Dec 302021
 
Kadarius Toney, New York Giants (December 5, 2021)

Kadarius Toney has a lot of boo-boos

DECEMBER 30, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The New York Giants practiced on Thursday at Quest Diagnostics Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Not on the official injury list, but also not practicing due to being placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 List were WR Darius Slayton, OL Korey Cunningham, NT Danny Shelton, DE Dexter Lawrence, and S Julian Love.

Not practicing were RB Gary Brightwell (neck), WR Kadarius Toney (shoulder), WR John Ross (knee/COVID ramp up), WR Collin Johnson (hamstring), OL Billy Price (personal), and DL Austin Johnson (foot).

“Billy and his family are dealing with a family matter,” Head Coach Joe Judge said. “I’m not going to go into it. It’s not mine to disclose, but his family has our full support as an organization. We’ve all talked to him. Our concern is for the personal wellbeing of Billy as a person, and his family’s well-being is a primary concern right now. We’ll deal with Billy as we go through the week, and we’ll know more as we go.”

Limited in practice were RB Saquon Barkley (ankle), FB Cullen Gillaspia (shin), TE Kyle Rudolph (ankle), TE Chris Myarick (hip), OT Nate Solder (COVID ramp up), OL Ben Bredeson (ankle), DL Raymond Johnson (illness), CB Adoree’ Jackson (quad/COVID ramp up), CB Keion Crossen (COVID ramp up), and PK Graham Gano (illness).

ROSTER MOVES…
The Giants have placed WR Darius Slayton, OL Korey Cunningham, and LB Omari Cobb on the Reserve/COVID-19 List. Slayton and Cunningham will likely miss Sunday’s game; Cobb is on the Practice Squad. The team activated OT Nate Solder from the Reserve/COVID-19 List.

The Giants also placed OT Matt Peart (knee) and RB Gary Brightwell (neck) on Injured Reserve. Their season is over.

The Giants waived LB Trent Harris.

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 Giants practice again on Friday. Head Coach Joe Judge and select players will also address the media.

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.

Oct 182021
 
Daniel Jones, New York Giants (October 17, 2021)

Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

OCTOBER 18, 2021 JOE JUDGE PRESS CONFERENCE…
New York Giants Head Coach Joe Judge addressed the media on Monday to discuss his team’s 38-11 loss to the Los Angeles Rams:

Q: Other than execution, going back to the drawing board, coaching it up better, is there anything you can do changes-wise? I know it’s not fantasy football, you can’t swap out your whole roster in the season. Is there anything you can do changes-wise, personnel-wise, depth chart, coaches to change things up significantly or do you just go back to the drawing board and have to do what you’re doing better?

A: I think the biggest thing is we have to do what we’re doing better – coaching better, executing better. In terms of changes, I believe you’re referring to more personnel changes it sounds like and I’d just make the point that we’re going to play the most productive players, the players that play the right way, the players that play the way we want to play effort-wise and competitive-wise for 60 minutes, the players that are the most productive. Those will be the guys you’ll see on the field.

Q: You said yesterday you wanted to watch the tape – you saw it in some guys’ eyes that they responded to your halftime challenge. We asked you if you saw any guys who didn’t. You said you wanted to watch the tape. After watching the tape, did you see any guys who didn’t? Particularly (Rams Wide Receiver) Cooper Kupp’s last touchdown, was the effort there from your guys trying to tackle him?

A: I’d say on the whole, I saw the reaction the right way. Obviously, there are some things execution- wise that we have to do different. I would say in terms of waiting right now for me to single out one player, I think you guys have known me long enough to know that I’m not going to do that. However, the things I didn’t like in the second half or the first half for that matter we’ll fully address to the team as a whole and independently. We’ll make sure to move on from that right there. But in terms of me sitting here right now and giving a list of names of things I don’t like, that’s not really what I do.

Q: Are you concerned at all that you felt like you had to make that speech to the team at halftime to challenge them to show some fight in the second half? It’s only Week 6 of the season, I’m just wondering if that’s a bad sign.

A: Maybe it was misinterpreted. I didn’t make any kind of halftime speech or anything, but in any game (I) challenge guys to see how they’ll respond to the situation we’re in. Obviously, we’re down at that point, you’ve got to claw your way back out and that’s going to come through another 30 minutes of fight and execution. So, no, just wanted to see how certain guys responded and saw a lot of positive responses.

Q: On the fake punt that they executed, it looked like you were warning the guys to watch for the fake punt. If not for the nullifying penalties there, that would have been a big gain for the Rams. Did they just catch you napping a little bit?

