Oct 272022
 

Well Bye Tombstone

GIANTS TRADE KADARIUS TONEY TO CHIEFS…
The New York Giants have traded wide receiver Kadarius Toney to the Kansas City Chiefs, pending his physical with the Chiefs. The Giants will receive two picks in the 2023 NFL Draft: a late 3rd-round compensatory pick and a 6th-round pick. The compensatory pick is the one the Chiefs will receive for losing Ryan Poles to the Chicago Bears as their new general manager. Poles had been the Chiefs’ executive director of player personnel.

“We’re moving on, I wish Kadarius well,” Head Coach Brian Daboll said before practice. “We just made a decision that we thought was best for the team.”

Toney has missed the last five games, supposedly with injuries to both his hamstrings. However, Toney mockingly tweeted after the trade that he was not injured (he since deleted that tweet). The Giants had no official reaction to that claim.

The Giants drafted Toney in the 1st round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Toney only played in 12 of 24 regular-season games for the team. Toney’s rookie season was virtually wiped out due to multiple health issues, including two bouts with COVID and hamstring, ankle, thumb, quad, oblique, and shoulder injuries. Toney did play in 10 games, with four starts, but he finished the year with just 39 catches for 420 yards and no touchdowns. In his two games in 2022, Toney had two catches for no yards.

OCTOBER 27, 2022 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
WR Kenny Golladay (knee), TE Daniel Bellinger (eye), RT Evan Neal (knee), LG Ben Bredeson (knee), OLB Oshane Ximines (quad), and CB Cor’Dale Flott (calf) did not practice on Thursday.

OL Tyre Phillips (toe), DL Leonard Williams (elbow), and S Jason Pinnock (foot) were limited in practice.

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

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice again on Friday (11:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.). Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will also address the media.

Sep 012022
 
Blake Martinez, New York Giants (August 29, 2021)

Blake Martinez – © USA TODAY Sports

GIANTS CUT BLAKE MARTINEZ, CLAIM TYRE PHILLIPS, RE-SIGN THREE VETERANS…
The New York Giants have terminated the contract of inside linebacker Blake Martinez. The team also claimed offensive lineman Tyre Phillips off of waivers from the Baltimore Ravens. ESPN is reporting that Martinez’s release was a mutual decision by both parties.

In addition, as expected, the New York Giants re-signed three vested veterans who they cut yesterday in temporary roster-juggling moves. In order make room for the four players the team claimed off of waivers on Wednesday, the Giants had terminated the contracts of TE Tanner HudsonOG Max GarciaDL Nick Williams, and ILB Austin Calitro. Three additional roster spots became available as soon as the Giants were allowed to officially place OG Shane Lemieux, OLB Elerson Smith, and CB Rodarius Williams on short-term Injured Reserve.

Since all four players who were cut were vested veterans, they did not have to pass through waivers. Hudson, Williams, and Calitro were the players who were re-signed to the 53-man roster. Garcia was signed to the Practice Squad.

The Giants also waived TE Ricky Seals-Jones (toe) off of Injured Reserve with an injury settlement.

The Giants placed Blake Martinez on Injured Reserve in late September 2021 with a torn ACL in his left knee. He only played in three games and finished the year with 23 tackles. The Giants signed Martinez as an unrestricted free agent from the Green Bay Packers in March 2020. He had a major impact on the defense in 2020, starting all 16 games and playing in 97 percent of all defensive snaps. Martinez finished the season with a team-high 151 tackles and also accrued nine tackles for losses, three sacks, six quarterback hits, five pass defenses, one interception, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. The 6’2”, 237-pound Martinez was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Packers.

The 25-year old, 6’5”, 330-pound Phillips was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Ravens. In his first two years in the NFL, Phillips has played in 22 regular-season games with 13 starts, despite suffering an ankle injury in 2020 and a torn ACL in 2021. He has experience playing both guard spots and right tackle.

The Giants placed Seals-Jones on Injured Reserve on August 23rd with a toe injury that he suffered early in training camp. The Giants signed Seals-Jones in March 2022 as an unrestricted free agent from the Washington Commanders.

MORE PRACTICE SQUAD MOVES…
As previously reported in yesterday’s update, the Giants signed 15 players to their 16-man Practice Squad on Wednesday. On Thursday the team added six more players and released five from the Practice Squad.

Signed to Practice Squad:

  • WR Kalil Pimpleton
  • OG Max Garcia
  • OG Wyatt Davis
  • DL Henry Mondeaux
  • LB Charles Wiley
  • S Tony Jefferson

Released from Practice Squad:

  • WR Jaylon Moore
  • OT Roy Mbaeteka
  • OT Garrett McGhin
  • CB Darren Evans
  • S Nate Meadors 

Garcia was cut by the Giants from their 53-man roster yesterday.

The 23-year old, 5’9”, 172-pound Pimpleton was originally signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2022 NFL Draft. The Lions waived him on Monday. Pimpleton has experience returning punts.

The 23-year old, 6’4”, 315-pound Davis was originally selected in the 3rd round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. Davis spent time on both the 53-man roster (6 games with no starts) and Practice Squad as a rookie. The Vikings waived him on Tuesday.

The 26-year old, 6’5”, 280-pound Mondeaux was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the New Orleans Saints after the 2018 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Saints (2018), Kansas City Chiefs (2019), and Pittsburgh Steelers (2019-2022). The Steelers waived him on Tuesday. Mondeaux has played in 26 NFL games with two starts, accruing 21 tackles and two sacks.

