May 032019
 
Daniel Jones, New York Giants (May 3, 2019)

Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

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MAY 3, 2019 NEW YORK GIANTS ROOKIE MINI-CAMP REPORT…
The first day of the New York Giants rookie mini-camp was held on Friday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Seventy-five (75) players – draft picks, signed rookie free agents, first-year players who have not completed a season of credited service, and street and rookie free agent tryout players – were in attendance.

“Alright, first day of the mini-camp, it was actually really good,” said Head Coach Pat Shurmur after practice. “We have 23 of our guys that we either drafted or brought in as free agents. The rest of those guys are tryout guys. It was a pretty competitive day. We saw a lot of good things from a lot of the guys that we drafted. They competed well. This is the first day for some of them of hopefully a long career. There were certainly mistakes, but you clean those up as you go. It is fun to be back out on the field, I think I can speak for all the coaches, it is good to get the young players going. As you know, we will work them through this weekend, they will go away and come back and join the team (on May 13). I think the advantage of them doing it this weekend is that they’ll have another week to learn the stuff before they get back here with the vets.”

PARTICIPANTS…

2019 NFL Draft Picks (9):

  • QB Daniel Jones, Duke
  • NT Dexter Lawrence, Clemson
  • CB Deandre Baker, Georgia
  • LB Oshane Ximines, Old Dominion
  • CB Julian Love, Notre Dame
  • LB Ryan Connelly, Wisconsin
  • WR Darius Slayton, Auburn
  • OT George Asafo-Adjei, Kentucky
  • DL Chris Slayton, Syracuse

Cornerback Corey Ballentine, the team’s 6th-round draft pick, has an excused absence as he is physically and emotionally recovering from an April 28th shooting incident where he was wounded in the butt and a former teammate and friend was killed.

When asked if Ballentine is expected to fully recover, Shurmur responded, “Yes, that is what they are saying, but it might take a little bit of time… We are hopeful (that he will be here on May 13 with the rest of the rookies). Again, this is a unique situation. We want him to get full closure on his end. We are sensitive to that. This is a real life situation. We want to make sure he gets full closure. It is May. We play in September. We want to make sure he gets done on that end what he needs to and gets the help that he needs.”

2019 Signed Rookie Free Agents (13):

  • QB/TE Eric Dungey, Syracuse
  • RB Jonathan Hilliman, Rutgers
  • WR Reggie White, Jr., Monmouth
  • WR Alex Wesley, Northern Colorado
  • TE C.J. Conrad, Kentucky
  • OC James O’Hagan, Buffalo
  • OT Paul Adams, Missouri
  • LB Nate Harvey, East Carolina
  • LB Jeremiah Harris, Eastern Michigan
  • LB Josiah Tauaefa, Texas-San Antonio
  • S Jake Carlock, Long Island-Post
  • S Jacob Thieneman, Purdue
  • S Mark McLaurin, Mississippi State

Contrary to earlier media reports, the Giants did not sign DE/LB Breckyn Hager, but he is in camp as a tryout player. In addition, the team has officially signed two other free agents not previously reported: QB/TE Eric Dungey and LB Nate Harvey. Scouting reports on the 13 undrafted rookie free agents are available in our 2019 NFL Draft review.

    New York Giants First-Year Players (4):

    • WR Alonzo Russell
    • OL Victor Salako
    • DE Jake Ceresna
    • CB Henre’ Tolliver

    There were also 49 rookie and veteran tryout players in attendance.

    PRACTICE NOTES…
    Some snippets from various media sources:

    • Jake Carlock, who played both defensive back and linebacker in college, participated in some individual drills with the linebackers.
    • In 1-on-1 drills, CB Deandre Baker jumped a route and broke up a pass.
    • QB Daniel Jones completed a pass against CB Julian Love. He then threw a perfect deep pass to WR Darius Slayton, who dropped the ball. Jones demonstrated good arm strength throughout practice.
    • In team drills, Dexter Lawrence lined up both at right defensive end and nose tackle. Deandre Baker played left corner and Julian Love played at slot corner. Love also saw time at safety.
    • In 11-on-11 drills, QB Daniel Jones completed his first pass on a quick out to TE C.J. Conrad that picked up good yardage. A deep pass over the middle was then off the mark.
    • WR Darius Slayton dropped at least four passes during practice. But he later redeemed himself with three catches in a row, including a nice reception on an in-cut from QB Daniel Jones.
    • WR Alex Wesley made a nice diving catch along the sideline.
    • Paul Dottino tweeted that QB Daniel Jones was 8-of-14 with three drops in 11-on-11 drills.

    GIANTS SIGN THREE OF THEIR DRAFT PICKS
    The New York Giants have announced they have signed the following three of their 2019 NFL Draft class:

    • CB Julian Love (4th round)
    • OT George Asafo-Adjei (7th round)
    • DL Chris Slayton (7th round)

    NEW YORK GIANTS CUT JAWILL DAVIS AND JYLAN WARE…
    The New York Giants have waived wide receiver Jawill Davis and offensive tackle Jylan Ware.

    The Giants signed Jawill Davis as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2018 NFL Draft. He was signed to the Practice Squad after the final preseason cutdown and then signed to the 53-man roster in September. Davis injured his knee during the last practice of the year and was placed on Injured Reserve before the last game. He played in seven games for the Giants, catching four passes for 40 yards. He also returned 12 punts (7.4 yards per return) and seven kickoffs (24.4 yards per return).

    The Giants signed Ware to the Practice Squad in October 2018. The 6’7”, 317-pound Ware was originally drafted in the 7th round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders waived him before the 2018 regular season started.