A: No, actually they snuck the guy on illegally, so that’s why the officials stopped it right there. We’re definitely always alerting our guys to watch for the junk that’s coming up in that field zone and knowing who you’re playing, what the situation is. The reason they were flagged was it was an illegal substitution the way they did it. We had a player out there who there was no one out there for him to cover, so he squeezed in on the adjustment, the guy came out late and that was the deal right there. The officials made the correct call on that.

Q: They called that offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct penalties on that, right?

A: They did. Yeah, they did.

Q: So, their illegal substitution was an unsportsmanlike conduct?

A: It was, yes.

Q: And somebody on your team did something to offset that?

A: We had a sideline violation actually, so it was kind of call-it-off deal. We’ll address that with the league in terms of the officials and try to get clarification on that, but we’re looking at it internally.

Q: You’ve talked before about how you feel the fans have a right to boo and you’ve got to give them something to cheer about. Some of your players have talked about this. Do you address with your players what to say and what not to say when these kinds of issues come up about fans because it’s always a hot button topic?

A: I don’t give my players a script to follow. My feelings have always been the same – I’m not going to be doing any hot button-type of things like what you’re saying – but in terms of the fans, I love the passion of our fans. I say it all the time, it’s New York. What did you expect? It’s supposed to be tough, you know? You have to work hard for their respect and when you earn it, it’s that much more valuable.

Q: Do you tell that to your team, ‘What did you expect? You signed up for this in New York,’ or is that something you’re just telling us?

A: The players know how I feel about everything.

Q: What’s your overall feeling today? Are you bitter? Are you angry? Are you disappointed? Are you just going back to work?

A: Our focus right now at this point is on making the corrections from yesterday and plowing forward to Carolina. That’s where our focus is right now. You look at the tape, you’ve got to make the corrections and you’ve got to move forward with it. Obviously, we spent a lot of time like we do on every Monday talking about the players, talking about the recap of the game, things we did as coaches that we can do better, things we did as players that we have to do better, and we’ve got to make those corrections and move forward. In terms of the emotion, the emotion is irrelevant. Going forward, it’s really about the action that you’re going to take to make sure you make the corrections and get going the right way.

Q: I asked you yesterday about (Tackle) Andrew Thomas. Is that a new injury or is that his foot or ankle sort of aggravating him?

A: To follow up on that, this is actually not related. One is on the right, the other’s on the left, so both are being evaluated today and we’ll discuss that and move forward with him when we have further notice. There’s a couple of guys that get secondary opinions later in the day. After seeing the doctors initially, they go for whether it’s MRIs or X-rays, things of that nature. We’ve got a couple guys this time of day on Mondays that are still getting looked at.

Q: Do you have an update on (Wide Receiver) Kadarius Toney specifically? How optimistic are you that (Wide Receiver) Kenny (Golladay) and/or (Running Back) Saquon (Barkley) can make it back this week?

A: I don’t have a direct answer on either Kenny or Saquon. We’ll see how they go a little bit further into the week. In terms of Kadarius, he’s part of that crew that’s kind of getting that secondary look. He aggravated his ankle that he dealt with last week a little bit. There was an aggravation when he went out of bounds on that last play, he got stuck on the turf a little bit. We’ll see where he turns around and goes.

Q: To go back to the challenge that you gave the team at halftime, I know you’re not going to call out players, but for those of us who pay attention to things, are there going to be tangible changes to the lineup and the playing time in this upcoming game that we’ll be able to see?

A: I’ll say that this week of practice will determine a lot of that, to see how guys come out and perform in practice and execute and compete. How you practice is going to have a large impact on how much you do play.

Q: Can you tell us anything about (Linebacker Benardrick) McKinney? There was a report that he is being brought in through the practice squad.

A: He should be – I just got out of a meeting, so I don’t know if he’s here yet or he’s on his way. I couldn’t tell you much more than what you already know, but the plan is to have him join our practice squad, kind of see where he’s at physically, get him moved into our system.

Q: Is (Cornerback) Aaron Robinson close? He can come up off PUP this week.

A: Yeah, we’re actually going to start Aaron Robinson and (Linebacker) Elerson Smith’s clock this week, so bring them both off PUP and they have a few weeks to work out, see where they go physically until they’re ready to go ahead and get out there on the field.

Q: Will you be changing anything related to play-calling on either side of the ball?

A: At this moment, no.

Q: I know you had injuries up front on the offensive line, but the amount of immediate breakdowns in protection yesterday – obviously, you’re coaching them up already. How dramatically do you have to change either how that’s being coached or what the personnel looks like? I know you have limited options, but how are you approaching that coming out of this game?