The 24-year old, 6’2”, 251-pound Wiley was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2022 NFL Draft. The Ravens cut Wiley on Tuesday.

The 30-year old, 5’11”, 211-pound Jefferson was originally signed as undrafted rookie free agent by the Arizona Cardinals after the 2013 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Cardinals (2013-2016), Ravens (2017-2019, 2021-2022), and San Francisco 49ers (2021). The Ravens cut Jefferson on Tuesday. Robinson has played in 104 regular-season games with 66 starts. However, he has not started a game since 2019, when he tore his ACL mid-season. Robinson has only played in six regular-season games since 2019.

GENERAL MANAGER JOE SCHOEN AND HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The transcript of Joe Schoen’s and Brian Daboll’s press conference on Thursday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available on YouTube.

SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (knee), and OLB Azeez Ojulari (calf) did not practice. RB Sandro Platzgummer also missed practice with a concussion that he suffered in the preseason finale.

TE Daniel Bellinger (concussion) participated in non-contact drills.

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The players are off from Friday through Sunday. Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will address the media via Zoom on Monday.

Jul 292022
 
Wan'Dale Robinson, New York Giants (July 28, 2022)

Wan’Dale Robinson – © USA TODAY Sports

JULY 29, 2022 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT… (by Sy’56)

Before I get into the practice analysis, please note that I will get to training camp practices about 10 times over the next few weeks. I am fitting these trips in around my job, college scouting prep work, and a 2-year old.

-General feel of practice still seemed, obviously, a tad slow and introductory. Some close-to-full-speed team drills were the highlight, which I will get to. But with no pads on, there is still a lot that cannot be answered quite yet. I opted to put more attention on skill positions today (although I do have some thoughts on the pass rush vs OL).

-My first macro-level observation that you could maybe even call more of a confirmation: the rookies are a HUGE part of this team. From my count of the 22-25 “starters” on both sides of the ball, 20% of them were just drafted this past April. Another 20% of them were drafted in 2021. This is a really young team and could easily end up being the most amount of first/second players in “starting” roles Week 1 that we have seen in a long time.

INITIAL ROOKIE THOUGHTS

-The most impressive player on the field, and arguably the most active, was Wan’Dale Robinson. The suddenness, burst, and explosion was fun to watch. He was moving at a different speed than everyone else, both sides of the ball. He lined up everywhere, he ran every route, he got the ball several ways. The lack of size is obvious but it only shows up negatively when it comes to catch radius

-Evan Neal is a different dude. I get very into body types when looking at players initially. I know a lot about the field, as I have been working in it for a decade now. You could take numbers off every jersey and cover up faces, I would be able to tell you who the rookies are. The contrast in their bodies year one to year two is enormous. Not Neal. Neal looks like a 5-year vet when looking at his body from head to toe. I love how he carries himself too. Detail oriented, overly thoughtful. He played with 1st and 2nd team at RT. As I expect to see this season, it was an up and down day. Without the practice film and from a point of view that was less than ideal at times, I counted Neal giving up 2 sacks. Both to the inside shoulder where he over set on the edge and took a misstep when redirecting inside, losing balance. Kavyon Thibodeaux got him once, Oshane Ximines got him once. He did seamlessly pick up blitzes to the inside, he was mentally in tune.

-Thibodeaux was interesting to watch. As expected, he looked slender below the waist. He is broad though and there is natural power that comes from his hands. He was very consistent with his get off, the best on this line by far (Azeez Ojulari did not practice) but he was always under control. I loved the balance he showed and it set up his secondary rush moves. I counted 2 unofficial sacks (1 vs Andrew Thomas, 1 vs Neal). The bend comes easy to him and the technique looked beyond what you would expect from a rookie in practice number 3 of his career.

-I believe both tight ends Jordan Akins and Ricky Seals-Jones were out. Daniel Bellinger was in there with the ones and Austin Allen/Chris Myarick were in there with the twos. Both rookies have impressive body types. It isn’t really worth diagnosing their blocking. The team drills were almost all pass-based and again, pads don’t go on until Monday. Bellinger was late to get off a chip block on two occasions and it threw off the timing of Jones getting the ball out. A common theme I will discuss below.

-Cor’Dale Flott was with the second string and he played on the outside, not nickel. Easy mover, stuck to guys downfield on broken plays and made an impressive pass break up in the end zone on a 40+ yard throw.

-4th rounder Dane Belton was entrenched right away with the ones. Initially a surprise to some, I’m sure. But remember the safety group on this team is thin-thin. Not just thin. I don’t want to take anything away from him yet (remember Gibril Wilson’s rookie year? A 5th rounder) but he is one of the young guys on this roster being thrown into the fire whether he’s ready or not. It was an interesting defensive day that I will get into later.

-The UNC lineman, Joshua Ezeudu and Markus McKethan had stand out traits, respectively. The former played both RT and LG with the second string. His foot speed/quickness and rapid fire hand work is going to suit him well and will get him on the field soon. And based on how the interior played today as a group, we will see him on the field soon regardless. McKethan is huge but athletic looking. He does not seem overly fluid yet but from my viewpoint, it looks more mental that physical. When he did have his mind made up, he moved plenty fast enough. But more often than not, he looked like he was still figuring out his steps and role play-to-play.

OFFENSIVE THOUGHTS

-NYG has a new offense. NYG has a new defense. Fair trade off, right? If that is the case, there is no disputing the offense is starting off camp behind the defense. There are two ways you can view it, choose your path.

