Dec 042023
 
Tyrod Taylor, New York Giants (October 15, 2023)

Tyrod Taylor – © USA TODAY Sports

TYROD TAYLOR DESIGNATED FOR RETURN…
New York Giants quarterback Tyrod Taylor has been designated for return off of Injured Reserve. The Giants now have 21 days to either activate him to the 53-man roster or keep him on IR for the rest of the season. Taylor was placed on Injured Reserve in early November with a rib injury he suffered in Week 8 against the New York Jets.

On November 28, the Giants released tight end Tommy Sweeney from the team’s Reserve/Non-Football Injury (NFI) List. Sweeney was placed on the NFL in late August after he had suffered an undisclosed medical issue on the sidelines while not practicing during training camp. Sweeney did miss part of the 2020 NFL season with myocarditis. The Giants signed Sweeney as an unrestricted free agent from the Buffalo Bills in March 2023.

On November 30, the Giants signed WR Dylan Drummond to the Practice Squad. To make room for Drummond, the team terminated the Practice Squad contract of OLB Oshane Ximines.

The 23-year old, 6’0”, 186-pound Drummond was originally signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2023 NFL Draft. He spent September-November on the team’s Practice Squad until he was cut on November 29. Drummond was elevated to the 53-man roster for one game in October.

The Giants drafted Ximines in the 3rd round of the 2019 NFL Draft. In five seasons with the Giants, Ximines played in 48 regular-season games with nine starts, accruing 71 tackles and 6.5 sacks.

JALIN HYATT EARNS “ROOKIE OF THE WEEK” HONORS…
On November 30, wide receiver Jalin Hyatt was named “Rookie of the Week” for his performance against the New England Patriots in Week 12. In that game, Hyatt caught five passes for 109 yards, including receptions of 41, 29, and 22 yards.

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The team returns to practice on Tuesday afternoon. Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will also address the media.

Aug 302023
 
Cole Beasley, New York Giants (August 11, 2023)

Cole Beasley – © USA TODAY Sports

NO WAIVER-WIRE ACTIVITY FOR THE NEW YORK GIANTS…
The New York Giants were not awarded any waiver claims for players waived by other teams on Tuesday. And none of the players waived by the Giants were claimed by other teams. It is not currently known if the Giants, who were 26th in line in the waiver process, put in any claims.

GIANTS SIGN 14 PLAYERS TO THE PRACTICE SQUAD…
The New York Giants have officially re-signed the following 12 players to the team’s 16-man Practice Squad:

  • QB Tommy DeVito
  • WR Cole Beasley
  • TE Ryan Jones
  • OL Tyre Phillips
  • DL Ryder Anderson
  • OLB Tomon Fox
  • OLB Oshane Ximines
  • ILB Darrian Beavers
  • ILB Dyontae Johnson
  • CB Amani Oruwariye
  • CB Gemon Green
  • S Alex Cook

Unofficially, the team has also signed WR Dennis Houston and TE Tyree Jackson to the Practice Squad, both of whom were with other teams. The Giants still have two remaining spots open on the Practice Squad.

The 24-year old, 6’1”, 202-pound Houston originally signed with the Dallas Cowboys after the 2022 NFL Draft. He spent most of 2022 on Dallas’ Practice Squad, playing in two regular-season games and catching two passes for 16 yards. The Cowboys waived him on Tuesday.

The 25-year old, 6’7”, 249-pound Jackson was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Buffalo Bills after the 2019 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Bills (2019), DC Defenders (2020), and Philadelphia Eagles (2021-2023). The Eagles cut him on Saturday. A quarterback in college and with the Bills and Defenders, the Eagles converted him to tight end in 2021. Jackson has played in 14 regular-season games with the Eagles, with three starts, catching just three passes for 22 yards and one touchdown.

INJURY REPORT…
CB Aaron Robinson (ACL) remains on the Reserve/Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List from the Active/PUP List. TE Tommy Sweeney (unknown) remains on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury (NFI) List.

RB Gary Brightwell (knee), WR Parris Campbell (unknown), TE Lawrence Cager (ankle), LB Cam Brown (ankle), CB Cor’Dale Flott (hamstring), S Bobby McCain (concussion), and S Gervarrius Owens (hamstring) did not practice.

S/CB Nick McCloud (groin) returned to practice.

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

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice on Thursday afternoon 1(2:30-2:00PM). General Manager Joe Schoen, Head Coach Brian Daboll, and select players will also address the media.

Aug 292023
 
Wan'Dale Robinson, New York Giants (November 20, 2022)

Wan’Dale Robinson – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS MAKE 30 MORE ROSTER MOVES…
As with all other NFL teams, the New York Giants reduced their roster to 53 players on Tuesday. The Giants announced the following 30 roster moves on Monday and Tuesday:

Acquired by Trade:

  • DE/OLB Boogie Basham (from Buffalo Bills in exchange for swap of late-round 2025 draft picks)

Activated from the Active/Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List:

  • WR Wan’Dale Robinson (coming off of ACL tear)

Placed on Reserve/PUP List from Active/PUP List:

  • CB Aaron Robinson (coming off of ACL tear) (now out for at least four games)

Waived:

  • QB Tommy DeVito
  • RB Jashaun Corbin
  • WR Kalil Pimpleton
  • TE Ryan Jones
  • OL Tyre Phillips
  • DL Ryder Anderson
  • DL Kobe Smith
  • OLB Tomon Fox
  • OLB Habakkuk Baldonado
  • ILB Darrian Beavers
  • ILB Ray Wilborn
  • ILB Dyontae Johnson
  • CB Gemon Green
  • S Alex Cook
  • LS Cameron Lyons

Contract Terminated (Vested Veteran):

  • WR Cole Beasley
  • WR Jamison Crowder
  • WR David Sills
  • OL Sean Harlow
  • OLB Oshane Ximines
  • CB Amani Oruwariye

Waived/Injured:

  • OL Jack Anderson (calf)
  • OL Wyatt Davis (ankle)
  • CB Zyon Gilbert (hamstring)

Placed on Reserve/Non-Football Injury (NFI) List:

  • TE Tommy Sweeney (unknown)

Placed on Season-Ending Injured Reserve:

  • TE Chris Myarick (broken hand)

Contract Terminated from Injured Reserve (Injury Settlement):

  • DL Vernon Butler (unknown)

The 25-year old, 6’3”, 274-pound Basham was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Bills. He has played in 23 regular-season games with no starts, accruing 37 tackles, 4.5 sacks, one interception, and one fumble recovery. Basham is a powerful hybrid 3-4/4-3 end who has inside-outside versatility. He plays the run well and flashes on the pass rush.

“A young player that has good size,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll of Basham. “He’ll be in the outside linebacker room, and we’ll get him here and start working with him and put him in our system. Our system is a little bit different than Buffalo’s system so we’ll get him out here in the field and (Outside Linebackers Coach) Drew (Wilkins) will start working with him and try to get him up to speed.”

INJURY REPORT…
CB Aaron Robinson (ACL) was placed on the Reserve/Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List from the Active/PUP List. He cannot be activated off of the Reserve/PUP for the first four games of the regular season. TE Tommy Sweeney (unknown) was placed on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury (NFI) List.

RB Gary Brightwell (knee), TE Lawrence Cager (ankle), LB Cam Brown (unknown), CB Cor’Dale Flott (hamstring), S/CB Nick McCloud (groin), S Bobby McCain (concussion), and S Gervarrius Owens (hamstring) did not practice.

DARNAY HOLMES ACCEPTS PAY CUT…
Media sources are reporting that cornerback Darnay Holmes has accepted a pay cut. Holmes was scheduled to earn $2,743,000 in salary in the final year of his contract in 2023.

TEAM CAPTAINS ANNOUNCED…
The following 10 players were voted team captains by the players on the roster:

  • QB Daniel Jones
  • RB Saquon Barkley
  • TE Darren Waller
  • LT Andrew Thomas
  • DL Dexter Lawrence
  • DL Leonard Williams
  • OLB Bobby Okereke
  • CB Adoree’ Jackson
  • S Xavier McKinney
  • PK Graham Gano

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

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice on Wednesday afternoon (2:30-4:30PM). Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will also address the media.

Jul 062023
 
Kayvon Thibodeaux, New York Giants (December 18, 2022)

Kayvon Thibodeaux – © USA TODAY Sports

With New York Giants training camp beginning in late July, BigBlueInteractive.com (BBI) breaks down each of the team’s positional groups until the players report at Quest Diagnostics Training Center.

FIND A COMPLETE LIST OF ALL BREAKDOWNS HERE

POSITIONAL BREAKDOWN: Linebackers

2022 YEAR IN REVIEW: Injuries and disappointing performances significantly impacted both the inside and outside linebacker positions for the New York Giants in 2022. Heading into last year’s training camp, it appeared that Blake Martinez and Tae Crowder would be the starting inside linebackers with top pick Kayvon Thibodeaux and second-year Azeez Ojulari manning the outside spots. The Giants had also drafted Micah McFadden and Darrian Beavers to compete inside. The team signed Jihad Ward in free agency for the outside spot, where they also hoped Elerson Smith would justify his selection in the 4th round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Martinez, who was coming off an ACL injury, never really seemed to connect with the defensive coaching staff and was cut before the season started. Wink Martindale talked up Crowder to the press, but continued disappointing play led to his benching after the bye week and being cut in December. Beavers was a pleasant surprise in training camp and the 6th rounder was quickly elevated to the first team. However, he tore his ACL in the second preseason game and was lost for the year.

All of this left the team scrambling for inside linebackers. Austin Calitro was signed in late July. He started a couple of games in September and was then benched, being inactive or not playing until he was cut in November. After choosing not to re-sign him in free agency, the Giants re-signed Jaylon Smith to the Practice Squad in late September and the 53-man roster in early October. He soon entrenched himself as a starter, playing in 13 regular-season games with 11 starts (72 percent of defensive snaps in those games). Landon Collins, who the team converted from safety to inside linebacker, was signed to the Practice Squad in October and the 53-man roster in December. Collins played in six regular-season games with one start. Also in late December, the team signed Jarrad Davis off of the Practice Squad of the Lions. Davis was pressed into service immediately, starting the regular-season finale and the two playoff games at inside linebacker.

