Aug 292023
 
Wan'Dale Robinson, New York Giants (November 20, 2022)

Wan’Dale Robinson – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS MAKE 30 MORE ROSTER MOVES…
As with all other NFL teams, the New York Giants reduced their roster to 53 players on Tuesday. The Giants announced the following 30 roster moves on Monday and Tuesday:

Acquired by Trade:

  • DE/OLB Boogie Basham (from Buffalo Bills in exchange for swap of late-round 2025 draft picks)

Activated from the Active/Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List:

  • WR Wan’Dale Robinson (coming off of ACL tear)

Placed on Reserve/PUP List from Active/PUP List:

  • CB Aaron Robinson (coming off of ACL tear) (now out for at least four games)

Waived:

  • QB Tommy DeVito
  • RB Jashaun Corbin
  • WR Kalil Pimpleton
  • TE Ryan Jones
  • OL Tyre Phillips
  • DL Ryder Anderson
  • DL Kobe Smith
  • OLB Tomon Fox
  • OLB Habakkuk Baldonado
  • ILB Darrian Beavers
  • ILB Ray Wilborn
  • ILB Dyontae Johnson
  • CB Gemon Green
  • S Alex Cook
  • LS Cameron Lyons

Contract Terminated (Vested Veteran):

  • WR Cole Beasley
  • WR Jamison Crowder
  • WR David Sills
  • OL Sean Harlow
  • OLB Oshane Ximines
  • CB Amani Oruwariye

Waived/Injured:

  • OL Jack Anderson (calf)
  • OL Wyatt Davis (ankle)
  • CB Zyon Gilbert (hamstring)

Placed on Reserve/Non-Football Injury (NFI) List:

  • TE Tommy Sweeney (unknown)

Placed on Season-Ending Injured Reserve:

  • TE Chris Myarick (broken hand)

Contract Terminated from Injured Reserve (Injury Settlement):

  • DL Vernon Butler (unknown)

The 25-year old, 6’3”, 274-pound Basham was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Bills. He has played in 23 regular-season games with no starts, accruing 37 tackles, 4.5 sacks, one interception, and one fumble recovery. Basham is a powerful hybrid 3-4/4-3 end who has inside-outside versatility. He plays the run well and flashes on the pass rush.

“A young player that has good size,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll of Basham. “He’ll be in the outside linebacker room, and we’ll get him here and start working with him and put him in our system. Our system is a little bit different than Buffalo’s system so we’ll get him out here in the field and (Outside Linebackers Coach) Drew (Wilkins) will start working with him and try to get him up to speed.”

INJURY REPORT…
CB Aaron Robinson (ACL) was placed on the Reserve/Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List from the Active/PUP List. He cannot be activated off of the Reserve/PUP for the first four games of the regular season. TE Tommy Sweeney (unknown) was placed on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury (NFI) List.

RB Gary Brightwell (knee), TE Lawrence Cager (ankle), LB Cam Brown (unknown), CB Cor’Dale Flott (hamstring), S/CB Nick McCloud (groin), S Bobby McCain (concussion), and S Gervarrius Owens (hamstring) did not practice.

DARNAY HOLMES ACCEPTS PAY CUT…
Media sources are reporting that cornerback Darnay Holmes has accepted a pay cut. Holmes was scheduled to earn $2,743,000 in salary in the final year of his contract in 2023.

TEAM CAPTAINS ANNOUNCED…
The following 10 players were voted team captains by the players on the roster:

  • QB Daniel Jones
  • RB Saquon Barkley
  • TE Darren Waller
  • LT Andrew Thomas
  • DL Dexter Lawrence
  • DL Leonard Williams
  • OLB Bobby Okereke
  • CB Adoree’ Jackson
  • S Xavier McKinney
  • PK Graham Gano

HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The transcript of Brian Daboll’s press conference on Tuesday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available on YouTube.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice on Wednesday afternoon (2:30-4:30PM). Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will also address the media.

Jun 232023
 
Isaiah Hodgins, New York Giants (January 15, 2023)

Isaiah Hodgins – © USA TODAY Sports

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: Wide Receivers

2022 YEAR IN REVIEW: Plans quickly went awry at this position in 2022. On paper, $72 million Kenny Golladay, 2021 1st-round draft pick Kadarius Toney, the talented but oft-injured Sterling Shepard, and 2022 2nd-round pick Wan’Dale Robinson were to form the core of group that was supposed to provide a nice combination of size, speed, quickness, experience, and play-making ability. By year’s end, none were contributors. Golladay, perhaps the biggest bust in NFL free agent history, ended up with just six receptions on the season. Toney had two catches before being traded to the Chiefs. Shepard tore his ACL in Week 3 and Robinson tore his ACL in November.

Who picked up the slack? Unbelievably, Marcus Johnson started seven games, but only had nine receptions. David Sills started five games and had just 11 receptions. Richie James, who had been signed mostly for his return skills, led the group with 57 catches. Darius Slayton, who barely made the team as the 7th receiver and wasn’t even active early in the season, started a team-high 11 games at the position, and finished with 46 catches. As a group, Golladay (1), Toney, Shepard (1), Robinson (1), Johnson, Sills, James (4), and Slayton (2) had just nine touchdown catches. It was ugly and you’d be hard-pressed to find a worse group in the League.

The Giants did have some good fortune when they claimed little-known wideout Isaiah Hodgins off of waivers from the Buffalo Bills in early November. Due to the dearth of talent at the position and his experience with Brian Daboll, Hodgins quickly saw the field, playing in eight regular-season games with five starts. He finished with 33 catches for 351 yards and four touchdowns (team high tied with Richie James). In the playoff game against the Vikings, Hodgins caught eight more passes for 105 yards and a touchdown.

Collin Johnson, who was making some noise early, tore his Achilles’ tendon in training camp. Kalil Pimpleton, Makai Polk, and Jaydon Mickens were on the Practice Squad.

ADDITIONS/SUBTRACTIONS: The Giants finally had the cap room in March to cut Kenny Golladay after two seasons of his disastrous 4-year contract. The Giants appear to have made no effort to re-sign their leading receiver, Richie James, and he departed in free agency for the Chiefs. Marcus Johnson remains an unsigned free agent whose NFL career is likely over.

The Giants re-signed Isaiah Hodgins, Darius Slayton, Sterling Shepard, David Sills, Kalil Pimpleton, Makai Polk, and Jaydon Mickens with Slayton receiving the biggest investment at two years and $12 million.

The new additions have been significant. Parris Campbell, Jamison Crowder, and Jeff Smith were signed in free agency. The Giants traded up in the 3rd round to draft Jalin Hyatt. Bryce Ford-Wheaton was signed as a rookie free agent after the draft.

TRAINING CAMP STORY LINES:  The pundits, media, and some of the fans have focused on the apparent absence of a “true number one” wideout. Based on early indications, the number one target in this offense is actually going to be tight end/wide receiver hybrid Darren Waller with the true wide receivers being more complementary targets. The good news is that the Giants now appear to have a plethora of NFL-caliber options. There are no Toney’s refusing to practice. Or $72 million players who can’t get open, but you can’t cut. Marcus Johnson and David Sills won’t be starting. While there may be no Pro Bowlers, there could be eight guys on the team who are legitimate NFL players. The concern? What is the upside of all of these eight players? Will any of them present problems for opposing defenses? That remains to be determined.

