July 31, 2015 New York Giants Training Camp Report

 Posted by
Jul 312015
 
Jerome Cunningham and Bennett Jackson, New York Giants (July 31, 2015)

Jerome Cunningham and Bennett Jackson – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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JULY 31, 2015 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their first summer training camp practice on Friday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The full training camp schedule is available at Giants.com.

JAMES JONES ON THE WAY…
Head Coach Tom Coughlin confirmed that the Giants will sign unrestricted free agent wide receiver James Jones once he arrives at the facility tonight. “He’s a veteran receiver, outstanding hands, been in this system, knows the system well, should fit in well, and should compete,” said Coughlin.

BEN EDWARDS WAIVED, WILL BEATTY TO THE PUP…
The Giants have waived/injured wide receiver Ben Edwards, who pulled his hamstring during the June mini-camp. The Giants officially placed left tackle Will Beatty on the Active/Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List. The Giants also terminated the contract of offensive tackle Troy Kropog from the Reserve/PUP.

INJURY REPORT AND ABSENTEES…
Offensive tackle Will Beatty (PUP – recovering from pectoral surgery) did not practice.

Wide receiver Odell Beckham (hamstring), wide receiver Victor Cruz (recovering from knee surgery), safety Nat Berhe (calf), and safety Mykkele Thompson (hamstring) were held to a limited number of snaps. The Giants want to work them back in slowly.

Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul (hand/arm) still has not signed his 1-year Franchise tender and has not reported to training camp.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • Wide receiver Victor Cruz looked sharp in his first practice since suffering the knee injury in October 2014.
  • The starting offensive line continues to be left tackle Ereck Flowers, left guard Justin Pugh, center Weston Richburg, right guard Geoff Schwartz, and right tackle Marshall Newhouse.
  • The starting defensive line had George Selvie and Robert Ayers at defensive end and Johnathan Hankins and Cullen Jenkins at defensive tackle.
  • The starting linebackers were Jon Beason inside with J.T. Thomas and Devon Kennard outside.
  • Landon Collins and Cooper Taylor were the first-team safeties.
  • The first touchdown of training camp was a quarterback Eli Manning slant to wide receiver Odell Beckham. (Video) Manning later hit Beckham again on a 60-yard catch-and run for a touchdown.
  • Wide receiver Geremy Davis made two acrobatic catches from quarterback Ryan Nassib. (Video) Nassib also connected with wide receiver Dwayne Harris. (Video)
  • Tight end Jerome Cunningham received a lot of work with the first team. He made a really nice one-handed catch on a seam pass. Larry Donnell also worked at tight end with the first team.

HEAD COACH TOM COUGHLIN…
Tom Coughlin addressed the media after the afternoon practice (video is available at Giants.com):

Q: How does Victor Cruz look?

A: He actually went on the ground one time and actually felt good about doing that. That’s one hurdle. He was out there and working and enjoying himself. So there’s more to come.

Q: They (Victor Cruz and Odell Beckham Jr.) didn’t start the first period but they were in like the second, it’s just…?

A: It’s just going to be a kind of rotation. They have a pitch count, they have a work load. One guy is watching one thing and coaches counting the other.

Q: I don’t know about you, but whenever Victor or Odell were on the field, I just wanted to see them finish the play and what they did when they walked back. Were you that cognizant and thinking, ‘hey, are they okay?’

A: Well, I watch what everybody else watches. When something good happened and I saw it breakout, I listen for the whistle to blow and then I move my eyes somewhere else.

Q: We talked to the guys before practice and all the offensive guys kept saying this is going to be an explosive offense. Did you see that today when you were watching?

A: Well, it’s the first day. We’ve got a ways to go.

Q: Is Nat Berhe another one who is on a pitch count as well? I didn’t see him in that much.

A: Yeah, he is and so is (Mykkele) Thompson, but so far, so good.

Q: Is that one of the positions you would consider the most up for grabs? Those safety spots?

A: You hope there are a bunch that are competitive. That is what you hope for. That certainly is one.

Q: Are you bringing in a wide receiver, James Jones?

A: Yes and he will be in here tonight, hopefully, for meetings.

Q: Obviously Ben (McAdoo) knows a lot about him, what do you like about him? What do you see there?

A: I remember the great year he had and then last year he caught a number of balls, he led the Oakland team. He’s a veteran receiver, outstanding hands, been in this system, knows the system well, should fit in well, and should compete.

