Feb 072022
 
Davis Webb, New York Giants (August 24, 2018)

Davis Webb – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS LET MARK KONCZ GO…
The New York Giants have announced that Co-Director of Player Personnel Mark Koncz is not being retained. Koncz was brought in from the Carolina Panthers by then General Manager Dave Gettleman as a consultant prior to the 2018 NFL Draft. He was promoted to director of player personnel in June 2018. During the 2021 offseason, the Giants promoted Tim McDonnell from assistant director of player personnel to co-director of player personnel alongside Koncz. For now, McDonnell, who is team President/CEO John Mara’s nephew, is the sole director of player personnel.

Koncz was a member of the Panthers organization from 1994-2017 and was their director of pro scouting from 2000-2017. He worked under Gettleman when the latter was the Panthers’ general manager from 2013-2016.

JOE SCHOEN COMMENTS ON NEW ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER…
The Giants officially confirmed that they have hired Brandon Brown as assistant general manager. The 33-year old Brown was the director of player personnel for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021. He replaces Kevin Abrams, who was named the team’s senior vice president of football operations and strategy on Saturday.

“Brandon has a strong reputation around the league as a leader, evaluator, and consensus builder,” said Schoen. “He is a tireless worker who has experience in pro personnel and college scouting. He has a progressive approach to the evaluation process. Brandon will help lead the player personnel department as well as assist across the entire football operation.”

DAVIS WEBB RETURNING TO THE GIANTS…
The Giants are expected to sign quarterback Davis Webb, who visited the team on Monday. Webb spent most of the 2021 season on the Practice Squad of the Buffalo Bills, serving as the team’s #3 quarterback behind Josh Allen and Mitchell Trubisky. The Giants drafted Webb in the 3rd round of the 2017 NFL Draft, but waived in early September 2018 before the season started. The 27-year old, 6’5”, 225-pound Webb has spent time with the Giants (2017-2018), New York Jets (2018), Bills (2019-2021). His only playing time in a regular-season game came in garbage time in one game in 2021.

May 242021
 
Kelvin Benjamin, New York Giants (May 14, 2021)

Kelvin Benjamin – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS OTAs BEGIN
The New York Giants began the third and final phase of their offseason program on Monday. The Giants held their first of eight Organized Team Activity (OTA) workouts on Monday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. They will hold another on Tuesday and another on Thursday, with media having access to the Thursday OTA.

Voluntary “Phase II” workouts for all players were held last week. These on-field workouts only included individual player instruction and non-contact, walkthrough drills. According to press reports, only about half of the Giants (approximately 45 players) showed up last week for these workouts. 

Voluntary “Phase III” workouts can be held from May 24-June 18. Activities during this 4-week period include in-person meetings and classroom instruction subject to COVID protocols and 10 days of OTAs (the Giants are only holding eight). No live contact is permitted, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are allowed. Teams can also hold one mandatory mini-camp for veteran players.

Current schedule:

May 24-25: New York Giants OTA Offseason Workouts

May 27: New York Giants OTA Offseason Workouts (Media Access)

June 2-4: New York Giants OTA Offseason Workouts (June 4 Media Access)

June 8-10: New York Giants mandatory Mini-Camp (Media Access)

June 14-15: New York Giants OTA Offseason Workouts

Players who do not attend in person could still participate in virtual meetings if they choose to do so.

GIANTS HIRE STEVEN PRICE AS PRO PERSONNEL MANAGER
The New York Giants have hired Steven Price to be the team’s new pro personnel manager. Ken Sternfeld, who had been the director of pro personnel, was shifted to senior pro personnel executive.

The Giants also appear to have promoted Tim McDonnell from assistant director of player personnel to co-director of player personnel alongside Mark Koncz, who solely had held that title.