The story lines are almost as numerous as the players vying for playing time. Who receives the most snaps? With Waller and Daniel Bellinger at tight end, how often will the Giants use 3- and 4-wide receiver sets? Can seriously injured players such as Wan’Dale Robinson, Sterling Shepard, and Collin Johnson regain earlier form? Will Robinson and Shepard start and/or finish training camp on the PUP? Can Parris Campbell stay healthy and re-capture his collegiate form as a true difference maker? Was Isaiah Hodgins productivity a mirage or did the Bills make a huge mistake? Does Jamison Crowder have anything left in the tank as receiver and returner? Can Jalin Hyatt get off press coverage and how rapidly can he be brought up to speed? How many make the 53-man roster?

ON THE BUBBLE: Last season, the Giants started the year with seven wide receivers on the 53-man roster. They will likely carry six or seven this year. The true locks are probably Wan’Dale Robinson (2nd round draft pick) and Jalin Hyatt (3rd round draft pick), with the caveat that Robinson may start and finish camp on the PUP. Early indications are that Parris Campbell will be a significant contributor and he’s very close to being a lock. One would think Isaiah Hodgins is a lock unless last year was truly a mirage. The Giants did re-sign Darius Slayton to a 2-year, $12 million deal so he should be more favored to make it as well. That’s five, leaving Sterling Shepard, Collin Johnson, and Jamison Crowder vying for one or two spots.

Though long shots, I would not completely discount Jeff Smith, Makai Polk, and Bryce Ford-Wheaton.

FROM TEAM COACHES/PLAYERS: Offensive Coordinator Mike Kafka on Jalin Hyatt: “Jalin is doing a nice job. He’s right on schedule. He’s working. He’s growing. That’s one thing you’ve seen from him from the first day in rookie camp, to the next day, then you’re working through this Phase III part of it, is his growth and his familiarity and comfortability with the offense.”

Wide Receivers Coach Mike Groh on Jalin Hyatt: “I think if we had major concerns (with the route tree) maybe he wouldn’t be here. Very pleased with what he has shown us on the field so far… We have a lot of confidence in the player that he can be. ”

Wide Receivers Coach Mike Groh on Parris Campbell: “I think he has done a great job of coming in and learning our system, being able to assimilate very quickly and build a relationship with Daniel (Jones) out there on the field, build that kind of rapport that is very important between quarterbacks and receivers.” (Note: Groh coached Campbell for two years with the Indianapolis Colts).

Parris Campbell on the wide receivers: “This is definitely probably the fastest total complete group that I’ve played with in my career. I mean, we’ve got speed all across the board. It’s speed that can do a lot of different things. It’s not just guys running in a straight line fast, it’s ball in the hands fast. In their routes fast. We complement each other. I’m excited for what’s to come.”

Sterling Shepard on the wide receivers: “It’s probably the (largest) receiver group I’ve been a part of since I’ve been here… We wanted to bring in competition… We’re definitely going to see what we have because we have a lot of guys that can play some good ball. I love the fact that we added more play-makers. It’s not just on one person to make all the plays. We’ve got a lot of guys that can do it.”

Sterling Shepard on his rehab status: “I’m right on schedule where I wanted to be, a little bit ahead… My goal is to be ready for the season.”

PREDICTIONS/CLOSING THOUGHTS: Nothing is set stone and everything seems in flux at the position. That has led to speculation that the 2023 New York Giants will use a committee approach at wide receiver with new starters and/or adjusted playing time on a week-by-week basis. That’s certainly possible. The coaching staff has proven to be flexible and able to adjust on the fly. Players returning from injury or getting injured can certainly change the situation as well. However, cream tends to rise to the top and there are opportunities for players to lock down starting jobs.

I am going to take John Schmeelk’s lead and break down the position into the following three baskets:

  • Receivers with size: Isaiah Hodgins, Collin Johnson, David Sills, Makai Polk, Bryce Ford-Wheaton
  • Outside receivers with speed: Darius Slayton, Jalin Hyatt, Jeff Smith
  • Slot receivers: Parris Campbell, Wan’Dale Robinson, Sterling Shepard, Jamison Crowder, Kalil Pimpleton, Jaydon Mickens

Looking at these baskets, I would think ideally the Giants want two players from each group. That is, two receivers with size, two with outside speed, two who can play the slot. One of these six needs to have return skills on special teams. However, right now, the Giants seem to have more quality at the slot position. You could make the case for Campbell, Robinson, Shepard, and Crowder all making the team, though that seems difficult on paper.

Complicating matters a bit are questions about the ability of Campbell and Shepard to play outside, and Hyatt’s heavy usage as a slot receiver in college without facing press coverage. Really complicating matters are injury rehab questions with Wan’Dale Robinson and Sterling Shepard.

Shepard tore his ACL in September and seems closer to returning. He was running routes at or near full speed in mini-camp. While he might start training camp on the PUP, it does not look like he will be on it very long if he does. The status of Robinson is more vague. He tore his ACL in November. There was one unconfirmed report that he should be ready by training camp, but no updates during the OTAs and mini-camp. That said, Giants.com‘s Lance Meadow recently predicted him making the 53-man roster recently. Does he know something or is he just spit-balling?

Let’s look at the early signs. The starters in spring were Hodgins and Slayton outside with Campbell in the slot. Campbell seemed to be the headliner from the reports, being used in a variety of ways including out of the backfield similar to how the coaches intended to use Kadarius Toney and Wan’Dale Robinson last year. Campbell also has a lot of experience on jet sweeps/end arounds with the Buckeyes and Colts. He’s got a running backs mentality blended with legit 4.3 speed. The question with him is staying healthy.

The presence of Saquon Barkley, Darren Waller, and Parris Campbell is going to place a ton of pressure on opposing defenses in the short-to-intermediate zones, with all three also being able to easily sneak down the field for the big play. Each can also do damage after the catch. Campbell could be poised for a very big year. This offensive scheme is ideal for his skillset, being used on bubble screens, jet sweeps, getting the ball to him on quick passes over the middle in full stride, etc. What will be fascinating to watch is when Wan’Dale Robinson is fully healthy. How will the coaching staff employ him with Campbell? Probably similar to the plans they had in place with Kadarius Toney and Robinson that we never saw. (Remember the “why do the Giants have both Toney and Robinson?” debates).

