Nov 102018
 
Patrick Omameh, New York Giants (October 7, 2018)

Patrick Omameh – © USA TODAY Sports

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NEW YORK GIANTS CUT PATRICK OMAMEH…
The New York Giants have waived offensive guard Patrick Omameh, who was signed by the team in free agency to a 3-year, $15 million contract. Omameh started the first six regular season games at right guard for the Giants before being benched. Cutting Omameh is expected to cost about $3 million in dead money against the 2019 salary cap.

“It’s always hard when you release a veteran, especially a guy like Pat,” said Head Coach Pat Shurmur. “Probably one of my favorite people that I’ve met doing this. Sometimes, it’s about the player. Sometimes, it’s about the situation, the numbers, and all that, but we wish Pat well… Pat came in and to his credit, he’s been a good soldier. We moved him around. We brought him in. We were going to play him at left guard. We signed him before we knew we were going to draft Will (Hernandez), so he moved over to right guard. He battled for us. You just make changes, and that’s just the way it goes. We’re constantly looking to try to get the right combination of guys.”

The 6’4”, 327-pound Omameh was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the San Francisco 49ers after the 2013 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the 49ers (2013), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2013-2014), Chicago Bears (2015), and Jaguars (2016-2017).

To fill Omameh’s roster spot, the Giants signed wide receiver/returner Quadree Henderson from the team’s Practice Squad. The Giants had cut Henderson from the 53-man roster on Tuesday.

The 5’8”, 192-pound Henderson was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Pittsburgh Steelers after the 2018 NFL Draft. The Steelers waived him before the season started. The Giants signed Henderson to the Practice Squad and then the 53-man roster in October 2018.

NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
Wide receiver Jawill Davis (concussion), offensive tackle Chad Wheeler (ankle), and linebacker Alec Ogletree (hamstring) fully practiced on Saturday. All three are expected to be available to play on Monday against the San Francisco 49ers.

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:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
There is no media availability to the Giants on Sunday. The team plays the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night.

Oct 202018
 
Patrick Omameh, New York Giants (October 7, 2018)

Patrick Omameh – © USA TODAY Sports

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NEW YORK GIANTS OFFENSIVE LINE SHAKEUP…
According to multiple media reports, John Greco will be moved from center to right guard to replace Patrick Omameh in the starting line-up. Spencer Pulley will now start at center.

The Giants claimed Pulley off of waivers from the Los Angeles Chargers in September 2018. The 25-year old, 6’4, 308-pound Pulley was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Chargers after the 2016 NFL Draft. Spencer started all 16 regular-season games for the Chargers in 2017 at center.

Offensive line coach Hal Hunter telegraphed these moves earlier in the day. “(Pulley has) doing a great job,” said Hunter. “He’s really smart. The first thing I did when we got him I called Phillip Rivers to ask about him and Phillip gave me great insight into the guy and so based on that it helped me coach the guy a little bit. He’s tough and he’s athletic. I think he’s got a good grasp of the offense and I think he is pushing toward perhaps maybe being one of the first five. We’ll see what happens as the season goes on.

“Greco’s done a great job filling in. He did the same thing for me in Cleveland. He was a guard that actually was forced into playing center when our center got hurt in Cleveland. That’s kind of what’s happened here. He’s a guard that’s been forced into center play and he’s been really solid at the center position these last couple of weeks.”

NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
Right guard Patrick Omameh (knee) and wide receiver Jawill Davis (concussion) did not practice on Saturday. Omameh was added to the injury list on Saturday and he is officially listed as “questionable” for the game against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night. Davis has already been ruled out of the game.

“Yeah, (Omameh) kind of got his leg tangled up yesterday in practice so we’ll just see how it responds here overnight,” said Head Coach Pat Shurmur. “We’ll just have to see.”

Wide receiver Russell Shepard (neck) practiced on a limited basis and is “questionable” for the game.

