July 29, 2014 New York Giants Training Camp Report

Larry Donnell shined at Giants’ camp – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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JULY 29, 2014 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
Shortly after a practice earlier this week, Giants’ coach Tom Coughlin summed up the team’s offensive progression in one quick and simple, but incredibly effective, cliche.

“Two steps forward,” Coughlin said, “one step back.”

At Tuesday’s practice, the final one before receiving a day off on Wednesday, nothing could prove more true.

The offense moved up-and-down the field, Larry Donnell caught a pair of touchdowns and the line opened holes and kept defenders off of Manning’s back. Then came the step back. Running back David Wilson and his surgically-repaired neck walked off the field with a trainer. Coughlin confirmed after practice it was a ‘burner.’

While the team awaits additional news on Wilson, BigBlueInteractive.com has your complete practice report.

Rueben Randle did not practice today – Photo by Connor Hughes

SETTING THE STAGE…
A few more players missed practice than the usual amount. Travis Howard, Trindon Holliday, Rueben Randle,Ross Weaver and Everett Dawkins all watched from the side. Odell Beckham Jr. fielded punts and caught balls from the jugs machine. Coughlin spoke after practice and said Randle had a hamstring issue and Holliday a knee. It didn’t sound serious.

SPECIAL TEAMS…
As always, the Giants opened up their practice with special teams. Yesterday the team practiced kickoff coverage and kick returns, today it was punt coverage and punt returns.

• With Rueben Randle and Trindon Holliday sidelined, it was Odell Beckham Jr. (just catching), David Wilson, Jerrel Jernigan and Victor Cruz fielding punts. Not the best day for Jernigan, he muffed two. Charles James II got a few looks, too.
• Not terribly sure the team would run it in a game, but Quintin Demps got two fake direct snaps sent his way. He took both around the edge. One to the right, one to the left.
• Brandon McManus did a bit of punting his junior and senior year at Temple and he took a few snaps for the Giants’ today. Most of it was just to spell Steve Weatherford as the team practiced coverage drills.

• Another Marcus Harris sighting. This time, the wideout ran down as a gunner and downed the ball inside the 5-yard line.

• By my count, I had Josh Brown going 4-for-4 in practice today. McManus will get a chance to kick on Thursday.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT…
I am trying something a little new today as we asked you, the fans, a particular player you wanted to have spotlighted during the individual portion of practice. By a slim margin, Will Beatty pulled away from Jason Pierre-Paul. (I checked just before walking out to observe practice).

Originally when camp started, reporters were allowed to walk all over the field. That seems to have changed as we’re now positioned in one spot on one field for most of the day. The offense walked to the other side of the field as we were stationed with the defense. Either way, I did my best to observe Beatty. He’s easy to find with his uniform.

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  Will Beatty – © USA TODAY Sports Images

  If Beatty still feels pain in his leg, he hides it well. The Giants’ left tackle ran a drill where they were required to dead sprint after the running back got a handoff. Beatty moved very well. No sign of a limp on him.

• Working with a teammate holding a bag, Beatty’s speed in extending his arms is really something to watch. That initial punch given to the bag creates quite the collision and actually knocked his bag-holder back a half step.

• The first couple of steps Beatty takes are also pretty impressive. He has very, very quick feet for a guy of his size and can take three steps in the space some would take one.

• In a drill where the linemen were required to get to the second level, Beatty beat nearly all linemen getting to the linebackers. He really isn’t your traditional big, blubbery lineman. The guy has some speed and is very athletic.

TWO MINUTE DRILL…
As is the case every practice, the Giants run two sets of “11-on-11” where the offense goes up against the defense. Coughlin will vary what teams match up with each other. Either way, you’ll find highlights from both portions here, including the ‘Play of Practice.’ Overall, it was a pretty good showing from the offense. Much, much better than yesterday.

