May 252023
 
Brian Daboll, New York Giants (May 19, 2022)

Brian Daboll – © USA TODAY Sports

MAY 25, 2023 NEW YORK GIANTS OTA PRACTICE REPORT…
The Giants held their third voluntary organized team activity (OTA) practice on Thursday, and first one open to the media. No live contact is permitted during OTAs, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are allowed.

“We have been grinding away here into phase three of the program. I think we made some strides physically with the strength and conditioning program, phase one and phase two. Really, it’s a learning camp, a teaching camp. That’s how we approach it. No one is going to make the team off of performance at this camp. There are certain rules and things that we with try to coach and make sure that our guys are on top of.

“As always, I think there’s a few guys out that had prior engagements for today. They will be back next week. We have really good attendance. There will be some guys working their rehab stuff, and throughout practice each of those guys are kind of at different stages. Just trying to get them as healthy as we can. I’m not going to get into specifics of any of them. I would say with Saquon, that situation is going to be between Saquon and the organization. I’m not going to get into detail of any of the discussions we’ve had.”

The seven remaining OTA practices will be held on May 30-31, June 2, June 5-6, and June 8-9. A mandatory mini-camp will also be held June 13-15.

INJURIES AND ABSENTEES…
Not spotted at were RB Saquon Barkley (unsigned Franchise player), DL Leonard Williams, DL Dexter Lawrence, DL A’Shawn Robinson, DL D.J. Davidson (recovering from knee surgery), DL Vernon Butler, and CB Nick McCloud.

WR Wan’Dale Robinson (recovering from knee surgery), WR Makai Polk, OT Tyre Phillips, OG Marcus McKethan (recovering from knee surgery), ILB Darrian Beavers (recovering from knee surgery), OLB Elerson Smith (recovering from foot surgery), CB Aaron Robinson (recovering from knee surgery), S Dane Belton (recovering from unspecified offseason surgery), S Jason Pinnock, and S Trenton Thompson.worked on the side.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • Fielding punts were RB Eric Gray, WR Darius Slayton, WR Jaydon Mickens, WR Kalil Pimpleton, CB Darnay Holmes, and CB Adoree’ Jackson.
  • First-team offensive line was RT Evan Neal, RG Mark Glowinski, OC John Michael Schmitz, LG Ben Bredeson, and LT Andrew Thomas.
  • First-team wide receivers were Parris Campbell, Darius Slayton, and Isaiah Hodgins.
  • The starting inside linebackers were Bobby Okereke and Jarrad Davis.
  • Starting at cornerback were Adoree’ Jackson and Amani Oruwariye. Darnay Holmes was the slot corner. Deonte Banks was with the second-team defense.
  • The starting safeties were Xavier McKinney and Bobby McCain.
  • On the first play of 7-on-7 drills, QB Daniel Jones connected with TE Darren Waller deep down the right sideline over CB Darnay Holmes. Jones later hit Waller deep again.
  • QB Daniel Jones connected with WR Darius Slayton deep twice. Slayton also caught a touchdown in the back of the end zone from Jones later in 7-on-7 drills.
  • Wide receivers Collin Johnson and Jamison Crowder flashed in 7-on-7 drills.
  • TE Lawrence Cager saw quite a bit of work and caught a deep pass from QB Tyrod Taylor.
  • WR Sterling Shepard, who is recovering from ACL surgery, practiced in some 7-on-7 drills with the third team.
  • S Gervarrius Owens broke up a pass from QB Tommy DeVito. CB Cor’Dale Flott also broke up a pass.
  • WR David Sills injured himself after hitting the ground hard after making a deep catch from QB Daniel Jones. Sills appeared to injure his ribs or back.

GIANTS PRESEASON TIMES AND DATES SET…
The Giants announced the times and dates for their three preseason games. Details are available in the Schedule section of the website.

HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The  transcript and video of Brian Daboll’s press conference on Thursday are available in The Corner Forum and 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:

Aug 152022
 
Tyrod Taylor, New York Giants (August 11, 2022)

Tyrod Taylor – © USA TODAY Sports

AUGUST 15, 2022 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT… (by Sy’56)
Another beautiful weather day. Sunny but not too hot. The dryness we have seen in the NE this summer is not good for my lawn, but it is beneficial for the practice operation to be outside this often. The mere difference in space provides the option for all the position groups to work with plenty of room.

Anyway, the roster cut downs are coming up soon. NYG will be letting go of just a couple guys tomorrow and another 5 next week. Because of that, I am trying to put a little more focus on the backups and roster battles. I’m not sure if this discussed often here, as most of my time away from camp and reports revolves around the college scouting work that I am about to dive in on. But there will be a few very hard decisions made when the roster cuts go down. Not necessarily because there is an abundance of talent (however there are some deep spots on defense). There are players from the previous regime who are respectable assets but simply do not fit into the new scheme and/or they were not brought in by the new regime. That will be the primary focus of today’s report, although I will still give some feedback on the starters (what’s left of them) at the bottom of each side of the ball. Hint, the defense won.

DEFENSE

-The guy I am going to go out on a limb for is Ryder Anderson. The defensive end from Indiana has been mentioned in my camp reports a few times. I have really focused in on him the past 2 days and it looks like the coaches are too. He is drawing a lot of praise from the staff via special teams and the skill set he brings to the table gives them options along the DL. He plays heavy handed with good bend on a very long frame. Putting him on the Practice Squad (PS) is a risky proposition, as every team has a clear shot at him from there. I am leaning toward him getting a spot and seeing a surprise veteran cut (Jalyn Holmes? Nick Williams?).

-Khalil Dorsey is impressive from the slot. He plays ultra-sticky and has a power presence to him that gives him nickel-potential behind Holmes.

-Outside corners Darren Evans and Zyon Gilbert both made nice plays on the ball in team drills. Their length and catch-up speed show. Both are getting beat on vertical routes as they are too late to find the ball, if at all. I assume that is a major no-no in the Martindale scheme.

-With Carter Coughlin back, this is an incredibly tough ILB group to figure out. Martinez and Crowder are the ones and Beavers is quietly creeping through Crowder’s shadow. Another solid run stuff by the rookie that resulted in a TFL where he torched Max Garcia. Micah McFadden continues to do all the little things right and gets to the ball on nearly every play. Cam Brown is the top special teamer on the squad and Austin Calitro is right behind but has shown more at ILB defensively. Do all these guys make the team? That is a lot of inside linebackers in a scheme and era where nickel + dime packages are taking over.

-Justin Ellis and rookie D.J. Davidson appear to be the backup NTs. Some schemes only carry one backup, but I think this scheme will carry two. David Moa and rookie Christopher Hinton continued to struggle to penetrate. Their lateral range isn’t there either.