A: We’ll just keep on coaching everyone who’s available to us. There’s a lot of things we’ve seen from a lot of guys out there that have been positive. I think as a unit, the offensive line has played well overall at this point of the year. Yesterday, there’s a lot of things on tape that opponents are going to look to take advantage of and copycat and expose, so we’ve got to get a lot of stuff corrected right away. I’m actually very pleased in how the offensive line staff and the offensive line group has worked together this year and made improvement throughout the year. In terms of how we’re going to coach it, obviously, we’ll get a little bit extra work this week on some different schemes that are going to come up, some things we’ve seen, some things that Carolina is going to do as well, some copycat schemes that are probably going to show up within the game. This is a different type of front we’re going to play. This is a penetrating defensive line. There’s a difference when it’s different kinds of defensive lines, it’s a different game and stunts come into factor. We always give a lot of time committed within a practice to the blitz pickups, the offensive line and defensive line games, things of that nature. We’ll continue doing that and we’re going to make sure we don’t leave any stone unturned with that. As a group, I’m pleased from the course of the year how that group has played. When you have different guys come in there, you’ve got to keep on progressing and making sure that everyone has that same chemistry. That’s why I talk a lot of times about rotating guys, making sure different units play together because at some point they’re all going to play together on Sunday.

Q: Watching Giants fans leave that game in droves yesterday far before the final whistle and then interacting with some on Twitter today, it’s pretty obvious that Giants fans want to know if this is going to get better, that you guys are ticked off and are going to do something about it. Can you assure them it’s going to get better anytime soon?

A: This is definitely going to get better, so there you go. I don’t know what kind of guarantee they want, but I can assure everyone out there that’s a Giants fan and they want to know when it’s going to turn. I can tell them right now we’re working tirelessly to make sure we get this thing turned around in the right direction, not just for short-term results, but for long-term success.

Q: Did you hear anything from (President and Chief Executive Officer) John Mara? He generally reacts at least at some level – obviously not publicly – when fans are leaving the games as early as they did yesterday. Have you and John talked?

A: We communicate on a regular basis. I’m not going to disclose anything that we talk about, but we communicate on a regular basis.

GIANTS SIGN LINEBACKER TO PRACTICE SQUAD…
The Giants have signed linebacker Benardrick McKinney to the team’s Practice Squad. The 28-year old, 6’4”, 257-pound McKinney was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. McKinney was traded to the Miami Dolphins in March 2021, but cut in late August. In six seasons, McKinney has played in 80 regular-season games, with 77 starts, and accruing 500 tackles, 35 tackles for losses, 11.5 sacks, 14 pass defenses, one interception, and four forced fumbles. He missed most of 2020 with a shoulder injury.

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.

Aug 042021
 
Levine Toilolo, New York Giants (September 14, 2020)

Levine Toilolo – © USA TODAY Sports

AUGUST 4, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their seventh full-team summer training camp practice on Wednesday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Practices are not open to the public this year.

JOE LOONEY RETIRES; GIANTS SIGN WR ANDY JONES AND TE TOMMY STEVENS…
A few days after signing with the Giants, center/guard Joe Looney has decided to retire. Looney is the second unrestricted free agent to retire from the Giants just days after signing with the team. The other was linebacker Todd Davis.

The Giants signed Looney as an unrestricted free agent from the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday. 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.

Meanwhile, the Giants have also signed wide receiver Andy Jones, who was waived by the San Francisco 49ers last week, and tight end Tommy Stevens, who was waived by the Carolina Panthers in early June.

The 27-year old, 6’1”, 217-pound Jones was originally signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2016 NFL Draft. Jones has spent time with the Cowboys (2016-2017), Houston Texans (2017), Detroit Lions (2017-2018), Miami Dolphins (2019-2020), and San Francisco 49ers (2021). Jones has only played in 11 regular-season games, catching 11 passes for 80 yards and one touchdown.

The 24-year old, 6’5”, 235-pound Stevens was originally drafted in the 7th round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints. A college quarterback, the Saints converted him to tight end. The Carolina Panthers signed him in November 2020 after he was cut and shifted him back to quarterback. The Giants intend to convert him to tight end again.

INJURY REPORT – LEVINE TOILOLO TEARS ACHILLES’ TENDON…
WR Kenny Golladay (hamstring), LB Lorenzo Carter (unknown), LB Elerson Smith (unknown), and WR Austin Mack (hamstring) did not practice on Wednesday.

“(Golladay is) actually seeing a doctor this morning,” said Head Coach Joe Judge. “I would say, in terms of a worse-case scenario, I think we’ve kind of avoided that in terms of dealing with it, but we’ll see what the timetable looks like. And again, injuries are different for every player based on what they are, so we’ll have to see how his body responds and make sure we do right by him.”

