Mar 222019
 
Kerry Wynn, New York Giants (September 23, 2018)

Kerry Wynn – © USA TODAY Sports

[contentblock id=1 img=html.png]

NEW YORK GIANTS RE-SIGN NATE STUPAR…
The New York Giants have officially announced the re-signing of unrestricted free agent linebacker Nate Stupar. The Giants claimed Stupar off of waivers from the New Orleans Saints in September 2018. He played in all 16 games, finishing the year with just 14 tackles. In his one start, Stupar missed three tackles.

The 6’2”, 240-pound Stupar was originally drafted in the 7th round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. Stupar has spent time with the Raiders (2012), Philadelphia Eagles (2012), San Francisco 49ers (2012–2013), Jacksonville Jaguars (2013), Atlanta Falcons (2014–2015), and Saints (2016–2017). He has played in 79 regular-season games with ten starts, six of which came in 2016 when he accrued 58 tackles. Stupar missed 11 games in 2017 with a torn ACL. He is a good special teams player.

CINCINNATI BENGALS SIGN KERRY WYNN…
The Cincinnati Bengals have signed New York Giants unrestricted free agent defensive end Kerry Wynn to a 1-year contract. In his fifth season with the Giants, Wynn started five of the 14 games that he played in, finishing with 39 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2 pass defenses, and 2 forced fumbles. Wynn was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Giants after the 2014 NFL Draft. He has played in 63 regular-season games, with 15 starts.

OAKLAND RAIDERS SIGN CURTIS RILEY…
The Oakland Raiders have signed New York Giants unrestricted free agent safety Curtis Riley to a 1-year contract. The Giants signed Riley as an unrestricted free agent from the Tennessee Titans in March 2018. Riley surprisingly started all 16 games at free safety, finishing with 75 tackles, 5 pass defenses, and 4 interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown). However, he was often a liability against both the run and the pass.

The 6’0”, 190-pound Riley was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Titans as a cornerback after the 2015 NFL Draft. Riley spent his rookie season on Injured Reserve with an ankle injury. He played in four games in 2016 and seven games in 2017 with no starts.

Mar 192019
 
Bennie Fowler, New York Giants (November 25, 2018)

Bennie Fowler – © USA TODAY Sports

[contentblock id=1 img=html.png]

NEW YORK GIANTS RE-SIGN BENNIE FOWLER, TONY LIPPETT, ZAK DEOSSIE…
The New York Giants have officially announced the re-signing of unrestricted free agents wide receiver Bennie Fowler, cornerback Tony Lippett, and long-snapper Zak DeOssie. It had earlier been reported that Lippett and DeOssie had already agreed to terms. Lippett signed a 1-year, $810,000 contract.

After signing late with the Giants in October 2018, Fowler surprisingly played in 10 games with five starts, finishing the year with 16 catches for 199 yards and one touchdown. The 6’1”, 212-pound Fowler originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent with the Denver Broncos after the 2014 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Broncos (2014-2017), Chicago Bears (2018), and New England Patriots (2018). Fowler has played in 55 regular-season games with 10 starts. He has 72 career catches for 897 yards and six touchdowns.

The Giants signed Lippett in to the 53-man roster in October 2018. He ended up playing in three games, with no starts, and was exposed in coverage. A former wide receiver, the 6’3”, 192-pound Lippett was originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. In three years with the Dolphins, from 2015 to 2017, Lippett played in 25 regular-season games with 13 starts. He missed all of the 2017 season with with a torn Achilles’ tendon. The Dolphins cut Lippett before the 2018 season started.

DeOssie is one of the NFL’s most consistent long snappers, being voted to the Pro Bowl in 2008 and 2010. DeOssie was drafted as a linebacker by the Giants in the 4th round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He is now strictly a special teams player. In his 12 NFL seasons, DeOssie has only missed four games (all in 2015 with a wrist injury). Aside from his long snapping duties, DeOssie also excels in punt coverage.

MORE DAVE GETTLEMAN MEDIA INTERVIEWS FROM MONDAY…
Aside from New York Giants General Manager Dave Gettleman’s media conference call on Monday, he also participated in the following media events on the same day:

CURTIS RILEY VISITS THE GREEN BAY PACKERS…
New York Giants unrestricted free agent free safety Curtis Riley visited the Green Bay Packers on Monday. The Giants signed Riley as an unrestricted free agent from the Tennessee Titans in March 2018. Riley surprisingly started all 16 games at free safety, finishing with 75 tackles, 5 pass defenses, and 4 interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown). However, he was often a liability against both the run and the pass.

The 6’0”, 190-pound Riley was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Titans as a cornerback after the 2015 NFL Draft. Riley spent his rookie season on Injured Reserve with an ankle injury. He played in four games in 2016 and seven games in 2017 with no starts.