-Yes, the amount of pre-snap motion and mis-direction was more than we are used to seeing from this team. It should help Daniel Jones diagnose at least some of the plans the defense has. It also appears to be aimed at helping the pass catchers (including backs) speed up their option-route decision making. Playing in this offense is going to be challenging mentally. These guys are going to need help when it comes to making the right decisions on option routes and that pre-snap motion should help.

-However, it will only help if you understand what you’re looking at. Kadarius Toney and Richie James both ran wrong routes (the latter got an earful from Jones). Barkley went the wrong direction on a blitz up the middle that would have resulted in a sack by Tae Crowder. Confusion post-snap on alignment two times caused the ire of coaches as well.

-The interior of the offensive line was hard to watch if I’m being completely honest. No Jon Feliciano at center meant a rotation between Jamil Douglas and Ben Bredeson. Dexter Lawrence handled them both with ease and Douglas rolled a snap back. Both Jones and Tyrod Taylor were both shuffled around for the majority of deep drop backs. I think that LG spot is very much up in the air and NYG better hope Feliciano brings more stability to center.

-How did Jones look overall? Not bad, not great. That is all I have for you. I did not see any standout throws but I did see a couple that were air-mailed over the head of his target by at lest 3-4 feet. His biggest play was a scramble down the right sideline and as we know, kid has wheels. He can really move and I expect to see that as a big part of the offense à la Josh Allen.

-Taylor is the best NYG backup we have seen since….maybe ever? I still think he is one of the best 32 quarterbacks in the NFL. The ease within his footwork and fluid hips during his release are so smooth to watch.

-The receiver group was a steady rotation of Wan’Dale Robinson, Kadarius Toney, David Sills, and Kenny Golladay. There was so much variety when it came to where they lined up. Toney seemed to have his live-snaps limited as he eases in but his quickness after the catch is going to be a dangerous weapon. Him and Robinson are the offense in the passing game, no question. Toney also looked swift as a punt returner.

-The backups did not have a ton of standouts, but Matt Breida plays at a different speed than others. He had one or two touches and it was easy to see how fast he accelerated. It did not look like Barkley was going full speed, so maybe Breida stood out even further in that regard. Nonetheless, he is going to be an exciting element to this offense.

DEFENSIVE THOUGHTS

-Stay glass half full with me. This defense and the complexity of it was what caused NYG’s offensive confusion and lack of fluidity. They played mostly dime and nickel packages. When one LB came off the field, it was Blake Martinez while Crowder stayed on. It appeared safety Xavier McKinney was calling the plays but I’m not completely sure.

-McKinney looks like the one potential “superstar” of this defense. He moves at a different speed than everyone else and reminded me a bit of Minkah Fitzpatrick from PIT. All over the place, no wasted motion, very sure steps. He almost picked off a Jones pass on a very acrobatic play on a crossing route. He sniffs things out in a hurry.

-Darnay Holmes had the play of the day and an argument could be made he was the defensive MVP of practice. On a 1-step drop back throw to the flat, Holmes made a break on the ball before it was thrown. The result? Definite pick six. He was sent on multiple blitzes from different angles and, at the very least, pressured the passer multiple times.

-The defensive line shuffled between 2- and 3-man fronts. Leonard Williams and Jihad Ward saw most of the snaps between the guard and tackle on most snaps. Ward is a vocal player. Dexter Lawrence came on for what I would call 50% of the first string’s snaps, maybe a tad more. I was glad to see him as the nose tackle for most of the odd man fronts. He had tremendous push on every play. Again, no pads, but notable.

-Aaron Robinson started at CB with Adoree’ Jackson. Robinson is really physical, perhaps too much. He took a cheap shot at David Sills (a day after taking a cheap shot at Robinson) and Daboll quickly got in his face. By far the most angry I saw him all day. Robinson was getting beat in coverage, perhaps he was frustrated.

-The backups did not “dominate” the way the starters did. Micah McFadden and Carter Coughlin were smart and instinctive. Andrew Adams was a shot caller from safety. Nickel Khalil Dorsey made a really nice pass breakup when covering Austin Proehl.

-Elerson Smith was someone I really tried to hone in on. He split time with both the first and second string. He looks bigger than his listed 245. The height and length easily stand out but he looks thick too. His first two-three steps as a pure edge rusher are notably slower than Thibodeaux.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

It would be foolish to have strong reactions to a practice so early in camp in either direction. The one thing I walked away with was that this rookie class is going to be a HUGE part of this team. For better or worse. Robinson is going to get the ball from any and all directions and he has the combination of lower body strength, agility, and slipperiness to create a lot on his own. Neal and Thibodeaux will be Week 1 starters, I have very little doubt there. And don’t sleep on Flott passing Robinson at corner if what I saw today continues.

The defense is going to be exotic, we know that. The fear? Good offenses can counter that easily if they win one-on-one matchups in coverage. The bad offenses? It will create playmaking opportunities for the likes of McKinney, Holmes, and Julian Love. I think we will see a lot of swings for the fences. A lot of homeruns, a lot of strikeouts.

Offensively, I feel better about the guys up front but that isn’t saying much when comparing them to previous groups. I’ve been down on this OL situation for almost a decade now. The OC + LG situation is going to determine most of it (in addition to staying healthy, obviously). I already feel good about the young OT combination and Glowinski will give us the Seubert-type dependability.

