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
Jan 072016
 
Teryl Austin, Detroit Lions (October 30, 2015)

Teryl Austin – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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GIANTS INTERVIEW TERYL AUSTIN AND STEVE SPAGNUOLO…
The New York Giants will interview both Detroit Lions Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin and their own defensive coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo, for the team’s head coaching vacancy on Thursday. Austin has received interest from the Browns, Eagles, and Dolphins. Austin also satisfies the NFL’s Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview minority candidates for head coaching and senior football positions.

As reported previously, other candidates include:

  • New York Giants Offensive Coordinator Ben McAdoo, who interviewed on Tuesday.
  • Chicago Bears Offensive Coordinator Adam Gase, who will interview on Friday.
  • Jacksonville Jaguars Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line Coach Doug Marrone, who will interview on Saturday.
  • Carolina Panthers Defensive Coordinator Sean McDermott – no known scheduled interview.

GIANTS RE-SIGN LOUIS NIX TO RESERVE/FUTURE DEAL…
The New York Giants have re-signed defensive tackle Louis Nix to a reserve/future contract. Nix is the the sixth Practice Squad player re-signed by the Giants this week.

Nix was signed by the Giants after he was waived by the Houston Texans in September 2015. He was active in four games but rarely saw any action. The Giants waived him in November and then signed him to the Practice Squad. Nix was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Texans. He has been plagued with injuries, having knee surgery in 2013 at Notre Dame, knee surgery in the summer of 2014 with the Texans, and then a wrist issue that landed him on Injured Reserve in September 2014 with the Texans. He never played in a regular-season game with Houston. Nix is a strong, mammoth nose tackle-type lineman who can take on the double-team and hold the point-of-attack when healthy. Although Nix is a good athlete for his size, he is more of a run defender than pass rusher. Nix’s professionalism and work ethic were questioned in Houston.

Nov 102015
 
Montori Hughes, Indianapolis Colts (November 23, 2014)

Montori Hughes – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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MONTORI HUGHES PROMOTED TO 53-MAN ROSTER…
The New York Giants have signed defensive tackle Montori Hughes to the 53-man roster from the team’s Practice Squad. Hughes fills a vacancy created when the Giants put defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins on season-ending Injured Reserve on Tuesday with a torn pectoral muscle that will require surgery.

The Giants signed Hughes to the Practice Squad in September 2015. Hughes was originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts. In his two seasons with the Colts, he played in 16 games with one start. Hughes is a strong, mammoth (6’4”, 350lbs) nose tackle-type lineman who can hold his ground against the double team. He is a decent athlete for his size with some quickness to his game.

LOUIS NIX AND NICO JOHNSON ADDED TO PRACTICE SQUAD…
The New York Giants have signed defensive Louis Nix and linebacker Nico Johnson to the Practice Squad. Nix and Johnson fill the Practice Squad vacancies created when the team promoted cornerback Tramain Jacobs and and defensive tackle Montori Hughes to the 53-man roster. Jacobs was signed to the 53-man roster last Saturday.

Nix was signed by the Giants after he was waived by the Houston Texans in September 2015. The Giants waived Nix on Saturday to make room for cornerback Tramain Jacobs on the 53-man roster. Nix was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Texans.

Johnson was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs waived him in August 2014 and signed him to their Practice Squad. The Bengals signed Johnson to their 53-man roster in October 2014, but waived him in August 2015. The Redskins signed Johnson to their Practice Squad in September, but terminated his contract a month later. Johnson has played in 17 regular-season games with three starts, accruing 22 tackles. Johnson is a big linebacker (6’2”, 249lbs) who plays the run well, but isn’t as adept in pass coverage. He is a hard worker.

ELI MANNING ON WFAN
The audio of Monday’s WFAN Radio interview with quarterback Eli Manning is available on CBS New York’s website.

RASHAD JENNINGS ON WFAN
The audio of Tuesday’s WFAN Radio interview with running back Rashad Jenning’s is available on CBS New York’s website.

NOTES…
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Giants’ nine sacks is their lowest total through nine games since team sacks were first compiled in 1963.

The Giants have three rushing touchdowns this season, their lowest total through nine games since they had two in 1996.

The Giants lead the NFL with 21 takeaways, 13 interceptions (tied with two teams), and a plus-12 turnover differential.

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The players return to practice on Wednesday to start preparing for Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots.