Feb 282019
 
Landon Collins, New York Giants (October 7, 2018)

Landon Collins – © USA TODAY Sports

[contentblock id=1 img=html.png]

Only a few years ago, in 2016, the secondary of the New York Giants was not only considered the strength of the defense, but probably one of the better secondaries in Giants’ team history. Three Giants defensive backs were legitimately named to the All-Pro team that year: Janoris Jenkins, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and Landon Collins, the latter making a strong run for “Defensive Player of the Year” honors. The Giants finished 10th in total defense that season and 2nd in scoring defense.

But the secondary has quickly deteriorated since that high point. Despite continuing to earn League honors, Collins has obviously regressed and not made the same impact, also finishing the past two years on IR. Jenkins missed half the season in 2017 and did not play as well in 2018. Rodgers-Cromartie stopped making plays and was cut in March 2018. Making matters worse was that the surrounding talent in the secondary and arguably across the entire defensive unit has gotten worse. As a result, the Giants finished 24th in total defense and 23rd in scoring defense in 2018.

Once you got the past the headliners in Jenkins and Collins, the rest of the defensive back crew was a nondescript group of no-names and castoffs. The Giants admitted to another draft disaster, trading Eli Apple, the 10th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, to the New Orleans Saints for 4th- and 7th-round picks in late October. The rest of the unit was manned by players such as B.W. Webb, Grant Haley, Antonio Hamilton, Tony Lippett, Curtis Riley, Donte Deayon (waived in October), Michael Jordan (waived in October), Michael Thomas, Sean Chandler, Kenny Ladler, and Kamrin Moore. Who? Most fans never heard of any of these guys before 2018 and most of them will probably not be on the team in 2019. In a way, it’s a minor miracle that the secondary was not more abused than it actually was.

In a nutshell, strong safety Collins was disappointing and had issues in coverage. Riley was terrible at free safety. Reserve safety Thomas was a good special teams player, but not starting material. Jenkins was decent but still gave up too many big plays. Webb surprisingly held his own for much of the season, but really faded down the stretch. Undrafted rookie free agent Grant showed some promise as a nickel corner but didn’t make many plays on the football.

CORNERBACKS

While Janoris Jenkins did not have one of better seasons, giving up a number of big plays in 2018, he still remains one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL. Jenkins started all 16 games and finished with 70 tackles, 15 pass defenses, 2 interceptions, and 1 forced fumble. Jenkins was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams. The Giants signed him as unrestricted free agent in March 2016. In his first season with the Giants, Jenkins had his best season to date, being voted to his first Pro Bowl and his first All-Pro (second-team) selection. He missed seven games in 2017 with an ankle injury that had bothered him much of the season and required surgery. Jenkins is an average-sized corner with excellent speed and quickness and the ability to shut down any wide receiver when on top of his game. He is not a physical run defender and sometimes shies away from contact.

The Giants signed journeyman B.W. Webb in March 2018 after he was cut by the Cleveland Browns. Webb not only made the team, but he had his best pro season, surprisingly starting 13 of the 16 games he played in, and finishing with 59 tackles, 1 sack, 6 pass defenses, 1 interception, and 1 forced fumble. Webb did a decent job for most of the season before fading late, giving up a number of big plays. The 5’11”, 190-pound Webb was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. Webb has spent time with the Dallas Cowboys (2013), Pittsburgh Steelers (2014), Tennessee Titans (2015), New Orleans Saints (2016), Chicago Bears (2017), and Browns (2017). Webb has played 65 regular-season games with 23 starts.

Grant Haley was originally signed by the Giants as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2018 NFL Draft. He was signed to the Practice Squad in September 2018 and the 53-man roster in October 2018. Grant ended up being the team’s nickel corner, playing in 10 games with nine starts, and finishing the season with 33 tackles and 2 pass defenses. Haley is a short, but well-built corner with plays with good speed and aggression. He needs to make more plays on the football.

The Giants placed Antonio Hamilton on Injured Reserve in December 2018 with a quad injury. The 6’0, 190-pound Hamilton was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Oakland Raiders after the 2016 NFL Draft. He played in 12 regular-season games with no starts for the Raiders. The Giants claimed Hamilton off of waivers from the Raiders in September 2018. He played in 13 games for the Giants with no starts, accruing six tackles on special teams.

The Giants signed Tony Lippett in to the 53-man roster in October 2018. He ended up playing in three games, with no starts, and was exposed in coverage. A former wide receiver, the 6’3”, 192-pound Lippett was originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. In three years with the Dolphins, from 2015 to 2017, Lippett played in 25 regular-season games with 13 starts. He missed all of the 2017 season with with a torn Achilles’ tendon. The Dolphins cut Lippett before the 2018 season started.

SAFETIES

Despite being voted to the Pro Bowl three times from 2016-2018, Landon Collins has not been able to replicate his breakout performance in 2016. He finished both 2017 and 2018 on Injured Reserve, first with a fractured forearm and then with a partially-torn rotator cuff. Both injuries required surgery. On top of the injury issues, Collins has struggled more in coverage against better athletes. In 2018, Collins started all 12 games he played in, finishing with 96 tackles, 4 pass defenses, and 1 forced fumble. Collins was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Giants. During his All-Pro 2016 season, Collins started every game and finished the year with 125 tackles, four sacks, 13 pass defenses, and five interceptions. Collins is a big, tough, physical safety who lacks ideal quickness and recovery speed and thus is better suited for strong safety. He did not make many plays on the football in 2018. Collins is good hitter and tackler and plays the run very well.