    NEW YORK GIANTS SCOUTING CHANGES…
    ESPN is reporting two changes to scouting staff of the New York Giants. Scout Mike Murphy has apparently been let go while scout Steve Devine is retiring.

    HEAD COACH PAT SHURMUR…
    The transcript of Pat Shurmur’s press conference on Friday is available in The Corner Forum.

    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:

    Mar 042019
     
    Aldrick Rosas, New York Giants (December 2, 2018)

    Aldrick Rosas – © USA TODAY Sports

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    For years, the special teams of the New York Giants had been far from special, costing the team a number of games each season, often in painful fashion. New Head Coach Pat Shurmur chose not to bring back long-time special teams coordinator Tom Quinn and hired Thomas McGaughey to be the new coordinator and Anthony Blevins as his assistant. However, since McGaughey was diagnosed with cancer during the offseason, Quinn was retained as “assistant special teams coordinator.” Obviously, this was far from an ideal situation.

    Making matters worse is the Giants were rolling the dice again on talented, but extremely inconsistent place kicker Aldrick Rosas, who only converted on 72 percent of his field goal attempts and 87 percent of his extra point attempts in 2017. The Giants cut Brad Wing in March and traded for another punter, Riley Dixon, in April. And it was anybody’s guess who would be returning kickoffs and punts.

    Ironically, in the end, special teams ended up being the team’s strongest unit in 2018. Overshadowed by Saquon Barkley, Rosas had the best year of any place kicker in team history, only missing one field goal all season. Dixon finished 7th in net punting. The Giants were 7th in the NFL in kickoff returns (24.4 yards per return) and 28th in punt returns (6.2 yards per return). The Giants were also 2nd-best in defending kickoff returns (20.4 yards per return) and 7th-best in defending punt returns (6.6 yards per return). The Giants did not return a punt or kick for a touchdown and they did not allow a punt or kick to be returned against them for a touchdown.

    Two Giants made the Pro Bowl as special teams players, Rosas and first-team alternate Michael Thomas, who led the team with 12 special teams tackles. Other leading tacklers included Kerry Wynn (8), Kenny Ladler (8), Nate Stupar (8), and Russell Shepard (6).

    The Giants special teams held up their end of the bargain in 2018. Rosas also deserves far more attention than he received.

    THE KICKERS

    Perhaps the team’s biggest surprise in 2018 was the performance of place kicker Aldrick Rosas, who missed only one field goal all year and made the Pro Bowl. Rosas made 32-of-33 kicks (a franchise-record 97 percent). He also kicked a team-record 57-yard field goal. Rosas was 31-of-32 on extra point attempts. Fifty-one of his 85 kickoff attempts (60 percent) resulted in touchbacks. Rosas was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Tennessee Titans after the 2016 NFL Draft. He did not make the team. The Giants signed him to a reserve/futures contract in January 2017. He had a poor first season with the Giants, converting on just 72 percent of his field goals and 87 percent of his extra points. He also had four kicks blocked in 2017.

    The Giants traded with the Denver Broncos for Riley Dixon in April 2018, giving the Broncos a conditional 7th-round draft pick. He had a solid inaugural year for the Giants, finishing 7th in net punting in the NFL (41.8 yards per punt). Dixon finished 11th in gross punting with 45.4 yards per punt. However, only 20 of his punts were pinned inside the 20-yard line. The 6’4”, 221-pound Dixon was originally drafted in the 7th round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Broncos. He was named to the All-Rookie team.

    THE RETURNERS

    Eight Giants returned a total of 45 kickoffs in 2018. Twenty-three of those were returned by Corey Coleman, who the Giants signed to the Practice Squad and then the 53-man roster in October. He ended up playing in eight games with one start, finishing with five catches for 71 yards. Coleman’s primary contribution came on special teams as as kickoff returner (averaging 26 yards per return). The 5’11”, 185-pound Coleman was originally drafted in the 1st round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. An explosive athlete but an injury-plagued bust in Cleveland, Coleman has also had brief stints with the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots in 2018. Coleman has played in 27 NFL games with 19 starts, accruing 61 catches for 789 yards and five touchdowns.

    Six Giants returned a total of 37 punts in 2018, with Jawill Davis returning 12 punts and Quadree Henderson returning nine.

    The Giants signed Davis as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2018 NFL Draft. He was signed to the Practice Squad after the final preseason cutdown and then signed to the 53-man roster in September. Davis injured his knee during the last practice of the year and was placed on Injured Reserve before the last game. Davis has average size, but he is a good athlete with excellent speed. He played in seven games for the Giants, catching four passes for 40 yards. He also returned 12 punts (7.4 yards per return) and seven kickoffs (24.4 yards per return).

    The Giants placed Henderson on Injured Reserve in late November 2018 with a fractured shoulder. The 5’8”, 192-pound Henderson was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Pittsburgh Steelers after the 2018 NFL Draft. The Steelers waived him before the season started. The Giants signed Henderson to the Practice Squad and then the 53-man roster in October 2018, and then back to the Practice Squad and the 53-man roster again in November. Henderson played in five games for the Giants and returned five kickoffs (22.4 yards per return average) and nine punts (7.6 yards per return average).