The wild cards in all of this are numerous:

  • The glaring missing component is the consistent outside deep threat. With all of the underneath threats, can Darius Slayton re-capture his eight touchdown rookie season? He doesn’t have to catch 6-8 passes a game, but the team needs him to stretch the defense and not disappear for long stretches. He proved he could be that deep threat in 2019, but has been far too inconsistent since then. Which version do we get?
  • If Slayton can’t do it, can Jalin Hyatt? He has great speed and great hands. But he has to prove he can get off press coverage. And it usually takes rookie wide receivers some time to learn pro-level concepts. If Hyatt can develop quickly, this offense could be a nightmare to defend. When Hyatt is on the field, the defense has to respect his deep speed, opening things up underneath for Waller, Barkley, Campbell, Bellinger, and company.
  • What is the true upside of Isaiah Hodgins? Is he as good as he looked late in the 2022 season, meaning that the Bills made a huge mistake in cutting him? If he can develop into a reliable, consistent security blanket for Daniel Jones, that would be a huge asset. Keep in mind, he scored five touchdowns in nine games for the Giants.
  • Collin Johnson was making noise in training camp last year before he got hurt. He’s also saw a lot of action this spring in non-contact drills. He is not a speedster, but he is intriguing because of his 6’6”, 220-pound frame. Preseason flash-in-the-pan or a legitimate roster contender?
  • Sterling Shepard is the kind of guy you love to root for. However, he simply has not been able to stay healthy. Shepard has missed significant time in five of his seven NFL seasons and has played in just 10 games the past two years. Every preseason we hope for breakout season and every year he gets hurt. But can you completely count him out? I wouldn’t.
  • Jamison Crowder. Full disclosure, I live in the DC area so I saw a lot of Crowder when he played in Washington. He’s always impressed me. Quarterback issues with the Jets and a broken ankle with the Bills in 2022 limited his productivity, but we’re talking about a 30-year old with 4,667 yards and 28 touchdowns. It shows you how much the talent level has improved at the position that he’s on the fringe on this roster. He also has experience as a returner. Crowder and Shepard may be vying against each other for the final roster spot and the return ability helps his cause.

If I had to go out on a limb, I say by the end of the year, Hodgins, Campbell, and Hyatt are the core group with Robinson being the jack-of-all trades/gadget player. Not impressed? Just keep in mind the presence of Waller and Bellinger at tight end.

FINAL DEPTH CHART: Isaiah Hodgins, Parris Campbell, Jalin Hyatt, Darius Slayton, Collin Johnson, and Jamison Crowder.

Wan’Dale Robinson to start the year on the PUP for four weeks.

The toughest call is on Shepard, an extremely popular player. The issues here are three-fold: (1) injury-proneness, (2) lack of special teams value, and (3) how much playing time would he receive? He would have to push Hodgins outside or Campbell inside for playing time. It is possible the team keeps seven wideouts again, however.

Look for 3-4 wide receivers to be on the Practice Squad again. I would think Jeff Smith and Bryce Ford-Wheaton are two obvious choices.

Jan 262023
 
Brian Daboll, New York Giants (October 10, 2022)

Brian Daboll – © USA TODAY Sports

BRIAN DABOLL HONORED…
New York Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll has been named the “2022 NFL Coach of the Year” by the Pro Football Writers Association of America (PFWA). In his first season as the team’s head coach, Daboll led the Giants to a surprising 9-7-1 regular-season record and a playoff victory over the Minnesota Vikings.

Daboll is the fifth coach in New York Giants’ history to lead the team to the playoffs in his debut season, joining Allie Sherman (1961), Dan Reeves (1993), Jim Fassel (1997), and Ben McAdoo (2016). Rookie coach Earl Potteiger led the Giants to the 1927 NFL Championship in the era before playoffs.

Daboll also became the first Giants’ coach to win his playoff debut since Reeves in 1993. Others to do so included Jim Lee Howell (1956), Ray Perkins (1981), and Bill Parcells (1984).

Daboll is the fourth Giants’ coach to be honored as the PFWA “Coach of the Year,” joining Parcells (1986), Reeves (1993), and Fassel (1997).

On Wednesday, Daboll was announced as one of the finalists for the Associated Press “NFL Coach of the Year” award.

GIANTS RE-SIGN TWO MORE TO RESERVE/FUTURE CONTRACTS…
In addition to the 12 players the Giants have already signed to reserve/future contracts, the Giants announced they have also re-signed WR David Sills and S Terrell Burgess to reserve/future contracts. Both players ended the season on the team’s Practice Squad.

Sills was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Buffalo Bills after the 2019 NFL Draft. The Giants signed him to the Practice Squad in September 2019 after he was cut by the Bills. He did not play in a game for the Giants that year. He also missed all of 2020 with broken right foot. In 2021, Sills played in four games with one start, finishing with just two catches for 17 yards. In 2022, Sills was pressed into extended playing time due to issues at the position. He played in nine games with five starts, mostly before the bye week, and finished the year with just 11 catches for 106 yards.

The Giants signed Burgess to the Practice Squad in November 2022. He played in one game in Week 12, exclusively on special teams. Burgess was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams. He missed most of his rookie season with a broken ankle. Burgess has played in 31 regular-season games with three starts, accruing 29 tackles and one pass defense. He played in five games with the Rams in 2022 before they waived him in November.

Jan 012023
 
Daniel Jones, New York Giants (January 1, 2023)

Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS 38 – INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 10…
The New York Giants easily defeated the Indianapolis Colts 38-10 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday afternoon. With the victory, the Giants not only improved their overall record to 9-6-1, but they clinched an NFC Wild Card playoff spot. This is the first time since 2016 that the Giants have had a winning record as well as making the playoffs. Regardless of the outcome of next weekend’s regular-season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Giants will be the 6th seed in the first round of playoffs.

Given the score, as one would expect, the Giants also dominated overall team statistics. The Giants out-gained the Colts in first downs (26 to 14), total net yards (394 to 252), net yards rushing (217 to 128), net yards passing (177 to 124), and time of possession (31:36 to 28:24). The turnover battle was even with one apiece. New York was 4-of-7 (57 percent) on third down, while Indianapolis was 3-of-12 (25 percent). However, the Colts did convert twice on 4th down.

The first quarter was largely taken up by two drives by the Colts and one by the Giants that only resulted in three points for Indianapolis. After both teams exchanged punts, the Colts went 75 yards in nine plays to set up a 23-yard field goal and an early 3-0 lead. The big play was a contested, 49-yard bomb from quarterback Nick Foles to wide receiver Parris Campbell.

The Giants’ second possession of the game started with 2:21 left in the first quarter. On an 11-play drive that included eight runs and three passes, New York drove 71 yards. On 3rd-and-goal, quarterback Daniel Jones threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Richie James. Giants 7 – Colts 3.

After a quick three-and-out by the Colts, the Giants added to their advantage with a 9-play, 64-yard drive that ended with another 6-yard touchdown pass by Jones. This time his target was wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins, who caught his fourth touchdown in five weeks. A key play on this possession was a 10-yard pass to tight end Daniel Bellinger on 3rd-and-6. Giants 14 – Colts 3.

The Colts’ fourth possession of the first half started with 4:17 left on the clock. After picking up two first downs, Indianapolis faced a 3rd-and-11 from their own 46-yard line. Foles threw a pass towards the right sideline that was picked off by linebacker/safety Landon Collins, who returned the ball 52 yards four a defensive touchdown. The Giants were now up 21-3.

On the Colts’ fifth and final possession of the half, they picked up another first down. But on 3rd-and-4 from their own 48-yard line, Foles was crushed by outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux. Foles left the game with a rib injury and did not return. The Colts punted.

