Mar 312015
 
Kerry Wynn, New York Giants (December 21, 2014)

Kerry Wynn – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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Giants.com Player Q&As: Video clips of interviews with the following players are available at Giants.com:

Article on New York Giants Chairman/Executive Vice President Steve Tisch: Giants co-owner Steve Tisch optimistic, but on board with the win-or-else mandate by Jordan Raanan for NJ.com

Article on the New York Giants Offseason: Giants free agent takeaways: What to surmise from the 13 signings by Jordan Raanan for NJ.com

Article on RB Shane Vereen: How Tom Coughlin and the Giants envision Shane Vereen fitting into the offenses by Jordan Raanan for NJ.com

Article on WR Victor Cruz: Uncertainty surrounds wide receiver Victor Cruz and the Giants by Jordan Raanan for NJ.com

Article on WR Dwayne Harris: Overpaid? Why Dwayne Harris may be worth every penny for the Giants by Jordan Raanan for NJ.com

Articles on the 2015 NFL Draft:

Feb 172015
 
Kevin Ogletree, New York Giants (October 19, 2014)

Kevin Ogletree – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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FOX Sports is reporting that the New York Giants have re-signed wide receiver Kevin Ogletree to a 1-year contract. Ogletree was scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent next month.

Ogletree was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Dallas Cowboys after the 2009 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Cowboys (2009-12), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2013), and Detroit Lions (2013-14). The Lions waived Olgetree in September last year and the Giants then signed him in October.

He played in seven games with the Giants, but only caught five passes for 50 yards. In six NFL season, Olgetree has played in 69 games with four starts. He has 83 career receptions for 1,049 yards and six touchdowns – two of which he scored against the Giants in the 2012 opener as a Cowboy. Ogletree has decent size, athletic ability, and hands.

For a complete listing of New York Giants free agents, see the 2015 Free Agent Scorecard.

Giants.com Feature on Players: Video features on the following players are available at Giants.com:

Feb 092015
 
Johnathan Hankins, New York Giants (September 14, 2014)

Johnathan Hankins – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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Ever since the New York Giants transitioned to the 4-3 defense from the 3-4 in 1994, the defensive line has been the heart of a New York Giants defense that had made eight playoff appearances in 21 seasons, and has helped the team reach three NFL Championship games, winning two. Yet with the free agent losses of defensive end Justin Tuck and defensive tackle Linval Joseph before the season, and a free agent spending spree at cornerback, the Giants entered training camp with the expectation by some that the defensive backfield might surpass the defensive line as the strength of the team. In the end, injuries sabotaged the secondary and the defensive line did indeed regress.

The Giants finished 29th in defense in terms of yards allowed and 22nd in points allowed. The Giants were 30th against the run in terms of total yards allowed and 32nd in terms of yards-per-rush allowed (4.9). New York was 18th against the pass. The good news was they finished 4th in the NFL in terms of sacks with 47. But after Perry Fewell’s defense gave up over 6,000 yards for the third time in four seasons (the only times in history of the franchise that has occurred), he was fired in January.

The best players up front were clearly defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul and defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins. But Pierre-Paul started the season off slowly and didn’t really impact games the way he should until the Giants were already out of playoff contention. Hankins had a breakout year in his sophomore season. But it wasn’t enough.

Mathias Kiwanuka started 11 games at left defensive end, but did not play well and finished the season on Injured Reserve. Free agent acquisition Robert Ayers flashed as a pass rusher at both defensive tackle and end, but was inconsistent against the run and also finished the season on IR. The coaching staff did not appear to trust Damontre Moore, who did not start a game. By year’s end, he was surprisingly passed on the depth chart by undrafted rookie Kerry Wynn.

At tackle, Cullen Jenkins was bothered by a nagging calf issue and was barely noticeable. Mike Patterson and Markus Kuhn were easily blocked and rarely made any plays. Jay Bromley saw more action down the stretch, but his rookie season was a wash.

Jason Pierre-Paul, New York Giants (December 14, 2014)

Jason Pierre-Paul – © USA TODAY Sports Images

DEFENSIVE ENDS

In his fifth NFL season, Jason Pierre-Paul had his second-best season, starting all 16 games and finishing with 77 tackles, 12.5 sacks, six pass defenses, and three forced fumbles. Pierre-Paul played the run well most of the year and finished up strong as a pass rusher after a slow start, with nine of his sacks coming in the last five games of the season. Pierre-Paul was originally drafted in the 1st round of the 2010 NFL Draft. His best season came in 2011 when he accrued 86 tackles and 16.5 sacks. 2012 and 2013 were down seasons for him with a total of only 8.5 sacks. Pierre-Paul had surgery in June 2013 to repair a herniated disc in his lower back and suffered a shoulder injury that caused him to miss the last five games of that season. Pierre-Paul has an excellent combination of size, strength, and athleticism. When healthy and focused, Pierre-Paul can be an explosive, disruptive difference-maker. His tremendous wingspan helps him to bat passes down at the line of scrimmage (28 career pass defenses and 2 interceptions). As a pass rusher, he can beat blockers with both power and movement skills. He could improve his initial quickness off the snap. Pierre-Paul is a very good run defender both at the point-of-attack as well as in backside pursuit. He can be vulnerable to misdirection such as on read-option plays. To become a truly great player, Pierre-Paul needs to be consistently great on a game-to-game basis and not disappear in some contests.