LG Shane Lemieux (knee), LT Andrew Thomas (unknown), and WR Kadarius Toney (COVID) practiced on a limited basis.

TE Levine Toilolo tore his Achilles’ tendon working on the side near the start of practice. His season is most likely over. S Montre Hartage injured his shoulder and left practiced early.

The Giants also placed RB Mike Weber (hip flexor) on Injured Reserve.

The following players remain on various PUP and reserve lists:

  • Reserve/COVID-19 List: TE Rysen John
  • Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List: RB Saquon Barkley (knee), TE Kyle Rudolph (foot), 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)
  • Reserve/Injured: WR Derrick Dillon (unknown) and RB Mike Weber (hip flexor)

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • WR Kadarius Toney received reps with the first-team offense.
  • With Shane Lemieux (knee) being eased back into practice, Kenny Wiggins received the bulk of starting reps at left guard.
  • With Andrew Thomas limited, Matt Peart received starting reps at left tackle with Nate Solder at right tackle.
  • QB Daniel Jones’ first pass of team drills was a well-thrown ball to WR Darius Slayton, who beat CB James Bradberry.
  • After missing on a couple of deep throws, QB Daniel Jones found TE Evan Engram down the seam between the corner and safety for a touchdown.
  • QB Daniel Jones finished 2-of-3 in 7-on-7 drills and 5-of-6 in team drills.
  • DL Leonard Williams was active.
  • CB Darnay Holmes has had trouble covering WR Sterling Shepard out of the slot. CB Julian Love received some first-team reps as the slot corner on Wednesday night.
  • CB Rodarius Williams continues to make plays in coverage.
  • RB Gary Brightwell has been receiving more touches and had a long run in practice. He also has looked sharp as a receiver.
  • Former Giants QB Phil Simms addressed the team after practice for about 10 minutes. He received applause when he finished.

https://twitter.com/Giants/status/1423084085325541378

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

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The New York Giants practice Thursday afternoon (12:45-2:00 PM). The team’s coordinators, assistant coaches, and select players will also address the media.

Jun 092021
 
Lorenzo Carter, New York Giants (May 27, 2021)

Lorenzo Carter – © USA TODAY Sports

JUNE 9, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS MINI-CAMP REPORT…
The second day of the New York Giants 3-day mandatory mini-camp was held on Wednesday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. No live contact is permitted during the mini-camp, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are allowed.

INJURY REPORT…
Not practicing were RB Saquon Barkley (knee), TE Kyle Rudolph (foot), LB Cam Brown (unknown), LB Ryan Anderson (unknown), and RB Taquan Mizzell (unknown).

WR John Ross (unknown) and CB Aaron Robinson (unknown) were limited, being kept out of team drills.

TE Nakia Griffin-Stewart left midway through practice with a trainer.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • Multiple media sources said that WR Kadarius Toney had a strong practice, even beating CB James Bradberry in one drill. He demonstrated good quickness in and out of his breaks and made a number of sideline catches. Toney was also active returning punts.
  • WR David Sills saw some work with the first team.
  • Starting at inside linebacker alongside Blake Martinez was Tae Crowder.

https://twitter.com/Giants/status/1402407595474706433

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:

Mar 172021
 
Devante Downs, New York Giants (October 22, 2020)

Devante Downs – © USA TODAY Sports

GIANTS RE-SIGN CASEY KREITER…
The New York Giants have officially re-signed unrestricted long snapper Casey Kreiter. Terms of the deal are not yet known.

The Giants signed Kreiter as an unrestricted free agent from the Denver Broncos in April 2020. The 6’1”, 250-pound Kreiter was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Dallas Cowboys after the 2014 NFL Draft. After spending two camps with the Cowboys, Kreiter made the Denver Broncos in 2016. He made the Pro Bowl for his performance in 2018.

For a complete overview of the team’s free agent activity, see the 2021 Free Agency Scorecard section of the website.

GIANTS DO NOT TENDER DEVANTE DOWNS…
According to multiple press reports, the New York Giants have chosen to not tender linebacker Devante Downs as a restricted free agent, thus making him an unrestricted free agent. Downs can now freely sign with any team without the Giants having the right to match any contract offer or possibly receiving compensation if he signs with another team.

Downs began the season as a starter in 2020, but saw his playing time give way to rookie 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.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON NATE SOLDER’S PAY CUT…
The Athletic is reporting on more specifics of the pay cut recently accepted by offensive tackle Nate Solder in order to remain with the New York Giants. Solder’s base salary was reduced from $9.9 million to about $4 million, creating approximately $6 million in salary cap space. His overall 2021 cap hit was reduced from $16.5 million to about $10.5 million. Had the Giants cut Solder or had he retired before June 1st, the same amount of cap space would have been created.