-The OLB group is another tough one to figure out. With Azeez Ojulari back and Kayvon Thibodeaux an unquestioned starter, the battle between Oshane Ximines, Elerson Smith (injured, however), and Quincy Roche will likely only produce two out of the fire (unless Smith’s injury lands him on IR). I think it would come down to the latter two. Roche had another strong day today and I think his run defense is becoming noticeably better. More stout, better hand work, and more precise with his positioning. The point I am getting at? Ximines may have a really hard time making this team. He doesn’t win enough 1-on-1’s as a pass rusher and he got sealed off on an outside run (one of NYG’s top gains of the day).

-I don’t have a very strong feel at S partially because Dane Belton has been out for nearly all of camp. Trenton Thompson has popped a few times, but Yusuf Corker seems to do more for the defense.

-When it comes to the starters, I stood there today thinking this group has the strong likelihood of being a very formidable defense. Take away the fact they are up against a struggling offense. There is proven talent at every level. They have a new scheme that the opposition will not have tape on, making it a bit tougher to plan against. And they have potential superstars (top 5 at their position in league) at multiple spots in the middle in Leonard Williams and Xavier McKinney. They are fast, physical, and show excellent anticipation. Darnay Holmes and Julian Love both made spectacular reads on short balls. Holmes turned his into an INT. Thibodeaux looks like he is getting through the pass protection more often than not. Ojulari was back out there with the 1’s in live action and beat Neal on a couple of running plays for what would have been TFL. If this side of the ball stays healthy and considering their schedule, games will be kept close. No question.

OFFENSE

-The OL is very banged up. Matt Peart, Shane Lemieux, Jon Feliciano, Jamil Douglas, Joshua Ezeudu were all out. Don’t forget about Nick Gates, too. I’ll discuss the starting group in a moment, as I want to keep focus on roster hopefuls. If all of those guys above come back relatively soon (minus Gates, and Peart looks close), there may not be many spots even open. But the one I have been impressed by the most is Devery Hamilton. He has played both LT and LG, but I think his best spot is inside. He stays on his man, he shows proper hip extension and footwork, and he looks athletic enough to handle late lateral looks by the defense. Will Holden is the other one I would feel safest with out there. Garrett McGhinn and Roy Mbaeteka look over-matched when it comes to speed and change of direction.

-Will NYG carry a fullback? They have one option right now and that is Jeremiah Hall. It is always possible someone shakes free from another roster, but BUF always used a fullback under Daboll. Hall got looks with the 1’s today and they do not use any of their TEs in the backfield.

-The TE group is still a spot I see the team needing to bring in outside help. Nobody knows the deal with Ricky Seals-Jones, but I am assuming he is just out of the picture for now. Daniel Bellinger and Chris Myarick seem to get the most looks with the ones and it is more of the same. Myarick does not have an upside, but he is gritty enough to get by. I think he is more of a #3 though. Bellinger is easy to like. I spent time watching the group run routes both against air and linebackers/safeties. The rookie is the smoothest mover in and out of his breaks and shows the softest hands. I don’t see Austin Allen being a 53-man guy though. Gotta love the height but his pad level is so up and down as a route runner. He has a hard time accelerating and changing direction, but he does have some stride speed. Certainly, someone you want to try and work with on the PS.

-The receiver group is a back-and-forth battle each day. Collin Johnson has separated himself. He made a great play on a ball from Jones in the team portion of practice, likely their top pass gain of the day. Richie James is all over the field and offers some in the return game. But as I have said, does he get bumped the second Shepard comes back? Jones seems to like to throwing to him and he does play a sudden game as a route runner. The radius isn’t there though and he continues to get thrown off his point in traffic. Size is really important for a receiver, and he is bottom tier there. NYG already has a guy like that in Robinson. One name I am interested to see how they handle is Marcus Kemp. NYG gets a bunch of passes downfield throughout each practice and he is the one that seems to come down with the acrobatic catches the most often. Robert Foster and Keelan Doss could not do it today.

-Lastly, the RB group is likely to carry four guys and it easy to figure out. Saquon Barkley-Matt Breida (still not practicing)-Antonio Williams-Gary Brightwell (out today). Jashaun Corbin is impressive and I do think he could beat out Brightwell, just not right away.

-As for the starting offense, my biggest positive was Ben Bredeson. He simply looks more efficient at center than he does at guard. I would love to hear him speak on that. He was making all of the calls and made a couple of key blocks on what appeared to be large chunk gains in the running game. Both Barkley and Williams had big runs.

-Daniel Jones and the passing game were better at being timely today. Jones had a few quick strike throws to Wan’Dale Robinson that I liked. It is bizarre to me how many times he tucks and runs the ball. That could be by the direction of Mike Kafka and Brian Daboll, however. And analytics do say the most efficient play in football is the QB non-designed run. Probably not the most ideal when it comes to keeping the QB on the field, though.

-Jones misfired on a short pass to Robinson (I think) and it got tipped up in the air for a Holmes INT.

-Tyrod Taylor had another off-day as well. He threw an INT where he simply lofted a ball with too much air underneath it. He also misfired on a ball where he didn’t set his feet and faded back as he released it. He air mailed it over the 6’8” tight end Allen – a hard guy to overthrow on a dump off pass.

-I’m not sure of the defense dialed it back a notch with the complex looks, but it did seem the NYG offense had more space to work with. Andrew Thomas looks rock solid, and Mark Glowinski looks like Mr. Reliable. Evan Neal was flagged for a false start and had a couple of ugly plays. He walked off the field very frustrated a couple of times. The speed of the game is too much for a guy in space to struggle with footwork and balance. Still have a ways to go there.

SUMMARY

That is it for me this week. I am making plans to get to the joint practice next week with NYJ. The overall feel of this team is bizarre when looking at how many guys are not practicing. I track the NFL Depth Charts for Ourlads via practice reports and I can’t think of a team with this many 1st/2nd stringers on the sideline. I don’t say that to create a narrative, it is simply an observation. I also don’t think it is doomsday. It appears most will be just fine by September and if anything, it leads me to the notion this roster is actually pretty deep. We will see how well some of these guys actually play, but as I opened with, creating the 53-man roster is actually going to force some really hard decisions especially if they bring in a guy or two from another team when they make their own cuts.

ANDRE PATTERSON RETURNS TO THE TEAM…
New York Giants Defensive Line Coach Andre Patterson, who has been on a leave of absence since camp started with an undisclosed medical issue, returned to the team on Monday. “Patterson’s back today,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll. “Probably won’t be on the field but was in the building. So, it’s good to have him back.”

INJURY REPORT…
WR Sterling Shepard (Achilles), OC Nick Gates (leg), and OT Matt Peart (knee) remain on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List.

RB Matt Breida (unknown), RB Gary Brightwell (unknown), WR Kadarius Toney (knee/leg), WR Austin Proehl (leg/calf), TE Andre Miller (broken right forearm), TE Ricky Seals-Jones (unknown), OC Jon Feliciano (right arm), LG Shane Lemieux (foot), OL Joshua Ezeudu (unknown), OL Jamil Douglas (ankle), LB Blake Martinez (returning from ACL), LB Jihad Ward (unknown), LB Elerson Smith (lower right leg), LB Cam Brown (unknown), CB Cor’Dale Flott (groin), CB Rodarius Williams (unknown), and S Dane Belton (broken left collarbone) did not practice.