    Feb 152019
     
    Odell Beckham, New York Giants (November 12, 2018)

    Odell Beckham, Jr. – © USA TODAY Sports

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    The 2018 New York Giants were a top heavy team, with some elite talent at a number of positions but with the overall quality of the rest of the roster rapidly falling off. And the wide receiver position was just one example of this issue. Coming out of training camp, the team’s top wideouts were Odell Beckham, Sterling Shepard, Cody Latimer, Kaelin Clay, and Russell Shepard. Injuries hit this position hard, including Beckham (4 games), Latimer (placed on IR and later returning, missing 10 games), and Clay (only playing in two games before being placed on IR and later waived). Thus began a revolving door at the position for much of the season at the 3rd, 4th, and 5th receiver spots. Those who later saw playing time at wide receiver and/or special teams included Bennie Fowler, Corey Coleman, Jawill Davis, Quadree Henderson (also ended up on IR), and Stacy Coley (waived after one game).

    There was no better indicator of the sharp divide between Beckham (77 catches) and Sterling Shepard (66 catches) and the rest of the wide-receiving corps than the reception totals. No other wide receiver on the roster had more than 16 catches. And combined, the other receivers had a total of just 46 receptions. Part of this was a function of Eli Manning having other options, including running back Saquon Barkley (91 catches) and tight ends Evan Engram (45 catches) and Rhett Ellison (25 catches). But it was obvious that opposing defenses did not concern themselves too much with the other wideouts.

    Of course, the primary headliner was Beckham, who was coming off a very serious fractured ankle that required surgery and which caused him to miss 12 games in 2017. While some contend that Beckham did not appear to be quite the same player, statistically-speaking, his numbers were on par with his 2016 season if adjusted for the four games he missed in 2018 due to a somewhat mysterious quad injury. What was missing were the eye-opening, huge, explosive plays. The good news is that despite the media’s goal of turning him into a click-bait lightning rod, Beckham did seem to mature and did not sulk as more team and fan attention shifted to Barkley.

    Sterling Shepard is a very solid, complimentary piece as a slot receiver, but it has become pretty clear that he is not a consistent vertical threat. He has averaged 63 catches, 762 yards, and 4.7 touchdowns per year in his first three NFL seasons.

    Overall, it is fair to say that more was expected from Beckham, Shepard, and Latimer than a total of 154 catches and just 11 touchdown receptions.

    THE HEADLINERS

    Despite missing the last four games of the season with a quad injury, Odell Beckham, Jr. accrued 77 receptions for 1,052 yards (13.7 yards per catch) and six touchdowns. It was Beckham’s fourth 1,000-yard season in his first five years in the NFL (Beckham missed 12 games in 2017 with a fractured ankle that required surgery). Beckham’s accolades already include Pro Football Writers of America “Rookie of the Year” (2014), second-team All-Pro (2015, 2016), and Pro Bowl (2014, 2015, 2016). All of this despite constant double teams by opposing defenses. Beckham was drafted in the 1st round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Giants. While Beckham lacks classic size, his long arms, big hands, and tremendous jumping ability give him a very good catch radius. Beckham is an explosive athlete with excellent speed, quickness, and agility. Beckham runs good routes, is very quick out of his breaks, adjusts exceptionally well to the football, and regularly makes the circus catch. He is very dangerous with the football in his hands after the catch. Competitive, passionate, and hard working.

    In his third season with the Giants, Sterling Shepard started all 16 games, finishing with 66 catches for 872 yards and four touchdowns. Shepard was selected in the 2nd round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Giants. Shepard started all 16 regular-season games as a rookie, but missed five games in 2017 with various ailments. Shepard lacks ideal size and speed, but he is a fluid athlete with good quickness. Shepard runs good routes, is tough going over the middle, and adjusts well to the football. He is guilty of the occasional drop. Shepard is not a consistent deep threat, but more of a move-the-chains underneath target. He needs to make more big plays.

    THE MISFIT TOYS

    The Giants signed Cody Latimer as an unrestricted free agent from the Denver Broncos in March 2018 and placed him on Injured Reserve with a hamstring injury in October 2018. The Giants activated him from IR in December. Latimer ended up playing in six games with two starts, catching just 11 passes for 190 yards and one touchdown. However, he really flashed in the regular-season finale with two spectacular, one-handed catches. The 6’2”, 215-pound Latimer was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Broncos. In four seasons with the Broncos, Latimer played in 45 regular-season games with three starts. He’s a big receiver who will fight for the football. Latimer is a good gunner on special teams and has experience returning kickoffs.

    After signing late with the Giants in October 2018, Bennie 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 Russell Shepard in May 2018 after he was cut by the Carolina Panthers. He ended up playing in 12 games, with no starts, catching 12 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns. The 6’1”, 195-pound Shepard was originally signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as undrafted rookie free agent after the 2013 NFL Draft. Shepard has spent time with the Eagles (2013), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2013-2016), and Panthers (2017). He has 57 career catches for 822 yards and six touchdowns. Shepard is a good gunner on special teams.

    The Giants signed Corey Coleman to the Practice Squad and then the 53-man roster in October 2018. He ended up playing in eight games with one start, finishing with five catches for 71 yards. Coleman’s primary contribution came on special teams as as kickoff returner (averaging 26 yards on 23 returns). The 5’11”, 185-pound Coleman was originally drafted in the 1st round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. An explosive athlete but an injury-plagued bust in Cleveland, Coleman has also had brief stints with the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots in 2018. Coleman has played in 27 NFL games with 19 starts, accruing 61 catches for 789 yards and five touchdowns.

    The Giants signed Jawill Davis as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2018 NFL Draft. He was signed to the Practice Squad after the final preseason cutdown and then signed to the 53-man roster in September. Davis injured his knee during the last practice of the year and was placed on Injured Reserve before the last game. Davis has average size, but he is a good athlete with excellent speed. He played in seven games for the Giants, catching four passes for 40 yards. He also returned 12 punts (7.4 yards per return) and seven kickoffs (24.4 yards per return).

