INJURY REPORT…
Center Weston Richburg (concussion), guard John Jerry (tooth), linebacker Jonathan Casillas (neck), and linebacker Calvin Munson (quad) did not practice on Wednesday. Corner back Eli Apple (excused absence) also did not practice.
Running back Paul Perkins (ribs), wide receiver Sterling Shepard (ankle), defensive end Olivier Vernon (ankle), and safety Landon Collins (ankle) practiced on a limited basis.
“Practiced well,” Head Coach Ben McAdoo said of Shepard. “Looked better than he did last week.”
Long snapper Zak DeOssie (wrist/elbow) fully practiced.
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:
GIANTS WAIVE SHANE SMITH AND PLACE J.T. THOMAS ON IR…
The New York Giants have waived fullback Shane Smith and placed linebacker J.T. Thomas on Injured Reserve with a groin injury that he suffered in week 2 against the Detroit Lions.
To fill those roster vacancies, the team signed defensive end Nordly “Cap” Capi off its Practice Squad and re-signed linebacker Deontae Skinner, who was cut by the Giants on September 2nd.
Smith was signed by the Giants as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2017 NFL Draft.
Thomas was originally drafted in the 6th round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. The Bears waived him in August 2013 and he was claimed off of waivers by the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Giants signed Thomas in March 2015. In 2015 with the Giants, Thomas played in 12 games with 11 starts, missing four games with an ankle injury. The Giants placed Thomas on Injured Reserve in September 2016 after he suffered ligament damage to his left knee in the regular-season opener.
The 6’3”, 249-pound Capi was originally signed as undrafted rookie free agent by the Jacksonville Jaguars after the 2015 NFL Draft. Capi has spent time with the Jaguars (2015), Baltimore Ravens (2015), Atlanta Falcons, and Arizona Cardinals (2016-2017). While Capi has not played in an NFL regular-season game, he did stand out with the Cardinals as a linebacker during the 2017 preseason, both rushing the passer (15 pressures and 1.5 sacks) and defending the run.
Skinner was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the New England Patriots after the 2014 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Patriots (2014-2015) and Eagles (2015-2016). The Giants added to and released Skinner from the Practice Squad multiple times in 2016. He also was signed to the 53-man roster in October and again in December.
INJURY UPDATE…
Running back Shane Vereen (calf), running back Orleans Darkwa (back), offensive lineman Brett Jones (hip), defensive end Olivier Vernon (ankle), and linebacker Jonathan Casillas (ankle/wrist) did not practice on Thursday.
Right tackle Bobby Hart (ankle) and linebacker B.J. Goodson (shin) practiced on a limited basis.
THE COORDINATORS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following coaches are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:
WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Head Coach Ben McAdoo and select position coaches and players will address the media on Friday. There is no media availability on Saturday. The Giants play the Buccaneers in Tampa on Sunday afternoon.
AUGUST 9, 2017 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their eleventh summer training camp practice on Wednesday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
ROSTER MOVES…
The New York Giants waived/injured offensive lineman Jessamen Dunker on Wednesday with an undisclosed injury. To fill that vacant roster spot, the team signed rookie offensive lineman Corin Brooks (University of Texas – Permian Basin).
Dunker was signed by the Giants as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2017 NFL Draft. Brooks is an athletic but raw, small-school prospect who lacks ideal size. He is versatile, having played both tackle and guard. Brooks was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs after the 2017 NFL Draft but waived in June.
INJURY REPORT…
Running back Shaun Draughn (ankle) and linebacker J.T. Thomas (knee) remain on the Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List.
Wide receiver Tavarres King (ankle), wide receiver Kevin Snead (lower body), defensive tackle Robert Thomas (“sore”), linebacker Keenan Robinson (concussion protocol), linebacker Mark Herzlich (stinger), cornerback Mykkele Thompson (quad), and safety Ryan Murphy (lower body) did not practice.
SY’56 PRACTICE REPORT…
Beautiful day, 80-plus and sunny with a slight breeze. Two days before a game, the intensity was slightly down but I thought for the most part they were still competing. No pads, but they were in shells.