The Giants signed Curtis Riley as an unrestricted free agent from the Tennessee Titans in March 2018. Riley surprisingly started all 16 games at free safety, finishing with 75 tackles, 5 pass defenses, and 4 interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown). However, he was often a liability against both the run and the pass. The 6’0”, 190-pound Riley was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Titans as a cornerback after the 2015 NFL Draft. Riley spent his rookie season on Injured Reserve with an ankle injury. He played in four games in 2016 and seven games in 2017 with no starts. While Riley is a former cornerback with good athleticism for the safety position, he lacks the instincts, aggressiveness, and physicality required to play safety in the NFL.

The Giants signed Michael Thomas as an unrestricted free agent from the Miami Dolphins in March 2018. Thomas not only played in all 16 games, but surprisingly made six starts at safety. He finished the season with 59 tackles, 1 sack, 6 pass defenses, 2 interceptions, and 1 forced fumble. Thomas also played in his first Pro Bowl as a special teams alternate. The 5’11”, 195-pound Thomas was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the San Francisco 49ers after the 2012 NFL Draft. After spending most of two seasons on the 49ers’ Practice Squad, Thomas was signed to the 53-man roster of the Dolphins in December 2013. In five seasons in Miami, Thomas played in 56 games with 25 starts. A team leader and good locker room presence, Thomas has served as special teams captain with both the Dolphins and Giants. While he is an aggressive, physical player, Thomas lacks the overall athleticism to be a viable NFL starter at safety. He only has 12 career pass defenses.

The Giants signed Sean Chandler as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2018 NFL Draft. Chandler made the team and played in all 16 games with no starts. He finished the year with 18 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 pass defense. Chandler lacks ideal size and speed, but he is an aggressive, physical defensive back and special teams player.

The Giants signed Kenny Ladler to the Practice Squad in November 2018 and the 53-man roster in December 2018. He ended up playing in three games with no starts, accruing three tackles. The 6’1”, 200-pound Ladler was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Buffalo Bills after the 2014 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Bills (2014-2015), Edmonton Eskimos (2016-2017), and Washington Redskins (2018). Ladler has played in 10 regular-season NFL games with no starts. Five of those games came with the Redskins in 2018 before the Redskins waived him in November.

The Giants claimed Kamrin Moore off of waivers from the New Orleans Saints in September 2018. He played in two games with no starts for the Giants. The 5’11’, 200-pound Moore was drafted in the 6th round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints.

NOT ON THE ACTIVE ROSTER

The Giants placed Sam Beal on Injured Reserve in July 2018 with a shoulder injury that required surgery. The Giants selected Beal in the 3rd round of the Supplemental Draft in July 2018. Beal combines good body length (6’1”, 185 pounds) and overall athleticism (4.5 in the 40-yard dash). He’s a smooth, natural cover corner who can flip his hips and has quick feet. Beal does need to improve his run defense.

The Giants signed Ronald Zamort to the Practice Squad in October 2018. The 5’10”, 174-pound Zamort originally signed with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2016 NFL Draft.

Aug 192018
 
Evan Engram, New York Giants (August 17, 2018)

Evan Engram – © USA TODAY Sports

[contentblock id=1 img=html.png]

AUGUST 19, 2018 NEW YORK GIANTS PRACTICE REPORT…
There are no more New York Giants training camp practices open to the public this summer. However, the team will continue to practice at Quest Diagnostics Training Center each week, including Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday this week.

“It was a good day today,” said Head Coach Pat Shurmur after practice. “We brought them in a little bit later so they could get their rest. I mentioned that sleep was overrated, not for the players. We got home late yesterday, the plan was to then let them get their rest so we can put in another really good week of work. I mention it again, we’re playing the Jets here at the end of the week, but this is still training camp, so we’ll come out in pads the next couple of days and get some stuff done – not only for the Jets but also thinking ahead to Jacksonville.”

INJURY REPORT…
Not practicing on Sunday due to injury were wide running back Saquon Barkley (hamstring), running back Jalen Simmons (concussion), defensive end R.J. McIntosh (unknown – Active/Non-Football Illness list), linebacker Connor Barwin (“soreness”), linebacker Calvin Munson (concussion), linebacker Thurston Armbrister (hamstring), and safety Darian Thompson (hamstring).

Wide receiver Travis Rudolph (quad), tight end Ryan O’Malley (ankle), and cornerback Donte Deayon (hamstring) returned to practice after being out the past two weeks. “They’ve got to get back in there,” Head Coach Pat Shurmur said. “Again, their health is a front burner deal for us. We want to make sure they’re healthy before we put them out in an uncontrolled setting, so yeah they’ve got to catch up. That’s just the nature of being out.”

