Nov 142022
 
Wink Martindale and Brian Daboll, New York Giants (November 13, 2022)

Wink Martindale and Brian Daboll – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS ROSTER MOVES…
The New York Giants made the following roster moves on Monday:

  • Signed defensive lineman Henry Mondeaux off of the team’s Practice Squad.
  • Activated cornerback Rodarius Williams from Injured Reserve.
  • Waived offensive tackle Devery Hamilton and cornerback Justin Layne.
  • Terminated the Practice Squad contract of offensive tackle Will Holden.

The Giants signed Mondeaux to the Practice Squad in September 2022. He has been elevated to the roster for three games, the maximum allowed in a single season. The 6’5”, 280-pound Mondeaux was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the New Orleans Saints after the 2018 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Saints (2018), Kansas City Chiefs (2019), and Pittsburgh Steelers (2019-2022). The Steelers waived him in late August 2022.

The Giants placed Williams on Injured Reserve in mid-October 2021 with a torn ACL. Before suffering the season-ending injury, Williams played in five games, including 15 percent of all defensive snaps. Still not fully recovered from the injury, Williams was placed on Injured Reserve in late August this year. The Giants drafted Williams in the 6th round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

The 6’6”, 311-pound Hamilton was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Las Vegas Raiders after the 2021 NFL Draft. The Raiders released him from their Practice Squad in September 2021 and he was then signed by the Giants to their Practice Squad in October 2021.

The Giants claimed Justin Layne off of waivers from the Pittsburgh Steelers in late August 2022. The 6’2”, 192-pound Layne was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Steelers.

The Giants signed Will Holden as a street free agent in early August 2022. The 6’7”, 312-pound Holden was originally drafted in the 5th-round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. He has spent time with the Cardinals (2017-2018, 2018-2019), Indianapolis Colts (2018, 2020), New Orleans Saints (2018), Miami Dolphins (2019), Seattle Seahawks (2019), San Francisco 49ers (2019), Baltimore Ravens (2019-2020), and Detroit Lions (2021).

NOVEMBER 14, 2022 BRIAN DABOLL PRESS CONFERENCE…
New York Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll addressed the media on Monday to discuss his team’s 24-16 win over the Houston Texans (the VIDEO of the press conference is also available on YouTube):

Q: I wanted to ask you specifically (about quarterback) Daniel (Jones) and (wide receiver) Darius Slayton, who came into the league together, built up some chemistry. When you look at systems, offensive systems change throughout the years, different concepts and what not. What elements of chemistry can carry over from year to year to year regardless of the system?

A: I think a lot. Those guys work a lot together during the week and then in the offseason. They throw a lot after practice. Again, reading a receiver’s body language and having trust in them that they’re going to be where they’re supposed to be and make a play on the ball when you throw it to them, I think, is really important in quarterback play and receiver – call it skill play. That’s really the passing game. You can get some zone coverages, which we got yesterday. And we got some man coverages like you do every week. So, one is having the confidence that your player, as a quarterback, is going to beat the player that he’s going against, or in zone that they’re going to be reading it the right way, getting the head turn the right way, knowing when to let it go. So, the more you can do that with the skill players as a quarterback, I think the more trust develops. And that’s really what the passing game is. That’s where it all starts.

Q: Can that chemistry kind of elevate a receiver’s game, do you think, more so than maybe skill to a degree?

A: It’s probably a combination of both. Again, there’s a lot of things that need to go right in terms of the passing game. But certainly, the person throwing it, the person catching it – it starts there. So, you’d like to have as many talented players as you can (that) make good chemistry with one another. The only way you get that is by practicing, being out there and doing as much as you can do to improve that area.

Q: You said after the game that if you have to throw it 60 times, you’ll throw it 60 times, that it’s week to week. But you guys have kind of settled into a pretty steady run-heavy game plan week to week. Just curious the process of coming to that point. What goes into (it)? How did you figure out that that was the best path for this team to win games?