Tight end Evan Engram (knee), tight end Rhett Ellison (foot), left tackle Nate Solder (neck), and linebacker Olivier Vernon (ribs) fully practiced. All four are expected to play.

DICK MODZELEWSKI PASSES AWAY…
Dick Modzelewski, who played eight years with the New York Giants at defensive tackle from 1956-1963, died on Friday at the age of 87. Modzelewski also served as defensive coordinator of the Giants in 1978. As a player Modzelewski played in six NFL Championship games with the Giants.

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…
There is no media availability to the Giants on Sunday. The team will play the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night in Georgia.

Sep 072018
 
Olivier Vernon, New York Giants (August 1, 2018)

Olivier Vernon – © USA TODAY Sports

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NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT – OLIVIER VERNON RULED OUT…
Not practicing on Friday due to injury were linebacker Olivier Vernon (high ankle sprain) and linebacker Tae Davis (hamstring). Both players have been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“It’s safe to say (Vernon) won’t make it this week,” said Head Coach Pat Shurmur. “We’ll just worry about it week to week. He’s making great progress, so we’ll just have to see…We’re going to play with the guys that are healthy and we’ll see. Obviously you’d like to have OV on the field.”

Linebacker Lorenzo Carter (illness) fully practiced and is expected to play on Sunday.

PRACTICE SQUAD MOVES…
The New York Giants have signed running back Robert Martin to the Practice Squad, two days after he was waived from the 53-man roster. To make room for Martin, the Giants terminated the Practice Squad contract of defensive lineman Josh Banks.

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

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

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
There is no media availability to the New York Giants on Saturday. The team plays the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at home.

Aug 252018
 
Hunter Sharp, New York Giants (August 24, 2018)

Hunter Sharp – © USA TODAY Sports

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NEW YORK GIANTS 22 – NEW YORK JETS 16…
The New York Giants defeated the New York Jets 22-16 in their annual third preseason game match-up on Friday night at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants improved their preseason record to 2-1.

The Giants out-gained the Jets in total net yards (344 to 240), net yards rushing (87 to 66), and net yards passing (257 to 174). Two key differences in the game were penalties and special teams return yardage. The Jets were flagged 13 times for 108 yards while the Giants were flagged half of that with six penalties for 50 yards. The Giants dominated the Jets in punt return yardage: 145 to zero.

The game did not start off well for the Giants as the New York Jets, behind rookie quarterback Sam Darnold, drove his team 75 yards in 11 plays to take a 7-0 lead on a 10-yard touchdown run by running back Bilal Powell. In response, the Giants’ offense gained one first down on their initial drive and punted.

The Giants defense settled down after the Jets’ first possession. They forced a three and out, which was key as wideout Hunter Sharp returned the ensuing punt 45 yards for a touchdown that tied the game at 7-7.

The Giants’ defense then forced another three-and-out and the G-Men got the ball back on their own 40-yard line. On the first offensive play of this series, quarterback Eli Manning hit wide receiver Cody Latimer for a 54-yard gain deep down the middle of the field to the Jets’ 6-yard line. However, on the very next snap, running back Jonathan Stewart fumbled the ball away to the Jets, who returned it 39 yards to the Giants 47-yard line, blowing a great scoring opportunity. Five plays later, Darnold threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Terrelle Pryor. The Jets missed the extra point and led 13-7.

The Giants responded with an 11-play, 50-yard drive that led to a 48-yard field goal by place kicker Aldrick Rosas. After forcing a three-and-out, the Giants quickly got the ball back and tied the game at 13-13 after another 50-yard drive resulted in a 40-yard field goal by Rosas. Both drives were sparked by long completions from Manning to wide receiver Sterling Shepard.

The Giants got the ball back right away again when linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong forced a fumble on the ensuing Jets’ kick return. Tight end Jerell Adams recovered the ball and the Giants were set up at the 16-yard line. However, the Giants could not get the ball into the endzone and settled for another field goal by Rosas, this one from 27 yards out as the Giants went ahead for good, 16-13. The Giants were able to add to their advantage before halftime by forcing their fourth three-and-out of the half. Wide receiver Kalif Raymond returned the ensuing punt 35 yards to the Jets’ 30-yard line. Again, the Giants stalled in the red zone, settling for a 21-yard field goal and a 19-13 halftime lead.

