Feb 122024
 
Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll, New York Giants (August 26, 2023)

Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll – © USA TODAY Sports

It’s been a little over a month since the ultra-disappointing 2023 season ended for the New York Giants. The decline felt worse than the actual W-L change. The Giants finished both 2022 and 2023 in third place in the NFC East, winning three fewer games with a tougher schedule, as the Giants fell from 9-7-1 in 2022 to 6-11 in 2023. It seemed worse because of the terrible 2-8 start, the uncompetitive losses, and the lack of development at quarterback and the offensive line.

For all intents and purposes, the season was all but officially over when the team blew two winnable games in October to the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets. After Halloween, most fans wanted to fast-forward to the offseason to see what management and the coaching staff was going to do to rectify this mess.

Free agency begins March 11-13. The Draft takes place April 25-27. But there have been significant changes in the past 30 or so days, exclusively with respect to the coaching staff. Here are the most important developments:

New Defensive Coordinator: We may never know the full story about the circus departure of Don “Wink’ Martindale and his two close associates, the Wilkins brothers from the defensive staff. It appears Martindale or one of his cronies leaked to FOX‘s Jay Glazer that there was growing friction between Martindale and Brian Daboll and that Martindale was unlikely to return. It’s important to note that this report occurred in late November right before the bye week. The Giants were 3-8 and Martindale knew he would not be asked about the report until after the bye. Slick timing. Of course, everyone eventually pleaded ignorance but the cat was out of the bag, intentionally on Wink’s part.

Why did Wink do it? Good question. It’s certainly possible and probable that he simply wanted out in order to become a defensive coordinator with another NFL team. If that was his gambit, he failed, ending up in the college ranks. Could Wink’s intentions actually been more Machiavellian? Remember, the leak came before the Giants won three of their final six games. Was Martindale scheming to convince ownership that they had to choose between him or Daboll? Wink wants to be an NFL head coach. Perhaps he mistakenly thought he saw his chance with John Mara, who had already interviewed him for the top spot back in 2020. However, Daboll has some Machiavelli in him too and called Martindale’s bluff by firing the Wilkins brothers minutes after playing it sweet and innocent at his post-season press conference. It was a pretty funny fuck-you move.

Regardless, Martindale is out. Ex-Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Shane Bowen is in. Of the eight candidates the Giants were publicly-known to have interviewed (and there may have been more), only two had been defensive coordinators at the NFL level. The 37-year old Bowen was one of the two. Whether true or not, the popular belief is that the Giants missed out on two of their favorite targets, Baltimore Ravens Defensive Backs Coach Dennard Wilson and Buffalo Bills Linebackers Coach Bobby Babich. Because of his experience, Bowen was the safer candidate, but it remains to be seen if he was the best available.

Martindale has been overrated by many Giants fans. The rush of turnovers for a couple of months overshadowed the NFL’s 27th-ranked defense that was unable to stop the run (29th in the NFL). The unit was also 26th in scoring defense. This despite significant talent upgrades on the defensive line, linebacker, and the secondary in the offseason. Wink’s 2022 NYG defense wasn’t good either, though he had more talent/injury issues to deal with.

Despite significant injury issues and being hampered by bad Titans’ offenses, Bowen’s defenses finished 6th, 15th, and 16th in scoring defense the past three seasons. In 2023, Tennessee had the NFL’s #1 red-zone defense. Of note, their run defense finished 2nd, 1st, and 13th the past three years. In fact, no team has given up fewer rushing yards the past three seasons. In a nutshell, we should expect a defense that is tougher and more physical against the run, but also one that blitzes far less. Martindale blitzed 46 percent of defensive snaps; Bowen 20 percent. Titans fans also complained about soft coverage. How much of that had to do with Tennessee’s talent/injury issues in the secondary remains to be seen. Bowen will also be able to lean on the expertise and institutional familiarity of defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson (who has also been promoted to defensive passing game coordinator).

New Offensive Line Coach: Whether he deserved the criticism or not, most Giants fans wanted offensive line coach Bobby Johnson gone. Johnson now joins the long line of ex-NYG offensive line coaches who have not been able to turn shit into gold. Johnson has since been hired by the Commanders. Enter Carmen Bricillo, who spent the last four years with the New England Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders, coaching their respective offensive lines. It’s interesting to note that while Daboll took his sweet time in finding his new defensive and special teams coordinators, Bricillo was hired on January 11th right after his interview. It suggests that he was an early target and that he impressed in his meetings with the offensive coaching staff. The good news is that Bricillo was considered something of a miracle worker in Las Vegas as the Raiders were able to patch together competent offensive lines with limited resources and injury issues. He will also have Andrew Thomas. The challenges will be to get Evan Neal and John Michael Schmitz playing at the level expected of them while also finding two competent starting guards.