Mathias Kiwanuka started the first 11 games of the season, but he was placed on Injured Reserve in December 2014 with a knee injury that troubled him much of the year. Kiwanuka had a disappointing season, finishing with only 28 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. Kiwanuka has shifted between defensive end and linebacker ever since he was drafted in the 1st round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He primarily played linebacker for the Giants in 2007 and 2010-12, and defensive end in 2006, 2008-09, and 2013-14. Kiwanuka combines good size and overall athleticism, but he never really developed as expected and now may be slowing down. Kiwanuka has never been a consistent pass rusher and his play against the run deteriorated in 2014.

Robert Ayers, New York Giants (November 16, 2014)

Robert Ayers – © USA TODAY Sports Images

Robert Ayers proved to be one of the team’s best pass rushers as key rotational player who could play both end and defensive tackle in pass rush situations. Before he was placed on Injured Reserve in December 2014 with a torn pectoral muscle, in 12 games with one start, Ayers accrued 22 tackles, five sacks, one pass defense, and one forced fumble. Ayers was originally drafted in the 1st round of the 2009 NFL by the Broncos. In five seasons with the Broncos, Ayers played in 72 regular-season games with 27 starts. He signed with the Giants as a free agent in April 2014. Ayers has good size for a defensive end and his quickness and overall athleticism presents problems for guards and centers when he lines up at tackle in pass rush situations. He is an average run defender at best and would earn more playing time if he could improve in this area.

More was hoped for and expected from Damontre Moore in 2014. Moore played in all 16 games but he had no starts and finished the year with 32 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and two pass defenses. Moore was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Giants. Moore lacks ideal size and timed speed, but he flashes as a pass rusher. His biggest issues are his sub-par play against the run and mental mistakes, the latter two causing him to be by-passed on the depth chart.

Kerry Wynn, New York Giants (December 21, 2014)

Kerry Wynn – © USA TODAY Sports Images

An undrafted rookie free agent signed after the 2014 NFL Draft, Kerry Wynn was a pleasant surprise. Not only did he make the 53-man roster but he received significant playing time in the final month of the season and finished the year with 17 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one pass defense, and one interception. Wynn has a nice combination of size, strength, and overall athletic ability. He appears to be a smart, heady player who performed well against the run. He did not really stick out as a pass rusher and will need to improve in this area.

Paul Hazel was signed to the Practice Squad and then 53-man roster in December 2014. Hazel was originally signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as a rookie free agent after the 2013 NFL Draft. He was claimed by the Browns after the Jaguars waived him and he played in 13 games in 2013 for Cleveland. The Texans then claimed Hazel off of waivers from the Browns in March 2014, but he did not make the team. Hazel is a tall, thin pass rusher who has spent time at linebacker.

Jordan Stanton was signed to the Practice Squad in August 2014, cut, and then added to the Practice Squad again in December 2014. Stanton was originally signed by the Giants as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2014 NFL Draft. Stanton has decent size and flashes some ability, but he did not really standout in the 2014 preseason.

Johnathan Hankins, New York Giants (December 14, 2014)

Johnathan Hankins – © USA TODAY Sports Images

DEFENSIVE TACKLES

Johnathan Hankins became a full-time starter in 2014, a year after he was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2013 NFL Draft and playing in 11 games as a reserve. Hankins started all 16 games and finished the year with 51 tackles, seven sacks, three pass defenses, and one forced fumble. Hankins has a nice combination of size, strength, and overall athletic ability. He is a stout run defender. Hankins surprised with his ability to rush the passer both in terms of his power and agility. Hankins has the ability to become one of the NFL’s better defensive tackles.

In 2014, Cullen Jenkins was troubled by a calf injury, missed four games, and had a sub-par season, finishing with only 16 tackles and one sack in 12 games with 11 starts. Jenkins was originally signed by Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent after the 2003 NFL Draft. He did not make the team but spent time in NFL Europe and then re-signed with the Packers in 2004. Jenkins played with the Packers (2004-10) until he signed with the Eagles (2011-12). He was signed by the Giants in March 2013 after he was released by the Philadelphia Eagles. Jenkins lacks ideal size and is on the downside of his career. In his prime, he was a solid two-way defensive tackle who could play the run and rush the passer. Versatile, he has experience as a defensive tackle and defensive end in the 4-3, and as a defensive end in the 3-4.

