Mar 212022
 
Matt Breida, Buffalo Bills (November 21, 2021)

Matt Breida – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS SIGN MATT BREIDA AND JIHAD WARD…
The New York Giants have signed unrestricted free agents running back Matt Breida (Buffalo Bills) and defensive end Jihad Ward (Jacksonville Jaguars).

The 27-year old, 5’10”, 195-pound Breida was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the San Francisco 49ers after the 2017 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the 49ers (2017-2020), Miami Dolphins (2020), and Buffalo Bills (2021). Breida has played in 64 regular season games with 19 starts, rushing the ball 466 times for 2,281 yards (4.9 yards per carry) and seven touchdowns. He also has caught 83 passes 729 yards and six touchdowns. In 2021 with the Bills, Breida played in nine games, only carrying the ball 26 times for 125 yards and one touchdown. He also caught seven passes for 72 yards and two touchdown. Breida has fumbled the ball seven times in his career.

The 27-year, 6’5”, 290-pound Ward was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. He has spent time with the Raiders (2016-2017), Dallas Cowboys (2018), Indianapolis Colts (2018-2019), Baltimore Ravens (2019-2020), and Jaguars (2021). Ward has played in 68 regular-season games with 15 starts, accruing 91 tackles, 12 tackles for losses, 10 sacks, and three fumble recoveries. In 2021 with the Jaguars, Ward played in all 17 games with one start and finished the year with 32 tackles, three tackles for losses, and two sacks.

For an overview of the team’s free agent activity, see the 2022 New York Giants Free Agent Signings and New York Giants 2022 Free Agency Scorecard sections of the website.

FALCONS SIGN LORENZO CARTER…
The Atlanta Falcons have signed New York Giants unrestricted free agent linebacker Lorenzo Carter to a 1-year contract.

A year after rupturing his Achilles’ tendon in 2020, Carter surprisingly bounced back quickly in 2021 and played possibly the best football of his career down the stretch of the season. Carter started all 14 games that he played in (66 percent of defensive snaps), missing three mid-season games with an ankle injury. He finished with career-high stats in tackles (44) and sacks (5) while also being credited with six tackles for losses, eight quarterback hits, one interception, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.

The Giants drafted Carter in the 3rd round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He played in 15 games with two starts as a rookie, and then started 12-of-15 games in 2019. Carter missed 11 games in 2020 due to the Achilles’ injury.

For an overview of the team’s free agent activity, see the 2022 New York Giants Free Agent Losses and New York Giants 2022 Free Agency Scorecard sections of the website.

GIANTS RE-STRUCTURE GRAHAM GANO’S CONTRACT…
ESPN is reporting that the Giants and place kicker Graham Gano have agreed to a contract re-structure. The Giants converted $2.63 million of Gano’s salary into a bonus, creating $1.753 million in cap space. A void year was also added to his contract, which was set to expire after the 2023 season.

MEDIA SESSIONS WITH PLAYERS…
The media sessions with following recently signed players are available at Giants.com:

Jan 092022
 
New York Giants Fan (January 9, 2022)

© USA TODAY Sports

WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM 22 – NEW YORK GIANTS 7…
The New York Giants ended yet another dismal season on yet another dismal note. In a dreary, mostly empty MetLife Stadium, the Giants were once again pummeled by their opponent, this time the Washington Football Team, losing 22-7. The Giants lost their final six games of the season and finished with a 4-13 record, dead last in the NFC East. The Giants were 1-5 in the division, being swept by both Washington and the Dallas Cowboys.

The game was an unwatchable mess in the first half, with both teams struggling. Washington was less incompetent, beginning and ending the first half with field-goal drives that resulted in a 6-0 halftime advantage. In between those two possessions, Washington punted four times.

New York was worse. The Giants’ first possession gained 45 yards on 10 plays, but ended with a turnover on downs on a wide receiver end-around on 4th-and-1 that lost three yards. The Giants did not gain another first down for the rest of the half, punting four times.

The comical low point came late in the 2nd quarter. Facing a 2nd-and-10 at their own 3-yard line after a terrible pass from quarterback Jake Fromm, the Giants were first forced to call a timeout because they didn’t have enough men on the field. Then came a false start. Unbelievably, on 2nd-and-11 and 3rd-and-9, the Giants ran quarterback sneaks just to set up a punt and prevent disaster.

At the break, New York had only accrued 48 yards of offense (38 rushing, 10 passing) with just two first downs.

The teams exchanged punts to start the 3rd quarter. Then Washington went up 12-0 when cornerback Bobby McCain intercepted Fromm and returned the pick 30 yards for a touchdown (the 2-point conversion attempt failed).

The Giants did manage to stay in the game a little longer by finally putting together a scoring drive, moving the ball 69 yards in 14 plays, including converting on two 4th-down plays. Fromm finished the possession with a 22-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Darius Slayton, who was left uncovered on the play. Washington 12 – New York 7.

But in typical Giants’ fashion, it was now the turn of the defense to disappoint as Washington responded with an easy 8-play, 72-yard drive that extended the lead to 19-7 with just under six and a half minutes to play. Washington immediately got the ball back when an untouched Fromm fumbled the ball away out of his throwing motion. The “Football Team” recovered at the New York 12-yard line. Four plays later, Washington kicked a 23-yard field goal to make it a 22-7 game.

