Jul 252023
 
Wan'Dale Robinson, New York Giants (October 16, 2022)

Wan’Dale Robinson – © USA TODAY Sports

The New York Giants have made nine more roster moves in advance of tomorrow’s first summer training camp practice.

Placed on the Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List:

  • WR Sterling Shepard (coming off ACL tear)
  • WR Wan’Dale Robinson (coming off ACL tear)
  • OG Marcus McKethan (coming off ACL tear)
  • DL A’Shawn Robinson (coming off meniscus tear)
  • DL D.J. Davidson (coming off ACL tear)
  • CB Aaron Robinson (coming off ACL tear)

Placed on the Non-Football Injury List:

  • WR Jamison Crowder (calf)

Placed on the Reserve/Did-Not-Report List:

  • DL Vernon Butler

In addition, cornerback Leonard Johnson was waived off of Injured Reserve with an injury settlement.

Players on the PUP still count towards the 90-man roster limit.

Jul 212023
 
Cole Beasley, Buffalo Bills (January 15, 2023)

Cole Beasley – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS SIGN COLE BEASLEY AND JAMES ROBINSON
The New York Giants have signed unrestricted free agent wide receiver Cole Beasley (Buffalo Bills) and street free agent running back James Robinson (released by the New England Patriots on June 12).

The 34-year old, 5’8”, 174-pound Beasley was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Dallas Cowboys after the 2012 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Cowboys (2012-2018), Bills (2019-2021, 2022), and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2022). Beasley has played in 138 regular-season games with 41 starts, catching 489 passes for 4,966 yards, and 28 touchdowns. He barely played in 2022 for the Buccaneers and Bills, but started 18 games for the Bills in 2020-2021. In 2020, he earned second-team All-Pro honors, catching 82 passes for 967 yards and four touchdowns. Beasley also has some experience returning punts earlier in his career.

The 24-year old, 5’9”, 219-pound Robinson was originally signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2020 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Jaguars (2020-2022), New York Jets (2022), and New England Patriots (2023). Robinson has played in 39 regular season games with 32 starts, rushing the ball 514 times for 2,262 yards and 18 touchdowns. He was most productive in 2020-2021 when he started 27 games, but he did tear his Achilles’ tendon near the end of the 2021 campaign.

OTHER ROSTER MOVES
As expected, the Giants have placed Jarrad Davis on season-ending Injured Reserve with a knee injury that required surgery. The team also waived/failed physical cornerback Leonard Johnson with an undisclosed injury.

The Giants signed cornerback Darren Evans to the 90-man roster. Evans was originally signed an an undrafted rookie free agent by the Giants after the 2022 NFL Draft. He was waived before the season started. He spent a day on the team’s Practice Squad before being cut again.

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
New York Giants veterans report to summer training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center on Tuesday, July 25th. The first training camp practice is on Wednesday, July 26th.

Jul 102023
 
Adoree' Jackson, New York Giants (September 18, 2022)

Adoree’ Jackson – © USA TODAY Sports

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 Backs

2022 YEAR IN REVIEW: Don “Wink” Martindale’s aggressive defensive system places a great deal of pressure on defensive backs, who must be able to be left alone on an island in man coverage. One mistake could result in an easy touchdown. With that understanding in mind, it is a minor miracle that the Giants defensive backfield was able to hold up as well as it did in 2022 given injuries and the pedigree of many of the component parts that made up the whole unit.

The release of James Bradberry in May left a gaping hole at cornerback with the injury-prone Adoree’ Jackson remaining as the only proven starter. Nickel corner and 2021 3rd-rounder Aaron Robinson was moved outside and won the job opposite of Jackson in training camp. However, Robinson missed Weeks 2 and 3 with with appendicitis. He then tore his ACL and MCL in Week 4 and was lost for the season. Another 2021 draft pick, Rodarius Williams, was still recovering from a previous ACL and was also on IR. That left the Giants with three options outside: Nick McCloud (who was claimed off of waivers from the Bills in late August), Justin Layne (who was claimed off of waivers from the Steelers in late August), and Fabian Moreau (who was released by the Texans in late August). The defensive staff turned to Moreau, who started the rest of the season except for Week 11 (oblique injury) and Week 17 (healthy scratch). While Moreau was not an ideal starter, he performed better than anticipated.