Can they score more points? I mean, they scored the 2nd least amount in 2021 and there weren’t many pieces added to the puzzle. The new brain trust alone will add more ceiling to this group and you have to think they can reverse some of the health misfortune. To me, it does not come down to Barkley. It does not come down to Golladay. It comes down to Jones, Toney, and the rookie Robinson. Jones being an obvious catalyst because of the position he plays. But in more detail, he needs to get the ball out in a hurry and improve the accuracy. Hit these guys in stride to create those important YAC opportunities. Work with the small reach-radius. Know when to tuck and run (QB scrambles are the most efficient offensive plays in football with QBs who are runners).

I won’t be back at camp for another week.

INJURY REPORT…
The following players remain on injury lists:

  • Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List: WR Sterling Shepard (Achilles), OC Nick Gates (leg), and OT Matt Peart (knee).
  • Reserve/Non-Football Injury (NFI) List: LB Azeez Ojulari (hamstring)

OC Jon Feliciano (heat exhaustion), TE Ricky Seals-Jones (unknown), TE Jordan Akins (unknown), DL Nick Williams (unknown), and ILB Darrian Beavers (unknown) did not practice.

We’ll probably have a few guys down today relative to heat and hydration and just to be smart on that end,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll before practice.

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

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The New York Giants practice Saturday morning (10:00AM-noon). The practice is open to the public. Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will also address the media.

Dec 232021
 
Azeez Ojulari and Leonard Williams, New York Giants (December 19, 2021)

Azeez Ojulari and Leonard Williams – © USA TODAY Sports

DECEMBER 23, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The New York Giants practiced on Thursday at Quest Diagnostics Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Not on the official injury list, but also not practicing due to being placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 List were WR Kadarius Toney, WR John Ross, LB Cam Brown, LB Oshane Ximines, CB Adoree’ Jackson, CB Aaron Robinson, CB Keion Crossen, and S J.R. Reed. Practice Squad player S Natrell Jamerson also remains on the list.

Kadarius, Oshane, and J.R. Reed are all back in the building,” said Head Coach Joe Judge before practice. “All three of them will work with the trainers at least to start practice to see where they’re at, to ramp them up. We’ll see if there’s any opportunity on the backend of practice even with some kind of a walkthrough with the team or where they would be. We’d have to remove them from the list and activate them to the roster to include them in team activities. First priority is to see where they are physically. Obviously, the trainers will check with them in terms of just how they feel. They’ve cleared all those tests, they’ve tested negative to get back in the building, but the bigger part will be getting them out here and seeing where they are from a standpoint of inactivity for the last week-and-a-half as well as the symptoms they had to deal with.”

OG Ben Bredeson (ankle) did not practice.

Limited in practice were RB Saquon Barkley (ankle), RB Gary Brightwell (neck), FB Cullen Gillaspia (shin), TE Kyle Rudolph (ankle), OT Andrew Thomas (ankle), NT Austin Johnson (foot), and DL Leonard Williams (triceps).

ROSTER MOVES…
After Thursday’s injury report was officially issued, the team announced that WR Kadarius Toney has been activated from Reserve/COVID-19 List. However, Toney is still dealing with an oblique injury and his status for Sunday’s game is in question.

The Giants activated WR/returner Pharoh Cooper from the Practice Squad as a COVID-19 replacement.

The team has also signed CB Darqueze Dennard and S Dwayne Johnson, Jr. to the Practice Squad.

The 30-year old, 5’11”, 205-pound Dennard was originally drafted in the 1st round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. He has spent time with the Bengals (2014–2019), Atlanta Falcons (2020), Arizona Cardinals (2021), and Indianapolis Colts (2021). Dennard has played in 85 regular-season games with 30 starts. He has not played in a game this year.

The 24-year old, 6’1”, 207-pound Johnson was signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Atlanta Falcons after the 2021 NFL Draft.  He spent almost two months on Atlanta’s Practice Squad before being cut in late October.

NO GIANTS ELECTED TO PRO BOWL…
No New York Giant was elected to the Pro Bowl in 2021.

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 Giants for the rest of the week. The team will likely issue an updated injury report on Friday. The Giants play the Eagles in Philadelphia on Sunday.

Dec 152021
 
Kadarius Toney, New York Giants (December 5, 2021)

Kadarius Toney – © USA TODAY Sports

DECEMBER 15, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The New York Giants held a light, walk-thru practice on Wednesday at Quest Diagnostics Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Not practicing were RB Saquon Barkley (ankle), OG Ben Bredeson (ankle), NT Austin Johnson (foot), CB Adoree’ Jackson (quad), and PK Graham Gano (illness).

Not on the official injury list, but also not practicing due to being placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 List were WR Kadarius Toney, WR John Ross, LB Cam Brown, LB Oshane Ximines, CB Aaron Robinson, and S Xavier McKinney.

Limited in practice were QB Daniel Jones (neck), LT Andrew Thomas (ankle) and DE Leonard Williams (triceps). The Giants have already announced that Jones will not play on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys.

Really status quo right now (with Jones),” said Head Coach Joe Judge. “Still hasn’t been cleared for contact. Talked to the doctors. I don’t have an immediate answer in terms of when that will change. He’s going to continue to practice with us, stay on the field, work on his conditioning. He’s in the training room, he’s in the meetings with all his teammates, but there’s no change of status right now.”

ROSTER MOVES…
On Monday, the Giants placed WR Kadarius Toney on the Reserve/COVID-19 List. Toney previously spent a week on the Reserve/COVID-19 list in late July. On Wednesday, the team also placed WR John Ross, LB Cam Brown, LB Oshane Ximines, CB Aaron Robinson, and S Xavier McKinney. All of these players tested positive, except for McKinney who was designated a high-risk close contact.