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • Giants practiced in helmets and shells, without pads.
  • Quarterback Eli Manning threw a perfect pass to wideout Sterling Shepard, who beat cornerback Eli Apple and free safety Curtis Riley.
  • Quarterback Kyle Lauletta connected on a deep post to wide receiver Alonzo Russell, who ran past cornerback Eli Apple.
  • Quarterback Davis Webb threw a touchdown to tight end Evan Engram in red-zone drills on a slant pass between defensive backs William Gay and Michael Thomas.
  • Quarterback Kyle Lauletta threw a touchdown pass to tight end Garrett Dickerson, who made a juggling, finger-tip catch against safety Orion Stewart.
  • Wide receiver Kalif Raymond played some running back and scored on a run.
  • The inside linebackers in the first-team nickel defense were Ray-Ray Armstrong and Alec Ogletree.
  • Quarterback Alex Tanney connected on a long pass to wide receiver Amba Etta-Tawo.
  • In 7-on-7 red-zone drills, quarterback Eli Manning hit wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. for a touchdown on a fade pass.
  • Cornerback Grant Haley knocked away a corner throw from quarterback Kyle Lauletta to wide receiver Amba Etta-Tawo.
  • Cornerback Leonard Johnson intercepted a pass from quarterback Alex Tanney in the end zone.

HEAD COACH PAT SHURMUR…
The transcript of Pat Shurmur’s press conference on Sunday 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…

Aug 142018
 
Eli Manning, New York Giants (August 7, 2018)

Eli Manning – © USA TODAY Sports

[contentblock id=1 img=html.png]

AUGUST 14, 2018 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
While the last official training camp practice for the New York Giants was held on August 7th, the team is holding joint public practices with the Detroit Lions on August 14-16.

INJURY REPORT…
Not practicing on Tuesday due to injury were wide running back Saquon Barkley (hamstring), receiver Travis Rudolph (quad), tight end Ryan O’Malley (ankle), defensive end R.J. McIntosh (unknown – Active/Non-Football Illness list), linebacker Connor Barwin (“soreness”), linebacker Thurston Armbrister (hamstring), cornerback Donte Deayon (hamstring), and safety Darian Thompson (hamstring).

“(Barkley) just tweaked his hamstring (on Monday during practice),” said Head Coach Pat Shurmur. “(It’s) day to day, we’ll just see where he’s at, but really nothing to add from yesterday. Nothing serious, I think. Just day to day.”

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • Curtis Riley remained the first-team free safety.
  • Quarterback Eli Manning connected on a deep ball with wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr., who blew past Lions’ cornerback Chris Jones.
  • Wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. made a sharp cut against Lions’ cornerback Darius Slay for a catch over the middle. Beckham later beat Slay again in 7-on-7 drills and scored.
  • Quarterback Davis Webb badly overthrew wideout Hunter Sharp in the flat.
  • Running back Wayne Gallman burst through the line, made a nice cut, and got to the second level of the defense. Left guard Will Hernandez had a nice block on defensive end Ziggy Ansah on the play.
  • Cornerback B.W. Webb and wide receiver Kalif Raymond did a nice job as gunners on punt returns.
  • Quarterback Eli Manning overthrew wideout Cody Latimer in the end zone. Latimer made a one-handed catch by was ruled out of bounds.
  • Linebackers Olivier Vernon and Avery Moss were the Giants’ most disruptive pass rushers.
  • Defensive linemen Robert Thomas and B.J. Hill flashed.
  • The Giants’ offensive line did a good job of keeping the quarterbacks clean throughout practice.
  • In 7-on-7 redzone drills, quarterback Eli Manning was 4-of-5 with three touchdowns.
  • In 11-on-11 drills, quarterback Eli Manning stepped up into the pocket and fired a pass to wide receiver Sterling Shepard over the middle on a post pattern. Manning finished 5-of-5 to five different receivers in this team drill.
  • In 2-minute drills, cornerback Eli Apple leapt up and knocked away a pass intended for wide receiver Marvin Jones in the end zone. But then quarterback Matthew Stafford found Jones for a touchdown against Apple and over safety Landon Collins.
  • In 2-minute drills, wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. made a leaping catch over corner back Nevin Lawson. But then the Giants’ possession ended with quarterback Eli Manning being intercepted by safety Glover Quinn.

HEAD COACH PAT SHURMUR…
The transcript of Pat Shurmur’s press conference on Tuesday 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 will practice against the Detroit Lions in Michigan on Wednesday and Thursday (open to public).

Aug 102018
 
Saquon Barkley, New York Giants (August 9, 2018)

Saquon Barkley – © USA TODAY Sports

[contentblock id=1 img=html.png]

CLEVELAND BROWNS 20 – NEW YORK GIANTS 10…
Although the starters did not play long, the New York Giants were clearly out-played in a preseason match-up between the NFL’s two worst teams last season. The Giants fell to the Browns 20-10 on Thursday night at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The highlight of the night for the Giants came on their very first offensive snap when rookie running back Saquon Barkley broke off a 39-yard run, demonstrating vision, shiftiness, power, and speed. (Barkley’s other four carries picked up a total of four yards before he was pulled for the evening). Despite the big initial gain, the Giants’ first drive stalled at the Cleveland 23-yard line as New York settled for a 42-yard field goal by place kicker Aldrick Rosas.