The 6’8”, 325-pound Solder was drafted in the 1st round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. In March 2018, the Giants made Solder the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL when they signed him away from the Patriots as unrestricted free agent. However, despite 32 straight starts at left tackle for New York, Solder’s play has been inconsistent at best with the Giants.

Feb 272021
 
Nate Solder, New York Giants (October 7, 2018)

Nate Solder – © USA TODAY Sports

NATE SOLDER MAY HAVE TO ACCEPT PAY CUT TO RETURN TO GIANTS…
New York Giants left tackle Nate Solder, who sat out the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns, has reportedly told ESPN that he would like to return to the team in 2021. However, the NFL Network is also reporting that the Giants intend to ask Solder to re-structure his contract. How those talks go may determine if Solder remains with the team.

The 32-year old Solder is currently scheduled to make $9.9 million in base salary in both 2021 and 2022 and will cost $16.5 million against the 2021 salary cap. If the Giants cut him before June 1st, the team will take a $10.5 million cap hit and “save” $6 million in cap space. If they designate him a post-June 1st cut, the team will “save” $10 million in 2021 but push a $4 million of the $10.5 million dead money into 2022.

Solder was replaced in 2021 by the team’s 2021 1st-round draft pick, Andrew Thomas.

In March 2018, the Giants made Solder the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL when they signed him away from the New England Patriots as unrestricted free agent. However, despite 32 straight starts at left tackle for New York, Solder has not lived up to his contract, struggling at times at the position. The 6’8”, 325-pound Solder was drafted in the 1st round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Patriots.

GIANTS CUT TWO PLAYERS…
The New York Giants have waived wide receiver Da’Mari Scott and cornerback Shakial Taylor, two players who opted out of the 2020 NFL season due to COVID-19 concerns.

Scott was originally signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2018 NFL Draft. The Browns waived him in December 2018 and he was then signed by the Bills. The Giants claimed Scott off of waivers from the Buffalo Bills in July 2019. They waived him in August but Scott spent time on both the team’s Practice Squad and 53-man roster during the 2019 season. In all, Scott played in five games with two starts. He finished the year with just two catches for 22 yards. He also returned four kickoffs (27.5 yards per return) and six punts (5.3 yards per return).

The Giants claimed Shakial Taylor off of waivers from the Denver Broncos in late July 2020 and attempted to waive him a few days later. However, Taylor requested a COVID-19 opt-out and spent the year on the team’s Reserve/Covid-19 Opt-Out List. Taylor was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Indianapolis Colts after the 2019 NFL Draft. He was then claimed off of waivers by the Broncos in November 2019.

Jan 182021
 
Shane Lemieux and Nick Gates, New York Giants (November 2, 2020)

Shane Lemieux and Nick Gates – © USA TODAY Sports

New Head Coach Joe Judge was hired by the New York Giants in early January 2020. After an atypically long vetting process, the team announced its complete staff a month later in early February. The extremely well-organized new head coach was all set to initiate his program to turn the franchise around. Then disaster struck. COVID-19 forced the league to shut down in the spring and much of the summer. The challenges for a new head coach trying to rebuild most of the roster seemed almost insurmountable.

Probably the position most affected by these developments was the offensive line. The Giants entered 2020 knowing they would have to have new starters at center and at least one of the tackle spots. That quickly became three starters when left tackle Nate Solder decided to sit out 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns. Right tackle Mike Remmers had already signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. The only free agent addition was journeyman swing tackle Cam Fleming. It was obvious that most of the help would have to come from the draft, where the Giants selected Andrew Thomas in the 1st round, Matt Peart in the 3rd round, and Shane Lemieux in the 5th round. Despite those additions, there was still a glaring hole at center, with no obvious candidate to start other than the disappointing Spencer Pulley and talk of possible conversion projects.

With the desperate need to sort all of this out, Joe Judge was being told he could have no mini-camps, no Organized Team Activity (OTA) practices, a dramatically scaled back training camp, and no preseason. Teams were told they could only hold 14 padded practices before the season. 14 practices to get rookie Andrew Thomas ready at left tackle. 14 practices to find and name a starting center. 14 practices to figure out who to start at right tackle. 14 practices to build cohesion and chemistry for a group largely unfamiliar with each other.

The early returns were predictable. The line struggled. Converted guard/tackle Nick Gates was moved to center, a position that he had never played, and he had a rough start. Andrew Thomas did not look like the 4th player taken in the draft and fans began to question the pick, arguing the team drafted the wrong lineman. There was no time for Matt Peart to seriously challenge Cam Fleming for the right tackle job, and Fleming continued to demonstrate he really wasn’t an ideal starter. All of this was made worse by the fact that the two guys who the team needed to rely on, guards Kevin Zeitler and Will Hernandez, were once again not playing as well as expected.

