Aug 312021
 
Ben Bredeson, Baltimore Ravens (August 28, 2021)

Ben Bredeson – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS TRADE FOR BEN BREDESON…
The New York Giants have acquired by trade offensive guard Ben Bredeson from the Baltimore Ravens. In return for the Giants’ 4th-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Giants received Bredeson and the Ravens’ 5th-round selection in 2022 (acquired from the Kansas City Chiefs) and 7th-round selection in 2023.

Ravens Receive:
Giants 4th-round 2022 Selection

Giants Receive:
Ben Bredeson
Ravens 5th-round 2022 Selection (from Chiefs)
Ravens 7th-round 2023 Selection

The 23-year old, 6’5”, 315-pound Bredeson was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Ravens. He played in 10 games with no starts as a rookie.

NEW YORK GIANTS REDUCE ROSTER TO 53 PLAYERS…
On Tuesday, in order to meet the NFL’s 53-man roster limit, the New York Giants made the following 27 roster moves:

Remain on the Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List:

  • CB Aaron Robinson (core muscle)

Placed on Injured Reserve:

  • WR Austin Mack
  • WR Alex Bachman
  • OG Ted Larsen

Waived or contracts terminated:

  • QB Brian Lewerke
  • RB Corey Clement
  • RB Sandro Platzgummer
  • WR David Sills
  • WR Matt Cole
  • WR Damion Willis
  • TE Nakia Griffin-Stewart
  • TE Jake Hausmann
  • OC Jonotthan Harrison
  • OC Brett Heggie
  • OG Kenny Wiggins
  • OL Chad Slade
  • OL Jake Burton
  • OL Jackson Barton
  • DL David Moa
  • DL Elijah Qualls
  • DL Willie Henry
  • LB Ifeadi Odenigbo
  • LB Devante Downs
  • LB Ryan Anderson
  • LB Niko Lalos
  • CB Madre Harper
  • S Chris Johnson
  • S Jordyn Peters
  • LS Casey Kreiter

According to the team’s press release, Kreiter will be re-signed.

Aug 292021
 
Blake Martinez, New York Giants (August 29, 2021)

Blake Martinez – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 22 – NEW YORK GIANTS 20…
The New York Giants fell to the New England Patriots 22-20 in the preseason finale for both teams. The Giants finished the preseason 0-3. This was the only game of the preseason where New York’s starters saw extended playing time, playing until intermission.

The bad news for the Giants offensively was two-fold. First, tight end Evan Engram (calf) and wide receiver Darius Slayton (ankle/foot) both left the game with injuries, as did guard/center Ted Larsen (knee), who actually started the game at left guard. Second, the first-team offense struggled for most of the first half with poor offensive line play, no running game, and a bad interception by quarterback Daniel Jones.

Perhaps the most telling sign of the night was the starting offensive line. Nate Solder started for Matt Peart at right tackle, while Larsen started for the injured Shane Lemieux at left guard. That said, the Giants ran all kinds of offensive line combinations throughout both the first and second halves of the game.

Jones and the first-team offense had five possessions in the first half:

  1. The first ended with a 3-and-out after Jones was sacked on 3rd-and-5 and LT Andrew Thomas was cleanly beat.
  2. The Giants moved the ball on their second drive, reaching the New England 34-yard line, but on 2nd-and-7, Jones was sacked again and New York could not overcome the 3rd-and-13. Punt.
  3. The Giants moved the ball again on their second drive, gaining 40 yards and reaching the Patriots’ 1-yard line. RB Devontae Booker was stuffed on 2nd down. On 3rd down, Jones badly missed Engram and his pass was intercepted in the end zone.
  4. The Giants gained one first down on their fourth drive before a holding penalty on Thomas put them in a 2nd-and-17 hole that they could not recover from. Punt.
  5. With 2:30 on the clock before halftime, Jones led the Giants on a 9-play, 58 yard scoring drive that resulted in a perfectly-thrown 23-yard touchdown pass to tight end Kaden Smith.

Meanwhile on the defensive side of the ball, the Giants held the Patriots to just seven first downs and 106 total net yards in the first half. Two drives did result in field goals, from 41 and 48 yards out. Linebacker Blake Martinez ended one possession with a remarkable interception 35 yards down field when he stole the ball away from the intended receiver.

At the half, the Giants led 7-6.

The Giants appeared to use the second half to get a gauge on defensive bubble/fringe players and it showed as the Patriots easily took control of the contest as their second-team offense shredded a largely third-team defense in the 3rd quarter. In their first two possessions of the half, the Patriots first drove 75 yards in six plays to go up 12-7 (2-point conversion failed) and then 50 yards in four plays to extend their advantage to 19-7.