Both teams punted once more. The game ended on a Fromm interception at the Washington goal line.

Offensively, the Giants only gained 10 first downs and 177 total net yards (94 rushing, 83 passing). Fromm finished 15-of-31 for 103 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions, and one lost fumble. His “leading” receiver was tight end Kyle Rudolph who caught four passes for 17 yards. Fromm was the leading rusher, carrying the ball five times for 53 yards. Running back Saquon Barkley was held to just 30 yards on 11 carries; running back Devontae Booker only had 14 yards on eight carries.

Defensively, the Giants only allowed 16 first downs. But Washington did gain 325 total net yards with 226 of those coming on the ground. The defense did not force a turnover.

Video lowlights are available at Giants.com.

ROSTER MOVES, PRACTICE SQUAD ACTIVATIONS, INACTIVES, AND INJURY REPORT…
On Saturday, the Giants signed WR David Sills from the Practice Squad to the 53-man roster. In addition, QB Brian Lewerke and WR Alex Bachman were activated from the Practice Squad to the 53-man roster for this game. The team also re-signed QB Clayton Thorson to the Practice Squad.

Inactive for the game were QB Mike Glennon (wrist), WR Kadarius Toney (shoulder), and WR John Ross (knee).

RG Will Hernandez left the game in the first half with an ankle injury and did not return.

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:

POST-GAME NOTES…
In their final four games, the Giants scored just two touchdowns on 46 offensive possessions.

The Giants passed for less than 200 net yards in each of their last nine games, their longest streak since going 12 games in a row spanning the 2004-2005 seasons.

The Giants lost their sixth consecutive game, their longest season-ending losing streak since they lost their final eight games in 2003.

2022 NEW YORK GIANTS OPPONENTS SET…
The New York Giants will face the following teams in the 2022 regular-season:

Home:

  • Dallas Cowboys
  • Philadelphia Eagles
  • Washington Football Team
  • Chicago Bears
  • Detroit Lions
  • Carolina Panthers
  • Houston Texans
  • Indianapolis Colts
  • Baltimore Ravens

Away:

  • Dallas Cowboys
  • Philadelphia Eagles
  • Washington Football Team
  • Green Bay Packers
  • Minnesota Vikings
  • Seattle Seahawks
  • Jacksonville Jaguars
  • Tennessee Titans
Dec 262021
 

Clown World

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 34 – NEW YORK GIANTS 10…
There is bad. And then there is really, really, really awful. And that’s what the New York Football Giants were in their 34-10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Giants utterly embarrassed themselves with their comically pathetic play in a game that was often painful to watch because of the ineptitude of both teams. New York is now 4-11 on the season and getting worse with each passing week. It’s also becoming increasingly clear that the franchise has no idea what they are doing. Welcome to Clown World.

Officially, the Giants were eliminated from playoff contention.

The Giants started Jake Fromm at quarterback. A few weeks ago, he was on the Practice Squad of the Buffalo Bills. Now we know why. Behind a poor offensive line, Fromm struggled with his decision-making and accuracy. He finished the game 6-of-17 for 25 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception. He was also sacked twice.

The Giants had six offensive possessions in the first half, including two that started with outstanding field position at their own 41 and 49 yard lines. Five of these resulted in a total of three first downs and five punts. Their only scoring drive came at the of the 1st quarter and beginning of the 2nd quarter when the Giants “drove” 39 yards in 11 plays. This resulted in a 54-yard field goal and their only lead of the game, 3-0.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia struggled on offense in the first half as well. Poor offensive execution by the Eagles and solid first-half defense by the Giants resulted in only two first downs and four straight punts by Philadelphia to start the game. The Eagles began moving the ball in the 2nd quarter. One 9-play, 53-yard drive ended with a missed 41-yard field goal. That was followed up by a 7-play, 56-yard drive that ended with a successful 22-yard field goal at the 2-minute warning.

At the break, the game was tied 3-3.

The roof collapsed in the 3rd and early 4th quarters. What had been an ugly 3-3 game quickly turned into a 34-3 embarrassment for the Giants. Counting their field goal in the first half, the Eagles scored 34 unanswered points. At one point in the 3rd quarter, the Giants had more punts (8) than first downs (7) in the game.

Fromm was benched in the 3rd quarter after two more possessions, the first ending with a bad interception . He was replaced by Mike Glennon, who was benched by the team this week after his dreadful performance against Dallas Cowboys and his 0-3 record as a starter in place of the injured Daniel Jones. Glennon wasn’t much better. His first two drives resulted in one first and two punts. He then threw an interceptions that was returned returned 29 yards for a touchdown and the 34-3 advantage.

The combination of incredibly poor offense, highlighted by two terrible interceptions, and atrocious punting by Riley Dixon helped to cause the defensive collapse. Fromm’s interception put the ball on the New York 21-yard line to start the 3rd quarter. Five plays later, the Eagles scored a touchdown that made the game 10-3.

After another three-and-out with Fromm at the helm, Dixon’s poor punt traveled just 33 yards and was returned 39 yards to the New York 21-yard line again. Four plays later, the Eagles settled for a 37-yard field goal. 13-3.

