August 7, 2017 New York Giants Training Camp Report

 Posted by
Aug 072017
 
Eli Manning, New York Giants (July 28, 2017)

Eli Manning – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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AUGUST 7, 2017 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their ninth summer training camp practice on Monday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

INJURY REPORT…
Running back Shaun Draughn (ankle) and linebacker J.T. Thomas (knee) remain on the Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List. Defensive tackle Robert Thomas (unknown), linebacker Keenan Robinson (concussion protocol), and linebacker Mark Herzlich (unknown) did not practice.

Wide receivers Sterling Shepard (ankle) and Tavarres King (ankle) practiced on a limited basis.

“(Shepard) was running around, I didn’t see any noticeable limp or anything like that,” said Head Coach Ben McAdoo. “He was moving around good, some change in direction, looked fine.”

Wide receiver Kevin Snead (unknown) and offensive lineman Jessamen Dunker (unknown) left practice early.

SY’56 PRACTICE REPORT…
Indoor practice today not open to the public. I liked being in there, simply to switch things up a little and it kept everyone on one field. So for the most part, we got to see everyone, as no one was a field away.

Offense Notes:

  • WR Sterling Shepard was out there for the beginning of practice, he was moving aggressively. I think it’s safe to say he is ready to rock within a week.
  • QB Geno Smith is on a little run. He is making some really nice throws on all levels and it appears his timing with receivers in addition to understanding the scheme is coming along. Geno is more gifted than Johnson and if he continues to improve at this rate, he has a very good shot at winning the backup job.
  • Good to see QB Davis Webb out there after practice again. You can tell this kid is a worker.
  • The QB’s were airing it out a little more today than what we’ve seen, as it looked like some deep passing was a focus. This was equally beneficial for WRs, DBs, and QBs. Manning threw a deep ball (40+ yards) to WR Brandon Marshall up the right sideline. I had a good vantage point and right after the ball reached it’s apex, I immediately assumed 5-6 yard overthrow. Then Marshall accelerated and showed off his reach, tipping the ball to himself a couple times and eventually coming down with it. Very impressive pitch-and-catch and it looks like 10-to-15 chemistry is coming along. They hooked up a few times today in tight windows.
  • Still unsure where WR Roger Lewis is on this depth chart. He worked as the team’s #3 guy with Taverres King and Sterling Shepard out of action in team drills. He is an impressive athlete but doesn’t quite seem to have the body control and consistent hands. He dropped a deep pass today and then didn’t locate another one but responded with a deep TD catch a few plays later.
  • WR Darius Powe may have an inside track at winning the final WR spot. He is big and physical and I think this team needs another one of those guys if Marshall were to ever go down. He had a couple of really nice catches today including one where he burned Janoris Jenkins. WR Travis Rudolph, we’ve discussed a few times, does so many things well but I think it is a legit concern if he can separate and/or catch passes in traffic at his size/speed combo.
  • I got to watch a lot of OT Adam Bisnowaty vs. DE Avery Moss today, the two rookies. Bisnowaty won most, if not all, of the one-on-one fights. He anchored well, maintained good position and accuracy with hands, and adjusted to the double moves. Moss was winning the leverage battle but didn’t seem to have the power to get a consistent push.
  • OC Brett Jones had an impressive day. I have to think he is the primary OC backup and a definite for the 53-man roster. One thing that stands out with him, he does NOT get pushed back when he anchors those feet in.
  • We may need to get used to TE Evan Engram making plays on a daily basis now. His speed jumps out at me every time he goes after the ball and makes a move north after the catch. He burned S Landon Collins a couple times. Collins also had a hard time sticking with TE Rhett Ellison on an out cut. Ellison is a better short area athlete than I thought.
  • OL Michael Bowie is likely on the outside looking in at this point, but he has some extra pop about him today. He appears to have overwhelming power when he has things lined up correctly.
  • A practice squad candidate WR has had 2-3 really good days in a row. UDFA Jerome Lane from Akron 6’3/225 and has been making some tough catches in traffic. Very strong presence when he attacks the ball. He is #6 if you guys watch Friday night.

Defense Notes:

  • DT Robert Thomas didn’t practice today which meant more looks for Jay Bromley. I’m not sure we have seen enough out of him to warrant excitement, but he still shows flashes. He is a big, big dude with some solid straight line burst. He just needs to show more consistent pad level.
  • CB Donte Deayon is a fun kid to watch and I think everyone is rooting for him, including his teammates. At his size, it’s unlikely he will make the team but he continues to make plays. I’ve been wanting to see him matchup against Odell Beckham because they are both elite movers. Deayon got his shot once today and stuck with him on an in-cut. The negative, however, is that he gets tossed around by receivers when they block. WR Sterling Shepard and WR Dwayne Harris just owned him on WR blocking driils. He did intercept QB Josh Johnson during team drills though. He is making his case.
  • B.J. Goodson got beat in coverage a couple times today. He was close though. We know it won’t be his strength as a LB, but this team needs to make sure they don’t get beat up the middle yet again this year.
  • I am having a hard time figuring out how this team will figure out the LB depth chart behind the top 5. Deontae Skinner and Curtis Grant are excellent straight-line athletes. Skinner made a couple plays in coverage today – that could be an avenue for him to make his impact.
  • Safety Eric Pinkins, whom we talked to after practice, is a physical gem. Tall, long, strong, and fast. He is high-hipped and struggles to make quick breaks and change direction laterally, but I think this kid has to make the team. He may be one of the more versatile defenders on the team. Experience at S, LB, and CB in addition to a defensive weapon on special teams. He is pumped to start his endeavor to make the roster Friday night. Look for him.
  • CB Valentino Blake is the team’s #5 CB I think, as of now. We will see what happens in the games but he has been playing better each day. He has the game experience that some others do not and there is a physical style about him. This defense wants to be nasty and that fits in to the way Blake approaches things. If I had to decide Blake or Deayon right now, I think NYG would lean towards Blake.
  • CB Eli Apple may have had his best day. He stuck with Brandon Marshall for the most part in his limited opportunities. He is showing the blend of size and speed you want, but he also did a nice job of sniffing out routes and throws ahead of time. That is huge for him.
  • DT Corbin Bryant is a really impressive-looking guy. He has a short area burst and violence about him that can be a weapon. Does he have the ability to eat up double teams? Can he be a pass rusher here? Not sure but he deserves a look in these games coming up.