The back-ups played in the second half and neither team did much scoring after the break. Both teams punted twice in the 3rd quarter. The Giants began their third drive of the half at their own 16-yard. A penalty and sack put the team in a 3rd-and-19 situation from their own 7-yard line, but quarterback Davis Webb and wide receiver Alonzo Russell bailed the Giants out of trouble with a 47-yard deep strike that helped to set up a 44-yard field goal by place kicker Marshall Koehn. The Giants now led 22-13 early in the 4th quarter.

After both teams exchanged punts again, the Jets’ second- and third-teamers drove 78 yards in 13 plays. However, their drive stalled at the 2-yard line and the Jets were forced to settle for a 20-yard field goal with just under three minutes to play. The Giants were able to run most of the rest of the clock out before punting and the game ended.

On special teams, Rosas was 4-for-4 on field goal attempts with kicks from 48, 40, 27, and 21 yards out. The Giants returned seven punts for 145 yards and also forced a turnover on a Jets’ kickoff return. (By the way, the TOTAL punt return yardage for the Giants team in 2017 was 148 yards!)

Offensively, Manning played well and finished the game 17-of-23 for 188 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. His leading receiver was Sterling Shepard with seven catches for 78 yards. Running back Wayne Gallman was held to 23 yards on 11 carries, but newcomer Jhurell Pressley rushed for 71 yards on 11 carries.

Defensively, the Jets were held to 66 yards rushing and 174 yards passing. Defensive end Kerry Wynn picked up another sack and linebacker Lorenzo Carter and defensive end Josh Mauro shared a sack. The defense did not force a turnover however.

Video highlights are available at Giants.com.

INACTIVE LIST AND INJURY REPORT – EVAN ENGRAM SUFFERS CONCUSSION…
Not playing for the Giants due to injury were wide running back Saquon Barkley (hamstring), running back Jalen Simmons (concussion), defensive end R.J. McIntosh (unknown – Active/Non-Football Illness list), linebacker Connor Barwin (knee), linebacker Calvin Munson (concussion), and safety Darian Thompson (hamstring).

Running back Robert Martin did not play and there is media speculation that an ankle or foot injury kept him out.

Wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr., quarterback Alex Tanney, and cornerback Mike Jones were healthy scratches.

Tight end Evan Engram left the game with a concussion. Tight end Rhett Ellison left the game with an eye injury.

POST-GAME REACTION…
Video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Pat Shurmur and the following players are available at Giants.com:

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Head Coach Pat Shurmur will address the media by conference call on Saturday. The players are off on that day.

Aug 202018
 
Pat Shurmur, New York Giants (August 17, 2018)

Pat Shurmur – © USA TODAY Sports

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AUGUST 20, 2018 NEW YORK GIANTS PRACTICE REPORT…
There are no more New York Giants training camp practices open to the public this summer. However, the team will continue to practice at Quest Diagnostics Training Center each week, including Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday this week.

NEW YORK GIANTS ROSTER MOVES…
The New York Giants have signed free agents running back Jhurell Pressley and linebacker Warren Long.

The 26-year old, 5’10, 206-pound Pressley was originally signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2016 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Vikings (2016), Green Bay Packers (2016), Atlanta Falcons (2016-2017), and Jacksonville Jaguars (2017). Pressley hasn’t played in a regular-season game.

“I was with (Pressley) before, good runner, fast, tough guy,” Head Coach Pat Shurmur said. “We brought him in, he’s got some familiarity with what we do offensively, and we’ll get him in the mix.”

A converted running back, the 23-year old, 5’11”, 212-pound Long was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Seattle Seahawks after the 2018 NFL Draft. The Seahawks cut him on Saturday.