A: I think it starts after you go through – the coaches and the players right now are meeting, going through our game. You make the corrections that you need to make on our game, and then you sit down with the advance scout. You go through the scouting report of the team you’re about to play. Again, you want to try to use your players’ strengths the best you can. Again, it’s Week 11; I think we have a fair idea of what some of those are. But then the coaches sit down. They watch the opponent. They go through. They have a lot of discussions. When I’m looking at it, I’m looking at it holistically in terms of the kicking game, defense and offense and just how I think we need to play the game to win. As a coordinator, it’s a little bit different. When I was a (offensive) coordinator, you want to obviously score as many points as you can, you’re not really focused on the other areas of the team. So, I’ll give them my thoughts on what I think we need to do collectively to win. And then they do a good job of communicating with each other and coming up with whatever that might be. It could be a certain type of run or a certain type of pass we want to use. And then everything is talked about (and) put in. And we go through situations of what we like. And then I think ultimately at the end of the day, when you’re calling a game, you get a feel for how the game’s going – let’s just call it – after the first quarter. There’s a lot of things that happen in the first quarter where they’re kind of schemed up; maybe they are game plan things. And usually the game settles in, and you’ve got to do a good job of kind of figuring that out of how you want to play and the things you want to use.

Q: If I could ask one more on (running back) Saquon (Barkley) – I think pass protection was viewed as a weakness, really, early in his career. What have you seen from him this year? What has he gotten better from (when you watch him)? Maybe it’s on film.

A: He’s sound in his assignment. He knows who to block, and he’s getting there. Certainly, we can still improve in that area. I’m sure there’s a few plays he’d like to have back. He got in the way. The biggest thing in pass protection is not letting the person you’re responsible for make the play on the quarterback, and he’s done that. But there’s certain things that we can correct – not just Saquon, but all the (running) backs on how we’d like to get it done.

Q: I’m wondering how you feel your offensive line is playing. And if you could possibly allow yourself to look ahead for a moment to an area when you have eight guys that you trusted yesterday, and you could get (guard Ben) Bredeson, (guard Shane) Lemieux and (tackle) Evan Neal back, and all of a sudden, you have experienced starters on the bench – what kind of luxury that is.

A: Depth at that position – I think we talked about this last week – depth at that position is always critical. And I would say it’s critical in November and December, and I think some of our guys are getting healthy. We’ll see where Shane is this week. I think Ben is getting a little bit better. Evan’s getting better. So, it’s good to be as healthy as we can be. (We’re) certainly not there yet, but (we’re) moving in that direction. And that’s the foundation of an offense is the offensive line play. Five guys or sometimes six, sometimes seven, sometimes eight working together as one. I think our guys up front have improved from a week-to-week basis. I think they understand what we’re trying to get done. It’s never going to be perfect. You’re playing against some really good defensive linemen, and things happen. But I think we’re making progress, and it’s good to have as many of them out there as we can.

Q: Now I’m going to ask you about the run game. We give Saquon his due credit all the time. How good an offensive line (do you have)? Like did you guys build an offensive line thinking ‘We’re going to run the ball. We want really good run blockers.’ Does it happen to be that most of these guys’ strengths, not to knock their pass blocking, but did most of these guys seem to be better run blockers? Was that the idea, or is that a fortunate coincidence?

A: I think we just try to find the best guys that we thought at that particular time fit our system and that we thought were good football players. It’s a tough job. It’s a lot easier, as an offensive lineman would say, going forward than it is backwards when you have those guys rushing at you. So again, our guys they got to do everything just like every offensive lineman in the league has to. They’ve got to pass protect. They’ve got to run block. They’ve got to be good on screen game, perimeter game. They’ve got to communicate well. So, it wasn’t just set, ‘Let’s get a bunch of run blockers,’ because I don’t think you can do it that way. You have to find guys that can do both. And I think our guys have steadily improved, and we’re still working at it. And we’ll continue to do that.

Q: You mentioned before that as a coordinator, your main concentration is you want to score points. Is the way this team is playing on offense this year more conducive to you as a head coach than it is a coordinator? You were a coordinator more than you were a head coach, and the way this team is winning – not scoring a lot of points – is it great for the head coach, but you might have dealt with it differently as a coordinator?

A: No. I just like to win. That’s the name of the game. It’s hard to do that in this league, and whatever we need to do for that week, you always put the team first. Whether you’re a play caller – obviously I’m the head coach now – but our whole objective is to do what we need to do that week to give ourselves a chance, coach and play well. That’s really all my focus is on.

Q: You think there will be a time this year when you will need to throw it to win – 35, 40 times? You really haven’t had to this year. Do you think you will, and is this offense built to do that if need be?

A: I don’t know. You practice that each week. You’re ready, and you try to be as ready as you can in every situation. I think you just take each game as they come, and coach and play the way you need to play for that week.

Q: Did you guys come out of that game healthy, or is there anything major that came out of that?