The situation at outside corner got even shakier in the second half of the season when Jackson was lost for the final seven regular-season games with an MCL knee sprain he suffered while the coaching staff foolishly had him returning a punt. Jackson, who had been playing at a very high level, did not return until the playoffs. The Giants then turned to McCloud, who started those remaining seven games. McCloud had his ups and downs in coverage, particularly against upper echelon receivers, but played better than expected.

The Giants waived Layne in mid-November when Rodarius Williams was healthy enough to return (however, Williams only played in three games all season). Undrafted rookie free agent Zyon Gilbert spent the entire season on the Practice Squad but was a standard elevation three times, starting once.

At slot corner, the Giants had drafted Cor’Dale Flott in the 3rd round, but it was Darnay Holmes who served as the team’s primary nickel corner. He missed one game due to a shoulder injury. Holmes played a physical, aggressive game, but had issues in coverage at key moments of football games. Holmes also was a penalty machine, being flagged nine times. Flott saw quite a bit of action, playing in 11 games.

Safety was not immune to drama either. The Giants had parted ways with Jabrill Peppers in the offseason, opening the door for Julian Love, who had a career season. Love started 16 regular-season games and finished the year with a team-high 124 tackles. He played in 95 percent of defensive snaps and was flagged only once.

The problem was Xavier McKinney was lost for virtually the entire second-half of the season due to an off-the-field ATV accident during the bye week that caused multiple fractures in his left hand, requiring surgery. McKinney missed seven regular-season games. He also was a “healthy” scratch in the regular-season finale. This meant the team was without its two best defensive backs for the second-half of the year.

Making matters worse at safety was that veteran Tony Jefferson, who the had been added to the 53-man roster in early October, was lost a week later when he was placed on IR with a foot injury. He did not return until December. Rookie 4th-rounder Dane Belton broke his clavicle in early August in training camp. He missed the entire preseason and first regular-season game. Belton also appeared on the injury report a few times in November and December with a clavicle injury and was never completely healthy. Nevertheless, Belton did play in 15 regular-season games with five starts.

With Love shifting to Xavier McKinney’s spot, it was Jason Pinnock who picked up much of the slack. The Giants claimed Pinnock off of waivers from the Jets in late August. He played in 14 games, starting five contests in the second half of the season. However, he also missed three games due to shoulder and ankle injuries.

Undrafted rookie free agent Trenton Thompson spent the year on the Practice Squad, but did play in one game on special teams. The Giants also signed ex-Ram Terrell Burgess to the Practice Squad in November 2022. Burgess played in one regular-season game, also exclusively on special teams.

In summary, for much of the season, the Giants were without their two best defensive backs, being forced to start three players who had been cut in August (Moreau, McCloud, Pinnock). When you factor in the injuries on the defensive line (including Leonard Williams missing a month), Kayvon Thibodeaux starting off slowly due to injury, Azeez Ojulari missing most of the year, and in-season pick-ups starting at inside linebacker, you really appreciate what the defensive staff was able to accomplish with those who were still standing. If you had told fans that in August, they would have predicted a 3-14 season.

ADDITIONS/SUBTRACTIONS: The Giants did not re-sign any of their unrestricted free agents. Fabian Moreau, who started 11 games for the Giants, remains a free agent. Tony Jefferson also found no takers, retired, and has joined the Ravens’ scouting department. The team’s biggest free agent loss was clearly Julian Love, who signed a 2-year, $12 million contract with the Seahawks. At one point, the Giants had attempted to re-sign him, but it appears he priced himself out their price range.

The Giants did re-sign Practice Squaders Zyon Gilbert, Trenton Thompson and Terrell Burgess, but Burgess was waived after failing a physical in May.

In free agency, the Giants added CB Amani Oruwariye (UFA from the Lions) and S Bobby McCain (cut by Commanders). Undrafted CB Leonard Johnson, who did not play in 2022, was also signed.

The big addition was the 1st-round selection of Deonte Banks, who the team moved up one spot to acquire. The Giants also drafted CB Tre Hawkins in the 6th round and S Gervarrius Owens in the 7th round, meaning that almost half of their draft picks were spent on the defensive backfield. The Giant signed undrafted rookie free agents CB Gemon Green and S Alex Cook after the Draft.

