Sep 192017
 
Eli Manning, New York Giants (September 18, 2017)

Eli Manning – © USA TODAY Sports

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DETROIT LIONS 24 – NEW YORK GIANTS 10…
The Detroit Lions defeated the New York Giants 24-10 on Monday night at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants are now 0-2 on the season, having scored only one offensive touchdown so far this year. Going back to the 2016 season, the Giants’ offense has not scored 20 points now for eight games in a row.

Both offenses struggled for most of the game as the Giants actually out-gained the Lions in total net yards (270 to 257), first downs (14 to 12), and average gain per play (4.9 to 4.6). But the Giants defense allowed 138 yards rushing, quarterback Eli Manning was sacked five times, and the Giants allowed an 88-yard punt return that sealed the game for Detroit in the 4th quarter.

The teams exchanged punts to start the game. The Lions drove 54 yards in nine plays on their second drive to go up 7-0 on quarterback Matthew Stafford’s 27-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Marvin Jones, who beat cornerback Eli Apple on the play. The scoring drive was kept alive by a 13-yard scramble by Stafford on 3rd-and-9. The Giants responded with their sole touchdown drive of the young season, an 8-play, 75-yard drive that ended with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Manning to tight end Evan Engram (who was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after the touchdown).

Things got a little crazy in the second quarter. Place kicker Aldrick Rosas’ kickoff after the touchdown went out of bounds, giving the Lions the ball at their own 45-yard line. After driving to the Giants’ 33-yard line, the Lions turned the ball over when defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul sacked Stafford and forced a fumble that linebacker Devon Kennard recovered. But on the very next snap, Manning’s pass intended for Engram was off-the-mark, intercepted, and returned 18 yards to the Giants’ 29-yard line. Five plays later, Stafford threw his second touchdown pass and the Lions went up 14-7.

After two punts by the Giants and one by the Lions, Detroit added to their lead late in the second quarter by driving 37 yards in six plays to set up a 56-yard field goal. The Lions led 17-7 at the half.

Detroit did not score on offense in the second half of the game, but it did not matter as the Giants’ offense and special teams struggled. The Giants’ offense only managed one second-half scoring drive, a 10-play, 68-yard affair that ended with a 25-yard field goal by Rosas in the 3rd quarter. When the Giants got the ball back early in the 4th quarter and trailing by 17-10, the game turned when wide receiver Brandon Marshall dropped a deep pass from Manning on 2nd-and-8. Two plays later the Giants punted and Brad Wing’s punt was returned 88 yards for a touchdown that put the Lions up by two touchdowns with 13 minutes left to go in the game. New York’s final two possessions end with turnovers on downs as the Giants failed to convert on a 4th-and-3 at their own 48-yard line and 4th-and-10 at the Detroit 29-yard line. Ball game.

Manning finished the game 22-of-32 for 239 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. His leading receivers were Engram (4 catches for 49 yards and a touchdown) and wideout Odell Beckham, Jr. (4 catches for 36 yards). The Giants continued to struggle to run the ball as Shane Vereen was the leading ground gainer with 28 yards on six carries. The Giants were held to 62 yards rushing.

Defensively, while the Giants gave up 138 yards rushing, Detroit was held to only 119 net passing yards. The Giants sacked Stafford twice, once by Pierre-Paul when he forced the fumble and another time by Calvin Munson, who started at middle linebacker for the injured B.J. Goodson.

INACTIVE LIST AND INJURY REPORT…
Inactive for the game were cornerback Janoris Jenkins (ankle/hand), linebacker B.J. Goodson (calf), linebacker Keenan Robinson (concussion), quarterback Davis Webb, running back Wayne Gallman, tight end Matt LaCosse, and defensive end Avery Moss.

Right tackle Bobby Hart re-injured his ankle and left the game in the 1st quarter. Hart was spotted on crutches and wearing a boot after the game. Linebacker J.T. Thomas left the game in the second half with a groin injury.

GIANTS SIGN CURTIS GRANT FROM PRACTICE SQUAD, CUT TAVARRES KING…
On Monday afternoon, the New York Giants waived wide receiver Tavarres King and signed linebacker Curtis Grant to the 53-man roster from the team’s Practice Squad.