When Head Coach Brian Daboll was asked about three players injured in practice yesterday (Feliciano, Smith, and Ward), he responded, “They’ll be okay. They probably won’t go today, but they’ll be alright… We should be alright with those guys.”

WR Darius Slayton (unknown), WR David Sills (unknown), DL Leonard Williams (unknown), DL Justin Ellis (unknown), and CB Adoree’ Jackson (unknown) were limited in practice.

HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The transcript of Brian Daboll’s press conference on Monday 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…
The team practices again on Tuesday morning (10:00AM-noon). Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will also address the media.

Aug 142022
 
Antonio Williams, New York Giants (August 11, 2022)

Antonio Williams – © USA TODAY Sports

AUGUST 14, 2022 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT… (by Sy’56)
Beautiful day at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center. It has been a warmer-than-usual summer and last week at this time, you could tell the heat was getting to the guys. Not nearly as hot today. The first standout component to today’s practice were how many guys were out (whether it was a scheduled day off or injury). Several starters and second-stringers at WR, OL, OLB, ILB, and S. It led to some ugly football to say the least.

I opted to put a little more focus on the DB vs WR matchups today and I am glad I did. With Shane Lemieux and Joshua Ezeudu both out, Ben Bredeson was at left guard. It wasn’t pretty, even with Leonard Williams out. Dexter Lawrence was in the backfield and breaking the pocket the entire practice. This should not surprise anyone and it wasn’t worth spending more effort zeroing in on. I wanted to see these defensive backs work.

DEFENSE

-Corner Adoree’ Jackson probably had the best practice performance of the day. Multiple pass breakups and an interception. He nearly had another on a throw near the end zone. He was jumping routes and sticking to the likes of Richie James, Collin Johnson, and Wan’Dale Robinson like a glove.

-Darnay Holmes had the play of the day with a one-handed interception in the end zone while defending tight end Austin Allen. He continues to shine.

-Aaron Robinson was tested several times on corner fade passes to Kenny Golladay. The second-year corner from UCF won every single one. While Golladay + Jones may not be the best metric to measure against, he got the job done with great techniques and ball location. Golladay did not come down with any of the targets thrown his way. Robinson was tested physically via positioning more than athletically down the field. The thing I look for here is timing and accuracy. Timing to get after the ball at the right moment, accuracy with his hands to get the ball and avoid  penalties. He passed his tests there over and over.

-The Julian Love + Xavier McKinney duo was fun to watch from my angle. These two may be the two biggest assets to the defense if they start creating pressure and confusing the opposing quarterbacks. They look fast, explosive, and balanced. They both were lining up all over the place and McKinney got home on a blitz for an easy sack.

-Corners Cor’Dale Flott and Rodarius Williams were out. So, I got to see a little extra of Darren Evans and Gavin Heslop on the outside. Both guys really look the part, but it is Evans who has more of my attention. The size and smoothness he shows when he turns and runs upfield can be a factor, something nice to build from. His issues show up in ball location and overall eye discipline, but the tools are there. He should take one of the Practice Squad spots, maybe even on the final 53 if a couple injuries are not overcome by Week 1.

-The thinness at safety is possibly opening the door for Trenton Thompson. He had a few snaps with the 1’s today.

-Up front they were without Leonard Williams and Justin Ellis and then lost Elerson Smith and Jihad Ward. The name that keeps jumping out at me is Ryder Anderson. One of my top graded UDFAs around the league. They are finding ways to use him on special teams as well. I think they want to create a spot for him but if not, he is a sure thing for the Practice Squad. He showed high level run defense today with his quick recognition and natural power presence. His size stands out too.

-Carter Coughlin was back out there today. He had a couple wins, as did Micah McFadden, on pass rush drills vs RBs and TEs. Their hand work looked excellent. In team drills they located the football in a hurry and filled their lanes.

-Azeez Ojulari went full speed in individual drills, but I don’t think he played in the live team offense vs. defense. He looked good. Clearly a different level of burst and bend from the other guys (Oshan Ximines, Jihad Ward, Quincy Roche).

OFFENSE

-Daniel Jones had a horrific day. I don’t have an exact stat line for him (although the beat guys do a really job of that, you can see what they had there). The macro-level takeaway was he looked overmatched. He held on to the ball forever and seemed to throw two incomplete passes for every completion. The ones he did connect on were almost all check-downs or immediate passes that looked pre-determined. Jones also threw two interceptions. The internal clock wasn’t there and that was another difference between him and Tyrod Taylor. 2.5 seconds is the approximate time you want a QB to get the ball out, Jones was probably over 4 seconds (that still did not connect) on probably more than half of his throws. Taylor, on the other hand, got it out much quicker.

-One of the potential shortcomings of this offseason was the lack of talent added to the group of pass catchers. While I can’t say the decision-makers ignored the position, they just appear to lack juice. They don’t have a deep threat. They don’t have much size beyond guys who can’t get open on their own. And they don’t have seam busters or a tight end who poses as a real matchup problem. With Kadarius Toney and Sterling Shepard off the field, it really looked like an overmatched group against coverage.

-That said, Saquon Barkley looks better and better each day. The biggest play of the day was a well-engineered misdirection run that completely fooled the defense. It gave Barkley a slight window and head start into space and the burst he showed was stunning. We may forget sometimes just what kind of different-level this athlete really is. He also delivered the most violent pop of the day in pass protection on Tae Crowder. Big time contact that stunned the linebacker.

-I did not spend a ton of time breaking down the offensive line. It wasn’t pretty though. Hard to tell without seeing the tape if Jones just wasn’t finding the open man or what, but the OL shouldn’t be expected to hold their blocks for 4-5 seconds. That is an eternity.

-Richie James may have been the most targeted receiver, partially because he was often a check-down option. Anyway, his reach is just so limited. He can’t box anyone out and defensive backs easily reach around him.

-C.J. Board is an interesting player. As I start to put together the 53-man roster + Practice Squad projection, he seems like a near-must for this group. He is the one guy who can get behind the defense and make a play on the ball. He came down with two deep balls, however both ended with him not getting his second foot in bounds. His return ability helps his cause. It may come down to him or James for a roster spot and gun to my head right now, it is Board. James just adds yet another tiny body and I don’t see him making anything happen down the field.

SUMMARY

In closing, sorry if this gets repetitive, but this team looks very injured. Just all around. The negative tone there is obvious. These guys need to get on the field. They need to play. The positive, however, is that the depth on this team may not be as bad as some think. Matt Peart (remember him?) appeared to be moving very well on the back field. Close to full-speed, straight-line movement. DT Justin Ellis was in full pads working on the sled by himself. Kadarius Toney and Sterling Shepard look fine with straight-line movement. Leonard Williams appeared to be fine, perhaps it was a scheduled day off. CBs Flott and Williams were cutting with ease. I don’t see many guys who appear to have long term issues beyond Shane Lemieux. While you always want these guys out there, they still have just under a month to get back to 100% for Week 1. I am optimistic on the overall health of the team.