Somewhat tellingly, the defensive staff never turned to 2020 late-round draft picks Cam Brown and Carter Coughlin. But they did with rookie 5th-rounder Micah McFadden. He played in all 17 regular-season games with seven starts (39 percent of defensive snaps). However, McFadden was inconsistent and a healthy scratch for both playoff games.

Outside, the Giants got a huge scare early with Thibodeaux, the fifth overall player selected in the Draft. He suffered an MCL knee sprain, which originally looked far worse, in the second preseason game and missed the final preseason and first two regular-season games. The good news was that he returned, but it did take him time to get back up to speed and he started slowly. In all, Thibodeaux started 14 regular-season games, being credited with 49 tackles, six tackles for losses, four sacks, 13 quarterback hits, five pass defenses, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. The high-point of his season was his “Defensive Player of the Week” performance against the Washington Commanders in Week 15 when he caused a sack/forced fumble/recovery defensive score.

When Ojulari played, he performed well, actually having the most effective pass-rush rate of any player on the roster. The problem was he wasn’t available for most of the year. Ojulari missed the first three weeks of training camp with a hamstring injury. He then hurt his right calf in training camp and missed the first two regular-season games of the season. Then in Week 4, Ojulari injured his left calf. After waiting for three weeks for it to improve, the Giants finally put him on Injured Reserve. Ojulari did not return to the active roster until early December, missing two full months. He then left the Week 16 game early with an ankle injury and barely played the following week. He was held out of the regular-season finale and then came out of the playoff game against the Vikings with a quad contusion. In all, Ojulari played in seven regular-season games with five starts. While he was only credited with 14 tackles, he flashed in his limited playing time with 5.5 sacks, the second-most on the team in 2022. He also caused three fumbles.

As bad as that was, Elerson Smith managed to top it. In his first two seasons with the Giants, Smith has been placed on Injured Reserve four times. In 2021, it was hamstring and neck injuries. Last year, the Giants placed Smith on IR in late August with a foot injury. He was activated off of IR in late October, but then went back to IR in December with an Achilles’ injury. He played in five games in 2022, accruing just three tackles. He also blocked a punt.

On the other hand, Ward ended up being a far more important defensive cog and locker-room presence than realized when he signed a 1-year contract with the Giants in March. He played in all 17 regular-season games with 11 starts (58 percent of defensive snaps), finishing the year with 43 tackles, seven tackles for losses, three sacks, 13 quarterback hits, four pass defenses, and two forced fumbles. It was the most-productive season in Ward’s seven-year NFL career as he offered both outside linebacker and defensive line versatility.

Two other players surprised. Most fans had written off Oshane Ximines, the team’s 3rd rounder from the 2019 NFL Draft. Ximines had a good summer, made the team, and contributed as a reserve and sometimes starter. In the end, Ximines played in 15 regular-season games with four starts (51 percent of defensive snaps). Rookie free agent Tomon Fox made the team and played in 16 regular-season games. He played in 30 percent of defensive snaps.

Quincy Roche, who spent most of the season on the Practice Squad, was promoted to the 53-man roster for a month.

Overall, very little went as planned in 2022 and the front office and coaching staff seemed like they were trying to plug new leaks all season. Injuries really impacted the outside pass rush and the inside linebacker position was never stable.

ADDITIONS/SUBTRACTIONS: Inside, while the team re-signed Jarrad Davis, it did not pursue re-signing Jaylon Smith and Landon Collins. Both remain unsigned by any team. By far, the team’s most expensive free agent move was signing Bobby Okereke from the Colts (4-years, $40 million). The Giants also signed Dyontae Johnson and Troy Brown as undrafted rookie free agents.

Outside, the team re-signed Jihad Ward and Oshane Ximines, though somewhat tellingly the latter did not come until after the Draft. The team also signed Habakkuk Baldonado as an undrafted rookie free agent. Quincy Roche signed with the Steelers in January.

TRAINING CAMP STORY LINES:  If the Giants’ defense takes a big leap forward in 2023, it will likely be due to their linebackers. For a variety of reasons, the position was not a team strength in 2022. But big things are expected from Kayvon Thibodeaux and Azeez Ojulari as pass rushers, provided they can stay on the field. Bobby Okereke is a significant addition as a quality 3-down inside linebacker at a position crying for help. The Giants have a history of making important free agent signings at inside linebacker (Michael Brooks, Micheal Barrow, Antonio Pierce).

While the importance of the second inside linebacker is diminished in today’s NFL with so many extra defensive back packages, one of battles to watch is who nails down the position next to Okereke. Jarrad Davis was re-signed. Darrian Beavers has to prove he hasn’t lost anything coming off of an ACL injury. The coaches and players have singled out Micah McFadden this spring. Dyontae Johnson received the second-most guaranteed money of the nine rookie free agents signed. Can Cam Brown and Carter Coughlin survive another year solely as special teams players?

Outside, a real concern is depth. Ward offers value as a veteran presence and edge-setter, but he is no replacement for the starters as a consistent pass rusher. Elerson Smith simply hasn’t been able to stay healthy. One wonders if Oshane Ximines would have even been re-signed had the team selected an outside linebacker in the draft. His chief competition are two undrafted players, Tomon Fox and Habakkuk Baldonado.