Why is the offensive line coach so high on this list? Because any Giants fan with a half a brain knows that the offensive line has been the Achilles’ heel of this team for more than a decade now. Players and coaches have come and gone. The Giants have spent premium draft picks and huge sums of free agent money on the position. Nothing has changed. Can Bricillo turn it around?

New Special Teams Coordinator: Again, whether he deserved the criticism or not, most Giants fans also wanted Thomas McGaughey gone. In two different stints with the team, McGaughey has served under Tom Coughlin, Pat Shurmur, Joe Judge, and Brian Daboll. But too many special teams snafus finally caught up with McGaughey. He has since been hired by the Buccaneers. Enter relative unknown, 36-year old Michael Ghobrial, who has only served as a special teams assistant at the pro level with the Jets for three years. The Giants also took their time with their special teams coordinator search as Ghobrial was one of four other publicly-known candidates interviewed, including Seahawks Special Teams Coordinator Larry Izzo. The Giants were also denied interview requests for three other candidates. Izzo would have been the safer choice. It will be interesting to see how Ghobrial pans out.

Interesting Promotions: Some old faces received interesting promotions. This was most likely done to soothe egos, increase salaries, and/or reward previous service. Despite New York’s lower offensive rankings, 36-year old offensive coordinator Mike Kafka has been a hot head-coaching candidate the past two offseasons. Seattle also pursued him as offensive coordinator and the Giants turned them down. He has since been promoted to assistant head coach. Defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson, who was passed over for the defensive coordinator vacancy, was promoted to defensive passing game coordinator. This is a role he held in Atlanta for four years from 2016-2019. Finally, quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney was promoted to offensive passing game coordinator. It has been widely speculated that Tierney will replace Kafka as offensive coordinator if and when Kafka departs. This appears to be another step in that direction.

Rounding Out the Coaching Staff: Running backs coach Jeff Nixon was hired by Syracuse to be their new offensive coordinator. He has been replaced by Joel Thomas, a respected running backs coach who has been in New Orleans for the past nine seasons. The Giants allowed tight ends coach Andy Bischoff to join the Chargers. He was replaced by Titans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly, who coached tight ends in Houston before becoming Bischoff’s boss on the same team. The 37-year old Kelly has been a fast riser, already serving as offensive coordinator on two NFL teams.

As mentioned, the Wilkins boys were a package deal with Martindale and thus were let go during the power struggle. Outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins was replaced by Charlie Bullen. Defensive assistant Kevin Wilkins was replaced by Zak Kuhr. The pressure is on Bullen to get Kayvon Thibodeaux to consistently perform at a high level as a pass rusher. He will also likely be given a high draft pick to work with as well as Azeez Ojulari’s final shot. Bullen has spent 11 years with the Dolphins and Cardinals before serving one season under ex-NYG outside linebackers coach Brett Bielema at Illinois. Finally, Aaron Wellman returns to the Giants as strength and conditioning coach, replacing Craig Fitzgerald who departed for Florida. Wellman served in the same role for the Giants from 2016-2019 before leaving for Indiana.

Jan 162024
 
Joel Thomas, New Orleans Saints (June 13, 2023)

Joel Thomas – © USA TODAY Sports

GIANTS HIRE RUNNING BACKS COACH…
The New York Giants have officially hired New Orleans Saints Running Back Coach Joel Thomas for the same position with the team. The Saints gave the Giants permission to interview the 49-year old Thomas on Saturday, January 13. He has coached in New Orleans for the past nine seasons as the running backs coach. Thomas replaces Jeff Nixon, who was hired by Syracuse University to be their new offensive coordinator.

Thomas’ full coaching bio is available in the Coaching Staff section of the website.

GIANTS HIRE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH…
The New York Giants have officially hired Aaron Wellman as executive director of player performance. The 49-year old Wellman replaces Craig Fitzgerald, who was hired by the Florida Gators to be their new director of football performance.

Wellman actually returns to the Giants, having served four seasons as New York’s strength and conditioning coach under head coaches Ben McAdoo and Pat Shurmur from 2016-2019. He left the team in early 2020 to become the senior assistant athletic director for football performance at Indiana University.

Thomas’ full coaching bio is available in the Coaching Staff section of the website.