With just 46 seconds left on the clock and starting from their own 39-yard line, the Giants were able to drive to the Indianapolis 18-yard line. Place kicker Graham Gano kicked a 36-yard field goal as time expired.

At the half, the Giants were up 24-3.

The Giants received the football to start the third quarter, but immediately turned the ball over when wide receiver Darius Slayton fumbled the ball away at the 30-yard line after a 5-yard reception. The defense only gave up one yard, however, and Indianapolis missed the 48-yard field goal. The Giants then responded with a quick, 6-play, 62-yard drive that ended with an 18-yard touchdown run by Jones. Jones also completed a 28-yard pass to James on this drive. Giants 31 – Colts 3.

With Sam Ehlinger now playing quarterback, the Colts did cut the score to 31-10 with a 16-play, 68-yard possession that last over eight and a half minutes. Indianapolis converted on both 4th-and-1 and 4th-and-6 on this drive. Giants 31 – Colts 10.

With two minutes left in the third quarter, the Giants began their final scoring drive of the game. The possession started off with a 12-yard run by running back Saquon Barkley and a 25-yard run by Jones. A 44-yard successful field goal by Gano was nullified when the Giants accepted a defensive offsides penalty, giving New York a first down. Three plays later, Jones scored his second rushing touchdown of the game, this one from 10 yards out. The Giants were up 38-10 with 12 minutes to go in the contest.

The Colts gained a couple of first downs on the ensuing possession but punted on 4th-and-11 from their own 41-yard line. On the Giants’ final drive of the game, they picked up 57 yards and three first downs with mostly back-ups in the game, including Tyrod Taylor at quarterback. Most importantly, the team took 6:40 off of the clock before the Giants turned the ball over on downs on 4th-and-2. Indianapolis got the ball back with just 1:56 left on the clock.  Three plays later the game was over.

Jones finished the game 19-of-24 for 177 yards, two passing touchdowns, and no interceptions. He also was the team’s leading rusher with 11 carries for 91 yards (8.3 yards per carry) and two rushing touchdowns. He scored four touchdowns in all. Running backs Matt Breida and Saquon Barkley chipped in with 59 and 58 yards, respectively. The leading receiver was James, who caught seven passes for 76 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, the Giants were credited with two sacks, one by Thibodeaux (who also had two tackles for losses and a pass defense) and the other by defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence (who also had three hits on the quarterback). The big play of course was the defensive score by Collins.

GAME VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS are available on YouTube.

ROSTER MOVES, PRACTICE SQUAD ACTIVATIONS, INACTIVES, AND INJURY REPORT…
On Saturday, the Giants activated S Xavier McKinney from the Reserve/Non-Football Injury List, which he had been on since November 7th after breaking his hand during the bye week. To make room for McKinney, the Giants waived WR David Sills from the 53-man roster.

The team also activated (standard elevation) FB/TE Chris Myarick and CB Zyon Gilbert from the Practice Squad to the 53-man roster. Myarick was re-signed to the Practice Squad on Friday after he had been waived from the 53-man roster on Wednesday.

Inactive for the game were CB Adoree’ Jackson (knee), TE Lawrence Cager, OG Jack Anderson, OG Wyatt Davis, LB Jarrad Davis, CB Rodarius Williams, and S Dane Belton.

DL Leonard Williams (burner) came out of the game in the second half and did not return.

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

POST-GAME NOTES…
The Giants finished 5-3-1 in MetLife Stadium, their best home record and first winning mark since they were 7-1 in 2016.

The Giants ended their NFL-long streak of 43 games without scoring at least 30 points.

The 28-point margin of victory is the Giants’ largest since December 7, 2014, when they defeated the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, 36-7.

The Giants did not allow a first-half offensive touchdown for the sixth time this season.

Brian Daboll is the fifth coach in Giants history to lead the team to the playoffs in his debut season, joining Allie Sherman (1961), Dan Reeves (1993), Jim Fassel (1997), and Ben McAdoo (2016). Rookie coach Earl Potteiger led the Giants to the 1927 NFL championship in the era before playoffs.

QB Daniel Jones has not thrown in interception in 12 of 16 games this season.

The Giants ended a four-game losing streak to Indianapolis and defeated the Colts for the first time since December 22, 2002, and the first time at home since December 12, 1993.

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will address the media by conference call on Monday.

Aug 252022
 
David Sills, New York Giants (August 21, 2022)

David Sills – © USA TODAY Sports

AUGUST 25, 2022 NEW YORK GIANTS PRACTICE REPORT… (by Sy’56)
The air was thick today and felt a little extra humid at the practice facility. We’ve had hotter days than this, but not many. After seeing NYG practice vs NYG for weeks, I will say the vibe when walking into the facility was incredible. Different uniforms, twice the number of players, coaches, personnel, support staffs…the energy was different. Easy to see why coaches like to do this toward the end of preseason. The change in atmosphere is stimulating for someone standing on the side with a notepad and I must think the intensity within the players reached another level.

One catch here before I move forward; NYG is strict with where they let us stand. I understand why and respect it fully. However, I essentially had to choose to watch NYG offense or NYG defense. There was not an option to walk back and forth, as they were on opposite fields. Split second decision, I went with the NYG offense vs the NYJ defense.

-Start off with the most important component. Daniel Jones was near-perfect when it comes to completing passes. Very few traveled more than 10 yards down the field (maybe 3?) and none went deep. All but 2 of his 15-16 passes were completed. Like I have seen in recent exposures to him, he got it out fast and accurate. Were there a couple that would have been sacks? Probably, yes. But when it comes to the evaluation of him maneuvering through pocket with quality ball protection, keeping eyes downfield, and hitting his spots with both his footwork and ball placement, he was great. My macro-level take away here is that he looks much more confident than he did just a couple weeks ago.

-The NYJ defensive front is LOADED. They have a star in Quinnen Williams, a pressure-machine in Carl Lawson (coming off Achilles’ injury), and a 1st rounder in Jermaine Johnson as the main pass rushers. But beyond that is what impresses me. Their 2nd and 3rd stringers are big, physical, and quick. They just rotate these guys in and out to stay fresh.

-I bring that up because I thought the NYG offensive line held their own. I got close to 1-on-1s before team drills, and I also kept an eye on the offensive line during the live 11-on-11. Andrew Thomas was dominant. His twitch and adjustment speed are a level faster than what we have seen on tape so far. Is it a healthier foot/ankle? More confidence in his craft? Whatever it is, he looks like grizzly bear protecting its cubs. He beat Lawson 2x in one-on-ones and buried Bradlee Anae into the ground on another rep. Again, in pass protection 1-on-1’s. You don’t see that often.

-Evan Neal stonewalled John Franklin-Myers twice. The starting NYJ defensive end was not happy about it and tried to start with Neal. The rookie did not react and just motioned the veteran DE to keep running his mouth. Neal was beat twice in 11-on-11s, one ended up with QB Jones on the ground. Everyone took an extra second or two to breathe there. His ugly reps are consistent with what I have discussed several times. His feet stop moving, he gets off balanced, and does not have the recovery speed. I will say that the defenders who tried to bull rush him quickly found out he won’t be beat like that. His movement off the ball as a gap run blocker is a weapon.

