Giants Begin Reporting to Camp; Deadline for Markus Golden Passes

Markus Golden – © USA TODAY Sports

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GIANTS BEGIN REPORTING TO CAMP…
Because the NFL and NFL Players Association were able to resolve COVID-19 testing procedure issues yesterday, the New York Giants gave the green light for quarterbacks, rookies, and injured players to begin reporting to summer training camp in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Thursday, which was the day they were originally supposed to report. All other players are scheduled to report on July 28. Coaches began arriving on July 17.

According to media reports, the Giants will conduct most training camp functions at MetLife Stadium in order to be better comply with COVID-19 restrictions. The home and away locker rooms at the stadium will allow for greater social distancing. The Giants will also have access to suites inside the stadium in order to hold team meetings. However, the Giants will still practice at nearby Quest Diagnostics Training Center. Practices will not be open to the public.

The current NFL-NFL Players Association plan appears to require players to be tested on the first and fourth day of camp, with only virtual meetings being held in between tests. Players who pass both tests would then be allowed to congregate at the team facility for physicals. Meanwhile, daily testing would continue for at least the first two weeks of training camp. If the rate of positive tests remains below 5 percent at the 2-week mark, testing will occur every other day.

DEADLINE FOR MARKUS GOLDEN PASSES…
Back in late April, the New York Giants placed a seldom-used “May 5” tender on unrestricted free agent linebacker Markus Golden. Unless Golden signed with another team by July 22, the tender would enable the Giants to maintain exclusive signing rights until the 10th week of the 2020 NFL season. That deadline has now passed without Golden signing. Golden’s options now are to holdout until Week 10 (at which time he will have to sit out the remainder of the season) or sign his 1-year, $4.125 million tender (which is 100 percent of his 2019 salary) with the Giants.

The New York Post is reporting that Golden plans to sign the Giants’ tender on July 28th, when most veterans are scheduled to report to training camp.

The Giants signed Golden as an unrestricted free agent from the Arizona Cardinals in March 2019. Golden had a strong debut season with the Giants in 2019, starting all 16 games, playing 83 percent of all defensive snaps, accruing a career-high 72 tackles, and team-high 10 sacks.

The 6’3”, 260-pound Golden was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Cardinals. Golden’s break-out season was in 2016 at linebacker when he accrued 51 tackles and 12.5 sacks. He missed 12 games in 2017 with an ACL injury. While he returned in 2018, he missed five games and saw his production slip to 30 tackles and 2.5 sacks.

MATT PEART AND T.J. BRUNSON AGREE TO TERMS…
SNY is reporting that New York Giants 2020 NFL Draft pick offensive tackle tackle Matt Peart (3rd round) has agreed to terms. The Bergen Record is reporting that linebacker T.J. Brunson (7th round) has done so as well. SNY had reported yesterday that cornerback Darnay Homes (4th round), offensive guard Shane Lemieux (5th round), and linebacker Cam Brown (6th round) had also agreed to terms. Linebacker Tae Crowder (7th round) signed his contract in early May.

Remaining unsigned, but expected to sign shortly, are offensive tackle Andrew Thomas (1st round), safety Xavier McKinney (2nd round), linebacker Carter Coughlin (7th round), and defensive back Chris Williamson (7th round).