In came Glennon. Three-and-out. A 31-yard punt by Dixon set up the Eagles at their 43-yard line. Five plays later, quarterback Jalen Hurts threw a 4-yard touchdown on 3rd-and-goal. 20-3.

Glennon picked up one first down and the Giants punted again. This time only 36 yards by Dixon. The defense had largely given up by this point as Philadelphia drove 75 yards in 10 plays to take a 27-3 lead on Hurts’ touchdown pass to a wide-open offensive lineman. Then came the pick-6 making it 34-3 with about 10 minutes left in the game.

Glennon “led” the Giants on a garbage-time, 17-play, 75-yard drive that took 6:29 off of the clock and ended with a 9-yard touchdown pass to tight end Evan Engram. The onside kick failed. Each team had the ball once more in the final four minutes, but neither scored.

Offensively, the Giants finished with 15 first downs, seven of which came after the score was 34-3. 102 yards of the team’s 192 yards came on these last two meaningless drives as well. In other words, the Giants had 90 yards of offense before the score was 34-3. Glennon finished 17-of-27 for 93 yards, one touchdown, and a pick-6. No receiving target had more than four catches of 28 yards. Running Back Saquon Barkley carried the ball 15 times for 32 yards (2.1 yards per carry average).

Defensively, while New York started strong, they weakened as the game progressed. The Giants only gave up 17 first downs, but they missed chances at a number of turnovers and did allow 324 yards of offense and three second-half touchdowns.

On special teams, Dixon was dreadful.

Video lowlights are available at Giants.com.

ROSTER MOVES, PRACTICE SQUAD ACTIVATIONS, INACTIVES, AND INJURY REPORT…
On Saturday, the Giants activated LB Cam Brown and CB Aaron Robinson from the Reserve/COVID-19 List to the 53-man roster. The team also activated S Natrell Jamerson from the Reserve/COVID-19 List to the Practice Squad.

NT Danny Shelton and OT Nate Solder were placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 List.

In addition, the team activated WR David Sills, OL Isaiah Wilson, DL David Moa, and CB Darqueze Dennard from the Practice Squad as COVID-19 replacements.

The Giants terminated the Practice Squad contract of LB Omari Cobb.

Missing the game due to COVID-19 were WR John Ross, OT Nate Solder, NT Danny Shelton, CB Adoree’ Jackson, and CB Keion Crossen.

Inactive for the game were RB Gary Brightwell (neck), WR Collin Johnson (hamstring), OG Ben Bredeson (ankle), and LB Oshane Ximines.

RT Matt Peart left the game with a left knee injury in the first half and did not return. FB Cullen Gillaspia and CB Jarren Williams also left the game in the second half with undisclosed injuries.

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

  • Head Coach Joe Judge (Video)
  • QB Jake Fromm (Video)
  • QB Mike Glennon (Video)
  • RB Devontae Booker (Video)
  • LB Lorenzo Carter (Video)
  • S Julian Love (Video)

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

Dec 192021
 

DALLAS COWBOYS 21 – NEW YORK GIANTS 6…
The Dallas Cowboys did not bring their “A” game and the contest was not as one-sided as expected by many, but the New York Giants were soundly defeated 21-6 on Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants fell to 4-10 on the season and have lost nine of their last 10 games against the Cowboys. The Giants have guaranteed themselves their fifth double-digit loss season in a row, and their seventh in eight years.

Adding injury to insult, the Giants also lost wide receiver Sterling Shepard at the end of the game with a torn Achilles’ tendon.

The overall team statistics were surprisingly close in a few areas. Dallas only held slight advantages in total offensive plays (70 to 61), total net yards (328 to 302), net yards rushing (125 to 124), and net yards passing (203 to 178). However, the Cowboys dominated the all-important turnover battle (4 to 1). The passing yards were also more than a bit misleading in that a net 79 of them came in garbage time with quarterback Jake Fromm playing.

In a nutshell, an undermanned New York defense kept the Giants in the game, but the team’s offense was simply dreadful.

The Giants had 10 total offensive possessions. They resulted in four turnovers, two turnovers on downs, two punts, and two field goals. Nine of Dallas’ 15 first-half points came off of New York turnovers, with the Cowboys beginning a touchdown “drive” at the Giants’ 13-yard line after an interception thrown by quarterback Mike Glennon. Running back Ezekiel Elliot scored from 13 yards out (the extra point failed). The Cowboys also began their last field goal drive of the first half after running back Saquon Barkley fumbled the ball away at the New York 46-yard line with 41 seconds left before halftime.

New York’s other two first half drives were an 11-play, 58-yard affair that ended with a 35-yard field goal by place kicker Graham Gano and a four-play drive that ended with a punt. Dallas’ first possession ended with a punt after gaining 45 yards on 10 plays. They also had two other long drives that ended with field goals, one gaining 58 yards on 10 plays and the other 68 yards on 16 plays.

Glennon finished the first half 6-of-9 for just 45 yards, with one pass being completed to a wide receiver, and an interception. At the break, the Cowboys led 15-3.

The Giants cut the score to 15-6 on their first possession of the second half by driving 51 yards in eight plays to set up a 42-yard field goal by Gano. Unfortunately, that would be New York’s last points of the day. Glennon’s next four possessions resulted in a turnover on downs (failed 4th-and-1 quarterback sneak that gave Dallas the ball at the New York 29-yard line), a punt, and two interceptions. The turnover on downs led to a Dallas touchdown five plays later, making the score 21-6 (extra point failed again) near the end of the 3rd quarter.