King was originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. He has spent time with the Broncos (2013), Panthers (2013-14), Jaguars (2014), and Buccaneers (2014-15) – playing in just two regular-season games. The Giants signed King to the Practice Squad in late September 2015. Last year, King played in seven regular-season games, finishing the year with just two catches for 50 yards. He caught three passes for 73 yards, including a 41-yard touchdown pass in the playoff loss to the Packers.

Grant was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the San Diego Chargers after the 2015 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Chargers (2015), Falcons (2015), Titans (2016), Raiders (2016), and 49ers (2016). Grant was signed by the Giants to a reserve/future contract in January 2017.

POST-GAME REACTION…
Transcripts and video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Ben McAdoo and the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

ARTICLES…

Sep 142017
 
Odell Beckham, New York Giants (August 21, 2017)

Odell Beckham – © USA TODAY Sports

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INJURY UPDATE – ODELL BECKHAM, JR. PRACTICES…
Right tackle Bobby Hart (ankle) and linebacker Keenan Robinson (concussion) did not practice on Thursday.

Wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. (ankle) returned to practice on a limited basis.

“Better than yesterday, for sure,” said Beckham. “It’s been getting better over the past couple days. Probably the best I’ve felt yet. So, I’m going in the right direction.”

When asked how realistic it was for him to play last Sunday, Beckham responded, “As bad as I wanted to play, it just wasn’t there. It had been three weeks. The injury hadn’t even been a month since it happened. It’s a six to eight week thing. Unfortunately, as much as I was trying my hardest to get out there, it just wasn’t enough time.”

When asked if he will play on Monday, Beckham answered, “I can’t tell you that right now, but I’m trying my hardest, that’s for sure.”

Wide receiver Tavarres King (ankle), defensive tackle Jay Bromley (knee), and cornerback Janoris Jenkins (ankle/hand) fully practiced.

HEAD COACH BEN MCADOO…
The transcript of Ben McAdoo’s press conference on Thursday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available at Giants.com.

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:

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice on Friday at 11:20AM. The team’s coordinators and select players will also address the media after practice.

Sep 132017
 
Eli Manning, New York Giants (September 10, 2017)

Eli Manning – © USA TODAY Sports

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

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants return to practice on Thursday at 11:40AM. Head Coach Ben McAdoo and select players will also address the media after practice.

Sep 112017
 
Ben McAdoo, New York Giants (September 10, 2017)

Ben McAdoo – © USA TODAY Sports

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MONDAY BEN MCADOO CONFERENCE CALL…
New York Giants Head Coach Ben McAdoo addressed the media by conference call on Monday to discuss the team’s 19-3 loss to the Dallas Cowboys:

Opening Statement: From the outcome and results of last night’s ballgame, we have to learn and grow from it as a team. Some things I thought we did well as a football team is we had effort as a team throughout the adversity last night from start to finish. There were some shots of physicality in all three phases, but we didn’t win the physical battle. We played a better second half than a first half, really up until the interception. We felt like we had enough to go down and win the ballgame being down by two scores. The coverage units on special teams were a positive, but we left some yards out there. What we need to work on as a team – quite simply, play more offense, play less defense. Time of possession is important as is field position. Offensively, we need timely third down conversions. We need to make the makeable ones. On defense – if you want to play third down alone, we have to win the down on first and second down on a consistent basis. Special teams – when you get an opportunity to return a kickoff, flip the field, you have to take advantage of it. You can’t have the penalty there. Visual and verbal communication is important. Moving forward, it needs to be an emphasis and staying on schedule and ahead of the chains. Where we go from here – have to make a big jump from week one to week two. We’re blessed to have a long week this week. Have to play complementary team football and take care of each other in all three phases, something we didn’t do last night. With that, we’ll open it up.

Q: When you went back and watched the film, what was the biggest thing that stood out about the offense?

A: There were just breakdowns across the board. It wasn’t one group or one position or one player or whatever the case may be. There was enough spread around.

Q: Why weren’t you able to get longer passes thrown down field?

A: They got a lead. It turned into a bunch of line stunts up front. Trying to make a pocket that wasn’t deep and wasn’t wide and they were playing soft zone in the back end.

Q: Are you seeing some of the issues that you saw in the preseason as far as the breakdowns that are happening on the offensive side of the ball?