SEAHAWKS  INTERVIEW MIKE KAFKA…
The Seattle Seahawks are the second team to express interest in New York Giants Offensive Coordinator Mike Kafka for their head coaching vacancy. The Tennessee Titans interviewed Kafka on January 12. The Seahawks have also now requested an interview.

The 36-year old Kafka joined the Giants last year after servicing as quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs. He also drew interest for head coaching vacancies last offseason with the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers, and Arizona Cardinals.

GIANTS INTERVIEW ANOTHER FOR SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR…
The New York Giants have expressed interest in Chicago Bears Assistant Special Teams Coach Carlos Polk for the team’s special teams coordinator vacancy. The 46-year old Polk has served as an assistant special teams coach with the Chargers (2010-2012), Buccaneers (2014-2018), Cowboys (2019), Jaguars (2021), and Bears (2022-present).

The Giant also interviewed San Francisco 49ers Assistant Special Teams Coach Matt Harper this past weekend.

As previously reported, the Giants had requested to interview three other special teams coordinators, but were blocked by their teams, including Ryan Ficken (Los Angeles Chargers), Marquice Williams (Atlanta Falcons), and Chris Tabor (Carolina Panthers).

Mar 092020
 
Rhett Ellison, New York Giants (October 20, 2019)

Rhett Ellison – © USA TODAY Sports

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RHETT ELLISON RETIRES…
The New York Giants have officially announced that 31-year old tight end Rhett Ellison has retired due to concerns over a concussion that caused him to miss the last six games of the 2019 NFL season. Ellison played in 10 games in 2019 with seven starts. He finished the year with just 18 catches for 167 yards and one touchdown. The transaction will save the Giants $5 million against the 2020 NFL salary cap, but will also count $2.2 million in dead money.

“The past few weeks, it’s kind of been an emotional roller coaster,” Ellison said in the press release. “But the overwhelming feeling I have is gratitude. Just thinking back to all the people in my life, even before I put pads on, that were able to nurture and grow the gifts God put into me and make this career possible. I think that was the biggest thing that was the fun part about the retirement process, which is reflecting on those people, thanking those people, reaching out and just the lessons they taught me, the tools they gave me for my life after football.

“In the back of my head, there’s always that, ‘I get it, this could be my last game,’ just because of the nature of the sport. When I ruptured my patella tendon (in 2016), that was the first time I realized, ‘Oh wait, this can end at any moment.’ Since that injury, it’s kind of stuck with me, like, ‘Don’t take these games for granted. Don’t take these opportunities for granted.’ I was never surprised. I know injuries are a part of the game. There’s no way I could have told you that was going to be my last game (the November 10th contest against the New York Jets), but it ended up being my last game. But my mentality, just from having multiple injuries throughout my career, was you realize how short your time is on the field and you never really know when it’s going to end.”

Ellison was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Vikings. The Giants signed Ellison as an unrestricted free agent in March 2017. In 2017 and 2018, Ellison averaged 25 catches and 254 yards per season for the Giants, starting 26 of the 30 games he played in.

“The people I met when I was with the Giants made such an impact on me,” Ellison said. “One of the coolest things I got to be a part of was made possible by the Giants and it had nothing to do with playing on the field. The Giants opened up their doors to about 100 homeless people in Newark and created this event off an idea that myself and Jenny (Schumm DePaul) at Project Kind came up with. They just rolled with it without hesitation. It was so cool to see an organization open the doors to their stadium to people in need without any kind of hesitation. When I think back to my time with the Giants and just my football career in general, that was one of the coolest things, if not the coolest thing, that I’ve been a part of. The Giants really valued that and they valued me that way. I would definitely say the people there made this special for me the past three years.

“From talking to former teammates that have retired, their advice is always take it slow. You’re so used to going all out all the time that you just feel like you have to jump back into something, maybe before you’re ready. First and foremost, (my wife and I are) just going to take our time. It’s going to be fun just getting more quality time with my family, with my extended family, and just getting to be at holidays for the first time in probably a decade. Just enjoying my family and friends and reflecting on everything. But the number one thing for us is service. How can we find ways to serve? So, we’re going to take our time figuring that out.

“(I will miss) being a part of the team, being with my teammates, the locker room, the cafeteria, the camaraderie are what I’m going to miss most. I think the process, too, of just the physical preparation. I was kind of weird in that I loved the physical preparation before the season. My favorite time of year was training camp. I was just a little bit off that way. But that’s what I think I will miss the most, my teammates and just the physical preparation. Game days, I don’t know. I’ll know exactly how I feel when Sunday rolls around, but the immediate reaction is I’m going to miss my teammates and I’m going to miss just the physical preparation of the game.”