ON THE BUBBLE: There are currently 15 linebackers on the 90-man roster. The Giants usually had 10 linebackers on the 53-man roster in 2022. They will probably go with 8-10 in 2023. The locks are Kayvon Thibodeaux, Azeez Ojulari, Jihad Ward, and Bobby Okereke. It’s also likely the team will retain Darrian Beavers and Micah McFadden. That leaves 2-4 spots for the other nine players.

FROM COACHES AND PLAYERS: Head Coach Brian Daboll on Darrian Beavers, who was still rehabbing this spring: “He’s been in here working hard. He’ll be one of the guys on the rehab (field). Once we get out to training camp and preseason games, that’s really when the evaluation part comes in. He’s done a great job, everything we’ve asked him to do, so whenever he gets back, look forward to working with him.”

Defensive Coordinator Wink Martindale on Bobby Okereke: “It’s fun to watch him play because of his size, his strength, but most of all, he’s a good guy. He’s a really intelligent kid that knows football, and it’s not hard to talk football with him. So, all those things have been great.”

Defensive Coordinator Wink Martindale on Darrian Beavers: “What you like about him is his physicality. He was different than others out there (last year). That’s what jumped out at me. He really is going to play his rookie year this year, redshirt rookie if you will. I think there is going to be a battle there with him and J.D. (Jarrad Davis)… We’ll see. It’s all a competition right now with he and J.D., and I’ll tell you, Micah (McFadden) has really improved.”

Defensive Coordinator Wink Martindale on his outside linebackers: “I’m really happy with that room, and where they’re going led by Kayvon. We got Haddy (Jihad Ward) back, which I was happy about, and I told the whole defense wherever I’m at, Haddy will have a job. If he’s done playing, he can hang out with me as a coach. But I really like that room. I like its personality. Drew Wilkins does a great job with them. They’re leaders in their own right. I just think that if you’ve seen Zeez (Azeez Ojulari) and are around him all the time you can see that he’s, the best way I could describe it, a lot more sturdy this year. We’ll see how that translates because it’s a crazy league. We’ll see how that translates.”

Defensive Coordinator Wink Martindale on Kavyon Thibodeaux: “I love the kid. He has no ceiling. I believe that because he can do whatever he puts his mind to. After the season was over, I said I think you need to get stronger in your legs and your core. And that was his focus this year in the offseason. He’s going to get better and better every game that he plays here… Unbelievable (football IQ)… He’s an old soul guy who has a lot of aspirations and dreams, and he’s going to chase them. And that’s good for the Giants.”

Defensive Coordinator Wink Martindale on Azeez Ojulari being on the field with Kayvon Thibodeaux: “I think that it’s going to be good for both of them because there is not one way in which you can slide the protections. Azeez has taken care of his body. To me, he looks bigger than what he did last year and I’m exited to see him get going.”

Outside Linebackers Coach Drew Wilkins on Azeez Ojulari: “I think Azeez is moving around really well right now. He’s worked really hard in the offseason. We have a really great strength program, really great trainers. He put together a great plan, here’s areas he can attack things differently. He had one of the highest in the League sacks per rush. Making sure he’s out there and he’s rolling because when he is, he can be a problem… Right now, he’s healthy and we’re excited where he is going to take this thing.”

Outside Linebackers Coach Drew Wilkins on Kayvon Thibodeaux: “I think he is so self-motivated and he studies so much tape on his own, like all the great players around this League do, they study themselves… for him to dig deep and say ‘how can I do this better?’… that really shows he is conscientious and he really wants to get better… Whatever the tackle is giving you, you need to develop the tools to counter that and take the next move off your first move. And I think he’s done a great job with that.”

Bobby Okereke on his pass coverage strengths: “My athleticism. I’m big, I’m fast and long. But then just from a mental processing standpoint, understanding how offenses are trying to attack you and where I fit in coverage with my teammates.”

Bobby Okereke on who has impressed him: “I love Micah McFadden. I think he’s a technician, great player, smart guy. Obviously Jarrad Davis is a great leader. And Darrian Beavers is a guy who has a lot of potential.”

Kayvon Thibodeaux on what he needs to improve: “Getting sacks, finishing, there were a lot of times when I had a good pass rush that I didn’t finish. You realize the guy on the other side of the line is paid a lot of money. They’re not going to let him get touched. Continuing to sharpen the end of my rush, that third phase and make sure I start to finish.”

PREDICTIONS/CLOSING THOUGHTS: If the New York Giants are going to become serious Super Bowl contenders, they probably need their two top-seven 2022 NFL Draft picks to play like All-Pro/Pro Bowl-type players. Kayvon Thibodeaux wasn’t just drafted to be a starter. He was drafted to become a difference maker. The good news is that he flashed signs of that ability late last season. Now he has to build upon that and deliver that kind of productivity on a consistent basis.

Azeez Ojulari was actually the team’s best pass rusher when he played in 2022, but his injury situation bordered on the absurd. Point blank, this defense becomes a much different animal if Thibodeaux and Ojulari are 10-sack players. That’s not some pie-in-the-sky pipe dream. Both are capable of doubling last year’s sack totals. There is a quiet confidence with this coaching staff about Thibodeaux, like they know something is about to be unleashed.

The concern here is depth. In an ideal world, the Giants would have drafted another outside linebacker. But they only had so many picks after moving up twice in the draft. I would not discount another roster move here: a signing, a waiver-wire pick-up, or even a trade.