-The middle of the line was inconsistent. Jones had a lot of trash at his feet against the NYJ 4-man rushes. Jon Feliciano and Devery Hamilton had a couple bad beats at the hands of Quinnen Williams and Solomon Thomas, both former top-5 overall picks. Mark Glowinski had a bad beat in 1-on-1s and allowed a pressure in team drills, but he is a faster-than-you-think run blocker who converts speed to power. He was the one guy I saw get into a scuffle with the Jets after an undersized linebacker took a cheap shot at RB Antonio Williams.

-Interesting day for the receivers. Sterling Shepard worked in individual drills and 7-on-7. He did not participate in 11-on-11, I believe. He certainly looked full speed and full effort. It is amazing how easy it is to see the difference between him and the other receivers I have seen live on this team when it comes to burst, suddenness, and snap in both route running and ball skills.

-Kenny Golladay is picking up some steam. He made a high-level catch near the sideline in 7-on-7s where he had to use every inch of his height and reach. He also out-muscled NYJ first rounder Sauce Gardner for a ball underneath.

-David Sills V remains hot. He must have caught half of Jones’ completions. All were underneath or intermediate, but not all were easy. He adjusted to the ball high and low very well. This kid has some size to him too, don’t forget that. He and Jones are always near each other other discussing plays when they’re on the sideline.

-I am still struggling to see where Wan’Dale Robinson is fitting into the offense right now. It is possible they aren’t showing much at this point and saving it for the season.

-Darius Slayton is either really good or really bad. Today, it was the former. He made an excellent catch where he had to out-leap a NYJ corner and twist back away from his momentum before just barely getting his feet down in bounds.

-Alex Bachman caught a touchdown from Tyrod Taylor (Taylor’s second on the day). He shows a great feel for finding vacant windows when against zone coverage.

-Running back Matt Breida was back in action. Different level of speed and straight-line burst than all of the other backs. He just makes his mind up and goes for it every time. He will create his fair share of big plays. He also had a top-shelf block on blitz pick-up.

-I did not see much from the tight ends today. Seeing Jeremy Ruckert in green, however, was tough. I think NYG missed out big time there last April. The new signing, Tanner Hudson, caught a long touchdown via busted coverage by the backup NYJ secondary (from Tyrod Taylor). His twitch and overall speed is at a higher level than what NYG has at TE.

-The one backup who I had multiple positives from was Eric Smith. He competed well in the 1-on-1s, beating Solomon Thomas and Tanzel Smart. I am working on a projected 53-man roster right now and there is a situation I see Smith making it and being active on gameday. His versatility will help him. Jamil Douglas was solid as well, he stood out.

-The overall feel of the backup offensive line was positive. Against guys who will be on teams in a few weeks, NYG won the battle up front.

-The last observation is from the punters. I watched NYJ punter Braden Mann and was impressed with the hang time. Jamie Gillan was next and it was a night-and-day different how low his ball was and how quickly the NYJ returner had the ball in his hands. Something worth watching as NYG special teams unit has struggled in the first two preseason games.

SUMMARY

While I wish I could have seen some of the NYG defense, it was good to see the offense click quite a bit. Once again, they were on time, taking what the defense gave, and avoiding negative plays. Offensive talk can be made complex, but it really is a simple goal. Move the ball forward, don’t turn it over, avoid negative plays. They did exactly that against a team that can coach and play defense at a high level.

The Jets lost two players to injury today from what I was able to see. Initially they both looked serious, but afterward I saw both jogging. DE Jermaine Johnson with an ankle and CB D.J. Reed with a knee. Overall, the team looked a little sloppy and tired once they got into it deeper. I think these guys are ready for real football just as much as the fans are. Playing this game below 100% but above 50% is not easy and it does not feel real.

Looking forward to the game on Sunday.

AZEEZ OJULARI HURT…
LB Azeez Ojulari (leg/ankle/foot) injured himself running sprints at the end of practice. He could not walk off the field under his own power. The New York Post is reporting that the injury is not believed to be serious.

ROSTER MOVES…
The Giants officially confirmed that they have signed tight end Tanner Hudson, who was cut by the San Francisco 49ers on Tuesday. To make room for him on the roster, the Giants waived center Chris Owens, who the Giants signed last Friday after he was waived by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The transcript of Brian Daboll’s press conference on Thursday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available on YouTube.

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice on Friday from 11:45AM to 1:15PM. Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will also address the media.

Aug 222022
 
Davis Webb, New York Giants (August 21, 2022)

Davis Webb – © USA TODAY Sports

KAYVON THIBODEAUX TO MISS 3-4 WEEKS WITH MCL SPRAIN…
The news could have been far worse. According to various media sources, linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux suffered a sprained MCL in his right knee during Sunday’s preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals. There is reportedly no damage to the ACL and meniscus. Thibodeaux is expected to miss 3-4 weeks, meaning he could miss the regular-season opener against the Tennessee Titans.

“I’d say it’s day-to-day really,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll on Monday. “I’m not forecasting when a player can come back or not come back. I know he’ll come in and get treatment. We’ll take it day-by-day, and when he’s ready to go out there, that’s when we’ll put him out there.”

DARRIAN BEAVERS DONE FOR THE SEASON WITH TORN ACL…
The news was not good for linebacker Darrian Beavers, who suffered a torn ACL in his left knee. He is done for the season.

AUGUST 22, 2022 BRIAN DABOLL PRESS CONFERENCE…
New York Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll addressed the media on Monday to discuss his team’s 25-22 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals (the video of the press conference is also available on YouTube):

Q: (Outside Linebacker Kayvon) Thibodeaux. There’s a report out there. I know we just got a text on it, but it’s a sprained MCL?

A: Yeah. MCL. Yep

Q: And a quick follow up. When you look at that play with (Outside Linebackers Coach) Drew Wilkins last night, is there something technique-wise that Thibodeaux could do different to maybe avoid a situation like what happened last night?

A: Yeah, those are tough blocks – the blocks that are coming from across the line of scrimmage within the tackle box. You got to see it, and then you’ve got to do a great job of trying to play with your hands. So, it’s unfortunate that KT went down. But that’s part of the game.

Q: That last play – the way you guys defended that – who came up with that, and how much have you actually practiced that?

A: We try to practice as many different situations. We practice a lot of them offensively, what we would do in that situation. Defensively, there’s different ways to defend it. I think that (Defensive Coordinator Wink Martindale) Wink has done a really good of implementing his stuff, along with the assistant coaches that we have. And (Outside Linebacker Tomon) Fox sitting there on the sideline and defending the sideline when they have no timeouts, that was a good play. It was a good hit. We want to make sure it’s clean. He led with the shoulder. But it was good situational football, a good call by Wink and well executed by the players.

Q: And one other just game question if I could, why’d you go for two there? You said there was some confusion there.

A: There wasn’t, I wanted to go for two relative to the kicking situation. You know, (Kicker) Graham (Gano) was out, and I just thought it was a good time to work some two-point stuff, and it was a good time to kick (Punter) Jamie (Gillian) even though he hasn’t really been kicking very much. And (Safety) Julian (Love) holding and doing all those things, you never know what could happen. I mean last year we were involved in a game where an opponent’s kicker got hurt pregame, and basically, they had to go for it every snap. So just kind of trying to work some different situation with the players relative to what we were dealt with with Graham going down there.