Neither team scored in the 4th quarter. This is when Glennon tossed interceptions #2 and #3 before being benched by Fromm with under four minutes to play. The Cowboys punted twice more and turned the ball over when linebacker Lorenzo Carter sacked quarterback Dak Prescott and forced a fumble that nose tackle Austin Johnson recovered. Carter finished the game with 4 tackles, 3 quarterback hits, 2 sacks, a forced fumble, and a pass defense.

Glennon finished the game an abysmal 13-of-24 for 99 yards, no touchdowns, and three interceptions. His quarterback rating was 24.8. Running back Devontae Booker carried the ball eight times for 74 yards. Barkley chipped in with 50 yards on 15 carries, but also fumbled the ball away.

Video lowlights are available at Giants.com.

ROSTER MOVES, PRACTICE SQUAD ACTIVATIONS, INACTIVES, AND INJURY REPORT…
On Saturday, the Giants activated S Xavier McKinney from the Reserve/COVID-19 List. They also re-signed CB Sam Beal to the Practice Squad. In addition, the team activated WR Alex Bachman, LB Jaylon Smith, and CB Jarren Williams from the Practice Squad as COVID-19 replacements.

Missing the game due to COVID-19 were WR Kadarius Toney, WR John Ross, LB Cam Brown, LB Oshane Ximines, CB Aaron Robinson, CB Adoree’ Jackson, and S J.R. Reed.

Inactive for the game were QB Daniel Jones (neck) and OG Ben Bredeson (ankle).

RB Gary Brightwell suffered a neck injury in the first half and did not return. WR Sterling Shepard left the game late with a torn Achilles’ tendon in his left leg. His season, and possibly his career with the Giants, may be over.

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 Monday.

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.

Sep 022021
 
Matt Skura, Baltimore Ravens (October 20, 2019)

Matt Skura – © USA TODAY Sports

GIANTS SIGN TWO MORE TO THE PRACTICE SQUAD…
The New York Giants have signed two more players to their 16-man Practice Squad (there are actually 17 on the Practice Squad due to running back Sandro Platzgummer’s International Player Pathway Program exemption). The team has signed tight end Chris Myarick and center/guard Matt Skura. There is currently one more open spot on the Practice Squad.

The 25-year old, 6’5”, 261-pound Myarick was signed as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2019 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. He spent all of 2019 and most of 2020 on the Practice Squad of the Dolphins, though he did play in three games in 2020.

The 28-year old, 6’3”, 310-pound Skura was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Baltimore Ravens after the 2016 NFL Draft. He spent his rookie season on the Ravens’ Practice Squad. In 2017, Skura started 12 games at right guard for the Ravens. He became the starting center in 2018, and started 27 consecutive regular-season games at the position in two seasons, missing five games due to a knee injury in 2019. Skura started 12 more games at center in 2020, missing one week due to COVID. He signed with the Miami Dolphins in March 2021, but they waived him in late August.

SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The New York Giants practiced on Thursday at Quest Diagnostics Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey

CB Aaron Robinson (core muscle) remains on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List.

In the limited portion of practice that is open to the media, WR Collin Johnson (unknown), TE Evan Engram (calf), LT Andrew Thomas (“work load management”), OC/OG Billy Price (COVID screening), CB Adoree’ Jackson (ankle), and CB Josh Jackson (calf) did not participate in drills with the rest of the team.

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…
    The players are off on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

    Aug 202021
     
    Kaden Smith, New York Giants (August 20, 2021)

    Kaden Smith – © USA TODAY Sports

    AUGUST 20, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
    Friday was the second of two days of joint training camp practices between the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns in Berea, Ohio. The Giants play the Browns on Sunday in the team’s second preseason game.

    INJURY REPORT…
    TE Kyle Rudolph (foot) and CB Aaron Robinson (core muscle) remain on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List.

    WR Kenny Golladay (hamstring), WR Kadarius Toney (unknown), WR John Ross (hamstring?), WR Austin Mack (hamstring?), TE Cole Hikutini (unknown), OT Nate Solder (shoulder?), LB Tae Crowder (unknown), LB Elerson Smith (hamstring), CB Josh Jackson (unknown), and S Montre Hartage (unknown) did not practice on Friday. 

    Nate’s with our trainers right now,” said Head Coach Joe Judge before practice. “He’s actually doing well, moving at a good progress. We just felt this would be a good week to kind of let him go ahead and continue with that. We expect to get him back soon. He’s had a really good camp for us. I’m really proud of the way he’s working. I’m proud of the leadership he’s giving to our team. He’s come back – obviously, we’ve talked earlier in camp about him getting back in the swing of things, like every other player. I don’t think it took him long. He jumped right back on that horse and kept on riding. As soon as we can get him back out there, we will.”

    RB Saquon Barkley (knee) was limited to 1-on-1 drills.