A: Yeah. I mean, we need to do a better job on third down handling the stunts, that’s for sure, and pass protection. I thought that Eli (Manning) did a nice job in the pocket with two hands on the ball. We didn’t lose any of those there, but when we talk about third down conversions, we had some opportunities to get the ball out and get the first down, but there was some trash in the pocket. That’s part of it. That’s part of playing quarterback in this league and you’re going to have that if that answers your question.

Q: What are some things that can improve the play of the offensive line moving forward?

A: We just need to get better technically. We had some technical breakdowns and, again, it’s not one guy. There’s enough to spread around and the tight ends are in there as well. The running backs fit in. Again, it’s not just the offensive line.

Q: Would you consider any scheme changes to get guys more help up front?

A: Yeah. We’ll consider all those moving forward. Take a look at it week-to-week like we always do and do what we feel is best for the team.

Q: Was there anything in particular that kept you from getting off the field on third down on the defensive side?

A: I think they were in manageable third downs. It starts on first and second down. We were either winning first down and not having success on second down or vice versa, and when you do that, a team that has balance like Dallas does, it makes it tough. You make it tough on yourself.

Q: You talked about not getting too emotional about one game. Is that because the game was such an intense game on national television?

A: Yeah. I mean, a lot goes into every game in this league and this just happened to be the first one. It didn’t go the way we wanted it to. Didn’t go the way we planned, but we need to understand it’s one of sixteen and we’re blessed with a long week this week and we have to find a way to get better going into week two.

Q: What do you attribute to wide receiver Brandon Marshall only getting one reception in last night’s game?

A: I think it was a product of a lot of things. There may have been times where you’re trying to get him the ball, but couldn’t get it to him for one reason or another. It could’ve been where he was lined up in the progression, based on the coverage we were seeing. It’s not just one factor, you can’t just point to one thing. It was a variety of things. We certainly want Brandon to get a touch earlier than he got a touch.

Q: How much of a factor does offensive linemen coming from college spread offenses have on offensive line plan in the league and as a coach, how do you get those players ready to play in a pro offense?

A: Yeah, that’s a question for the offseason. We need to find a way to win a ballgame this week and find a way to get better up front in a hurry. Everyone’s playing by the same rules right now.

Q: After the first series when the offense went three-and-out, did you get a sense that the offense was maybe pressing a little bit?

A: Again, I give Dallas credit. That’s the way they like to play. They like to receive the ball, they like to go on long drives, chew clock and play keep away, essentially. It forces offenses to press and we’ve got to be better than that. We have to have timely third down conversions. Anytime you have a third down conversion that’s not third-and-long, you’d like to be able to execute it at a high rate and we weren’t able to do that early in the ballgame.

Q: Did you have injuries from the game last night?

A: Yeah, [tackle] Bobby Hart has an ankle [injury]. Right now, that’s all I have.

Q: Any concern about Hart’s availability for week two?

A: It’s still early, it’s still early.

Q: Did you think you and quarterback Eli Manning were getting the offense into the right plays to face Dallas’s zone defense, or was Dallas just disguising it?

A: No, we knew it was a zone game early. We saw that it was a zone game early. They just relied on playing zone and playing with a lot of depth and playing on top. That’s why a lot of the throws were underneath. Eli was just trying to take what they were giving him.

Q: Did cornerback Janoris Jenkins have a hand injury after the game?

A: He may have gotten nicked up there with a hand [injury]. He may have.

Q: Do you anticipate wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. practicing this week?

A: We’ll see, we’ll take it day to day.

Q: Is Beckham much improved from last week?

A: He was out there working out in pregame, that’s all I have for you.

Q: What is the plan for the next couple of days for Beckham?

A: He’s going to come in and he’s going to get treatment and work with the training staff.

Q: How do you think cornerback Eli Apple can improve off of this game? It seemed like the Cowboys were targeting him specifically.

A: Eli just needs to play. He needs to take a step. He missed some time being nicked up in the preseason and he needs to get out there and he needs to play and he’ll continue to improve.

Q: Is tight end Evan Engram not ready to get up to speed, as far as breaking the cover two defense with seam routes?

A: It wasn’t that simple last night. It wasn’t just cover two. There were a variety of coverages being played. There was a form of quarters, there was some sky weak being played, there was two being played as well, but yeah, it’s novice to say that it was just a bunch of cover two yesterday. But they were playing soft and they were playing to keep the ball in front and to make you take completions and move the ball slow and methodically down the field.

Q: Do you feel like you have legitimate options on the offensive line if you wanted to make a lineup change?