Three Standouts:

  • QB Eli Manning: I think this was Eli’s “rust is off” day. He threw a bunch of really pretty looking balls downfield. He also stepped up in the pocket and fit some passes into really tight windows. He is making the effort to build up that chemistry with Brandon Marshall and Evan Engram, two new weapons that offer him things he didn’t have last year. That is one of the more important parts to this preseason process.
  • TE Will Tye: Another day, another TE looks to be stepping up and making his case. Part of me thinks the Rhett Ellison signing is the kick that will put Tye on the street at the end of preseason. They are similar styled players and Ellison isn’t going anywhere. Tye made a couple of really tough catches over the middle on the move. Outstretched arms with defenders bearing down. As I said last week, he looks quicker than a year ago.
  • CB Nigel Tribune: A guy I haven’t mentioned at all in these reports yet. He is a body-control corner that went undrafted out of Iowa State. He showed a physical side last week when he beat up WR Kevin Snead at the point of attack multiple times, and today he showed great balance and ball skills when covering WR Travis Rudolph. He made a great play on the ball on 4th-and-goal on a pass from Geno Smith to Rudolph. That fifth CB spot is up for grabs and if they want a quicker slot-type corner, Tribune is in the mix as much as anyone.

Sy’56 and Gidiefor discuss today’s practice and interview safety Eric Pinkins.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • In 1-on-1 drills, wide receiver Brandon Marshall beat cornerback Eli Apple deep and scored a touchdown with an acrobatic catch that he tipped to himself. Wide receiver Travis Rudolph then badly beat cornerback Janoris Jenkins deep for a touchdown. Cornerback Donte Deayon had good, tight coverage on wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr.
  • In 7-on-7 drills, tight end Rhett Ellison made a couple of nice catches. But then quarterback Josh Johnson threw and interception to cornerback Donte Deayon.
  • Quarterback Josh Johnson hit wide receiver Dwayne Harris for a long touchdown. Then he threw a ball up for tight end Matt LaCosse, who made a leaping catch down the right side.
  • Cornerback Eli Apple deflected a slant pass intended for wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr.
  • Quarterback Geno Smith hit wide receiver Darius Powe for a long touchdown over cornerback Janoris Jenkins. Powe then made a finger-tip grab on a Smith pass, beating cornerback Michael Hunter.
  • Cornerback Valentino Blake broke up a quarterback Geno Smith pass intended for wide receiver Roger Lewis.
  • D.J. Fluker received some reps at left guard and right tackle with the third-team offensive line.
  • Tight end Evan Engram made a nice grab on pass over the middle from quarterback Eli Manning during the 2-minute drill.
  • Cornerback Donte Deayon broke up a flat pass from quarterback Geno Smith intended for wide receiver Travis Rudolph. Safety Eric Pinkins then broke up a Smith pass intended for tight end Matt LaCosse.
  • Avery Moss got a good pass rush from left defensive end during the 2-minute drill.
  • Cornerback Nigel Tribune made a diving pass defense of a quarterback Geno Smith rollout pass to wide receiver Travis Rudolph.
  • Overall, the Giants’ 1st-, 2nd, and 3rd-team defenses kept the 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-team offenses out of the end zone during 2-minute drills.
  • Place kicker Aldrick Rosas was 4-for-4 on field goal attempts, including from 31, 36, 41, and 50 yards out.

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

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

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The tenth training camp practice will be held on Tuesday, starting at 10:55AM. The training camp schedule is available at Giants.com.

August 5, 2017 New York Giants Training Camp Report

 Posted by
Aug 052017
 
Ben McAdoo, New York Giants (July 28, 2017)

Ben McAdoo – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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AUGUST 5, 2017 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their eighth summer training camp practice on Saturday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

INJURY REPORT…
Running back Shaun Draughn (ankle) and linebacker J.T. Thomas (knee) remain on the Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List.

Wide receiver Sterling Shepard (ankle), wide receiver Tavarres King (ankle), and linebacker Keenan Robinson (concussion protocol) did not practice. Shepard did warm up before practice and did some light running.

“I made some pretty good progress over these last few days,” Shepard said. “Been in the training room, getting ice. The swelling went down, so I got to run around a little bit today. It feels really good. If it was game day, I could easily go, but I have a little bit of time, so they want to take it slow… I have never really rolled my ankle before, so I didn’t really know the process and how it was going to go. Those first two days, I was feeling like I was going to be out for a little longer than what I know now.”

