making sure he can stay fresh through all the different responsibilities he has on the team. But I would definitely not read too much into that. He’s a key part of our team for a reason.

Q: When (Quarterback) Daniel (Jones) was asked about the fumble yesterday, he essentially said he has to be mindful of that and be better going forward, but this has been a recurring situation. How do you make him better in those spots to where he’s not turning over the ball, especially at critical times?

A: Like him, with any other player as well, you’ve got to show them on tape what’s happening, show them what the symptom is and why it’s been an issue, and then you’ve got to make sure you drill it on the field and improve the technique. We’ve got to keep doing a better job of coaching, putting our players in a position within practice where we’re getting the ball attacked and the exact fundamentals of what they’re getting issues with. We’ve just got to keep stressing on a daily basis with all of our players, which we make an emphasis of, but we’ve got to keep doing a better job of coaching that and making sure going forward it’s not an issue with any player on our team.

Q: A quick follow-up to that, as a teaching moment for the Daniel Jones fumble, would you and your staff tell him if he slid there that he could avoid that fumble?

A: That’s part of what we teach anyway. There are times where a guy’s going to be aggressive and he’s going to have to go ahead and lower his shoulder to get an extra yard in a got-to-have-it type of situation. There are other times as a quarterback where you go ahead, and you slide, and you avoid the contact. Look, Daniel’s a tough dude and I’m the one that’s got to tell him to slide sometimes. I know he hates hearing that. He doesn’t want to be treated like he’s got kid gloves on, but that’s part of what we teach him in terms of getting down and protecting. You can see obviously on the runs after that run right there, he worked to go ahead and get on the ground and protect it until he got in the endzone on the final play.

Q: That was a first-down play, so he’s not necessarily fighting for extra yards or anything. He already had a nice gain, so in that specific play is the coaching instruction – you have to slide there and that solves the problem with the fumble?

A: I’d say the coaching on any of these situations is if it’s not a got-to-have it, you want to protect the ball as best as we can, whether it’s getting out of bounds or sliding and getting down.

Q: How do you balance demanding better from your team with still finding the positives which you have detailed yesterday and today?

A: To be honest with you, that’s what our meeting was about today. Look, it’s real simple for me and again, a win or a loss, you’ve got to come out and you’ve got to show your team the truth of what happens on tape. You’ve got to show them examples of winning football, what we did well, things we can build on and things that are going to help us move forward and win as a team. Then, you’ve got to show them things that you have to eliminate as a team, things you have to improve on, and you have to do it fast to make sure you don’t eliminate opportunities. To me, it’s not about going in there and giving motivational speeches or trying to get in there and embarrass anybody. It’s just you put the tape on, you teach through it and you correct it. Our job is to be teachers. Guys come in everyday, they sit in meetings in a classroom, and they’ve got to learn, and that’s really what it is. We go out there on the practice field and we have to take what we’ve talked about in the film room and put it on the practice field and make sure they can execute it. But to me, our guys have always been very good. We preach about being mentally tough and it can’t be an emotional rollercoaster. Win or lose, it doesn’t matter. The emphasis every week is you come in and work to improve. That was the emphasis today, as well.

Q: Is Saquon going to play barring his knee having a problem here?

A: This week coming up?

Q: Yeah, I mean, is that the plan? It is three days of rest and it’s a very awkward situation for a guy coming off a big knee injury.

­­A: I would say unless the medical team tells us something else, our intention’s going to be to keep on progressing this guy throughout the season and playing with him, unless there’s some kind of setback. Look, he came out last night, from all accounts, in a good position. Our plan to this point is to go ahead and include him in the game plan as we work through this next day and a half.

Q: How unique is this spot though, to have that coming off of this major knee injury and only have three days after your first game?

A: I couldn’t speak specifically on the uniqueness of it. I don’t know what other players have done this in our league and turned around and had to play in this. But every injury is unique in itself, so we have to rely on the information from our medical team here in terms of what we can and can’t do safely with our players.

Q: I’m sure you’ll give a full rundown on Washington tomorrow, but just at first glance, what do you think of their quarterback situation and (Washington Quarterback Taylor) Heinicke?