Q: There was a timeline reported on Kayvon three to four weeks and that you were hopeful for Week 1. Is that accurate? Are you feeling that optimistic that he could play in the opener, or is there a chance that he does not?

A: I’d say it’s day-to-day really. I’m not forecasting when a player can come back or not come back. I know he’ll come in and get treatment. We’ll take it day-by-day, and when he’s ready to go out there, that’s when we’ll put him out there.

Q: Did he go into the city this morning for an MRI? Like what was kind of the timeline for events there?

A: We took care of that stuff yesterday, this morning and had our medical meeting here this morning with the doctor and (General Manager) Joe (Schoen), kind of normal what we do after every game. So, fingers crossed. Hopefully his rehab goes well, and he can get out there as soon as he can.

Q: With Kayvon, what kind of training camp, now that it’s over, what kind of training camp did he have? And how important is this missed time? Do you feel like he got all the work he needed whenever he does come out? Like how valuable is this missed two weeks to him?

A: I think every time you miss a practice, it’s great value to be out at practice. You try to simulate it as best you can to gain live reps, but as many repetitions as any of our guys can get – whether it’s a rookie or a veteran – I think that helps them. It helps each unit, so again, KT’s been doing everything we’ve asked him to do since he’s been here. He’s been a good teammate. He’s worked extremely hard. So, certainly time missed, you never want to miss time. He has the right attitude. The right approach. He’ll rehab as hard as he can rehab and be ready to go when he’s ready to go.

Q: So, who do you look to to fill those spots? What have you seen from some of the next guys in order? Whether it’s – I know we know (Outside Linebacker Azeez) Ojulari will be on one side. But filling Kayvon’s shoes, whether it’s (Outside Linebacker Jihad) Ward or (Outside Linebacker Oshane) Ximines. Who do you look to there, and what have you seen behind Kayvon?

A: Yeah, I think Drew’s done a good job with all those guys –those edge guys. From top to bottom. I mean Fox had a really good night last night, too, setting the edge, playing physical. (Outside Linebacker Quincy Roche) Q and (Oshane Ximines) Big X, Jihad – Haddy – and all those guys have really done a good job of understanding our system and making the most of their opportunities when they get in there. It was good to have Azeez back, too. He had 10 reps, caused two holding penalties, looked good out there for the first time.

Q: I want to ask you about Graham’s situation. Do you need to bring in a kicker maybe for the preseason game against the Jets or can you kind of get by with maybe Jamie doing it if (Graham) he’s not ready to go Sunday?

A: Joe and I are going to talk about that. We’ve had preliminary discussions on it. We’re possibly going to bring in a kicker; you don’t want to wear Jamie out – the different angles he has to kick from. So, we’re in the process of talking about that, and we definitely could bring one in.

Q: And I wanted to ask you a quick question about the offense last night. (Quarterback) Daniel (Jones) seemed very effective. He was on the field for, I think, 20, 21 snaps with (Wide Receiver) Kenny (Golladay). It didn’t seem like they even looked at each other. Was that a level of concern? Was that by design? What was going on there?

A: Look, unless you’re calling a screen pass or a jet sweep, you really don’t have – you can put guys in spots and think the ball might go there as a first read. I think Daniel did a very good job of throwing the ball where he needed to throw it, making good decisions, playing on time, playing under control. That’s the unique thing about a receiver or a skilled player – you’re not guaranteed to get all these looks. It’s predicated, at least how we do it, it’s predicated on how the defense plays and our read progression. I thought Daniel did a really good job with that.

Q: With Kayvon’s knee, I know doctors can do the original test on the knee in terms of seeing if it’s stable or not to give the early insight into if it’s a potential torn ACL or anything like that. As a coach, when you get that initial report, do you allow yourself to feel any sense of optimism, or do you kind of push all that to the side and wait for a full confirmation with an MRI?

A: I kind of wait until – I think you can start thinking about a bunch of different things. The trainers come over and just tell you they’re out, and you know they have to go through their, whether it’s X-rays or MRIs or whatever other tests that the players need to go through. You go to bed. You get up. You have your meetings. You get the information you need to get. And whatever it is, I think you just deal with it. You have a plan on what you have to do to help the player get ready to go. In this case, he’s going to be ready to go whenever that is. On the other hand, if they’re out, you got a lot of empathy for those guys that do get injured that are out for a significant amount of time.

Q: It seems to me when watching your offensive linemen – pretty much whoever is in there – that they seem to be doing a good job of communicating and passing off guys with all kinds of tricks and things up front that there’s not a lot of confusion up there. In the past, that’s been a problem. You haven’t been here in the past, obviously. But do you see the same thing in, whether they physically win the play or not, they’re at least in the right place in understanding what each other is supposed to be doing?

A: Yeah, I think we’ve made progress with that since we’ve been here. We certainly have a ways to go of that. But I do think our centers do a good job of communicating. You know (Offensive Lineman) Max (Garcia) did a good job for not being in there (at center) a whole bunch of communicating. And (Tackle Will) Holden, who really hasn’t, well now he’s played all five spots. He was able to do a good job of communicating with the players around him and getting everybody on the page for the most part. That’s the challenge of offensive line play is trying to get five guys to act as one because if one part of it breaks down, it makes all five of them usually look bad. And that’s where, offensively, that’s where we want to start, and the same defensively, is up front. Our defensive line and our offensive line have to set the tempo for our team, and that’s what we work towards every day.

Q: One other thing, you always mention smart, tough, dependable. Smart is always first, I’m sure that’s for a reason. Is that especially important with this offensive line because you can get guys who aren’t high pedigree guys but if they’re smart, is that really crucial to what has to happen up there?

A: Yeah, for us, absolutely. Not just the offensive line but since you’re asking, yeah, it is. Smart, being able to communicate well, again having toughness and being dependable, that’s important really for every position but, in particular, the offensive line and you adding on top of that the communication factor that I talked about, all five of those guys trying to act as one. That’s important because it’s a very tough position to play. It’s physically tough, and I’d say it’s mentally challenging too with the variety of looks that you get down in from a defense.

Q: We got the official word about (Inside Linebacker Darrian) Beavers obviously with the torn ACL, a low for him, what was that like when you were trying to meet with him and talk to him about what the next step is going to be?

A: I’d just say for these guys, and I’ve said this before, you just have a tremendous amount of respect for the players because you see them on away games, or you see them early in the morning on their off days on how much they take care of their body. Obviously, it’s their tool, and whenever something like that happens, there’s a wide range of emotions for every player and I’d say each player is different. You try to be there and be supportive and do the best job that you can in that regard. What’s next, and having your mind on what’s next and helping the players in any way that you can, so it’s tough. (Offensive Lineman Marcus) McKethan had one, and then now Beavers has one. For young players, that’s tough, particularly for guys that were developing and doing a good job in camp with a bright future.