SY’56 PRACTICE REPORT…
Practice was closed to the public today. Overcast skies, minimal wind, very comfortable temperature.

Special Teams Notes:

  • Mike Nugent showed better loft and distance on kickoffs than Aldrick Rosas. Who knows if they were actually trying to let loose or not.
  • A lot, and I mean a lot, of attention is put on special teams. We got to see plenty of 1-on-1 battles with these guys going all out on each other. They were practicing blocking on the move, where the offensive player runs to a spot, turns around and goes head to head with a downhill defender that had a 15-20 yard head of steam. The bubble guys need to show something here. DE Kerry Wynn was beating everyone he matched up against. S Trey Robinson stood out a couple times. S Landon Collins got involved twice and even in a simple drill like this, his ability stands out. RB Wayne Gallman’s lack of presence showed, he may have a hard time factoring as a blocker at his size. LB Calvin Munson stood out, consistently getting rave reviews from coaches.

Offense Notes:

  • As I left the practice facility, QB Davis Webb was working on deep throws and footwork associated with them with two of the Giants support staff (ball boys). This was a solid 20 minutes after practice. TE Rhett Ellison was on another field working on his technique out of his stance, getting into his routes.
  • One thing I see wide receivers Odell Beckham and Brandon Marshall do very well is that they attack the ball in the air. They don’t sit back and let it come to them; they alter their weight and attack. Very important that your top guys do that. Marshall overwhelmed CB Valentino Blake on a pass near the back of the end zone; there was no chance for Blake – he looked like a kid trying to defend his dad and that is not a knock on Blake.
  • TE is a very crowded group. Colin Thompson keeps jumping out at me. I think there is no shot he makes the team, but he is a legit practice squad candidate. The team brought him in as a blocker, but he moves much better when running routes than I initially thought. Soft hands, been catching almost everything thrown his way. This TE group in camp is very solid.
  • I put more attention on the two rookie OTs, Adam Bisnowaty and Chad Wheeler. Wheeler does a great job post-snap. He gets out of his stance quickly and easily. Very good body positioning, knee bend, and set up. Honestly, he is better than Ereck Flowers when it comes to that part of the process. Bisnowaty is a little more sluggish and unsure. He didn’t keep his feet moving against Kerry Wynn today and it made him look silly. He was facing the ground on a couple of occasions, showing he is over-committing and lunging while bending at the waist. Body wise, Wheeler simply needs more muscle as I have been saying. Bisnowaty too, but you can tell he has spent more time in the weight room.
  • OT Ereck Flowers had a solid day but his over-lean and wrap-around the defender’s neck in pass protection flared up twice from what I saw. OT Bobby Hart was schooled by DE Pierre-Paul again, winding up on the ground. OG John Jerry, when I had the vantage point to really zero in on him, didn’t get beat at all. He is a very large man with athletic legs. He is without a doubt the starting RG over D.J. Fluker.
  • Geno Smith vs. Josh Johnson battle goes to Geno today. He is looking more and more confident with each day that passes. His arm is much more lively than Johnson’s.
  • TE Matt LaCosse with another nice TD catch today. Natural hands on the move with a huge wingspan, nice weapon to have especially in that area.
  • WR Kevin Snead body catches everything. Amazing to see the difference between him and Beckham and how they approach catching the ball.
  • RB Orleans Darkwa’s avenue to making this team is likely the short-yardage back. He is bigger and stronger than the other guys. Without Darkwa, there really isn’t any sense of power in that backfield. If the team doesn’t think he can handle that job, I wonder if the 4th RB is even currently on this roster.
  • WR Roger Lewis doesn’t get a ton of WR reps with the first or second group. I’m wondering if he is actually that far down the depth chart or they are just trying to get the bubble guys more reps to fully evaluate. He did drop an easy TD on a short slant pass and his routes aren’t crisp. But I really like how Lewis moves. Very twitchy, loose, and strong. I think he has the potential to be a top tier gunner in this league on special teams.
  • WRs Darius Powe and Travis Rudolph might be competing for one spot. We have highlighted Rudolph already, his ability to do everything right stands out. But he doesn’t separate downfield at all and he isn’t physical enough in traffic to be a factor. Powe has the size but I’m not sure he can separate from NFL DBs. He doesn’t have long speed and there isn’t a lot of quick-twitch to him underneath.

Defense Notes:

  • The team’s #4 CB has to be Michael Hunter. I’m saying this right now with a lot of confidence, there are teams in this league where he could start. He is so consistent when it comes to trusting his footwork and length while attacking the ball. He is breaking up multiple passes every day. NYG has an outstanding CB group, maybe the best in the league if Eli Apple takes the expected step up.
  • CB Janoris Jenkins ignores size completely. He shows no hesitation when going after WR Brandon Marshall. He is so fast to diagnose and react. He sniffs out screens and crossing routes in a blink. And I love how hard he competes for the ball in the air.
  • DT Jay Bromley made a couple nice plays against the run today. He beat D.J. Fluker badly on one running play which would have resulted in a 4-yard loss. He is a very large, long guy. There are tools to work with there, it will just be a matter of him showing consistency when it comes to technique and awareness.
  • The question with the DT group will be how long guys can go before needing a break. Damon Harrison started to break down a little towards the end of last year, Robert Thomas was limping around between plays today with what appeared hamstring/back soreness (just speculating). Dalvin Tomlinson looks like he is still trying to figure it out mentally, as he hasn’t been able to get off blocks at all. Jay Bromley is very inconsistent as I noted.
  • I put the eye on FS Darian Thompson today as best I could. Not sure how these guys are coached, so take it with a grain of salt. But he was very good at keeping track of receivers in his area. Keeps his head on a swivel and won’t get fooled by the QB. His lower body moves very fluidly. I haven’t seen him tested deep though.
  • The one concern I have is that these DBs don’t get a lot of work defending deep passes. In live action, the team’s offense almost never throws the ball downfield more than 20-25 yards. A guy like Thompson needs to work on that part of his game, as does CB Eli Apple, and it’s not happening much if at all in practice.
  • DE Kerry Wynn had a very good day. He made an impact on 1-on-1 special team drills and during live team drills from his DE spot. He is a guy that the coaches know they can depend on. I am leaning towards his making this 53 man roster. He is definitely ahead of DE Devin Taylor right now.
  • DE Jason Pierre-Paul is dominating Giants OL during live drills and one-on-one’s – no matter who he is matched up against and no matter where he is lining up.
  • Each day that passes, I am leaning more and more towards DE Owa Odighizuwa not being in the final picture. He did beat OT Jarron Jones a couple times, but other than that there is too much rigid lower body movement and a severe lack of reaction/quick twitch. Unfortunate but he just doesn’t seem to have it.

Three Standouts:

  • TE Evan Engram: By far his best day of camp so far. We got to see a few special catches. With defenders draped all over him, twice he made a TD catch while barely sneaking in before the sideline/out-of-bounds line. He plays super-fast but under control. He keeps on catching everything and there isn’t a defender on this team that is built for covering him. He is exciting in this short-pass offense.
  • S Eric Pinkins: This kid is certainly making a name for himself. Very impressive physically with his combination of size and speed. At 6’3/230 with zero bad weight, he brings a different level of physical prowess to the secondary. He can be a special teams demon which should get him on this 53-man roster, but I like him as a backup safety as well. There is a ton of upside here and if the team is patient, we may see something big.
  • OG Jessamen Dunker: You know, this kid needs a year of weight room work from what I can see. He doesn’t quite fill his pants yet. But he plays strong. His lower body mechanics and athleticism are as good as any of the OL on this team. And he showed great hand placement and strength in one-on-ones. I want to say he is a lock for the practice squad but if he goes out and impressed in the games, I say there is a shot he is the last OL on the 53-man roster. He really is impressive.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • In 7-on-7 drills, quarterback Eli Manning threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. in the left corner of the end zone.
  • Tight end Evan Engram made a diving touchdown catch from quarterback Eli Manning in the corner of the end zone. Manning later found Engram again for another touchdown in front of safety Darian Thompson. Engram caught three touchdowns during 7-on-7 drills.
  • Cornerbacks Janoris Jenkins and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie broke up passes intended for tight end Evan Engram and wide receiver Travis Rudolph, respectively. Jenkins later defended a slant pass from Manning to wide receiver Brandon Marshall.
  • Quarterback Josh Johnson found wide receiver Kevin Snead in the back of the end zone for a touchdown.
  • Safety Eric Pinkins intercepted a quarterback Josh Johnson pass intended for tight end Matt LaCosse.
  • Quarterback Geno Smith threw a touchdown pass to tight end Matt LaCosse. Smith then hit tight end Jerell Smith down the right seam and wide receiver Darius Powe despite tight coverage.
  • Linebacker B.J. Goodson broke up a short pass intended for running back Orleans Darkwa.
  • Running back Paul Perkins fumbled during 11-on-11 drills after being hit by cornerback Janoris Jenkins.
  • Running back Wayne Gallman had a pass deflected off of him that was intercepted by linebacker Mark Herzlich. Herzlich later broke up a pass intended for wide receiver Travis Rudolph.
  • Cornerback Michael Hunter knocked down a pass on a crossing route.
  • Cornerback Donte Deayon broke up a fade pass from quarterback Geno Smith to wide receiver Travis Rudolph.

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

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

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants are off on Sunday. The ninth training camp practice will be held on Monday, starting at 11:10AM. This practice is NOT open to the public. The training camp schedule is available at Giants.com.

Giants 2017 Positional Breakdown: Defensive Line

 Posted by
Jul 142017
 
Dalvin Tomlinson, New York Giants (June 13, 2017)

Dalvin Tomlinson – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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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: Defensive Line

2016 YEAR IN REVIEW: The New York Giants defensive line underwent a major overhaul in 2016, and the changes were perhaps THE major reason why the team’s defense improved from dead last in the NFL to 10th in terms of yardage and 2nd in terms of points allowed. The Giants went from 24th in run defense in 2015 (121.4 yards per game, 4.4 yards per carry) to 3rd in 2016 (88.6 yards per game, 3.6 yards per carry).

The key to sparking the dramatic turnaround were the high-priced, high-profile free agent additions of defensive end Olivier Vernon (5-years, $85 million) and defensive tackle Damon Harrison (5-years, $46 million). These two were a major upgrade over defensive ends Robert Ayers/George Selvie and defensive tackles Markus Kuhn/Cullen Jenkins. Harrison is arguably the best run-stuffing defensive tackle in the game and earned first-team All-Pro honors after making the switch from a 3-4 nose tackle with the New York Jets to a 4-3 defensive tackle. Vernon was slowed by a serious hand/wrist injury but played virtually every snap and earned second-team All-Pro honors.