The only tight ends on the roster currently under contract are Evan Engram, Kaden Smith, Garrett Dickerson, and C.J. Conrad.

“He’s definitely the best teammate I ever had,” Engram said. “Rhett not only helped me with so many things on the field, but helped me off the field, too. I’m going to miss him. He’s definitely going to be a friend of mine for life… He’s like a walking teach tape. You can pull up any play that he’s on and that’s exactly how the play is supposed to be done whether it’s a route, whether it’s a certain blocking technique we have to execute. He’s a really good professional, he’s a really good technician. He’s a perfect example to learn from.”

GIANTS EXERCISE CONTRACT OPTION ON ALEX TANNEY…
The New York Giants have exercised their contract option on quarterback Alex Tanney, meaning that Tanney is now under contract for one more season. If he makes the team, Tanney will earn $950,000 in salary, a $37,500 bonus, and a $25,000 workout bonus.

AARON WELLMAN LEAVES GIANTS FOR INDIANA…
New York Giants Strength and Conditioning Coach Aaron Wellman has left the team to accept the same position with Indiana University. Wellman had served as the Giants’ strength coach since 2016, under both head coaches Ben McAdoo and Pat Shurmur.

ARTICLES…

Feb 152018
 
Pat Shurmur, New York Giants (January 26, 2018)

Pat Shurmur – © USA TODAY

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NEW YORK GIANTS COACHING STAFF OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED…
New York Giants Head Coach Pat Shurmur officially announced his coaching staff today via press release. Most of the names had already been previously unofficially reported by the press. They include:

  • Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach: Mike Shula
  • Running Backs Coach: Craig Johnson
  • Wide Receivers Coach: Tyke Tolbert
  • Tight Ends Coach: Lunda Wells
  • Offensive Line Coach: Hal Hunter
  • Assistant Offensive Line Coach: Ben Wilkerson
  • Offensive Assistant: Ryan Roeder
  • Defensive Coordinator: James Bettcher
  • Defensive Line Coach: Gary Emanuel
  • Linebackers Coach: Bill McGovern
  • Assistant Linebackers Coach: Rob Leonard
  • Defensive Backs Coach: Lou Anarumo
  • Assistant Defensive Backs Coach: Deshea Townsend
  • Defensive Assistant: Bobby Blick
  • Special Teams Coordinator: Thomas McGaughey
  • Assistant Special Teams Coach: Anthony Blevins
  • Strength and Conditioning Coach: Aaron Wellman
  • Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach: Markus Paul
  • Performance Manager: Joe Danos
  • Director of Performance Nutrition: Pratik Patel

The bios for these coaches are available in the Coaching Staff section of the website.

“We’re thrilled to announce our coaches,” Shurmur said. “They’re all excellent people, career coaches, guys who have had success in the profession developing players. We’re excited to have them here at the New York Giants. Some of the coaches I have a history with, some were on previous staffs here, and other coaches are guys I’ve known through the profession. I took a good look at some of the coaches that were here, and we certainly wanted to make sure that some of the really fine coaches that were in the building a year ago had an opportunity to stay.

“I’ve been through this and when you’re a new coach, the process of putting together your initial staff is time-consuming. There are many, many excellent coaches out there, but you want to try to bring in the right guys that fit.”

In the team’s press release, the Giants stated that Shurmur will call the plays while Shula will play a primary role in devising game plans as well as working with the quarterbacks.

“I’ve known Mike a very long time,” Shurmur said. “He’s done an outstanding job developing and working with quarterbacks. He was the offensive coordinator of a team that was recently playing in the Super Bowl. They’ve done an excellent job on offense in Carolina. We share a vision in terms of what we want to do offensively. We’re excited that he’ll be with us. He’ll be the offensive coordinator and also work with the quarterbacks. He’ll assume all the roles that any offensive coordinator would have, and he’d obviously be in position to call it, if need be.”

Other comments from Shurmur:

  • On Hal Hunter: “(With) Hunter, there’s a little bit of a scheme fit. He’s done a good job coaching the offensive line wherever he’s been.”
  • On James Bettcher: “James coaches a defense that’s hard to score against. He had great success in Arizona, and we’re certainly glad to have him here.”
  • On Thomas McGaughey: “I knew Thomas in the profession, and after having a chance to visit with him, I knew it would be a perfect fit here. He’s an outstanding coach. He coached top 10 units in special teams.”