Saquon Barkley was lost in Week 2 and the Giants had no ground game early in the season outside of Daniel Jones running for his life. No Giant had more than 30 yards rushing in the first two games and no Giant had more than 50 yards rushing in the first four games. Jones was the team’s leading rusher in four of the first seven games of the season. Jones was also getting sacked early and often, something that never really totally abated as he was sacked 45 times and NYG quarterbacks sacked 50 times on the season (or over three per game).

Despite all of this negativity and an 0-5 start, something began to change in October. A hodgepodge group of backs and Jones began to hurt teams on the ground as the offensive line began playing better. In eight of their next nine games, the Giants ran for over 100 yards or more. In seven of these games, they ran for over 130 yards or more. The high point was a 190-yard rushing effort against the Seattle Seahawks on December 6th. The line appeared to be developing into a physical, smash-mouth unit almost overnight.

Why? First, Nick Gates made a miraculous transformation from an undrafted tackle to a big, feisty, physical presence at center. In just a few games, he clearly became the team’s best offensive lineman. Second, Andrew Thomas settled down and started playing much, much better. Third, the Giants replaced Will Hernandez with Shane Lemieux at left guard, and while that created some pass protection issues, Lemieux’s presence seemed to be an upgrade in the run-blocking department. Finally, Kevin Zeitler started to play better. Matt Peart did receive increased playing time, receiving significant snaps in half of the games, but right tackle remained a bit of a sore spot with Cam Fleming.

In mid-November, Joe Judge surprisingly fired Offensive Line Coach Marc Colombo, bringing onboard outsider Dave DeGuglielmo, who ironically had served under Tom Coughlin from 2004 to 2008. DeGuglielmo would later miss the last week of the season due to COVID-19.

The line struggled in three-game stretch in December before finishing strong in the season finale against Dallas. In those three games, New York never rushed for more than 80 yards and Giants’ quarterbacks were sacked 13 times. Nevertheless, the overall impression was despite all of COVID-19-related handicaps, the Giants actually finally made progress in rebuilding the offensive line in 2020. There appears to be a young, talented foundation to work with.

THE STARTERS

Despite having no prior experience at playing the position, and after a rough start, Nick Gates not only solidified the center position for the Giants but rapidly became the team’s best lineman. Gates started all 16 games at center. He was flagged with five penalties (two holding, one false start, one unnecessary roughness, and one illegal block). The Giants signed Gates as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2018 NFL Draft. He missed all of 2018 with a foot injury that caused him to be placed on Injured Reserve before the season started. In 2019, Gates was active for all 16 games with three starts (two starts at right tackle and one start at right guard). Gates is a versatile player, able to play tackle, guard, and center. He has good size and brings toughness and attitude to the offensive line. Gates is a solid pass and run blocker.

The Giants drafted Andrew Thomas in the 1st round of the 2020 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Thomas started 15 games at left tackle despite playing on a left ankle injury that required offseason surgery in January 2021. Thomas was benched for the start of one game for being late to a team meeting. In terms of his overall play, Thomas struggled early, but markedly improved as both a pass and run blocker as the year progressed. He was flagged with five penalties (three false start and two holding penalties) on the season. Thomas has a big frame (6’5”, 315lbs) and long arms. He is a strong, physical run blocker who can get movement at the point-of-attack. He is athletic enough to get to the second level and works to finish his blocks. Thomas is a good athlete and he flashes excellent pass protection skills, but he needs to improve his overall technique and consistency in that department.

The Giants signed Cam Fleming as an unrestricted free agent from the Dallas Cowboys in March 2020. He ended up starting all 16 games at right tackle, by far the most in his career in a single season. But Fleming was arguably the weak link up front, regularly missing blocks. Fleming was also credited with four false starts and two holding penalties. The 6’5”, 320-pound Fleming was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. After four years in New England, he played two seasons with the Cowboys. In seven NFL seasons, Fleming has played in 91 regular-season games with 42 starts. Fleming is versatile lineman who can play both tackle spots. He has good size. However, Fleming seems better suited to a reserve, swing-tackle type role than starter.

While the overall play of Kevin Zeitler improved in his second season with the Giants, he still did not meet expectations in 2020. Zeitler started all 16 games at right guard. He was flagged four times on the year (one holding, three false starts). Zeitler was originally drafted in the 1st round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. He signed a 5-year, $60 million contract with the Browns in March 2017, which at the time made him the highest-paid guard in the NFL. The Giants acquired Zeitler by trade from the Cleveland Browns in March 2019 in exchange for linebacker Olivier Vernon. In eight seasons, Zeitler has started 134 of the 135 regular-season games he has played in. Zeitler has good size (6’4”, 315lbs). Once regarded as one of the best guards in the game as both a run and pass blocker, Zeitler’s play in recent years has been more inconsistent. Nevertheless, he is still a solid, steady, veteran presence up front.