Jason Pierre-Paul (JPP) rebounded nicely from a 2015 offseason catastrophic fireworks accident that left him permanently maimed. After a slow start on the pass-rushing front, the line was rounding into peak form until a groin tear/sports hernia injury sidelined JPP for the final four regular-season games and post-season contest. Unfortunately, the dropoff was noticeable. As a unit, the line finished with 24.5 sacks in the regular season (up from 16 in 2015).

ADDITIONS/SUBTRACTIONS: The Giants’ biggest personnel loss in the offseason was DT Johnathan Hankins signing a 3-year, $30 million contract with the Colts. The team did re-sign DE Jason Pierre-Paul to a 4-year, $62 million deal. The Giants also re-signed exclusive rights free agent DT Robert Thomas, restricted free agent DE Kerry Wynn, and practice squader DE Jordan Williams. New additions include veteran free agents DE Devin Taylor and DT Corbin Bryant as well as rookies DT Dalvin Tomlinson (2nd round), DE Avery Moss (5th round), DE Evan Schwan (undrafted free agent), and DT Josh Banks (undrafted free agent).

TRAINING CAMP STORY LINES: One of the most significant story lines for the team is can the Giants adequately fill the shoes of Johnathan Hankins at defensive tackle? While Damon Harrison quickly became the headliner at defensive tackle for the Giants, Hankins was an important part of the drastically-improved New York Giants run defense. Many believe Dalvin Tomlinson will automatically assume the starting position, but Tomlinson is a rookie and will face challenges from veterans Robert Thomas, Jay Bromley, and Corbin Bryant. Depth is also a cause for concern as Harrison must now be considered one of the most indispensable players on the team. Heaven help the Giants if he gets hurt.

A secondary story line will be the quest for a third defensive end who can rush the passer and spell Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon, who both played far too many snaps last year. To date, holdovers Romeo Okwara, Kerry Wynn, and Owamagbe Odighizuwa have not demonstrated the ability to consistently harass opposing quarterbacks. They will be pressured by newcomers Devin Taylor and Avery Moss. Then there is the curious backstory of Odighizuwa’s situation as he missed all of the spring work due to undisclosed “personal issues.”

ON THE BUBBLE: Everyone except Jason Pierre-Paul, Olivier Vernon, Damon Harrison, and Dalvin Tomlinson.

FROM THE POSITIONAL COACH: Patrick Graham on the defensive line as a group: “Really the group is smart. They understand that this is their profession and they know they have to have proficiency at that. They all work hard in terms of knowing football and knowing what we want them to do.”

Patrick Graham on Dalvin Tomlinson: “I think any rookie coming into this league, they don’t know anything about this league aside from the stuff they read and see from the media and TV. I think it’s important for them to stick with what they’ve done in being a good football player up until this point. An organization in the NFL wanted them. To be humble there, listen to the players and listen to the coaches and just diligently work through the process. He’s a pretty even keel guy. He’ll be able to handle it. We will see how it plays out once the competition comes and the season comes… We wanted him for a reason. He’s a good football player and he comes from a good program.”

PREDICTIONS: Dalvin Tomlinson is one of the few defensive tackles who realistically could come in and adequately replace Johnathan Hankins as a rookie. He not only has the physical tools, but he is a super-smart guy who played on the big stage at Alabama. Nevertheless, keep an eye on Robert Thomas, who may split snaps with him. Competition for roster spots will be fierce as the Giants added a couple of former veteran starters late in free agency (Devin Taylor and Corbin Bryant). The Giants can’t keep all of these guys and linemen who can play in this league are going to be released. Another player to keep tabs on is Avery Moss. The coaches and players have said nice things about him and the Giants are still looking for that third pass rusher.

FINAL DEPTH CHART: Jason Pierre-Paul, Olivier Vernon, Damon Harrison, Dalvin Tomlinson, Romeo Okwara, Avery Moss, Devin Taylor, Robert Thomas, and Corbin Bryant. (The Giants hate to part ways with draft picks so it would not be shocking to see Owa Odighizuwa and Jay Bromley make it over late FA additions Taylor and Bryant. I would also not count out Kerry Wynn).

Tuesday Reading – New York Giants Articles

 Posted by
Jun 202017
 
Paul Perkins and Wayne Gallman, New York Giants (June 13, 2017)

Paul Perkins and Wayne Gallman – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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ARTICLES ON THE NEW YORK GIANTS SPRING…

ARTICLES ON THE NEW YORK GIANTS OFFENSE…

ARTICLES ON THE NEW YORK GIANTS DEFENSE…

ARTICLE ON FORMER GIANTS COACH DENNY MARCIN…

New York Giants 2016 Positional Review: Defensive Line

 Posted by
Feb 132017
 
Damon Harrison, New York Giants (January 1, 2017)

Damon Harrison – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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The New York Giants defensive line underwent a major overhaul in 2016, and the changes were perhaps THE major reason why the team’s defense improved from dead last in the NFL to 10th in terms of yardage and 2nd in terms of points allowed. The Giants went from 24th in run defense in 2015 (121.4 yards per game, 4.4 yards per carry) to 3rd in 2016 (88.6 yards per game, 3.6 yards per carry).