Mike Patterson played all 16 games in 2014, starting eight, but he only finished the season with 27 tackles and no sacks or other big plays. Patterson was originally drafted in the 1st round of the 2005 NFL Draft by Philadelphia, where in eight seasons he played in 115 regular-season games with 99 starts. Patterson underwent brain surgery in January 2012 to repair an arteriovenous malformation. He played in just five games in 2012 before being placed on the reserve/non-football illness list with pneumonia. Patterson was signed by the Giants in April 2013 after being cut by the Philadelphia Eagles. Patterson lacks ideal size. He is a non-factor on the pass rush and his run defense deteriorated in 2014.

Markus Kuhn, New York Giants (December 7, 2014)

Markus Kuhn – © USA TODAY Sports Images

In his third season with the Giants, Markus Kuhn saw his most playing time, playing in 14 games with one start. He finished the season with 19 tackles and one sack. Kuhn was originally drafted in the 7th round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Giants. He suffered a torn ACL knee injury that season and began the following season on the Reserve/Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List before being activated to the 53-man roster in November. Kuhn was born in Germany and was only a one-year starter in college. Kuhn has good size and he is a hard worker, but he does not really stand out as either a run defender or pass rusher.

The Giants drafted Jay Bromley in the 3rd round of the 2014 NFL Draft. While active for eight games, he did not see a lot of snaps and only finished the season with five tackles and no sacks. Bromley combines decent size and strength with good athletic ability. Bromley is more of a 3-technique disruptor than 1-technique run stuffer. He needs to improve his play against the run.

Dominique Hamilton spent most of the season on the Practice Squad but was signed to the 53-man roster twice in December 2014. Hamilton originally signed with the Oakland Raiders as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2012 NFL Draft. The Raiders cut him and he was on NFL practice squads in 2012 (Redskins) and 2013 (Redskins and Chiefs). The Chiefs waived him in August 2014 and the Giants signed him to the Practice Squad in September. Hamilton looks the part with excellent size and long arms. He’s not overly quick or agile. Hamilton is a better run defender than pass rusher.

Dec 102014
 
Eli Manning, New York Giants (December 7, 2014)

Eli Manning – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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December 10, 2014 New York Giants Injury Report Includes Eli Manning: OT James Brewer (concussion), LB Jameel McClain (knee), and LB Jacquian Williams (concussion/shoulder) did not practice on Wednesday.

QB Eli Manning (back) and LB Mark Herzlich (concussion) practiced on a limited basis.

“I don’t know if I really got hurt,” said. “I feel good. The coach wanted to take a few reps off. It wasn’t many reps anyway, so it is not going to limit me in my practices for the week, or the game. Just kind of some of the procedures you have to go through now in the NFL.”

LB Devon Kennard Named “NFC Defensive Player of the Week”: New York Giants linebacker Devon Kennard has been named the “NFC Defensive Player of the Week” for his performance against the Tennessee Titans last Sunday in the team’s 36-7 victory.

In that game, Kennard was credited with six solo tackles, two sacks, two tackles for losses, and a forced fumble that was returned for a touchdown by defensive tackle Markus Kuhn.

“(Kennard) has been a really outstanding player for us in the last few weeks,” said Head Coach Tom Coughlin. “He has had a number of sacks, a number of hits on the quarterback and he has played well at the linebacker level, whether it is in coverage or whatever. He is a young man who…loves to play. He is physical and he is one of those guys by just looking in his eyes you know that he wants to be on the field.”

Kennard is the first Giant defender to receive a Player of the Week award since defensive end Justin Tuck in Week 13 of the 2013 season. He is the first Giants linebacker to be honored since Mathias Kiwanuka, who played linebacker that season, in Week 9 in 2011 against New England.

Kennard is the first Giants defensive rookie to be honored as a Player of the Week.

“There have been some incredible linebackers to play for this organization,” Kennard said. “So something like that, it was definitely special. But I know that I have a long way to go and a lot of things that I want to improve and continue to develop in my game. I’m just taking it one day at a time and am grateful for that accomplishment.”

“I think I played a good game, but there are always things (to improve),” Kennard said. “Route recognition, understanding formations, just allowing myself to play faster and faster. That’s all going to come with the more reps I get, the more comfortable I’m getting. I just want to continue to get better. I’m not in any way, shape or form satisfied.”

“Kennard is a phenomenal kid,” linebacker Jameel McClain said. “Kennard is focusing on his game and he focuses on details. For him to be so young and be such a professional, it is amazing.”

December 10, 2014 Tom Coughlin Press Conference: The transcript and video of Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s Wednesday’s press conference are available at Giants.com and BigBlueInteractive.com.