ARTICLES…

Jan 292018
 
Craig Johnson, New York Giants (August 3, 2014)

Running Backs Coach Craig Johnson – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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REPORTS – GIANTS RETAIN CRAIG JOHNSON AND STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING STAFF…
Multiple media sources are reporting that the New York Giants have retained Running Backs Coach Craig Johnson, who has been with the Giants in that position since 2014.

  • 2014-Present: Running Backs Coach, New York Giants
  • 2011-2013: Quarterbacks Coach, Minnesota Vikings
  • 2010: Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs Coach, Tennessee Titans
  • 2002-2009: Quarterbacks Coach, Tennessee Titans
  • 2000-2001: Offensive Assistant/Quality Control, Tennessee Titans
  • 1999: Quarterbacks Coach, University of Maryland
  • 1997-1998: Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach, University of Maryland
  • 1992-1996: Quarterbacks Coach, Northwestern University
  • 1989-1991: Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach, Virginia Military Institute
  • 1986-1988: Running Backs Coach, Rutgers University
  • 1985: Fullbacks Coach, Army
  • 1984: Graduate Assistant, University of Arkansas
  • 1983: Graduate Assistant, University of Wyoming
  • Pro Experience: None
  • Collegiate Experience: Quarterback, University of Wyoming (1978-1982)
  • Born March 3, 1960

Multiple media sources are also reporting that the Giants will retain their strength and conditioning staff.

Strength and Conditioning Coach Aaron Wellman

  • 2016-Present: Strength and Conditioning Coach, New York Giants
  • 2015: Assistant Director of Strength and Conditioning, University of Notre Dame
  • 2011-2014: Director of Strength and Conditioning, University of Michigan
  • 2009-2011: Strength and Conditioning Coach, San Diego State University
  • 2004-2008: Director of Football Strength and Conditioning, Ball State University
  • 2001-2003: Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach, Michigan State University
  • 1998-2000: Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach, Indiana University
  • 1996-1997: Graduate Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach, Indiana University
  • Pro Experience: None
  • Collegiate Experience: Safety, Manchester College (Indiana)
  • Born April 18, 1974

Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach Markus Paul

  • 2007-Present: Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach New York Giants
  • 2006: Strength and Conditioning Coach, New York Jets
  • 2005: Director of Physical Development, New York Jets
  • 2000-2004: Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach, New England Patriots
  • 1998-1999: Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach, New Orleans Saints
  • Pro Experience: Safety, Chicago Bears (1989-1993) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1993)
  • Collegiate Experience: Safety, Syracuse University (1985-1988)
  • Born April 1, 1966

Director of Performance Nutrition/Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach Pratik Patel

  • 2017-Present, Director of Performance Nutrition/Asst. Strength & Conditioning Coach, New York Giants
  • 2014-2017: Sports Nutrition Coach, University of Oregon
  • 2012-2014: Sports Dietitian, Michigan State University Athletics/Department of Radiology
  • 2010-2012: Sports Dietitian, Kansas State University Men’s Basketball
  • Pro Experience: None
  • Collegiate Experience: None
  • Born N/A

Performance Manager Joe Danos

  • 2013-Present: Performance Manager/Strength and Conditioning Assistant, New York Giants
  • 2010-2012: Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach, Florida State University
  • 2007-2009: Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach, Southern Methodist University
  • 2005-2006: Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach, Louisiana State University
  • 2000-2004: Student Strength and Conditioning Coach, Louisiana State University
  • Pro Experience: None
  • Collegiate Experience: None
  • Born January 2, 1981

ARTICLES…

Dec 162016
 
Shane Vereen, New York Giants (August 12 2016)

Shane Vereen – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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DECEMBER 16, 2016 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul (core muscle) has officially been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions.

Running back Shane Vereen (concussion), linebacker Keenan Robinson (shoulder), and safety Nat Berhe (concussion) are “questionable” for the game. Head Coach Ben McAdoo said that Vereen and Berhe are still in the concussion protocol.

“We haven’t seen (Robinson) do much this week,” said McAdoo. “He knows how to take care of his body with the injuries he’s had in the past, similar type injuries. So we’ll see more from him tomorrow to know if he can go or not.”

Left guard Justin Pugh (knee), long snapper Zak DeOssie (hamstring), defensive end Owa Odighizuwa (knee), defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins (shoulder), and linebacker Mark Herzlich (concussion) are “probable” for the game.