ROSTER MOVES…
LB Azeez Ojulari (hamstring) was activated from the Reserve/Non-Football Injury (NFI) List and he returned to practice.

The Giants also waived offensive guard Josh Rivas and cornerback Michael Jacquet, and terminated the contract of safety Jarrod Wilson.

The Giants signed Josh Rivas as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2022 NFL Draft.

The Giants signed Michael Jacquet in May 2022. The 6’1”, 203-pound Jacquet was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Philadelphia Eagles after the 2020 NFL Draft. He spent time on both the Practice Squads of the Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021.

The Giants signed Jarrod Wilson as a street free agent in early August 2022. The 6’1”, 209-pound Wilson was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Jacksonville Jaguars after the 2016 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Jaguars (2016-2020), New York Jets (2021), and San Francisco 49ers (2021).

INJURY REPORT…
WR Sterling Shepard (Achilles), OC Nick Gates (leg), and OT Matt Peart (knee) remain on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List.

RB Matt Breida (unknown), WR Kadarius Toney (knee/leg), WR Austin Proehl (leg/calf), TE Andre Miller (broken right foream), TE Ricky Seals-Jones (unknown), LG Shane Lemieux (foot), OL Joshua Ezeudu (unknown), OL Jamil Douglas (ankle), DL Leonard Williams (unknown), DL Justin Ellis (unknown), LB Blake Martinez (returning from ACL), LB Cam Brown (unknown), CB Cor’Dale Flott (groin), CB Rodarius Williams (unknown), and S Dane Belton (broken left collarbone) did not practice.

Shane won’t be out there today,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll before practice. “He probably won’t be out there this week. We’ll see. We’ll kind of take it day-by-day… We’ll see (if it lingers into the regular season)… It’s something with his foot.

(Ezeudu is) working back through some stuff, too. Same (with Flott). He’ll be working back. We’ll see where he’s at by the end of the week. So, we had some guys that got a little big dinged up. I don’t think anything real serious, but also trying to do right by the players to get them back as healthy as we can.

Probably not (have Toney back this week). I think he’ll be rehabbing still. He could towards the end of the week. But early in the week, we’re not there yet.”

Linebackers Elerson Smith (lower right leg) and Jihad Ward (unknown) and center Jon Feliciano (right arm) left practice early and did not return.

HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The transcript of Brian Daboll’s press conference on Sunday 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…
Training camp practices open to the public are over. The team practices again on Monday morning (10:00AM-noon). Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will also address the media.

Aug 092022
 
Daniel Jones, New York Giants (July 29, 2022)

Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

AUGUST 9, 2022 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their eleventh summer training camp practice open to the public on Tuesday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

GIANTS CUT MATT GONO…
The New York Giants terminated the contract of right tackle Matt Gono on Monday. Gono had been placed on the Exempt/Left Squad List last Wednesday due to a 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.

INJURY REPORT…
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)

DL Leonard Williams (unknown), DL Nick Williams (unknown), LB Quincy Roche (unknown), RB Matt Breida (unknown), WR David Sills (unknown), TE Andre Miller (unknown), TE Ricky Seals-Jones (unknown), OL Josh Ezeudu (unknown), LB Carter Coughlin (unknown), CB Rodarius Williams (returning from ACL), and S Dane Belton (broken left collarbone) did not practice.

WR Austin Proehl (unknown) left practice early.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • This was a light, less-than-full-speed “cards” practice in shells in preparation for Thursday’s preseason game against the New England Patriots.
  • Second-team offensive line: LT Devery Hamilton, LG Jamil Douglas, OC Ben Bredeson, RG Max Garcia, and RT Garrett McGhin.
  • Third-team offensive line: LT Roy Mbaeteka, LG Josh Rivas, OC Garrett McGhin, RG Eric Smith, and RT Will Holden.
  • Second-team secondary: CB Michael Jacquet, CB Gavin Heslop, nickel back Khalil Dorsey, S Yusuf Corker, and S Trenton Thompson.
  • Third-team secondary: CB Darren Evans, CB Zyon Gilbert, nickel back Cor’Dale Flott, S Andrew Adams (who also played first team), and S Nate Meadors.
  • First-team punt returner was WR Richie James; first-team kickoff returner was WR C.J. Board.
  • OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux batted a pass at the line of scrimmage.
  • Running backs Saquon Barkley and Antonio Williams showed a nice burst on carries.
  • QB Tyrod Taylor threw a nice pass to WR Richie James for a 20-yard gain.
  • Despite good coverage from CB Adoree’ Jackson, QB Daniel Jones fired a completion to WR Kadarius Toney. Jones then connected with Toney down the left sideline.
  • QB Tyrod Taylor completed a long bomb for a touchdown to WR Darius Slayton against CB Gavin Heslop.
  • CB Adoree’ Jackson intercepted a long pass attempt from QB Daniel Jones to WR Wan’Dale Robinson.
  • QB Davis Webb lofted a pass to TE Jordan Akins for a big gain.
  • CB Aaron Robinson broke up a QB Daniel Jones pass along the left sideline intended for WR Kenny Golladay. Robinson later broke up another pass from Jones over the middle to WR Collin Johnson. Robinson then later broke up a 50/50 ball from Jones to Golladay.
  • RB Saquon Barkley tipped an accurate QB Daniel Jones pass over the middle that was intercepted by S Julian Love.
  • S Nate Meadors and CB Darren Evans broke up a 50/50 ball in the end zone from QB Davis Webb.
  • QB Tyrod Taylor threw three touchdowns passes to wide receivers C.J. Board (2) and Darius Slayton (1).
  • CB Aaron Robinson picked off QB Daniel Jones in the end zone on a pass intended for WR Kenny Golladay.
  • S Julian Love broke up a pass intended for TE Daniel Bellinger.
  • QB Davis Webb threw a touchdown pass to WR Keelan Doss against CB Zyon Gilbert. Davis then threw another one to WR Marcus Kemp.

THE COACHES SPEAK…
Video clips of the media sessions with the position coaches are 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 availability to the Giants on Wednesday. The team plays the New England Patriots in Foxborough, Massachusetts on Thursday.

Aug 082022
 
Tyrod Taylor, New York Giants (July 29, 2022)

Tyrod Taylor – © USA TODAY Sports

AUGUST 8, 2022 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT… (by Sy’56)

Knowing I don’t get to watch the practice film, I have to try and focus on specific groups / position battles. I have put a lot of attention in the trenches so far, thus today I was almost completely focused on the skill positions.