One of my questions is what is the true upside of Tomon Fox? The dream scenario would be for Elerson Smith to prove all doubters wrong, but I’m not counting on that.

The Giants have been scrambling for an inside linebacker ever since Antonio Pierce was released in early 2010. They got a couple of good years out of Blake Martinez but there hasn’t been much other than that. The only big ticket free agent the team signed in the offseason was Bobby Okereke. No one else was even close to the $40 million he got, either in 2022 or 2023 with Joe Schoen at the helm. Wink got his start in the NFL coaching inside linebackers. He wanted this guy.

Ideally, Darrian Beavers recovers fully from his ACL and Micah McFadden shows us why he’s been receiving praise this spring. A name to watch is Dyontae Johnson. The coaches have him calling the defense (green dot) with the backups.

FINAL DEPTH CHART: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Azeez Ojulari, Jihad Ward, Tomon Fox, Oshane Ximines, Bobby Okereke, Jarrad Davis, Micah McFadden, Darrian Beavers

I would not be shocked to see someone not on the roster take the spot of Ximines or Fox.

Look for the team to attempt to sign Habakkuk Baldonado and Dyontae Johnson to the Practice Squad.

May 032023
 
Oshane Ximines, New York Giants (October 9, 2022)

Oshane Ximines – © USA TODAY Sports

The New York Giants have re-signed unrestricted free agent outside linebacker Oshane Ximines. The contract is reportedly a 1-year deal.

Coming into 2022, many felt Oshane Ximines was on the bubble and would not make it out of training camp. He had a good summer, made the team, and contributed as a reserve and sometimes starter. In the end, Ximines played in 15 regular-season games with four starts (51 percent of defensive snaps in those 15 games). He was credited with 24 tackles, three tackles for losses, two sacks, eight quarterback hits, two pass defenses, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.

The Giants drafted Ximines in the 3rd round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He played in 16 games with two starts as a rookie, but missed the last 12 games of 2020 with a rotator cuff injury that required surgery. 2021 was a very disappointing season as his playing time declined markedly as the season progressed, being inactive for much of the second half of the year.

Ximines has a nice combination of size (6’4”, 254 pounds) and overall athletic-ability. Although somewhat improved in 2022, he still needs to improve his play in setting the edge as a run defender. Ximines flashes at times as a pass rusher, but is not consistent enough and will disappear for long stretches.

Oct 172022
 
Dexter Lawrence, New York Giants (October 16, 2022)

Dexter Lawrence – © USA TODAY Sports

OCTOBER 17, 2022 BRIAN DABOLL PRESS CONFERENCE…
New York Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll addressed the media on Monday to discuss his team’s 24-20 victory over the Baltimore Ravens (the VIDEO of the press conference is also available on YouTube):

Q: You had some big contributions yesterday from rookies. How important is that to the overall development of your team and the long term future?

A: We’re focused on, obviously, this week, but those guys did a good job and they’ve done a good job preparing. (Outside linebacker Tomon) Fox was in there at the end of the game. Whatever play that (outside linebacker) Kayvon (Thibodeaux) had. Our coaches try to do the best job they can in developing these players wherever they were selected or however they got here. They’ve been doing a good job. I think our rookie development program for off-the-field stuff with (Director of Player Engagement) Ashley Lynn. I think it’s definitely important to develop all your players but particularly young players as the season goes on. The more they gain good experience, I think that helps in the long run.

Q: Is it harder to do that when you’re winning because the winning becomes the thing more than anything? Or does it make it easier because it’s developing as part of the culture?

A: One more time on the question.

Q: Is it harder because you’re winning to train young guys or does it become part of their culture and that becomes a really good thing?

A: You mean like harder to play them?

Q: Yes.

A: No, no. We try to put the best guys out there that we think can help us win. Those guys have certainly earned the right to play. Whether you’re a rookie or a 10-year vet, what we try to do is give the opportunities to the guys that have earned them. Again, I think that obviously playing young players – that helps in the long run.

Q: Thibodeaux – you weren’t in the locker room yet, you were probably at the podium. His teammates actually gave him a big ovation in the locker room. It was kind of a cool scene when the media huddled around him. What does that say about a guy who obviously came in with a high draft status, big contract and it seems like his teammates really like him. Maybe a sense of ego-lessness or what not? What does that say about Thibodeaux?

A: I think Thibodeaux has been good since he’s been here. He’s a very humble person. He loves the game of football. He had to fight through some stuff, obviously injury-wise. He’s very attentive in meetings, he asks good questions. I think the players have a lot of respect for him. He got his first sack there at a critical time. It’s good to see the guys happy for him.

Q: The last two games you guys have given up eight scores – four field goals and four touchdowns – and the insuing drives, your offense has scored six of the eight times. So basically, when you guys are getting punched, you are punching back. I’m wondering if there’s anything to that? Is that just a coincidence or is this up to you guys having your best drives on offense after you give up a score on defense whether that’s the players, the coaches doing something different. What do you attribute that to?

A: I think good execution. Again, you can’t focus on the scoreboard or what’s happening with the other side of the ball either way or in the kicking game. You have to go out there and be prepared and ready to go and execute. Those guys, along with (offensive coordinator Mike) Kafka calling the plays, have done a good job with that.