    PRACTICE NOTES…
    Some snippets from various media sources:

    • It was a feisty practice with a lot of trash-talking and sometimes pushing and shoving.
    • Niko Lalos received reps at inside linebacker.
    • In 1-on-1 red-zone drills, QB Daniel Jones was 12-of-20 against the defensive backs of the Browns. In these drills, WR David Sills had problems getting off of press coverage (Sills also dropped a couple of passes in practice). WR Alex Bachman also dropped a pass. WR Dante Pettis caught all three passes thrown to him.
    • In 11-on-11 drills, the New York defense largely shut down the first-string offense of the Browns.
    • S Jabrill Peppers “sacked” QB Baker Mayfield for the second day in a row.
    • DL Leonard Williams had a strong practice, flashing into the backfield on a few plays.
    • CB Rodarius Williams almost intercepted QB Case Keenum; he had perfect coverage but dropped the ball.
    • S Quincy Wilson did intercept QB Case Keenum, although LB Niko Lalos may have had a “sack” on the play.
    • Ted Larsen received some first-team reps at left guard.
    • In 7-on-7 drills, QB Daniel Jones hit TE Rysen John for a touchdown.
    • QB Mike Glennon was intercepted in 7-on-7 drills.
    • QB Daniel Jones found WR Darius Slayton for a touchdown. 
    • WR Jarvis Henry beat CB James Bradberry for a red-zone touchdown.
    • In 11-on-11, full-team drills, QB Daniel Jones was 15-of-18, with WR Sterling Shepard and TE Evan Engram receiving most targets.
    • LB Azeez Ojulari “sacked” QB Baker Mayfield on 1st-and-goal from the 5-yard line. He also drew an offensive holding penalty on the same series.
    • In the Giants’ turn in the red zone, QB Daniel Jones hit WR Darius Slayton for another touchdown. Jones then threw a touchdown passes to TE Evan Engram, WR Sterling Shepard, and WR Alex Bachman. Giants had four touchdowns in seven offensive snaps.
    • OLB Trent Harris sacked QB Baker Mayfield on 3rd-down in the 2-minute drill. Browns fail to convert on 4th down with CB James Bradberry in coverage.
    • Giants offensive line struggled in final 2-minute series with Matt Peart at left tackle, Ted Larsen at left guard, Nick Gates at center, Will Hernandez at right guard, and Chad Slade at right tackle. Slade gave up a sack and was called for holding. Larsen was flagged with a false start. Hernandez gave up a pressure and Peart gave up a sack. The offensive line also had more issues in 1-on-1 drills than they did on Thursday.
    • Linebackers Lorenzo Carter and Azeez Ojulari continued to flash on the pass rush. LB Devante Downs had an impressive series where he got pressure on the QB, made at tackle for a loss, and then broke up a pass (this was the pass Wilson intercepted).

    https://twitter.com/Giants/status/1428817615263174656

    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:

    • WR Sterling Shepard (Video)
    • LB Lorenzo Carter (Video)

    WHAT’S UP NEXT…
    There is no media availability to the team on Saturday. The Giants play the Browns in Cleveland on Sunday at 1:00PM.

    Jul 312021
     
    Nick Gates and Will Hernandez, New York Giants (July 29, 2021)

    Nick Gates and Will Hernandez – © USA TODAY Sports

    JULY 31, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
    The New York Giants held their fourth full-team summer training camp practice on Saturday evening at Eddie Moraes Stadium in Newark, New Jersey in front of local high school football players.

    GIANTS SIGN LB TODD DAVIS, OL JOE LOONEY, WR DAMION WILLIS…
    The Giants have signed unrestricted free agent inside linebacker Todd Davis (Minnesota Vikings); wide receiver Damion Willis, who was cut by the Denver Broncos on July 20; and unrestricted free agent center/guard Joe Looney (Dallas Cowboys).

    The 29-year old, 6’1”, 230-pound Davis has spent time with the New Orleans Saints (2014), Denver Broncos (2014-2019), and Minnesota Vikings (2020). He has played in 96 regular-season games with 69 starts, accruing 479 tackles, three sacks, 15 pass defenses, one interception, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries.

    “We’re really looking forward to getting (Davis) on the field,” said Head Coach Joe Judge. “We’re excited about that and he’ll come in and compete with the other linebackers at his position and work through his defensive responsibilities, as well as his role in the kicking game. Got to meet with him today, sit down face to face and have a good conversation, liked his energy. I’ve known him as a player in the league for some time but made a good first impression personality-wise and I’m excited to get him on the field.”

    The 30-year old, 6’3”, 310-pound Looney was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He has spent time with the 49ers (2012-2014), Tennessee Titans (2015), and Dallas Cowboys (2016-2020). Looney has played in 104 regular-season games with 42 starts, including 12 starts for the Cowboys in 2020. He has experience at both center and guard.

    The 24-year old, 6’3”, 204-pound Willis was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Cincinnati Bengals after the 2019 NFL Draft. The Bengals waived him in July 2020 and Willis then spent time with the Cleveland Browns (2020), Jacksonville Jaguars (2020), and Denver Broncos (2021). He played in 10 games, with two starts, for the Bengals in 2019 and caught nine passes for 82 yards.

    INJURY REPORT…
    LG Shane Lemieux (knee), LB Blake Martinez (COVID), LB Lorenzo Carter (unknown), LB Elerson Smith (unknown), WR Kadarius Toney (COVID), WR Austin Mack (hamstring), WR Derrick Dillon (unknown), RB Mike Weber (unknown), and TE Levine Toilolo (unknown) did not practice on Saturday.