Jun 202018
 
Kevin Abrams, New York Giants (June 12, 2018)

Kevin Abrams – © USA TODAY Sports

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NEW YORK GIANTS FRONT OFFICE AND SCOUTING CHANGES…
The New York Giants have announced the following personnel changes to their front office and scouting departments:

  • Kevin Abrams, a member of the organization since 1999 and the assistant general manager for the last 16 years, has added the title of vice president of football operations.
  • Mark Koncz, brought in by Gettleman as a consultant prior to the 2018 NFL Draft, is now the director of player personnel. Koncz was a member of the Carolina Panthers organization from 1994-2017 and was their director of pro scouting from 2000-2017. He worked under Gettleman when the latter was the Panthers’ general manager from 2013-2016.
  • Chris Pettit has been named director of college scouting after spending the previous 13 years as an area scout. He joined the Giants’ scouting staff in 2005 after spending the 2004 season as a scouting intern for the team. Pettit first worked for the Giants as a training camp pro personnel intern from 1998-2000.
  • Patrick Hanscomb has been named an area scout whose concentration will be the Mid-Atlantic area. Hanscomb spent the previous 10 seasons in the team’s pro personnel department.
  • Marcus Cooper has been hired as an area scout who will focus in the Southeast. Cooper spent the previous seven seasons with the Buffalo Bills, first as a player personnel assistant, then as an area scout, and last year as the team’s scout in the BLESTO Scouting Combine.

Beginning this season, each area scout will concentrate on a specific region. In addition to Hanscomb and Cooper, the Giants’ area scouts are D.J. Boisture (west), Jeremy Breit (regional), Steve Devine (Midwest), Donnie Etheridge (southwest), Ryan Jones (northeast), Michael Murphy (west), Steve Verderosa (regional), and Chris Watts (midlands). These eight scouts have all served with the Giants for a number of years.

Jeremiah Davis and Marquis Pendleton will continue to serve as executive scout and BLESTO scout, respectively.

“We talk all the time about the importance of working together and communicating effectively and efficiently,” said General Manger Dave Gettleman. “These appointments and promotions are well deserved, and we feel like we are well-positioned to move forward with the group of people we have in player personnel and football operations. All are collaborators and communicators and understand the significance of self-improvement to make the organization the best it can be.”

A complete listing of these positions is available in the New York Giants team administration section of the website.

NY POST Q&A WITH DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR JAMES BETTCHER…
James Bettcher, the blue-collar guy now leading Giants defense by Steve Serby of The New York Post

ARTICLES…

Jun 042018
 
Pat Shurmur, New York Giants (May 29, 2018)

Pat Shurmur – © USA TODAY Sports

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JUNE 4, 2018 NEW YORK GIANTS OTA PRACTICE REPORT…
The Giants held their seventh voluntary organized team activity (OTA) practice on Monday. No live contact is permitted during OTAs, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are allowed.

“Another productive day,” said Head Coach Pat Shurmur. “I think the OTAs have gone well. You saw today we had a move the ball period, which we did one last week as well where the guys are calling it – offense, defense, personnel is getting in and out and it’s really the key part of playing the game because it’s the most like a game at this point. I think they handled it well. You saw there was some good, competitive play – for the most part we stayed up, got a lot accomplished and we’ll try to do a little bit more of that. Unfortunately, you won’t be here to see it, but we’ll do a little bit more of that as we go the next three days.”

The three remaining OTA practices will be held on June 5-7. A mandatory mini-camp will be held on June 12-14.

INJURY REPORT AND ABSENTEES…
Wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. (recovering from ankle surgery) and defensive tackle Damon Harrison did not attend Monday’s OTA.

Safety Landon Collins (recovering from arm surgery) was held out of team drills.

“(Collins is) getting better,” said Head Coach Pat Shurmur. “Well, I wouldn’t say it has changed. I would just say that we’re going to be a little bit cautious because it’s a break that’s healed. We’re trying to get him in as much as we can, but a little bit at a time. But he looks good. He’s getting his extra running, he’s getting everything he needs mentally and I’ve been very pleased with his progress in all areas.”

