Giants Hold Light Practices Before Bye Week, Cut Sam Beal

 Posted by
Nov 092021
 
Devontae Booker, New York Giants (November 7, 2021)

Devontae Booker – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS HOLD LIGHT PRACTICES BEFORE BYE WEEK…
The New York Giants held a light practice on Tuesday at Quest Diagnostics Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The team will hold another light practice on Wednesday before breaking until next week. The Giants have a bye this weekend.

The Giants split their roster into two groups on Tuesday. Veterans and player with a lot of snaps on the season went with the strength and conditioning staff. The remaining players went with the coaches for on-field drills.

“Bye week-wise, we got the guys in today, reviewed the game tape, talked through a few self-scout things,” said Head Coach Joe Judge before practice. “We’re going to get the guys on the field today. We’re going to split the team based a little bit on where some of the guys’ bodies are at, so we’re going to have the majority of the older guys who played a lot of volume in last week’s game, they’re going to work a lot with the trainers, the strength staff after our walk-through today. We’ll keep a lot of the younger guys out for some developmental work and we’ll do something very similar tomorrow, as well. So, we’ll be on the field a little bit over an hour today total with different plans and then we’ll regroup on the backend for some meetings, continue some self-scout and build in some things going into future opponents.”

RB Devontae Booker (hip), RB Gary Brightwell (COVID-19), WR Sterling Shepard (quad), and TE Kaden Smith (knee) did not practice. Smith did not suffer a concussion as feared in Sunday’s game; he has officially passed the concussion protocol.

RB Saquon Barkley (ankle) and LT Andrew Thomas (foot/ankle) both did very light work with trainers.

GIANTS CUT SAM BEAL…
The Giants have waived CB Sam Beal. The Giants selected Beal in the 3rd round of the Supplemental Draft in July 2018. He missed all of his rookie season when he was placed on Injured Reserve in July 2018 with a shoulder injury that required surgery. The Giants placed Beal on Injured Reserve again in September 2019 with hamstring and groin injuries, but added him to the 53-man roster in early November. He played in six games with three starts that season. Beal opted out of the 2020 NFL season due to the COVID-19 issue. He played in three games this year, but only played a couple of defensive snaps. Overall, Beal only played in nine games as a Giant.

The team also terminated the Practice Squad contract of RB Dexter Williams, who was signed by the team last week.

HEAD COACH JOE JUDGE…
The transcript of Joe Judge’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:

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

Saquon Barkley and Sterling Shepard Out, Dante Pettis Placed on IR

 Posted by
Nov 052021
 
Sterling Shepard, New York Giants (October 24, 2021)

Sterling Shepard – © USA TODAY Sports

NOVEMBER 5, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The New York Giants practiced on Friday at Quest Diagnostics Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

RB Saquon Barkley and S Xavier McKinney have been activated from the Reserve/COVID-19 List as it was deemed that both had falsely tested positive for COVID earlier in the week. Thirteen other members of the franchise also falsely tested positive (12 unidentified and OG/OC Matt Skura) and were previously cleared. Only Running Back Coach Burton Burns is currently being treated as COVID positive. Burns will miss Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

RB Gary Brightwell remains on the Reserve/COVID-19 List, but he may also be cleared as early as Saturday.

Not practicing were RB Saquon Barkley (ankle), RB Gary Brightwell (COVID protocol), WR Sterling Shepard (quad), WR Dante Pettis (shoulder/placed on Injured Reserve), LB Lorenzo Carter (ankle), and S Nate Ebner (ankle).

Barkley, Shepard, Pettis, Carter, and Ebner have officially been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Brightwell is “questionable” for the game.

Regarding Barkley, Head Coach Joe Judge said before practice, “He’s been out of the building the last couple of days (due to the false COVID test). We haven’t had the chance to see where he’s progressed to and where he’s at physically, so they’re going to take a look at him and move him around and then we’ll see if he can progress and practice with us.”

Limited in practice were WR Kenny Golladay (knee), WR Kadarius Toney (thumb), WR John Ross (quad), and TE Kaden Smith (knee).

Golladay and Ross are “questionable” for the game while Toney and Smith are expected to play.

TE Kyle Rudolph (personal day on Thursday), OG/OC Matt Skura (cleared COVID protocol) and S Xavier McKinney (cleared COVID protocol) fully practiced. All three will play on Sunday.

ROSTER MOVES, INCLUDING DANTE PETTIS TO IR…
In addition to activating RB Saquon Barkley and S Xavier McKinney from the Reserve/COVID-19 List, the Giants placed wide receiver Dante Pettis on Injured Reserve with a shoulder injury that he suffered during Monday’s game.

The Giants also re-signed RB Dexter Williams to the Practice Squad and terminated the Practice Squad contract of TE Jake Hausmann. The 5’11, 212-pound Williams was originally drafted in the 6th-round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. In two seasons with the Packers, Williams played in seven regular-season games with no starts. He has seven career rushing attempts for 19 yards. The Packers waived him in late August. The Giants then signed him to their Practice Squad in early September but terminated his contract three weeks later.

HEAD COACH JOE JUDGE…
The transcript of Joe Judge’s press conference on Friday 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:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
There is no media availability to the Giants on Saturday. The team hosts the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

Wednesday Giants Injury Report; Team Roster Moves

 Posted by
Sep 222021
 
Billy Price and Ben Bredeson, New York Giants (September 16, 2021)

Billy Price and Ben Bredeson – © USA TODAY Sports

SEPTEMBER 22, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The New York Giants practiced on Wednesday at Quest Diagnostics Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

“The main focus on Monday was really on the New York Giants, touching base with things we did earlier in the season, some schemes going forward, some personnel looks,” said Head Coach Joe Judge before practice. “Today will be a padded day for us getting after it, some up-tempo, really get working together as a team.”

NT Austin Johnson (illness), LB Cam Brown (hamstring), and S Nate Ebner (quad) did not practice on Wednesday.

RB Saquon Barkley (knee), WR Kenny Golladay (hip), TE Evan Engram (calf), TE Kaden Smith (knee), and S Logan Ryan (hamstring) were limited in practice.

GIANTS ROSTER MOVES…
As expected, the New York Giants have placed offensive lineman Nick Gates (broken left leg) on Injured Reserve. Gates will miss the rest of the 2021 NFL season.

The team has also signed center Jonotthan Harrison, offensive tackle Foster Sarell, and safety Steven Parker to the Practice Squad.

The Giants signed Harrison to a reserve/future contract in January 2021, but cut him in late August. The 30-year old, 6’4”, 300-pound Harrison was originally signed by the Indianapolis Colts as undrafted rookie free agent after the 2014 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Colts (2014-2016), New York Jets (2017-2019), and Buffalo Bills (2020). Harrison has played in 84 regular-season games with 42 starts.

The 23-year old, 6’6”, 322-pound Sarell was originally signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2021 NFL Draft. The Ravens waived him in late August. He spent a few days on the Ravens’ Practice Squad in September.

The 26-year old, 6’1”, 210-pound Parker was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Los Angeles Rams after the 2018 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Rams (2018-2019), Miami Dolphins (2019-2020), Minnesota Vikings (2020), and Dallas Cowboys (2020). Parker has played in 22 regular-season games.

To make room for these players, the Giants terminated the Practice Squad contracts of running back Dexter Williams and tight end Ryan Izzo. The Las Vegas Raiders signed offensive tackle Jackson Barton off of the Giants’ Practice Squad.

HEAD COACH JOE JUDGE…
The transcript of Joe Judge’s press conference on Wednesday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available at Giants.com.

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice again on Thursday afternoon (12:30-2:30PM). The coordinators, position coaches, and select players will also address the media. Former QB Eli Manning will also address the media regarding his pending entry into the team’s “Ring of Honor.”

New York Giants Make Eight More Roster Moves

 Posted by
Sep 032021
 
Dexter Williams, Green Bay Packers (August 8, 2021)

Dexter Williams – © USA TODAY Sports

The New York Giants have re-signed quarterback Brian Lewerke, wide receiver Dante Pettis and linebacker Trent Harris to the Practice Squad. All three players were with the Giants in training camp this summer. The team also signed running back Dexter Williams to the Practice Squad.

The Giants signed Brian Lewerke in August 2021. The 6’3”, 216-pound Lewerke was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the New England Patriots after the 2020 NFL Draft. The Patriots waived him before the 2020 season started in early September.

The Giants claimed Dante Pettis off of waivers from the San Francisco 49ers in early November 2020. He played in the final two games of the season for the Giants, catching four passes for 76 yards and one touchdown. The 6’1”, 195-pound Pettis was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the 49ers. He has played in 30 regular-season games, with 12 starts. Pettis has experience returning kickoffs and punts.

The 6’2”, 255-pound Harris was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the New England Patriots after the 2018 NFL Draft. He spent his rookie season on the Practice Squad of the Patriots. The Miami Dolphins claimed Harris off of waivers in September 2019. He played in 11 games with three starts with the Dolphins, accruing 20 tackles and 1.5 sacks. The Dolphins cut him in early September 2020. The Giants signed Harris to the Practice Squad and then the 53-man roster in October 2020; he was re-signed to the Practice Squad in December after playing in four games with two starts (6 percent of all defensive snaps). He finished they year with five tackles and 0.5 sacks.

The 24-year old, 5’11, 212-pound Williams was originally drafted in the 6th-round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. In two seasons with the Packers, Williams played in seven regular-season games with no starts. He has seven career rushing attempts for 19 yards.

In corresponding moves, the Giants terminated the Practice Squad contracts of tight end Nakia Griffin-Stewart, guard Jake Burton, and center Brett Heggie.

The 6’5”, 260-pound Griffin-Stewart was originally signed as rookie free agent by the Minnesota Vikings after the 2020 NFL Draft. He also spent time on the Practice Squad of the Green Bay Packers that year before being signed to the Practice Squad of the Giants in November 2020. The Giants cut him in December 2020 but re-signed him in January 2021.

The Giants signed Burton and Heggie as an undrafted rookie free agents after the 2021 NFL Draft.

Lastly, the Giants waived wide receiver Alex Bachman from Injured Reserve with an injury settlement.

The Giants placed Bachman on Injured Reserve in late August 2021 with an unknown injury. The 6’0”, 190-pound Bachman was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Los Angeles Rams after the 2019 NFL Draft. The Rams cut him before the season started and the Giants signed him to their Practice Squad in November 2019. Bachman also spent two stints on the team’s Practice Squad in 2020.