Q: Did you get out of this game without any serious injuries?

A: I think so. I’m going to meet with these guys after I do our meeting right now. But I think we should be in fairly good shape.

Q: With (wide receiver) Wan’Dale Robinson, we obviously saw he’s coming back, it was his first game back and he only played 14 snaps. How much more can he be involved in the offense and what can he give you long term here?

A: I’m just worried about this week. Hopefully we can get some more reps out of him. We’ll see where he’s at after I talk to (Senior Vice President, Medical Services/Head Athletic Trainer) Ronnie (Barnes) and those guys. We had a plan going into this game and we’ll play him hopefully a little bit more this week.

Q: (Running back) Saquon (Barkley) obviously banged up his shoulder a little bit, it’s something he dealt with the previous week. How can you guys maybe help him moving forward? Have you thought about potentially resting him during the week, things like that and is that something that is even on your radar at this point?

A: I think, regardless of what player it is, obviously Saquon touches the ball, gets a lot of playing time and we always talk about that stuff. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to Wednesday here. We’ll have some conversations about it. Saquon, he’s a tough customer.

Q: I want to ask you a little bit about expectations. I know you don’t consider any kind of outside expectations for your team but inside, first of all, are you the kind of coach that address records, standings, division, conference with your team? I know other coaches put that up there on the board. Here’s where we are – that kind of thing. If you don’t do it now, do you think you may do it at some point later in the season?

A: I think the big thing for us is just focusing on what we can control, which is each day, get ready for the team we’re about to play – Jacksonville in this case – have a good workday, prepare the right way. That’s where our focus will always be.

Q: Expectations rise outside the building when you have a 5-1 record. Do you think that can affect players either positively or negatively? For example, ‘we are a good team and if we keep doing what we’re doing, we’re going to be an even better team.’ As opposed to losing and wondering what’s going on?

A: I’d say our focus is really what we need to do each week. Again, it’s probably not the flashiest of answers but it’s the truth. We just focus on the things we need to do, which is to make sure we understand what we need to do as a team, first and foremost. Study our opponents, go out there, practice well, put everything you have into the week leading up to the game. If you do that, you can live with the results. If you’re doing things right during the week and putting everything you have into it, your preparation and coaching staff, support staff, players, and trainers. There’s only one game a week obviously and it’s not many of these things. So, everything we’ve got each week and that’s really where we focus.

Q: Players can gain confidence by success though, can’t they?

A: Probably, yeah. I think that’s a better question for those guys, but one week really has nothing to do with the next. Again, it’s a humbling league. You’re one week from falling off a cliff. It takes a lot of effort, preparation, and time to put into it. You have to play very well to give yourself an opportunity to win because it’s such a tough league.

Q: I was thinking in terms of player development, you’d talked about preparing for the season; kind of digging into film of Saquon where you said you guys went back to Penn State film, looked at stuff he did well there and try to coach that up and work that into your offense. Did you do that across the board with your players? Thinking of guys who returned from last year, (safety) Julian Love or (outside linebacker) Oshane Ximines, did you have your position coaches kind of dig up tape when those guys were coming out and develop plans for each individual player?

A: I’d say we looked at all the tape here. Obviously, Saquon with his talent, an unbelievable player when he was in college. You want to get a feel for what was good to use back in the day for him, what was good his rookie year, and (what’s) happened the previous couple of years. All our coaches did an extensive study on all the guys that were potentially on our roster. Going all the way back, most of these guys evaluate them coming out of school, so there’s some recollection there, and then watch them play. The best thing obviously now is with the OTA’s, the training camp, and now these games, whether they’re in your system and you see their movement skills and you understand some of their strengths and some of their weaknesses, I think that’s really the best thing for all of us. Then once you figure out what they do well in your system, if you’ve got to adjust and adapt as a coach, that’s what you do.

Q: Just curious, what did (outside linebacker) Jihad Ward not play on the last two defensive series of the game?

A: That’s the package we had in, and he was excited. He was the first one jumping up and down on the sideline, which we showed. Just our rotation.

Q: Just to get back to Saquon’s injury, he came off the field for one play and came right back in. Is that just something you’re going to have to deal with throughout this season now if he lands on it wrong or gets it twisted or whatever happens? He’s just going to have to come off to the sideline, get squared away, and then go back in?

A: If it happens, yeah. I can’t tell you what’s going to happen or not. Each week you get a little bit better. Like I said, he’s a pretty tough guy and he’ll get his treatment, and he’ll be ready to go.

Q: You look at the teams that are 5-1 and 6-0, most of them are quarterback-driven offenses. Did you come into the season believing that a running back-driven offense could succeed in this league or has this convinced you?

A: I don’t really think of it like that, I don’t understand the question. I think you just develop your team as you go and do what you need to do to try and win each week. Whether that’s hand it off a bunch, (or) whether that’s throw it a bunch. We’ve been heavy on the run side, but I don’t think about it as it’s a pass offense or run offense. I just think each week there’s things you need to try to do to win the game and that’s what we’ll try to do.

Q: You guys have had some really creative plays. I’m just curious, where do you come up with these and I’m thinking of the direct snap to Saquon, and he gives it to Daniel or the pass to (running back Matt) Breida. How do you come up with some of these and what’s the process like from you guys in the coaches offices to getting it on the field?