A: First off, I’ve got a world of respect for Fitz (Washington Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick). Never having coached this guy but competing against him a lot for a long time in different spots, this guy’s a great competitor. He does a great job. I’d say with Heinicke, to me obviously, it’s not the same guy, but there’s a lot of the same characteristics. I think you can get a little of a gunslinger in both these guys and I don’t say that in an insulting way. I say that in a very complimentary way that he’s a guy that can go out there and can really function and operate and think outside the box, extend plays, be creative within the system and, obviously, he’s been very competitive in all the games he’s been in. I’ve got a lot of respect for this guy as a player. Obviously, I started watching this guy back in the playoffs and all last year as well as some other spots he’d been in. Seeing this guy out there on the field, he’s going to be a challenge for us. He’s going to be a challenge for us. He’s a competitor and he’s going to look for ways to extend plays and get the ball downfield to their receivers.

Q: You said that you liked how your offensive line played yesterday. Just wanted to know specifically what did you like about what they did?

A: I liked the way we gave ourselves an opportunity for Daniel to get back there and get the ball out on time. Really did a good job of operating upfront, the guards and centers playing with a good, flat, firm pocket. The tackles did a good job for the most part of staying inside-out, keeping the rush riding on by. There are always a couple extra ones that we’ve got to go ahead and correct and build off of. That’s all been addressed today in the meetings and that’ll be a focus going forward as it always is. But seeing consistent progress from that group and how they played together and progressed, that’s something that’s moving in the right direction for us.

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants will hold a light practice on Tuesday morning (10:50-11:50AM). Head Coach Joe Judge and select players will also address the media.

Sep 102021
 
Evan Engram, New York Giants (August 22, 2021)

Evan Engram – © USA TODAY Sports

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The New York Giants practiced on Friday at Quest Diagnostics Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

TE Evan Engram (calf) is the only player who did not practice. He has officially been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos.

RB Saquon Barkley (knee), WR Kenny Golladay (hamstring), WR Kadarius Toney (hamstring), TE Kyle Rudolph (foot), TE Kaden Smith (knee), LT Andrew Thomas (ankle), NT Danny Shelton (neck), LB Justin Hilliard (foot), CB Adoree’ Jackson (ankle), and CB Josh Jackson (calf) were limited in practice.

Barkley and Adoree’ Jackson were officially ruled “questionable” for the game. Everyone else who was limited is expected to play.

HEAD COACH JOE JUDGE…
The transcript of Joe Judge’s press conference on Friday 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:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
There is no media availability to the Giants on Saturday. The team plays the Denver Broncos at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.

Sep 022021
 
Matt Skura, Baltimore Ravens (October 20, 2019)

Matt Skura – © USA TODAY Sports

GIANTS SIGN TWO MORE TO THE PRACTICE SQUAD…
The New York Giants have signed two more players to their 16-man Practice Squad (there are actually 17 on the Practice Squad due to running back Sandro Platzgummer’s International Player Pathway Program exemption). The team has signed tight end Chris Myarick and center/guard Matt Skura. There is currently one more open spot on the Practice Squad.

The 25-year old, 6’5”, 261-pound Myarick was signed as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2019 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. He spent all of 2019 and most of 2020 on the Practice Squad of the Dolphins, though he did play in three games in 2020.

The 28-year old, 6’3”, 310-pound Skura was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Baltimore Ravens after the 2016 NFL Draft. He spent his rookie season on the Ravens’ Practice Squad. In 2017, Skura started 12 games at right guard for the Ravens. He became the starting center in 2018, and started 27 consecutive regular-season games at the position in two seasons, missing five games due to a knee injury in 2019. Skura started 12 more games at center in 2020, missing one week due to COVID. He signed with the Miami Dolphins in March 2021, but they waived him in late August.

SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The New York Giants practiced on Thursday at Quest Diagnostics Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey

CB Aaron Robinson (core muscle) remains on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List.

In the limited portion of practice that is open to the media, WR Collin Johnson (unknown), TE Evan Engram (calf), LT Andrew Thomas (“work load management”), OC/OG Billy Price (COVID screening), CB Adoree’ Jackson (ankle), and CB Josh Jackson (calf) did not participate in drills with the rest of the team.