A: We feel that we’re confident in the guys that we have and we’re confident in our depth and if we feel that we need to make a change there, we’ll make a change.

LANDON COLLINS ON ESPN RADIO…
The audio of Monday’s ESPN Radio interview with New York Giants safety Landon Collins is available at ESPN.com.

POST-GAME NOTES…
The Giants have lost the opening game for the sixth time in seven seasons. The Giants are 1-8 in season openers vs. the Cowboys, including 1-6 in Texas.

Eli Manning started his 200th consecutive regular-season game, becoming the third quarterback in history to reach that milestone. Brett Favre holds the record with 297 straight starts from 1992-2010, and Peyton Manning started 208 games in a row from 1998-2010.

ARTICLES…

Sep 082017
 
Odell Beckham, New York Giants (December 11, 2016)

Odell Beckham – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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INJURY UPDATE…
Wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. (ankle) is officially listed as “questionable” for the game against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night. Linebacker Keenan Robinson (concussion) will not play in the game.

“(Beckham) is in there getting treatment,” said Head Coach Ben McAdoo. “We will see how he responds. He is going to do all of his work with the training staff today and we’ll see how he responds tomorrow. We have a chance for a launch day tomorrow.”

Fullback Shane Smith (quad), wide receiver Tavarres King (ankle), defensive tackle Jay Bromley (knee), cornerback Eli Apple (ankle), and cornerback Michael Hunter (concussion) are all “probable.”

NEW YORK GIANTS TEAM CAPTAINS NAMED…
The New York Giants have voted for quarterback Eli Manning (offense), linebacker Jonathan Casillas (defense), and long-snapper Zak DeOssie (special teams) to be team captains for the 2017 NFL season. The same trio of players served as team captains in 2016.

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

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
There is no media availability to the New York Giants on Saturday. The Giants play the Dallas Cowboys in Texas on Sunday night.

Sep 062017
 
Keenan Robinson, New York Giants (August 27, 2016)

Keenan Robinson – © USA TODAY Sports

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INJURY UPDATE…
Wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. (ankle) and linebacker Keenan Robinson (concussion) did not practice on Wednesday.

“(Beckham) got some treatment,” said Head Coach Ben McAdoo. “He’s getting all of the work in he can get and we’ll see how he progresses… We are just going to take it day by day. If he is cleared medically to play in the game, we will play him. If not, we won’t… if it is safe for the player to play and he is not going to do further harm to himself physically, then we would think about playing him, but I have never put a player out there who would do further damage to himself physically… It’s a medical decision.”

“I feel better,” said Beckham. “It’s a new day. So just taking it day to day… Whenever they clear it, then we’ll be cleared. So, it’s just kind of – it’s really a day to day thing. I feel better than I did yesterday. I feel better than I did the day before yesterday. So, it’s progress… I’ve done some running and cutting… I wouldn’t count (me playing on Sunday) out… If I have to wear a brace or tape it, then I’m probably not going to play.”

Fullback Shane Smith (quad), wide receiver Tavarres King (ankle), defensive tackle Jay Bromley (knee), cornerback Eli Apple (ankle), and cornerback Michael Hunter (concussion) fully practiced.

HEAD COACH BEN MCADOO…
The transcript of Ben McAdoo’s press conference on Wednesday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available at Giants.com.

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:

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice on Thursday at 11:20AM. The team’s coordinators will also address the media after practice.

Sep 042017
 
Odell Beckham, New York Giants (August 21, 2017)

Odell Beckham – © USA TODAY Sports

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NEW YORK GIANTS ADD LINEBACKER TO PRACTICE SQUAD
The New York Giants have signed linebacker Nordly “Cap” Capi to the team’s practice squad. The 6’3”, 249-pound Capi was originally signed as undrafted rookie free agent by the Jacksonville Jaguars after the 2015 NFL Draft. Capi has spent time with the Jaguars (2015), Baltimore Ravens (2015), Atlanta Falcons, and Arizona Cardinals (2016-2017). While Capi has not played in an NFL regular-season game, he did stand out with the Cardinals during the 2017 preseason as a pass rusher (15 pressures and 1.5 sacks) and run defender.

INJURY UPDATE…
Wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. (ankle) and linebacker Keenan Robinson (concussion) did not practice on Monday.