The Giants drafted Shane Lemieux in the 5th round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He surprisingly ended up playing in 12 games with nine starts starts at left guard, stealing Will Hernandez’s position. He was only flagged once (false start) all year. The 6’4”, 310-pound Lemieux started an incredible 52 games in college, never missing a game. He is a tough, feisty, blue-collar lineman with some athletic limitations. Lemieux needs to get stronger, but he is a physical presence in the ground game with a feel for blocking angles. He struggled at times as a pass protector.

After starting every game in his first two years in the league in 2018 and 2019, Will Hernandez lost his starting left guard job to Shane Lemieux after the seventh game of the season. Hernandez missed two games in early November due to COVID-19. He was flagged only once (one holding penalty) all year. The Giants selected Hernandez in the 2nd round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He was named named to Pro Football Writers of America’s All-Rookie Team. Hernandez has good size, strength, and toughness for the guard position, but he appears to lack ideal lateral agility. This hampers his play as a run blocker on the move and as a pass blocker when isolated against quick defenders. He can move defenders with his strength and power.

THE RESERVES

The Giants selected Matt Peart in the 3rd round of the 2020 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Peart played in 11 games with one start at left tackle. He did play in 15 percent of all offensive snaps, receiving some quality playing time. He missed one game in late November due to COVID-19. The 6’7”, 318-pound Peart was a 4-year starter in college with experience at both tackle spots. Peart combines excellent size, long arms, and good overall athletic ability. He has the frame to get bigger and stronger. As expected, Peart was inconsistent as a rookie and needs more technique refinement.

Spencer Pulley spent all of 2020 as the team’s primary reserve center, but he did not play. Pulley was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the San Diego Chargers after the 2016 NFL Draft. Spencer started all 16 regular-season games for the Chargers in 2017 at center. The Giants claimed Pulley off of waivers from the Chargers in September 2018. That season, Pulley was inserted into the starting line-up in late October. He struggled in his nine starts at center and missed one game due to an injury. In 2019, Pulley played in four games with one start in which he again struggled. He also is able to play guard.

The Giants claimed Jackson Barton off of waivers from the Kansas City Chiefs in early September 2020. Despite remaining on the 53-man roster all season, Barton never played in 2020. The 6’7”, 302-pound Barton was originally drafted in the 7th round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts. The Chiefs signed him off of the Colts’ Practice Squad in 2019. He has yet to play in a regular-season NFL game.

The Giants signed Kyle Murphy as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2020 NFL Draft. He was signed to the Practice Squad in early September and then signed to the 53-man roster in mid November. Murphy did not play in a regular-season game in 2020. Murphy was a 3-year starter in college with experience all along the offensive line.

The 6’5”, 315-pound Chad Slade was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Houston Texans after the 2015 NFL Draft. Slade spent his rookie season on Injured Reserve, and the 2016 and 2018 seasons on the Practice Squad of the Texans. In 2017, Slade played in five games with three starts (two at right guard and one at tight end) for the Texans. The Giants signed Slade to a reserve/futures contract in January 2019. While he surprisingly made the team, he wasn’t active for any game. Slade spent all of 2020 on New York’s Practice Squad.

The 6’6”, 315-pound Kenny Wiggins was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Baltimore Ravens after the 2011 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Ravens (2011), San Francisco 49ers (2012-2013), San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers (2013-2017), and Lions (2018-2020). The Lions cut Wiggins in late October 2020. The Giants signed Wiggins to the 53-man roster in November, cut him 10 days later, and then signed him to the Practice Squad for the remainder of the season. Overall, Wiggins has played in 79 regular-season games with 38 starts.

COVID-19 OPT-OUT

Nate Solder opted out of the 2020 NFL season due to the COVID-19 issue. In March 2018, the Giants made Solder the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL when they signed him away from the New England Patriots as unrestricted free agent. However, despite 32 straight starts at left tackle for New York, Solder has not played well at all with the Giants. He really struggled during the first half of 2018 before settling down a bit during the second half of the season. In 2019, his inconsistent play throughout the year both as a pass protector and run blocker was a significant factor in the team’s struggles. The 6’8”, 325-pound Solder was drafted in the 1st round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Patriots. In nine seasons, Solder has started 127 of the 130 regular-season games he has played in. He is a long, lean tackle with good overall athleticism. However, off-the-field issues with a sick child could understandably be affecting his focus and play.