Q: That’s one of the positions that you have some proven players, guys that have already played at this level and done well. Do you sense any problems fitting a guy like that in? I mean you’re talking about a veteran who…

A: Well, there are a number of guys there that have played and played a lot. You’re always looking for competition and he certainly will provide it.

Q: What did you think of the play where Odell took that quick pass from Eli (Manning) and pinballed his was down the field?

A: I liked it and I’d like to see a lot more of it.

Q: Play to play, do you worry or watch that Odell and Victor are physically okay?

A: You can’t do that. The players are going to play. They’ve got to go play the game. That’s the name of the game. We want to do everything we can to make sure that all the necessary precautions are made but when they do take the field for the required number of plays, they’ve got to play the game and they wouldn’t want it any other way. I don’t mention half the stuff that you’re asking about because I wouldn’t—you watch those guys in a meeting and they’re as intense and anxious as anybody just to play the game.

Q: I know you did it in the spring a lot with Ereck Flowers taking reps with both the first team and second team. Is that something you want to continue through camp?

A: Well, really what we’d like to see him do is just take off in this circumstance and become the player that we know he can be and grasp things as fast as he can and move from all the spring’s work and the experience that he had, quickly move past that into what we’re doing and what we’re going to face right now. It’s not as much about, sure he’ll take snaps with both, but in reality we want him to just take off at that spot.

Q: Is the hour and 10 minute practice just slowly working your way into it?

A: That was 14 mods. That is exactly what was planned on. It’ll be a little bit more tomorrow and the whole practice, the whole nature of all of this work, is to a certain extent, we’re going to push them real hard, we’re going to back off it and we’re going to push them real hard again, sometimes two days in a row or three and then back off it. So it’s going to be a series of that kind of thing.

Q: How much did you sense that guys were amped up?

A: It’s always the first practice.

Q: Did you have to hold them back at all in any way?

A: No, but you have to remind them about all the things that you’re trying to do. You want to practice hard, you want to give great effort, you want to play full speed but you want to be smart about it. You certainly don’t want to put somebody in a bad light and you always tell them certain things about being around the quarterback and try to keep people on their feet so you don’t get piles. Piles can be a dangerous thing.

Q: Is it too early to see how the offensive line is progressing?

A: It’s too early. They need to work. Those guys, there is only one way with them and they’ve just got to work and work and work. Lots of times it’s not pretty, but they need to keep working and working and they need to—as these practices extend themselves, get fatigued and play through it, all those things. It all has to happen.

Q: Is that how you gel as a unit? Is that how five people become one?

A: That certainly is one of the ways it works. The number of circumstances that they end up in together, the real tough circumstances, that helps.

Q: Last year you had to flip it around on the offensive line pretty late in camp—I think it was after the third preseason game you had to get two new guards in there. Is there a point where you feel you need to have those five guys set during training camp?

A: There will be. There will be. It’s not quite there. It’s a ways off.

Q: Is the third preseason game usually that point where you want to have it set?

A: Not necessarily, but the third preseason game usually becomes a little more significant because you do put your players through something like a game plan week where as in other games we don’t. It’s nice to say that but whenever it happens, hopefully sooner the better.

Q: Photos were released of JPP today in Florida and his hand is basically completely covered in a cast. Have you seen the photos?

A: No, I haven’t seen them. I haven’t seen them. I’ve heard there was such a picture but I haven’t seen it.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
The following transcripts and video clips of player media Q&As are available at BigBlueInteractive.com and Giants.com:

The audio of WFAN Radio interviews with RB Shane Vereen, RB Andre Williams, LT Ereck Flowers, S Landon Collins, WR Rueben Randle, CB Prince Amukamara, OC Weston Richburg, LB Jon Beason, RB Rashad Jennings, WR Victor Cruz, and P Steve Weatherford is available at CBS New York.

RELATED ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The second training camp practice will be held on Saturday from 2:30-4:30PM. For a complete listing of training camp practices as well as a handy fan Q&A about training camp, see our Training Camp section of the website. Only eight remaining training camp practices at Quest Diagnostics Training Center will be open to the public this year:

  • Saturday, August 1: 2:30 – 4:30PM
  • Sunday, August 2: 2:30 – 4:30PM
  • Monday, August 3: 2:30 – 4:30PM
  • Thursday, August 6: 2:30 – 4:30PM
  • Sunday, August 16: 5:50 – 7:50PM
  • Wednesday, August 19: 5:50 – 7:50PM
  • Thursday, August 20: 5:50 – 7:50PM
  • Tuesday, August 25: 2:30 – 4:30PM