OFFENSE

-The two duds of the day were Kadarius Toney and Daniel Jones. Toney dropped two passes in full speed team drills and dropped THREE balls in half-speed positional drills. The ones he did snag were double catches, too much wiggle after contact. This was very bizarre to me. Like I always say, you can’t over-analyze the good or bad in camp (especially without the film) but this stood out. You see drops here and there, rarely from the starters, but three? He missed more than he caught at half speed without a defender in the area. He was shaking his finger after one, maybe he hurt it?

-Jones threw two interceptions. Both stemmed from mistakes I expect to see from a first- or second-year player. The first was a loft on a ball that did not need to be lofted. He had Collin Johnson open (loved the route concept) but simply did not put enough zip on it. My guess for the reason behind that was a lack of confidence in where the underneath coverage was. Great play on the ball by Xavier McKinney. The second INT was a slightly delayed decision but had more to do with poor ball placement.

-WanDale Robinson caught the ball in those individual drills the way I would want Toney to. He was quick with his hands, looked the ball in, and secured it upon contact. Kenny Golladay made a couple of nice grabs away from his body too. Golladay was targeted more during team drills. The separation isn’t there at all. They are trying to get him the ball on comeback routes, short-sudden throws. He did make a couple of physical grabs with Aaron Robinson all over him.

-Saquon Barkley with another strong day. The juice and power were on full display when he got in space. I am encouraged to not see him shy away from contact the way he was last year.

-Matt Breida was not practicing today. Antonio Williams (who I still believe is the most physical north-south runner) did not get enough going on the ground. There wasn’t a lot of room for him but he isn’t a guy who will create much himself. He runs tight.

-The backup receivers had a bit more success (albeit against the backup DBs). Collin Johnson has developed into a solid player from his days at Texas. He has clearly spent time in the weight room and there is a little more bend and flexibility to his frame that was very tight coming out of college. He appears to be the favorite of Tyrod Taylor and was getting looks with the 1’s.

-Robert Foster was the backup / roster hopeful who stood out the most. He made two outstanding acrobatic grabs and Richie James looked untouchable with the ball in his hands. Both of these guys will need the special teams coaches to like them in order to make the roster, but I like the playmaking potential they bring to the table.

-I got some looks at the tight ends and backs in a pass protection drill. While this is always tilted in the favor or the defenders, it was ugly. Daniel Bellinger got roasted on all three attempts I saw, and it wasn’t close. Cam Brown got him twice and Darian Beavers got him once. The best blocker of the group was the one who also made the best catch in team drills, Jordan Akins. I know the job will belong to Bellinger, but if I had to win one game and I needed my most reliable TE out there, it is Akins. I think we will see a TE signed in a few weeks.

-The final statement I will make may be premature. But I am removing any emotion from it. I hope you can do the same. If I walked in off the street and did not know who Daniel Jones or Tyrod Taylor were. If I did not know their age, when they were drafted, etc. I would, without question, say that Taylor looks like the better QB. Not just the interceptions. I am talking about the fluidity in the pocket, the ball placement, the quickness to get the ball out, the confidence. That is all on that for now.

DEFENSE

-Xavier McKinney with the play of the day. I had a great angle on it and his read on the QB was excellent, the tracking of the ball was excellent, the burst to the ball was excellent, and he finished it off with a receiver-caliber grab.

-Darian Beavers is already making noise. I knew Martindale would like him. He was getting plenty of action with the 1’s when they took Martinez off of the field. The best run stop of the day was a goal line stop by Beavers who shot right through a front side crease with full power and gave a shock to Barkley. He knows what he is doing.

-Leonard Williams was abusing the interior offensive line. The new, confusion-based scheme may be an ideal fit for him. He has the plus quickness and elite-level power to take advantage of a blocker on his heels in a way most DTs do not.

-Aaron Robinson was sticky in coverage. He was often matched up against Golladay, so that isn’t saying much. But he passed the test of staying sticky without getting too grabby. He broke up a pass early in team drills without locating the ball. He stuck his hand out at the last second based on the receiver’s reaction to the pass, a high level play.

-Darnay Holmes appears to have a certain rapport with Martindale. Just watching the two interact, it looks different. Holmes looks confident in this aggressive role. They send him and Love on blitzes so often. Eventually Holmes will have to prove he can cover someone, but this role and this scheme may be ideal for him.

-Andrew Adams and Yusef Corker continue to stand out against the backups. I have to think those two easily have the backup jobs locked up based on their placements on the depth chart and overall performance.

-Julian Love sniffed out a jet sweep in an instant. He is sniffing out the play-action and misdirection well. A classic right-place, right-time player, which is exactly what you want from the position.

-The final note I’ll leave is a positive. Even though I spent most of my time there looking at the skill positions, Kayvon Thibodeaux stood out again. He had at least one sack against Andrew Thomas. I don’t think camp could have started better for him, and I mean that. He looks like such a natural on so many fronts.

SUMMARY

Do some people overreact and pile on to the “offense is struggling” train? Sure. It is A LOT easier to look sloppy on offense than it is on defense in this environment. I think most teams experience it tilting in that direction this time of year. But this is concerning because it is beyond sloppy. Several drops, multiple turnovers, struggles at the line getting set up pre-snap. I would assume the general feeling inside that building is that side of the ball needs to be further along than where they are now. Nobody can put the nail in the coffin right now and anyone that does needs to sit down and relax with a beer. But with each day that we do not see improvement, the more momentum we get into the possibility that we will be hearing the boo-birds at MetLife during the regular season.

The frustration appears to be growing, as seen with the brawl and long talk from Brian Daboll afterward.

GIANTS SIGN OFFENSIVE LINEMAN…
The New York Giants have signed free agent offensive lineman Eric Smith, who was waived by the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday. The 26-year old, 6’4”, 308-pound Smith was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Miami Dolphins after the 2017 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Dolphins (2017-2018), New England Patriots (2018), New York Jets (2018-2019), Giants (2019-2020), Dallas Cowboys (2020-2021), and Cardinals (2021–2022). Smith has played in four regular-season games, including two with the Giants in 2019, but with no starts.

INJURY REPORT…
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)

RB Matt Breida (maintenance day), TE Andre Miller (unknown), TE Ricky Seals-Jones (unknown), OL Josh Ezeudu (unknown), LB Carter Coughlin (unknown), CB Rodarius Williams (returning from ACL), and S Dane Belton (broken left collarbone) did not practice.

THE COACHES SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following coaches are available in The Corner Forum and 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…
The Giants practice Tuesday morning (10:00AM-noon). The practice is open to the public. The position coaches and select players will also address the media.

Aug 072022
 
Kenny Golladay, New York Giants (July 29, 2022)

Kenny Golladay – © USA TODAY Sports

AUGUST 7, 2022 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT… (by Sy’56)

Today was a little less eventful. I was glad to see they were in full pads, as I wasn’t sure what to expect considering the scrimmage from two nights ago and a game this Thursday night.

The team’s focus was red-zone offense/defense. All plays were inside the 10-yard line from what I saw, with several inside the 5-yard line. Because of this, the offensive play-calling was run-dominant. A lot of traffic, a lot of running into piles, and standing on the sideline was not the most ideal view for it. But with that said, here are some observations:

OFFENSE

-The clear emphasis for the running backs was hitting the holes. No dancing behind the line of scrimmage. Daboll was on Saquon Barkley about that right away and he responded well. Barkley was full of juice, he lowered his pads, and sent a few violent jolts into tacklers. I think we sometimes forget Barkley is 225+ pounds and creates burst in a very short amount of time. Physical running, however, is more about mindset than size. It was good to see him take the coaching and respond with a few powerful runs. For those wondering about the speed and acceleration, it is 100% there. He scored a TD on an outside run of about 8-10 yards where he outran angles of safety Julian Love and corner Darnay Holmes.

-Matt Breida appears firmly planted as the team’s number two back. He seemed a little bounce-happy on his attempts.

-Antonio Williams was clearly the most physical downhill runner. The sounds he created when running into linebackers was different from everyone else.

-Evan Neal is a roller coaster. He shined on a couple down blocks where he came from his RT spot into the defensive tackles and got great movement. The running lanes he can create are massive. But overall I would say he got beat too often for TFLs. I counted two. He also allowed a sack to Jihad Ward. His approach here looks too all-or-nothing.

-Mark Glowinski and Jon Feliciano are definite upgrades over who’s been playing inside in recent years. But Leonard Williams had their number today. While I do like the push these guys get off of the line, something they had very little of last season, they weren’t sustaining good positions today.

-Josh Ezeudu played exclusively at left guard today. His hands were accurate, and the footwork looked really good. He continues to impress with pro traits considering where NYG got him in the draft.

-My biggest negative from the day was the inability of the tight ends to control their engagements. Daniel Bellinger, Jordan Akins, Austin Allen, Chris Myarick all lost more than they won. NYG had some success running inside but they rarely had success running outside of the tackle. In addition, the power-run defenders the defense uses on the edge (more on them below) were de-cleating the likes of Allen and Myarick multiple times and stuffing the inside lanes. This is going to be a problem for the running game unless they get someone else in here.

-Not much we can say about the quarterbacks, as Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor combined for about 8-9 passes. Taylor threw a couple of outstanding throws and he continues to find Keelan Doss all over the field. He has been making a name for himself.

DEFENSE

-I put extra attention on the defensive line today and I’m glad I did. This is a really powerful, big, stout group. I think some don’t realize how big of a human Leonard Williams is. Williams, Dexter Lawrence, and Jihad Ward epitomize “heavy hands.” Ward and Williams both had a TFL each. The former was abusing the tight ends from the outside.

-More on Ward: he plays the unique hybrid OLB role that Wink Martindale deploys. He is a heavy-footed, stiff athlete in space. His change of direction looks lethargic, but he hides it well. He plays such a powerful and savvy game. He feels blocks, keeps his pad level low, and anticipates the action. He also appears to have taken one of the leadership roles on this team. Fun dude to watch play and if he is used correctly, which I think he will be, he will be a difference maker in the running game especially.

-Justin Ellis was the fourth lineman on the field in their “base” package for this goal line-type defense. He made arguably the most impressive TFL of the day. Another huge body with such powerful traits. I expect this red-zone defense, notably against the run, to be a formidable unit.

-If you did not know Blake Martinez tore his ACL last year, you would have no idea right now. His burst and agility in traffic were outstanding.

-The backups were a little less dominant. Elerson Smith was abusing Austin Allen. He de-cleated him twice and sent him on to his back once. While his movement still looks a bit manufactured, he swallows so much space in a hurry. Easy bend, great length, and a strong lockout game. He is clicking and I expect to see him make an impact this season.

-A 3rd stringer who made two standout plays today is Ryder Anderson, UDFA rookie from Indiana. He has the size and body that Martindale is going to want behind Ward. If I made a list of three of the most impressive undrafted guys, he’s on it.

-Rookies Micah McFadden and Darian Beavers appear firmly planted into the backup jobs at ILB. Beavers rotated in with the 1’s at a point. Both got fooled badly on misdirection/play-action.

-Rookie D.J. Davidson is yet another young, big body inside and he has now flashed two times in a row. He beat Evan Neal on an inside move Friday night and made two plays at the line of scrimmage today. He is sneaky-quick.

-I’m curious to see if Quincy Roche is going to make this team. His power is notably a step behind the guys in front of him and I think Martindale will err more on the side of size and strength.

-Safety Nathan Meadors made the play of the day on an interception on a ball from Davis Webb. He came across and made an acrobatic grab, reaching the ball at the apex of his leap.

SUMMARY

My main takeaway, if I had to choose one, was the upside I see out of this defensive front to stuff the run. For the personnel on this team last year, they underachieved. They allowed 4.5 yards per carry (10th worst in league). While that isn’t solely on the defensive line and missing Martinez was a factor, I expect them to be MUCH better in 2022. Martinez is back, Lawrence is in a better role for his play style, the Williams + Ward duo can be dangerous, and the depth is great. I will be curious to see what they do with Ward when Ojulari comes back.

Offensively, we all know this is going to be an uphill fight but I have little doubt it will be better than what we have seen in recent seasons. The scheme itself, I expect to be better and the OL will be improved. The concern I have from watching today is what these tight ends can contribute. It is one thing to struggle as a blocking force if big contributions are coming in the receiving game. I don’t see either here.

I plan to be at camp tomorrow, Tuesday is up in the air.

ROSTER MOVE – MARCUS McKETHAN DONE FOR THE SEASON…
The Giants announced on Saturday that rookie offensive lineman Marcus McKethan tore the ACL in his right knee during Friday’s scrimmage. He was placed on Injured Reserve and will miss the entire 2022 NFL season. The Giants selected McKethan in the 5th round of the 2022 NFL Draft. 

For a young player to have a non-contact injury, it was tough,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll on Sunday. “But he’s in good spirits. So, he’ll have to start rehabbing. But we’ll try to do whatever we need to do. Whatever it needs to do, we’re going to try to do.”

INJURY REPORT…
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), TE Ricky Seals-Jones (unknown), LB Carter Coughlin (unknown), CB Rodarius Williams (returning from ACL), and S Dane Belton (broken left collarbone) did not practice.

HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The transcript of Brian Daboll’s press conference on Sunday 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…
The Giants practice Monday morning (10:00AM-noon). The practice is open to the public. The coordinators 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.

Aug 032022
 
Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley, New York Giants (July 28, 2022)

Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley – © USA TODAY Sports

AUGUST 3, 2022 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their seventh summer training camp practice on Wednesday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

“(We will be working on) first, second down,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll before practice. “Back with the pads. We’re going to do 9-on-7 today. A run drill. So, defense knows it’s run. Offense knows it’s run. I think that’s important for the guys at the line of scrimmage to compete at that knowing that’s coming.”

INJURY REPORT…
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)

RB Antonio Williams (knee), WR Robert Foster (unknown), TE Ricky Seals-Jones (unknown), RT Matt Gono (unknown), CB Rodarius Williams (returning from ACL), and S Dane Belton (broken left collarbone) did not practice.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • The Giants practiced in full pads.
  • DL Jalyn Holmes continued to receive first-team snaps and played the run well in 9-on-7 drills.
  • Both Joshua Ezeudu and Marcus McKethan continued to see second-team reps at left and right tackle, respectively. Ben Bredeson was the left guard, Jamil Douglas the center, and Max Garcia the right guard.
  • WR Collin Johnson saw some first-team snaps.
  • In 1-on-1 pass rushing drills, OLB Quincy Roche beat RT Evan Neal with a spin move. Neal also was flagged for holding against OLB Kavyon Thibodeaux. ILB Darrian Beavers beat OL Joshua Ezeudu.
  • Also in 1-on-1 pass rushing drills, OC Jon Feliciano was able to handle NT Dexter Lawrence twice.
  • LT Andrew Thomas had no issues blocking OLB Oshane Ximines.
  • DL Leonard Williams remained a problem for those trying to block him. He’s having a strong training camp.
  • DL D.J. Davidson made his presence felt with penetration into the backfield.
  • In 11-on-11 drills, running backs Gary Brightwell and Jashaun Corbin flashed some explosiveness.
  • RB Saquon Barkley made two sharp cuts and showed a burst on a long touchdown run.
  • DL Ryder Anderson blew up a play in the backfield.
  • WR C.J. Board mishandled a perfect deep throw from QB Tyrod Taylor. Board then caught a pass from QB Daniel Jones and picked up big yardage after the catch.
  • QB Tyrod Taylor completed long passes to wide receivers Darius Slayton for a touchdown and Alex Bachman.
  • QB Davis Webb threw a deep touchdown pass to WR Kadarius Toney.
  • In 1-on-1 drills, WR Kenny Golladay scored a long touchdown despite solid coverage from CB Adoree’ Jackson on well-thrown deep ball form QB Daniel Jones.
  • First-team offensive impressed with a long touchdown drive with two QB Daniel Jones completions to WR Kenny Golladay, including one on third down; another 3rd down completion to WR David Sills and then a swing pass to RB Saquon Barkley for a touchdown with WR Wan’Dale Robinson providing a key block. Jones was 6-of-6 on this drive and he finished 9-of-10 for the day with one drop (by Robinson).
  • RB Matt Breida was left all alone on a flat pass. He turned on the jets and raced for a long touchdown with WR Alex Bachman providing a key block.
  • QB Davis Webb found WR Keelan Doss on a deep fade for a touchdown.

https://twitter.com/Giants/status/1554852261540597762

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.

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 Thursday. The team holds its “Fan Fest” on Friday with an evening practice (6:15-8:30PM) at MetLife Stadium.

Aug 022022
 
Kadarius Toney, New York Giants (July 29, 2022)

Kadarius Toney – © USA TODAY Sports

AUGUST 2, 2022 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their sixth summer training camp practice on Tuesday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Got a lot of good work in (yesterday), particularly in the running game, which was a point of emphasis,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll before practice. “So, took the pads off of them today, and we are in a third-and-10 plus day. So, a little bit harder than the (third and) 6-9 day, but work we need to get after.”

ANDRE PATTERSON DEALING WITH MEDICAL ISSUE…
According to The Athletic, New York Giants Defensive Line Coach Andre Patterson is away from the team while he is dealing with an undisclosed medical issue. Assistant Defensive Line Coach Bryan Cox is leading the defensive line while the 62-year old Patterson is away.

ROSTER MOVES AT SAFETY…
The Giants have waived/injured safety Jarren Williams with a hamstring injury. To fill that roster spot, the team signed free agent safety Jarrod Wilson.

Williams was originally signed by the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2020 NFL Draft. The Giants signed signed Williams in early August 2020 after he was waived by the Cardinals. He spent most of 2020 on the Giants’ Practice Squad, but did play in two games exclusively on special teams. The Giants signed Williams to the Practice Squad in late September 2021 and the 53-man roster in December. He ended up playing in six games at cornerback with two starts (49 percent of snaps in those games) and finished the season with 17 tackles and one pass defense.

The 28-year old, 6’1”, 209-pound Wilson was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Jacksonville Jaguars after the 2016 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Jaguars (2016-2020), New York Jets (2021), and San Francisco 49ers (2021). Wilson has played in 84 regular-season games with 33 starts, 28 of which came in 2019-2020 with the Jaguars. Wilson did start five games for the Jets in 2021 as well. He has nine career pass defenses, three interceptions, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and one sack.

INJURY REPORT…
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)

OC Jon Feliciano (heat-related), TE Ricky Seals-Jones (unknown), and S Dane Belton (broken left collarbone) did not practice.

Contrary to reports from yesterday, Belton does not need surgery on his broken collarbone.

It’s always tough,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll when asked about Belton  “You feel terrible for guys that that happens to. But he is smart. He was having a really good camp, and doing a really good job with (Julian) Love and (Xavier McKinney) X when we were throwing him in there. He’s diligent. I’d say he’s out there. He’s out there at walkthroughs. He’s out there at practice. He’s really good in the film room. Does it hurt that you’re not out there? Absolutely. But he’s really mature for a young player, too. So, as soon as we can get him out there, that will be great. But until then, we’ll work with whatever we can with relative to the meetings, the practices, the time on task is always helpful… I don’t know yet (if he will start the season off on Injured Reserve).”