“Justin’s practiced well this week, so we’ll take a look at him again tomorrow in practice,” said McAdoo. “He’s a good player, he’s been a good player for us and when we can get him, as soon as we can get him back, we’ll take him.”

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

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum:

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
There is no press availability to the team on Saturday. The Giants play the Detroit Lions at home on Sunday at 1:00PM ET.

Apr 112016
 
Byron Stingily, Tennessee Titans (December 18, 2014)

Byron Stingily – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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NEW YORK GIANTS SIGN BYRON STINGILY…
The New York Giants have officially signed unrestricted free agent offensive tackles Byron Stingily (Pittsburgh Steelers). Following up on yesterday’s updates, the Giants have also officially confirmed the signing of unrestricted free agent running back Bobby Rainey (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and unrestricted free agent linebacker Kelvin Sheppard (Miami Dolphins).

The 27-year old, 6’5”, 318-pound Stingily was originally drafted in the 6th round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. The Titans waived him in September 2015 and he then signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in October 2015. In five seasons, Stingily has played in 20 regular-season games with nine starts (eight at right tackle and one at tight end). Stingily is an athletic lineman with good size. He plays more of a finesse, positional game. A better pass protector than run blocker, Stingily is not a physical player.

ARTICLES…

Apr 012016
 
Steve Spagnuolo, New York Giants (October 11, 2015)

Steve Spagnuolo – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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NEW YORK GIANTS POSITION COACH MEDIA SESSIONS…
Transcripts and video clips of Monday’s media sessions with the following coaches are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

GIANTS MEET WITH JERRAUD POWERS, BUT NO DEAL …
According to press reports, unrestricted free agent cornerback Jerraud Powers (Arizona Cardinals) did meet the New York Giants on Thursday and Friday. However, NJ.com is reporting that Powers apparently left without a deal.

The 28-year old Powers was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts. He signed with the Arizona Cardinals as a free agent in March 2013. In seven NFL seasons, Powers has played in 87 regular-season games with 82 starts. In 2015, he started all 13 regular-season games he played in, and finished the season with 52 tackles, one sack, nine pass defenses, and one interception. Powers has 11 career interceptions.

ARTICLES…

Feb 292016
 
Robert Ayers, New York Giants (November 15, 2015)

Robert Ayers – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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LATEST NEW YORK GIANTS FREE AGENT RUMORS…
NFL free agency begins on March 9th, although teams can are officially allowed to start talking to players on other teams on March 7th. NJ.com is reporting the following:

  • The New York Giants would like to re-sign unrestricted free agent defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul to a 1-year, “prove it” contract. If Pierre-Paul can get a longer term deal on the open market, he is likely gone. Pierre-Paul’s camp believes he will be offered $10 million per year on the open market.
  • There may be a strong market for unrestricted free agent defensive end Robert Ayers, who the Giants would also like to re-sign.
  • There is not much noise about unrestricted free agent cornerback Prince Amukamara. The Giants want Amukamara to gauge his value on an open market that may have a number of quality cornerbacks available. The Giants are first focusing on addressing their front seven on defense in free agency.
  • The Giants are going to let unrestricted free agent place kicker Josh Brown test the market. They would like to re-sign Brown, but if he can get a multi-year deal from another team, they will apparently let him go.

ARTICLES…

Feb 172016
 
Steve Spagnuolo and Jonathan Casillas, New York Giants (November 1, 2015)

Steve Spagnuolo and Jonathan Casillas – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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Now that the dust has settled and the New York Giants have officially announced the make-up of Ben McAdoo’s coaching staff, let’s take a closer look at its composition.

Overall, not counting the head coach, there are 20 coaching positions. Eight of the 20 coaches are new to the organization. All three coordinators are holdovers from the Tom Coughlin era, with Mike Sullivan being promoted to offensive coordinator.

Offensive Coaching Staff (8 Coaches)

There are three offensive coaches new to the organization: Quarterbacks Coach Frank Cignetti, Jr., Wide Receivers Coach Adam Henry, and Offensive Line Coach Mike Solari. The holdovers are Offensive Coordinator Mike Sullivan (brought to the Giants by Tom Coughlin in 2004 and again in 2015), Running Backs Coach Craig Johnson (came aboard with McAdoo in 2014), Tight Ends Coach Kevin M. Gilbride (hired in 2010 and son of former offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride), Assistant Offensive Line Coach Lunda Wells (hired in 2012), and Offensive Assistant Ryan Roeder (hired in 2013).