TRAINING CAMP STORY LINES:  Last season, this coaching staff made due with other team’s castoffs. Just as with the defensive line and linebacker, there appears to be more stability now. Most eyes will be focused on how quickly and effectively Deonte Banks, as a rookie, can nail down the starting cornerback spot opposite of Adoree’ Jackson. But there are many interesting and important story lines at this position.

Depth at cornerback. As we saw last year, players get hurt. And Adoree’ Jackson has missed time for four seasons in a row. Aaron Robinson had won the starting job before he got hurt, but he’s coming off a serious knee injury. He will compete against Amani Oruwariye, Rodarius Williams, Tre Hawkins, Zyon Gilbert, Leonard Johnson, and Gemon Green. Oruwariye is a wild card. At times, he was spectacular in Detroit, at other times awful. Rodarius Williams has flashed but also left a bad taste last year while publicly complaining about playing time. While Hawkins was a late pick, he also was one of the team’s 30 pre-draft visits.

Cor’Dale Flott will likely press Darnay Holmes at slot corner. He could also be a factor outside while Robinson could also be moved back inside. The ability of all three of these players to play inside does help their respective chances.

McCloud could be a more important piece than realized with the loss of Julian Love. The Giants had McCloud working at safety this spring, and that kind of versatility is what the coaching staff appreciated about Love. Regardless, the Giants must fill this vacancy, and that battle will be one of the most interesting of training camp. The leading contenders are McCloud, Bobby McCain, Dane Belton, and Jason Pinnock.

ON THE BUBBLE: There are currently 19 defensive backs on the 90-man roster. The Giants are likely to carry somewhere between 10 and 12 on the roster. The only sure bets are Adoree’ Jackson, Deonte Banks, and Xavier McKinney. However, Cor’Dale Flott and Dane Belton have a greater chance to make it given their 2022 draft status. Nick McCloud’s versatility also seems to be growing in importance. While everyone else is “on the bubble”, this may be the toughest position group on the team to predict as most of these guys have enough talent to make a roster. In other words, don’t count out guys even like Zyon Gilbert.

FROM COACHES AND PLAYERS: Defensive Coordinator Wink Martindale on Deonte Banks: “I just think he’s everything you want in a corner, starting off with he is tough and he can tackle. He likes to play press coverage and he likes to be on the island out there. He loves the challenge of it. You can see he’s that way here. Very humble kid.”

Defensive Backs Coach Jerome Henderson on Deonte Banks: “When you see his physical skillset, you’re absolutely excited about that. His size, his speed, his strength, his toughness, his one-on-one demeanor. We think we got a good one. I was really excited to get the guy we wanted.”

Defensive Backs Coach Jerome Henderson on slot corners: “It used to be that you only put little corners inside, twitchy small guys. But now it’s become a match-up game and it depends on who their slot (receiver) is because you get some big guys in there to deal with. That’s why we like having so many guys with versatility, when you think of X (McKinney), McCloud, Bobby McCain, and you add our corners into the mix, we have options to match the bodies hopefully and get it right… You may have that guy who you like versus anybody. Hopefully, we have that guy. If we don’t, we’ll go by the committee approach.”

Defensive Backs Coach Jerome Henderson on Nick McCloud:“He’s been repping at safety in the spring. He played everything (last season). Big, physical, fast, versatile. We do so much with our safeties covering the slot. We’re blitzing the nickel (cornerback) and now we need a guy who can cover that slot receiver. So we like him for that. We like him for his toughness, we like him for his competitiveness. We thought he would help us at the safety position… Right now, he’s just playing safety.”

Adoree’ Jackson on Nick McCloud: “I think Nick is a man, a Swiss Army knife. A guy that is going to do whatever you ask him to do, he’s going to do it at a high level. One thing I can say I appreciate Nick never put his head down, never wavering, never being woe is me, just like, ‘coach what do you need me to do’. Him being able to switch around it’s great because we can utilize him in different ways. I say I just appreciate Nick for him being unselfish. A lot of guys probably would be mad or whatever it may be, but him just going out there and loving the game, having fun with it, good things happen. It gets him on the field as well.”