A: A lot of these we’ve run at some point in ti, but so are all the other coaches on the staff and I think there’s good give and take in the meetings when they’re meeting. Again, whatever personnel groups we use and the people that are active, you try to find a role for them. It might be only a few plays, it might be a little bit more, but I’d say there’s a lot of discussion. It starts after you start watching the opponent and get into the game plan here for the next few days. Just trying to do what we think we need to do to give ourselves a chance. Really no more than that.

Q: Is it a little bit fun? You can draw up inside zone, but when you come up with a play like that and see it work, is that a little bit part of the fun for you guys?

A: It’s fun if it works. If it doesn’t work, it’s not really fun.

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 Tuesday and there is no media access to the team. The Giants return to practice on Wednesday afternoon (12:45-2:45PM).

Aug 282022
 
Austin Allen, New York Giants (August 28, 2022)

Austin Allen – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK JETS 31 – NEW YORK GIANTS 27 …
In an entertaining preseason finale, the New York Giants lost the lead in the final moments of the contest, falling 31-27 to the New York Jets. The Giants finish the 2022 NFL preseason 2-1.

The Jets played their first-team starters into the 2nd quarter. On the other hand, the Giants sat most of their key starters on both sides of the football. The Jets held significant advantages in first downs (26 to 19), total net yards (431 to 307), and net passing yards (342 to 221).

The Jets received the ball to start the game and were able to drive to the Giants’ 39-yard line in eight plays. However, on the 10th-play, inside linebacker Micah McFadden forced a fumble after a reception that was recovered by fellow inside linebacker Austin Calitro.

After both teams exchanged punts, quarterback Tyrod Taylor threw an ill-advised pass on 3rd-and-13 that was intercepted by the Jets at the Giants’ 48-yard line. The Jets were only able to gain 17 yards, but it was enough to set up a successful 49-yard field goal. Jets 3 – Giants 0.

On Giants’ next possession, Taylor was knocked out of the game with a back injury on a play where he connected with tight end Daniel Bellinger for 25 yards. Davis Webb would play the rest of the game at quarterback for the Giants. Big Blue continued to move the ball on this drive and place kicker Ryan Santoso kicked a 36-yard field goal to tie the game at 3-3 early in the 2nd quarter.

The Giants took the lead on the Jets’ ensuing drive when quarterback Joe Flacco threw the ball right to Calitro, who returned the interception 35 yards for a touchdown. Giants 10 – Jets 3. The Jets responded with an 8-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a 21-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Mike White to wide receiver Braxton Berrios. The game was now tied 10-10.

The Giants punted twice and the Jets once before the Jets quickly drove 65 yards in five plays and 38 seconds at the end of the half to take a 17-10 halftime lead. White connected with wide receiver Jeff Smith for a 19-yard score.

The Giants received the ball to start the second half. Behind Davis Webb and running back Jashaun Corbin, the Giants managed to drive 75 yards in 12 plays. Corbin finished off this possession with a 1-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 17-17.

The Jets gained a couple of first downs and then punted. The Giants put together a 9-play, 61-yard drive than ended with a well-executed 18-yard touchdown pass from Webb to tight end Austin Allen. The Giants regained the lead 24-17 early in the 4th quarter.

After exchanging punts, the Jets tied the game at 24-24 when they drove 80 yards in seven plays. Quarterback Chris Streveler hit wide receiver Denzel Mims for the 29-yard score. With 7:19 on the clock, the Giants began a field-goal drive that took five minutes off of the clock and moved the ball 44 yards in 10 plays. This set up Santoso for a 49-yard field goal that gave the Giants a 27-24 advantage near the 2-minute warning.

However, in dramatic fashion, the Jets were able win the game with a 10-play, 76-yard drive in one minute and forty seconds. The game-winning touchdown pass came on 4th-and-goal from the 5-yard line when Streveler hit wide receiver Calvin Jackson with 22 seconds on the clock. The Giants were only able to reach midfield before a last desperate Hail Mary pass fell incomplete to end the game.

Webb finished the game 30-of-38 for 202 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. The leading receivers were wideout Alex Bachman (6 catches for 27 yards) and Corbin (5 catches for 33 yards). Corbin was also the leading rusher with six carries for 23 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, the Giants gave up over 400 yards and did not accrue a sack. They did force two turnovers, one resulting in a score.

Video highlights are available on YouTube.

HEALTHY SCRATCHES AND INJURY REPORT…
QB Daniel Jones, RB Saquon Barkley, OG Mark Glowinski, OT Evan Neal, OT Andrew Thomas, OT Roy Mbaeteka, DL Leonard Williams, DL Dexter Lawrence, CB Adoree’ Jackson, CB Darnay Holmes, S Xavier McKinney, and S Julian Love were healthy scratches from the game.

WR Sterling Shepard (Achilles’), WR Kadarius Toney (hamstring?), WR C.J. Board (ribs), LG Shane Lemieux (foot), OG/OT Joshua Ezeudu (unknown), OC/OG Ben Bredeson (elbow), OL Garrett McGhin (unknown), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (knee), OLB Azeez Ojulari (calf), OLB Elerson Smith (ankle/foot), CB Rodarius Williams (unknown), S Dane Belton (broken left collarbone), and PK Graham Gano (concussion) did not play.