To make room for Pressley and Long, the Giants waived/injured linebacker Thurston Armbrister and waived safety Mike Basile.

Armbrister has been sidelined for weeks with a hamstring injury. The Giants signed Armbrister to a reserve/futures contract in January 2018. Armbrister was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Jacksonville Jaguars after the 2015 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Jaguars (2015) and Detroit Lions (2016-2017). Armbrister has played in 30 regular-season games with five starts, and has accumulated 38 tackles and one pass defense. He did not play in a regular-season game in 2017.

The Giants signed Basile, an undrafted rookie free agent, on August 8th.

INJURY REPORT…
Not practicing on Monday due to injury were wide running back Saquon Barkley (hamstring), running back Jalen Simmons (concussion), defensive end R.J. McIntosh (unknown – Active/Non-Football Illness list), linebacker Connor Barwin (knee), linebacker Calvin Munson (concussion), and safety Darian Thompson (hamstring).

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • The Giants practiced in full pads.
  • The defense clearly out-practiced the offense today with the defense getting too much penetration against the offensive line.
  • Curtis Riley remains the first-team free safety and William Gay the first-team slot corner.
  • Linebacker Alec Ogletree blew threw the line to nail running back Wayne Gallman for a loss.
  • Quarterback Kyle Lauletta threw a long touchdown pass to wide receiver Jawill Davis against cornerback Mike Jones.
  • Linebacker Alec Ogletree knocked away a quarterback Eli Manning pass intended for wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. across the middle of the defense. Then Ogletree picked off a lazy deep pass from Manning to wide receiver Hunter Sharp.
  • Wide receiver Travis Rudolph dropped two passes.
  • Quarterback Alex Tanney threw a nice deep corner route to wideout Jawill Davis over safety Sean Chandler.
  • Linebacker B.J. Goodson knocked away a pass intended for running back Shane Smith.

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…

Jul 022018
 
Will Hernandez, New York Giants (May 11, 2018)

Will Hernandez – © USA TODAY Sports

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With New York Giants training camp beginning in late July, BigBlueInteractive.com (BBI) breaks down each of the team’s positional groups until the players report at Quest Diagnostics Training Center.

FIND A COMPLETE LIST OF ALL BREAKDOWNS HERE

POSITIONAL BREAKDOWN: Offensive Line

2017 YEAR IN REVIEW: No other position epitomizes the futility of the New York Giants since their last Super Bowl appearance than the team’s offensive line. It is a myth to say that Jerry Reese and Marc Ross ignored the position. Instead, one could argue that their demise was largely due to the allocation of significant draft and free agent resources with negative returns.

2017 was supposed to be the year that the three premium draft picks (Justin Pugh, Weston Richburg, Ereck Flowers), signed and then re-signed John Jerry, and self-proclaimed “best right tackle in football” Bobby Hart turned a team weakness into at the very least a middle-of-the-pack unit. However, once again, the Giants offensive line was one of the worst in the NFL. The line couldn’t protect Eli Manning (31 sacks, the second most in his career despite an offensive system predicated on the short passing game) or open holes for running backs (26th in rushing). Justin Pugh talked a big game (again) and got hurt (again), missing half the season. Weston Richburg only started four games before ending up on IR with a concussion that he insisted wasn’t IR-worthy. Ereck Flowers – punching bag for fans and opposing pass rushers – struggled mightily both at the beginning and end of the season, and was benched. John Jerry played all 16 games (12 at left guard) but remained a soft player. D.J. Fluker started six games at right guard, performing reasonably well as a road grader, but was placed on IR in November with a toe injury. By the end of the year, you had guys like Jon Halapio (six starts at right guard), Brett Jones (12 starts at center), and Chad Wheeler (three starts at right tackle, one at left tackle) manning the front wall.

The Giants have been a soft, finesse offensive football team for years because of their offensive line play.