Q: Just one quick thing off of that, he’d been getting a lot of time with (Inside Linebacker) Blake (Martinez) being worked back in, Blake getting his action last night. Do you feel like Blake is in a position to kind of accelerate towards the opener, or are you still in that status quo for him?

A: Yeah, we’ve been working him back in, he had 10 reps, maybe a little bit less than that, but was active, was where he was supposed to be, read the offense well. I has a lot of confidence in Blake.

Q: I want to look forward for a second here. This week you’ve got a joint practice with the (New York) Jets. I want to know what went into that for you, how much were you aware of it being sort of a big deal? I know it was a long time ago at this point, but the last time that these teams did have a joint practice.

A: I’ve heard some stories about that, about the last one. It was a while back, right? I have a tremendous amount of respect for (Jets Head Coach Robert Saleh) Coach Saleh. I really got to meet him at the owner’s meetings back in March or April whenever it was, and then when we talked about potentially practicing against one another we kind of went around and around, I think they have a game tonight if I’m not mistaken against Atlanta (Falcons), so we ended up doing just one instead of two just based on their schedule and our schedule. Anytime you practice against a team, you want to get good work in. Practice the right way, it’s almost like you’re practicing against your team. I’d say it’s pretty competitive but you still want to take care of one another knowing that you only have so many guys, you want to try to keep people up, stay away from the Quarterback, and having the conversations I’ve had with Coach Saleh up until this point, they’ve been good. We’ll revisit it after his game tonight, make sure that we’re in line of what we want to do relative to the schedule and the injuries that each team has, and make sure we’re doing what’s best for our players and get something productive out of it.

Q: And what kind of stories did you hear about that last practice?

A: There were some brawls here I heard.

Q: The coaches were yelling at each other, so I was curious if you were aware of that.

A: No, I didn’t hear that one. I just heard it was a couple of brawls in there. We’ll to try to stay from that.

Q: In less than three weeks, you’re going to be playing your first regular season game. You’ve been going at this for eight months now, do you have any idea where you are with respect to being ready for that first game?

A: Yeah, I think what you try to do is focus on each day and improve each day and improve from game to game. It’ll get on you quick, but you have to take care of what’s in front of you today and improve those things and keep building on it, and that’s the way we approach it. We don’t look too far ahead, don’t look too far behind, learn certainly from our mistakes and try to build to be better each day.

Q: Is there any area that concerns you other than injuries?

A: Yeah, look you’re always trying to get better. You’re never where you need to be, particularly early in the season, you’re still trying to find out. Even in the first couple of years, some of those championship teams that I was fortunate to be a part of, the first couple of games, you’re still trying to figure out exactly what you are. Keep improving. It may not be exactly where you want to be early in the season. You’d like to get off to a fast start, but there are some games in September that are really important to get off to a fast start, but I think your fundamentals, your techniques, the big things that you need to do in every football game, but particularly early in the year, the blocking, the catching, the getting open, and being on the same page, those are critical because you really don’t know. You can watch a team in the off-season and study them, but each team evolves every year. They might have been one thing one year and you think you’re going to get it the first couple of games and they’re turning into something else, using players a different way. So, it really comes down to being good technicians, good at fundamentals, doing the big things right, ball security, and those types of things.

Q: What do you attribute to the amount of injuries you guys have had so far and is it becoming overwhelming to deal with so many, including some key guys?

A: I think injuries are a part of the game. You never want guys to get hurt but that is the nature of playing a contact, physical sport at the highest level. Certain things happen and some of them are out of your control. I’ve been a part of this league for a long time and coached guys that have been injured. Again, you’re empathetic towards those guys, but you try to build a deeper roster as you can so that the next guy’s up. With that being said, you never want guys on your team to be hurt or on the other team for that matter. It’s their livelihood and you have empathy towards that, and you try to do your best to eliminate as many injuries as you can, but it’s a physical, physical sport with a lot of contact and people moving at high speeds, and unfortunately you’re going to have some of those.

Q: I just have one for you here Dabs. As you put together your wide receiver depth chart beyond (Wide Receiver Kenny) Golladay and (Wide Receiver Kadarius) Toney, you’ve had big performances from (Wide Receiver) Collin Johnson, (Wide Receiver Alex) Bachman, (Wide Receiver David) Sills (V), are you just looking for the next three of four best guys or do you want a variety? Like do you want a fast guy, you want a tall guy, do you want a diversity of skill sets across the room or do you just want the next five best players regardless of if there’s repetitiveness?

A: Yeah, I wouldn’t say the next, I would just say the five best or six best player or seven best, however many we’re going to keep. The guys that have been out there and producing, Collin Johnson, David Sills, they’ve stepped their game up. And they’re right in the mix, not just to make a team but to play. So again, like I said, everybody’s got to earn their job, earn their role, do a good job of the things they need to do, and make the most of their opportunities when they get them.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The players are off on Tuesday and there is no media availability to the team. The Giants return to practice Wednesday afternoon (12:45-2:45PM). Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will also address the media.

Mar 112022
 
Kaden Smith, New York Giants (August 29, 2021)

Kaden Smith – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS CUT KADEN SMITH…
The New York Giants have waived tight end Kaden Smith with a failed physical designation. Smith had one year left on his current contract and was set to count $2.54 million against the cap. The Giants saved that same amount, minus any injury protections, by waiving him.

Smith was placed on Injured Reserve in early December 2021 with a knee injury that bothered him most of the season. Smith only ended up playing in nine games with four starts, and finished the season with just 3 catches for 33 yards. The Athletic is reporting that Smith’s knee injury is potential career-threatening.

Smith was originally drafted in the 6th round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. The Giants claimed Smith off of waivers from the San Francisco 49ers in September 2019. In 2019 and 2020, Smith served as the team’s top reserve tight end, catching 49 passes for 380 yards and three touchdowns in those two seasons.

GIANTS RE-SIGN DAVID SILLS…
The Giants have re-signed wide receiver David Sills, who was set to become an exclusive rights free agent next week.

Sills was signed to the Practice Squad in early September 2021. He was also added to the 53-man roster for one game in October and one game in January as well as being elevated to two other games as a COVID replacement. In all, Sills played in four games with one start, finishing with two catches for 17 yards.

The 6’3”, 211-pound Sills was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Buffalo Bills after the 2019 NFL Draft. The Giants signed Sills to the Practice Squad in September 2019 after he was cut by the Bills. The Giants then signed him to the 53-man roster in mid-December 2019. He did not play in a game however. Sills was placed on season-ending Injured Reserve in early September 2020 with a broken right foot.

Jan 092022
 
New York Giants Fan (January 9, 2022)

© USA TODAY Sports

WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM 22 – NEW YORK GIANTS 7…
The New York Giants ended yet another dismal season on yet another dismal note. In a dreary, mostly empty MetLife Stadium, the Giants were once again pummeled by their opponent, this time the Washington Football Team, losing 22-7. The Giants lost their final six games of the season and finished with a 4-13 record, dead last in the NFC East. The Giants were 1-5 in the division, being swept by both Washington and the Dallas Cowboys.

The game was an unwatchable mess in the first half, with both teams struggling. Washington was less incompetent, beginning and ending the first half with field-goal drives that resulted in a 6-0 halftime advantage. In between those two possessions, Washington punted four times.