The key to sparking the dramatic turnaround were the high-priced, high-profile free agent additions of defensive end Olivier Vernon (5-years, $85 million) and defensive tackle Damon Harrison (5-years, $46 million). These two were a major upgrade over defensive ends Robert Ayers/George Selvie and defensive tackles Markus Kuhn/Cullen Jenkins. Harrison is arguably the best run-stuffing defensive tackle in the game and earned first-team All-Pro honors after making the switch from a 3-4 nose tackle with the New York Jets to a 4-3 defensive tackle. Vernon was slowed by a serious hand/wrist injury but played virtually every snap and earned second-team All-Pro honors.

Jason Pierre-Paul (JPP) rebounded nicely from a 2015 offseason catastrophic fireworks accident that left him permanently maimed. After a slow start on the pass-rushing front, the line was rounding into peak form until a groin tear/sports hernia injury sidelined JPP for the final four regular-season games and post-season contest. Unfortunately, the dropoff was noticeable. As a unit, the line finished with 24.5 sacks in the regular season (up from 16 in 2015).

THE STARTERS

In his first season with the Giants, Olivier Vernon was slowed early by a serious left hand/wrist injury but he ended up starting every game and playing 94 percent of all defensive snaps. Vernon finished with 63 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. He was also named second-team All-Pro. Vernon was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Dolphins. The Giants signed him as a free agent in March 2016. Vernon lacks classic size, but he is a very strong, athletic end with long arms and a non-stop motor. He is one of the better two-way ends in football and is equally disruptive against the run and the pass. Vernon can get heat on the quarterback from both the end and tackle positions, and gets a lot of hits on the quarterback.

Jason Pierre-Paul started 12 games in 2016, but missed the remainder of the season with groin and sports hernia injuries that required surgery. He finished the year with 53 tackles, seven sacks, eight pass defenses, and three forced fumbles. Pierre-Paul was drafted in the 1st round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Giants. His best season came in 2011 when he accrued 86 tackles and 16.5 sacks. After not missing a game in his first three years with the Giants, Pierre-Paul has not completed a full season in three of the last four years, including 2013 (herniated disc and shoulder injuries) and 2015 (fireworks accident that permanently maimed his right hand). Pierre-Paul has an excellent combination of size, strength, and athleticism. When healthy and focused, Pierre-Paul can be an explosive, disruptive difference-maker against both the run and the pass. His tremendous wingspan helps him to bat passes down at the line of scrimmage (42 career pass defenses and 2 interceptions). As a pass rusher, he can beat blockers with both power and movement skills. Pierre-Paul is a very good run defender, both at the point-of-attack as well as in backside pursuit.

In his first season with the Giants, Damon Harrison had a superb year, starting every game and finishing the regular season with career highs in tackles (86) and sacks (2.5). Harrison was named first-team All-Pro. Harrison was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Jets after the 2012 NFL Draft. The Giants signed him as an unrestricted free agent in March 2016. Harrison is a strong, mammoth player with surprising athleticism for someone so large. He is a rock against the run, able to hold the point-of-attack against the double-team block. He may be the NFL’s best inside run defender. Though Harrison is a better run defender than pass rusher, he will flash at times getting after the quarterback.

Johnathan Hankins started every game and finished the 2016 regular season with 43 tackles, three sacks, and one forced fumble. Hankins was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Giants. Hankins has excellent size, strength, and overall athleticism. He is a stout run defender who occasionally flashes on the pass rush.

THE RESERVES

The Giants signed Romeo Okwara as an undrafted free agent after the 2016 NFL Draft. Not only did he make the team, but he was a surprisingly-strong contributor as a rookie. Okwara played in every game with four regular-season starts (36 percent of defensive snaps), and finished the year with 25 tackles, one sack, and two pass defenses. Okwara looks the part with excellent size and arm length. He’s a hard worker with a fine motor. While Okwara is a good athlete, he lacks dynamic quickness to excel as outside pass rusher. He flashes more when rushing from the defensive tackle position. Okwara is a solid run defender, but he can still improve his consistency in this area.

Drafted in the 3rd round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Giants, Owamagbe Odighizuwa’s has not developed as hoped or expected. Hamstring and foot injuries caused him to miss 12 games of his rookie season. He missed two regular-season games in 2016 with a knee injury and the playoff game with a hamstring injury. In his 18 regular-season games, Odighizuwa has been credited with just six tackles and one pass defense. Odighizuwa looks the part. He is a strong, well-built, and athletic defensive end with long arms and huge hands. Odighizuwa has the ability to play defensive tackle in pass rushing situations. He is a hard worker who simply has not been able to put it together yet.

Kerry Wynn saw his playing time decrease in 2016 (11 percent of defensive snaps). He played in 14 regular-season games with no starts and finished the year with 12 tackles and 0.5 sacks. Wynn was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Giants after the 2014 NFL Draft. He has played in 34 regular-season games, with seven starts, for the Giants in his three years with the team. Wynn has a nice combination of size, strength, and overall athletic ability. Wynn is a better run defender than pass rusher as he lacks dynamic quickness on the outside pass rush. He is able to play defensive tackle in pass-rush situations.

The primary reserve at defensive tackle, Jay Bromley played in 15 regular-season games with no starts. He received 22 percent of defensive snaps and finished the season with 14 tackles and one sack. Bromley was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Giants. He has played in 39 regular-season games with just four starts. Bromley combines decent size, strength, and overall athletic ability. He has improved his play against the run since coming to the Giants but he has not developed into the inside pass rusher hoped for when he was drafted.