• The first-team offense saw a few new faces getting the initial snaps. Adrien Robinson was the first tight end and Andre Williams was the first running back. Also, with Rueben Randle out, Mario Manningham filled in opposite Jerrel Jernigan with Victor Cruz in the slot.

• Little bit of a different pattern, Peyton Hillis ran an out-route about 10 yards down the field and Eli Manning hit him.

• Another variation of the ‘NASCAR’ package for the Giants. Robert Ayers and Mathias Kiwanuka (roaming/stand up) manned the outside with Cullen Jenkins and Jason Pierre-Paul in the middle.

• Larry Donnell had his best practice of the summer by my count. The highlight? This one-handed grab on a fade route from Eli. Out of pure luck, I got it on tape. Going forward, BBI is going to try to shoot some more video and have it linked up with our Instagram account (@BigBlueInteractive). Be sure to give it a follow. (Side note: Thank you to Inside Football intern Emily Iannaconi for the help posting this).

• John Conner had one of the bigger hits of camp, smacking Kerry Wynn (via Newsday’s Tom Rock. I was still trying to find a way to share the Donnell video). Also, Eric Herman had his first pancake of camp as he got Kelcy Quarles pretty good.

• Really, really nice blocking by the offensive line on an Eli Manning pass attempt. Manning had about seven seconds to throw and a perfectly-developed pocket. The issue? No one was open. Manning eventually rolled out and hit Donnell in the flat.

• In Rueben Randle’s absence, Jerrel Jernigan had another nice practice. He beat Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie twice on in-routes.

• John Jerry got some work with the first team at guard for Brandon Mosley. Mosley took the majority of snaps, but I saw Jerry get a few.

• Maybe he was offsides, maybe he wasn’t, but Jason Pierre-Paul got an incredible jump on an Eli Manning pass. Would-be sack for JPP there as long as no flags were thrown.

• A few fans had asked about trickery, so here you go. For the first time since I remember Jeremy Shockey attempting a pass versus the Philadelphia Eagles, someone other than the quarterback threw the ball. Ryan Nassib tossed it to Peyton Hillis, who then pulled up and lofted one down the field in the direction of Larry Donnell. The halfback pass fell incomplete, but was still fun to see. Looks like offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo does have a few tricks up his sleeve.

• Kellen Davis caught a touchdown from Curtis Painter, but Painter’s success was short lived. On his next pass, he was pick-sixed by Trumaine McBride. McBride was escorted to the endzone by Prince Amukamara, Walter Thurmond III and Stevie Brown. Interesting, Peyton Hillis ran with McBride to all the way to the endzone. Nice hustle from the running back.

Mario Manningham – © USA TODAY Sports Images

SEVEN-ON-SEVEN…
Not much going on here. Few catches, few deflections. It was tough to see as the Giants created a wall blocking a lot portion of our view. Here are the highlights:

• Larry Donnell caught his second touchdown of the practice when he found himself wide open on a corner route. Tom Coughlin has talked extensively about wanting someone, anyone, to step up at the position. Looks like Donnell has heard his call.

• Another tight end flashed, Adrien Robinson. On an out-route, Robinson lunged forward and made a nice hands grab beating Jayron Hosley.

• David Wilson, the last play I saw him in before he walked off the field, fumbled on a swing route. From what I saw, Wilson looked to catch the ball and then attempt to tip-toe down the sideline. As he reached forward for more yards, he just basically dropped the ball. Some said they saw Spencer Adkins punch it out, but I saw him drop it. Either way, it was a fumble.

• Eli Manning hit Mario Manningham for a touchdown on a slant route. Manningham has looked good these last two days.

• Another flash from Marcus Harris. He beat Prince Amukamara for a touchdown on an out-route near the goal line.

RANDOM OBSERVATION…
Charles James II really is a character. After practice, the defensive backs all huddled around doing a chant as James danced away in the middle of them all. The group concluded with a “DB’s” bellow before all simultaneously sliding out.

The Giants will have off tomorrow before returning to practice again on Thursday and Friday. The team plays its first preseason game on Sunday.