ADDITIONS/SUBTRACTIONS: Bobby Hart was cut before 2017 was over. The Giants made no effort to re-sign Justin Pugh (2013 1st-round pick) and Weston Richburg (2014 2nd-round draft pick). D.J. Fluker signed a 1-year contract with the Seahawks. Adam Bisnowaty (2017 6th-round draft pick) was cut in May. Dave Gettleman re-signed Jon Halapio (exclusive rights), Brett Jones (restricted), John Greco (unrestricted), and Ethan Cooper (practice squad player).

The newcomers are Nate Solder (4 years, $62 million); Patrick Omameh (3 years, $15 million); Will Hernandez (2nd-round draft pick);  lesser-known “street” free agents Chris Scott, Malcolm Bunche, and Jarron Jones; and rookie free agents Nick Gates and Evan Brown.

TRAINING CAMP STORY LINES: So now the never-ending attempt to rebuild the offensive line falls upon new shoulders. Dave Gettleman will try to accomplish what Jerry Reese failed. Enter the third new head coach and third new offensive line coach as well. To the team’s credit (but also embarrassment), they at least had the courage to part ways with most of their previous mistakes. John Jerry remains but he has already fallen out of the starting line-up. Coming out of the spring, the starters entering camp appear to be left tackle Nate Solder, left guard Will Hernandez, center Jon Halapio, right guard Patrick Omameh, and right tackle Ereck Flowers.

Most of the attention will be focused on whipping-boy Ereck Flowers, who started off on the wrong foot by throwing a hissy fit and not showing up to the early “voluntary” workouts due to his ego being bruised by the shift to right tackle. He returned once he hired a professional agent. The good news is that Nate Solder has attempted to take him under his wing. But Flowers – who the team did shop before the draft – still seems to have a learning disability when it comes to grasping three years of pro coaching. My guess is he will be on a short leash. The problem is there is no obvious replacement. Chad Wheeler flashed but was very shaky as a rookie. On paper, the other vulnerable spot is center. Brett Jones may have already fallen behind journeyman Jon Halapio, who has played with such stalwart “pro” franchises as the Boston Brawlers and Brooklyn Bolts. The Giants tried but failed to sign veteran center John Sullivan in free agency. That tells you they are concerned about the position. Don’t be surprised if the team actively scans the waiver wire throughout the year. The hard truth may be the team needs one more offseason to address two potentially glaring holes.

But while we may all be focusing on the individual component parts, the real issue is finding five starters who can form a viable, physical, and cohesive unit. And the priority appears to have changed. The offensive focus may no longer be pass blocking for Eli Manning and his targets but run blocking for Saquon Barkley. In other words, there may be a real emphasis on becoming a physical football team up front again and not just talking about it. If they don’t, then drafting Barkley with the #2 pick made little sense. New offensive line coach Hal Hunter was out of football in 2017. The pressure is on him to fix a unit that Pat Flaherty and Mike Solari couldn’t.

ON THE BUBBLE: Again, the starters coming out of the spring workouts were Nate Solder, Will Hernandez, Jon Halapio, Patrick Omameh, and Ereck Flowers. Others who received some 1st-team reps and/or quite a bit of time with the second unit were Nick Becton, John Greco, Brett Jones, John Jerry, and Chad Wheeler. Right now, though things can quickly change, these players appear to be the top candidates to make the roster. That said, except for Solder, Hernandez, and Omameh, I would be renting rather than buying a home in northern New Jersey.

FROM THE COACHES AND PLAYERS: Head Coach Pat Shurmur on Ereck Flowers: “He’s actually done a really good job. He’s an excellent athlete and he’s handling the move pretty seamlessly…I think he’s made improvements…He’s been great. He’s been communicating well, he looks like he’s having fun playing out there, he’s worked in with the offensive line and he’s done everything we’ve asked and I anticipate that will continue.”

Nate Solder on Ereck Flowers: “I have been very impressed with his character and his humility – work ethic, everything…the way he goes about his business, the way that he has put it behind him, he’s just doing his thing and he’s trying hard and he cares and he’s asking questions. He is doing everything that you would want a guy to do.”