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:

    WHAT’S UP NEXT…
    The players are off on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

    Jul 302021
     
    Azeez Ojulari, New York Giants (July 29, 2021)

    Azeez Ojulari – © USA TODAY Sports

    JULY 30, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
    The New York Giants held their third full-team summer training camp practice on Friday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Practices are not open to the public this year.

    We’ll work on some third down and some calls,” said Head Coach Joe Judge before practice. “Really, our focus still remains on including the foundational base and the fundamentals, building our communication and the chemistry of the units. This is critical as we go to pads next week. We’ve got to make sure that we start this week with a big strong base on fundamentals and keep building our conditioning. We’ll actually peel back the time a little bit today. We are going to try to mirror this as much as we can in terms of the pattern we have in the regular season. We’ve been two hours on the field the first two days. Today, we’ll be about an hour and a half. That generally patterns what we do in the regular season.

    “After this, we’ll have a day tomorrow where we’ll actually tone it down a little bit and focus more on teamwork. We’re going to be more at a lesser pace. We call it the ‘Pro Bowl Jog,’ which is what the league officially calls it, but it’s more of a spirited jog through, if you would. A lot of focus tomorrow on review we put in already, what we’re going to put in next week, our communication across the units, and then just trying to build a team operation, breaking a huddle, no huddle, or whatever may come up in that situation.”

    INJURY REPORT – UPDATE ON SHANE LEMIEUX…
    Starting left guard Shane Lemieux was carted off of the field during practice on Thursday after injury one of his knees. He did not practice on Friday and will continue to be evaluated. “I’d say for the next, call it 24-48 hours, we’ll really kind of understand where he’s at,” said Head Coach Joe Judge. “I will say this, I’d say the worst-case scenario looks to have been avoided, we’re happy about that. But, in terms of trying to come out here and try to make a diagnosis on Shane, we’ve got to see where he’s at. But, one thing I take for Shane, he’s kind of like a wild animal. He’d cut his leg off to get through a bear trap if he had to, so him not being out there is kind of driving him nuts. He’s already been in my office today talking about the fastest way to get back and, look, my message to him is always when the trainers say you’re 100 percent healthy to go on the field, we’ll put you on the field.”

    In addition, LB Lorenzo Carter (unkown), LB Elerson Smith (unknown), WR Kadarius Toney (COVID), WR Derrick Dillon (unknown), and TE Levine Toilolo (unknown) did not practice on Friday. OL Chad Slade (personal excuse) also did not practice.

    WR Austin Mack appeared to pull his left hamstring during practice.

    The following players remain on various PUP and reserve lists:

    • Reserve/COVID-19 List: LB Blake MartinezS Joshua Kalu, and TE Rysen John
    • Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List: RB Saquon Barkley (knee), TE Kyle Rudolph (foot), RT Matt Peart (back), OC Jonotthan Harrison (hamstring), LB Oshane Ximines (hamstring), and CB Aaron Robinson (core muscle)
    • Reserve/Non-Football Injury (NFI) List: LB Reggie Ragland (hamstring) and LB Ryan Anderson (back)

    PRACTICE NOTES…
    Some snippets from various media sources:

    • Kenny Wiggins continued to start at left guard in absence of Shane Lemieux.
    • The offense and QB Daniel Jones had difficulty completing passes down the field; most completions were underneath routes. (John Schmeelk of Giants.com said this could be by design since the focus last year early in camp was the short passing game).
    • WR Sterling Shepard knocked over CB Adoree’ Jackson on a bubble screen. Jackson did recover a fumble and may have scored on the play in a live game situation.
    • S Logan Ryan picked off a fade pass from QB Daniel Jones to TE Evan Engram in the end zone.
    • LB T.J. Brunson smashed WR Kenny Golladay coming over the middle of the defense.
    • CB Rodarius Williams intercepted a pass in the end zone from QB Clayton Thorson.
    • DB Julian Love, DL R.J. McIntosh, S Montre Hartage, and LB Tae Crowder all broke up passes.
    • Wide receivers C.J. Board and John Ross made some nice catches. Both had touchdown receptions as did WR David Sills from QB Daniel Jones.
    • QB Mike Glennon threw a TD pass to Alex Bachman for a touchdown.