    The Giants placed Quadree Henderson on Injured Reserve in late November 2018 with a fractured shoulder. The 5’8”, 192-pound Henderson was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Pittsburgh Steelers after the 2018 NFL Draft. The Steelers waived him before the season started. The Giants signed Henderson to the Practice Squad and then the 53-man roster in October 2018, and then back to the Practice Squad and the 53-man roster again in November. Henderson played in five games for the Giants and returned five kickoffs (22.4 yards per return average) and nine punts (7.6 yards per return average).

    The Giants signed Alonzo Russell after he impressed as a tryout player during the May 2018 rookie mini-camp and then signed him to the Practice Squad in September. He was added to the 53-man roster before the last game of the season. The 6’3”, 206-pound Russell was originally signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2016 NFL Draft. He spent his rookie season on the Bengals’ Practice Squad. The Bengals waived him in September 2017 and he was signed to the Practice Squad of the Arizona Cardinals in November 2017. Russell has not caught a pass in a regular-season game.

    Dec 302018
     
    Eli Manning and Pat Shurmur, New York Giants (December 30, 2018)

    Giants End Season With Another Loss – © USA TODAY Sports

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    DALLAS COWBOYS 36 – NEW YORK GIANTS 35…
    The New York Giants ended their 2018 season on a losing note, falling to the Dallas Cowboys 36-35 at MetLife Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The Giants were up 35-28 with 2:35 left in the game. But Dallas drove 70 yards in nine plays, scoring on a 32-yard touchdown pass on 4th-and-15 with with just over a minute to play. The successful 2-point conversion gave the Cowboys their game-winning points.

    With the loss, the Giants ended the season with a 5-11 overall record (1-5 in the NFC East). The Giants have five losing seasons in the last six years.

    The game did not start off well for New York. After a 38-yard kickoff return by wide receiver Corey Coleman, the Giants drove deep into Dallas territory, aided by a 24-yard reception by wide receiver Sterling Shepard and a 26-yard run by running back Saquon Barkley. However, quarterback Eli Manning was picked off in the end zone on 3rd-and-4 from the Dallas 6-yard line.

    Dallas gained two first downs on their initial drive and then punted. The Giants picked up three first downs, but on 2-and-10 from the Dallas 43-yard line, Manning was sacked and he fumbled the ball away. The Cowboys drove inside the red zone on the ensuing possession but missed the 34-yard field goal.

    After a three-and-out by the Giants, Dallas drove the ball 65 yards in 13 plays, the possession ending with a 13-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Dak Prescott to tight end Blake Jarwin. After another three-and-out by the Giants, the Cowboys went up 14-0 after a 9-play, 75-yard drive ended with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Prescott to Jarwin.

    With under two minutes to play before halftime, the Giants finally got on the board with a 10-play, 73-yard possession that ended with a spectacular, one-handed, 21-yard touchdown reception by wide receiver Cody Latimer on 3rd-and-10.

    At the half, the Cowboys led 14-7.

    The 3rd quarter began with a three-and-out by the Cowboys. Coleman returned the ensuing punt 19 yards. The Giants’ offense was only able to gain 15 yards, but it was enough to set up a successful 48-yard field goal by place kicker Aldrick Rosas. Cowboys 14 – Giants 10.

    Dallas appeared to take command of the game again on their second possession of the half, driving 76 yards in eight plays, and capping off the drive with a 39-yard touchdown pass from Prescott to Jarwin. The Cowboys now led 21-10.

    The Giants were ignited by a 68-yard run by Barkley on 2nd-and-20. Three plays later, Manning found tight end Evan Engram for a 6-yard touchdown reception and then the 2-point conversion. Cowboys 21 – Giants 18.

    The Cowboys gained one first down and punted the ball away early in the 4th quarter. Aided by a 51-yard reception by Evan Engram, the Giants took their first lead of the game when running back Wayne Gallman scored from two yards out. Giants 25 – Cowboys 21.

    However, a New York defense that has struggled to hold leads all year collapsed in the 4th quarter. On Dallas’ ensuing possession, the Cowboys easily drove 75 yards in five plays to regain the lead 28-25 with just over nine minutes to play. The Giants’ offense impressively responded with a 12-play, 74-yard effort. Latimer came down with a one-handed, 31-yard reception and three plays later Barkley skyed over the Dallas defense from two yards out. Giants 32 – Cowboys 28 with 3:21 left in the game.

    New York appeared to pull off the upset on the very next offensive snap. After a short reception, defensive end Kerry Wynn forced a fumble that was recovered by linebacker B.J. Goodson and advanced to the Dallas 18-yard line. The Giants lost two yards on the subsequent possession but kicked a 38-yard field goal to take a 35-28 lead with 2:35 left in the game.

    Again, the Giants’ defense could not hold. The Cowboys drove 70 yards 83 seconds, unbelievably scoring on a broken play from 32 yards out on 4th-and-15. The subsequent 2-point conversion gave Dallas their game-winning points.

    The Giants did have one final legitimate chance to win the game. Latimer returned the ensuing kickoff 34 yards to the New York 48-yard line. The Giants had the ball near midfield with 65 left in the game and two timeouts. But the contest ended with four straight incompletions by Manning.

    Manning finished the game 24-of-41 for 301 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. His leading receiver was Engram, who caught five passes for 81 yards. Latimer, Shepard, and Barkley each had four receptions. Barkley also gained 109 yards rushing and a touchdown on 17 carries.