Shurmur on Jon Halapio: “Yeah, he has done a very good job. Pio is very smart, he’s got good instincts – he snaps the ball well…He does all of those things well and he’s very competitive and he knows how to play the game. I think (Brett) Jonesey is doing the same thing. They’re just in there competing. I wouldn’t over-evaluate who is getting the first team reps, but I think if you’re talking about Pio specifically, he has really sort of opened his eyes that he has a chance to play.”

PREDICTIONS: The strength of the line should be the left side. Nate Solder should be the team’s best left tackle in years. Even without the pads on, Will Hernandez has flashed a much-needed enforcer mentality. Patrick Omameh should be a more physical presence as a run blocker at right guard than John Jerry. Center and right tackle remain the primary concerns as well as overall depth. We’ve heard all of the pleasantries about Ereck Flowers before. Now he is shifting to a spot he didn’t even play in college. There is no guarantee he will be a better player on the right side. Much rides on play. Perhaps the new chemistry in the locker room will help. It was no secret that Flowers and Bobby Hart didn’t get along with Justin Pugh and Weston Richburg. Regardless, Flowers is out of excuses.

FINAL DEPTH CHART: Thank the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), but teams don’t have many practices in training camp to get ready for the season. Thus, despite what the coaches say, it is pretty telling that Hernandez was playing left guard, Omameh right guard, Flowers right tackle, and Halapio center for the latter half of the offseason program. These four (plus obviously Nate Solder at left tackle) have to be considered the favorites to start right now at those specific positions. The next four appear to be John Greco, John Jerry, Brett Jones, and Chad Wheeler. But Greco and Jerry don’t offer much positional flexibility so one would appear vulnerable. My gut tells me the Giants will be adding one or two more offensive linemen from the waiver wire. A veteran swing tackle would be ideal.

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…

May 212018
 
Roger Lewis, New York Giants (May 21, 2018)

Roger Lewis – © USA TODAY Sports

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MAY 21, 2018 NEW YORK GIANTS OTA PRACTICE REPORT…
The Giants held their first 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.

“All right, OTA No. 1 is in the books,” said Head Coach Pat Shurmur. “It was a pretty good day. I thought they competed well. There were some good and bad plays on both sides of the ball and I think what’s important to see is that they competed, they challenged one another and I think we got one OTA better and now the challenge is anytime that you leave the practice field, their thoughts need to drift toward recovery, so certainly we can come out tomorrow, have OTA No. 2 and get one more OTA better. So, it’s a good day, a nice, sunny day – a good day for football and the guys competed well.”

The nine remaining OTA practices will be held on May 22, May 24, May 29-31, and June 4-7. There will be media availability for the May 29 and June 4 practices. A mandatory mini-camp will be held on June 12-14.

INJURY REPORT AND ABSENTEES…
Wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. (recovering from ankle surgery) did not practice, but he did move around well during warm-up and individual drills. Safety Landon Collins (recovering from arm surgery) was present, but did not participate in drills.

“(Beckham) looks good,” said Head Coach Pat Shurmur. “He’s out here moving around, he’s champing at the bit wanting to get out and do more than we’re allowing him to do at this point. But I think we’re just trying to make sure that everything is healed to the fullest before we put him out there. He looks good.”

Defensive tackle Damon Harrison was absent. “He’s been here a little bit, but I know he’s not here and I know why he’s not here,” said Shurmur. “I will just leave it at that.”