QB Tyrod Taylor (back) left the game in the 1st quarter and did not return. DT Jalyn Holmes (concussion) and TE Daniel Bellinger (concussion) left the game in the 2nd quarter and did not return.

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Head Coach Brian Daboll will address the media by Zoom on Monday.

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

Kadarius Toney – © USA TODAY Sports

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Video highlights are available at Giants.com.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Aug 092021
 
C.J. Board versus Rodarius Williams, New York Giants (July 29, 2021)

C.J. Board versus Rodarius Williams – © USA TODAY Sports

AUGUST 9, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their 11th full-team summer training camp practice on Monday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Practices are not open to the public this year.

So, players had a little rest yesterday with the day off,” said Head Coach Joe Judge before practice. “We’re going to bring them back in today. The focus is going to be fundamentals today, a little bit of a briefer practice, on and off, only about an hour and fifteen minutes. You’ll see a lot of individual periods, some team run focused, switch to seven-on-seven, make sure we give the offensive and defensive lines plenty of time to go one-on-one, two-on-two, five-on-four. Everybody just making sure we go through our previous installs, come out of today after a long week of practice last week and eliminating the mistakes we made on the grass. After that, our focus going forward will be on new install and pushing forward on that.”

GIANTS CLAIM TWO OFF OF WAIVERS, CUT LB RYAN ANDERSON AND WR ANDY JONES…
The New York Giants have claimed TE Jake Hausmann off of waivers from the Detroit Lions and WR Matt Cole off of waivers from the New York Jets. The Giants also released LB Ryan Anderson, who had been on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) List, and waived WR Andy Jones, who the team signed last week.

The 23-year old, 6’4”, 255-pound Hausmann was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Lions after the 2021 NFL Draft.

The 24-year old, 5’10”, 197-pound Cole was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Miami Dolphins after the 2020 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Dolphins (2020), San Francisco 49ers (2020-2021), and Jets (2021), Cole has only played in one regular-season game.

The Giants signed Anderson as an unrestricted free agent from the Washington Football Team in March 2021. The 6’2”, 255-pound Anderson was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2017 NFL Draft by Washington. In four seasons with Washington, Anderson played in 52 regular-season games with only four starts, accruing 78 tackles, six sacks, one pass defense, five forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. Anderson missed seven games due to a knee injury in 2020 and finished the season with just nine tackles.

The 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).

INJURY REPORT – BARKLEY AND XIMINES ACTIVATED OFF OF PUP…
WR Kenny Golladay (hamstring), TE Kaden Smith (unknown), RB Gary Brightwell (unknown), OC Jonotthan Harrison (unknown), LB Lorenzo Carter (calf), LB Azeez Ojulari (unknown), LB Elerson Smith (hamstring), and WR Austin Mack (hamstring) did not practice on Monday.

WR Sterling Shepard (unknown) was limited.

The Giants also officially activated RB Saquon Barkley (knee) and LB Oshane Ximines (hamstring) off of the Active/Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List. Both practiced on a limited basis.

What you‘re going to see from (Barkley) these first few days, he’ll be doing mostly individual teach periods,” said Head Coach Joe Judge. “We’re not going to put him in 11-on-11 or 7-on-7 at this point right now, but as we keep building him up, we’ll really kind of start to get his body into the volume of practice, the pace of practice of the players out there, more football drills. That’ll be something that benefits him going forward. There’s only so much you can do at a certain point with the trainers and strength coaches on the field by yourself. It’s time to get him moving forward and as long as they say it’s safe for him to do, we’ll keep on pushing.

We’re excited to get (Ximines) back out there today. He’s a guy that works really really hard. He’s definitely someone we look forward to getting out there on the field with us from a team perspective. Again, we’ll build him up a little bit as well. You’ll see a little more from X-man in the next couple of days, like Saquon, in terms of team and competitive things. But we’re excited to get him out there. I know he’s anxious to get out there.”

The following players remain on various PUP and reserve lists:

  • Reserve/COVID-19 List: TE Rysen John
  • Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List: TE Kyle Rudolph (foot) and CB Aaron Robinson (core muscle)
  • Reserve/Injured: TE Levine Toilolo (torn Achilles’ tendon), WR Derrick Dillon (unknown) and RB Mike Weber (hip flexor)

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • Giants held a quick, light practice without pads.
  • WR Kadarius Toney made a nice catch on a slant pass from QB Daniel Jones during 7-on-7 drills. Toney was used mostly out of the slot during practice.
  • QB Daniel Jones was sharp throughout practice. He just missed connecting on a deep pass to WR Darius Slayton, who was covered by CB Darnay Holmes.
  • LBs Ifeadi Odenigbo and Trent Harris flashed in 1-on-1 pass rush drills. LT Andrew Thomas also stood out in these drills.
  • Niko Lalos continues to see a lot of time with the first team at outside linebacker.
  • Devontae Booker continues to see the bulk of the touches at running back.
  • QB Mike Glennon connected with WR David Sills on two passes.

HEAD COACH JOE JUDGE…
The transcript of Joe Judge’s press conference on Monday 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 Tuesday morning (9:30-11:30 AM). Head Coach Joe Judge and select players will also address the media.