PREDICTIONS/CLOSING THOUGHTS: Let’s be clear. Wink Martindale did not have two outside cornerbacks who he could completely trust to leave on an island last season. As I said above, it’s a minor miracle the Giants got as far as they did with late August castoffs. Things change now with Adoree’ Jackson and Deonte Banks. Yes, Adoree’ has to stay healthy. And yes, there will be growing pains with Banks. But when the two of them are on the field together, Martindale can really dial it up.

At corner, my focus really is going to be more at the slot position, and outside depth. Darnay Holmes is a lightning rod for fans. He’s an aggressive, physical player. But he was successfully targeted by opposing teams late in games, and he obviously gets too grabby, which leads to penalties. Holmes says he’s been working on this hard this offseason. We shall see. Meanwhile, Cor’Dale Flott lurks as does potentially Aaron Robinson.

Outside, the Giants really need to find solid 3rd and 4th corners. Robinson got hurt before he could demonstrate he could play outside. Tre Hawkins was obviously on the team’s radar scope, but he’s raw. As already mentioned, Oruwariye is a wild card. He could thrive under Jerome Henderson and Wink’s press-man schemes. On the other hand, he could be one of the first guys on the chopping block.

Keep one important thing in mind, Jackson is in the last year of his expensive contract ($19 million cap hit in 2023). Like the situation with Leonard Williams and the defensive line, cornerback could also be pretty high on the draft priority list in 2024.

Finding someone to play opposite of Xavier McKinney at safety is one of the more interesting training camp battles. Strong (and premature) cases could be made for Bobby McCain, Dane Belton, and Jason Pinnock winning a starting job. But now Nick McCloud enters into the picture. Could he be the next Julian Love? And don’t completely discount a guy coming out of nowhere like rookie Gervarrius Owens.

If any of these young guys want to really help their chances, they should go all out on special teams, especially with the Giants possibly parting ways with core special teamers come cutdown day.

FINAL DEPTH CHART: This was the toughest group for me to predict. Here are my thoughts:

Corner: Adoree’ Jackson, Deonte Banks, Aaron Robinson, Cor’Dale Flott, Amani Oruwariye, Tre Hawkins

I wanted to go with seven, but there simply isn’t room. I’d prefer to keep Darnay Holmes but someone had to go and if he’s pressed by Flott and/or Robinson, keeping him makes less sense with an almost $3 million cap hit. However, things change if Robinson is on the PUP and/or Oruwariye continues to struggle like he did in 2022. My guess here is Wink has a preference for big corners who can press, which gives the nod to Oruwariye and Hawkins behind the two starters. Flott and Robinson are the slot guys. Their ability to also play outside helps them immensely. Regardless, the competition here is intense and I would not completely discount Rodarius Williams.

Safety: Xavier McKinney, Bobby McCain, Nick McCloud, Dane Belton, Jason Pinnock

I wanted to go with six, but again, a numbers game. Gervarrius Owens, who made some plays this spring, could easily make the final 53. Heck, Alex Cook was sporting the green dot with the back-up safeties. His best shot, however, is likely the Practice Squad.

Mar 202023
 
Jon Feliciano, New York Giants (January 21, 2023)

Jon Feliciano – © USA TODAY Sports

JON FELICIANO SIGNS WITH 49ers…
New York Giants unrestricted free agent center Jon Feliciano has signed a 1-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers. Feliciano is the third unrestricted free agent to depart from the team this offseason, joining center/guard Nick Gates and safety Julian Love.

The Giants signed Feliciano in March 2022 after he was cut by the Buffalo Bills. The Giants converted him from guard to center, where he started 15 regular- and two post-season games, missing one game due to a neck injury and the other a healthy scratch in the regular-season finale. Feliciano had an up-and-down year. His veteran presence and knowledge of Brian Daboll’s offense helped the offensive team. While he brought a toughness, feistiness, and grittiness to the line, his athletic limitations proved to be an issue against better opponents. Feliciano was also flagged six times (four holding, one ineligible downfield, and one taunting penalty).