Giants 2015 Positional Breakdown: Offensive Line

 Posted by
Jul 092015
 
Brad Harrah and Bobby Hart, New York Giants (June 16, 2015)

Brad Harrah and Bobby Hart – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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With New York Giants training camp beginning in late July, BigBlueInteractive.com 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

2014 YEAR IN REVIEW: The overall play of the New York Giants offensive line improved in 2014 from its dreadful performance in 2013 but the unit was still sub par. The Giants were tied for 28th in the NFL with only 3.6 yards per rushing attempt. Pass protection was better as the Giants gave up 30 sacks on the season, which was 9th-best in the NFL. But that figure is a bit misleading given the offense’s new emphasis on getting rid of the ball quickly (West Coast Offense) and quarterback Eli Manning’s long-established tendency to get rid of the ball quickly and not take the sack (which he probably actually should do more often when under duress).

The improvement that did take place not only had to do with the individual components playing better, but the Giants had greater cohesion up front due to far fewer injuries. In 2013, the Giants used seven different starting offensive line combinations, the second-highest total in the NFL that season. In 2014, the same players started all 16 games at left tackle (Will Beatty), center (J.D. Walton), and right guard (John Jerry). Weston Richburg started 15 games at left guard and Justin Pugh started 14 games at right tackle.

That all said, it is widely-recognized that the offensive line was once again a sore spot in 2014. Chris Snee retired before training camp. The Giants counted on high-priced free agent acquisition Geoff Schwartz to be a major building block, but Schwartz only played in two games due to injuries. Beatty had a decent year, but Walton and Jerry really struggled at times. Pugh regressed after a strong rookie season and Richburg experienced the expected growing pains, especially since he was playing out of position. Overall, the line was more finesse than power, which usually is not good for any offense, but especially so for one predicated on balance and the ability to run the football.

Another issue was the overall poor depth situation. James Brewer, Brandon Mosley, Eric Herman, Dallas Reynolds, and Adam Snyder were complete non factors and did not push the weaker links on the line. Adam Gettis was signed late in the season from the Steelers practice squad and ex-Eagle Michael Bamiro was signed to the Giants practice squad.

ADDITIONS/SUBTRACTIONS: The Giants released center J.D. Walton in March. Tackle James Brewer signed with the Jets in free agency and the Giants have made no effort to re-sign guard Adam Snyder. The Giants signed CFL All-Star center Brett Jones and street free agent tackle Emmett Cleary early in the offseason and then signed unrestricted free agent tackle Marshall Newhouse from the Bengals.The Giants drafted tackle Ereck Flowers in the first round and guard Bobby Hart in the seventh round. The team also signed rookie free agent tackle Sean Donnelly.

TRAINING CAMP STORY LINES: The Giants will enter training camp with no 2014 starter remaining at the same position. Will Beatty tore his pectoral muscle in an offseason weight-lifting accident and will probably miss at least half of the regular season. Because of that, the Giants are starting Ereck Flowers at left tackle at least one year sooner than they anticipated (post-draft comments by Giants officials made it clear that they saw Flowers as Beatty’s eventual replacement). Flowers had been penciled in at right tackle but now Marshall Newhouse – a player benched by the Packers and Bengals – gets first crack at the position. Weston Richburg moves to his more natural position of center. Justin Pugh has shifted from right tackle to left guard. Geoff Schwartz moves from left guard to his more natural right guard position.

The Giants have now invested two first-round draft picks (Pugh and Flowers), two second-round draft picks (Beatty and Richburg), and a high-priced free agent (Schwartz) on the offensive line. Even though Beatty is out, much improvement is expected. On paper, the Giants look strong inside (Pugh-Richburg-Schwartz) with significant question marks at tackle (Flowers and Newhouse). Flowers should eventually excel, but growing pains should be expected. Newhouse’s track record during the last few years has not been good and he appears to be the obvious weak link. The Giants may be forced to move Schwartz to right tackle and start John Jerry at right guard if Newhouse can’t handle the position. The situation should improve when Beatty returns mid-season, but long-term, Beatty may have sealed his fate with the team, especially if Flowers shows steady improvement at left tackle.