Nov 072015
 
Jason Pierre-Paul, New York Giants (February 5, 2012)

Jason Pierre-Paul – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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JASON PIERRE-PAUL TO 53-MAN ROSTER; JON BEASON TO IR…
As anticipated, the New York Giants have lifted the two-week roster exemption on defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul and added him to the 53-man roster. Pierre-Paul is now expected to play on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“My confidence is high and can’t nobody tell me different,” Pierre-Paul told ESPN. “Let me tell you, when guys say they know what pain is…I feel like nobody in here knows what real pain is like. I know what it feels like. Even if I get a nick here or there, my mindset is different about overcoming things because I’m just so happy to be playing…I’m going to be the same JPP that can run to the quarterback out there and make everybody around me better. I’m starting to do that already.”

To make room for Pierre-Paul, the Giants also unexpectedly placed linebacker Jon Beason on season-ending Injured Reserve. Beason had been dealing with ankle and knee injuries. Beason missed the first two games of the season with a knee issue, played in Weeks 3-7, before missing last week’s game against the Saints. Beason has been unable to play more than five games in four of his last five seasons with the Carolina Panthers and Giants due to various injuries.

The Giants traded a 2014 7th round draft pick to the Panthers for Beason in October 2013. New York re-signed him to a 3-year, $16.8 million contract in the 2014 offseason. He accepted a pay cut in March 2015. Beason currently has one year left ($2.8 million salary, $6.6 million cap hit) on his current contract, but his New York Giants career may be over. The Giants would save $5.1 million against the 2016 salary cap if they cut the injury-prone player after the season with $1,466,668 in dead money.

The Giants also signed cornerback Tramain Jacobs to the 53-man roster from the team’s Practice Squad. The move was necessary because cornerback Leon McFadden (groin) was downgraded from “questionable” to “out” for Sunday’s game. To make room for Jacobs, the Giants waived defensive tackle Louix Nix.

The Giants signed Jacobs to the Practice Squad in September 2015. Jacobs was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Baltimore Ravens after the 2014 NFL Draft. He played in three games as rookie after spending nine weeks on Baltimore’s Practice Squad. Jacobs finished the season on Injured Reserve with a thigh injury. The Ravens waived him in August 2015. Jacobs is an average-sized corner with good speed and quickness. He is also instinctive and competitive.

Nix was signed by the Giants after he was waived by the Houston Texans in September 2015. Nix was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Texans.

ARTICLES…

Sep 182015
 


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INJURY REPORT – VICTOR CRUZ OUT, JON BEASON DOUBTFUL…
The Giants have officially ruled WR Victor Cruz (calf), TE Daniel Fells (foot), LT Will Beatty (pectoral – on PUP), DE Owamagbe Odighizuwa (foot), and DT Markus Kuhn (knee) out of Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons.

“Feeling a little bit better, yeah,” Cruz said. He was also asked when he might return to the practice field. “When I know, you’ll know,” responded Cruz.

LB Jon Beason (knee) is doubtful. “I want to be available to play as much as I can,” Beason said. “A lot of times, just because you feel good coming back from injury, that doesn’t mean you’re ready to play football. God forbid we have to play 80 snaps. I’m not ready for that.”

“Well, (Beason) is feeling better, he’ll tell you that, but we’re going to see,” said Head Coach Tom Coughlin.

LT Ereck Flowers (ankle) and LB Uani’ Unga (knee) are probable for the game.

“I’m here to play,” said Flowers. “I’m here to go out there and try and win. No injury really helps you, so my ankle is getting better. I’ve been getting treatment, so I’m ready to go this Sunday.”

HEAD COACH TOM COUGHLIN…
Transcripts and video of the media sessions with Tom Coughlin 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…
The Giants will hold a 45-minute, full-speed practice on Saturday that is not open to the media. The team will play its home opener against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

Sep 102015
 


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4-YEAR, $84 MILLION EXTENSION FOR ELI MANNING…
According to NFL.com, the New York Giants and quarterback Eli Manning are in the process of finalizing a 4-year, $84 million contract extension. ESPN is reporting that the contract will include $65 million in guaranteed money.

While NFL.com is reporting that the deal could be signed as early as Friday, ESPN says while the Giants and Manning are in agreement on money, the two sides remain hung up on specific contract language that they hope to resolve by this weekend. NFL.com says Manning wants a no-trade clause in the contract.