Meanwhile, OG/OC Wes Martin, who was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 List last week, is rejoining the team. He should officially be added to the 53-man roster shortly.

The Giants have re-signed DE Woodrow Hamilton to the Practice Squad and terminated the Practice Squad contract of QB Clayton Thorson.

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

Thorson was signed to the team’s Practice Squad for the second time this season last week.

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

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice again on Thursday. The coordinators, position coaches, and select players will also address the media.

Nov 102021
 
Xavier McKinney, New York Giants (November 7, 2021)

Xavier McKinney – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS HOLD FINAL PRACTICE BEFORE BYE WEEK…
The New York Giants held a light practice on Wednesday at Quest Diagnostics Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. This was their final practice for the rest of the week as the team is on its bye week.

XAVIER McKINNEY NAMED “NFC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK”…
New York Giants safety Xavier McKinney has been named “NFC Defensive Player of the Week” for his performance against the Las Vegas Raiders last Sunday. In that game, McKinney intercepted two passes, including one that he returned 41 yards for a defensive touchdown in the 23-16 victory. McKinney was also credited with seven tackles in the game.

McKinney now joins quarterback Daniel Graham and place kicker Graham Gano as Giants players who have won “Player of the Week” honors in 2021.

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

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
There is no scheduled availability to the team until next Monday.

Nov 022021
 
Daniel Jones, New York Giants (November 1, 2021)

Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 20 – NEW YORK GIANTS 17…
The New York Giants lost a tough game to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. With the loss, the Giants fall to 2-6 on the season.

The Chiefs held most of the team statistical advantages in the contest, out-gaining the Giants in first downs (29 to 18), total net yards (368 to 300), net yards rushing (107 to 72), net yards passing (261 to 228), and time of possession (34:38 to 25:22). Both teams were penalized heavily, the Giants being penalized 10 times for 88 yards and the Chiefs 12 times for 103 yards. The Giants won the turnover battle 2 to 1.

The Chiefs received the ball to start the game and promptly marched down the field 70 yards in 12 plays. But on 3rd-and-goal from the 5-yard line, quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ pass into the end zone was deflected and intercepted by safety Julian Love. The turnaround was short lived, however, as quarterback Daniel Jones was intercepted just two plays later, the ball being returned to the New York 13-yard line. Four plays after that, on 3rd-and-goal from the 6-yard line, Mahomes threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Chiefs 7 – Giants 0.

After both teams exchanged punts, the Giants finally began moving the ball on their third drive of the game. New York marched 85 yards in nine plays to tie the contest at 7-7 when Jones hit tight end Kyle Rudolph for a touchdown on 4th-and-goal from the 1-yard line. The big play on this possession was a 50-yard bomb to wideout John Ross. That was followed up by a 19-yard pass from wide receiver Kadarius Toney to fellow wide receiver Sterling Shepard.

Both teams exchanged punts again, but now it was Kansas City that put points on the board with an 11-play, 68-yard possession that resulted in a 3-yard touchdown run by running back Derrick Gore. The Giants responded with an 8-play, 86-yard drive that unfortunately stalled in the redzone. The big play on this drive was a 41-yard pass by Jones to running back Devontae Booker, combined with a roughing-the-passer penalty. New York settled for a 23-yard field goal by place kicker Graham Gano.

Neither team scored on their final possessions before intermission. At the half, the Chiefs led 14-10.

The Giants only gained one total first down on their first two drives of the 3rd quarter, punting twice. The Chiefs also punted once. Momentum began to change on Kansas City’s second possession of the half. After picking up four first downs and reaching the New York 28-yard line, the Chiefs were first pushed back with a holding penalty. Two plays later, safety Logan Ryan forced tight end Trave Kelce to fumble. Cornerback James Bradberry picked up the loose ball and returned it 13 yards to the New York 43-yard line. Eight plays after that, Jones threw a perfect pass to tight end Evan Engram for the go-ahead score on 3rd-and-4 from the 5-yard line. The Giants now led 17-14 early in the 4th quarter.

The Chiefs responded with a 14-play, 57-yard drive that set up a game-tying 36-yard field goal with just under 9 minutes to play. The Giants attempted to regain the lead, picking up two first downs, but were stopped at their own 42-yard line and forced to punt. The Chiefs got the ball back with 4:41 left to play. After a holding penalty, on 2nd-and-20, Mahomes threw a pass that was intercepted by cornerback Darnay Holmes at the Kansas City 34-yard line. However, linebacker Oshane Ximines was offsides on the play. Then on 2nd-and-15, Kelce caught a 14-yard pass and linebacker Tae Crowder was flagged with a bogus 15-yard face-mask penalty, moving the ball to near midfield. The Chiefs eventually reached the redzone, where they settled for the game-winning, 34-yard field goal with just over a minute left to play.

The Giants had one more shot to tie or win the game, but Jones was sacked twice, including on 4th-and-15 to end the game.

Jones finished the game 22-of-32 for 222 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. He was also sacked three times. His leading receiver was Booker, who caught five passes for 65 yards. Booker also ran the ball 15 times for 60 yards.

The Giants’ defense generated two sacks (defensive Leonard Williams and cornerback Keion Crossen), five tackles for losses, forced two fumbles (Williams and Ryan), recovered one fumble (Bradberry), and picked off one pass (Love).