    HEAD COACH JOE JUDGE…
    The transcript of Joe Judge’s press conference on Friday 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:

    WHAT’S UP NEXT…
    The New York Giants will hold a walk-thru practice Saturday night (6:30-7:30 PM) at Eddie Moraes Stadium in Newark, NJ. Head Coach Joe Judge and select players will also address the media earlier in the day.

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

    Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    PRACTICE NOTES…
    Some snippets from various media sources:

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

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

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

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

    Mar 292021
     
    Kenny Golladay, Detroit Lions (November 28, 2019)

    Kenny Golladay – © USA TODAY Sports

    Teams were officially able to begin negotiating with free agents from other teams on March 15. So although it seems as if free agency has been going on for quite some time, we’re only still at the 2-week mark since it began. More signings will continue through the spring and summer, especially as players are cut. That said, the initial free agency rush is over and we can start to make some snap opinions on what the New York Giants have and have not accomplished.

    The “need” level I reference was addressed in my March 12th Free Agency Preview for the team.

    QUARTERBACKS (Previous Need Level – Medium): For at least one more season, Daniel Jones is the unquestioned starter. The expectation was that the team would re-sign Colt McCoy. However, the Giants surprisingly went in another direction by signing the well-traveled Mike Glennon as Jones’ back-up. Glennon is much bigger (half a foot taller) than McCoy with a much stronger arm. Both complete around 61 percent of their passes and both have started roughly the same number of NFL games. There were media whispers too that McCoy wanted more money than the Giants were willing to pay. On the surface, this appears to be a wash, although the coaches said McCoy was a very good influence on Jones in the meeting rooms. (Mike Glennon YouTube Highlights)

    RUNNING BACKS (Previous Need Level – High to Desperate): Some chided my prediction that all three running backs behind Saquon Barkley may not return in 2021, but that appears in fact to be the case. As of this moment, Wayne Gallman, Alfred Morris, and Dion Lewis remain unsigned. So much of the team’s upcoming success will depend on how well Barkley returns from a major knee injury and whether he can stay healthy for a full season. It’s quite telling that the very first player the Giants signed in free agency was the relatively-unknown Devontae Booker to a 2-year, $5.5 million contract. Fan reaction was immediately negative. But it appears the coaching staff simply wanted a veteran back who was a more reliable blocker and receiver than Gallman. Depth behind Barkley still remains shaky as the only other halfbacks on the roster are NFL cast-offs Taquan Mizzell and Jordan Chunn. The Giants also added another fullback/special teams player in Cullen Gillaspia to compete with Eli Penny. (Devontae Booker YouTube Highlights)

    WIDE RECEIVERS (Previous Need Level – Desperate): The Giants have significantly upgraded this position with the addition of one player to the tune of a 4-year, $72 million contract. Kenny Golladay is not only a true #1 receiver, but he fills a desperate need that this team had for a physical receiver with size. His presence also allows Darius Slayton to become the #2 and Sterling Shepard the slot receiver, roles that both are far better suited for. From Golladay’s style of play to the team’s extended wooing period to satisfy personality issues, this signing is highly reminiscent of the Giants’ signing of Plaxico Burress in 2005. And Golladay is quite capable of having a Plaxico-type impact on this team. In addition, before the Giants signed Golladay, they signed the 9th overall player taken in the 2017 NFL Draft, John Ross. While Ross did not live up to expectations in Cincinnati, he brings true deep speed to a team that desperately needs it. It would not be shocking to see Ross get cut, but it also would not be shocking for him to press for a starting job opposite of Golladay. In addition to wanting to prove doubters wrong, Ross will rejoin his old college receiving teammate, Dante Pettis, on what had been an explosive University of Washington receiving corps. Overall, the make-up of this unit is far different now than it was just two weeks ago. (John Ross YouTube Highlights)