The Browns responded with a big play of their own, a 32-yard strike from quarterback Tyrod Taylor to wide receiver Jarvis Landry over cornerback Janoris Jenkins. But Landry was flagged for taunting on the play. The defense then held and Cleveland punted.

The Giants’ first-team offense only played one more series (and two overall). The drive ended when with a 10-yard sack on quarterback Eli Manning by a free blitzing linebacker coming up the middle. Manning finished the night 4-of-7 for 26 yards.

Taylor carved up New York’s first-team defense on his second series, completing a 21-yard pass against cornerback Eli Apple and then burning inside linebacker Alec Ogletree on a 36-yard touchdown pass to tight end David Njoku. Browns 7 – Giants 3.

Quarterback Davis Webb entered the game with the second-team offense on the third series and played into the 3rd quarter. The jittery Webb was awful, completing just 9-of-22 passes (41 percent) for 70 yards. The Giants’ offense ground to a halt. In six straight possessions with Webb at the helm, the Giants punted five times and watched the clock expire before halftime at the Cleveland 21-yard line.

Meanwhile, the #1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, quarterback Baker Mayfield entered the game and put on a show, completing 11-of-20 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns, including a second touchdown catch by Njoku (from 10 yards out, 2-point conversion attempt failed). Mayfield also completed a 54-yard catch-and-run score to wide receiver Antonio Callaway, who got away from cornerback Leonard Johnson and safety Orion Stewart, early in the 4th quarter.

The Giants’ only other score in the game came early in the 3rd quarter after defensive end Kerry Wynn forced a fumble on a punt return that was recovered by long snapper Zak DeOssie at the Cleveland 14-yard line. Three plays later, running back Jalen Simmons scored from five yards out. This was Webb’s last possession and his sole contribution here was a 6-yard scramble.

By the 4th quarter, both teams were playing their third and fourth teamers, with both Kyle Lauletta (6-of-9 for48 yards) and Alex Tanney (3-of-7 for 49 yards) seeing time at quarterback for the Giants. Neither team scored after Mayfield’s last pass early in the 4th quarter that went for the 54-yard touchdown.

Overall, the Browns out-gained the Giants in total net yards (372 to 310) and net yards passing (322 to 176) while the Giants were superior in first downs (19 to 15) and net rushing yards (134 to 50). The Giants did not turn the football over. Defensively, nose tackle Robert Thomas accrued New York’s lone sack on the night.

Video highlights are available at Giants.com.

INACTIVE LIST AND INJURY REPORT…
Not playing for the Giants due to injury were wide receiver Travis Rudolph (unknown), tight end Ryan O’Malley (foot/ankle), defensive end R.J. McIntosh (unknown – Active/Non-Football Illness list), linebacker Thurston Armbrister (hamstring), cornerback Donte Deayon (hamstring), safety/cornerback William Gay (hamstring), and cornerback/safety Curtis Riley (hamstring).

Wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. and safety Mike Basile were healthy scratches.

POST-GAME REACTION…
Video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Pat Shurmur and the following players are available at Giants.com:

GIANTS SIGN SAFETY MIKE BASILE….
The New York Giants have signed undrafted rookie free agent Mike Basile (Monmouth University). The 6’1”, 185-pound Basile lacks ideal speed, but he is a hard-working, tough, smart, and instinctive football player with good foot quickness.

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Head Coach Pat Shurmur will address the media by conference call on Friday. The players are off on Saturday, the same day the team’s summer training camp officially ends. The players will practice on Sunday and Monday (no public access) before traveling to Michigan to practice against the Detroit Lions on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (open to public).

Jul 292018
 
Curtis Riley, New York Giants (July 26, 2018)

Curtis Riley – © USA TODAY Sports

[contentblock id=1 img=html.png]

JULY 29, 2018 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their fourth full-team summer training camp practice on Sunday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The complete training camp schedule is available at Giants.com.

SAM BEAL PLACED ON IR; GIANTS RE-SIGN KENNETH DURDEN…
The New York Giants have placed cornerback Sam Beal (shoulder) on Injured Reserve, ending his season. Beal aggravated an existing shoulder issue during the first training camp practice on Monday, requiring surgery and a 5-month recovery period. The Giants selected Beal in the 3rd round of the 2018 Supplemental Draft.

To fill that roster vacancy, the Giants re-signed cornerback Kenneth Durden, who the team waived on July 11th. The 6’1”, 180-pound Durden was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Oakland Raiders after the 2016 NFL Draft. He spent his rookie season on the Raiders’ Practice Squad before being cut in September 2017. The Tennessee Titans then signed him to their Practice Squad and cut him in October 2017. The Giants signed Durden in June 2018. Durden has not played in a regular-season game.