Manning is currently entering the final year of the 6-year, $97.5 million contract extension he signed in August 2009. He was set to count $19.75 million (including $17 million in salary, $2.25 million prorated signing bonus, and $500,000 workout bonus) against the team’s 2015 salary cap. ESPN says Manning will still make $17.5 million in the final year of his current contract, which would bring his five-year total to $101.5 million.

Manning’s $21 million average in new money on the four-year extension would rank him fourth among quarterbacks in the NFL, behind Aaron Rodgers ($22 million), Russell Wilson ($21.9 million), and Ben Roethlisberger ($21.85 million).

INJURY REPORT…
Not practicing on Thursday due to injuries were WR Victor Cruz (calf), LT Will Beatty (pectoral – on PUP), DE Owamagbe Odighizuwa (sore right foot), and LB Jon Beason (knee).

Head Coach Tom Coughlin said there was no update on Cruz, but he would not rule Cruz out of Sunday’s game against Dallas despite the fact that Cruz has not practiced in a few weeks. It would appear very unlikely that Cruz will play against the Cowboys.

Beason did not practice on Wednesday after returning to practice on Tuesday.

“It’s a little sore, so the smartest thing to do is to take a day off and see how it feels tomorrow,” said Beason.  “I don’t want to miss Dallas, Sunday Night Football, the opener, so for me personally, it means everything.”

“(Beason) was sore today and the medical people decided to hold him,” said Coughlin. “We’ll see how he feels tomorrow.”

“(Odighizuwa) has a sore foot, and the trainers thought it was best that he get treatment and hold him out today,” Coughlin said. “We’ll see how he feels tomorrow.”

DE/DT Cullen Jenkins (hamstring) and LB Jonathan Casillas (neck) fully practiced.

LOUIS NIX PASSES HIS PHYSICAL…
Defensive tackle Louis Nix is now officially a New York Giant. The Giants claimed Nix off of waivers from the Houston Texans on Sunday, but he failed his physical with the Giants on Tuesday and was waived. Apparently he passed a second physical on Wednesday and has been officially added to the 53-man roster.

Nix was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Texans. He has been plagued with injuries, having knee surgery in 2013 at Notre Dame, knee surgery in Summer 2014 with the Texans, and then a wrist issue that landed him on Injured Reserve in September 2014 with the Texans. He never played in a regular-season game with Houston. Nix is a strong, mammoth nose tackle-type lineman who can take on the double-team and hold the point-of-attack when healthy. Although Nix is a good athlete for his size, he is more of a run defender than pass rusher. Nix’s professionalism and work ethic were questioned in Houston.

WR MYLES WHITE ADDED TO PRACTICE SQUAD…
The New York Giants have signed wide receiver Myles White to the Practice Squad. White was waived by the Green Bay Packers from their 53-man roster when the team signed wide receiver James Jones, who had been with the Giants this summer. To make room for White, the Giants terminated the Practice Squad contract of linebacker Cole Farrand.

White was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Packers after the 2013 NFL Draft. White played in seven games as a rookie, catching nine passes for 66 yards. He spent the 2014 season on Green Bay’s Practice Squad. White led the Packers with 16 receptions for 157 yards and two touchdowns in the 2015 preseason. He is an average-sized receiver with good speed.

TOM COUGHLIN AND THE COORDINATORS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following coaches are available at BigBlueInteractive.com and Giants.com:

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

ARTICLES

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Instead of practicing, the Giants will hold a “recovery day” on Friday. The players will select two of six recovery stations, based on seniority. Their choices are massage, yoga, FMS (Functional Movement Screen) exercises designed for the individual, air compression boots, contrast bath (between a hot and cold tub), and self-massage with stick rollers and elastic bands.

“Saturday changes,” said Head Coach Tom Coughlin. “Saturday becomes a full-speed drill for a minimum amount of time. But it does put them in the mode where they’ve gone full speed the day before they play.”

The team will also travel to Dallas on Saturday.

Sep 082015
 
Tyler Sash, New York Giants (August 24, 2013)

Tyler Sash – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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TYLER SASH PASSES AWAY…
Former New York Giants safety Tyler Sash, who played with the Giants in 2011-12, has passed away at the age of 27. The cause of death is not yet known. Sash was drafted in the 6th round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Giants. He played in 23 regular- and four post-season games with New York. The Giants cut him on August 31, 2013.

“We were all deeply saddened today to hear of the passing of Tyler,” the Giants said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to Tyler’s family and friends and all the Hawkeyes he was so proud to represent.”