December 10, 2014 New York Giants Player Media Q&As: Transcripts and video of media sessions on Wednesday with the following players are available at Giants.com and BigBlueInteractive.com:

7 takeaways from Giants Media Hour by Dan Salomone of Giants.com

ESPN Radio Interview with WR Odell Beckham: The audio of Wednesday’s ESPN Radio interview with WR Odell Beckham is available at ESPN.com.

Article on QB Eli Manning: The truth about the new offense’s effect on Eli by Paul Schwartz of The New York Post

Article on QB Ryan Nassib: Ryan Nassib not likely to play for Giants by Kieran Darcy of ESPNNewYork.com

Articles on RBs Rashad Jennings and Andre Williams:

Article on WR Odell Beckham: Odell Beckham is most talented ever, David Tyree says by Chris Wesseling for NFL.com

Articles on the New York Giants Offensive Line: 

Article on DE Jason Pierre-Paul: Jason Pierre-Paul wants to be a ‘Giant for life’ if it’s in the cards by Nick Powell for NJ.com

Article on the New York Giants and Injuries: Giants lead NFL with 20 players on injured reserve; are these injuries preventable? by Jordan Raanan for NJ.com

Dec 092014
 
Antrel Rolle and Quintin Demps, New York Giants (December 7, 2014)

Antrel Rolle and Quintin Demps – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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Giants Re-Sign DT Dominique Hamilton to the Practice Squad: The New York Giants have re-signed defensive tackle Dominique Hamilton to the team’s Practice Squad.

Hamilton originally signed with the Oakland Raiders as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2012 NFL Draft. The Raiders cut him and he was on NFL practice squads in 2012 (Redskins) and 2013 (Redskins and Chiefs). The Chiefs waived him in August 2014.

The Giants signed him to the Practice Squad on September 3, signed him to the 53-man roster on December 2, and waived him on December 6 when linebacker Paul Hazel was promoted to the 53-man roster.

S Antrel Rolle on WFAN Radio: The audio of Tuesday’s WFAN interview with S Antrel Rolle is available at CBS New York

Articles on Head Coach Tom Coughlin:

Articles on the 2014 New York Giants Rookie Class:

Article on QB Eli Manning: The world-class trait that sets Eli Manning apart by Steve Serby of The New York Post

Article on RB Andre Williams: Giants’ Andre Williams growing in confidence by Art Stapleton of The Bergen Record

Articles on WR Odell Beckham:

Article on DT Markus Kuhn: Touchdowns translate for German fans of Markus Kuhn by Tom Rock of Newsday

Article on S Antrel Rolle: Giants should think twice about re-signing Antrel Rolle by Ebenezer Samuel of The New York Daily News

Sights and Sounds from Giants-Titans Game: A sights and sounds video from the Giants-Titans game is available at Giants.com.

Notes: In the last six games, WR Odell Beckham has caught 49 passes. That is the highest total in a six-game span by a rookie in NFL history.

Beckham is both the first Giants player ever and the first rookie in NFL history with six consecutive games with 90 or more receiving yards.

Beckham has two games this season with at least 10 catches and 130 receiving yards. He is the first rookie in NFL history to do that.

In Tennessee, Beckham totaled 11 catches for 130 yards and running back Andre Williams rushed for 131 yards on 24 carries. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Giants were the first team in NFL history to have rookies with 130 rushing and receiving yards in the same game.

Quarterback Eli Manning has thrown for 3,340 yards this year. It is his 10th consecutive 3,000-yard season, the fourth-longest streak in NFL history behind Brett Favre (18), Peyton Manning (13) and Drew Brees (11).

In the last two weeks, the Giants had seven sacks at Jacksonville and eight at Tennessee. It is the first time in their history they had at least seven sacks in consecutive games.

If the Giants defeat Washington on Sunday, they will clinch third place in the NFC East.

Aug 232014
 
Marcus Harris, New York Giants (August 3, 2014)

Marcus Harris – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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August 23, 2014 New York Giants Injury Report: Four New York Giants were injured in the team’s 35-24 victory over the New York Jets on Friday night: OG Geoff Schwartz (toe), WR Marcus Harris (shoulder), DT Markus Kuhn (ankle), and CB Zack Bowman (arm).

The injury to Schwartz is serious. According to press reports, his dislocated big right toe has been examined or will be examined by a number of specialists. The most optimistic scenario is that he could be out 4-6 weeks; the worst-case scenario is he will need surgery and will miss the entire season.

Harris’ should injury could also be severe enough to cause the Giants to place the upstart talent on Injured Reserve or waived/injured.

“The Schwartz injury, the Harris injury, those are injuries that are going to be a long while, probably,” said Head Coach Tom Coughlin on Saturday. “Then we got Markus Kuhn with a little bit of an ankle sprain that may hobble him this week, which I am disappointed if that is the case. Quite frankly, I wanted to have the chance for Markus to be able to finish strong here in the preseason based on not being able to go last year… The Bowman injury, I hope is not much, but the disappointment of losing the two players for some length of time is not what preseason is about.”