The Giants second-team offense went three-and-out on their first possession. After driving 52 yards on their next possession, place kicker Graham Gano missed a 41-yard field goal. The Giants forced the Patriots to punt and New York finally responded late in the 3rd quarter and early in the 4th quarter with a 7-play, 77-yard drive that ended with a 12-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Mike Glennon to wide receiver Alex Bachman. Fullback Eli Penny gained 32 yards on three carries on this possession.

Unfortunately for the Giants, New England extended their lead to 22-14 on their next possession, driving 58 yards in 12 plays, taking 6:32 off of the clock, and finishing with a 37-yard field goal. Glennon was sacked twice on New York’s next drive, resulting in a punt.

The Patriots had a chance to put the game away, but missed a 54-yard field goal with 27 seconds left. After gaining 13 yards on one passing play, Glennon then connected with wide receiver Damion Willis on a 43-yard Hail Mary pass to cut the score to 22-20 with just seconds left on the clock. The 2-point conversion attempt, a pass from Glennon to wideout Dante Pettis fell incomplete.

Offensively, Jones finished 17-of-22 for 135 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He was sacked twice. Glennon finished 9-of-17 for 147 yards and two touchdowns. He was also sacked twice. The leading receiver was Sterling Shepard with 5 catches for 42 yards. The leading rusher was Eli Penny with 35 yards on four carries. Overall, the Giants gained 96 yards on the ground in 22 carries.

Defensively, Martinez intercepted quarterback Cam Newton. Defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence, linebacker Lorenzo Carter, linebacker Trent Harris, and defensive lineman Willie Henry were all credited with sacks. 

Video highlights are available at Giants.com.

INJURY REPORT AND HEALTHY SCRATCHES…
RB Saquon Barkley (knee), WR Kenny Golladay (hamstring), WR Kadarius Toney (unknown), WR John Ross (hamstring?), WR Austin Mack (hamstring?), TE Kyle Rudolph (foot), OG Shane Lemieux (knee), NT Danny Shelton (unknown), LB Elerson Smith (hamstring), CB Adoree’ Jackson (ankle), CB Aaron Robinson (PUP – core muscle), and CB Josh Jackson (unknown) did not play.

DE B.J. Hill and QB Brian Lewerke were the only healthy scratches.

TE Evan Engram (calf) and WR Darius Slayton (ankle/foot) left the game in the first half and did not return. OG/OC Ted Larsen left the game late with a left knee injury.

RYAN ANDERSON SUSPENDED…
The NFL has suspended without pay linebacker Ryan Anderson for the first six games of the regular season for violating the NFL Policy and Program on Performance Enhancing Substances. If Anderson makes the team, he will be eligible to return to the Giants’ active roster on October 18, following the team’s Week 6 game against. the Los Angeles Rams.

GIANTS RE-SIGN DEFENSIVE BACK…
The Giants re-signed safety Jordyn Peters on Friday. The 22-year old, 6’1”, 200-pound Peters was originally signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2021 NFL Draft. The Jets waived him in early July. The Giants then signed him shortly before training camp in July 2021 and cut him on August 13th.

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Head Coach Joe Judge will address the media on Monday.

Aug 102021
 
Gary Brightwell, New York Giants (July 29, 2021)

Gary Brightwell – © USA TODAY Sports

AUGUST 10, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their 12th full-team summer training camp practice on Tuesday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Practices are not open to the public this year.

GIANTS RE-SIGN RYAN ANDERSON, ACTIVATE RYSEN JOHN, AND CUT TOMMY STEVENS…
A day after releasing him, the New York Giants have re-signed LB Ryan Anderson, who had been on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) List since the start of training camp. The team also activated TE Rysen John, who has been on the Reserve/COVID-19 List since the start of camp. The Giants also waived TE Tommy Stevens, who the team signed last week.

The Giants signed Anderson as an unrestricted free agent from the Washington Football Team in March 2021. The 6’2”, 255-pound Anderson was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2017 NFL Draft by Washington. In four seasons with Washington, Anderson played in 52 regular-season games with only four starts, accruing 78 tackles, six sacks, one pass defense, five forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. Anderson missed seven games due to a knee injury in 2020 and finished the season with just nine tackles.

The Giants signed John to the Practice Squad in late October 2020. The Giants originally signed John as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2020 NFL Draft. The Giants waived/injured John in early September 2020 with a hamstring injury. The 6’7”, 220-pound John was a receiver in college.

The 6’5”, 235-pound Stevens was originally drafted in the 7th round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints. A college quarterback, the Saints converted him to tight end. The Carolina Panthers signed him in November 2020 after he was cut and shifted him back to quarterback. The Panthers cut him in early June 2021.