    Defensively, the Giants gave up 419 total net yards, including 368 net yards passing. The Giants accrued four sacks (2.5 by linebacker Olivier Vernon) and forced one fumble.

    Video highlights are available at NFL.com.

    INACTIVE LIST AND INJURY REPORT…
    Inactive for the New York Giants were wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. (quad), wide receiver Russell Shepard (ankle), tight end Rhett Ellison (concussion), defensive end Mario Edwards (calf), linebacker Alec Ogletree (concussion), tight end Garrett Dickerson, and safety Kamrin Moore.

    Cornerback Grant Haley (concussion) and wide receiver Corey Coleman (foot) left the game with injuries.

    ROSTER MOVES…
    The New York Giants placed wide receiver Jawill Davis on Injured Reserve on Saturday after he injured his knee dancing in the locker room on Saturday (no joke). To fill his roster spot, the Giants signed wide receiver Alonzo Russell to the 53-man roster from the team’s Practice Squad.

    The Giants signed Russell after he impressed as a tryout player during the May 2018 rookie mini-camp and then signed him to the Practice Squad in September. The 6’3”, 206-pound Russell was originally signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2016 NFL Draft. He spent his rookie season on the Bengals’ Practice Squad. The Bengals waived him in September 2017 and he was signed to the Practice Squad of the Arizona Cardinals in November 2017.

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

    WHAT’S UP NEXT…
    Head Coach Pat Shurmur and select players will address the media on Monday. General Manager Dave Gettleman will address the media on Wednesday.

    Sep 282018
     
    Eli Apple, New York Giants (August 7, 2018)

    Eli Apple – © USA TODAY Sports

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    NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
    Not practicing on Friday due to injury were tight end Evan Engram (knee), wide receiver Cody Latimer (knee), running back Jonathan Stewart (foot), and linebacker Olivier Vernon (high ankle sprain). All four players have officially been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints. (And Stewart was placed on Injured Reserve – see story below).

    Nose tackle Damon Harrison (knee), cornerback Eli Apple (groin), cornerback Antonio Hamilton (groin), and wide receiver Stacy Coley (hamstring) practiced on a limited basis. Apple has been ruled out of Sunday’s game. Hamilton and Coley are “questionable” and Harrison is expected to play.

    Linebacker Connor Barwin (knee) fully practiced and is expected to play on Sunday.

    GIANTS PLACE JONATHAN STEWART ON INJURED RESERVE…
    The New York Giants have placed running back Jonathan Stewart (foot) on Injured Reserve. Stewart, who signed a 2-year, $6.9 million deal with the Giants this offseason, had gained only 17 yards on six rushing attempts through three games.

    To fill Stewart’s roster spot, the Giants promoted wide receiver Jawill Davis to the 53-man roster from the Practice Squad. The Giants signed Davis as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2018 NFL Draft.

    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…
    There is no media availability to the New York Giants on Saturday. The team plays the New Orleans Saints at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.

    Sep 022018
     
    Davis Webb, New York Giants (August 1, 2018)

    Davis Webb – © USA TODAY Sports

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    NEW YORK SIGN CLAIM SIX PLAYERS OFF OF WAIVERS…
    The New York Giants claimed the following six players off of waivers on Sunday:

    • WR Kaelin Clay (Buffalo Bills)
    • OC Spencer Pulley (Los Angeles Chargers)
    • DE Mario Edwards (Oakland Raiders)
    • CB Antonio Hamilton (Oakland Raiders)
    • CB Michael Jordan (Cleveland Browns)
    • CB Kamrin Moore (New Orleans Saints)

    The 26-year old, 5’10”, 195-pound Clay was originally drafted in the 6th round of the 2015 NFL Draft by Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has spent time with the Buccaneers (2015), Detroit Lions (2015), Baltimore Ravens (2015–2016), Carolina Panthers (2017), and Buffalo Bills (2017–2018). Clay has played in 20 regular-season games with two starts, accruing just six catches for 85 yards. He has experience returning both punts and kickoffs.

    The 25-year old, 6’4, 308-pound Pulley was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Los Angeles Chargers after the 2016 NFL Draft. Spencer started all 16 regular-season games for the Chargers in 2017 at center. He also is able to play guard.

    The 24-year old, 6’3”, 280-pound Edwards was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Raiders. He missed most of 2016 with a hip injury. In three years with the Raiders, Edwards has played in 30 regular-season games with 24 starts. He started 14 games in 2017 and finished the year with 27 tackles and 3.5 sacks. Edwards is a very good run defender.

    The 25-year old, 6’0, 190-pound Hamilton was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Oakland Raiders after the 2016 NFL Draft. He has played in 12 regular-season games with no starts.

    The 25-year old, 6’1”, 200-pound Jordan was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Los Angeles Rams after the 2016 NFL Draft. He was claimed off of waivers by the Browns in September 2017. Jordan has played in 20 regular-season games with three starts.

    The 21-year old, 5’11’, 203-pound Moore (Boston College) was drafted in the 6th round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints.

    For an overview of the the current roster, see the Roster and Depth Chart pages of the website.

    NEW YORK SIGN CUT SIX PLAYERS, INCLUDING DAVIS WEBB…
    To make room for the waiver-wire pick-ups, the New York Giants have waived or terminated the contracts of the following players:

    • QB Davis Webb
    • WR Hunter Sharp
    • TE Jerell Adams
    • OG John Jerry (contract terminated)
    • DE Josh Banks
    • CB William Gay (contract terminated)

    The Giants drafted Webb in the 3rd round of the 2017 NFL Draft and Adams in the 6th round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Jerry was with the Giants since 2014, starting 56 regular-season games for the team.