Small note about the layout of practice and this team’s approach to Special Teams…a TON of time is spent on this phase. Gidie made a note that the Coughlin era did not spend nearly this amount of time on specials and that McAdoo appears to run a much more organized, regimented practice. It is a very smooth process from start to finish.
K Aldrick Rosas has such a powerful leg. There is a trend in the league right now with kickers. They are MUCH better athletes than I remember watching growing up. Rosas fits the mold, he definitely spends time in the weight room and the trajectory of his kicks shows. He has the inside track for the number one job as long as he doesn’t mightily struggle in preseason games.
Offense Notes:
The talk of the day from the “story” side of things will be Chad Wheeler and his short stint with the number ones. I don’t think there is any speculation deserved on him being in an under-the-radar competition for the starting LT spot. He has been impressive, which we have noted a few times, but no way is this team giving up on Ereck Flowers yet. Wheeler was beat badly by Olivier Vernon on his first play, and may have gotten away with a hold on the next. However this is important for his maturation process, to see what a top half of the league DE actually plays like. He is one of my focal points for Friday night, something he is really pumped about.
The newly signed OL Corin Brooks looks like a guard, that is my first impression based on just checking him out and going through individuals. I don’t think he got on the field with the offense today.
WR Sterling Shepard looks to be getting better each day, he faced off in some one-on-one drills. He made a nice body-adjusting catch where again, he seemed to have zero hesitation on his ankle.
WRs Darius Powe and Roger Lewis are competing for a spot. There is a chance both will make the roster but I think it’s slim. Powe offers more size and strength and I think more reliable hands. Lewis is the better, looser-hipped athlete who will make the big-play that raises eyebrows. He has also been good for an obvious drop pretty much every day and appears to be misreading defenses on his option routes. If it comes down to special teams, Lewis will win out.
TE Evan Engram lined up split out wide against LB Jonathan Casillas one play in 11-on-11. He didn’t get the ball thrown his way but it was a very simple 4-5 steps before he was running deep leaving Casillas in his rear-view mirror. If this kid can get match-ups like that in space….
TE Matt LaCosse with ANOTHER impressive catch. No, you aren’t reading yesterday’s report, or the one before that, or the one before that. This kid is getting it done every day. I hope he gets some first-team looks in games over the next few weeks. While we are discussing backup TEs, I am still waiting on Colin Thompson’s first drop because it hasn’t happened yet.
The offense had a bit of a sloppy day. Eli Manning didn’t see DE Olivier Vernon on a zone blitz as he dropped in to coverage, throwing a near INT on a 5-yard pass. Weston Richburg sailed a snap over Manning’s head soon after, and Paul Perkins dropped an easy pass in the flat later on.
RB Wayne Gallman isn’t getting a ton of reps, but he showed a jump cut today that most backs can’t do. LeSean McCoy is the master of the jump cut if you need a visual, and Gallman caught a ball while twisting in the air, landed, and jump-cut his way to a TD. Not sure many people even noticed it but again, most backs can’t move like that.
RB Khalid Abdullah’s main weakness is unplanned movement. He looks strong and explosive when he is running straight ahead without adjustment. But when he has to innovate on his own, react to a defender, or turn his body to get a pass away from his body he looks very unnatural.
Defense Notes:
Soon after I spoke about not knowing or understanding if LB Stansly Maponga can fit in this scheme, he goes out and has a day. He showed a strong pass rush presence against OT Adam Bisnowaty. He gets his pad level really far down and his weight plus lower body strength makes him hard to alter. He may get caught in the number’s game but he does have versatility on his side.
DT Damon Harrison seemed to uptick a bit today despite not being in full pads. I will stand by my statement I made a few weeks ago. He is the most important player on this defense. If he stays healthy, he alone will keep this run defense competitive.
And I hate to sound like I am wearing blue-colored glasses, but I strongly believe this defense can be the best in the league. There are stars and potential stars everywhere. Seeing Harrison eat double teams with ease, then watching the DEs Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon rush the edge, with arguably the best top three CB combo in the league and a budding star in Landon Collins…I think NYG fans need to soak this up. This might be the best defense in a long time that this team has had.