INJURY REPORT…
TE Kyle Rudolph (foot) and CB Aaron Robinson (core muscle) remain on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List.

Kyle Rudolph’s making progress every day,” said Head Coach Joe Judge. “I know he’s a guy that wants to be as involved with the team as can be. He’s a guy that’s got more of a long-term plan… In terms of a timetable, I’m not going to place anything artificial on him, but I’m going to let the trainers and medical staff let me know when he can continue to do more and more, and we’ll get him phased in. The one thing that Kyle’s done a great job of is just his experience of what he’s done in the league, who he is as a person and how he prepares. Mentally, he stays as engaged as he can be through the meetings, through kind of watching tape on his feet if you would, kind of moving around in the meeting room and getting some kind of simulated reps and staying engaged. So when he gets back, he’s had as much mental experience as he could. Nothing can ever fully replicate or simulate what you’ve got to do on the grass, but he’s doing everything possible he can to get himself in a position that when he hears a play call, he has to get lined up, he sees the front and knows who he has to block or who he’s working off in the pass route. He can process that faster.”

WR Kenny Golladay (hamstring), WR John Ross (hamstring?), WR Austin Mack (hamstring), TE Kaden Smith (unknown), OC Jonotthan Harrison (unknown), LB Lorenzo Carter (calf), LB Elerson Smith (hamstring), and CB Jarren Williams (unknown) did not practice on Tuesday.

WR Kadarius Toney (COVID), RB Saquon Barkley (knee) and LB Oshane Ximines (hamstring) practiced on a limited basis.

“(Yesterday) was really encouraging,” Judge said about Barkley before today’s practice. “He got out there with the team, was moving and more and more comfortable with it… What we’ll end up doing is put him through today something very similar and then we’ll back him out for tomorrow. So, again, just kind of more an extension of the rehab. We’ve got to make sure that we control not only just what he does on the field, but then also the repetitions and the volume he gets within each period, so it’s something we’re going to keep an eye on and see how his body responds. We’ll look to increase it as we go through this process, but in terms of yesterday, I was very encouraged with how he came out and had a good day of work. Good excitement for a lot of people to have him back.”

OT Nate Solder (unknown) left practice early with a possible shoulder or arm injury. WR Alex Bachman (unknown) and TE Jake Hausmann (unknown) also left early.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • Shane Lemieux was back at first-team left guard. He had hurt his knee earlier in camp.
  • After Nate Solder left practice, Chad Slade was the second-team right tackle. He struggled at times with linebackers Ifeadi Odenigbo and Cam Brown.
  • The second-team center was Brett Heggie, although Kyle Murphy got a few reps at that position.
  • Defensive line and cornerbacks had the upper hand in drills against the offensive line and wide receivers.
  • S Xavier McKinney made a one-handed interception in 1-on-1 drills against WR Alex Bachman.
  • DB Julian Love broke up a pass intended for WR Dante Pettis in 1-on-1 drills. Cornerbacks Sam Beal and Isaac Yiadom also had breakups during this drill.
  • CB Adoree’ Jackson intercepted QB Daniel Jones’ first pass in team drills when the intended receiver, C.J. Board, slipped or hesitated running his route. Jackson also had another pass breakup later in practice.
  • CB Darnay Holmes picked off QB Mike Glennon in 7-on-7 drills. He later broke up a pass from QB Daniel Jones and flashed good pressure on a blitz which resulted in a “sack.”
  • QB Daniel Jones made a nice throw over a linebacker and in front of a defensive back on a deep out to TE Cole Hikutini, who received some first-team reps.
  • FB Eli Penny scored on goal line run.
  • QB Daniel Jones threw a touchdown pass to WR Darius Slayton during the 2-minute drill. Jones did overthrow TE Evan Engram a couple of times however.
  • TE Cole Hikutini caught a touchdown pass from QB Mike Glennon.
  • WR Dante Pettis received reps with the first team and made a few catches.

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

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The New York Giants practice Wednesday evening (6:00-8:00 PM) during a fan event at MetLife Stadium. Head Coach Joe Judge and select players will also address the media.

Aug 092021
 
C.J. Board versus Rodarius Williams, New York Giants (July 29, 2021)

C.J. Board versus Rodarius Williams – © USA TODAY Sports

AUGUST 9, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their 11th full-team summer training camp practice on Monday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Practices are not open to the public this year.

