Sep 012017
 
Aldrick Rosas, New York Giants (August 31, 2017)

Aldrick Rosas – © USA TODAY Sports

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NEW YORK GIANTS MAKE NINE ROSTER MOVES…
The New York Giants have officially waived eight players and placed another on Injured Reserve:

  • WR C.J. Germany (Waived)
  • OL Richard Levy (Waived)
  • LB Steven Daniels (Waived)
  • LB Chris Casher (Waived)
  • CB Tim Scott (Waived)
  • CB Tay Glover-Wright (Waived)
  • CB Daniel Gray (Waived)
  • S Duke Ihenacho (Injured Reserve)
  • S Eric Pinkins (Waived)

Aside from Pinkins and Ihenacho, the other seven players were added to the roster last month when injuries affected those respective positions. Ihenacho injured his knee in the third preseason game against the New York Jets.

Pinkins was signed to the Practice Squad in October 2016 and the 53-man roster in November. He ended up playing in five games for the Giants, mostly on special teams. Pinkins was originally drafted in the 6th round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks.

The Giants signed Ihenacho as an unrestricted free agent in May 2017. Ihenacho was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Denver Broncos after the 2012 NFL Draft. The Redskins claimed him off of waivers from the Broncos in August 2014. Ihenacho spent most of 2014 (broken foot) and 2015 (dislocated/fractured wrist) on Injured Reserve. Ihenacho started 10 of 15 regular-season games in 2016, being credited with 66 tackles and two pass defenses.

The Giants roster now stands at 80 players. Teams must officially reduce their active rosters to 53 players by 4:00PM ET on Saturday.

FRIDAY BEN MCADOO CONFERENCE CALL…
New York Giants Head Coach Ben McAdoo addressed the media by conference call on Friday to discuss the team’s 40-38 win over the New England Patriots:

Q: What did you think of QB Geno Smith and QB Josh Johnson when you watched last night’s film?

A: They both graded out high. They played well. Again, it’s going to be a tough decision.

Q: How far along were you in the decision-making process with quarterbacks Geno Smith and Josh Johnson leading into last night’s game?

A: We were going to let it play out. We weren’t going to rush to any decisions. We’re continuing the evaluation process today and we’ll make a decision tomorrow.

Q: Will you keep one of the backup quarterbacks on the roster as of now?

A: Can I say if we’re going to keep one of them? I will say nothing about who we’re going to keep.

Q: Can you talk about the kicking competition and if K Aldrick Rosas won a spot on the roster last night?

A: Well, I think Mike (Nugent) and Aldrick, they both competed at a high level. Mike had a tremendous game last week versus the Jets and we wanted to see how Aldrick responded and he responded very well last night. We’re taking a look at it right now.

Q: How much do you factor in the ages of kickers Aldrick Rosas and Mike Nugent when it comes to earning a roster spot?

A: I think experience is a big factor, whether you look at lack of experience or an experienced player. I don’t know that age really matters all that much. I think experience does, especially at that position. But both men have done exactly what we’ve asked them to do and performed and played at a high level.

Q: Now that you’ve had a full preseason with a fullback, how much of an impact has that made on the offense and the run game in particular?

A: I mean, just like every year since I’ve been here, we had a preseason with a fullback. We had a couple guys who played at a high level. Shane Smith did a nice job in there for us yesterday. He is a guy who’s continuing to learn the position. He’s new to the position and developing as a special-teamer. Those guys have done a nice job for us. Again, we have some tough decisions to make at that fullback spot and tight end spot.

Q: How do you think the tight end competition went last night?

A: It was good to see (Matt) LaCosse produce. We’ve been seeing that in the OTA’s and in training camp – him producing, making plays and having a chance to score a couple times, as well as contributing in the two-minute drive, was good to see. We’ve been seeing that all along in practice. It’s nice for it to show up on game day. Jerell (Adams) blocked very physical. He was a physical player. Didn’t get many opportunities in the pass game, but came on as a blocker yesterday in the ball game. Will Tye. You take the second play of the game out of the mix – he had a nice night.