Two LBs at the bottom of the depth chart looking up are Deontae Skinner and Curtis Grant. Both are straight-line guys with stiffness when moving laterally. In addition, I don’t see the quick, easy reactions to the offense right after the snap. They are a step behind. The contrast between them and a guy like B.J. Goodson when it comes to instincts is blatantly obvious.
DE Olivier Vernon looks great, albeit against tackles that may be a step below what he will face most Sundays. What I like about him, and something I always look for in pass rushers during the scouting process, is his ability to stay low, balanced, powerful, and quick. He values run defense as we saw last year and I predict we will see more sacks than what he put out in 2016. They have him standing up on some plays, something I think he prefers.
Did S Duke Ihenacho move up on the depth chart over Andrew Adams? Looked like he was 2nd-string guy today. I don’t have much on him but he does have more experience than every safety on this roster and a lot of coaches around the league like a guy back there like that.
Three Standouts:
CB Donte Deayon: I can tell Spags really likes this kid both from how he treats him in practice and what he says about him to the media. There are guys that some coaches quietly root for, and Deayon is one of them. He plays all out, all the time. He follows his assignments. He plays with a chip on his shoulder. He is rarely out of position. That sounds good for a 5th/6th corner. His size limits him in a lot of areas but there isn’t a guy on this team that can stick to Odell Beckham the way Deayon has showed.
QB Eli Manning: It’s time we talk about him a tad. He has become so reliable and consistent year to year that NYG fans likely take him for granted. McAdoo said this has been Manning’s best camp when it comes to understanding the offense and it’s intentions, completing passes, and teaching others. I think it is fair to suggest this may be his best year yet. It was nice to see Manning walk off the field with TE Evan Engram after 11-on-11 talking about what to do when he starts checking down/scrambling. That relationship will be HUGE for this offense.
TE Rhett Ellison: When Ellison was drafted by MIN, the primary focus was him blocking and aiding the Adrian Peterson show. He never quite got to expose himself as a receiver consistently. Knowing how much Manning uses the TE in any scheme he’s in and how reliable Ellison looks like as a route runner and pass catcher, I think he may be THE safety blanket that Manning could have used last year.
Our video today includes an interview with OT Chad Wheeler…
PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:
WR Sterling Shepard adjusted well to a deep ball from QB Eli Manning against CB Valentino Blake.
PK Aldrick Rosas was 3-for-4 on field goal attempts.
QB Eli Manning threw a slant pass to WR Sterling Shepard in front of CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Then WR Odell Beckham, Jr. wrestled away a Manning pass over the middle from CB Donte Deayon.
CB Michael Hunter defended a QB Josh Johnson pass intended for WR Dwayne Harris.
QB Geno Smith threw a touchdown pass to WR Keeon Johnson.
FS Darian Thompson made a diving pass break-up of a long pass from QB Eli Manning to TE Evan Engram.
WR Roger Lewis made a diving, toe-dragging reception of a pass from QB Eli Manning for a touchdown. But then Lewis dropped a pass from Manning before making a leaping catch down field from QB Josh Johnson.
S Landon Collins broke up a QB Eli Manning pass coming on a blitz.
WR Travis Rudolph beat CB Valentino Blake on an out route.
Chad Wheeler received a few first-team snaps at left tackle, but was beaten badly by DE Olivier Vernon on his first snap.
QB Josh Johnson hit WR Roger Lewis for a touchdown against CB Valentino Blake.
QB Davis Webb participated in his first 11-on-11 drills of the summer. He threw a strike to WR Kevin Norwood on the right sideline, but struggled to move the ball after that.
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…
There is no media availability to the team on Thursday. The Giants play a home preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday. The twelfth and second-to-last public training camp practice will be held on Sunday, starting at 11:10AM. The training camp schedule is available at Giants.com.
JULY 28, 2017 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their first summer training camp practice on Friday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
INJURY REPORT…
Linebacker J.T. Thomas (knee) has been officially placed on the Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List. He joins running back Shaun Draughn (ankle).
“We are playing it smart with (Thomas),” said Head Coach Ben McAdoo. “We’ll see how it goes. He is making progress. He is not where we want him to be yet. Hopefully it is not anything that takes too long.”
Defensive tackle Damon Harrison (soreness) did not practice. “We are starting slow with Snacks,” said McAdoo. “He came in in good shape. He was a little bit sore, but we are starting slow with him.”