    The NFL Network is reporting that Lemieux will be out two weeks with his knee injury.

    Regarding Carter, Head Coach Joe Judge said, “It’s not a reaggravation of anything (Carter has) done before. We’re just going to be careful with a few things right there. With anyone coming off an injury (ruptured Achilles’ tendon) like he was, we’re just making sure that we have a plan entering training camp and how to handle him throughout it. With him and several other guys coming off injury, there are going to be periods in this training camp that you’re going to see a little bit less of them at times and then you’re going to see a lot of them. Right now, he’s in one of those periods accompanied with something else that happened in practice.”

    RT Matt Peart (back) has been activated off of the Active/Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List. He practiced on Saturday.

    LB Blake Martinez has been activated off of the Reserve/COVID-19 List. However, like Toney, he will be brought along slowly before returning to practice. He did not practice on Saturday. “Blake is back with us in the building today, he’s his normal self, smiling ear to ear, happy to be with the team,” said Head Coach Joe Judge. “He’s always a lot of fun to have around, he’s always got a good comment, but definitely a guy who communicates a lot in the meetings…In terms of where he’ll be on the field with us, the plan right away is to get him with the trainers and continue his kind of ramp up and build him back physically. When we know he’s ready to go, we’ll get him back on the field.”

    The following players remain on various PUP and reserve lists:

    • Reserve/COVID-19 List: S Joshua Kalu and TE Rysen John
    • Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List: RB Saquon Barkley (knee), TE Kyle Rudolph (foot), OC Jonotthan Harrison (hamstring), LB Oshane Ximines (hamstring), and CB Aaron Robinson (core muscle)
    • Reserve/Non-Football Injury (NFI) List: LB Reggie Ragland (hamstring) and LB Ryan Anderson (back)

    PRACTICE NOTES…
    Some snippets from various media sources:

    • This evening’s session was a very light, walk-thru practice. Because of that, there was nothing noteworthy to report.
    • Kenny Wiggins continues to start at left guard with Shane Lemieux out.

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

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

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

    Feb 012021
     
    Blake Martinez, New York Giants (September 27, 2020)

    Blake Martinez – © USA TODAY Sports

    As we covered in our defensive line review, the New York Giants defense significantly improved from 25th in 2019 to 12th in 2020 in terms of yards allowed. It was a remarkable achievement given the year-long personnel changes in the back seven on defense. There were no adjustments on the defensive line. The same three starters and two back-ups played in every game. The same could not be said for the linebackers and defensive backs.

    In today’s 3-4 defenses, the outside linebackers are more of a hybrid linebacker/defensive end, increasingly commonly referred to as “edge” players. The two Giants who won the starting edge jobs (Lorenzo Carter and Oshane Ximines) were both lost for the season in early October with 3/4ths of the season left to play. Their primary back-up (Markus Golden) was traded to the Cardinals a few weeks later with half the season left to play. The next man up (OLB/ILB hybrid Kyler Fackrell) missed four games due to a calf injury. The Giants were forced to rely on three rookies (7th rounder Carter Coughlin, 6th rounder Cam Brown, and undrafted free agent Niko Lalos) and two retreads (Jabaal Sheard and Trent Harris).

    There was chaos too at one of the inside linebacker spots. Devonta Downs started the season but was unimpressive and lost his job to rookie Tae Crowder, the very last player taken in the draft. But after starting two games, Crowder landed on Injured Reserve with a groin injury for five games. Downs was reinserted into the starting line-up, but now David Mayo, who missed the first five games of the season with a knee injury, also saw increased playing time and two starts. Crowder returned in late November and reclaimed the starting job.

    Whew. Just typing that was confusing. The only constants were free agent godsend Blake Martinez and the coaching staff.

    Martinez was the glue that held the defense together. He directed the defense, played virtually every defensive snap (97 percent), and was a tackling machine (team-high 151 tackles). Long story short, Martinez is the best inside linebacker the Giants have had since Antonio Pierce was cut a decade ago.

    Inside Linebackers Coach Kevin Sherrer and Outside Linebackers Coach Bret Bielema did a marvelous job of mixing and matching on a week-to-week basis. Look no further than the edge position where the Giants were left scrambling. At one point, the available players to use were Sheard, Coughlin, Brown, and Lalos. Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham, who coached linebackers with the Patriots and Packers, also employed defensive backs at linebacker in various packages. But there was a bit of chaos even in the coaching ranks when Bielema left the Giants with three games left to play to become head coach at the University of Illinois. Sherrer then handled both positions.

    Aside from Martinez, what really stands out is that all four of the team’s late-round draft picks at linebacker made the team in addition to a rookie free agent. All five of these rookies played. The Giants were hammered by injuries at the outside linebacker position – down to their 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th options – and yet the coaching staff held the unit together. The biggest negative was the lack of pass rush, particularly from the edge spots. Of the team’s 40 sacks, 13.5 came from the linebackers (and four of them were from inside backers Martinez and Crowder). Fackrell led the linebacking corps with just four sacks.