Video highlights are available at Giants.com.

ROSTER MOVES, PRACTICE SQUAD ACTIVATIONS, INACTIVES, AND INJURY REPORT…
The Giants signed S Steven Parker to the 53-man roster from the Practice Squad. CB Aaron Robinson was activated from the Reserve/Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List. The team also placed LB Carter Coughlin on Injured Reserve with an ankle injury that he suffered in practice last week.

The Giants also elevated LB Trent Harris and LB Benardrick McKinney to the 53-man roster from the Practice Squad.

Inactive for the game were RB Saquon Barkley (ankle), WR Kenny Golladay (knee), LB Lorenzo Carter (ankle), S Nate Ebner (ankle), NT Danny Shelton, and S J.R. Reed.

WR Sterling Shepard (quad) and WR Dante Pettis (shoulder) were injured in the first half and did not return. WR Kadarius Toney (thumb) was also injured.

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Head Coach Joe Judge and select players will address the media by conference call on Tuesday.

Oct 292021
 
Kadarius Toney, New York Giants (October 10, 2021)

Kadarius Toney – © USA TODAY Sports

OCTOBER 29, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The New York Giants practiced on Friday at Quest Diagnostics Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

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

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

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

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

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

Oct 152021
 
Daniel Jones, New York Giants (October 10, 2021)

Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

OCTOBER 15, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The New York Giants practiced on Friday at Quest Diagnostics Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Not practicing were RB Saquon Barkley (ankle), WR Kenny Golladay (knee), and LB Justin Hilliard (Achilles tendon). Hilliard was placed on Injured Reserve later in the day and all three players have officially been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams.

Limited in practice were WR Sterling Shepard (hamstring), WR Darius Slayton (hamstring), WR Kadarius Toney (ankle), OT Andrew Thomas (foot), OG Ben Bredeson (hand), OG/OC Matt Skura (knee), S Logan Ryan (hip), S Jabrill Peppers (hamstring), and S Nate Ebner (quad). 

Slayton, Toney, Thomas, and Bredeson are “questionable” for the game. The other players are expected to play.

QB Daniel Jones (concussion) fully practiced and is expected to play on Sunday after being cleared by an independent neurological consultant.

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

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

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

Oct 112021
 
Saquon Barkley, New York Giants (October 10, 2021)

Saquon Barkley – © USA TODAY Sports

OCTOBER 11, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
Following up on yesterday’s bloodbath in Texas, here is the latest on the injury front:

  • QB Daniel Jones is in the NFL’s concussion protocol. “We won’t know anything officially until later in the week,” Head Coach Joe Judge said on Monday. “He’s got a series of steps by league mandate he has to go through, so we’ll wait patiently and get the other guys ready as we wait on him. Hopefully, he’s out there to play. Won’t have a definite answer on that until much later in the week.”
  • RB Saquon Barkley sprained his ankle. The NFL Network is reporting that Barkley is expected to miss at least one week and as possibly as many as four weeks. “I can’t confirm a timetable,” Judge said. “In terms of the X-rays that came back, (it was) better news than it could’ve been for us, so it was a little bit of a sigh of relief with a couple of things just knowing the player and what he’s battled through. He’s obviously with the doctors today. In terms of the timetable, we’ll find out a little today, but ultimately it will take the next day or so of him moving around and doing some things with the trainers and see what it will look like for this weekend or maybe the following week.”
  • WR Kenny Golladay suffered a knee injury. The NFL Network is reporting that while the injury was originally feared to be serious, Golladay may only miss a week.
  • WR Kadarius Toney injured his ankle in the game. “He was at the doctor when we went through our squad meeting today,” Judge said. “We’ll see where that comes out right there. Again, I don’t think – I don’t want to go ahead and put anything out there, but I don’t think it’s anything really significant in terms of season-ending. We’ll see how it affects him immediately in the future for this week. I know this is a guy that throughout the day yesterday was kind of going up and down a little bit with that ankle, but he was definitely fighting through a lot of things until a point where he was jumping back up to get back in the game, so tough kid.”
  • CB Rodarius Williams tore an ACL in his knee and will miss the rest of the season.

OCTOBER 11, 2021 JOE JUDGE PRESS CONFERENCE…
New York Giants Head Coach Joe Judge addressed the media on Monday to discuss his team’s 44-20 loss to the Dallas Cowboys:

Q: Do you have any updates you can give on (Quarterback) Daniel (Jones), (Running Back) Saquon (Barkley) and (Wide Receiver) Kenny Golladay?

A: I’d say in terms of Daniel, he’s in the protocol, so we won’t know anything officially on where he’s at until later in the week. He’s got a series of steps by league mandate he has to go through, so we’ll wait patiently and get the other guys ready as we wait on him. Hopefully, he’s out there to play. We won’t have a definite answer on that until much later in the week. In terms of Kenny and Saquon, those guys are actually getting looked at as we speak. We’re hopeful they dodged a couple of bullets, but we’ll kind of wait and see what the official diagnosis is for them.

Q: What do you think (Tackle) Andrew Thomas’s status is for this week and how did you feel like (Tackle) Nate Solder did filling in at left tackle?