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • Running back Saquon Barkley was “abusing” linebacker Tae Davis in 1-on-1 pass coverage drills.
  • First-team offensive line was right tackle Ereck Flowers, right guard John Greco, center Brett Jones, left guard Patrick Omameh, and left tackle Nate Solder.
  • Will Hernandez took reps at left tackle and left guard with the second-team offensive line. He also received work with the first-team line.
  • Linebacker B.J. Goodson tipped a quarterback Eli Manning pass to himself for an interception.
  • Safety Sean Chandler intercepted a pass cornerback Tim Scott tipped from quarterback Alex Tanney.
  • Quarterback Davis Webb completed two long passes, including an impressive touchdown strike to wide receiver Roger Lewis, Jr.
  • Will Hernandez and B.J. Goodson got into a little scuffle after a play.
  • Linebacker Mark Herzlich batted down a pass at the line and made a play in coverage near the sidelines.
  • Tackles Ereck Flowers and Nate Solder did some some extra 1-on-1 work after practice.
  • The last players off of the field were quarterback Kyle Lauetta, running back Saquon Barkley, and wide receiver Jawill Davis.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS SIGN JAY BROMLEY…
The New Orleans Saints have signed New York Giants unrestricted free agent defensive tackle Jay Bromley, was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Giants. He has played in 55 regular-season games with just four starts. For a complete listing of comings and goings, see our New York Giants 2018 Free Agency Scorecard.

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:

NEW YORK POST Q&A WITH ALEC OGLETREE…
Alec Ogletree wants to have a record-setting year with Giants by Steve Serby of The New York Post

ARTICLES…

Apr 252018
 
Sterling Shepard, New York Giants (May 6, 2016)

Sterling Shepard – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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APRIL 25, 2018 NEW YORK GIANTS MINI-CAMP REPORT…
The second day of the New York Giants 3-day “voluntary” mini-camp was held on Wednesday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Like on Tuesday, the only players under contract who appeared to be missing were offensive tackle Ereck Flowers, defensive tackle Damon Harrison, and safety Landon Collins (who had surgery on Monday), and offensive lineman Laurence Gibson. The mini-camp will conclude on Thursday.

“I thought, for the most part, the guys competed (yesterday),” said Head Coach Pat Shurmur before Wednesday’s practice. “There were some good plays, there’s some bad plays. I thought their attention to detail was pretty good. We did some good things throwing and catching. I thought the defense defended and stripped a couple of balls, which was good. When you watch a practice, I think sometimes you’ve got to be careful assigning blame to the good, the bad and the ugly because as you go through practice, there are mistakes that get made and there are reasons for it and that’s why you practice. So that you can go back in and clean them up and attempt to get better the next day. So, a good first day. As you just watched, we had our walk-through. The attention to detail has been good and we’ll try to add to it a little bit today. We’re going to add some high red zone stuff. The red zone is certainly, in my opinion, the most important part of the field. So, we get it going and all of the preparation early, so we’ll do it today and tomorrow.”

INJURY REPORT…
Not practicing on Wednesday were wide receiver Odell Beckham (recovering from ankle surgery), safety Landon Collins (recovering from arm surgery), running back Paul Perkins (arm in a sling), and linebacker/defensive end Avery Moss (unknown).

“(Perkins has) got a sore arm,” said Head Coach Pat Shurmur.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • Cody Latimer received first-team reps at wide receiver.
  • Michael Thomas and Curtis Riley started at safety. Darian Thompson and Andrew Adams were the second-team safeties.
  • Wide receiver Sterling Shepard made a nice catch between defenders on a strike from Eli Manning.
  • Quarterback Davis Webb rolled out and connected with wide receiver Keeon Johnson on a nice sideline catch.
  • Cornerback Donte Deayon made a diving attempt at an interception on a pass from Davis Webb, but the ball passed through his hands.
  • Running backs Jonathan Stewart and Wayne Gallman dropped passes.
  • Davis Webb continues to have accuracy issues on deep passes, but he also threw three red zone TD passes, two to tight end Jerell Adams and a third to wide receiver Travis Rudolph.
  • Linebacker Alec Ogletree intercepted a tipped pass from Eli Manning.
  • Cornerback Eli Apple broke up a pass intended for wide receiver Cody Latimer in the corner of the end zone. Apple had a good practice.

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

DEE HARDISON PASSES AWAY…
Dee Hardison, who played defensive end for the New York Giants from 1982 to 1985, passed away on Saturday of heart failure at the age of 61.

ARTICLES…