Another area of focus is the depth situation and if one of the younger players could possibly surprise and push for a starting job. Brandon Mosley apparently had a good spring as he received some first-team reps during OTAs. The Giants have some very big, young tackles including Michael Bamiro (6’8”, 340lbs), Emmett Cleary (6’7”, 324lbs), and Sean Donnelly (6’7”, 333lbs). The team drafted guard Bobby Hart (6’4”, 334lbs). Brett Jones was a CFL All-Star who is now adjusting to the NFL game.

Overall, the Giants need the line to become a much more physical and intimidating presence. Flowers has a reputation as a bad ass and should help. Pugh and Richburg worked hard in the offseason to get bigger and stronger. The Giants need Schwartz to rebound from a serious ankle injury and be a tough veteran inside.

ON THE BUBBLE: The Giants will probably carry nine offensive linemen. Beatty will probably start the season on the Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List and not count against the 53-man roster limit. Flowers, Pugh, Richburg, and Schwartz are the locks. Newhouse and Jerry are on shaky ground, but one will likely start and the other will likely provide veteran depth. The other nine offensive linemen will probably be fighting for three spots. Those linemen include Mosley, Bamiro, Cleary, Donnelly, Hart, Jones, Dallas Reynolds, Eric Herman, and Adam Gettis. Troy Kropog is also currently on a PUP List.

FROM THE POSITIONAL COACH: Pat Flaherty on Weston Richburg: “Right now the progress is good, it really is. He learned an awful lot last year but I knew that he was going to be a player for a very long time and I know I’m using that, but I believe it because he likes the game of football. He really has embraced the center position because you are the voice of everybody to start out and the quarterback may change things, but you are telling everyone what to do. I think that Weston has a little bit of bossman in him and he likes that.”

Flaherty on Michael Bamiro: “I’ll tell you he is the Kevin Garnett of the football players, that guy is huge. He is a good worker, he really is. He has some position versatility from being a tackle to a guard and we worked out with him. We have to really find out a little more about him when we get on pads, but I like his attitude.”

Flaherty on Justin Pugh: “I think that he likes playing and I love guys who like playing. I think any position that you put him at, he would play it. He would like to be a guy that is settled in one position. Most guys are that way. I think you probably get that feeling from him more than anything. He would only get better at the tackle position for us. Is he a better guard than tackle? He is going to be a good football player…Justin has very good feet, he is a very good athlete, has tremendous lower body strength and when you get closer to the ball at the guard position, you are going to be blocking bigger people, so I think that is going to be an advantage for us. He will be able to block those people.”

Flaherty on Geoff Schwartz: “Geoff wants to do it and he has worked awful hard to get back from his injury and he just needs to have the good luck charm on his side for once. Once he is able to do that, here is a guy that can be in the next half dozen years and have a tremendous finish to his career.”

PREDICTIONS: While there will be growing pains with Ereck Flowers, 4/5ths of the Giants offensive line could be set for a few years provided there are no more injuries and Schwartz recovers well from his ankle injury. Flowers will bring much-needed toughness and physicality to the line. Richburg seems primed to develop into a good one at center and the Giants seem to think Pugh will excel at left guard. In fact, these three players could not only be solid, but very good.

“We like (Flowers) as a future left tackle of the New York Giants. I am very comfortable with him being out there right now,” said Offensive Coordinator Ben McAdoo during the mini-camp.

“(Pugh) is a football-smart guy,” said McAdoo. “He is a hard worker. He brings a nice level of physicality that we like. Some grit to the position right there. It is probably a position that doesn’t get as much glamor as a tackle, but when you are on the left side, it is important position to protect the backside of the quarterback away from his vision. The left guard position is especially important because a lot goes on there on the inside. When one becomes two and two becomes three and when zero becomes one and all the movement happens, you have to make quick decisions and we feel Justin can do that.”

“Weston is a natural center,” said McAdoo. “I am excited for him. I am excited for the offense. I think he brings some energy to the position and to the offense. He’s a guy who likes to have control of things and likes to have his hand on the football. He works very hard at it. I like Weston.”

The obvious question mark is Newhouse at right tackle. He could be the Achilles’ heel for the entire line. Given his struggles in the league the last few years, it’s hard to imagine him being the answer. If he has problems early, the Giants may have to pull the plug and scramble to fill the position. While fans knock John Jerry, he may be an important piece of the short-term puzzle. The pie-in-the-sky hope is that someone like Mosley or Bamiro presses for starting time.

“Marshall has played a little bit of everywhere,” said McAdoo. “I was with him in the past when he first got into the league. He has played just about every position. I believe he even snapped the ball at one point. He is a smart guy. He gets the game. He is very nimble-footed. We need to get some pads on and get out there and get a look at him with the defense moving and be physical. He has done it before and he has done it at a high level before and he will have an opportunity to be a major contributor this year.”

FINAL DEPTH CHART: Flowers, Pugh, Richburg, Schwartz, Newhouse, Jerry, Mosley, Hart, and Jones.

Stevie Brown Agrees to Terms With Houston Texans

 Posted by
Apr 292015
 


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Stevie Brown Agrees to Terms With Houston Texans: According to the NFL Network, unrestricted free agent safety Stevie Brown (New York Giants) has agreed to terms with the Houston Texans. NJ.com is reporting the contract is a 1-year deal. The Giants were believed to be interested in re-signing Brown, but not at the price tag that Brown was looking for.

Brown played in all 16 games for the Giants last season. He started the first three games of the season, lost his starting job for eight weeks, then regained it for the last five weeks of the season. Brown finished with 38 tackles, one sack, and one pass defense.

Brown was originally drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the 7th round of the 2010 NFL Draft. The Raiders released him in September 2011 and he then spent time with the Panthers and Colts. The Giants signed him in April 2012. Brown had a tremendous season in 2012, intercepting more passes in a single season by a Giant in 44 years. He was placed on Injured Reserve in August 2013 after tearing the ACL in his left knee in the preseason.

Brown is the sixth unrestricted free agent to leave the Giants this offseason, joining linebacker Spencer Paysiner (Dolphins), tackle James Brewer (Jets), safety Antrel Rolle (Bears), cornerback Walter Thurmond (Eagles), and cornerback Zack Bowman (Dolphins).

For a complete listing of the Giants’ free agent activity, see the 2015 Free Agency Scorecard section of the website.

Giants Place Troy Kropog on PUP List: The New York Giants have placed offensive lineman Troy Kropog on the Reserve/Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List. Kropog was placed on Injured Reserve in August 2014 with a foot injury that he suffered in training camp.

While on the PUP, Kropog will not count against the offseason 90-man roster limit.

Kropog was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. The Titans waived him in September 2012 and he then spent time with the Jaguars (2012), Vikings (2012-13) and Redskins (2013). The Giants signed Kropog to a reserve/future contract in January 2014.

Articles on the Giants and the 2015 NFL Draft:

New York Giants 2014 Positional Review: Offensive Line

 Posted by
Jan 192015
 
John Jerry and J.D. Walton, New York Giants (October 19, 2014)

Two Shaky Offensive Line Components – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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The overall play of the New York Giants offensive line improved in 2014 from its dreadful performance in 2013 but the unit was still sub par. The Giants were tied for 28th in the NFL with only 3.6 yards per rushing attempt. Pass protection was better as the Giants gave up 30 sacks on the season, which was 9th-best in the NFL. But that figure is a bit misleading given the offense’s new emphasis on getting rid of the ball quickly (West Coast Offense) and quarterback Eli Manning’s long-established tendency to get rid of the ball quickly not take the sack, which he probably actually should do more often when under duress.

The improvement that did take place not only had to do with the individual components playing better, but the Giants had greater cohesion up front due to far fewer injuries. In 2013, the Giants used seven different starting offensive line combinations, the second-highest total in the NFL that season. In 2014, the same players started all 16 games at left tackle (Will Beatty), center (J.D. Walton), and right guard (John Jerry). Weston Richburg started 15 games at left guard and Justin Pugh started 14 games at right tackle. In 2013, not only were the Giants continually shifting players around due to an inordinate number of injuries to starters, but they were sometimes relying on third-stringers as backups were also getting injured.

That all said, it is widely-recognized that the offensive line was once again a sore spot in 2014. The Giants counted on high-priced free agent acquisition Geoff Schwartz to be a major building block, but Schwartz only played in two games due to injuries. Chris Snee, who the Giants never really counted on, retired before training camp. Overall, the line is more finesse than power, which usually is not good for any offense, but especially so for one predicated on balance and the ability to run the football.

Another issue is the poor overall depth situation. For years now, the Giants have not had quality up-and-coming reserves waiting in the wings in case the starters faltered or got hurt. Questionable free agent decisions and shoddy drafting have been the primary culprits. Most of the offensive linemen drafted in recent years have not developed, including Mitch Petrus, James Brewer, Brandon Mosley, and Eric Herman.

THE STARTERS

Will Beatty, New York Giants (October 19, 2014)

Will Beatty – © USA TODAY Sports Images

Will Beatty started all 16 games at left tackle. He rebounded from a terribly inconsistent 2013 and a fractured tibia that he suffered in the regular-season finale at the end of that year to have a mostly positive performance in 2014. Since Beatty was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Giants, Beatty has had issues staying healthy, including a broken foot in 2010, a detached retina in 2011, a back injury that caused him to miss offseason work in 2012, and the broken leg in 2013. Beatty is a big lineman with long arms and a very good athlete. When on top of his game, Beatty can mirror and slide with the best pass rushers, and is athletic enough to pull and engage defenders at the second level in the run game. However, Beatty is more of a finesse player. He does not play with a lot of strength and power and he is not a very physical or aggressive blocker. Beatty still has consistency issues.

The Giants drafted Weston Richburg, a 4-year starter at center in college, in the 2nd round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Most of his practice reps with the Giants came at guard in training camp and when Geoff Schwartz suffered a preseason toe injury, Richburg became the starter at left guard. He started 15 games at the position, being benched for one game in November. Richburg had an inconsistent year as a rookie as both a run and pass blocker. Richburg is a good athlete with decent size, but he needs to get bigger and stronger. He is not a mauling type of lineman, but he plays with good leverage and tenacity. Mobile and agile, Richburg, can block at the second level and pull on outside runs. He is smart, tough, and aggressive. His best position is most likely center though he is obviously versatile enough to play guard.

J.D. Walton started all 16 games at center for the Giants in 2014, but his play was sub par. Walton was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. He started 32 regular-season games in 2010 and 20011 and the first four games of 2012 until he missed the rest of the season with a severe left ankle injury that required surgery. Walton had a setback on the ankle during the following offseason and underwent a second surgery in June 2013. He missed all of training camp and the preseason and was placed on the Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List. The Broncos waived him in December 2013 and Walton was then claimed off of waivers by the Redskins. The Giants signed him in March 2014. Walton has average size and athletic ability for a center. He does not generate much movement in his run blocks and can be physically overpowered by bigger, stronger linemen. Walton is a better pass protector but he is vulnerable to powerful or quicker linemen in that area as well. The strength of Walton’s game is his intelligence, scrappiness, and effort. The Giants were comfortable with him making all of the offensive line calls.

John Jerry started all 16 games at right guard for the Giants in 2014. He was a wildly inconsistent player who alternated far too much between solid and poor play. Jerry was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Dolphins where he started 45 games in his first four seasons in the NFL. The Giants signed Jerry as an unrestricted free agent in March 2014. Jerry looks the part with very good size and long arms, and he flashes both as a run and pass blocker. But he simply is not consistently reliable, technique-oriented, and physical enough blocking for both the run and the pass. Simply put, Jerry needs to work harder at keeping his opponent from making the play. He also seemed to struggle at times mentally with recognizing stunts and blitzes in pass protection.

Justin Pugh, New York Giants (October 19, 2014)

Justin Pugh – © USA TODAY Sports Images

In his second season with the Giants after being drafted in the 1st round of the 2013 NFL Draft, Justin Pugh regressed a bit and had an inconsistent season at right tackle. Sporting a brace on his left elbow, Pugh struggled in the first half of the season and then missed two games with a quadriceps injury in November. He played much better in the final four games in December. In 2013, Pugh started all 16 games at right tackle and was voted to the Pro Football Writers All-Rookie Team for his performance. Pugh doesn’t look the part as he lacks ideal size and has short arms for a tackle. But he is a good athlete who plays with fine strength, technique, and leverage. Pugh is smart, aggressive, and tenacious. Though not a mauler, he can get movement on his run blocks and he has the agility to do well in pass protection, though he needs to become more consistent in that area. He can pull and block defenders at the second level. Versatile, the Giants think he can play both tackle spots, guard, and possibly even center.

THE INJURED STARTER

In his first season with the Giants, Geoff Schwartz suffered through an injury-plagued season that saw him play in two games at right tackle because of serious toe and ankle injuries that both required surgery. He missed both the first 10 and last four games of the season, ending up on Injured Reserve in December. Schwartz was originally drafted in the 7th round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. He has spent time with the Panthers (2008-10), Vikings (2012), and Chiefs (2013). He signed with the Giants as a free agent in March 2014. Schwartz has excellent size and can maul people as a run blocker. He is very solid in pass protection. Schwartz is versatile – he is able to play guard or right tackle.

THE RESERVES

James Brewer simply has not developed as a player since being drafted in the 4th round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Giants. A year after playing in all 16 games with eight starts, Brewer only played in two games in November before being placed on injured reserve in December with a concussion. Brewer has a nice combination of size and athleticism. He can play both tackle and guard spots. However, he has not proven to be a very tough or physical lineman.

Adam Snyder was signed by the Giants in September 2014. He played in four games with one start at left guard in Week 12 before leaving that game with the knee issue that caused him to be placed on Injured Reserve in December. Snyder was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. During his career, he’s played eight seasons with the 49ers (2005-11, 2013) and one with the Arizona Cardinals (2012). Snyder is extremely versatile, having starting experience at all five offensive line positions. He has started 88 regular-season games in 10 NFL seasons. However, despite having very good size, Snyder was considered the weak link of the starting units in San Francisco and Arizona in recent years.

Brandon Mosley has not developed since he was drafted in the 4th round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He missed his entire rookie season with an ankle injury. Mosley was active for 22 games the last two seasons, including nine in 2014. His only start came late in the 2013 season. Mosley has good size and athletic ability. He is also versatile, having experience at both guard and tackle. But on a weak offensive line, he has not been able to gain any serious playing time.

Dallas Reynolds was active as a reserve linemen in 15 games in 2014, but he did not start. Reynolds was originally signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2009 NFL Draft. He spent time on the Eagles’ Practice Squad from 2009-11. In 2012, Reynolds played in 16 regular-season games with 14 starts. The Eagles waived him August 2013 and he was signed by the Giants in October of that year. A limited athlete with good size, Reynolds is smart and tries hard. He has experience at both center and guard, but he has struggled when called upon to play.

Eric Herman added to the 53-man roster in December 2014 from the Practice Squad, where he spent the bulk of the season. He was also suspended for the first two games of the 2014 season for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). Herman was drafted in the 7th round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Giants. He spent most of his rookie season on the Practice Squad until being also added to the roster in December 2013. Herman is a big, strong mauler who struggled with quickness and speed at the collegiate level. Herman needs to develop as a pass blocker in order to make it in the NFL.

Adam Gettis was signed to the 53-man roster from the Practice Squad of the Pittsburgh Steelers in December 2014. Gettis was originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. The Redskins waived Gettis in August 2014 and he was signed the Steelers’ Practice Squad in October. Gettis lacks ideal size, but he is athletic.

INJURED RESERVE

Rogers Gaines was waived/injured and then placed on Injured Reserve with a shoulder injury in August 2014. Gaines was originally signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2013 NFL Draft. The Ravens waived him in August 2013. The Bears signed him to their Practice Squad in September 2013. The Giants claimed Rogers Gaines off of waivers from the Chicago Bears in May 2014. Gaines has excellent size and long arms. He is a good athlete for his size. He improved throughout the 2014 preseason at right tackle for the Giants.

Troy Kropog was placed on Injured Reserve in August 2014 with a foot injury that he suffered in training camp. Kropog was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. The Titans waived him in September 2012 and he then spent time with the Jaguars (2012), Vikings (2012-13) and Redskins (2013). The Giants signed Kropog to a reserve/future contract in January 2014. Kropog has a decent combination of size and athleticism, and he is a hard worker. Versatile, he can play both tackle and guard. But it hasn’t come together for Kropog at the NFL level and he has never started a regular-season game.

PRACTICE SQUAD

Michael Bamiro was signed to the Practice Squad in November 2014. Bamiro was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Philadelphia Eagles after the 2013 NFL Draft. He spent the 2013 season on the Eagles’ Practice Squad before being waived in August 2014. Bamiro is a very raw player with an intriguing combiation of size (6’8”, 340 pounds) and overall athleticism.

August 1, 2014 New York Giants Injury Report and News

 Posted by
Aug 012014
 
Robert Ayers, New York Giants (June 12, 2014)

Robert Ayers missed practice with ankle injury – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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

August 1, 2014 New York Giants Injury Report: Not practicing on Friday were RB David Wilson (neck), WR Odell Beckham (hamstring), WR Trindon Holliday (hamstring), TE Xavier Grimble (hamstring), LT Will Beatty (headache), DE Robert Ayers (ankle), DT Mike Patterson (shoulder), LB Jon Beason (PUP – foot), LB Spencer Paysinger (concussion), and CB Bennett Jackson (ankle).

Regarding Jackson, Head Coach Tom Coughlin said, “There’s no fracture, but it’s a significant ankle sprain.”