The Giants claimed Robert Thomas off of waivers from the Carolina Panthers in September 2016. He played in eight regular-season games with no starts (6 percent of defensive snaps) and finished the year with five tackles and one sack. Thomas was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Washington Redskins after the 2014 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Redskins (2014-15), Seahawks (2015), Patriots (2015), Dolphins (2015), and Panthers (2016). Thomas is a big, strong tackle who plays hard.

PRACTICE SQUAD

Stansly Maponga was signed to the Practice Squad in September 2016. Maponga was originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons. From 2013-2014, he played in 24 regular-season games with no starts, accruing eight tackles, one sack, and two fumble recoveries. The Falcons waived Maponga before the start of the 2015 season. The Giants signed Maponga off of the Practice Squad of the Falcons in December 2015, and he ended up playing in two games for New York. Maponga is an athletic lineman who flashes on occasion as a pass rusher.

Jordan Williams was signed to the Practice Squad in December 2016. Williams was originally signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2015 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Jets (2015) and Miami Dolphins (2015-2016). He has good size.

Giants.com Player Interviews; New York Giants Reading

 Posted by
Feb 022017
 
Sterling Shepard, New York Giants (November 6, 2016)

Sterling Shepard – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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

ARTICLES…

December 28, 2016 New York Giants Injury Report

 Posted by
Dec 282016
 
Ben McAdoo, New York Giants (December 18, 2016)

Ben McAdoo – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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DECEMBER 28, 2016 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul (core muscle) did not practice on Wednesday.

Safety Nat Berhe and linebacker B.J. Goodson remain in the concussion protocol and were limited.

Cornerback Janoris Jenkins (back) and tight end Will Tye (illness) practiced on a limited basis.

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

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice at 12:20PM on Thursday. The coordinators will also address the media.

August 15, 2016 New York Giants Training Camp Report

 Posted by
Aug 152016
 
Odell Beckham, Adam Henry, and Victor Cruz; New York Giants (July 30, 2016)

Odell Beckham, Adam Henry, and Victor Cruz – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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AUGUST 15, 2016 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their thirteenth and final summer training camp practice on Monday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Training camp is now officially over.

INJURY REPORT…
New York Giants linebacker J.T. Thomas (hamstring) remains on the Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List.

Fullback Nikita Whitlock (burner), wide receiver Victor Cruz (groin), wide receiver Geremy Davis (hamstring), tight end Will Johnson (burner), defensive end Kerry Wynn (groin), and cornerback Eli Apple (knee) did not practice.

“No (update on Cruz),” said Head Coach Ben McAdoo. “Just the status quo… we’re building him up to get to a position where we can make an evaluation. He had the hiccup, hoping to get him some work on Wednesday… Victor and I had a nice conversation yesterday afternoon. We talked about some different things that may be able to help moving forward, and I’ll let him share that. I’m not going to share that; I’ll keep our conversation private.”

“We’re still not giving up on Cruz,” said General Manager Jerry Reese on WFAN. “Hopefully, he’ll make it back.”

Wide receiver Sterling Shepard (groin) was limited. “No, there was no setback,” said McAdoo of Shepard.

Tight end Larry Donnell (dehydration), right guard John Jerry (illness), and cornerback Matt Smalley (shoulder) left practice early.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • The offense seemed out of sorts today and had a rough practice.
  • Giants dime defense showed a look with Olivier Vernon and Jason Pierre-Paul switching sides with Johnathan Hankins and Romeo Okwara playing defensive tackle. Keenan Robinson was the lone linebacker. The outside corners were Janoris Jenkins and Donte Deayon with Leon Hall, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Darian Thompson, and Landon Collins (in the box) inside.
  • Safety Landon Collins broke up two passes, one intended for tight end Matt LaCosse and the other for wide receiver Myles White.
  • Quarterback Ryan Nassib hit wide receiver Anthony Dable for a big play against cornerback Trevin Wade. Dable also made a one-handed touchdown catch on a throw from quarterback Logan Thomas.
  • Quarterback Logan Thomas hit wide receiver Kadron Boone deep against cornerback Matt Smalley. Thomas then found wide receiver Darius Powe, who made a nice catch, against Smalley.
  • Taking probably too much time, quarterback Eli Manning eventually found tight end Matt LaCosse for a touchdown against safety Landon Collins.
  • Emmett Cleary came in with the first unit at right guard when John Jerry (illness) left the field. Bobby Hart later got some work in at right guard as well.
  • Quarterback Ryan Nassib connected with wide receiver K.J. Maye in the back corner of the end zone for a touchdown against cornerback Donte Deayon.
  • Quarterback Logan Thomas threw a strike to tight end Jerell Adams for a touchdown against linebacker Brad Bars.
  • With no healthy fullback available, tight end Ryan Malleck received a goal line carry, but he was unable to score.
  • In the 2-minute drill, quarterback Eli Manning hit wide receiver Roger Lewis for a touchdown against cornerback Donte Deayon. Manning went 5-of-5 on this drive with Lewis having two catches.
  • Linebacker Jonathan Casillas stopped running back Shane Vereen on a two-point conversion running attempt.
  • Cornerback Michael Hunter intercepted quarterback Ryan Nassib to end another 2-minute drive on a pass intended for wide receiver K.J. Maye.

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

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Training camp is officially over. The Giants will be off Tuesday and return to practice on Wednesday.