INJURY REPORT…
Not practicing on Sunday were defensive lineman R.J. McIntosh (unknown – Active/Non-Football Illness list) and tight end Garrett Dickerson (hamstring).

Cornerback Donte Deayon left practice early with an apparent hamstring injury.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • Quarterback Eli Manning fired a pass between two defenders to tight end Evan Engram during 7-on-7 drills. Manning followed that up with a touchdown throw to wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. during 11-on-11 drills.
  • Cornerback Donte Deayon had excellent coverage on wideout Amba Etta-Tawo and picked off a deep sideline pass from quarterback Davis Webb.
  • Michael Thomas started at safety along with Landon Collins. Darian Thompson, Curtis Riley, and Andrew Adams have worked with the first-team with Collins on previous days.
  • Cornerback Grant Haley came up aggressively to prevent running back Robert Martin from scoring in the red zone. Martin did show some nifty moves during practice today.
  • Quarterback Kyle Lauletta threw a touch pass to tight end Rhett Ellison, who made the catch in the end zone for a score.
  • Linebacker Alec Ogletree ran by left tackle Nate Solder to “sack” quarterback Eli Manning, whose subsequent pass to wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. was deflected by cornerback Eli Apple and intercepted by linebacker Olivier Vernon. (Apple was flagged for pass interference on the play).
  • Running back Saquon Barkley caught a pass in the flat and badly juked out cornerback William Gay.
  • Linebacker Mark Herzlich nearly sacked quarterback Davis Webb, who rolled out to his right and fired a 40-yard bomb downfield to wide receiver Kalif Raymond.
  • Wide receiver Kalif Raymond beat safety Michael Thomas for a touchdown on a pass from quarterback Eli Manning.
  • Quarterback Eli Manning and tight end Evan Engram continue to make plays together. Manning connected on another touchdown to Engram and also threw a nice touch pass over safety Landon Collins to Engram.
  • Running back Saquon Barkley stymied safety Landon Collins on a safety blitz, allowing quarterback Eli Manning to find wide receiver Sterling Shepard for a sizable gain against cornerback William Gay.
  • Cornerback Eli Apple broke up a pass intended for wideout Travis Rudolph.
  • Wideout Kalif Raymond stretched out to catch a pass from quarterback Davis Webb off of a rollout. Quarterback Eli Manning then found Raymond against cornerback William Gay.
  • Linebacker Olivier Vernon was able to push right tackle Ereck Flowers back into the quarterback on one rush and later beat left tackle Nate Solder for a “sack.”
  • Linebacker Kareem Martin gave both Nate Solder and Ereck Flowers problems on a couple of plays. Flower also stonewalled Martin on one rush.
  • Linebacker Connor Barwin beat right tackle Chad Wheeler for a “sack.”
  • Wide receiver Russell Shepard has quietly been making quite a few plays.
  • Saquon Barkley, Cody Latimer, Wayne Gallman, Sterling Shepard, and Jawill Davis all worked as kickoff returners.

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…

Jul 282018
 
Connor Barwin, New York Giants (July 26, 2018)

Connor Barwin – © USA TODAY Sports

[contentblock id=1 img=html.png]

JULY 28, 2018 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their third full-team summer training camp practice on Saturday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The complete training camp schedule is available at Giants.com.

INJURY REPORT…
Not practicing on Saturday were defensive lineman R.J. McIntosh (unknown – Active/Non-Football Illness list), cornerback Sam Beal (out for the season – shoulder), and tight end Garrett Dickerson (hamstring).

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • Wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. made one of his trademark one-handed catches in the corner of the end zone.
  • Wide receiver Cody Latimer beat cornerback Eli Apple on a post route for a 40-yard touchdown.
  • Quarterback Davis Webb threw a perfect sideline pass to wide receiver Kalif Raymond for a 35-yard gain.
  • Andrew Adams was the first-team safety along with Landon Collins.
  • Linebacker Olivier Vernon flashed off of the edge against left tackle Nate Solder for what would have been a sack.
  • Linebacker Kareem Martin beat tight end Evan Engram for what would have been a sack as well.
  • Linebacker Connor Barwin made a tackle for a loss. Barwin and linebacker Lorenzo Carter gave second-team tackles Nick Becton and Chad Wheeler problems.
  • Safety Michael Thomas was untouched on a blitz to “sack” quarterback Davis Webb.
  • Running back Saquon Barkley caught a low swing pass from quarterback Eli Manning and turned it into a nice gain with some nifty moves after the catch.
  • Cornerback Donte Deayon intercepted an underthrown post pass from quarterback Davis Webb, as Webb was being pressured by linebacker Lorenzo Carter. Deayon later broke up another pass.
  • Running back Saquon Barkley caught two touchdown passes during 7-on-7 red zone drills. Wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. also had a TD catch during these drills.
  • Defensive end Kerry Wynn received some reps with the first-team nickel defense.
  • Defensive lineman A.J. Francis was consistently disruptive.
  • Linebackers Avery Moss and Romeo Okwara gave the third-team tackles problems.
  • Cornerback Janoris Jenkins usually blankets his opponent, but wide receiver Hunter Sharp got some separation on him twice.
  • Quarterback Kyle Lauletta threw a deep ball to wide receiver Marquis Bundy, who out-fought cornerback Chris Lewis-Harris for the ball.
  • Connor Barwin worked with fellow linebackers Lorenzo Carter, Avery Moss, and Jordan Williams after practice.