McAdoo pursued former Miami Dolphins Head Coach and Green Bay Packers Offensive Coordinator Joe Philbin as an assistant head coach, but Philbin accepted the same position with the Indianapolis Colts instead. Philbin was McAdoo’s boss in Green Bay for five years. He probably would have served as a crutch for McAdoo if had come to New York.

It is interesting to note that five of the eight offensive coaches have experience as offensive coordinators with other teams, including Sullivan (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Cignetti (St. Louis Rams, Rutgers University, University of Pittsburgh, University of California, University of North Carolina, Fresno State, Indiana University of Pennsylvania), Johnson (University of Maryland and Virginia Military Institute), Henry (McNeese State University), and Solari (Kansas City Chiefs and University of Pittsburgh).

Offensive Coordinator Mike Sullivan: With McAdoo being promoted to head coach, the offensive coordinator position became vacant. To fill it, the 49-year old Sullivan was promoted to offensive coordinator. It remains to be seen how much influence Sullivan really will have. Other than 2015, Sullivan’s background is not based on the West Coast offensive system. And McAdoo has not yet publicly announced who will even call the plays. Sullivan was highly respected by Coughlin, but his two years in Tampa as offensive coordinator did not go well. With the Giants, Sullivan has coached wide receivers (2004-2009) and quarterbacks (2010-2011, 2015).

Quarterbacks Coach Frank Cignetti, Jr.: The 50-year old Cignetti is a well-travelled coach with a ton of experience as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He has never really worked with a quarterback the quality of Eli Manning. He replaces Sullivan, who was promoted to offensive coordinator.

Running Backs Coach Craig Johnson: The 55-year old Johnson arrived with McAdoo in 2014. Assuming McAdoo had some sort of influence in Johnson’s hiring, it is not surprising that that McAdoo retained him. Most of Johnson’s experience is actually coaching quarterbacks. He also served as assistant head coach of the Titans for one season.

Wide Receivers Coach Adam Henry: Odell Beckham, Jr. is extremely tight with the 43-year old Henry, who coached OBJ at LSU. At the pro level, Henry coached the 49ers’ wide receivers in 2015 and the Raiders’ tight ends in 2009-2011. He replaces Sean Ryan, who the Giants decided not to retain.

Tight Ends Coach Kevin M. Gilbride: The 36-year old Gilbride is now the longest-tenured Giants’ offensive coach, having arrived in 2010. When Gilbride was hired, fans feared it was pure nepotism on the part of the team given the fact that his father was the offensive coordinator at the time. Gilbride’s work as wide receivers coach in 2012-2013 was nondescript and he was re-assigned as the tight ends coach in 2014. Under his tutelage, Larry Donnell and Will Tye developed from no-name, small-school rookie free agents to viable pro targets.

Offensive Line Coach Mike Solari: The 61-year old Solari is the oldest coach on the team. He is considered one of the best offensive line coaches in the game, having coached very solid lines in Kansas City and San Francisco. Solari spent last season with Mike McCarthy in Green Bay, so he also now has a better understanding of the West Coast system. Solari replaces Pat Flaherty, whom the team chose not to retain.

Assistant Offensive Line Coach Lunda Wells: Interestingly, rather than bring in two new offensive line coaches, the Giants decided to part ways with Pat Flaherty and retain the popular Lunda Wells. The 33-year old Wells joined the Giants in 2012 and became the assistant offensive line coach in 2013 when Matt Rhule left to become Temple University’s head coach. Before coming to the Giants, Wells did assistant coaching work at LSU.

Offensive Assistant Ryan Roeder: The 36-year old Roeder came to the Giants in 2013 after serving as the tight ends coach at Princeton University for three seasons.

Defensive Coaching Staff (7 Coaches)

There are three defensive coaches new to the organization: Defensive Line Coach Patrick Graham, Assistant Defensive Line Coach Jeff Zgonina, and Linebackers Coach Bill McGovern. The holdovers are Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo (brought to the Giants by Tom Coughlin in 2007 and again in 2015), Cornerbacks Coach Tim Walton (came aboard with Spagnuolo in 2015), Safeties Coach David Merritt (the only coach remaining who came to the Giants with Tom Coughlin in 2004), and Defensive Assistant Rob Leonard (hired in 2013). In a nutshell, at the position coach level, the Giants decided to part ways with their front seven defensive coaches and keep their secondary coaches.

The big story here is the retention of Steve Spagnuolo despite the Giants not only finishing dead last in defense, but having the third-worst defense in NFL history. Alarmingly, Spagnuolo’s defense in New Orleans in 2012 was also the worst in NFL history. Since Spagnuolo is reportedly admired by ownership and was interviewed for the team’s head coaching position, one wonders if McAdoo had full autonomy to decide his fate.

Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo: It’s been eight years since the 56-year old Spagnuolo coached a decent defense as defensive coordinator. Since then, two of his defenses have ended up being the worst in NFL history. Spagnuolo has to prove that he can oversee even a competent defense without an all-star defensive line. Spagnuolo has NFL experience as a linebackers and defensive backs position coach, mainly with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was also head coach of the St. Louis Rams (2009-2011) and assistant head coach of the Baltimore Ravens (2014).

Defensive Line Coach Patrick Graham: The 37-year old Graham was highly respected and popular in New England. He has served as both defensive line coach (2012-2013) and linebackers coach (2011, 2014-2015) under Bill Belichick. Graham replaces Robert Nunn, whom the team chose not to retain.

Assistant Defensive Line Coach Jeff Zgonina: The assistant defensive line coach position is a new position on the Giants. The 45-year old Zgonina has only one year of coaching experience, but he played an astounding 17 years in the NFL as a tough, blue-collar, overachieving defensive tackle for seven teams.

Linebackers Coach Bill McGovern: The Giants passed on Mike Singletary to hire the 53-year old McGovern. McGovern coached linebackers at Boston College for 13 years before serving as the Philadelphia Eagles’ outside linebackers coach for three seasons. He replaces Jim Herrmann, whom the team chose not to retain.

Cornerbacks Coach Tim Walton: The 44-year old Walton came aboard with Steve Spagnuolo in 2015 so it isn’t a surprise that he was retained. Walton has experience as a defensive coordinator with the University of Miami, University of Memphis, and St. Louis Rams. He was the defensive backs coach for the Detroit Lions for four years (2009-2012).

Safeties Coach David Merritt: The 44-year old Merritt has been with the Giants now longer than any other coach, having arrived with Tom Coughlin in 2004. Since 2006, he has coached the team’s safeties and worked with Steve Spagnuolo on the Giants in 2007-2008 and 2015.

Defensive Assistant Rob Leonard: The 30-year old Leonard joined the Giants’ staff in 2013. Before that, he only did graduate assistant coaching work at North Carolina State University.

Special Teams Coaching Staff (2 Coaches)

No major change here given the fact that Tom Quinn will remain the team’s special teams coordinator, a position he took over in 2007. Larry Izzo, who had been the assistant special teams coach, departed as he received a promotion from the Houston Texans as their new special teams coordinator.

Special Teams Coordinator Tom Quinn: The much-maligned, 48-year old Quinn had arguably his best season as special teams coordinator in 2015. That said, special teams play was a factor in four losses (Saints, Patriots, Jets, Panthers). Like with Spagnuolo, one wonders if McAdoo had full autonomy to retain or dismiss Quinn.

Assistant Special Teams Coach Dwayne Stukes: The Giants probably preferred to keep Izzo. But with his departure, a vacancy had to be filled. The 39-year old Stukes has special teams coaching experience with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears.

Strength and Conditioning Coaching Staff (3 Coaches)

The major change here was at the top. After six consecutive injury-plagued seasons in a row, the team replaced Jerry Palmieri with Aaron Wellman. Palmieri had been with the Giants since 2004.

Strength and Conditioning Coach Aaron Wellman: The 41-year old Wellman has never coached at the pro level. But he is well-respected in the business and on top of the latest trends in sports training. He has worked at the university level at Indiana, Michigan State, Ball State, San Diego State, Michigan, and Notre Dame.

Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach Markus Paul: The 49-year old Paul has been with the Giants since 2007 after having spent time with the Saints (1998-1999), Patriots (2000-2004), and Jets (2005-2006).

Performance Manager Joe Danos: The 35-year old Danos has been with the Giants since 2013. Before coming to the team, he spent time at the college level at LSU, SMU, and Florida State.

Overall, McAdoo decided to part ways with five coaches: Sean Ryan (wide receivers), Pat Flaherty (offensive line), Robert Nunn (defensive line), Jim Herrmann (linebackers), and Jerry Palmieri (strength and conditioning). The vacancies filled by the three other new guys were created by Mike Sullivan’s promotion, Larry Izzo receiving a promotion from the Texans, and the new assistant defensive line coaching position. Replacing the wide receivers, offensive line, defensive line, and linebackers coaches is no small move. But all three coordinators are holdovers from Coughlin’s staff plus the running backs, tight ends, cornerbacks, and safeties coaches.