Jul 292020
 
Nate Solder, New York Giants (October 7, 2018)

Nate Solder – © USA TODAY Sports

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NATE SOLDER OPTS OUT OF 2020 NFL SEASON…
As had been expected by some, New York Giants left tackle Nate Solder has decided to opt out of the 2020 NFL season due to the ongoing COVID-19 issue. Under the agreement reached last week between the NFL and the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), players can choose not to play in the upcoming season without penalty. The opt-out is irrevocable.

The highest-paid player on the team, Solder had two years left on his current contract with $9.9 million in base salary each of the final two years, but counting $19.5 million against the 2020 NFL salary cap and $20.5 million against the 2021 salary cap. While his cap hit will be significantly reduced this year (media reports indicate possibly around $13-16 million), his contract will now be pushed to 2022 with the pre-existing significant cap hits now counting in 2021 and 2022. This year, Solder will likely receive $350,000 “stipend” that does not count against future earnings and a credited NFL season towards medical insurance and benefits because he is high risk with family cancer issues. (Compensation is $150,000 for low-risk players).

“My family and I have been praying, wrestling and listening to God about our current circumstances and whether it is best that I play football this season,” Solder said in a prepared statement. “Our primary goal is to pursue God and listen to the Holy Spirit in everything we do. As hard as that can be and as daunting as what He asks us to do can seem, we have come to believe, trust and wait on the Lord. That is why we have chosen to pause for this season. Our family has health concerns, most notably our son’s ongoing battle with cancer, as well as my own bout with cancer. We also welcomed a new addition to our family this spring, a baby boy. With fear and trembling, we struggle to keep our priorities in order and, for us, our children’s health and the health of our neighbors comes before football.

“We fully recognize that being able to make a decision like this is a privilege. I will deeply miss my teammates, coaches and everyone in the Giants organization. I want to thank them and all my friends and fans who continue to support me and my family through the highs and the lows. As scary and bleak as it sometimes can be, we know that the God of the universe has all things under His control, and His plans are and will always be for our good.”

Solder’s 5-year old son, has been battling with kidney cancer since he was 3-months old. Solder also faced testicular cancer in 2014.

“We have great respect for Nate as a person and player,” said General Manager Dave Gettleman. “When he called today, I told him it is faith, family and football. He is doing what’s best for his family.”

“I spoke with Nate this morning,” said Head Coach Joe Judge. “We were together in New England, obviously, and he has always been a thoughtful, conscientious person. Ultimately, he made this decision because it is the right thing for him and his family. We support Nate and Lexi and their children (son) Hudson, (daughter) Charlie and (son) Emerson. Our concern is for their health and well-being.”

The expectation is that rookie 1st-round pick Andrew Thomas will replace Solder at left tackle with free agent acquisition Cam Fleming competing with Nick Gates at right tackle. Third-rounder Matt Peart could also factor into the equation.

In March 2018, the Giants made Solder the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL when they signed him away from the New England Patriots as unrestricted free agent. However, despite 32 straight starts at left tackle for New York, Solder has not played well at all with the Giants. He really struggled during the first half of 2018 before settling down a bit during the second half of the season. In 2019, his inconsistent play throughout the year both as a pass protector and run blocker was a significant factor in the team’s struggles.

The 6’8”, 325-pound Solder was drafted in the 1st round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Patriots. In nine seasons, Solder has started 127 of the 130 regular-season games he has played in.

WILLIE YOUNG PASSES AWAY…
Willie Young, an offensive lineman with the New York Giants from 1966-1975, passed away. He was 77. Young played in 135 game with the Giants, starting in 119 of those contests. He was also the father of Rodney Young, who played defensive back for the Giants from 1995-1998.

ARTICLES…

Jul 192020
 
Saquon Barkley, New York Giants (July 25, 2019)

Saquon Barkley – © USA TODAY Sports

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NEW YORK GIANTS BEGIN REPORTING TO TRAINING CAMP ON JULY 23…
The NFL has announced the reporting dates for training camp. Although rookies are eligible to report two days earlier, the New York Giants have determined that quarterbacks, rookies, and injured players will report to East Rutherford, New Jersey on July 23. All other players are to report by July 28. Coaches began arriving on July 17.

According to media reports, the Giants will conduct most training camp functions at MetLife Stadium in order to be better comply with COVID-19 restrictions. The home and away locker rooms at the stadium will allow for greater social distancing. The Giants will also have access to suites inside the stadium in order to hold team meetings. However, the Giants will still practice at nearby Quest Diagnostics Training Center.

The NFL and NFL Players association are still negotiation about how many – if any – preseason games will be held in 2020.

ARTICLES…