    TIGHT ENDS (Previous Need Level – Desperate): Right or wrong, the front office and coaching staff appear willing to continue to hope Evan Engram develops into the player hoped for when he was drafted in the 1st round of the 2017 NFL Draft. But the team decided to team him with a mentor. Kyle Rudolph has been one of the NFL’s best tight ends for the past 10 years. While not an explosive player, he can catch and block. Just as importantly, he is reliable, something Engram is not. The downside is that Rudolph turns 32 in November and is coming off a foot injury (The Athletic is reporting it is a Lisfranc injury) that required surgery AFTER the Giants signed him. Much depends on how well he recovers. On paper, if he is healthy, this looks like a major addition both in terms of helping out Daniel Jones and the offensive line. (Kyle Rudolph YouTube Highlights)

    OFFENSIVE LINE (Previous Need Level – Medium): This is one area where it is debatable if the team has improved in free agency. The Giants were able to force Nate Solder to take a big pay cut to remain with the team. He will now compete against Matt Peart for the starting tackle spot opposite of Andrew Thomas. The Giants somewhat surprisingly simply cut Kevin Zeitler without approaching him about a pay cut. To fill that void, they signed right guard Zach Fulton, who had an inconsistent stay with the Houston Texans. Fulton will compete with Will Hernandez and Shane Lemieux for a starting spot. Fulton does not feel like an upgrade over Zeitler. Where the team probably did get better is at back-up center with the signing of Jonotthan Harrison back in January. He is a better player than Spencer Pulley. Look for the team to continue to address the offensive line in the upcoming draft.

    DEFENSIVE LINE (Previous Need Level – Low to High Depending on Tomlinson): Undoubtedly, the biggest loss the team suffered in free agency was losing nose tackle Davlin Tomlinson to the Minnesota Vikings for what appeared to be a reasonable 2-year, $22 million contract. The Giants re-signed back-up nose tackle Austin Johnson to a 1-year, $3 million deal in anticipation of the loss. Johnson will now have to start at nose tackle or the team will be forced to move Dexter Lawrence from end, or sign a veteran or draft a player. Moving Lawrence seems like an obvious option, but that would have a domino effect in that B.J. Hill would probably then become the new starter at end opposite of Leonard Williams. Thus, what had been a somewhat shaky depth situation becomes even more dubious. The team was extremely fortunate in 2020 that no one got hurt up front. The only back-ups on the roster right now are R.J. McIntosh, David Moa, and Breeland Speaks, the latter signed by the Giants in January. Speaking of Williams, the Giants were able to re-sign him to a 3-year, $63 million deal. There will be tremendous pressure on him to live up to that contract.

    (Late Note: The Giants signed 6’2”, 335-pound nose tackle Danny Shelton today. Drafted in the 1st round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns, Shelton was cut by the Detroit Lions and will help fill the void created by the departure of Tomlinson).

    LINEBACKERS (Previous Need Level – High): On paper, the Giants lost one free agent (Kyler Fackrell) and signed three (Ifeadi Odenigbo, Reggie Ragland, Ryan Anderson). All three newcomers were relatively inexpensive, 1-year deals. Ragland will likely compete with Tae Crowder for the inside linebacker spot next to Blake Martinez. He has started 38 regular-season games in the NFL and is a former 2nd-round pick so he has a good shot to win that job. Anderson is another former 2nd-round pick who was stuck behind a plethora of outstanding outside linebackers in Washington. He is known more as an overachiever who saw most of his playing time on special teams, but he could surprise as his competition will be Lorenzo Carter (coming off of a torn Achilles), Oshane Ximines (coming off of shoulder surgery), and last year’s rookies (Carter Coughlin, Cam Brown, Niko Lalos). What about Odenigbo? Good question. He was the first defensive player the Giants signed in free agency. He played exclusively on the defensive line in Minnesota, primarily at end, but also shifting inside in pass-rush packages. However, his lack of size (6’3”, 258 pounds) strongly suggests he will be used like “linebacker” Jabaal Sheard was used by the Giants last year, that is, an edge rusher in 4-man pass rush packages. The Giants could also push him inside like the Vikings did in obvious passing situations in 4-man fronts. It is doubtful that he should be considered a true outside linebacker because he simply does not have experience dropping into coverage. Because of that, one could actually argue he should be included in the defensive line review. Also, the Giants did re-sign inside linebacker Devonta Downs, who started at inside linebacker for the Giants in 2020 until Tae Crowder beat him out. He will have to fight just to make the team however.