Defensive lineman R.J. McIntosh (unknown medical issue), linebacker Avery Moss (unknown), and tight end Ryan O’Malley (unknown) did not practice.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • Place kicker Aldrick Rosas was 8-of-10 on field goal attempts, missing twice from beyond 50 yards.
  • The first-team offensive line was left tackle Nate Solder, left guard Will Hernandez, center Jon Halapio, right guard Patrick Omameh, and right tackle Ereck Flowers.
  • The second-team offensive line was left tackle Nick Becton, left guard John Greco, center Brett Jones, right guard John Jerry, and right tackle Chad Wheeler. Chris Scott also got some work at right guard with the second unit.
  • Quarterback Eli Manning continues to look for tight end Evan Engram early and often.
  • Quarterback Davis Webb hit wide receiver Roger Lewis, Jr., the first being a one-handed catch and the second a sizeable gain down the sideline. Webb later connected with wide receiver Travis Rudolph for a red-zone touchdown.
  • Cornerback Eli Apple broke up a pass in the end zone intended for wide receiver Sterling Shepard. He later broke up a slant pass at the goal line intended for wide receiver Cody Latimer.
  • Cornerback Janoris Jenkins intercepted a fade pass in end zone from quarterback Eli Manning intended for wide receiver Cody Latimer.
  • Linebacker B.J. Goodson broke up a pass over the middle from quarterback Eli Manning.
  • Linebacker Tae Davis broke up a pass intended for wide receiver Marquis Bundy.
  • Quarterback Alex Tanney connected with wide receiver Alonzo Russell for a 40-yard gain.
  • Notes and observations from Giants OTAs (6/04) by John Schmeelk of Giants.com
  • Who stood out at Giants OTA practice? (6/4) by Dan Salomone of Giants.com

REPORT – GIANTS HIRE MARK KONCZ AS NEW DIRECTOR OF PLAYER PERSONNEL…
Pro Football Talk is reporting that that the New York Giants have hired Mark Koncz as the team’s new director of player personnel. Koncz worked with General Manager David Gettleman with the Carolina Panthers as director of pro scouting, a position that Koncz had held from 2000-2017. Gettleman promoted him to director of player personnel in May 2017 before the Panthers fired Koncz in July after Gettleman was also let go. Since February, Koncz has served as a scouting department consultant with the Giants.

ROSTER MOVES…
The New York Giants have signed undrafted rookie free agent H-Back Garrett Dickerson (Northwestern University), a tryout player during the team’s rookie mini-camp in May. The 6’2”, 244-pound Dickerson is a versatile player who can play a variety of positions including tight end, fullback, and H-Back.

The Giants also waived wide receiver Keeon Johnson, cornerback Jeremiah McKinnon, and cornerback Mike Jones.

Johnson was originally signed by the Giants as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2017 NFL Draft. He was waived/injured and then placed on Injured Reserve in August 2017 with a foot injury.

The Giants signed McKinnon to the Practice Squad in late November 2017. McKinnon originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Dallas Cowboys after the 2016 NFL Draft. McKinnon had spent time with the Cowboys (2016), Tennessee Titans (2016), and Washington Redskins (2017).

The Giants signed Jones as an undrafted rookie free agent after he impressed at the May rookie mini-camp as a tryout player.

HEAD COACH PAT SHURMUR…
The transcript of Pat Shurmur’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:

ARTICLES…

Feb 102018
 
Kevin Stefanski, Minnesota Vikings (August 9, 2015)

Kevin Stefanski – © USA TODAY

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REPORT – VIKINGS DENY GIANTS PERMISSION TO INTERVIEW KEVIN STEFANSKI…
ESPN is reporting that the Minnesota Vikings have denied the New York Giants permission to interview Vikings quarterbacks coach Kevin Stefanski. The Giants were interested in Stefanski as the team’s new offensive coordinator. The 35-year old Stefanski has served in various assistant coaching capacities for the Vikings since 2006.

Media speculation is that the Giants may now turn to former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell or Philadelphia Eagles running backs coach Duce Staley. However, the Eagles could also deny Staley permission to interview with the Giants.

REPORT – DAVE GETTLEMAN HIRES DRAFT CONSULTANT…
The New York Post is reporting that New York Giants General Manager Dave Gettleman has hired Mark Koncz as a scouting department consultant. Koncz worked with Gettleman with the Carolina Panthers as director of pro scouting, a position that Koncz had held since 2000. Gettleman promoted him to director of player personnel in May 2017 before the Panthers fired Koncz in July after Gettleman was also let go.

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

ARTICLES…