New York was worse. The Giants’ first possession gained 45 yards on 10 plays, but ended with a turnover on downs on a wide receiver end-around on 4th-and-1 that lost three yards. The Giants did not gain another first down for the rest of the half, punting four times.

The comical low point came late in the 2nd quarter. Facing a 2nd-and-10 at their own 3-yard line after a terrible pass from quarterback Jake Fromm, the Giants were first forced to call a timeout because they didn’t have enough men on the field. Then came a false start. Unbelievably, on 2nd-and-11 and 3rd-and-9, the Giants ran quarterback sneaks just to set up a punt and prevent disaster.

At the break, New York had only accrued 48 yards of offense (38 rushing, 10 passing) with just two first downs.

The teams exchanged punts to start the 3rd quarter. Then Washington went up 12-0 when cornerback Bobby McCain intercepted Fromm and returned the pick 30 yards for a touchdown (the 2-point conversion attempt failed).

The Giants did manage to stay in the game a little longer by finally putting together a scoring drive, moving the ball 69 yards in 14 plays, including converting on two 4th-down plays. Fromm finished the possession with a 22-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Darius Slayton, who was left uncovered on the play. Washington 12 – New York 7.

But in typical Giants’ fashion, it was now the turn of the defense to disappoint as Washington responded with an easy 8-play, 72-yard drive that extended the lead to 19-7 with just under six and a half minutes to play. Washington immediately got the ball back when an untouched Fromm fumbled the ball away out of his throwing motion. The “Football Team” recovered at the New York 12-yard line. Four plays later, Washington kicked a 23-yard field goal to make it a 22-7 game.

Both teams punted once more. The game ended on a Fromm interception at the Washington goal line.

Offensively, the Giants only gained 10 first downs and 177 total net yards (94 rushing, 83 passing). Fromm finished 15-of-31 for 103 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions, and one lost fumble. His “leading” receiver was tight end Kyle Rudolph who caught four passes for 17 yards. Fromm was the leading rusher, carrying the ball five times for 53 yards. Running back Saquon Barkley was held to just 30 yards on 11 carries; running back Devontae Booker only had 14 yards on eight carries.

Defensively, the Giants only allowed 16 first downs. But Washington did gain 325 total net yards with 226 of those coming on the ground. The defense did not force a turnover.

Video lowlights are available at Giants.com.

ROSTER MOVES, PRACTICE SQUAD ACTIVATIONS, INACTIVES, AND INJURY REPORT…
On Saturday, the Giants signed WR David Sills from the Practice Squad to the 53-man roster. In addition, QB Brian Lewerke and WR Alex Bachman were activated from the Practice Squad to the 53-man roster for this game. The team also re-signed QB Clayton Thorson to the Practice Squad.

Inactive for the game were QB Mike Glennon (wrist), WR Kadarius Toney (shoulder), and WR John Ross (knee).

RG Will Hernandez left the game in the first half with an ankle injury and did not return.

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

POST-GAME NOTES…
In their final four games, the Giants scored just two touchdowns on 46 offensive possessions.

The Giants passed for less than 200 net yards in each of their last nine games, their longest streak since going 12 games in a row spanning the 2004-2005 seasons.

The Giants lost their sixth consecutive game, their longest season-ending losing streak since they lost their final eight games in 2003.

2022 NEW YORK GIANTS OPPONENTS SET…
The New York Giants will face the following teams in the 2022 regular-season:

Home:

  • Dallas Cowboys
  • Philadelphia Eagles
  • Washington Football Team
  • Chicago Bears
  • Detroit Lions
  • Carolina Panthers
  • Houston Texans
  • Indianapolis Colts
  • Baltimore Ravens

Away:

  • Dallas Cowboys
  • Philadelphia Eagles
  • Washington Football Team
  • Green Bay Packers
  • Minnesota Vikings
  • Seattle Seahawks
  • Jacksonville Jaguars
  • Tennessee Titans
Oct 282021
 
Saquon Barkley, New York Giants (October 3, 2021)

Saquon Barkley – © USA TODAY Sports

OCTOBER 28, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The New York Giants practiced on Thursday at Quest Diagnostics Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Not practicing were RB Saquon Barkley (ankle), WR Kenny Golladay (knee), WR Kadarius Toney (ankle), LB Lorenzo Carter (ankle), and S Nate Ebner (ankle).

Limited in practice were WR Sterling Shepard (hamstring), TE Evan Engram (calf), TE Kaden Smith (knee), and NT Danny Shelton (pectoral).

GIANTS RE-SIGN DAVID SILLS TO PRACTICE SQUAD…
The New York Giants have re-signed wide receiver David Sills to the team’s Practice Squad. Sills was added to the 53-man roster from the Practice Squad last week. The team waived him from the 53-man roster on Tuesday.

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:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice again on Friday. Head Coach Joe Judge and select players will also address the media.

Oct 262021
 
Jabrill Peppers, New York Giants (October 24, 2021)

Jabrill Peppers – © USA TODAY Sports

The New York Giants announced on Tuesday that safety Jabrill Peppers has been placed on Injured Reserve with two significant right-leg injuries, including a ruptured ACL and a high ankle sprain. His season is over. Peppers suffered the injuries in the 3rd quarter of Sunday’s 25-3 win over the Carolina Panthers. This season, Peppers played in six games, with five starts, and 58 percent of all defensive snaps. He finished with 30 tackles, one sack, and one pass defense.

To fill that roster vacancy, the team signed safety J.R. Reed off of the Practice Squad of the Los Angeles Rams. The 25-year old, 6’1”, 194-pound Reed was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Jacksonville Jaguars after the 2020 NFL Draft. The Jaguars waived him in September 2020. Reed was then signed by the Rams, where he spent time on both their Practice Squad and 53-man roster. Reed has played in eight regular-season games, including one this year.

In other moves, the Giants have waived wide receiver David Sills and cornerback Josh Jackson from the 53-man roster, and terminated the Practice Squad contract of defensive lineman Woodrow Hamilton.

Sills was signed to the Practice Squad in early September 2021 and then the 53-man roster in October. The 6’3”, 211-pound Sills was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Buffalo Bills after the 2019 NFL Draft. The Giants signed Sills to the Practice Squad in September 2019 after he was cut by the Bills. The Giants then signed him to the 53-man roster in mid-December 2019. He did not play in a game however. Sills was placed on season-ending Injured Reserve in early September 2020 with a broken right foot.

The Giants acquired Jackson by trade from the Green Bay Packers in exchange for cornerback Isaac Yiadom. The 6’0”, 196-pound Jackson was drafted in the 2nd-round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Packers. In three seasons with the Packers, Jackson played in 42 regular-season games with 15 starts, including five in 2020.

Hamilton was signed to the Practice Squad in October 2021. The 6’3”, 315-pound Hamilton was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the New England Patriots after the 2016 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Patriots (2016), New Orleans Saints (2017-2018), Giants (2018), Carolina Panthers (2019-2020), and Tennessee Titans (2021). The Titans waived him in October 2021. Hamilton has played in nine regular-season games with one start.