    CORNERBACKS (Previous Need Level – Desperate): Like the wide receiving position, the make-up of this position completely changed with the addition of one free agent, adding Adoree’ Jackson to a 3-year, $39 million contract after he was cut by the Tennessee Titans. Opinions on his play vary, but Jackson is clearly a major upgrade over everyone else on the team’s roster with the exception of Pro Bowler James Bradberry. The former 1st rounder is a physical and aggressive press corner who plays with a lot of confidence. Depth is still a concern, but on paper, the Giants now look like they have one of the better secondaries in the NFL as long as Darnay Holmes continues to develop at slot corner.

    SAFETIES (Previous Need Level – Low): While Adrian Colbert and Nate Ebner remain unsigned, the Giants still look to be in decent shape at this position with Jabrill Peppers, Xavier McKinney, Logan Ryan, and Julian Love – the latter two who can also play corner. Depth will be added later in free agency or the draft.

    KICKERS/LONG SNAPPER (Previous Need Level – Low to Average Depending on Kreiter): When the Giants re-signed long snapper Casey Kreiter, this position was largely settled other than camp bodies. The only real question is are the Giants looking to upgrade at punter at some point.

    SUMMARY: In my March 12th article, I argued this roster was a train wreck. Two weeks later, with the addition of 11 free agents and counting, it feels vastly different. It’s not just the quantity, but the quality. Keeping Leonard Williams was a big deal. Kenny Golladay and Adoree’ Jackson were two of the best, if not the very best, players available at desperate need positions.  If healthy, Kyle Rudolph could be a major addition as a security blanket for both Daniel Jones and the offensive line. Golladay and Jackson will start. Rudolph will be a quasi-starter. John Ross (1st rounder), Reggie Ragland (2nd rounder), Ryan Anderson (2nd rounder), and Zach Fulton might start. Devontae Booker is now the primary back-up behind Saquon Barkely, Ifeadi Odenigbo will add to the pass rush.

    The risk? The money. While most of the deals were relatively cheap, the team did dole out $174 million on three players – Leonard Williams, Kenny Golladay, and Adoree’ Jackson. If they are wrong about any of these three, the team will be paying for it for years. We’ve seen that before and it’s one of the major reasons why the Giants have been mired in the basement of the NFL for a decade. One could also argue that the team should have allocated its resources a bit differently in order to keep Dalvin Tomlinson, extending his contract even last year.

    Mar 202021
     
    Kenny Golladay, Detroit Lions (November 24, 2019)

    Kenny Golladay – © USA TODAY Sports

    NEW YORK GIANTS SIGN KENNY GOLLADAY
    Multiple media outlets are reporting that the New York Giants have signed unrestricted free agent wide receiver Kenny Golladay (Detroit Lions). The NFL Network is reporting that the contract is a 4-year, $72 million deal that includes $40 million in guaranteed money.

    The 27-year old, 6’4”, 214-pound Golladay was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Lions. After a nondescript rookie season, Golladay excelled his next two seasons, catching 70 passes for 1,063 yards and five touchdowns in 2018 and 65 catches for 1,190 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2019. Golladay missed 11 games in 2020 with hamstring and hip injuries. He finished with just 20 catches for 338 yards and two touchdowns in five games. Golladay combines excellent size and speed and has a knack for beating defensive backs for contested 50/50 balls.

    ADOREE’ JACKSON VISITING GIANTS ON SUNDAY…
    Multiple media outlets are reporting that free agent cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, who was cut by the Tennessee Titans on Tuesday, will visit the New York Giants on Sunday. He is also scheduled to meet with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday.

    The 25-year old, 5’11”, 185-pound Jackson was drafted by the Titans in the 1st round of the 2017 NFL Draft. In his four seasons with the Titans, Jackson played in 46 regular-season games, with 41 starts, accruing 189 tackles, 33 pass defenses, two interceptions, and three forced fumbles. He missed most of the 2020 NFL season with a knee injury, playing in just the last three games.