“We don’t want to lose anybody and losing Geoff is, as I said, a major disappointment,” said Coughlin. “Let’s not jump to conclusions, let’s see what happens when the evaluation is completed as to what the length of time is involved.”

August 23, 2014 Tom Coughlin Press Conference: The transcript from Sunday’s media conference call with Head Coach Tom Coughlin is available at BigBlueInteractive.com.

August 22, 2014 Tom Coughlin Post-Game Press Conference: The transcript and video of Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s post-game press conference on Friday night are available at Giants.com.

New York Giants Post-Game Player Media Sessions: Transcripts and video clips of the post-game media Q&As on Friday night with the following players are available at Giants.com:

Aug 172014
 
Cooper Taylor (30), New York Giants (November 10, 2013)

Cooper Taylor returning a blocked punt for a TD – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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BigBlueInteractive.com (BBI) Updates: In case you missed it, articles from BBI today:

August 17, 2014 New York Giants Injury Report: Four New York Giants were injured in the team’s 27-26 comeback victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday night: CB Prince Amukamara (groin), S Cooper Taylor (foot/toe), OT Charles Brown (shoulder), and DT Markus Kuhn (elbow).

Taylor sustained an injury to the sesamoid bone in his foot.

“Cooper is significant and he has an injury that will require quite a bit of time,” said Head Coach Tom Coughlin. “That is most unfortunate for the young man…It is a foot injury again. It is one of those sesamoid deals up under the toe. It’s excessive enough that they are saying he will be out for quite some time.”

Regarding Amukamara, Coughlin said, “I believe he will (an MRI). It is a groin and whenever you have something like that with a position that of course Prince Amukamara plays you are concerned. We will see, I don’t know that it is day to day but he is sore.”

On Brown, Coughlin said, “I’m not sure exactly how much time Charles Brown will miss, but there may be some time in there. I know the normal deal here is to put them in a brace or fit them for a brace as soon as he is capable with playing without the soreness, so we will see.”

Coughlin said Kuhn hyperextended his elbow but will likely be able to play with the injury.

August 17, 2014 Tom Coughlin Press Conference: The transcript from Sunday’s media conference call with Head Coach Tom Coughlin is available at BigBlueInteractive.com. Some tidbits from Coughlin:

  • “We continue to not really have very many big plays. We had some at the end of the game. There are not enough plays being made by our starters on the offensive or defensive side of the ball…All of the sudden the preseason is flying by here, and we do have an awful lot still to accomplish.”
  • “I think we have to work on a lot of things. Basically we have to work on everything. Last night we didn’t run it, we certainly didn’t throw the ball with any consistency. We don’t have people who are definitely running open. Our protection does break down from time to time and we don’t react well under pressure when we do realize that there has to be a hot or sight adjustment involved in getting the ball out of the quarterback’s hand and trying to accomplish a positive play in the face of pressure.”
  • “We are not stuck with anything (on the offensive line). As I said, just because five guys trot out there doesn’t mean that’s the starting unit.”
  • “(The starters) better (play with a sense of urgency). It’s not written in stone about what you do with the last preseason game either (in terms of the starters not playing much).”

August 16, 2014 Tom Coughlin Post-Game Press Conference: The transcript of Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s post-game press conference on Saturday night is available at Giants.com.

New York Giants Post-Game Player Media Sessions: Transcripts and video clips of the post-game media Q&As on Saturday night with the following players are available at Giants.com:

NY Post Q&A with LB Jameel McClain: Serby’s Sunday Q&A with Jameel McClain by Steve Serby of The New York Post

Article on the Giants-Colts Game: Giants: 10 positives to take from victory over the Colts includes the improving linebackers by Jordan Raanan of NJ.com

Articles on the New York Giants Wide Receivers:

Article on DE Israel Idonije: No Longer an Impact Player, a Giant Finds a Way to Deliver a Kaboom by Zach Schonbrun of The New York Times

Article on LB Jacquian Williams: Soft-spoken Giants LB Williams ready for loud year on field by Paul Schwartz of The New York Post

Article on CB Walter Thurmond: Giants cornerback Walter Thurmond III is a filmmaker by Tom Rock of Newsday

Aug 042014
 
Daniel Fells, New York Giants (August 3, 2014)

Daniel Fells – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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August 4, 2014 New York Giants Injury Report: As reported earlier today, RB David Wilson’s NFL career with the New York Giants is over. Doctors have advised Wilson to never play football again. The Giants will place him on season-ending Injured Reserve.

“You naturally feel bad, you feel down,” said Head Coach Tom Coughlin. “It is just a natural thing. I have to say when David came in and we sat and talked, he is such an up-beat young man. He is so positive. The smile is still on his face, even though he has received this kind of news…The way he expressed it was, ‘God must have something in mind for me. I want no pity. I want no one feeling sorry for me. I am not going to be down about this. No one will catch me in that frame of mind.’…I thought that was a wonderful thing for him to say and a great lesson for all of us.”