HEAD COACH PAT SHURMUR…
The transcript of Pat Shurmur’s press conference on Saturday 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…

Jul 122018
 
Eli Apple, New York Giants (May 21, 2018)

Eli Apple – © USA TODAY Sports

[contentblock id=1 img=html.png]

With New York Giants training camp beginning in late July, BigBlueInteractive.com (BBI) breaks down each of the team’s positional groups until the players report at Quest Diagnostics Training Center.

FIND A COMPLETE LIST OF ALL BREAKDOWNS HERE

POSITIONAL BREAKDOWN: Defensive Backs

2017 YEAR IN REVIEW: Coming off a year in 2016 when THREE New York Giants earned All-Pro honors, everyone expected the secondary to be a team strength in 2017. Instead, there was turmoil on and off the field. The team’s top three cornerbacks were suspended for violating team rules and conduct detrimental to the team. 2016 1st-rounder Eli Apple regressed terribly, was benched, and started only seven games. All-Pro Dominique Rodgers Cromartie saw his pass defenses plummet from 21 and six interceptions in 2016, to just one pass defense and no interceptions in 2017. All-Pro Janoris Jenkins was nagged by an ankle injury that eventually landed him on IR and required surgery. The only bright spot at corner was the surprise play of Ross Cockrell, who the Giants traded for in September. It got so bad that Brandon Dixon ended up starting five games for the Giants.

At safety, All-Pro Landon Collins also regressed, bothered by a nagging ankle injury he suffered in early October and then fracturing his arm in December. While he made the Pro Bowl, he didn’t have the impact season he had the previous year. After spending his rookie season on IR, Darian Thompson started 16 games, but he lacked physicality and didn’t make many plays. Andrew Adams saw his playing time decrease, but still played in all 16 games with four starts. Nevertheless, Thompson and Adams combined for only eight pass defenses and one interception on the season. Once again, Nat Berhe was a non-factor with just 12 tackles in 15 games.

ADDITIONS/SUBTRACTIONS: The Giants cut Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in March and Brandon Dixon in May. Ross Cockrell and Nat Berhe left the team in free agency. Corner Darryl Morris remains unsigned and won’t be back.

The Giants signed free agents CB/S Curtis Riley, S Michael Thomas, CB Teddy Williams, CB C.W. Webb, CB William Gay, S Orion Stewart, and CB Chris Lewis-Harris during the spring as well as rookie free agents CB Grant Haley and S Sean Chandler after the draft.

The surprise move was the team selecting CB Sam Beal in the 3rd round of the 2018 Supplemental Draft.

TRAINING CAMP STORY LINES: The transaction wire this offseason was dominated by defensive back moves, but the ultimate success or failure of the secondary in 2018 will largely depend on whether or not Janoris Jenkins, Eli Apple, and Landon Collins can rebound. We’ll have to see where Jenkins’ head is after it was revealed that his brother allegedly killed a man in his home. Collins needed a second surgery to repair his arm fracture and was limited in the spring. Much media and fan focus will be on Eli Apple, who almost ran himself off of the team but so far has been acting and practicing much better. If Jenkins and Collins can revert to All-Pro form and Apple can become a viable starting NFL corner, then the other issues in the secondary will be much easier to deal with. If not, the Giants could be rough shape here.

The quick demise and subsequent release of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie left a huge hole in the secondary. Until the Supplemental Draft, Dave Gettleman’s approach at corner had been to sign quantity over quality, hoping to strike lightning in a bottle. That changed with the selection of Sam Beal. Nevertheless, the team still needs to identify a nickel corner.

At safety, who starts opposite of Landon Collins? During the last mini-camp, with Collins and Darian Thompson on the sidelines, ex-CB Curtis Riley and Andrew Adams were playing at safety with the first team. Newcomers Michael Thomas, Orion Stewart, and Sean Chandler also now join the competition.

ON THE BUBBLE: Other than Janoris Jenkins, Landon Collins, and Sam Beal, no one is completely safe. Eli Apple is likely to make it unless he has another mental implosion simply because the Giants are weak at the position and Apple still has a tremendous amount of upside. Not only do all of the other players have to worry about current competition on the roster, but look for the Giants to actively scan the waiver wire all summer. Some of the new journeymen vets are good special teams players and that will help their cause, most notably Michael Thomas.