August 1, 2014 Tom Coughlin Press Conference: The transcript and video from Friday’s press conference with Head Coach Tom Coughlin are available at Giants.com.

August 1, 2014 New York Giants Player Media Q&As: Transcripts and video of Friday’s media Q&A sessions with the following players are available at Giants.com:

Article on the New York Giants Running Backs: Injury to Wilson Puts the Giants’ Backfield in Motion by Bill Pennington of The New York Times

Article on WR Rueben Randle: Randle: ‘I’m ready for more opportunities’ by Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com

Article on TE Larry Donnell: Giants ‘loving’ what they see from TE Larry Donnell by Zach Braziller of The New York Post

Article on the New York Giants Offensive Line: Giants offensive line irons out West Coast wrinkles by Tom Rock of Newsday

Article on S Antrel Rolle: Giants can’t let indispensable Rolle follow Tuck out the door by Steve Serby of The New York Post

Articles on Former Giants DE Michael Strahan:

Giants sign Chandler Fenner, Adam Gress

 Posted by
Aug 012014
 
Chandler Fenner (48), Kansas City Chiefs (August 30, 2012)

Chandler Fenner (48) – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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The New York Giants made four roster moves Friday as the team announced the signings of cornerback Chandler Fenner and offensive tackle Adam Gress. To make room for these two, the Giants placed offensive tackle Troy Kropog on Injured Reserve with a foot injury and waived/injured cornerback Travis Howard with a knee injury.

Fenner was originally signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2012 NFL Draft. He did not make the team but the Seattle Seahawks signed him to their Practice Squad in December 2012. He missed all of 2013 with a knee injury that landed him on Seattle’s Injured Reserve. The Seahawks waived him last Tuesday. Fenner has a nice combination of size and athleticism and he plays a physical game.

Gress is an undrafted rookie free agent out of Penn State. Gress tried out with the Steelers in May after the 2014 NFL Draft but was not signed. Gress has good size but lacks athleticism.

The Giants signed Kropog to a reserve/future contract in January 2014. Kropog was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. The Titans waived him in September 2012 and he then spent time with the Jaguars (2012), Vikings (2012-13) and Redskins (2013). He had been seeing some second-team reps at right tackle in training camp.

The Giants signed Howard to the Practice Squad in late December 2013. Howard was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Houston Texans after the 2013 NFL Draft. The Texans waived him in August 2013 and Howard spent some time on the Practice Squad of the New England Patriots in October 2013.

Because of these moves, we have updated the Transactions, Roster, and Depth Chart sections of the website.

Dowell Loggains to Interview for Giants Offensive Coordinator Position

 Posted by
Jan 072014
 
Dowell Loggains, Tennessee Titans (October 7, 2012)

Dowell Loggains (right) – © USA TODAY Sports Images

Dowell Loggains to Interview for Giants Offensive Coordinator Position on Wednesday: According to press reports, Dowell Loggains will interview for the New York Giants vacant offensive coordinator position on Wednesday. The 33-year old Loggains was the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans the past two seasons.

Mike Sullivan, the offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012-13), interviewed with the Giants on Tuesday, and meetings with him will reportedly continue on Wednesday. Sullivan was on  Tom Coughlin’s New York Giants staff from 2004-11, first as wide receivers coach then quarterbacks coach.

Giants Sign Four More Street Free Agents: The New York Giants announced on Tuesday that they have signed the following four street free agents:

  • WR Preston Parker
  • TE Daniel Fells
  • OT/OG Troy Kropog
  • LB Spencer Adkins

The team also confirmed that it signed PK Brandon McManus, which we reported on Saturday.

Because of these moves, we have updated the Transactions, Free Agent Signings (with scouting reports), 2014 Free Agency Scorecard, and Roster sections of the website.

Giants.com Q&A with DE Damontre Moore: The video of a recent Giants.com Q&A with DE Damontre Moore is available at Giants.com.

Article on the New York Giants Defensive Coordinator Position: Perry Fewell’s potential replacements if Giants’ DC lands Redskins coaching job by Jordan Raanan of NJ.com

Articles on WR Hakeem Nicks: Hakeem Nicks:

Article on LB Jon Beason: Giants free agents: Jon Beason’s case to stay is strong by Jordan Raanan of NJ.com

Article on Super Bowl XXI: Super Bowl XXI: NY Giants beat John Elway’s Broncos behind red-hot Phil Simms by Joe Belock of The Daily News