“Once a Giant, always a Giant,” said Coughlin. “He heard it earlier in the week and it is true. He’s a Giant. He’ll always be a Giant.”

The Giants did survive an injury scare to TE Daniel Fells, who is battling for a starting spot. It was thought Fells had sprained his knee or worse, but Coughlin said the injury is a bone bruise to the knee.

August 4, 2014 Tom Coughlin Conference Call: The transcript from Monday’s conference call with Head Coach Tom Coughlin is available at BigBlueInteractive.com.

August 3, 2014 Tom Coughlin Post-Game Press Conference: Video of Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s post-game press conference on Sunday night is available at Giants.com.

New York Giants Post-Game Player Media Sessions: Video clips of the post-game media Q&As on Sunday night with the following players are available at Giants.com:

  • QB Eli Manning (Video)
  • QB Ryan Nassib (Video)
  • RB Andre Williams (Video)
  • WR Corey Washington (Video)
  • OT Justin Pugh (Video)
  • DE Damontre Moore (Video)

Sights & Sounds from Giants-Bills Game: A sights & sounds video from the Giants-Bills preseason game is available at Giants.com.

Article on the Giants-Bills Game: 5 Giants takeaways from Hall of Fame Game vs. Bills by Jordan Raanan of NJ.com

Article on the 2014 New York Giants: Victor Cruz, NY Giants won’t be looking ahead, but still have plenty of confidence by Ebenezer Samuel of The New York Daily News

Article on QB Eli Manning and Former Giants DE Michael Strahan: Eli Manning appreciates Michael Strahan’s words and accomplishments by Tom Rock of Newsday

Article on QB Ryan Nassib: Giants QB Ryan Nassib out to prove he can be Eli Manning’s backup by Arthur Stapleton of The Bergen Record

Articles on New York Giants Running Backs:

Article on WR Corey Washington: Giants long-shot wideout Corey Washington finds strength from a special fan by Conor Orr of The

Article on DT Markus Kuhn: After torn ACL, Giants’ Markus Kuhn gets fresh start by Zach Braziller of The New York Post

Article on S Stevie Brown: Giants’ Stevie Brown looking to pick up where he left off by Tom Rock of Newsday

Article on PK Josh Brown: Brown knows Giants job not guaranteed by Mark Cannizzaro of The New York Post

Notes and Quotes: Head Coach Tom Coughlin on WR Corey Washington:

Wasn’t that some play by that kid? He has done that in practice a couple of times, where he has done some things that were pretty spectacular that got our attention – one as a gunner, just flat-out running and splitting the double-team and then moving on down the field to make a play on the punt returner. He did that in practice and was recognized and very noticeable, and he has made some of those catches here on the practice field, where he has gone up over the top of people and caught the ball.

The Giants will return to practice on Tuesday from 5:40-7:50 at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center. The workout is closed to the public because of the One Direction concert at MetLife Stadium.

Jul 272014
 
New York Giants Training Camp (July 27, 2014)

New York Giants Training Camp – Photo by Connor Hughes

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BigBlueInteractive.com (BBI) Updates: In case you missed it, original-content articles from BBI today:

July 27, 2014 New York Giants Injury Report: LB Jon Beason (foot – PUP), WR Odell Beckham (hamstring), WR Trindon Holliday (leg), and TE Xavier Grimble (hamstring) did not practice.

Head Coach Tom Coughlin was asked if it was a little disappointing that Beckham has not practiced yet at camp. “It’s more than that,” replied Coughlin. “You’re trying to put a team together. We saw too much of that in the spring. It’d be nice to get him back practicing. He actually looks pretty good moving around, catching the ball, not favoring anything. I’m just hoping it’s a real short amount of time.”

“(The trainers are) not going to let him go if he’s in the danger of hurting himself,” said Coughlin. “That’s all there is to it. I can stand there and fight all I want, but it’s not going to happen. When they feel he can go and not risk any recurring injury, they’ll let him go…I think there has been (some improvement).”

Coughlin on Holliday: “He did something catching a punt. Hopefully, it’s not much.”

Coughlin on Grimble: “Minor hamstring strain a couple of days ago.”

July 27, 2014 Tom Coughlin Press Conference: The transcript and video from Sunday’s press conference with Head Coach Tom Coughlin are available at Giants.com.