A: I think we’re in pretty good shape after that game. We’ll see on Wednesday, but I think it (the injury report) will be probably a little bit similar to what it was last week. (Tight end Daniel) Bellinger’s making progress. Evan’s (Neal) making progress. (We have) some bumps and bruises here and there, but (we’re) really fairly healthy.

Q: With (defensive lineman) Dexter Lawrence every stat, every metric you can find shows that his pass rush has been significantly more successful this season. I’m wondering what you attribute to that. Is there anything significantly different that he’s doing, or you guys are doing with him?

A: Well, he’s a good football player. Give credit to the player first and foremost. I think he’s worked hard at his craft since I’ve been here. He’s a great teammate, great leader, and he’s done a good job of getting better and improving his craft. So, he gets most of the credit, but I think that (defensive line coach Andre) Patterson and (assistant defensive line coach Bryan) Cox have done a great job with really all our defensive lineman, with every single one of them. They’re fantastic coaches, very good technique coaches. Have a lot of experience. I think they’ve helped the players improve. I think the players are very thankful that they have those two guys as their coaches. So, it’s been a good match.

Q: How much does him being lined up over the center as sort of a straight nose tackle you think benefit him in that regard?

A: Yeah, he’s a load and the centers whether they have their head down or they have them up they’ve still got to execute the snap. We’ve been playing him there; we haven’t moved him around maybe as much as he’s been moved around in the past, but I think he’s been very effective with what we’ve asked him to do. Obviously, we have a certain package where you see him in different spots and things like that, but he’s done a good job really wherever he’s lined up this year for us. He’s a very good teammate for us and he’s doing a good job.

Q: I don’t know how much you guys pay attention to what guys say in the locker room to the media, to us after the game’s during the week. We had a conversation with (wide receiver) Kenny (Golladay) yesterday, what you thought about his answers and if you have had a conversation with him about what his role is going to be moving forward.

A: I have conversations with our guys all the time, I’ll keep those private. Again, all I expect these guys to do is come in on Wednesday, learn from the tape, go out to practice, have a good week at practice and then by the end of the week we’ll decide where everybody fits and that’s how we approach it. Really not much more than that.

Q: On the defensive side of the ball, obviously going into last week’s game with (safety) Xavier (McKinney) out, there was so much talk about communication, relaying the signals whether it be (safety) Julian (Love) or somebody else. Now that you’re out of the game, how would you assess how that entire process went? Do you anticipate sticking the same way moving forward to the next game based on what you observed yesterday?

A: You’re talking about with Julian as the green dot wearer?

Q: Yeah, and just in terms of the communication.

A: Yeah, it was good, Julian did a great job like he did all week leading up to it. Now he understands our system and I think he’s a good communicator, he’s intelligent. I think it was smooth. Really from his point to the second level of the defense to the defensive line. I think those guys did a good job of communicating throughout the game and obviously he’s the one that’s wearing the green dot and it starts with him.

Q: Is there any more of your children who have a birthday coming up and have they asked you to make the playoffs?

A: No, the next birthday in our house is January 27th. That’s our oldest daughter.

Q: Has she asked you to go to the Super Bowl?

A: No, she’s going to be 18 she knows how the routine works. The little one was happy yesterday and so was I, because she was.

Q: I guess I’m kind of beating around the question, but have you let the playoffs get into your thought pattern yet?

A: No. Again, it’s fairly easy not to let that happen. Maybe when I was younger starting out in this league, in 2000, 2001. I remember 2000 we were 5-11 I think and then we started out 1-3 and each game we built a little bit of momentum, and I’m a young coach. Then the next year we don’t make the playoffs and then the two years after that we win two more Super Bowls, and when you’re younger a little bit and just starting out I think maybe you think about things like that. Now it’s the God’s honest truth you just worry about the next day, the meeting we were just having, practice. I know it’s boring but that’s the truth. We have to focus and stay in the moment because it really doesn’t matter. There’re so many games to be played and it’s good to be 7-2 but again it will humble you really quick when you start worrying about the wrong things or thinking about the wrong things to me in this business.

Q: Obviously Detroit is your focus Sunday, but you do have a game four days later on Thanksgiving. So as a first-year head coach can you start peeking into Dallas a little bit before Sunday or do you wait until Sunday night? How are you going to approach it?