FROM THE COACHES AND GM: Defensive Coordinator James Bettcher on Curtis Riley: “Curtis is a guy that, we all know he’s played corner, so he’s got really great feet and hips and range. And the thing I’m probably most proud of him about is how he’s picked it up playing safety because that’s a change, when you go from playing outside, to go inside. And some of the checks and the communication and one minute you’re in the post, the next minute you’re down, or you’re playing in the half field, or you’re blitzing off the edge and some of the different duties that our safeties have to handle here. He’s done a really nice job with that. So, I’m excited for him, getting to training camp just like all these guys, and he’s competing his butt off with a group of guys that I’ve really seen grow over these last two months.”

Bettcher on William Gay: “A pro’s pro. He is a pro’s pro. Everything that when we talked about having Will join us, anyone that you talk to, loves his work ethic, loves the seriousness and the professional mentality that he brings to the room. He is going to ask great questions, going to be very engaged, has done a great job with some of our younger players. And (taught) some of our guys that are three- and four-year players, about how to have longevity in this league and play at a high level. He knows what a great defense looks like from the inside and we’re excited to have him here working with us.”

Bettcher on Landon Collins: “I look at him as a guy – we had some guys in Arizona, Tyvon Branch and before Tyvon we had Tony Jefferson who played strong safety for us who could play both high, could play down in the box, could cover tight ends, could blitz off the edge. That’s what I see with Landon, a guy who is very versatile in what he can do. You might see a snap where he’s down covering a tight end in the box, you might see a snap where he’s in the half field playing deep or in the middle of the field playing deep or you might see snaps where he’s blitzing off the edge. I think that’s the versatility a guy like him lends and that’s something that as you look and study defenses across the league and you talk to offensive guys of what gives them trouble, it’s players that have that versatility – that one snap they’re down in the box and the next snap they’re playing high. That kind of versatility gives offenses trouble and I’m excited to have a chance to work with him.”

Bettcher on Eli Apple: “Very talented player. I did like him when he was coming out in the draft, really liked his skill set. He’s a guy who can play man, who can press, who can play zone defense in space, who can break on the ball.”

Head Coach Pat Shurmur on the competition at cornerback: “Well, it’s competitive. We were talking about it this morning. I was sitting with James (Bettcher), just going back over the roster. It’s going to be competitive to see whose going to be, in my mind, our third, fourth and fifth corner. We’ve got some candidates who are doing some really good things. And then they’re going to have to have a role. Certainly, when teams are in base and we’ve got Jackrabbit (Janoris Jenkins) and Eli (Apple) out there. But then when teams go to nickel, which is more than half the time, there’s going to have to be a guy step up. And we’ll just have to find the role, and whoever that guy is, we’ve got to do the things that fit what he can do best.”

General Manager Dave Gettleman on Sam Beal: “We’re very, very excited about getting Sam in the draft. He’s long, he’s very athletic for a corner, he has all the physical skills, he can carry the vertical, he has very good play speed, he shows instincts out there, he has ball awareness, he doesn’t panic when the ball is thrown at his guy, and he is a very willing tackler. We just feel it gives us a really talented young kid with the ability to ascend.”

PREDICTIONS: As long as the injury bug doesn’t hit (a big if), the Giants are not in as dire straits here as many think. Janoris Jenkins and Landon Collins are two of the best players at their respective positions in the NFL. Eli Apple seems poised for a rebound year. Acquiring Sam Beal in the Supplemental Draft was a bold move that may fill a glaring need. The two big questions are finding a free safety to complement Collins and a nickel corner. My guess is that William Gay takes on an Everson Walls-type leadership role and adequately handles the nickel spot. Curtis Riley, Darian Thompson, Andrew Adams, and Michael Thomas most likely will be battling it out for the free safety position, unless someone else shakes free on the waiver wire.

FINAL DEPTH CHART: We’re going to hear a common refrain from fans throughout the preseason… “Who are these guys?” My guess is that Janoris Jenkins, Eli Apple, Sam Beal, William Gay, and Grant Haley make it at cornerback. At safety, Landon Collins, Curtis Riley, Michael Thomas, and the winner of the Darian Thompson/Andrew Adams competition. That being said, I would not be surprised to see one or two waiver-wire pick-ups in the defensive backfield.

Mar 162018
 
Curtis Riley, Tennessee Titans (October 1, 2017)

Curtis Riley – © USA TODAY Sports

[contentblock id=1 img=html.png]

NEW YORK GIANTS SIGN CORNERBACK CURTIS RILEY…
The New York Giants have officially signed unrestricted free agent cornerback Curtis Riley (Tennessee Titans). The 25-year old, 6’0”, 190-pound Riley was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Titans after the 2015 NFL Draft. Riley spent his rookie season on Injured Reserve with an ankle injury. He played in four games in 2016 and seven games in 2017 with no starts. Last season, he accrued 12 tackles, two pass defenses, and one interception. Riley has some experience at safety.

NATE SOLDER MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL…
The transcript of Friday’s media conference call with New York Giants left tackle Nate Solder is available in The Corner Forum section of the website.

KAREEM MARTIN MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL…
The transcript of Friday’s media conference call with New York Giants linebacker/defensive end Kareem Martin is available in The Corner Forum section of the website.