SY’56 PRACTICE REPORT…
Pretty uneventful practice today, even according to Coach McAdoo. A lot of attention was put towards special teams and their formations, responsibilities…etc. In terms of Offense/Defense, there isn’t too much to report just yet but it is a good opportunity to compare size and movement of guys, as they are physically next to each other in the same conditions. Hot and humid today, but not unbearable.
The first thing that jumps out is the sheer size of wide receiver Brandon Marshall. He looks like a dad playing with his sons when standing next to the rest of the WR group. Tall and strong from head to toe.
D.J. Fluker in there at 2nd-team right guard. Moves the same he did in my evaluation of him last year with San Diego. His game is power though, and we won’t see the impact there until next week.
Eli Manning and the pitch count that has been discussed…it isn’t anything new. He’s been on a pitch count of sorts since McAdoo’s been here.
Landon Collins is the leader of this defense. Always the one running to the next station or drill in front of everyone. Doing the dirty work special teams drills with all of the rooks and roster hopefuls. Very interactive with those guys.
Damon Harrison was on the bike today. McAdoo said he was “sore”…if I heard that right. No injury, just taking it slow. Jay Bromley and Robert Thomas were running with the first string for what its worth…which isn’t much. Speaking of Thomas, I am overly impressed with his foot speed when it comes to the frame he works with. He looks very stout, powerful, quick. If I had to say now, I think this team is looking at him as Harrison’s primary backup with Bromley (the biggest of them all) being the starter next to Harrison. Very impressed with the specimen Corbin Bryant is.
The team offense drills seem to have a very basic, fundamental approach to it with the running game being the focus. Running games and blocking schemes tie in together via timing, and I think that was today’s purpose. Get these backs to take the ball and diagnose where these guys are to make their cuts.
Rookie Report:
Evan Engram, as fully expected, really stands out as the smallest but most athletic tight end on the field. He can change direction and burst as fast as the WRs, no question. He was moved around in the limited team offensive snaps. He lined up in the slot, in the backfield, and with his hand in the dirt. I expect him to be all over the place.
Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson appears to be in the mix among the other veterans in regard to the depth chart. I can notice his step-behind status when it comes to hand and foot placement. That is always expected…the technique details are far greater in the league than in college…and you could see the difference between him and Corbin Bryant/Robert Thomas when it came to hand accuracy and power.
Quarterback Davis Webb…not much on him today. During the short team period, he received very few snaps. 2nd/3rd string snaps were obviously given to Josh Johnson and Geno Smith, respectively. All of the QBs were NOT throwing during team sessions…very little interaction between them and the pass catchers today.
Running back Wayne Gallman is noticeably thinner, leaner than the rest of the backs. He got some looks with the 3rd offense, nothing was done at full speed and I expect it to be that way until next week. We’ll see though.
Defensive end Avery Moss looks very athletic, much more agile and quick footed than what I have down from his college scouting reports. These guys don’t have pads on so it’s not really notable, but I am curious to see if he is a guy that simply loses some movement ability when having to diagnose blockers and plays. That would give me the impression his upside is even higher, as he was moving quicker through the bags than all of the defensive ends.
Adam Bisnowaty was getting 2nd team reps at left tackle. We know this, but his frame is very slight. He doesn’t have the look of an NFL OT just yet. On the right side was Chad Wheeler. His frame looks great and easily capable of adding weight. Athletic ability won’t be an issue for him either, but basing my evaluation on his college tapes from 2016, he isn’t ready quite yet either. But I do like having these two young guys in the wings…2017 offensive tackles will be about Ereck Flowers/Bobby Hart/possibly D.J. Fluker. If they don’t perform, we’ll see what these two guys have to offer. Really looking forward to seeing them in pads next week.
Notable UDFAs: Wide receiver Travis Rudolph is just a smooth, quick, efficient mover. He gets in to his route as fast as anyone. He doesn’t have long speed but most of the NFL prefers quickness as much as speed…so I think he has an opportunity here because he is so well advanced elsewhere when it comes to the WR skill set. Offensive guard Jessamen Dunker is an impressive looking athlete. With the instability along the depth of the OL, his upside is going to be a draw to coaches. He was discussed by Ben McAdoo, Marc Ross, and Jerry Reese post draft.