August 14, 2016 New York Giants Training Camp Report

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Aug 142016
 
Landon Collins, New York Giants (July 30, 2016)Richburg

Landon Collins – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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AUGUST 14, 2016 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their twelfth summer training camp practice on Sunday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

INJURY REPORT – JAY BROMLEY RETURNS, VICTOR CRUZ AILING…
New York Giants linebacker J.T. Thomas (hamstring) remains on the Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List.

Defensive tackle Jay Bromley (ankle) was activated off of the PUP and practiced for the first time on Sunday.

“I feel good, I feel good,” said Bromley. “It feels good to be back on the field finally. It’s been way too long…In OTA’s my ankle started bothering me, so I had some pain and we had it checked out. There were bone spurs and it was really nagging, so we decided to get those handled (with surgery).”

Wide receiver Geremy Davis (hamstring), tight end Will Johnson (burner), defensive end Kerry Wynn (groin), and cornerback Eli Apple (knee) did not practice.

“It’s a muscle,” Head Coach Ben McAdoo said of Apple’s knee. “He has a slight muscle strain.”

“It is going to be fine and it is a matter of just taking it day by day,” said Apple.

Wide receiver Victor Cruz (groin) was limited.

“His groin is still bothering him a little bit,’ said McAdoo of Cruz. “Take a look at him tomorrow. He’ll get treatment tonight, and then we’ll take a look at him tomorrow and see how he’s feeling…if he’s not feeling up to par and can’t push through, then he cannot practice…You never know when someone is going to turn the corner.”

Wide receiver Sterling Shepard (groin) and linebacker Keenan Robinson (groin) practiced.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • In 1-on-1 drills, wide receiver Roger Lewis beat cornerback Trevin Wade for a touchdown on a corner post route. Wide receiver Tavarres King beat Leon Hall for a touchdown on a slant.
  • Also in 1-on-1 drills, wide receiver Sterling Shepard beat cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie on a crossing route. Wide receiver Darius Powe caught a sideline touchdown against cornerback Donte Deayon.
  • In 1-on-1 drills, wide receiver Odell Beckham easily beat cornerback Janoris Jenkins and was off to the races.
  • In 7-on-7 drills, the three starting receivers were Odell Beckham, Sterling Shepard, and Victor Cruz (slot).
  • Safety Cooper Taylor broke up a pass intended for wide receiver Sterling Shepard.
  • In 11-on-11 drills, quarterback Eli Manning rolled out and hit wide receiver Odell Beckham for a diving touchdown catch against safety Nat Berhe.
  • Cornerback Donte Deayon received some snaps with first-team dime defense. He lined up outside with corner Janoris Jenkins. Cornerbacks Leon Hall and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie played inside.
  • The second-team offensive line was left tackle Byron Stingily, left guard Ryan Seymour, center Dillon Farrell, right guard Emmett Cleary, and right tackle Bobby Hart. Adam Gettis was demoted to the third team.
  • Wide receiver Roger Lewis beat cornerback Michael Hunter for a touchdown.
  • On a free play because the defense jumped offsides, wide receiver Sterling Shepard beat cornerback Janoris Jenkins up left sideline. But a bad pass from quarterback Eli Manning floated and was easily intercepted by Jenkins.
  • Running back Paul Perkins received some reps with the second-team offense.
  • In 11-on-11 drills, wide receiver Victor Cruz was blanketed by slot corner Leon Hall. Cruz only saw a few snaps in team drills and was shut out.
  • Quarterback Eli Manning found tight end Larry Donnell for a touchdown against safety Landon Collins.
  • Running backs Paul Perkins and Rashad Jennings broke big runs up the middle.
  • Quarterback Eli Manning hit wide receiver Odell Beckham for a touchdown in the back corner of the end zone against cornerback Janoris Jenkins.
  • Ryan Malleck received some first-team snaps at H-Back.
  • Kelvin Sheppard and Jasper Brinkley continued to rotate at middle linebacker with the first unit.
  • Safety Mykkele Thompson had two good hits, one on running back Orleans Darkwa and the other on wide receiver Myles White.

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

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

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The thirteenth training camp practice will be held on Monday, starting at 10:40AM. This is officially the last training camp practice of the summer. It is not open to the general public but only season ticket holders who have received special access. The Giants will be off Tuesday and return to practice on Wednesday.

New York Giants Training Camp Begins; Victor Cruz to Practice

 Posted by
Jul 282016
 
Ben McAdoo, New York Giants (June 6, 2016)

Ben McAdoo – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP BEGINS…
New York Giants players reported to training camp on Thursday. The first training camp practice will occur on Friday. (A complete schedule is available at Giants.com; please keep in mind that in the event of inclement weather, the practice will be held inside and NOT open to the public).

HARRISON, THOMAS, AND BROMLEY PLACED ON PUP…
New York Giants defensive tackle Damon Harrison (knee swelling), defensive tackle Jay Bromley (ankle), and linebacker J.T. Thomas (hamstring) have been placed on the Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List at the start of training camp. These players can come off the PUP at any time.

“We don’t think any of them are extremely serious at this point,” Head Coach Ben McAdoo said.

According to ESPN, Bromley had surgery to remove a bone spur earlier this summer, but he is expected to be able to practice soon. ESPN also reports that the swelling in Harrison’s knee is not uncommon due to fluid in his knee.

Defensive tackle Melvin Lewis was placed on the Non-Football Illness (NFI) List. No details were provided on Lewis.

Meanwhile, wide receiver Victor Cruz (calf, knee) has been cleared to practice on Friday. He passed his medical and conditioning tests.

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

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

ARTICLES…

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