    INSIDE LINEBACKERS

    The Giants signed Blake Martinez as an unrestricted free agent from the Green Bay Packers in March 2020. He had a major impact on the defense, 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. In four seasons with Green Bay, Martinez has played in 61 regular-season games with 57 starts, accruing 512 tackles and 10 sacks. Martinez lacks ideal size and range for the position, but he is a heady player who can make the defensive calls and gets in on lot of tackles. He is better against the run than the pass.

    The Giants selected Tae Crowder in the 7th round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He surprisingly moved into the starting line-up in Week 5 and 6 before suffering a groin injury that landed him on Injured Reserve for five games. Crowder returned in late November, starting four of his final six games. In all, Crowder played in 11 games with six starts (37 percent of all defensive snaps), and was credited with 57 tackles, three tackles for losses, one sack, three quarterback hits, one pass defense, and one fumble recovery that he returned for a game-winning touchdown. The 6’3”, 235-pound Crowder was moved from running back to linebacker in college and thus is still learning the position. Only a 1-year starter in college. While Crowder lacks ideal size, he is a good athlete and seems to have good instincts for the position. He must improve his tackling consistency.

    Devante Downs began the season as a starter, but saw his playing time give way to Tae Crowder. Downs played in all 16 games with eight starts (21 percent of all defensive snaps). He finished the season with 33 tackles, one pass defense, and one fumble recovery. The 6’2”, 252-pound Downs was originally drafted in the 7th round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings waived him in late September 2019 and he was then signed by the Giants to their Practice Squad and 53-man roster in October 2019. Downs played in seven games for the Giants in 2019 on special teams. Downs has good size, but he did not impress against the run or pass in 2020 despite his eight starts.

    The Giants placed David Mayo on Injured Reserve in early September 2020 with a torn meniscus in his left knee that required surgery. He was activated from Injured Reserve in mid-October. Mayo ended up playing in 11 games with two starts (18 percent of all defensive snaps). He was credited with 29 tackles, two tackles for losses, and one forced fumble. The Giants signed Mayo in September 2019 after he was cut by the San Francisco 49ers. He surprisingly ended up playing in all 16 games with 13 starts, playing in 57 percent of all defensive snaps, and finishing with 82 tackles, 2 sacks, and 2 pass defenses. The 6’2”, 240-pound Mayo was originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. After four seasons in Carolina, Mayo signed with the San Francisco 49ers in March 2019. Before coming to the Giants, Mayo only had started four NFL games in four seasons. Mayo lacks ideal tools which limits his ability defend the run and cover receivers, but he plays hard.

    The Giants selected T.J. Brunson in the 7th round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Brunson spent most of the season on the inactive list, but he did play in five games, almost exclusively on special teams. He was credited with three tackles. The 6’1”, 230-pound Brunson is an undersized inside linebacker with decent but not ideal athleticism. He is very physical and aggressive.

    EDGE

    The Giants placed Lorenzo Carter on Injured Reserve with a ruptured Achilles’ tendon that he suffered in Week 5 in October 2020. He underwent surgery and missed the rest of the season after starting all five games and finishing with 14 tackles and one sack. The Giants drafted Carter in the 3rd round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Carter played in 15 games as a rookie with two starts, finishing the season with 43 tackles, 4 sacks, and 4 pass defenses. In 2019, Carter started 12 of the 15 games he played in, finishing the year with 45 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 5 pass defenses, and 1 forced fumble. Carter is a tall, athletic, disruptive forward mover. Carter looks the part, combining good size (6’5”, 255 pounds) and overall athletic ability. He flashes the ability to disrupt, but must do a better job of disengaging from blockers and making more plays. Versatile, he can play with his hand in the dirt.

    Oshane Ximines was placed on Injured Reserve in early October 2020 with a shoulder injury that he suffered in Week 4. He returned to practice in late November, but his season ended when it was determined he would need rotator cuff surgery. Ximines started three of the four games he played in and finished the season with just four tackles. The Giants drafted Ximines in the 3rd round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He played at end in college. Ximines had a mixed performance in his rookie season in 2019. He received significant playing time, playing in all 16 games with two starts, playing in 45 percent of all defensive snaps, and accruing 25 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and one pass defense. Ximines has a nice combination of size (6’4”, 254 pounds) and overall athletic-ability. Ximines flashed at times as a pass rusher, but he must become a more physical run defender and more consistent, dynamic performer when rushing the passer. He also needs work in coverage.

    2020 was an odd year for Markus Golden. Coming off of a superlative debut season for the Giants as a 1-year free agent rental in 2019 (career-high 72 tackles and team-high 10 sacks), Golden did not receive much interest in 2020 free agency. He re-signed with the Giants very late in the offseason in early August, but did not regain his starting position when the season started. The Giants then traded him to the Cardinals in late October. Golden ended up having a much bigger impact with the Cardinals than the Giants in 2020. With the Giants, he played in seven games with one start (16 percent of all defensive snaps) and finished with just 10 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Golden was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Cardinals. After rejoining the Cardinals, Golden started the final eight games, including a 1-sack, 1-fumble recovery performance against the Giants in Week 14. 