The 6’4”, 325-pound Feliciano was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. He signed as a free agent with the Bills in March 2019. Feliciano has now played in 97 regular-season games with 54 starts. He is a versatile player who can play both guard positions and center.

For a listing of the team’s free agents, see the New York Giants 2023 Free Agency Scorecard.

GIANTS ADD CORNERBACK…
The Giants have signed cornerback Leonard Johnson, a cornerback from Duke University who tore the ACL in one of his knees while training before the 2022 NFL Draft. Because of the injury, Johnson went undrafted and did not sign with any NFL team last year.

DARIUS SLAYTON PRESS CONFERENCE…
Wide receiver Darius Slayton, who the Giants re-signed as an unrestricted free agent, addressed the media on Monday. The transcript of this press conference is available in The Corner Forum, while the video is available on YouTube.

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

Mark Herzlich – © USA TODAY Sports

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

Placed on the Reserve/Suspended List:

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

Placed on the Reserve/Non-Football Illness List:

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

Placed on Injured Reserve:

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

Waived or contracts terminated:

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

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

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

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

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

ARTICLES…

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

Aug 042018
 
Mark Herzlich and Michael Thomas, New York Giants (August 1, 2018)

Mark Herzlich and Michael Thomas – © USA TODAY Sports

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AUGUST 4, 2018 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their ninth full-team summer training camp practice on Saturday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The complete training camp schedule is available at Giants.com.

INJURY REPORT – ELI APPLE HURTS KNEE…
Not practicing on Saturday were safety Curtis Riley (hamstring), cornerback Donte Deayon (hamstring), cornerback William Gay (hamstring), linebacker Thurston Armbrister (hamstring), and defensive lineman R.J. McIntosh (unknown – Active/Non-Football Illness list).

Cornerback Teddy Williams was still absent due to personal reasons.

Cornerback Eli Apple left practice early with an injury to his left knee. After practice, Apple was limping but said he was OK.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • Running back Saquon Barkley did not take any reps during the team portion of practice. Jonathan Stewart and Wayne Gallman split first-team snaps at running back. Stewart flashed some speed and scored on an outside run when safety Landon Collins lost contain.
  • Darian Thompson was starting at safety along with Landon Collins.
  • Tight end Evan Engram was very active catching the football.
  • In 11-on-11 drills, quarterback Eli Manning lobbed a pass into the corner of the end zone where tight end Evan Engram made a leaping catch for the touchdown, beating safety Landon Collins.
  • Quarterback Davis Webb threw a fade pass into the corner of the end zone to wide receiver Russell Shepard for a touchdown.
  • Quarterback Eli Manning found wide receiver Sterling Shepard down the sideline for a long touchdown.
  • Cornerback Janoris Jenkins intercepted a quarterback Eli Manning pass intended for wideout Kalif Raymond.
  • Cornerback Chris Lewis-Harris ripped the ball away from wide receiver Marquis Bundy for an incomplete pass. Lewis-Harris tallied at least four pass deflections on Saturday.
  • Brett Jones received first-team snaps at center for the second day in a row, along with Jon Halapio.
  • Wide receiver Amba-Etta Tawo received some first-team snaps.
  • Safety Michael Thomas picked off a pass from quarterback Davis Webb that deflected off of wideout Travis Rudolph.
  • Quarterback Davis Webb rolled out to his right and completed a sideline pass to wideout Kalif Raymond.
  • Safety Andrew Adams knocked away a quarterback Kyle Lauletta pass intended for wideout Russell Shepard.
  • Defensive end Kerry Wynn quickly penetrated into the backfield for a “sack.” Wynn had an active day.
  • Off a stunt, linebacker Kareem Martin also registered a “sack.”
  • Linebacker Avery Moss “sacked” the quarterback off an inside rush. Linebacker Lorenzo Carter also had a sack during the 2-minute drill and was constantly disruptive during practice.
  • During the 2-minute drill, quarterback Eli Manning found tight end Rhett Ellison for a 28-yard gain and then hit tight end Jerell Adams for a touchdown over safety Landon Collins on a fade route.
  • During the 2-minute drill, quarterback Kyle Lauletta threw a bomb to wide receiver Jawill Davis, but he could not get the offense into the end zone.