So, players had a little rest yesterday with the day off,” said Head Coach Joe Judge before practice. “We’re going to bring them back in today. The focus is going to be fundamentals today, a little bit of a briefer practice, on and off, only about an hour and fifteen minutes. You’ll see a lot of individual periods, some team run focused, switch to seven-on-seven, make sure we give the offensive and defensive lines plenty of time to go one-on-one, two-on-two, five-on-four. Everybody just making sure we go through our previous installs, come out of today after a long week of practice last week and eliminating the mistakes we made on the grass. After that, our focus going forward will be on new install and pushing forward on that.”

GIANTS CLAIM TWO OFF OF WAIVERS, CUT LB RYAN ANDERSON AND WR ANDY JONES…
The New York Giants have claimed TE Jake Hausmann off of waivers from the Detroit Lions and WR Matt Cole off of waivers from the New York Jets. The Giants also released LB Ryan Anderson, who had been on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) List, and waived WR Andy Jones, who the team signed last week.

The 23-year old, 6’4”, 255-pound Hausmann was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Lions after the 2021 NFL Draft.

The 24-year old, 5’10”, 197-pound Cole was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Miami Dolphins after the 2020 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Dolphins (2020), San Francisco 49ers (2020-2021), and Jets (2021), Cole has only played in one regular-season game.

The Giants signed Anderson as an unrestricted free agent from the Washington Football Team in March 2021. The 6’2”, 255-pound Anderson was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2017 NFL Draft by Washington. In four seasons with Washington, Anderson played in 52 regular-season games with only four starts, accruing 78 tackles, six sacks, one pass defense, five forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. Anderson missed seven games due to a knee injury in 2020 and finished the season with just nine tackles.

The 6’1”, 217-pound Jones was originally signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2016 NFL Draft. Jones has spent time with the Cowboys (2016-2017), Houston Texans (2017), Detroit Lions (2017-2018), Miami Dolphins (2019-2020), and San Francisco 49ers (2021).

INJURY REPORT – BARKLEY AND XIMINES ACTIVATED OFF OF PUP…
WR Kenny Golladay (hamstring), TE Kaden Smith (unknown), RB Gary Brightwell (unknown), OC Jonotthan Harrison (unknown), LB Lorenzo Carter (calf), LB Azeez Ojulari (unknown), LB Elerson Smith (hamstring), and WR Austin Mack (hamstring) did not practice on Monday.

WR Sterling Shepard (unknown) was limited.

The Giants also officially activated RB Saquon Barkley (knee) and LB Oshane Ximines (hamstring) off of the Active/Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List. Both practiced on a limited basis.

What you‘re going to see from (Barkley) these first few days, he’ll be doing mostly individual teach periods,” said Head Coach Joe Judge. “We’re not going to put him in 11-on-11 or 7-on-7 at this point right now, but as we keep building him up, we’ll really kind of start to get his body into the volume of practice, the pace of practice of the players out there, more football drills. That’ll be something that benefits him going forward. There’s only so much you can do at a certain point with the trainers and strength coaches on the field by yourself. It’s time to get him moving forward and as long as they say it’s safe for him to do, we’ll keep on pushing.

We’re excited to get (Ximines) back out there today. He’s a guy that works really really hard. He’s definitely someone we look forward to getting out there on the field with us from a team perspective. Again, we’ll build him up a little bit as well. You’ll see a little more from X-man in the next couple of days, like Saquon, in terms of team and competitive things. But we’re excited to get him out there. I know he’s anxious to get out there.”

The following players remain on various PUP and reserve lists:

  • Reserve/COVID-19 List: TE Rysen John
  • Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List: TE Kyle Rudolph (foot) and CB Aaron Robinson (core muscle)
  • Reserve/Injured: TE Levine Toilolo (torn Achilles’ tendon), WR Derrick Dillon (unknown) and RB Mike Weber (hip flexor)

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • Giants held a quick, light practice without pads.
  • WR Kadarius Toney made a nice catch on a slant pass from QB Daniel Jones during 7-on-7 drills. Toney was used mostly out of the slot during practice.
  • QB Daniel Jones was sharp throughout practice. He just missed connecting on a deep pass to WR Darius Slayton, who was covered by CB Darnay Holmes.
  • LBs Ifeadi Odenigbo and Trent Harris flashed in 1-on-1 pass rush drills. LT Andrew Thomas also stood out in these drills.
  • Niko Lalos continues to see a lot of time with the first team at outside linebacker.
  • Devontae Booker continues to see the bulk of the touches at running back.
  • QB Mike Glennon connected with WR David Sills on two passes.

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

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The New York Giants practice Tuesday morning (9:30-11:30 AM). Head Coach Joe Judge and select players will also address the media.

Jul 222021
 
Kadarius Toney, New York Giants (May 14, 2021)

Kadarius Toney – © USA TODAY Sports

On Wednesday, New York Giants rookies reported early to summer training camp at the team’s facilities in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Quarterbacks, first-year players, and rehabbing injured players reported on Thursday. The bulk of the team reports next Tuesday with the first summer training camp practice being held on Wednesday.

With the first practice fast approaching, the Giants made 10 roster transactions on Thursday:

  • WR Kadarius Toney was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 List. Toney is currently in COVID protocols and participating in team meetings remotely.
  • RB Saquon Barkley (knee), TE Kyle Rudolph (foot), RT Matt Peart (back), OC Jonotthan Harrison (hamstring), LB Oshane Ximines (hamstring), and CB Aaron Robinson (core muscle) were placed on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List. Players on the Active/PUP list can be activated at any time during training camp. If they are still on the list at the final roster cutdown to 53, they must either be activated or moved to the Reserve/PUP list. Players on the Reserve/PUP list must be inactive for the first six weeks of the season.
  • LB Ryan Anderson (back) and RB Sandro Platzgummer (hamstring) were placed on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury (NFI) List. They can can return to practice when they are medically cleared.
  • RB Taquan Mizzell (hamstring) was placed on Injured Reserve.
Apr 082021
 
New York Giants Helmets (September 22, 2019)

© USA TODAY Sports

The New York Giants have officially announced that they have hired Russ Callaway as an offensive quality control coach, and Ryan Anderson and Carter Blount as defensive quality control coaches. Earlier this offseason, the Giants also promoted Nick Williams from offensive assistant to offensive quality control coach.

Bobby Blick, who served as the team’s sole offensive quality control coach last season no longer appears on the team’s website. It is not known if he still on the staff. Same with Offensive Assistant Stephen Brown. Earlier in the offseason, the Giants shifted Jody Wright from defensive to offensive assistant.

Mike Treier, who served as the team’s sole defensive quality control coach last season, was promoted to assistant defensive backs coach earlier this offseason.

Offensive Quality Control Coach Russ Callaway

  • 2021-Present: Offensive Quality Control Coach, New York Giants
  • 2020: Senior Offensive Analyst, LSU
  • 2017-2019: Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach, Samford University
  • 2016: Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach, Samford University
  • 2015: Wide Receivers Coach, Samford University
  • 2013-2014: Wide Receivers Coach/Recruiting Coordinator, Murray State University
  • 2011-2012: Defensive Analyst, University of Alabama
  • Pro Experience: None
  • Collegiate Experience: Quarterback, Valdosta State University (2007-2010)

Defensive Quality Control Coach Carter Blount

  • 2021-Present: Defensive Quality Control Coach, New York Giants
  • 2018-2020: Special Teams Quality Control Analyst, University of Tennessee
  • 2017: Special Teams Quality Control Analyst, University of Alabama
  • 2016: Graduate Assistant, LSU
  • 2014-2015: Special Teams Quality Control Coach, University of Georgia
  • 2014: Cornerbacks Coach, Birmingham-Southern College
  • 2013: Defensive Graduate Assistant-Defense, University of South Alabama
  • 2011-2012: Special Teams Graduate Assistant, University of South Alabama
  • 2010: Associate Head Strength and Conditioning Coach/Linebackers Coach, Tuscaloosa County High School (AL)
  • 2009: Special Teams Intern, University of Alabama
  • 2008: Strength and Conditioning Intern, University of Alabama
  • Pro Experience: None
  • Collegiate Experience: None

Defensive Quality Control Coach Ryan Anderson

  • 2021-Present: Defensive Quality Control Coach, New York Giants
  • 2019-2020: Safeties Coach, Elon University
  • 2018: Co-Defensive Coordinator/Safeties Coach, Hampton University
  • 2016-2017: Inside Linebackers Coach, East Carolina University
  • 2013-2015: Defensive Graduate Assistant, Vanderbilt University
  • 2012: Defensive Line Coach, Reinhardt University
  • 2011: Linebackers Coach/Recruiting Coordinator, Cumberland University
  • 2009: Tight Ends Coach/Linebackers Coach, E.C. Glass High School (VA)
  • Pro Experience: None
  • Collegiate Experience: Linebacker, Presbyterian College (2006-2008)

A complete listing of the team’s coaching staff is available in the Coaching Staff section of the website.

 

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

Kenny Golladay – © USA TODAY Sports

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mar 232021
 
Ryan Anderson, Washington Football Team (November 8, 2020)

Ryan Anderson – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS SIGN RYAN ANDERSON…
Multiple media outlets are reporting that the New York Giants have signed unrestricted free agent outside linebacker Ryan Anderson (Washington Football Team) to a 1-year contract. The Bergen Record says his 2021 base salary is $990,000 and Anderson received a $137,000 signing bonus.

The 26-year old, 6’2”, 255-pound Anderson was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2017 NFL Draft by Washington. In four seasons with Washington, Anderson played in 52 regular-season games with only four starts, accruing 78 tackles, six sacks, one pass defense, five forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. Anderson missed seven games due to a knee injury in 2020 and finished the season with just nine tackles.

Some highlights of Anderson are available on YouTube.

Aug 142019
 
Evan Engram, New York Giants (July 25, 2019)

Evan Engram – © USA TODAY Sports

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AUGUST 14, 2019 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their fifteenth full-team summer training camp practice on Wednesday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The remaining training camp practices are no longer open to the public.

ROSTER MOVES…
The New York Giants have placed wide receiver Amba Etta-Tawo (torn Achilles’ tendon) on Injured Reserve. The team also waived/injured tight end Isaiah Searight (hip), waived punter Ryan Anderson, and waived defensive end Alex Jenkins (calf) off of Injured Reserve.

The Giants signed tight end Jake Powell and cornerback Terrell Sinkfield, and claimed punter Johnny Townsend off of waivers from the Oakland Raiders.

The 6’6”, 230-pound Powell was originally signed by the New Orleans Saints after the 2019 NFL Draft. The Saints cut him last weekend.

The 28-year old, 6’1”, 195-pound Sinkfield was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2013 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. Since then, he has spent time with seven different NFL teams, three CFL teams, and one AAF team. Sinkfield has not played in a regular-season NFL game.

The 24-year old, 6’1”, 205-pound Townsend was drafted in the 5th round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Raiders. In 2018, he averaged 42.2 yards per punt (38.3 net) on 70 punts with 17 downed inside the 20-yard line.

Etta-Tawo was originally signed as a rookie free agent by the Jacksonville Jaguars after the 2017 NFL Draft. He has spent time on the Practice Squads of the Jaguars (2017), Kansas City Chiefs (2017), Giants (2017-2018), and Houston Texans (2018). Etta-Tawo also played for the Birmingham Iron of the Alliance of American Football in 2019. The Giants re-signed Etta-Tawo in July 2019.

The Giants signed Searight in July at the start of training camp. He signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the 2019 NFL Draft as an undrafted rookie free agent but was waived/injured in May with a hamstring injury.

The Giants signed Anderson after he impressed at the 2019 rookie mini-camp. Anderson last punted for Rutgers in 2017 when he was named First-Team, All-Big Ten, averaging 44.4 yards per punt.

The Giants waived/injured Jenkins with a calf injury in early August 2019 and then placed him on Injured Reserve. Born in England, Jenkins was part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program and spent the 2017 and 2018 seasons on the Practice Squad of the New Orleans Saints. The Giants signed Jenkins after he impressed as a tryout player during the 2019 rookie mini-camp.

INJURY REPORT…
Offensive tackle George Asafo-Adjei (concussion), offensive tackle Brian Mihalik (burner), linebacker Alec Ogletree (calf), cornerback Deandre Baker (knee), and cornerback Sam Beal (hamstring) did not practice on Wednesday.

Wide receiver Sterling Shepard (thumb) participated with a non-contact jersey. Wide receiver Cody Latimer was excused from practice for personal reasons.

MEDIA PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • In advance of Friday’s preseason game, this was a lighter, preparatory practice for that game.
  • WR Reggie White, Jr. beat CB Terrell Sinkfield on a long post route, but he could not bring in the pass from QB Daniel Jones. White later dropped another pass from Jones over the middle.
  • QB Eli Manning connected on a 30-yard out pass to TE C.J. Conrad.
  • QB Eli Manning threw touchdown passes to WR T.J. Jones, WR Bennie Fowler, and WR Sterling Shepard.
  • QB Kyle Lauletta rolled to his right and threw a touchdown pass to TE C.J. Conrad. Lauletta later rolled to his right again and threw a touchdown pass to WR Alex Wesley.
  • S Sean Chandler intercepted a pass from QB Kyle Lauletta near the goal line.

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:

Jul 152019
 
Aldrick Rosas, New York Giants (December 2, 2018)

Aldrick Rosas – © 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: Special Teams

2018 YEAR IN REVIEW: Despite the fact that the New York Giants’ special teams have been a liability for years, special teams ended up being the team’s strongest unit in 2018. New Head Coach Pat Shurmur chose not to bring back long-time special teams coordinator Tom Quinn and hired Thomas McGaughey to be the new coordinator and Anthony Blevins as his assistant. However, since McGaughey was diagnosed with cancer during the 2018 offseason, Quinn was retained as “assistant special teams coordinator.”

Overshadowed by Saquon Barkley’s phenomenal rookie season, place kicker Aldrick Rosas, who struggled in 2017, had the best year of any place kicker in team history, only missing one field goal all season. Newcomer punter Riley Dixon, who was acquired by trade, finished 7th in net punting. The Giants were 7th in the NFL in kickoff returns (24.4 yards per return) and 28th in punt returns (6.2 yards per return). The Giants were also 2nd-best in defending kickoff returns (20.4 yards per return) and 7th-best in defending punt returns (6.6 yards per return). The Giants did not return a punt or kick for a touchdown and they did not allow a punt or kick to be returned against them for a touchdown.

Two Giants made the Pro Bowl as special teams players, Rosas and first-team alternate Michael Thomas, who led the team with 12 special teams tackles. Other leading tacklers included Kerry Wynn (8), Kenny Ladler (8), Nate Stupar (8), and Russell Shepard (6).

ADDITIONS/SUBTRACTIONS: Six Giants returned punts in 2018, including Jawill Davis (12), Quadree Henderson (9), Odell Beckham (8), Kaelin Clay (5), Stacy Coley (2), and Corey Coleman (1). All but Coleman are gone. Five Giants returned more than one kickoff, including Coleman (23), Davis (7), Cody Latimer (5), Henderson (5), and Coley (2). Only Coleman and Latimer return.

Kerry Wynn, who had a very good year covering kicks, signed with the Bengals. The Giants did sign running back Rod Smith from the Cowboys, who was a core special teams player for that team.

The Giants signed punter Ryan Anderson after he impressed at the 2019 rookie mini-camp. Anderson last punted for Rutgers in 2017 when he was named First-Team, All-Big Ten, averaging 44.4 yards per punt.

Journeyman wide receiver/returner Brittan Golden was signed in January.

The team also added two long snappers: Taybor Pepper (who played in four games with the Packers in 2017) and rookie free agent Jake Carlock.

TRAINING CAMP STORY LINES: Can the Giants replicate their 2018 special teams success and even build upon it? Or will they regress back to their usual norm?

Aldrick Rosas had an incredible season in 2018. He increased his field goal percentage from 72 percent in 2017 to 97 percent in 2018, missing just one field goal, making the Pro Bowl in the process. Was his performance a flash in the pan, similar to Ali Haji-Sheikh in 1983, or is Rosas set to become one of the NFL’s best kickers for many years to come? It is interesting to note that the Giants do not have another place kicker in camp.

While Riley Dixon finished the year 7th in net punting, some think the Giants could do better. Ryan Anderson does have a strong leg and could challenge Dixon.

The Giants were very good at covering both punts and kickoffs in 2018. Using a wide cast of characters, they did a respectable job returning kickoffs but were poor in returning punts. The real questions here are who will be the primary returners in 2018? Corey Coleman averaged 26 yards per kickoff return in 2018. Cody Latimer and Jabrill Peppers also have experience returning kickoffs. Who will return punts is an even bigger mystery. The only obvious candidate at the moment is the starting strong safety Jabrill Peppers, although starting wide receiver Golden Tate also has punt return experience. However, Pat Shurmur has said that impressive rookie wide receiver Darius Slayton is also a candidate to return both kickoffs and punts.

At some point, Zak DeOssie will have to hang it up as the Giants’ long snapper. Does he hold on another year?

ON THE BUBBLE: The kickers are most likely set although Ryan Anderson could challenge Riley Dixon. Taybor Pepper or Jake Carlock would have to be really impressive to unseat Zak DeOssie as long snapper. Brittan Golden has experience returning kickoffs and punts, but has an uphill climb to make the team. The Giants have a number of core special teams players who may not make it including Nate Stupar, Kenny Ladler, Russell Shepard, Antonio Hamilton, and Rod Smith.

FROM THE COACHES: Head Coach Pat Shurmur on Jake Carlock: “He is a very good long snapper. We are always looking for guys at skill positions. He is a very accomplished linebacker as well. Much like (Eric) Dungey who can compete at different areas, he is going to do the same.”

Special Teams Coordinator Thomas McGaughey on whether he would hesitate to have a starter return kicks or punts: “Nope, not at all. It’s a play-making position. When you think about it over the years and you watch punt returners that have had success that have played on defense – the Deion Sanders, and all those guys. That’s a play-making position. That’s one of those positions where you can change the game just like that. I have no reservation by putting any kind of starter back there, because that’s a play that can change the game. We know 75 percent of game in the NFL comes down to the last possession. Any time you could gain an advantage on your opponent, you want to get that advantage.”

McGaughey on Jabrill Peppers: “High energy, the guy is a for sure ball handler. Can make all the cuts full speed. He just brings juice. I’ve known the kid since he was 16 years old. I recruited him when I was at LSU. Jabrill is a special athlete. He can do anything – run the football, catch the football, whatever. He’s just a great athlete… Yes, he’s going to (return kicks and punts for us)… That’s football – he’s a safety in the NFL. Those guys primarily do everything. When you look at them, most of them are three-core, four-core guys when they play. That’s just the reality of it, especially a young safety with a lot of energy like Jabrill.”

McGaughey on WR Russell Shepard, LB Nate Stupar, and CB Antonio Hamilton: “Those guys were the foundation of what we did last year. Whenever you can get veteran leadership and you can have continuity, that’s the most important thing. When you get guys that have done it before, and they’ve done it at a high level, and you can keep them in the same spots – it’s no different from having an offensive line with continuity, a secondary with continuity, it’s the same thing. A core group of special teams players. They’re no different from anyone else. You got to have that continuity if you want to have consistency.”

McGaughey on Rod Smith: “Big, strong, athletic, smart, playmaker – whenever you can get a guy like that on your roster to provide depth, and having value as a running back. (General Manager Dave) Gettleman always talks about having value on offense and defense, not just on special teams. He punches all the tickets. He’s a hard worker, he’s a pro, and he does everything you ask him to do. He’s 6’3”, 235 pounds, and has a skillset. He’s one of those guys if you’re sitting in a room, you won’t even know he’s there. He’s quiet, he comes in, and he works, and he does his job.”

McGaughey on Ryan Anderson: “Ryan is a lefty. Whenever you can bring a lefty in, and you can get a righty spin and a lefty spin is always good. Ryan has a lot of potential. His maturation from last year to this year has been huge. He came here last year to our local day. To see him again this year was a big difference. You can tell he’s been working on his craft, and he’s been working hard. It’s good to have him in to have a little competition. It’s always good to have two guys in where they can kind of compete against each other. It makes it better.”

McGaughey on Jake Carlock: “He’s a young guy with a lot of potential. He can run, he’s very athletic. So what we’ll see what happens with Jake. We’re excited about the chance of working with him.”

McGaughey on Eric Dungey: “He’s going to have a chance somewhere, right? We’ll put him out there. We’ll find a home for him. He’s athletic, he’s a tough kid. We’ll find a home for him. Those types of kids in college that are athletic quarterbacks, they always kind of find a way. They’ll figure out something. They’re athletic, they’ve always competed at a high-level, so they’ll find a way… Anytime you can get a big athlete that’s tough, that’s smart, that’s played the quarterback position, anytime you can get a style of athlete like that, and he’s coachable and is willing, a lot of good things can happen.”

PREDICTIONS: Saquon Barkley overshadowed the incredible performance of Aldrick Rosas in 2018. But the psychology of kickers tends to be on the fragile side and Rosas has to prove that 2018 wasn’t a fluke. If he becomes a perennial Pro Bowler, Rosas may be one of Jerry Reese’s most positive legacies.

Who returns kickoffs and punts seems up in the air at this point. My guess is that Corey Coleman remains the leading candidate to return kickoffs, but he could be pressed by Darius Slayton. For as much press as Jabrill Peppers receives as an athletic returnman, he only averaged 22 yards per kickoff return thus far in the NFL.

Peppers could end up being the primary punt returner, as he has returned 55 punts in the last two season for the Cleveland Browns, averaging 7.3 yards per return.

I think the Giants are going to face some tough roster decisions on veteran special teams players such as Rod Smith, Russell Shepard, Nate Stupar, Antonio Hamilton, and Kenny Ladler. My gut also tells me that either Eric Dungey or Jake Carlock will make the team as a special teams ace and jack-of-all-trades type player. The Giants face a bit of a dilemma with the ever-consistent Zak DeOssie. He plays a position where age isn’t a huge factor, and not only does he do a fine job of long-snapping, but he’s good at covering kicks. But he also doesn’t play another position. That said, Giants fans know all too well how costly having a bad long snapper can be.

FINAL DEPTH CHART: Aldrick Rosas and Riley Dixon the kickers. Zak DeOssie as the long snapper, Corey Coleman as the kickoff returner and Jabrill Peppers as the punt returner. It’s too early to tell how legitimate a shot that Eric Dungey or Jake Carlock have in making the team, but I think one of these two will. If both falter, another one of the veteran core special teams players will make it.