    The Giants placed Kyler Fackrell on Injured Reserve in early December 2020 with a calf injury and activated him to the 53-man roster in early January 2021. In all, Fackrell played in 12 games with nine starts. He played in 56 percent of all defensive snaps and finished the season with 34 tackles, seven tackles for a loss, four sacks, 10 quarterback hits, two pass defenses, one interception that he returned for a touchdown, and one forced fumble. The 6’5”, 245-pound Fackrell was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. In four seasons with Green Bay, Fackrell played in 61 regular-season games with nine starts, compiling 111 tackles, 16.5 sacks, one pass defense, and one forced fumble. Fackrell’s best season was in 2018 when he started seven games and accrued 42 tackles and 10.5 sacks. The Giants signed Fackrell an unrestricted free agent from the Packers in March 2020. Although not a dynamic athlete, Fackrell is a big, versatile linebacker who can play outside or inside linebacker. He flashes as a pass rusher.

    The Giants signed Jabaal Sheard off of the Practice Squad of the Jacksonville Jaguars in October 2020. He ended up playing in nine games for the Giants with three starts (24 percent of all defensive snaps), and finished with 19 tackles, two tackles for losses, 1.5 sacks, two quarterback hits, and one forced fumble. The 6’3”, 268-pound Sheard was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. He has spent time with the Browns (2011-2014), New England Patriots (2015-2016), Indianapolis Colts (2017-2019), and Jaguars (2020). Sheard has played in 144 regular-season games with 106 starts. While not a dynamic performer, Sheard is a steady, veteran presence who is solid against the run and will occasionally make some noise as a pass rusher.

    The Giants selected Carter Coughlin in the 7th round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He played in 14 games as a rookie with two starts (18 percent of all defensive snaps). Coughlin finished the season with 17 tackles, two tackles for losses, one sack, and two quarterback hits. The 6’3”, 236-pound Coughlin is not a top athlete, but he is a tough, competitive, and reliable linebacker who plays hard.

    The Giants selected Cam Brown in the 6th round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He played in 15 games as a rookie with no starts (8 percent of all defensive snaps). Brown finished the year with 12 tackles, three quarterback hits, and one forced fumble. The 6’5”, 233-pound Brown is a tall and lanky outside backer with long arms and decent speed. His size and solid athletic ability assist him coverage but he needs to improve his run defense at the point-of-attack and overall tackling consistency.

    The Giants signed Niko Lalos as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2020 NFL Draft. Lalos spent most of the season on the Practice Squad but was elevated to the 53-man roster in December. He played in six games with no starts as a rookie (7 percent of all defensive snaps). Lalos finished the season with six tackles, one interception, one pass defense, and one fumble recovery. The 6’5”, 270-pound Lalos played defensive end in college but was moved to the outside linebacker position by the Giants. He has good size for the position, but is not a dynamic athlete. Over-achiever who plays hard.

    The Giants signed Trent Harris to the Practice Squad and then the 53-man roster in October 2020; he was re-signed to the Practice Squad in December after playing in four games with two starts (6 percent of all defensive snaps). He finished they year with five tackles and 0.5 sacks. The 6’2”, 255-pound Harris was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the New England Patriots after the 2018 NFL Draft. He spent his rookie season on the Practice Squad of the Patriots. The Miami Dolphins claimed Harris off of waivers in September 2019. He played in 11 games with three starts with the Dolphins, accruing 20 tackles and 1.5 sacks. The Dolphins cut him in early September 2020.

    Jan 222021
     
    Dave DeGuglielmo, Indianapolis Colts (August 9, 2018)

    Dave DeGuglielmo – © USA TODAY Sports

    GIANTS SEARCHING FOR NEW OFFENSIVE LINE COACH…
    The New York Post is reporting that the New York Giants are searching for a new offensive line coach. The team fired Offensive Line Coach Marc Colombo in mid-November and replaced him with Dave DeGuglielmo for the final eight games of the season. DeGuglielmo’s contract expired earlier this month. The Athletic is reporting that the Giants wanted DeGuglielmo to return, but the two sides could not reach an agreement on a new deal. That could still happen according to The Post, but for now, the Giants are searching for other options.

    GIANTS SIGN THREE MORE TO RESERVE/FUTURE CONTRACTS…
    The New York Giants have signed defensive end Breeland Speaks to reserve/future contract. The 25-year old, 6’3”, 285-pound Speaks was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. As a rookie in 2018, Speaks played in all 16 regular-season games, with four starts, and was credited with 24 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries. He missed all of 2019 with a knee injury and was cut by the Chiefs in early September 2020. Speaks then spent time on the Practice Squads of the Las Vegas Raiders and Dallas Cowboys.

    FOUR GIANTS RECEIVE SALARY INCREASE…
    Due to the Proven Performance Escalator (PPE) in the the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, the following four Giants will receive additional compensation that will count against the team’s 2021 salary cap. PPE is is based on how much playing time a drafted player earns through their first three seasons of their rookie contract. If a player meets the threshold based on where they were drafted, the player will receive a salary increase in their fourth year.

    • OG Will Hernandez: Salary increase from $1,496,010 to $2,183,000 ($686,990 increase)
    • DE B.J. Hill: Salary increase from $1,025,329 to $2,183,000 ($1,157,671 increase)
    • LB Lorenzo Carter: Salary increase from $1,036,839 to $2,183,000 ($1,146,161 increase)
    • CB Isaac Yiadom: Salary increase from $750,000 to $2,183,000 ($1,433,000 increase)

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