A: We’ve had a routine here the last few years of playing on Thursday night games and you get your work done for the opponent you’re playing this particular week and then when things settle down towards the end of the week, there’s no other way to do it then to start getting ahead on the next team. That’s not big elaborate meetings, that’s just position coaches having to stay a little extra and put some work in because there’s only so much time in a day that you’ve got to be ready to go once that other game is (done), they’ll be working in here Sunday after we play. I think right now the focus for today all the way through Friday evening is really where we’ve got to stay at. There is definitely scheduling processes and conversations that need to be had to make sure you’re prepared the way you think your team needs to be prepared. That’s physically and mentally.

Q: You had an animated conversation with (guard) Jack Anderson after the false start. What makes you feel like you have to communicate in that way in that moment? What’s the purpose behind it?

A: I don’t know, I don’t think about it. You see it after and you’re like, ‘I wish I didn’t do that’, sometimes. I wear my emotions on my sleeve, and I’ve told Jack that. I talk to my players all the time or my coaches. There’re some things that I like to help but I can’t help sometimes, probably how I was raised. I’ll even get that way with myself. I talk to myself when I think I’ve made a dumb decision or do something that I shouldn’t have done. Again, I don’t think about it. It just happens naturally and we’re in a critical situation of the game. Fourth and one that we were going to go for it, again I understand mistakes happen and I’ve got a lot of confidence in Jack just like I do all the other players. At that particular time, I (was) just, not happy and whatever I say I say. I think I apologized later.

Q: Do you think it’s good sometimes to try and get your message across that way?

A: I don’t know. At that particular time probably, yeah. Whatever I’m feeling I do.

Q: I think you’ve kind of alluded to this. Do you always feel the need to circle back (with the person)?

A: Yeah, no doubt about that because it’s a relationship driven business too. Look, I’ve made plenty of mistakes and I’m hard on myself. I understand that got caught on camera. Do I like it? No. There’re times where I say, ‘Man I wish I was a little more laid back?’ Probably. But that’s me.

Q: You’ve never yelled back at yourself, have you?

A: Yeah. Probably, yeah. I don’t mind it when other guys yell back either.

Q: Just wondering if (center) Jon Feliciano is going to be able to practice this week or he’ll be limited only because he seemed like he was laboring late in the game.

A: Yup. I think he’ll be good.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The players are off on Tuesday and there is no media availability to the team on that day. The Giants return to practice on Wednesday.

Aug 312022
 
Jason Pinnock, New York Jets (January 2, 2022)

Jason Pinnock – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS CLAIM FOUR OFF OF WAIVERS, PLACE THREE ON IR…
The New York Giants claimed the following four players off of waivers on Wednesday:

  • G Jack Anderson (Philadelphia Eagles)
  • CB Justin Layne (Pittsburgh Steelers)
  • CB Nick McCloud (Buffalo Bills)
  • S Jason Pinnock (New York Jets)

The 23-year old, 6’4”, 314-pound Anderson was originally drafted in the 7th round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Bills. The Eagles signed Anderson off of Buffalo’s Practice Squad in September 2021. He played in two games with one start for Philadelphia. Anderson spent part of the 2021 season on Injured Reserve with a hamstring injury.

The 24-year old, 6’2”, 192-pound Layne was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Steelers. In three years with Pittsburgh, Layne played in 43 regular-season games with no starts, being credited with 41 tackles.

The 24-year old, 6’0”, 193-pound McCloud was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Bills after the 2021 NFL Draft. The Cincinnati Bengals claimed him off of waivers in September 2021 and cut him in November. The Bills then re-signed McCloud to their Practice Squad. McCloud played in two regular-season games with the Bengals.

The 23-year old, 6’0”, 205-pound Pinnock was originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Jets. He played in 12 games with two starts as a rookie, accruing 16 tackles, one pass defense, and two forced fumbles.

When asked about Pinnock, Head Coach Brian Daboll responded, “He’s good on teams. He had some good film out there. He’s played in the deep part of the field. We practiced against them; we played against them. He has some redeeming qualities and traits that when the guys watched him in the scouting department and our coaches, thought it would be a good claim.”

When asked about Anderson, Daboll replied, “He played (both guard and center). Smart – you know he got claimed by Philadelphia (when I was in Buffalo). So, didn’t want to lose him. I remember we didn’t want to lose him, but he had an opportunity to go and get claimed and looking forward to working with him again. He can play inside – either spot – and he can play center too.”