July 27, 2014 New York Giants Player Media Q&As: Transcripts and video clips of Sunday’s media Q&A sessions with the following players are available at Giants.com:

7 things we found out during media hour by Dan Salomone of Giants.com

New York Giants Practice Reports:

Article on New York Giants Training Camp: Giants put on the pads; Linemen talk benefits by Michael Eisen of Giants.com

Article on QB Ryan Nassib: Ryan Nassib expected growing pains, eventual improvement at Giants training camp by Jordan Raanan of NJ.com

Article on New York Giants Running Backs:

Articles on the New York Giants and the Fullback Position:

Article on the New York Giants Linebackers: Linebackers becoming a Big Blue strength by Paul Schwartz of The New York Post

Article on Former Giants DE Michael Strahan: Move to left end early in his career set Michael Strahan on a path to the Hall of Fame by Bob Glauber of Newsday

Article on the New York Giants Place Kicking Competition: Giants’ kicker battle: ‘No Tonya Hardings’ by Dan Graziano of ESPN.com

Jul 112014
 
Jason Pierre-Paul, New York Giants (June 18,2014)

Jason Pierre-Paul – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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With the New York Giants reporting to camp in less than two weeks, BigBlueInteractive.com is breaking down each of the team’s positional groups from now until July 21. Today, let’s take a look at this year’s defensive line.

FIND A COMPLETE LIST OF ALL BREAKDOWNS HERE

POSITIONAL BREAKDOWN: Defensive Line

Mathias Kiwanuka, New York Giants (June 18, 2014)

Mathias Kiwanuka – © USA TODAY Sports Images

2013 YEAR IN REVIEW: The 2013 defensive line performed adequately, helping the New York Giants finish 8th in total defense (10th against the pass and 14th against the run). But those figures may have been inflated by the Giants facing some incredibly poor quarterbacks/passing offenses. The chief problem for the Giants was their best player up front, Jason Pierre-Paul, had his second subpar season in a row. Pierre-Paul had surgery in June 2013 to repair a herniated disc in his lower back and he never seemed to fully rebound from that procedure. He flashed some of his old form in Week 10 but also suffered a shoulder injury in that game which caused him to miss the last five games of the season. He finished 2013 with only 27 tackles and 2 sacks in 11 games. Statistically, the most productive player was Justin Tuck, who rebounded with a strong season (63 tackles, 11 sacks, 1 interception, and 2 forced fumbles) after two down seasons in a row. Mathias Kiwanuka played in all 16 games, with 10 starts at right defensive end. He finished the season with 41 tackles, 6 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. Damontre Moore was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2013 NFL Draft. However, an early preseason shoulder injury disrupted his development, and while Moore flashed on special teams, he did not make much noise at defensive end when given a limited number of snaps.

The Giants were pretty stout inside with Linval Joseph (59 tackles, 3 sacks, and 1 forced fumble) and Cullen Jenkins (31 tackles, 5 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles). Backing them up were Mike Patterson (23 tackles), Shaun Rogers (9 tackles), Johnathan Hankins (16 tackles), and Markus Kuhn (1 tackle). Rogers started two games but was placed on Injured Reserve in November in a move that appeared to be designed to give Hankins more snaps as well as keep Kuhn, who had been on the PUP recovering from an ACL tear he suffered in 2012.

Overall, the slow-but-sure aging and departure of past stalwarts such as Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, and Justin Tuck – combined with two down season by JPP – has largely taken the bite out of the once-formidable outside pass rush. Tuck had 11 sacks in 2013, but six of those came against the Redskins. The other ends combined for only eight sacks on the season while the tackles chipped in with only eight as a unit.

ADDITIONS/SUBTRACTIONS: The Giants did not show much interest in re-signing 31-year old Justin Tuck and he is now in Oakland. Gone too is the Giants best defensive tackle of the last couple of seasons, Linval Joseph, who signed a big contract with the Minnesota Vikings. Again, it did not appear that the Giants made much of an effort to re-sign him. The Giants also did not choose to re-sign Shaun Rogers, who remains an unrestricted free agent.

Robert Ayers, New York Giants (June 12, 2014)

Robert Ayers – © USA TODAY Sports Images

The main additions are DE Robert Ayers (UFA from Denver Broncos) and DT Jay Bromley (3rd round draft pick). The Giants also have brought in rookie free agents ends Kerry Wynn, Emmanuel Dieke, and Jordan Stanton as well as tackle Kelcy Quarles. Practice Squad DE Kendrick Adams, who has spent time with the Jaguars, Buccaneers, Lions, Browns, and Bengals, was re-signed. DT Everett Dawkins, who has spent time with the Vikings, Cowboys, and Buccaneers, was added as street free agent in June 2014.

TRAINING CAMP STORY LINES: Will Jason Pierre-Paul regain his 2011 form? Who will start opposite of him – Mathias Kiwanuka, Robert Ayers, or Damontre Moore? Who will start at defensive tackle with Cullen Jenkins? How many defensive tackles will the Giants keep?