“He stayed on the bike and worked with the training staff today,” said Head Coach Ben McAdoo. “He’s working with the training staff, getting treatment, we’ll see how he responds. He did some work today and we’ll see how he responds tomorrow morning… He is doing everything that they ask him in the training room and if he is ready to go on Sunday, we’ll play him. If he’s not, we won’t.”

“(Robinson) is still in the protocol,” said McAdoo.

Defensive tackle Jay Bromley (knee) and cornerback Eli Apple (ankle) were limited in practice.

Wide receiver Tavarres King (ankle) and cornerback Michael Hunter (concussion) returned to practice.

HEAD COACH BEN MCADOO…
The transcript of Ben McAdoo’s press conference on Monday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available at Giants.com.

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:

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
There is no media availability to the team on Tuesday. The Giants practice on Wednesday at 11:40AM.

Aug 172017
 
J.T. Thomas, New York Giants (December 20, 2015)

J.T. Thomas – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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J.T. THOMAS ACCEPTS PAY CUT…
ESPN is reporting that New York Giants linebacker J.T. Thomas has accepted a pay cut. His 2017 base salary has been reduced from $2,975,000 to $775,000. He now has a roster bonus of $20,000 and will earn $400,000 in incentives if he plays 70 percent of snaps or more.

INJURY REPORT…
Wide receiver Dwayne Harris (upper body soreness), wide receiver Darius Powe (hamstring), wide receiver Kevin Snead (lower body), linebacker Mark Herzlich (stinger), and cornerback Eli Apple (ankle) did not practice.

“(Apple) felt his ankle a little bit, so we were precautionary with it,” said Head Coach Ben McAdoo.

“Just got kicked a little bit going against some of the receivers,” said Apple. “It’s kind of bruised up after practice, but it’s not a big deal… I’m not sure (if I will play Monday). I’m just going to take it one day at a time and see what happens.”

“(Herzlich is) progressing,” said McAdoo. “He is not where we want him to be yet to put him back on the field, but he is working through it.”

Running back Shaun Draughn (ankle), linebacker J.T. Thomas (knee), and safety Duke Ihenacho (hamstring) were limited.

“(Thomas) is working through it,” said McAdoo. “Going through individuals, and eventually we will build him up to 7- on-7’s, some special teams work, and then team reps. But right now we are starting slow with him.”

Wide receiver Keeon Johnson left practice early with a lower body injury.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • PK Aldrick Rosas went 3-for-4 on field goal attempts.
  • FB Shane Smith was promoted to first-team punt coverage and punt-return special teams units, now working with all four special teams units. He also received first-team reps at fullback.

HEAD COACH BEN MCADOO…
The transcript of Ben McAdoo’s press conference on Thursday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available at Giants.com.

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:

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice on Friday at 11:20AM. The team’s coordinators will also address the press.

Aug 152017
 
Brandon Marshall, New York Giants (July 28, 2017)

Brandon Marshall – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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AUGUST 15, 2017 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their fourteenth and final summer training camp practice of the year on Tuesday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

ROSTER MOVES – CORBIN BRYANT PLACED ON INJURED RESERVE…
The New York Giants placed defensive tackle Corbin Bryant on Injured Reserve. Bryant injured his elbow during Monday’s training camp practice.

To replace Bryant’s roster spot, the Giants signed defensive tackle Bobby Richardson. Richardson was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the New Orleans Saints after the 2015 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Saints (2015-2016), Washington Redskins (2016), Kansas City Chiefs (2016), and Denver Broncos (2017). The Broncos cut Richardson in May. He has played in 15 games with 11 starts – all during his rookie season with the Saints – and has 40 career tackles and 0.5 sacks. Richardson is a bit of a DE/DT ‘tweener, lacking size at 6’3”, 286 pounds.

Bobby Richardson, who played in 15 games with 11 starts as a rookie free agent for the 2015 New Orleans Saints. He was credited with 40 tackles (20 solo), a half-sack and had one interception. In 2016, Richards did stints on the practice squads of the Saints, Washington Redskins and Kansas City Chiefs. He was with the Denver Broncos from Feb. 24 to May 3 of this year.

The Giants also signed linebacker Steven Daniels on Tuesday. The 24-year old Daniels was originally drafted by the Washington Redskins in the 7th round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He missed his entire rookie season with a torn labrum. The Redskins waived him in May 2017. He was then claimed by the Philadelphia Eagles who waived him in August. Daniels is a short (5’11”) linebacker with good bulk (245 pounds). Daniels lacks ideal overall athleticism, but he is a good, aggressive run defender who will hit you. He is not as strong in coverage.