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:

ARTICLES…

Aug 032018
 
Odell Beckham, Jr., New York Giants (August 1, 2018)

Odell Beckham, Jr. – © USA TODAY Sports

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AUGUST 3, 2018 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their eighth full-team summer training camp practice on Friday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The complete training camp schedule is available at Giants.com.

“Another morning practice, and tomorrow what we’re going to do is we’re going to go back to the afternoon and then we’re going to have a little barbeque after that for the families,” said Head Coach Pat Shurmur after practice. “But, good work. You’ll notice I took the pads off them. Four days in a row here, I thought we banged really well the last two days, very physical, went back today to a lot of individual, a lot of isolated drill work, some ball security, ball disruption stuff, stuff you work on all the time but we put a little bit more of an emphasis on it. Then we got some good team work, especially stuff we did in the red zone. So, productive day, I thought it was very competitive, thought there was good energy, and now we’ll keep moving on.”

NEW YORK GIANTS SIGN LEONARD JOHNSON…
The New York Giants have signed cornerback Leonard Johnson. The 28-year old, 5’10”, 194-pound Johnson was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the 2012 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Buccaneers (2012-2015), New England Patriots (2015), Carolina Panthers (2016), and Buffalo Bills (2017). In six NFL seasons, Johnson has played in 77 regular-season games with 27 starts, including seven starts with the Bills in 2017, when he was the team’s slot corner. Johnson has five career interceptions, but the last came in 2014.

To make room for Johnson, the Giants waived cornerback Kenneth Durden again. The Giants signed Durden in June 2018, cut him, and re-signed him in July 2018. The 6’1”, 180-pound Durden was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Oakland Raiders after the 2016 NFL Draft. He spent his rookie season on the Raiders’ Practice Squad before being cut in September 2017. The Tennessee Titans then signed him to their Practice Squad and cut him in October 2017.

INJURY REPORT…
Not practicing on Friday were safety Curtis Riley (hamstring), cornerback Donte Deayon (hamstring), linebacker Thurston Armbrister (hamstring), and defensive lineman R.J. McIntosh (unknown – Active/Non-Football Illness list).

Cornerback William Gay (hamstring?) left practice early with his thigh wrapped.

Cornerback Teddy Williams was excused from practice due to personal reasons.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • Giants were in helmets and shells today with no tackling.
  • Tight end Evan Engram appeared to beat cornerback William Gay deep down the field, but Gay was able to recover and knock the pass away.
  • Running back Jonathan Stewart picked up a blitzing cornerback Janoris Jenkins, but quarterback Eli Manning was still chased down by linebacker Olivier Vernon for a “sack.”
  • John Jerry was back at second-team right guard with Victor Salako now the third-team right tackle.
  • For the second day in a row, cornerback C.W. Webb, who has been taking some first-team snaps at slot corner, picked off quarterback Davis Webb. Later, Webb was picked off again, this time by linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong.
  • Brett Jones practiced with the first team at center and John Greco with the second team at center. Jon Halapio was back as the first-team center by the end of practice.
  • Safety Orion Stewart picked off quarterback Alex Tanney near the goal line on a deep pass intended for wide receiver Alonzo Russell.
  • Cornerback William Gay, who has been playing nickel corner and some safety, did a nice job of covering tight end Evan Engram in the end zone.
  • Cornerback Eli Apple broke up a deep pass from quarterback Eli Manning intended for wideout Sterling Shepard.
  • Giants continue to split running back Saquon Barkley out wide as a receiving target with good success. He beat cornerback Janoris Jenkins for a touchdown on a slant route.
  • Wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. made a diving catch in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown on a pass from a scrambling quarterback Eli Manning.
  • Running back Rob Martin flashed some explosiveness on a run up the middle. He also made a one-handed catch on a screen pass.
  • Wide receiver Jawill Davis made a sliding catch in the end zone for a touchdown.
  • Linebacker Connor Barwin continues to give second-string tackles Nick Becton and Chad Wheeler fits.
  • Place kicker Aldrick Rosas was 3-of-4 on field goal attempts.

HEAD COACH PAT SHURMUR…
The transcript of Pat Shurmur’s press conference on Friday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available at Giants.com.

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

ARTICLES…