“(Moore) made good, steady progress,” said Head Coach Tom Coughlin in June. “He’s, naturally, a year later, a year more into it so he’s more comfortable with what’s going on. It’s not one of those things where you don’t notice that he’s out there because he does have a correction here or there. We like what we see. His continued development in the weight room with just some added muscle and strength, a little bit more size is something that will help a lot.”

ON THE BUBBLE: Barring injury, it would seem that JPP, Kiwanuka, Ayers, and Moore are locks to be the four defensive ends. Jenkins, Hankins, and Bromley are probably sure bets at tackle. Do the Giants keep four or five tackles? It could come down to a serious battle between Markus Kuhn and Mike Patterson.

FROM THE POSITIONAL COACH: Robert Nunn on Damontre Moore and Johnathan Hankins:  “I thought Damontre really took a step forward (this offseason) and Hankins really took off at the end of last year and has done a great job in the offseason working out, coming in in really good condition…I like where they are at now.”

Mike Patterson (93) and Kelcy Quarles (97), New York Giants (June 5, 2014)

Mike Patterson (93) and Kelcy Quarles (97) – Photo by Connor Hughes

Nunn on Cullen Jenkins and Mike Patterson: “They’re solid guys, solid veteran guys. And they understand where they are in this stage of their career and we’ll have to take care of them through training camp. Both of those guys have had outstanding offseasons, I thought Mike came in here in really good shape. Cullen’s always been in good shape ever since I’ve been around him. We’ll see where it goes. Again, it’s so hard to tell, we’re so limited in what we can do in the offseason now but they’re in great shape and a really good frame of mind and have done a really good job with leadership with the younger players. We’ll see where it goes.”

Nunn on Markus Kuhn: “He had an outstanding offseason, really outstanding practices. He and Hankins, they’ll definitely get more reps in training camp than Mike P and Cullen if everything goes as planned. He showed up every day. When we go out there and go in team situations Markus was, there wasn’t a day that went by that we didn’t call his name out in a positive manner.”

Nunn on Jay Bromley: “You know, he’s come in very willing to learn. He’s very green, very raw but hey, he’s got to get started. Those guys are the ones that really suffer as far as how limited we are with what we can do. He needs all the work he can get but he’s shown enough that hey, he’s got to show up when the pads come on. We’ll see when that happens.”

PREDICTIONS:

Eric Kennedy – The Giants will have problems rushing the quarterback. Unless Kiwanuka, Ayers, or Moore can get to the passer on a consistent basis, Jason Pierre-Paul may be in for a rough season. Without a viable threat opposite of him, JPP will be the focal point of other teams’ blocking schemes. Kiwanuka and Ayers have flashed throughout their veteran careers, but they have yet to become (and may never become) guys who the other teams really worry about. To be frank, when Moore played DE last year, he didn’t look good. Perhaps he will show more now that he is healthier and stronger. I think Hankins has the tools to be better than Linval Joseph and if the Giants can get another good, solid season out of Jenkins, they’ll be fine inside. I’d prefer to keep only four defensive tackles, but I think 2014 will be a redshirt season for Bromley and thus the Giants will be forced to keep both Patterson and Kuhn.

Connor Hughes – For all the questions concerning the Giants’ roster heading into training camp, the regular season and beyond, I don’t believe any have as many unknowns as the defensive line. Throughout the course of the offseason, the Giants put their emphasis on the secondary. Gone were the days of loading up on pass rushers. Instead, the team signed and signed again big-name and high profile defenders in the secondary. I agree with the change in philosophy, but I have very little faith in those up front.

Mathias Kiwanuka appears to be in the tail end of his career, who knows what JPP will take the field (if he even gets on it), Cullen Jenkins is older, Johnathan Hankins has yet to be an every-down player and Mike Patterson doesn’t have much ability outside stopping the run. Justin Tuck is in Oakland, Jay Bromley is a rookie. If one or two injuries hit the group…things could get ugly fast.

Granted, things could go the complete other/positive way. Robert Ayers could excel in a new location, JPP could be the Pierre-Paul of 2011, Kiwanuka could revitalize his career, Hankins could be a force and maybe Bromley steps up. I’ve thought long and hard about the positives of the defensive line, and I’ve come up with a bunch, but for every one good there are two negatives. Who knows, maybe the secondary can mask the guys up front. That philosophy certainly worked in the reciprocal fashion over the last seven years.

FINAL DEPTH CHART:

Eric Kennedy – Mathias Kiwanuka (LDE), Johnathan Hankins (LDT), Cullen Jenkins (RDT), and Jason Pierre-Paul (RDE). Reserves: Mike Patterson, Markus Kuhn, Jay Bromley, Robert Ayers, and Damontre Moore.

Connor Hughes – Mathias Kiwanuka (LDE), Johnathan Hankins (LDT), Cullen Jenkins (RDT), Jason Pierre-Paul (RDE). Reserves: Mike Patterson, Markus Kuhn, Jay Bromley, Robert Ayers, and Damontre Moore.