To make immediate room for these four, the Giants terminated the contracts of the following players:

  • TE Tanner Hudson
  • OG Max Garcia
  • DL Nick Williams
  • ILB Austin Calitro

Some or all of these four players may be back as soon as tomorrow. Players on the initial 53-man roster could not be officially placed on short-term Injured Reserve until 4PM on Wednesday. Daboll said on Wednesday that the team intends to place the following three players on short-term Injured Reserve:

  • OG Shane Lemieux (foot)
  • OLB Elerson Smith (ankle/foot)
  • CB Rodarius Williams (ACL)

These three players will have to remain on Injured Reserve for at least four games. “I think there’s a chance (all three could return this season),” said Daboll.

(Lemieux is) pretty resilient,” said Daboll. “Unfortunately, he’s been through it once, but he’s in good spirits. So, he’ll work back. He’s been already rehabbing, and he’ll be back as soon as he can.”

GIANTS SIGN 15 PLAYERS TO THE PRACTICE SQUAD…
The New York Giants have signed the following players to the team’s 16-man Practice Squad:

  • QB Davis Webb
  • RB Jashaun Corbin
  • WR C.J. Board
  • WR Jaylon Moore
  • TE Austin Allen
  • OT Will Holden
  • OT Roy Mbaeteka
  • OT Garrett McGhin
  • DL Ryder Anderson
  • OLB Quincy Roche
  • CB Harrison Hand
  • CB Zyon Gilbert
  • CB Darren Evans
  • S Trenton Thompson
  • S Nate Meadors

All 15 of these players were cut by the Giants yesterday.

Meanwhile, according to multiple media reports, safety Tony Jefferson is expected to be signed to the Practice Squad shortly. The 30-year old, 5’11”, 211-pound Jefferson was originally signed as undrafted rookie free agent by the Arizona Cardinals after the 2013 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Cardinals (2013-2016), Ravens (2017-2019, 2021-2022), and San Francisco 49ers (2021). Robinson has played in 104 regular-season games with 66 starts. However, he has not started a game since 2019, when he tore his ACL mid-season. Robinson has only played in six regular-season games since 2019.

HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The transcript of Brian Daboll’s press conference on Wednesday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available on YouTube.

AUGUST 31, 2022 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
TE Daniel Bellinger (concussion), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (knee), OLB Azeez Ojulari (calf), and ILB Blake Martinez (excused absence) did not practice.

Day-to-day,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll about Thibodeaux and Ojulari. “Both of those guys – I’d say him and Azeez are rehabbing and doing a good job and getting better each day… They’re getting better. I know that.”

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice Thursday (11:45AM-1:15PM). General Manager Joe Schoen, Head Coach Brian Daboll, and select players will also address the media.

Aug 302022
 
Quincy Roche, New York Giants (November 7, 2021)

Quincy Roche – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS REDUCE ROSTER TO 53 PLAYERS…
As required by the NFL, he New York Giants reduced their roster to 53 players on Tuesday. The team cut the following players:

  • QB Davis Webb (contract terminated)
  • RB Jashaun Corbin
  • WR C.J. Board (contract terminated)
  • WR Alex Bachman
  • WR Jaylon Moore
  • TE Austin Allen
  • OL Jamil Douglas (contract terminated)
  • OL Garrett McGhin
  • OL Will Holden (contract terminated)
  • OL Roy Mbaeteka
  • DL Jalyn Holmes (contract terminated)
  • DL David Moa
  • DL Ryder Anderson
  • LB Quincy Roche
  • CB Khalil Dorsey
  • CB Harrison Hand
  • CB Darren Evans
  • CB Zyon Gilbert
  • S Nate Meadors
  • S Trenton Thompson

RB Sandro Platzgummer also will remain exempt as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program, which also allowed him to remain on the team’s Practice Squad in 2020 and 2021 without counting towards the Practice Squad limit. 

The roster clearly is not finalized. Head Coach Brian Daboll admitted some players will be moved to short-term Injured Reserve. “There’s probably a few,” said Daboll. “But we’ll get to that here. (I’ll) have a better answer for you tomorrow or the next day.”

GIANTS TEAM CAPTAINS SELECTED…
The players voted for the following team captains of the 2022 New York Giants:

  • Offense: QB Daniel Jones, RB Saquon Barkley, and LT Andrew Thomas
  • Defense: S Xavier McKinney, DL Leonard Williams, DL Dexter Lawrence, and S Julian Love
  • Special Teams: LS Casey Kreiter, PK Graham Gano, LB Cam Brown, and S Julian Love

Love was voted for both defense and special teams.

https://twitter.com/Giants/status/1564730313053552641

AUGUST 30, 2022 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
TE Daniel Bellinger (concussion), TE Chris Myarick (foot), LG Shane Lemieux (foot), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (knee), OLB Azeez Ojulari (calf), OLB Elerson Smith (ankle/foot), and CB Rodarius Williams (unknown) did not practice.