RB Antonio Williams left practice early with a leg injury, but returned. WR Robert Foster left on a cart after a collision with a defender in the end zone.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • Giants were not in pads on Tuesday, but shells.
  • Ben Bredeson was the first-team center; Jamil Douglas was the #2 center and Max Garcia the #3 center.
  • During portions of practice, the second-team offensive line was LT Joshua Ezeudu, LG Devery Hamilton, OC Jamil Douglas, RG Matt Gono, and RT Markus McKethan – with the guards and tackles swapped from their usual spots.
  • Andre Miller continues to see his reps increase as a first-team tight end.
  • Andrew Adams received first-team reps at safety when the defense went with a three-safety look.
  • The Giants may have moved Gavin Heslop from cornerback to safety.
  • Oshane Ximines received first-team reps at outside linebacker. Ximines beat LT Joshua Ezeudu during one drill.
  • During individual drills, WR Kadarius Toney lined up as the Wildcat quarterback with WR Wan’Dale Robinson and RB Saquon Barkley in the backfield.
  • In 9-on-9 drills, QB Daniel Jones’ pass to WR Kadarius Toney was picked off by CB Adoree’ Jackson. (Jones would have been “sacked” on this play as OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux beat LT Andrew Thomas).
  • WR Wan’Dale Robinson beat CB Darnay Holmes with a double-move on a pass from QB Daniel Jones.
  • OLB Quincy Roche beat RT Matt Gono twice when rushing the passer.
  • In 11-on-11 drills, QB Daniel Jones found wide receivers Richie James and Kadarius Toney for long first downs. He followed that up with completions to TE Andre Miller and WR David Sills. OLB Jihad Ward got around RT Evan Neal on the first play for what might have been a “sack.”
  • OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux and a blitzing CB Darnay Holmes “sacked” QB Daniel Jones from the left side of the offensive line.
  • At one point in 11-on-11 drills/2-minute drills, QB Daniel Jones completed 9-of-10 passes with seven going for first downs. He had long completions to wide receivers C.J. Board and David Sills. CB Adoree’ Jackson did break up one pass intended for Board. A blitzing S Julian Love may have had a “sack” on one of these plays.
  • WR Collin Johnson made a nice diving catching where he also kept his feet inbounds on a pass from QB Tyrod Taylor.
  • WR Darius Slayton made a number of catches down the field, including a touchdown throw from QB Tyrod Taylor over CB Khalil Dorsey (though OLB Quincy Roche would have had a “sack” on the play against LT Joshua Ezeudu).
  • OLB Tomon Fox had two “sacks,” while OLB Elerson Smith got around RT Matt Gono for another “sack.”
  • QB Tyrod Taylor threw a sideline pass to WR Darius Slayton, who beat CB Cor’Dale Flott.
  • CB Darren Evans broke up three passes.
  • Starting at midfield, QB Daniel Jones drove the Giants for a touchdown, completing 3-of-3 passes with a slant pass to WR Richie James for the touchdown. Jones was 12-of-13 in full-team drills at this point.
  • CB Adoree’ Jackson picked off QB Daniel Jones for the second time, this time in red-zone drills on a pass intended for WR Wan’Dale Robinson.
  • QB Daniel Jones finished practice with a deep completion to RB Saquon Barkley and a touchdown throw to WR David Sills. Jones finished 14-of-16 in full-team drills with two touchdowns and one interception. Overall , he was 16-of-20 with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

https://twitter.com/Giants/status/1554532482225242115

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 at Giants.com:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The New York Giants practice again on Wednesday morning (10:00AM-noon). The practice will be open to the public. Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will also address the media.

Aug 012022
 
Brian Daboll and Darnay Holmes, New York Giants (July 29, 2022)

Brian Daboll and Darnay Holmes – © USA TODAY Sports

AUGUST 1, 2022 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their fifth summer training camp practice on Monday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Got a big week ahead of us,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll before practice. “Starting today, we’re in full pads and going to be working some normal situations. Heavy emphasis on run game today.

It’s all about fundamentals right now: leverage, hand placement, ability to separate when you’re getting grabbed and held. We’re allowing more things at practice: picks and twists up front, power rushes, attacking the defensive linemen when they jump up in the… Different things we’re allowing. So, this is where the game is played. But today we’re looking for good energy. We place, I’d say, rules on practice. We’re not bringing them down to the ground. We got to take care of our guys. But want to be physical. Want to be in good position. Play with good leverage. Play aggressive. Move the line of scrimmage. Stop the line of scrimmage.”

INJURY REPORT – DANE BELTON BREAKS COLLARBONE…
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)

OC Jon Feliciano (heat-related), TE Ricky Seals-Jones (unknown), S Jarren Williams (unknown), and S Dane Belton (broken left collarbone) did not practice.

Day or two away (on Feliciano),” said Head Coach Brian Daboll. “He’s working through some things. So, he’ll be hopefully tomorrow. But maybe the next day.”

According to press reports and speculation by doctors on social media, Belton may be out 6-8 weeks after surgery to insert a plate and screws.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • The team practiced in pads for the first time this year. The team mainly worked on the running game.
  • Both Jamil Douglas and Shane Lemieux continued to work as the first-team center with Jon Feliciano out. Joshua Ezeudu also worked with the first-team at left guard when Lemieux was at center.
  • Andre Miller received first-team reps at H-Back, as did Austin Allen at tight end.
  • WR Richie James continued to see time with the first-team.
  • When the Giants went to a base 3-4 defense, Dexter Lawrence played nose tackle with Jalyn Holmes and Leonard Williams at defensive end.
  • Darrian Beavers also continued to see time with the first-team defense at inside linebacker. He made a couple of tackles for losses.
  • Cor’Dale Flott was playing outside corner with the second-team defense. Khalil Dorsey was the second-team nickel corner.
  • In receivers versus defensive backs drills, QB Daniel Jones found WR Wan’Dale Robinson for a touchdown. QB Tyrod Taylor hit WR Richie James for an over-the-shoulder touchdown and QB Davis Webb found WR Marcus Kemp for another touchdown. Cornerbacks Adoree’ Jackson and Aaron Robinson broke up a passes.
  • OLB Oshane Ximines flashed in 1-on-1 pass-rushing drills, including against RT Evan Neal. However, Ximines also jumped offsides a couple of times. NT Justin Ellis also jumped offsides twice.
  • Also flashing in 1-on-1 pass rushing drills were DL Leonard Williams and Dexter Lawrence and OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux. Thibodeaux easily got around RT Matt Gono on one occasion. Thibodeaux also gave RT Evan Neal issues in pass protection.
  • In one-on-one drills, both Joshua Ezeudu and Marcus McKethan handled their opponents.
  • QB Daniel Jones threw a bullet over the middle to WR Wan’Dale Robinson against CB Aaron Robinson. Jones then followed that up with a right sideline pass to WR Kadarius Toney.
  • S Xavier McKinney had a couple of tackles in the backfield.
  • S Julian Love broke up a pass inside the 5-yard line.
  • CB Darnay Holmes broke up a sideline pass to RB Matt Breida.
  • OLB Elerson Smith got around the tackle for what would have been a “sack.”
  • RB Gary Brightwell had a nice gain on run to the left after juking out a defender. RB Antonio Williams also broke off a big run to the right.
  • RB Saquon Barkley broke a tackle to pick up good yardage on an inside run.
  • WR Wan’Dale Robinson was used on a jet sweep for a big gain down the right sideline.
  • Giants’ offense lined up in the Wild Cat, then shifted back to regular line-up, and RB Saquon Barkley broke off a big off-tackle run.
  • In 11-on-11, OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux beat LT Andrew Thomas and QB Daniel Jones had to scramble away from the pressure.
  • RB Saquon Barkley did a nice job picking up an inside blitz.
  • CB Aaron Robinson was flagged with pass interference when covering WR Wan’Dale Robinson.
  • QB Tyrod Taylor found WR C.J. Board for big gain on a deep crossing route against CB Michael Jacquet.
  • After a fast start where he completed 5-of-5 passes, QB Daniel Jones finished with six straight incompletions.
  • The offense did not turn the ball over.

https://twitter.com/Giants/status/1554172611365675008

HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The transcript of Brian Daboll’s press conference on Monday 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…
The New York Giants practice again on Tuesday morning (10:00AM-noon). The practice will be open to the public. Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will also address the media.