3 Random Standouts:
Tight end Matt LaCosse. As a specimen, LaCosse looks legit and the few times he got out in to intermediate crossing routes, he moved much better than I was expecting. Great foot speed and straight line burst. Tight end is a crowded position all of the sudden, and he will be fighting uphill, but I think he can make a case for himself.
Linebacker B.J. Goodson is another general on the field next to Collins. He is max effort, all the time. He is taking his opportunity very seriously and you can tell by the attention he puts on the fine details of lateral movement, movement through traffic, and coverage. He does not look tight hipped at all but we wont know for sure until the pads are on.
Cornerback Eli Apple…I wrote down on three separate occasions that he was notably moving better than everyone in the position group. He really is a physical gem and you can see why he was a high draft pick. He oozes potential. Can he maintain that athletic prowess in game situations where movements are adjustments, not planned?
Overall a good day for a football diehard, but boring for the traditional fan. I don’t think we are gonna see things tick up until next week.
PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:
The first practice was very light, almost a jog-thru.
As expected, the first-team skill position players were quarterback Eli Manning, running back Paul Perkins, tight end Rhett Ellison, and wide receivers Odell Beckham, Brandon Marshall, and Sterling Shepard.
Josh Johnson was the second-team quarterback.
First-team defense included ends Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon; tackles Robert Thomas and Jay Bromley; linebackers Devon Kennard, B.J. Goodson, Jonathan Casillas; cornerbacks Janoris Jenkins and Eli Apple; and safeties Landon Collins and Darian Thompson.
NEW YORK GIANTS TEAM PRESIDENT/CEO JOHN MARA…
The transcript of John Mara’s press conference on Friday is available in The Corner Forum.
HEAD COACH BEN MCADOO…
The transcript of Ben McAdoo’s press conference on Friday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available at Giants.com.
THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:
WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The second training camp practice will be held on Saturday, starting at 10:55AM. The training camp schedule is available at Giants.com.
NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP BEGINS…
New York Giants players reported to summer training camp on Thursday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The first practice will be held at 11:40AM on Friday and will be one of eleven practices open to the public, weather permitting. The training camp schedule is available at Giants.com.
All 90 New York Giants players, including defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa, reported to camp. Odighizuwa missed all of the team’s spring work due to unspecified “personal issues.”
SHAUN DRAUGHN TO PUP, J.T. THOMAS BEING EVALUATED…
New York Giants running back Shaun Draughn (ankle) was placed on the Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List at the start of training camp. Meanwhile, linebacker J.T. Thomas (knee) is still being evaluated.
“J.T. is taking a physical right now,” said General Manager Jerry Reese. “He’s going to be here, you know, right now, he’s going to be here. But, we have to make some decisions on how he comes out of the physical.”
GENERAL MANAGER JERRY REESE…
The transcript of Jerry Reese’s press conference on Thursday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available at Giants.com.
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:
BEN MCADOO ADDRESSES THE MEDIA…
New York Giants Head Coach Ben McAdoo spoke with reporters on Tuesday at the NFL Annual meeting and addressed the following subjects:
On offensive lineman Ereck Flowers: “It’s still early in the process, but I have a lot of confidence in Ereck. One of the best games Ereck played all year was the playoff game, the last game of the season… If he comes out and works hard and has a little bit of success to start the season, that confidence will come. It’s just a young player and it’s a maturing confidence that he has to go through… He’s working hard on his technique. I’m pretty confident that he’s working very hard right now at being a better player and putting a lot of time and effort and energy into it this time of year. You see his face a lot. He’s in and out of the building a lot. I know he loves the game and I have a lot of confidence in Ereck.”
On new wide receiver Brandon Marshall: “He almost didn’t fit through my doorway when he came to the building. He’s a big man. He’s like a tight end body out there, a big strong man who knows how to run the whole tree. There is a lot of value in that… I look forward to getting Brandon out there and seeing what he brings to the table when you get everybody together, but he is a big target. He’s a big target who has played a lot of football and has been very productive. A confident player, so it’s always good to add that chunk of confidence to the offense and the locker room. That’s good. And he’s a big target for Eli and that will help Eli.”