When Head Coach Brian Daboll was asked if anyone but Lemieux would miss the opening game, he responded, “I’ll get that to you here in the next couple days.”

HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The transcript of Brian Daboll’s press conference on Tuesday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available on YouTube.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice Wednesday afternoon (1:30-3:30PM). Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will also address the media.

Aug 062022
 
Mike Kafka, New York Giants (July 28, 2022)

Mike Kafka – © USA TODAY Sports

AUGUST 5, 2022 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT… (by Sy’56)

It was a very typical humid, uncomfortable, August night. Usually we are on the field just a few yards away from the action, but tonight we were up in the press box. There are advantages to both. I get to see more of the macro-level concepts and combinations from up top and it is easier to get eyes on multiple players and matchups at once. On the field, however, it is easier to hone in on the techniques as well as getting the real feel for contact, power, and balance. This is why, when I go on college scouting trips in the fall, I love having access to both. Because I had to stay upstairs the entire time, I went in with the focus on:

  • One-on-one matchups
  • Offense vs. defense pressure (pass rush)
  • Daniel Jones progressing through reads
  • Personnel groupings

The beat writers do an excellent job giving play-by-play via their Twitter feeds. If you want more of that, head over there. They don’t miss a thing.

ONE-ON-ONE MATCHUPS

-If there was one thing I watched the most, it was Andrew Thomas vs. Kayvon Thibodeaux. Thomas, it being year 3 of his career, is more established and has performed on the pro stage. Thibodeaux is the shiny new toy. Tonight? You could easily force a newbie into believing otherwise and I mean that in the best way possible. Thibodeaux was incredibly impressive. His variety of moves (both inside and outside shoulder) look so refined already. His space and situational awareness combined with elite-level balance and control constantly gave him the upper hand. He had multiple pressures but was also a factor setting the edge as a run defender.

Who won between these two? Thibodeaux. That is not an indictment against Thomas, by the way. It was just good a good old, classic matchup between two good players. Thomas looks the part of a quality NFL left tackle. Speed, quickness, staying square, and strong hands. This is more of a compliment to the Giants rookie edge rusher. Thomas did get flagged twice though (holding/false start).

One final thing. I saw two plays where Thibodeaux dropped in to coverage. He moved faster and easier than all of their inside linebackers. He dropped 10-15 yards in a blink, stayed low, and showed the feel for a route combination by wide receivers. It was very impressive.

-Last time I was at camp (without full pads), Dexter Lawrence was abusing the Giants interior offensive line. Jon Feliciano did not dress. Tonight, he did and it made a world of difference. Feliciano gets to the defender fast and brings immediate power. I knew he was feisty but the snap and violence he showed from his hands stood out. Also good to see some attitude. He tossed rookie Micah McFadden to the ground at the whistle on one of the final reps. As karma usually does, it showed up a play or two later where Lawrence put Feliciano on his butt and made a TFL on a running play inside the 5-yard line.

Lawrence has stood out to be both times I have seen this defense play live. He will finally be in the role I always envisioned him in.

-Adoree’ Jackson and Aaron Robinson played sticky in coverage on the outside. Jackson looks a step or two above, but against this subpar WR group, they both appeared to handle their coverage roles with ease. Kenny Golladay can only separate on initial quick-strike slant passes. However, as they get into 5-7 step drop backs and/or the play gets extended, those two were attached to him all over the field.

Golladay can be a factor on these quick passing plays because of his size, but it will require accuracy from Jones which I am not seeing. More on him later.

-Darnay Holmes had another strong practice. The unquestioned nickel if you’re asking me. He did get flagged for a hold early on (he really needs to fix that) but Wink Martindale used him on disguised blitzes a few times and he got home. He would have finished with a sack on the play where Jones hit rookie WR Wan’Dale Robinson for a long gain. He did not have the feel for coverage against Robinson and Kadarius Toney the way Julian Love did. Love made anticipated breaks on the ball a couple of times and was fast enough for man coverage against all of the NYG receivers.

-The one backup matchup that was fun to watch was cornerback Zyon Gilbert against Darius Slayton. This was with the 3rd string (yes, Slayton is a 3rd stringer). There were several downfield targets thrown at this matchup and Gilbert won all of them. He is long and nimble, attacks the ball with great timing and accuracy. Slayton did not have any standout plays. He simply did not display the necessary ball skills (timing, accuracy, coordination). Now, the throws from Davis Webb could have been better, but I would have liked to see Slayton make the play at least once. I believe he was 0-for-5.

PASS RUSH

-I discussed a couple of individual matchups already. On a macro level, I loved the complexity we saw from Martindale. On multiple occasions we saw the front bring 6-7 guys up to the line pre-snap, spread out evenly. Then, once the ball was snapped, all of the rushers on one side of the center dropped back and all of the rushers on the other side pursued the passer. While there are advantages for the defense in these situations, it was simply good to see what we have discussed with Martindale: aggression, speed, and the no-fear approach.

-Mark Glowinski had a quiet night and I mean that in the best way possible. Never saw him beat. Evan Neal had a back-and-forth night. He handled the edge well but got into trouble when his man rushed inside. The same balance issues I saw at Alabama and discussed multiple times showed up, and it isn’t just speed that gets him. Rookie defensive tackle D.J .Davidson beat him badly on one play, not exactly a guy known for his suddenness.

-The one guy I did not get a good feel for was Shane Lemieux. He was with the 1’s at left guard and played some OC with the 2’s. Not having film in these situations can make it tough. I did see him matched up against Leonard Williams a few times and Williams did not stand out in any way, so that could be a win for Lemieux. Can’t say that for sure, though.

-Elerson Smith looked to be Thibodeaux’s backup. He saw some action with the 1’s, but was mostly with the 2’s. He only had one play where you could make a case he had an impactful pressure. To me, it looks like he is trying hard to get his foot / hand placement down and playing it slow. There isn’t juice off the edge but he does firmly plant his legs into the ground to hold his positioning.

-Rookie Josh Ezeudu is going to be a factor this year. We discussed this in May after the draft, but the notion is even stronger now. He played right and left tackle, and left guard. He looks so natural with his footwork and patience. He got beat once in pass protection, I’m not sure against who. But this versatility is going to get him on the field and a case COULD be made he is one of the best 5 linemen on the team right now.

DANIEL JONES

-I won’t beat around the bush. Jones did not look good. Again, it would help to have film to re-watch a few plays. But his overall accuracy and feel weren’t there. He was inches away from an early pick-six to Adoree’ Jackson. It was a slightly late throw AND it was inaccurate on a simple read and toss. He air mailed a simple throw to Daniel Bellinger (saw the same thing last time I was at practice). He overthrew Robinson on a downfield pass with touchdown potential by at least 6 yards. He held on the ball for too long 2 or 3 times (could be a coverage win though). He did not feel where the pressure came from on the complex blitzes Martindale sent. And lastly, he did not show a smooth feel when moving within the pocket.

Again, Jones’ best plays were scrambles and runs where the defense is not allowed to breathe on him, let alone tackle.

I remain on the side of the fence that this isn’t going to work if you “need” an answer from me on that subject.

-Tyrod Taylor (playing against the 2’s) had the best pure throws of the night. He showed much better body control and had a quicker release when he gets moved off his platform via the pass rush. He went downfield to Collin Johnson 3 or 4 times and I feel more confidence he is going to get the ball to where it needs to be.

PERSONNEL GROUPINGS

-Rookie inside linebackers Darian Beavers and Micah McFadden appeared to be second string: McFadden playing more of the MIKE role and Beavers playing more of the WILL role. I enjoyed watching them; they both move well in coverage. Beavers surprised me with how much depth he got on his drop backs. Cam Brown and Carter Coughlin both played with the 3’s (some action with 2’s) but I think their roster spots are safe because of special teams. Brown stands out there. Speed, aggression, length, and ability to get through traffic.

-Justin Ellis and Nick Williams are both backup defensive tackles with Williams showing some looks on the outside shoulder of the tackle. Neither will impress as pass rushers but they are both stout and powerful. I feel good about both when it comes to run defense and giving Williams + Lawrence a break.

-Andrew Adams is clearly the top backup safety. His play speed, anticipation, and reaction time stood out in comparison to the others. We know this is a thin group and I do expect this front office to add a safety once roster cutdowns get under way. But with how much they want to move Love around, we are going to see Adams get meaningful snaps.

-The backup running backs Matt Breida and Antonio Williams are my front runners to make this team. They could keep 4 on the roster and that will likely come down to Corbin vs. Brightwell. Corbin saw punt return action and that could end up getting him the spot.

-The backup offensive line looks SO MUCH more refined that what we have seen in the past. Ezeudu who I discussed along with Max Garcia made for a really solid left side. Jamil Douglas and the newly signed Will Holden won their matchups. Holden was a guy I liked coming out of Vanderbilt a few years ago and while it is easy to see there is a low ceiling to his talent, his hands looked heavy and he stays square. I think he makes this practice squad and has an outside shot at making the 53 because he can play tackle.

-The tight end group remains a mystery. Bellinger looks to be TE1 as long as Ricky Seals-Jones is off of the field. Jordan Akins is a 3rd stringer. Rookie UDFA Andre Miller caught the touchdown with the 1’s. It just looks like it isa group that is all over the place and for me, I don’t see any starting-caliber players and I don’t see any difference makers.

SUMMARY

-I remain unimpressed by the offense as a whole. While Saquon Barkley did display his elite burst and speed on a couple of plays, which I am encouraged about, it is going to come down to the passing game. Simply put, is Jones good enough? Are the receivers going to make plays? I am confident the offensive line and overall scheme will be improved. But the two concerns I noted are enough to keep this offense as a whole in the cellar.

-On the flip side, I am very encouraged by the defense and their potential to keep things close. They should be able to accomplish that in a variety of ways. Thibodeaux already looks like the most important player on this side of the ball. And step one to being difference-making pass rusher is the ability to consistently win one-on-one matchups. He was the winner against Andrew Thomas last night, a guy I have graded as one of the top-10 left tackles in football.

A potential stud pass rusher, a potential stud free safety in Xavier McKinney, potential two stud interior guys in Williams and Lawrence, and a scheme that knows how to create confusion for opposing passers can make a lot of noise on that side of the ball.

I plan to be at practice at least two of the next three days.

ROSTER MOVES – GONO’S CAREER MAY BE OVER…
Right tackle Matt Gono was placed on the Exempt/Left Squad List on Wednesday. ESPN is reporting that Gono may have a career-ending neck injury. The Giants signed Gono in March 2022 as a street free agent. The 6’4”, 305-pound Gono was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2018 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons released him in January.

The Giants also waived outside linebacker Niko Lalos. The Giants signed Lalos as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2020 NFL Draft. Lalos spent most of the season on the Practice Squad but was elevated to the 53-man roster in December. He played in six games with no starts as a rookie (17 percent of all defensive snaps in those games). Lalos finished the season with six tackles, one interception, one pass defense, and one fumble recovery. Lalos spent 2021 on the team’s Practice Squad.

To fill those roster vacancies, the Giants claimed safety Nate Meadors off of waivers from the Cleveland Browns on Thursday, and signed street free agent offensive tackle Will Holden on Friday.

The 25-year old, 5’11”, 194-pound Meadors was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Minnesota Vikings after the 2019 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Vikings (2019-2020), Jacksonville Jaguars (2020-2021), Philadelphia Eagles (2021), and Browns (2021-2022). He has only played in three NFL games, all with the Vikings in 2019-2020.

The 28-year old, 6’7”, 312-pound Holden was originally drafted in the 5th-round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. He has spent time with the Cardinals (2017-2018, 2018-2019), Indianapolis Colts (2018, 2020), New Orleans Saints (2018), Miami Dolphins (2019), Seattle Seahawks (2019), San Francisco 49ers (2019), Baltimore Ravens (2019-2020) Indianapolis Colts (2020), and Detroit Lions (2021). Holden has played in 27 regular-season games with nine starts, including at left tackle, right tackle, and guard.

INJURY REPORT – MARCUS McKETHAN SUFFERS LEG INJURY…
The following players remain on injury lists:

  • Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List: WR Sterling Shepard (Achilles), OC Nick Gates (leg), and OT Matt Peart (knee)
  • Reserve/Non-Football Injury (NFI) List: LB Azeez Ojulari (hamstring)

WR David Sills (unknown), WR Robert Foster (unknown), TE Ricky Seals-Jones (unknown), CB Rodarius Williams (returning from ACL), S Dane Belton (broken left collarbone), and S Nate Meadows (unknown) did not practice.

OG/OT Marcus McKethan suffered what could be a serious right leg injury during practice. He was carted off the field. “We’ll see what happened with Marcus, take a look at that tonight. Give you guys an update the next time I see you,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll. “Obviously, a lower body but we will see where it’s at.”

HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The transcript of Brian Daboll’s press conference on Friday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available on YouTube.

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
There is no media or public availability to the team on Saturday. The players have the day off. The team returns to practice on Sunday morning (10:00AM-noon). The practice is open to the public. Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will also address the media.