    NEW YORK SIGN EIGHT PLAYERS TO THE PRACTICE SQUAD…
    The New York Giants have officially signed the following eight players to their 10-man Practice Squad:

    • RB Jhurell Pressley
    • WR Alonzo Russell
    • WR Jawill Davis
    • TE Garrett Dickerson
    • OT Victor Salako
    • LB Avery Moss
    • LB Calvin Munson
    • CB Grant Haley

    All eight players were waived by the team on Saturday. The team still has two more open spots on the Practice Squad.

    NEW YORK POST AND DAILY NEWS INTERVIEWS WITH JOHN MARA…

    WHAT’S UP NEXT…
    The players return to practice on Monday.

    Sep 012018
     
    Mark Herzlich, New York Giants (November 27, 2016)

    Mark Herzlich – © USA TODAY Sports

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    NEW YORK GIANTS REDUCE ROSTER TO 53…
    On Saturday, in order to meet the NFL’s 53-man roster limit, the New York Giants made 36 roster moves.

    Placed on the Reserve/Suspended List:

    • DE Josh Mauro (violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drugs policy)

    Placed on the Reserve/Non-Football Illness List:

    • DE R.J. McIntosh (unknown medical issue)

    Placed on Injured Reserve:

    • OT Nick Becton (ankle and wrist)
    • OG Nick Gates (foot)

    Waived or contracts terminated:

    • RB Jalen Simmons
    • RB Jhurell Pressley
    • WR Kalif Raymond
    • WR Alonzo Russell
    • WR Roger Lewis, Jr.
    • WR Travis Rudolph
    • WR Amba Etta-Tawo
    • WR Jawill Davis
    • WR Marquis Bundy
    • TE Garrett Dickerson
    • TE Ryan O’Malley
    • OG Chris Scott (contract terminated)
    • OG Zac Kerin
    • OT Malcom Bunche
    • OT Victor Salako
    • NT Robert Thomas
    • NT Tyrell Chavis
    • NT Izaah Lunsford
    • DE A.J. Francis
    • LB Mark Herzlich (contract terminated)
    • LB Calvin Munson
    • LB Avery Moss
    • LB Jordan Williams (waived/injured – hip and shoulder)
    • LB Warren Long
    • CB Leonard Johnson (contract terminated)
    • CB Chris Lewis-Harris (contract terminated)
    • CB Grant Haley
    • CB Mike Jones
    • S Darian Thompson (waived/injured – hamstring)
    • S Andrew Adams
    • S Orion Stewart
    • PK Marshall Koehn

    “As I’ve said, I feel like we’re on the right track,” said Head Coach Pat Shurmur. “We had a competitive training camp that forced us to make some tough decisions. We will continue to look to improve the roster in any way we can. This day is never easy because you are dealing with people who have made a commitment to your program, and while we all understand the reality of the business we’re in, it doesn’t make it any easier.

    “When we started camp, I told the players that my hope for all of them is that if they don’t make our roster, I want them to make somebody else’s. So that’s my desire for the men we parted ways with today.”

    The Giants can begin signing players to their 10-man practice squad on Sunday.

    For an overview of the existing team, see the Depth Chart section of the website.

    ARTICLES…

    WHAT’S UP NEXT…
    The players are off on Sunday and return to practice on Monday.

    Jun 252018
     
    Cody Latimer, New York Giants (May 21, 2018)

    Cody Latimer – © USA TODAY Sports

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    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

    2017 YEAR IN REVIEW: It was widely expected that the wide receiving position on the New York Giants in 2017 was going to be a team strength. The opposite occurred. By early October, Odell Beckham, Brandon Marshall, and Dwayne Harris had all been placed on Injured Reserve with season-ending injuries. Even replacements such as Darius Powe and Tavarres King ended up on IR. By the end of the year, the likes of Marquis Bundy, Travis Rudolph, and Hunter Sharp were starting. The leading receiver ending up being Sterling Shepard (59 catches for 731 yards and two touchdowns), who also suffered through an injury-plagued 2017 with ankle, migraine, and neck issues that caused him to miss five games. Roger Lewis was next with just 36 catches for 416 yards and two touchdowns. And despite missing almost three months of the season, Beckham was sadly third with 25 catches for 302 yards and three touchdowns. No other receiver had more than 18 catches. Even before he was hurt, the highly-touted Brandon Marshall looked like a shadow of his former self. In the end, this was arguably the least productive wide receiving corps in the NFL with just 11 touchdown receptions.

    ADDITIONS/SUBTRACTIONS: The Giants cut Brandon Marshall and Dwayne Harris in the offseason. The Giants also let Tavarres King walk in free agency. Newcomers include free agents Cody Latimer, Russell Shepard, and Alonzo Russell. The team also signed rookie free agent Jawill Davis after the 2018 NFL Draft.

    TRAINING CAMP STORY LINES: As long as he is with the team, Odell Beckham will always be the center of attention. Coming off a serious ankle injury and entering the final year of his rookie contract, expect daily stories on his health and contractual status. When will he practice? Will he be limited? Will he holdout? Will he play in the preseason? Is he still the same explosive player? Then of course will be the somewhat legitimate but often shit-stirring, click-bait media stories about his character. What will be interesting to see is the interpersonal dynamic between Beckham and the fan bases new darling, Saquon Barkley. The good news is that Beckham appears to very much get along with the rookie. With Barkley, Evan Engram, and Sterling Shepard on the roster, Beckham will most likely have to accept fewer touches if he truly wants to win more games.

    More diehard fans know that the bigger issue may be finding the complementary pieces to Beckham. Whether accurate or not, the current perception is that Sterling Shepard isn’t best suited for an outside position, but better suited for the slot. This is a big year for him. Shepard saw his touchdowns drop from eight in his rookie year to two in 2017. Ironically, those two long-distance touchdowns against the Eagles in 2017 were the first evidence that Shepard can make plays deeper down the field. Can he build upon that or is strictly a 10-12 yards-per-catch underneath guy? Being a really good slot receiver is no crime, but if Sterling is limited, then finding another outside target becomes imperative. The leading candidates are ex-Broncos Cody Latimer and Hunter Sharp, ex-Buccaneer and Panther Russell Shepard, and Roger Lewis. None of these players have to put up big numbers, but just present enough of a threat to draw some attention.

    ON THE BUBBLE: Odell Beckham and Sterling Shepard are the only two sure bets to make the roster. Cody Latimer is likely to make it simply because of his special teams ability as a gunner. Russell Shepard also has made plays as a gunner with the Buccaneers and that could help him. The Giants also are still need of returners which could be a factor in retaining Hunter Sharp and Kalif Raymond. The Giants did bring back Travis Rudolph, Marquis Bundy, and Amba Etta-Tawo from last year, but all three have to be considered long-shots at this point. Same with rookie speedster Jawill Davis and bigger target Alonzo Russell. Then there is the enigmatic Roger Lewis, who alternates between flashes of ability and frustrating lapses.

    FROM THE COACH: Head Coach Pat Shurmur on Odell Beckham: “I think we’re just still getting to know each other. But I’ve said it before, this guy loves to play football, and he gets it as well. So, when I see him in the meetings, when I see him on the field, regardless of what he’s doing, when I see him on the field he’s really engaged and you can see, just by him running routes versus air and some of the drill work we’re doing, that he can really help us.”

    Shurmur on if there is a #3 receiver on the roster: “I don’t know. We’ll just have to find out as we go, but we’ve added some guys to the mix. You guys tell me who’s one, two, or three, or four or five and six or whatever. But Cody Latimer is here. We’ve got some young guys, Travis Rudolph has done a good job. So I think there are guys on our roster that we’re going to develop a trust in and put them out there and we expect them to produce.”

    PREDICTIONS: Provided health and finances don’t become issues, the Giants appear to have an outstanding outside receiver and a quality slot receiver. But another outside starter and depth are very much concerns. The loss of Beckham or Sterling Shepard to injury would be significant. The other 10 receivers on the roster have flashed at times in the OTAs and mini-camps, but it’s a pretty hodgepodge group. The three ex-Broncos – Cody Latimer, Hunter Sharp, and Kalif Raymond – have the advantage that the team’s new position coach, Tyke Tolbert, coached them in Denver. My best guess at this time is that Latimer becomes the #3, but if he falters, it would not surprise me for the Giants to keep a close eye on the waiver wire. Don’t discount Roger Lewis if he can become a more consistent and reliable player. Also note that Hunter Sharp’s name has been consistently and positively mentioned throughout the spring.

    FINAL DEPTH CHART: Odell Beckham, Sterling Shepard, Cody Latimer, Hunter Sharp, and Roger Lewis. Giants may carry six, but you could throw a dart at the roster trying to figure out who that may be. Again, don’t be shocked to see a waiver-wire pick-up here. This position is not as strong as some fans think it is.

    May 112018
     
    Saquon Barkley, New York Giants (May 11, 2018)

    Saquon Barkley – © USA TODAY Sports

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    MAY 11, 2018 NEW YORK GIANTS ROOKIE MINI-CAMP REPORT…
    The first day of the New York Giants 2-day rookie mini-camp was held on Friday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Sixty-one (61) players – draft picks, signed rookie free agents, first-year players who have not completed a season of credited service, and street and rookie free agent tryout players – were in attendance.

    “Rookie mini camp – this is an exciting weekend for 61 guys,” said Head Coach Pat Shurmur. “They are getting a chance to live out their dream of playing pro football. I think when we look at it, we have a mixture of drafted players, college undrafted players, tryout guys and so we’re going to put them through the paces for three days here and try and teach them.

    “I think what’s important is and I’ve talked to the staff, I’ve talked to our current players, we want to teach our rookies the right way from the very beginning – here is your iPad, here is your locker, here is where you need to be, here is how you need to dress, here are the fields, ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ work, push in your chair. We want to really train these guys in the New York Giants’ way and I think it’s every facet of their life and then, certainly what is most obvious, football. So that’s running parallel with them learning some of the scheme before they get kind of incorporated with our veterans on Monday. That’s where we’re at.

    “We had a walk through – I think the way we do it and this is the way we’ll do it with our veterans. We meet in the morning and then we walk through and then we meet again and then we practice. We try to describe it, then we detail it, then we drill it, then we do it. Then we kind of decompress, debrief it and we do it over and over and over.”

    PARTICIPANTS…

    2018 NFL Draft Picks (6):

    • RB Saquon Barkley, Penn State
    • OG Will Hernandez, UTEP
    • LB Lorenzo Carter, Georgia
    • DL B.J. Hill, North Carolina State
    • QB Kyle Lauletta, Richmond
    • DL R.J. McIntosh, Miami*

    *McIntosh did not participate in today’s practice due to a “mild medical condition.” He watched from the sidelines.