A: In terms of Andrew, we’re optimistic to go ahead and get him out there with us and get him rolling. We put him in uniform yesterday – it was more of, like I said yesterday, more of an emergency type of deal. We had a plan going in to play the other guys first. He’s been improving as time went on. Nate and (Tackle) Matt (Peart) had a good week of practice last week. Went with them in the game. Think both guys did a lot of good things, some things we’ve obviously got to look at on tape today and clean up and correct. In terms of going out there and moving to the left side, Nate’s got a lot of experience over there, did a lot of good things for us. Tough matchup over there with some of those guys yesterday, but thought he gave us some opportunities, some time to get going. Coming out of the game last night with zero sacks, that’s something that was a goal of ours going in, an emphasis on protecting. The Cowboys are a very good front, a very good defense, able to get some pressure at different times. In terms of holding up as a group through some moving parts. I was pleased with the way the guys prepared and came out.

Q: In the past with Daniel when he’s run, sometimes there’s been ball security issues and things like that. Obviously, yesterday there was nothing like that. When you have a quarterback who you’re going to use his legs on designed runs and things like that, is there always a risk-reward as far as the punishment he’s going to take – he’s fighting for yards, he wants to get the first down, he wants to get to the goal line? When to be smart, when to slide and just the risk – I mean, you were in New England all those years with a quarterback who just did not do these kinds of things, he stayed in the pocket. With a running quarterback, how do you weigh all those things?

A: I’d say there are a lot of times too even nowadays with (Buccaneers Quarterback) Tom (Brady). Tom pulled the ball down a lot, would run and there are some things you have to calculate as far as the risk as the player on the field in the moment and what you have to get in-game. Something we talk to Daniel about a lot is when’s the time to push for the extra yards, when is the time to go ahead and get down and slide and protect yourself or get out of bounds, things of that nature. Obviously, yesterday Daniel went for the goal line on that one. It was a tough situation and we’ll see how he comes out of this.

Q: You were asked about Andrew and I wanted to ask you about Matt Peart. What did you think of his play and did he possibly earn some more snaps with his work on Sunday?

A: I thought Matt did a good job. A large part of Matt getting going into this year was he obviously came into training camp dealing with some things that started him out on PUP. There was a level of managing this guy early in training camp that he’s had to build in throughout the way with conditioning and experience. I thought Matt did a decent job. Plan would be to play all three guys if all three are healthy and keep moving these guys on through the rotation.

Q: First, defensively, what do you make of the idea that – obviously on offense we know there are missing pieces, there are reasons why the offense would struggle, but defensively it’s the same guys, the same coaches, the same scheme. Why do you think your defense has underachieved compared to where it was last year?

A: I think there are some things we have to clean up and make sure that we go out there and execute, and we eliminate what the opponent does well. That’s something that we’ve got to do a better job of as coaches and executing as players that we go out there and we play to what the opponent’s strengths are and make sure we eliminate their opportunities to have big plays and consistently play the way they want to play. That’s something we have to do a better job of as a team right now, something we have to coach better, something we have to execute better with. In terms of maximizing opportunities, when balls come our way, make plays and shut off what the opponent does well.

Q: I know you said Saquon is with the trainers now, but since we talked to you last night I’m sure you got those results back. There’s reports that it’s an ankle sprain and it’s maybe week-to-week, not month-to-month or day-to-day. Can you confirm those?

A: I can’t confirm a timetable. In terms of the X-rays that came back, (it was) better news than it could’ve been for us, so it was a little bit of a sigh of relief with a couple of things just knowing the player and what he’s battled through. He’s obviously with the doctors today. In terms of the timetable, we’ll find out a little today, but ultimately it will take the next day or so of him moving around and doing some things with the trainers and see what it will look like for this weekend or maybe the following week.

Q: You talked a little bit about the calculus of risks with quarterbacks running. Where was Daniel on that spectrum on the play where he got hurt? Is that something he should’ve extended for or tried to live for fourth down there? What was your take?

A: I’m not going to go ahead right now and second-guess anything Daniel did. The guy’s a competitive guy and I talk to him all the time. He’s a tough dude. I know he’s trying to make every extra yard, so I’m not going to sit here right now and try to second-guess what the players do. We’ve got to get the players confident to go out there and execute and be aggressive in what they do. We know he’s a guy that’s going to go ahead and always try to gain that extra yard, compete hard for the team. The ball security through the play – he held onto it through the duration of the play until obviously it came out at the very end. Ball security was solid on that, keeping the ball high and tight and he’s going to the goal line there trying to make a play for the team. We’ll take a look at some of the further schemes going forward, but in terms of Daniel as a runner, that’s something that’s been a strength for our team and it will continue to be a strength for our team.

Q: Was that a designed play or was that something that he picked up on himself? What was the call on that third down play?

A: There’s a number of things that go into all of our schemes. There’s a number of times he goes in – sometimes pre-snap checks or some kind of read the quarterback may have, so in terms of how that one shook out, I’m not going into the specifics. We had run a similar play a couple times in a row and there was a changeup off of it that obviously through the play development we saw.

Q: With Daniel, is it only the concussion or is his neck okay? It just looked like his neck got wrenched there too on that collision.

A: The biggest thing for the protocol is just being in it for the concussion. In terms of anything else, we’ll deal with that as it comes up. Right now, the focus is really the concussion.

Q: As far as the defense, you’re not getting a lot of pressure off the edge. How do you compensate for that? Obviously, around the league that’s how defenses are kind of taking over games, with guys coming off the edge? You just don’t seem to have that. How do you overcome that?

A: I think it comes down to all 11 on the field, I’ve talked about that a lot. In terms of the interior pressure we get to make sure we create the one-on-one matchups on the edge, maximize those opportunities and obviously covering to make sure that we have a chance to get home with the pressure up front. All 11 have to go out there and execute, got to be in the right call to make sure we give our players a chance and we’ve got to go out there and make sure that all 11 are doing their job so that someone has a chance to get home on that. But, we’ve had some pressure. We’ve got to make sure we finalize and capitalize with some tangible results and put them in position. Saw a lot of things yesterday in terms of getting pressure on (Cowboys Quarterback) Dak (Prescott). Fortunately, there was some bad accuracy on some throws. It was a focus of ours going into the game. We’ve got to be more consistent with it and keep making plays.

Q: What’s your message to your team in terms of dealing with these injuries, particularly when it’s to your starting quarterback and standout running back?

A: First off, we don’t want anyone to get hurt, but in terms of just being ready, we all go to practice every day and it’s the job of every coach to get every player ready to play and it’s the job of every player to be ready to play. When your number is called, we always expect everyone to step up, produce and compete for 60 minutes. We’ve got a next-man-up mentality. We don’t want to lose any of our players, I make that clear all the time. There’s a lot of great support in the locker room for each other, but that being said, everybody goes out there waiting for the opportunity to make a play, be productive and help the team. We have faith in our guys that they’ll be ready when we call them.

Q: What kind of confidence do you have in (Quarterback) Mike (Glennon)?

A: I have a ton of confidence in Mike. I have confidence in every player on our roster. Specifically being asked about Mike, I watch the way this guy prepares on a weekly basis. Does a great job as far as knowing our offense and also going against our defense and giving them fits in terms of how he’s really going out there and really competing within the periods, whether he’s running similar schemes to ours or something completely foreign to him that he’s got to simulate for the opponent’s look. I think Mike does a lot of good things, he’s got experience in the league, he’s very knowledgeable in our system, has a lot of good command at the line of scrimmage. He and Daniel work in hand-in-hand every day really seeing things through the same lens and making sure that the offense is being run the same way regardless of who’s in there, so I have a lot of confidence in Mike.

Q: What’s the extent of Rodarius Williams’ knee injury?

A: I can’t give a final – we’ll have to see. He’s getting some final checkups right now and maybe have an announcement for you guys later today. We’ll see where it goes, but I’m hopeful for the player that it’s not season-ending.

Q: I might’ve missed this, but with (Wide Receiver) Kadarius Toney, are you going to apply any discipline to him? Have you talked to him since last evening?

A: Yeah, I spoke to Kadarius already. I’ve spoken to the team as well. Look, that’s something we’re not going to condone. In terms of any discipline, I keep things in-house, so I’m not going to make any kind of public statements about anything that’s going to be happening in-house. But I spoke to KT. I’m not going to speak for him right now, I know he put something out there already, but I like the way this guy has responded to a lot of things and I’m confident he’s going to respond the right way to this.

Q: On Saquon, everybody saw that ankle, it was super swollen. How’s the swelling today from what you heard?

A: I have not put my eyes on his ankle specifically myself. In terms of what I’ve heard from the doctors, I know he had to get another checkup today to kind of take a look at it. This is going to be something I would say I wouldn’t expect him to be full speed on Wednesday, but we’ll see how he kind of loosens up and starts moving. There’s different things we can do for this as far as through treatment and all that and see how it gets going in the right direction.

Q: You seemed to just indicate – it’s a little surprise to me – that you’re going to have him on the field this week, like that’s where he’s at with this injury. Is that what you were saying there?

A: No, I said I would not expect him to be full speed on Wednesday.

Q: But not full speed means you do expect him out there in some degree. I mean, that’s what I’m taking from that. Am I understanding that wrong?

A: I’m not saying he’s going to be out there or not. I don’t have a final answer. He’s with the doctors. I’m just saying from what I know right now, I would not expect him to be anything different for Wednesday. So, whether he’s out there or not, I couldn’t give you an answer at this moment right now.

Q: So my other question was going to be about (Defensive Lineman) Leonard Williams. He obviously signed a huge deal this offseason, right? He’s the highest paid player on your team and with that comes expectations. How much more do you need from him given that he’s getting paid that much and he’s expected to be one of the best players on this defense?

A: Look, in terms of the money, that’s a different department. I leave the money at the door. When the players step in the meeting room, they step on the field, everyone’s on equal playing ground. So, in terms of money dictating expectations, that doesn’t cross the path with us. Everyone’s expected to be at their best, produce and put the team first. In terms of Leonard, he’s a guy that comes to work every day. He works tirelessly, he puts the team first, he’s got a great spirit, he’s got a great attitude, he’s a great leader. I’m pleased with the way he’s working and competing. Obviously, he sees a lot of combinations and double teams, players sliding to him and different things like that. Look, if you’re getting extra attention, we’ve got to make sure we get opportunities for other players to make plays off of one-one- one situations. I’m pleased with how Leonard’s doing. We’ll keep on doing different things schematically as a coaching staff to put him in a position to be successful and productive, but I’m very pleased in how he’s working and how he comes to work every day.

Q: What were the results of Kadarius’ X-rays and how badly is he hurt? Is there any concern that he might miss a game?

A: He was at the doctor when we went through our squad meeting today. We’ll see where that comes out. I don’t want to go ahead and put anything out there, but I don’t think it’s anything really significant in terms of season-ending. We’ll see how it affects him immediately in the future for this week. I know this is a guy that throughout the day yesterday was kind of going up and down a little bit with that ankle, but he was definitely fighting through a lot of things until a point where he was jumping back up to get back in the game, so tough kid.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum:

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