Q: How do feel that T Chad Wheeler developed over the summer?

A: I think he’s coming along. I think his best days are ahead of him as a player. I think he has some versatility for us. It’s encouraging.

Q: Where else do you think T Chad Wheeler can be used since you mentioned the word ‘versatility?’

A: I think he has some flexibility to play both sides and possibly inside.

Q: How much work have you done on the Cowboys over these last couple of months?

A: I focus one week at a time and we’ll be ready for Dallas when it gets here.

Q: Is it fair to say that you’ve at least looked at Dallas in the offseason?

A: We brush up on division opponents in the offseason, that’s fair to say.

Q: How much are you paying attention to Dallas running back Ezekiel Elliott’s legal proceedings?

A: We’re focused on our own team right now. Whoever rolls out there for Dallas, whoever they put on the field, we’ll be prepared for, we’ll have a plan for and we’ll be ready to go.

Q: Did you have any injuries in last night’s game?

A: We had a couple guys nicked, but nothing of note.

Q: Has there been any progress for linebacker Mark Herzlich injury-wise?

A: Herzlich, he’s making progress. He’s down there getting treatment right now, we’ll see how he responds.

Q: How much tougher has it been to have the roster cut down to 53 players in one swoop, as opposed to doing it gradually, like it was in the past?

A: Well, I think it’s challenging because we feel that we have more than 53 who can play. That’s what’s going to make it challenging for us. We like where we’re at from a roster standpoint. We feel we have some depth, we had some good competition and at the positions we needed to see a lot out of last night, they stood up and they played and they competed. It was exciting to watch and it made our job even harder, but that’s good. That’s a great problem to have.

Q: How tough of a decision is it on Herzlich, not knowing when he will be healthy enough to play?

A: That’s part of it. Obviously, you weigh that in, but that’s more of a medical decision. That’s something that you have to factor in when you get to the 53.

Q: Are players off Saturday and Sunday of this weekend?

A: They’ll have a little time away from the building, unless they need to receive medical treatment, yes.

Q: What does it say about your program that you haven’t been hit with any long-term injuries like we see around the league during preseason?

A: Right now, we’re worried about picking the best 53 guys that we have. We appreciate the effort and everything that everyone on the 90[-man] roster has put into this team. We wouldn’t be where we are without a lot of the guys that we’re getting ready to cut. It’s going to be a tough couple of days. Injuries are a part of the game, they happen, you can’t control them all. But we feel with the 90 that we had, that we built up a pretty physical, heavy-handed, conditioned team and it’s a challenge doing it when you have three games in 11 days, but the players responded. And I think they did a nice job last night fighting through some things and playing for each other.

Q: Do you meet with every player that you cut?

A: Yes.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts of the media conference calls with the following players on Friday are available in The Corner Forum:

Aug 152017
 
Brandon Marshall, New York Giants (July 28, 2017)

Brandon Marshall – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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AUGUST 15, 2017 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their fourteenth and final summer training camp practice of the year on Tuesday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

ROSTER MOVES – CORBIN BRYANT PLACED ON INJURED RESERVE…
The New York Giants placed defensive tackle Corbin Bryant on Injured Reserve. Bryant injured his elbow during Monday’s training camp practice.

To replace Bryant’s roster spot, the Giants signed defensive tackle Bobby Richardson. Richardson was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the New Orleans Saints after the 2015 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Saints (2015-2016), Washington Redskins (2016), Kansas City Chiefs (2016), and Denver Broncos (2017). The Broncos cut Richardson in May. He has played in 15 games with 11 starts – all during his rookie season with the Saints – and has 40 career tackles and 0.5 sacks. Richardson is a bit of a DE/DT ‘tweener, lacking size at 6’3”, 286 pounds.

Bobby Richardson, who played in 15 games with 11 starts as a rookie free agent for the 2015 New Orleans Saints. He was credited with 40 tackles (20 solo), a half-sack and had one interception. In 2016, Richards did stints on the practice squads of the Saints, Washington Redskins and Kansas City Chiefs. He was with the Denver Broncos from Feb. 24 to May 3 of this year.

The Giants also signed linebacker Steven Daniels on Tuesday. The 24-year old Daniels was originally drafted by the Washington Redskins in the 7th round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He missed his entire rookie season with a torn labrum. The Redskins waived him in May 2017. He was then claimed by the Philadelphia Eagles who waived him in August. Daniels is a short (5’11”) linebacker with good bulk (245 pounds). Daniels lacks ideal overall athleticism, but he is a good, aggressive run defender who will hit you. He is not as strong in coverage.

INJURY REPORT – DRAUGHN AND THOMAS ACTIVATED OFF OF PUP…
Running back Shaun Draughn (ankle) and linebacker J.T. Thomas (knee) were activated from the the Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List on Tuesday. Both participated in some drills but were limited.

“(Thomas is) working through individuals and we’ll have a plan to build him up as we go,” said Head Coach Ben McAdoo. “We’re not going to rush into anything with him… He’s got a chance to build himself up, play some meaningful games as we go. There’s a pretty good chance he won’t play this next ballgame, but he’ll have a chance to play here shortly.”

Wide receiver Darius Powe (hamstring), wide receiver Kevin Snead (lower body), offensive lineman Adam Gettis (scratched eye), linebacker Mark Herzlich (stinger), safety Landon Collins (illness), safety Duke Ihenacho (hamstring), and safety Ryan Murphy (lower body) did not practice.

Wide receiver Tavarres King (ankle), defensive tackle Robert Thomas (soreness), and linebacker Devon Kennard (unknown) were limited.

Linebacker B.J. Goodson left practice early with a sore back.

SY’56 PRACTICE REPORT…
Last day of camp for Gidie and I. Cloudy, comfortable temperature with some rain towards the end of practice.

Offense Notes:

  • Good to see RB Shaun Draughn out there today. He didn’t get involved in the team/full speed drills but he caught some balls and showed his burst up field. I wouldn’t expect to see him on the field in Cleveland Monday night.
  • Also good to see WR Tavarres King participating in the group drills. He, too, stayed out of live action. I’ve grown to appreciate having him as the #4/5 WR on this team, as some of the other guys struggled to separate over the past week. King brings some confidence and security to the position behind the top 3 guys.
  • We got to watch WR vs. CB drills near the end zone. Offense had the ball on the 5-yard line and the CB was left on an island, no help in any direction. A tough task to say the least. CB Eli Apple had a physical defense of WR Keeon Johnson, a physical guy in his own right, on an inside slant. WR Brandon Marshall toyed with CB Valentino Blake a couple times, something I have gotten used to seeing. Good to see WR Odell Beckham and CB Janoris Jenkins go head-to-head a couple times. They split. Those two are at the top of their games already. CB Donte Deayon got beat every time from what I saw; his lack of physical presence in that spot shows up.
  • The first play of 7-on-7 with half the line going live offered the play of the day. QB Eli Manning threw a lob-ish type pass to WR Brandon Marshall. CB Eli Apple was all over him but Marshall fended him off and trapped the ball against his body with one arm while on the move. Even more impressive ball by Eli.
  • TE Evan Engram beat…DT Jay Bromley….for a nice TD catch where he showed top tier footwork in the back of the end zone.
  • The gap between John Jerry’s pass blocking and run blocking has been discussed, and it is definitely credible. He handled the bull-rush of DT Jay Bromley with ease all day, but doesn’t get the movement off the line as a run blocker.
  • The Jarron Jones experiment at OT has not be a pleasant one to watch. Again, a very difficult move to make. However Jones has been getting beat all day every day by anyone that lines up across from him.
  • The running game is very hard to gauge right now. My initial thought is RB Paul Perkins has had zero room to run anywhere. The inside lanes are non-existent and he just seems lost. He can’t find any creases to sneak through and it may be because they don’t exist.

Defense Notes:

  • DE Avery Moss seems to be getting more and more comfortable out there. I don’t expect him to be active on game days unless injuries arise, however it is easy to see why this team liked him. He has a frame that is going to easily handle 15-20 more pounds. He made a freakishly-athletic pass deflection when dropping in to coverage against QB Davis Webb.
  • This is a repeat statement, but CB Janoris Jenkins out-physicaled WR Brandon Marshall a couple times. And he moved well with WR Odell Beckham on slant routes. He can do it all.
  • CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is like an extra coach out there. He takes the young guys under his wings after they make mistakes as much as anyone. You can tell they are limiting him in practice, as he is showing signs of being fragile. But he is a crucial part of this defense.
  • The new linebacker, Steven Daniels, earned a draftable grade from me in 2016. I like those 3-4 thumpers. He saw time on specials today but nothing on live defense.
  • S Darian Thompson looks like he is in the right place usually, a good start. He failed to intercept a pass that Manning basically threw right to him. Still very unsure about him.
  • As I have said before, I think the top 4 CBs on this defense are better than any top 4 in the NFL, and I am very confident in that statement. What they have after that, however, is pretty much what we see around the league. An underachieving veteran (Valentino Blake) and young guys trying to stick despite glaring weaknesses that starting WRs will eat up (Donte Deayon, DaShaun Amos, Nigel Tribune). If you had to take 2 of those on the 53-man roster, I am going Amos and Tribune.
  • S Landon Collins had an illness, thus did not practice. Good for Nat Berhe and Eric Pinkins to get a few more snaps. Pinkins was late to the sideline because, as we have said, he struggles to quickly read and react. He takes too many steps to change direction and get going.

Three Standouts:

  • LB Calvin Munson: Coincidentally Munson got some snaps with the first string today with B.J. Goodson getting nicked up (which didn’t look too serious). He broke through the line twice for quick TFL’s. Not good for the OL but very good for Munson, whom is getting more comfortable with the playbook. He is going to make this team.
  • WR Sterling Shepard: He was all out today, fully involved with the offense. Good for him and this passing game, as the options are plentiful. Shepard is a guy that can really do well in the short passing game, which we are going to see a lot of.
  • OG Justin Pugh: All the negative talk about the OL, we can’t overlook Pugh. He is a very consistent, reliable guy inside that does the little things right. I put the eyeball on him as he single teamed DT Damon Harrison a couple times. Stayed low with knee bend, chopping his feet and knees, and constantly adjusting his hands to keep them inside. I am very curious to see how they handle his upcoming contract situation.

All, thanks for the feedback on the reports….I appreciate the criticisms more than anything. We will see where all of this goes, but I hope you enjoyed the camp reports.

Below is today’s video report and interview with Calvin Munson (we had to be brief):

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • In 1-on-1 drills, WR Odell Beckham, Jr. beat CB Janoris Jenkins for a touchdown. WR Sterling Shepard beat CB Donte Deayon for a touchdown.
  • PK Mike Nugent was 4-for-4 on field goal attempts with a long of 47 yards.
  • WR Brandon Marshall made a one-handed catch against CB Eli Apple on a fade route for a touchdown.
  • With Landon Collins (illness) out, Andrew Adams started in his place.
  • When B.J. Goodson left practice, Calvin Munson replaced him as starting middle linebacker.
  • Once again, with Devon Kennard limited, Curtis Grant started in his place at outside linebacker.
  • LB Chris Casher came free on a blitz on what would have been a sack of QB Geno Smith.
  • QB Geno Smith fumbled the ball for what would have been a safety. He was immediately replaced by QB Josh Johnson. When Smith came back into the line-up, he fumbled an exchange with RB Wayne Gallman and was pulled again. Both Smith and Gallman were forced to run a lap.
  • WR Jerome Lane was very active catching the ball in practice.

HEAD COACH BEN MCADOO…
The transcript of Ben McAdoo’s press conference on Tuesday is available in The Corner Forum.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum:

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Summer training camp is officially over. The players are off on Wednesday before returning to practice on Thursday.