    2018 Signed Rookie Free Agents (11):

    • WR Jawill Davis, Bethune-Cookman
    • TE Stephen Baggett, East Carolina
    • OC Evan Brown, SMU
    • OG Nick Gates, Nebraska
    • OT Tyler Howell, Missouri
    • DT Tyrell Chavis, Penn State
    • LB Tae Davis, Tennessee-Chattanooga
    • CB Aaron Davis, Georgia
    • CB Bryon Fields, Duke
    • CB Grant Haley, Penn State
    • S Sean Chandler, Temple

      New York Giants First-Year Players (8):

      • RB Jalen Simmons
      • WR Amba Etta-Tawo
      • OC Ethan Cooper
      • OL Adam Bisnowaty
      • LB Derrick Mathews
      • CB Tim Scott
      • S Orion Stewart
      • PK Marshall Koehn

      There were also 36 rookie and veteran tryout players in attendance.

      PRACTICE NOTES…
      Some snippets from various media sources:

      • WR Jawill Davis made a one-handed reception. Davis latter caught two more passes down the field.
      • CB Grant Haley broke a couple of passes from QB Kyle Lauletta.
      • QB Kyle Lauletta showed some nice zip on his passes and completed a couple of deep throws down field. He was a bit up-and-down on the day however.
      • Will Hernandez worked at both left and right guard.
      • RB Saquon Barkley impressed with a “nasty” cutback before reversing course on a gain of 10 yards. Barkley was also comfortable catching the football.
      • S Sean Chandler picked off a pass.
      • S Orion Stewart intercepted a deflected pass from QB Kyle Lauletta.

      GIANTS SIGN THREE OF THEIR DRAFT PICKS
      The New York Giants have announced they have signed the following three of their 2018 NFL Draft class:

      • OG Will Hernandez (2nd round)
      • LB Lorenzo Carter (3rd round)
      • QB Kyle Lauletta (4th round)

      GIANTS CUT OFFENSIVE LINEMAN…
      The New York Giants have waived offensive lineman Laurence Gibson. The Giants signed Gibson to a reserve/futures contract in January 2018. Gibson was originally drafted in the 7th round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. He has spent time with the Cowboys (2015), Chiefs (2015), Falcons (2016), Bears (2016), Giants (2016), Texans (2016-2017), and Browns (2017). The Giants signed him to their Practice Squad in September 2016 and cut him a few months later in December.

      HEAD COACH PAT SHURMUR…
      The transcript of Pat Shurmur’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:

      May 012018
       
      Saquon Barkley, New York Giants (April 28, 2018)

      Saquon Barkley – © USA TODAY Sports

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      DAVE GETTLEMAN AND PAT SHURMUR HIT THE AIRWAVES…
      New York Giants General Manager Dave Gettleman and Head Coach Pat Shurmur were interviewed by radio stations on Monday to discuss the team’s 2018 NFL Draft:

      REPORTS – GIANTS TRIED TO TRADE FLOWERS, BUT NOW MAY GIVE ONE MORE CHANCE…
      ESPN is reporting that the New York Giants tried to trade offensive tackle Ereck Flowers during the 2018 NFL draft for a “mid-round” draft pick, but found no takers. The disappointing ninth player taken in the 2015 NFL Draft has skipped all of the “voluntary” offseason program that began on April 9th despite changing positions from left to right tackle, a new coaching staff, and a new offensive playbook.

      Meanwhile, The New York Post is reporting that the Giants now “will play this situation out and see what develops.” The voluntary program continues, including 10 Organized Team Activity (OTA) practices in May and June. There is a mandatory mini-camp in mid-June.

      “He’s in Miami, and we’re here. He decided not to come. He’s an adult,” General Manager Dave Gettleman said during the draft. “He has the ability to make decisions on his own. This is a voluntary program and he’s decided to stay in Miami. If you want to know why he’s not here, call him.”

      “This is a difficult time to talk about those kinds of things because it’s voluntary, I get that,’’ Head Coach Pat Shurmur said during a WFAN interview on Monday. “There’s enough on tape — things didn’t go very well last year for the Giants, but he played through the year and there’s enough on tape for me to see there’s talent there. So whenever he decides to come in, we’re looking forward to working with him. Hey, that’s just what it is.”

      UNOFFICIAL UNDRAFTED ROOKIE FREE AGENT SIGNINGS…
      The New York Giants have not yet officially announced which undrafted rookie free agents they have signed after the 2018 NFL Draft. There are unofficial media, school, player, and Twitter reports that the following players have been “signed.” Please keep in mind that these reports are often wrong. Many others will be invited to the May 11-12 rookie mini-camp on a tryout basis. When we have a complete list, we will post it.

      • QB Thomas Sirk, 6’4”, 234lbs, 4.91, ECU
      • WR Davon Grayson, 6’1”, 199lbs, 4.52, ECU
      • WR Jawill Davis, 6’1”, 191lbs, 4.43, Bethune-Cookman University
      • TE Stephen Baggett, 6’5”, 244lbs, 4.90, ECU
      • OC Evan Brown, 6’2”, 314lbs, 4.97, SMU
      • OG/OT Nick Gates, 6’5”, 307lbs, 5.48, University of Nebraska
      • OT Tyler Howell, 6’8”, 328lbs, 5.32, University of Missouri
      • DT Tyrell Chavis, 6’3”, 305lbs, 5.33, Penn State University
      • LB Tae Davis, 6’1”, 220lbs, 4.78, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
      • CB Aaron Davis, 6’1”, 189lbs, 4.54, University Georgia
      • CB Grant Haley, 5’9”, 190lbs, 4.43, Penn State University
      • CB Bryon Fields, 5’10”, 190lbs, 4.51, Duke University
      • S Sean Chandler, 5’10”, 205lbs, 4.66, Temple University

      ARTICLES…