NO DEAL FOR JASON PIERRE-PAUL…
Following up on today’s earlier update, defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul is heading home after the Giants have determined he is not currently healthy enough to play football. NFL.com is reporting that the Giants have not rescinded their 1-year, $14.813 million Franchise tender, but Pierre-Paul will not be allowed to sign it until he is healthy enough to practice and play. He will then receive the pro-rated portion of the tender. The report suggests that no compromise deal was reached by the Giants and Pierre-Paul. Putting Pierre-Paul on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) List is no longer an option now that the 53-man roster is set. Doing so now would mean that Pierre-Paul would have to sit out the entire season, possibly without pay.

NFL.com is reporting that Pierre-Paul “could be out an additional month, if not longer.”

LOUIS NIX FAILS PHYSICAL, GIANTS WAIVE ASA JACKSON…
The two players the Giants claimed off of waivers on Sunday, defensive tackle Louis Nix (Houston Texans) and cornerback Asa Jackson (Baltimore Ravens), are now gone. Nix failed his physical with the team and was waived. The Giants also waived Jackson.

GIANTS SIGN LB JASPER BRINKLEY…
Though not officially announced, the New York Giants have reportedly signed linebacker Jasper Brinkley, who was waived by the Dallas Cowboys on Monday. Brinkley was originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. Since that time, he has spent time with the Vikings (2009-12, 2014), Cardinals (2013), and Cowboys (2015). Brinkley has played in 79 regular-season games with 33 starts. He missed the 2011 season due to hip surgery. He started 11 games with the Vikings in 2014 and finished the year with 74 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble. Brinkley is a big linebacker who lacks ideal overall athleticism. He is a physical, two-down run defender who struggles at times in pass coverage.

GIANTS WORK OUT 17 PLAYERS…
According to NFL.com, the New York Giants worked out 17 players on Tuesday at the team’s facility. Based on various media reports, some of the players included quarterback-wide receiver-running back G.J. Kinne, tight end Joseph Fauria, linebacker Nick Moody, punter Brandon Fields, and punter Kasey Redfern.

ELI MANNING ON ESPN RADIO…
The audio of Tuesday’s ESPN Radio interview with quarterback Eli Manning’s is available at ESPN.com.

Sep 062015
 


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New York Giants Claim DT Louis Nix and CB Asa Jackson: The New York Giants have claimed defensive tackle Louis Nix (Houston Texans) and cornerback Asa Jackson (Baltimore Ravens) off of waivers. To make room for these two players, the Giants released defensive tackle Kenrick Ellis and waived cornerback Mike Harris.

Louis Nix, Houston Texans (August 21, 2014)

Louis Nix – © USA TODAY Sports Images

Nix was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Texans. He has been plagued with injuries, having knee surgery in 2013 at Notre Dame, knee surgery in Summer 2014 with the Texans, and then a wrist issue that landed him on Injured Reserve in September 2014 with the Texans. He never played in a regular-season game with Houston. Nix is a strong, mammoth nose tackle-type lineman who can take on the double-team and hold the point-of-attack when healthy. Although Nix is a good athlete for his size, he is more of a run defender than pass rusher. Nix’s professionalism and work ethic were questioned in Houston.

Jackson was originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Ravens. In three seasons, Jackson has played in 14 regular-season games. All six of his starts came in 2014 when he accrued 28 tackles and three pass defenses. Jackson has been suspended twice by the NFL (in 2012 and 2013) for a total of 12 games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), in this case Adderall. Jackson lacks ideal size but he is a smooth athlete with very good quickness. He struggled at times at corner in Baltimore. Jackson is a dangerous punt and kickoff returner, but he has had fumbling issues.

The Giants signed Ellis as an unrestricted free agent from the Jets in March 2015. The Giants signed Harris off of the Practice Squad of the Detroit Lions in October 2014. He ended up playing in five games with one start for the Giants last season.

New York Giants Practice Squad Signings: The Giants have signed the following six players to their 10-man Practice Squad:

  • WR Julian Talley
  • OG Adam Gettis
  • OT Emmett Cleary
  • DE Brad Bears
  • LB Cole Farrand
  • S C.J. Conway

All six of these players were with the Giants this summer in training camp and the preseason. They were all waived on Saturday.

Because of these moves, we have updated the Transactions and Roster sections of the website.