INJURY REPORT – DRAUGHN AND THOMAS ACTIVATED OFF OF PUP…
Running back Shaun Draughn (ankle) and linebacker J.T. Thomas (knee) were activated from the the Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List on Tuesday. Both participated in some drills but were limited.

“(Thomas is) working through individuals and we’ll have a plan to build him up as we go,” said Head Coach Ben McAdoo. “We’re not going to rush into anything with him… He’s got a chance to build himself up, play some meaningful games as we go. There’s a pretty good chance he won’t play this next ballgame, but he’ll have a chance to play here shortly.”

Wide receiver Darius Powe (hamstring), wide receiver Kevin Snead (lower body), offensive lineman Adam Gettis (scratched eye), linebacker Mark Herzlich (stinger), safety Landon Collins (illness), safety Duke Ihenacho (hamstring), and safety Ryan Murphy (lower body) did not practice.

Wide receiver Tavarres King (ankle), defensive tackle Robert Thomas (soreness), and linebacker Devon Kennard (unknown) were limited.

Linebacker B.J. Goodson left practice early with a sore back.

SY’56 PRACTICE REPORT…
Last day of camp for Gidie and I. Cloudy, comfortable temperature with some rain towards the end of practice.

Offense Notes:

  • Good to see RB Shaun Draughn out there today. He didn’t get involved in the team/full speed drills but he caught some balls and showed his burst up field. I wouldn’t expect to see him on the field in Cleveland Monday night.
  • Also good to see WR Tavarres King participating in the group drills. He, too, stayed out of live action. I’ve grown to appreciate having him as the #4/5 WR on this team, as some of the other guys struggled to separate over the past week. King brings some confidence and security to the position behind the top 3 guys.
  • We got to watch WR vs. CB drills near the end zone. Offense had the ball on the 5-yard line and the CB was left on an island, no help in any direction. A tough task to say the least. CB Eli Apple had a physical defense of WR Keeon Johnson, a physical guy in his own right, on an inside slant. WR Brandon Marshall toyed with CB Valentino Blake a couple times, something I have gotten used to seeing. Good to see WR Odell Beckham and CB Janoris Jenkins go head-to-head a couple times. They split. Those two are at the top of their games already. CB Donte Deayon got beat every time from what I saw; his lack of physical presence in that spot shows up.
  • The first play of 7-on-7 with half the line going live offered the play of the day. QB Eli Manning threw a lob-ish type pass to WR Brandon Marshall. CB Eli Apple was all over him but Marshall fended him off and trapped the ball against his body with one arm while on the move. Even more impressive ball by Eli.
  • TE Evan Engram beat…DT Jay Bromley….for a nice TD catch where he showed top tier footwork in the back of the end zone.
  • The gap between John Jerry’s pass blocking and run blocking has been discussed, and it is definitely credible. He handled the bull-rush of DT Jay Bromley with ease all day, but doesn’t get the movement off the line as a run blocker.
  • The Jarron Jones experiment at OT has not be a pleasant one to watch. Again, a very difficult move to make. However Jones has been getting beat all day every day by anyone that lines up across from him.
  • The running game is very hard to gauge right now. My initial thought is RB Paul Perkins has had zero room to run anywhere. The inside lanes are non-existent and he just seems lost. He can’t find any creases to sneak through and it may be because they don’t exist.

Defense Notes:

  • DE Avery Moss seems to be getting more and more comfortable out there. I don’t expect him to be active on game days unless injuries arise, however it is easy to see why this team liked him. He has a frame that is going to easily handle 15-20 more pounds. He made a freakishly-athletic pass deflection when dropping in to coverage against QB Davis Webb.
  • This is a repeat statement, but CB Janoris Jenkins out-physicaled WR Brandon Marshall a couple times. And he moved well with WR Odell Beckham on slant routes. He can do it all.
  • CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is like an extra coach out there. He takes the young guys under his wings after they make mistakes as much as anyone. You can tell they are limiting him in practice, as he is showing signs of being fragile. But he is a crucial part of this defense.
  • The new linebacker, Steven Daniels, earned a draftable grade from me in 2016. I like those 3-4 thumpers. He saw time on specials today but nothing on live defense.
  • S Darian Thompson looks like he is in the right place usually, a good start. He failed to intercept a pass that Manning basically threw right to him. Still very unsure about him.
  • As I have said before, I think the top 4 CBs on this defense are better than any top 4 in the NFL, and I am very confident in that statement. What they have after that, however, is pretty much what we see around the league. An underachieving veteran (Valentino Blake) and young guys trying to stick despite glaring weaknesses that starting WRs will eat up (Donte Deayon, DaShaun Amos, Nigel Tribune). If you had to take 2 of those on the 53-man roster, I am going Amos and Tribune.
  • S Landon Collins had an illness, thus did not practice. Good for Nat Berhe and Eric Pinkins to get a few more snaps. Pinkins was late to the sideline because, as we have said, he struggles to quickly read and react. He takes too many steps to change direction and get going.

Three Standouts:

  • LB Calvin Munson: Coincidentally Munson got some snaps with the first string today with B.J. Goodson getting nicked up (which didn’t look too serious). He broke through the line twice for quick TFL’s. Not good for the OL but very good for Munson, whom is getting more comfortable with the playbook. He is going to make this team.
  • WR Sterling Shepard: He was all out today, fully involved with the offense. Good for him and this passing game, as the options are plentiful. Shepard is a guy that can really do well in the short passing game, which we are going to see a lot of.
  • OG Justin Pugh: All the negative talk about the OL, we can’t overlook Pugh. He is a very consistent, reliable guy inside that does the little things right. I put the eyeball on him as he single teamed DT Damon Harrison a couple times. Stayed low with knee bend, chopping his feet and knees, and constantly adjusting his hands to keep them inside. I am very curious to see how they handle his upcoming contract situation.

All, thanks for the feedback on the reports….I appreciate the criticisms more than anything. We will see where all of this goes, but I hope you enjoyed the camp reports.

Below is today’s video report and interview with Calvin Munson (we had to be brief):

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • In 1-on-1 drills, WR Odell Beckham, Jr. beat CB Janoris Jenkins for a touchdown. WR Sterling Shepard beat CB Donte Deayon for a touchdown.
  • PK Mike Nugent was 4-for-4 on field goal attempts with a long of 47 yards.
  • WR Brandon Marshall made a one-handed catch against CB Eli Apple on a fade route for a touchdown.
  • With Landon Collins (illness) out, Andrew Adams started in his place.
  • When B.J. Goodson left practice, Calvin Munson replaced him as starting middle linebacker.
  • Once again, with Devon Kennard limited, Curtis Grant started in his place at outside linebacker.
  • LB Chris Casher came free on a blitz on what would have been a sack of QB Geno Smith.
  • QB Geno Smith fumbled the ball for what would have been a safety. He was immediately replaced by QB Josh Johnson. When Smith came back into the line-up, he fumbled an exchange with RB Wayne Gallman and was pulled again. Both Smith and Gallman were forced to run a lap.
  • WR Jerome Lane was very active catching the ball in practice.

HEAD COACH BEN MCADOO…
The transcript of Ben McAdoo’s press conference on Tuesday is available in The Corner Forum.

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

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Summer training camp is officially over. The players are off on Wednesday before returning to practice on Thursday.

Aug 102017
 
Mykkele Thompson, New York Giants (August 14, 2015)

Mykkele Thompson – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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NEW YORK GIANTS CUT MYKKELE THOMPSON, ADD LINEBACKER…
The New York Giants have waived/injured defensive back Mykkele Thompson, who had been battling a quad injury. To fill the vacant roster spot, the Giants signed rookie free agent linebacker Jimmy Herman (Purdue University).

Thompson was drafted in the 5th round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Giants. He missed all of his rookie season after rupturing the Achilles’ tendon in his right foot during the 2015 preseason and was placed on Injured Reserve in September 2016 after injuring his knee in Week 2. The Giants shifted him from safety to cornerback this offseason.

Herman attended the New York Giants rookie mini-camp in May on a tryout basis, but was not signed. He has a nice combination of size and athleticism. Herman played in eight games his senior season, and accrued only 28 tackles.

GIANTS.COM PLAYER INTERVIEWS…
Video clips of exclusive Giants.com interviews with the following players are available at Giants.com:

  • WR Roger Lewis (Video)
  • DT Dalvin Tomlinson (Video)

ARTICLES…