On new offensive lineman D.J. Fluker: “Fluker’s a big man, he can block out the sun. Brandon (Marshall) almost didn’t fit through my doorway, Fluker didn’t. He had to turn sideways to get through the doorway. He’s a big man and loves the game, provides a lot of energy.”
On if quarterback Geno Smith could eventually replace Eli Manning: “I can’t see why not… I find it very exciting. A guy who has his skill set is hard to find. You can’t find guys out there who have that type of arm talent, the quick release, the throwing motion and the feet to go with it. And he’s a competitor. It’s exciting to be able to bring a guy in and be able to work with a guy like that and see where you can take him… To me with Geno, you look at it and you study the guys coming out and you study Geno, I think he’s right in the mix of one of the better players available this year. We spent a lot of time talking about fundamentals and football and preparation and how this could be a great fit for both of us. He felt the same way and it’s exciting for us… I told Geno he has a clean slate.”
On if he intends to use a fullback this year: “Rhett (Ellison) is more of a tight end who has some fullback-type qualities to him. But you can certainly use both types of plays… Anytime you have a big fullback type in the backfield it adds an element of physicality that is tough to replace when you don’t have it. It just didn’t work out last year. It’s not by design… I hear that I don’t want to have a fullback on the roster, and that’s news to me. I think you want the best team you can put out there, but that position has to have special-teams value. I don’t think you just want someone on your roster who plays seven plays a game. They’re not going to play a ton of plays, but the plays they do play are impactful-type plays in the ballgame. But they need to have some value special teams-wise.”
JOHN MARA COMMENTS ON HIS TEAM…
New York Giants President and CEO John Mara spoke with reporters on Sunday at the NFL Annual meeting and addressed the following issues:
On offensive lineman Ereck Flowers: “I’m not giving up on Ereck Flowers yet. I know that seems to be the popular sentiment around, but this is a young kid who’s been in our weight room every day in the offseason — he wants to be good. He wants to be a top left tackle in this game. There’s a spot for him on our team. Hopefully it will continue to be at left tackle, but I’m not giving up on him yet, and I don’t think anyone on our staff is… I think he’s a very prideful guy, I think he was probably stung by some of the criticism and I think that will serve to motivate him next year He’s a good kid, he really is. He wants to be a top player in this league, and I think when you have a guy that’s going to work as hard as he does and is as big and strong as he is, I think you have a chance… I know he believes that he can play better, and we believe he can play better too. And we believe he will.”
On his team’s offensive decline: “Well, there were a lot of things. Our running game was not very good last year and I think that was the result of a lot of things. We tried to address that this offseason, I mean, bringing in (Rhett) Ellison, who’s a really good blocking tight end, that’s something we really haven’t had here for a while, that will help us. I think we still need to add another running back at some point in time. (Offensive lineman D.J.) Fluker will certainly help us as far as running the ball. There are a lot of guys who can play better than they did. I think adding (wide receiver) Brandon Marshall will help us too, because now it gives us that other threat out there. I certainly expect to see a better offense next year.”
On signing wide receiver Brandon Marshall: “…a spark to the entire organization, getting a player of that caliber. We were talking once the season ended about how it would really be nice to have a big receiver in here to complement our offense, and then all of a sudden he becomes available. I think that’s really going to help us. He’s got a great attitude and he wants to win, and I think he’ll be a good influence in the receiver room.”
On if Head Coach Ben McAdoo will continue to call the offensive plays: “That’s up to him, it really is. We’ve questioned him about it a couple of times, he’s still comfortable doing it. I think he still thinks about passing it off to Mike Sullivan, but I think he’s still — (Packers coach) Mike McCarthy still does it, and that was kind of his mentor. If he’s comfortable doing it, it’s fine with us, as long as he feels like he can manage the game properly.”
On McAdoo’s first year as a head coach: “You never know when you have a new coach. I think he adapted to it very well. I still think he’s still young, he still has more that he has to learn, as I’m sure he would be the first to tell you. But we were certainly very pleased with his first year. He hit the ground running and he did very well.”
On defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul’s 4-year, $62 million contract: “If we didn’t know him at all, I’d be a little more nervous, but I know how prideful he is and how hard he plays and how much he wants to win, so I feel comfortable with that. It’s always a risk when you pay that much money, but he always plays hard and wants to win so badly. I think he’s well worth it.”
On unrestricted free agent defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins: “There’s still one more piece out there that we’d like to keep, but we wanted to try to do that if possible without being irresponsible. I don’t know what’s going to happen. We certainly want him back, but it’s got to make sense for us. He’s an important part of our team, he’s a great kid, he’s young and he fits in very well with us.”
On his team’s overall status: “On the field, (2016) was partially successful. You’re never fully happy unless you get to the Super Bowl, but having not been in the playoffs four years in a row, you start to feel that pressure. And when you spend all that money (in free agency in 2016), you really feel that pressure. I was happy to be back in the playoffs. I was disappointed with how we played in Green Bay, but I think it gives us something to build on. We still have a pretty good young nucleus. We still have a quarterback who can play at a high level. I think we’re moving in the right direction.”
GIANTS STILL OFFERING MULTI-YEAR DEAL TO JOHNATHAN HANKINS… The NFL Network is reporting that the New York Giants “continue to offer (unrestricted free agent defensive tackle) Johnathan Hankins a multi-year deal that stacks up well in this free agent market.” Hankins is the team’s last high profile free agent.
JOHN MARA COMMENTS ON FREE AGENCY…
New York Giants President and CEO John Mara weighed in on the following subjects with Newsday on Wednesday:
On franchise-player defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul: “I heard him say (he won’t play on a 1-year contract), yes, and we’re trying to get a (long-term) deal done. We want to get him signed long-term, but we had to do that to protect ourselves. Hopefully, we’ll be able to reach an agreement, but I can’t say it’s imminent…(His franchise-tag contract is) a high number, but that doesn’t mean it has to be the average going forward. It ain’t gonna be that going forward…He’s an important part of our team. He played at a high level last year. He gave us a huge boost. Having him on one side and (Olivier) Vernon on the other gives us a nice pair of bookend pass rushers, so yeah, we’d like to have him back. Plus, he’s a positive influence. He’s a good young man, very popular (in the locker room). He’s the type of guy you want on your team.”
On the Giants approach to free agency this offseason: “We’re obviously not going to be as aggressive as we were (last year). We just don’t have the salary-cap room, and you can’t do that every year. Putting the franchise tag on Jason takes a lot of our room away, but there’s still enough room for us to do some things if we want…We struggled on offense last year, but when you go into free agency, there has to be the right guys. I’m not sure the offensive line is the strongest group this year, so I don’t know.”
REPORT – GIANTS WON’T PURSUE ADRIAN PETERSON… NJ.com is reporting that the New York Giants will not pursue unrestricted free agent running back Adrian Peterson (Minnesota Vikings) when free agency begins on March 7th. Peterson has expressed interest in the Giants but the 31-year old running back is on the downside of his career and has had off-the-field issues involving domestic abuse of a child.
AUGUST 24, 2016 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
Tight end Will Johnson (burner), tight end Matt LaCosse (knee), safety Darian Thompson (shoulder), and safety Mykkele Thompson (concussion) did not practice on Wednesday.
Left guard Justin Pugh (shoulder) was limited.
Tight end Larry Donnell (unknown) left practice early.
Meanwhile, wide receiver Victor Cruz (groin) practiced for the second day in a row.
“Victor looked great,” Offensive Coordinator Mike Sullivan said. “He has had two strong days, got a lot of balls thrown to him. I’m excited about where he is, and hopefully he will have his opportunity against the Jets (on Saturday).
“There was the suddenness, the explosiveness, the things that I have in mind, visions of 2011 in terms of that type of quickness. So obviously that is something to be excited about, and again, we’re just progressing and hoping for the best. We’re not trying to get overly excited or put too much pressure, just taking it one day, one rep, at a time; and he’s certainly shown some flashes over yesterday.”
GIANTS PRESIDENT/CEO JOHN MARA…
The transcript of John Mara’s press conference on Wednesday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available at Giants.com.
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:
