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

Mark Herzlich – © USA TODAY Sports

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

Placed on the Reserve/Suspended List:

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

Placed on the Reserve/Non-Football Illness List:

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

Placed on Injured Reserve:

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

Waived or contracts terminated:

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

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

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

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

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

ARTICLES…

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

Jun 282018
 
Evan Engram, New York Giants (November 5, 2017)

Evan Engram – © USA TODAY Sports

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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: Tight Ends

2017 YEAR IN REVIEW: The tight end position was one of the few bright spots in another wise dreary season for the New York Giants in 2017. Despite a bad case of the dropsies, rookie tight end Evan Engram led the team with 64 catches for a near team-high 722 yards and a team-high six touchdown receptions. Rhett Ellison may have been overpaid and underutilized, but he was solid contributor as a blocker and receiver. He caught a career-high 24 passes, which made him the 7th-highest receptions leader on the team. Jerell Adams was the third tight end and finished the year with eight catches.

ADDITIONS/SUBTRACTIONS: The top three tight ends from last year – Evan Engram, Rhett Ellison, and Jerell Adams – all return. The Giants also retained late-season addition Ryan O’Malley. The newcomers are January waiver-wire pick-up Kyle Carter from the Vikings, ex-Raider and ex-Panther Scott Simonson, and rookie free agent Garrett Dickerson. Carter and Dickerson are built more like H-Backs than traditional in-line tight ends.

TRAINING CAMP STORY LINES: While most of the eyes of the media and fans will be focused on Odell Beckham and Saquon Barkley, the development of Evan Engram will be one of the most important facets of the team to watch. One gets the sense that Engram just scratched the surface of his potential in 2017. On a terrible team with few weapons, Engram produced at a level that few rookie tight ends achieve. Now with hopefully better offensive coaching, a better offensive system, and a better supporting cast, Engram should be poised to become one of the more dangerous pass-receiving tight ends in the League. A couple of under-reported aspects from the offseason workouts were (1) Eli Manning’s favorite target appeared to be Engram, and (2) Engram didn’t drop passes.

What will also be interesting to see will be how important the tight end position is in Pat Shurmur’s New York Giants offensive scheme. Most Giants fans know that Ben McAdoo was particularly wed to the three-wide receiver, one-back, one-tight end formation (or 11 personnel). Will Rhett Ellison, Jerell Adams, or others get a chance to see the field more in 2018?

Also under-reported is that the Giants have a new tight ends coach. Lunda Wells was the assistant offensive line coach for the Giants under both Tom Coughlin and Ben McAdoo. He now shifts to a new position.

ON THE BUBBLE: Evan Engram and Rhett Ellison are locks to make the team. Jerell Adams probably has an upper hand, but the team did bring in some players – including an ex-Viking who worked with Pat Shurmur in Minnesota – who could beat him out if he falters. At this point, it is impossible to know how important the tight end/H-Back position will be in terms of numbers of players kept on the roster. The role of fullback will be a factor too in whether or not the Giants keep three or four tight ends.

FROM THE COACHES AND PLAYERS: Tight Ends Coach Lunda Wells on Evan Engram: “He’s a guy that we all understand he has a unique skillset in terms of the pass game, but he’s a very sharp kid and he can do a little bit of it all. I can’t say that I can see him as just a guy that is split out because I think we’d be doing an injustice to him because he is a very sharp kid and a willing blocker and a guy that’s willing to do everything that goes into it. He’s a guy that we can play at the Y-tight end, we can split him out. I think you’re going to see some of that this year in terms of him being able to play in a lot of different spots.”

Head Coach Pat Shurmur on Evan Engram: “The fact that we have a pass catching tight end is something that is very valuable to a team because now a defense has to decide when you have two tight ends and him being one of them, him being Evan, that are they going to stay base or play nickel? And then the chess game begins from there.”

Evan Engram on year two: “The thing I’ve noticed, just being out here, going full-speed, is that the game is a lot more slowed down. The game has slowed down a lot. And that’s allowing me to kind of dig deeper into my bag of route techniques, or getting open and being able to focus more on the run game and getting stronger and just getting more comfortable out there. Last year, I kind of was, head was on a swivel a lot, the game was so fast and I wasn’t used to it. But just having a year under my belt and kind of getting thrown into some tough situations last year definitely helps slow the game down and allowed me to kind of focus on a lot of the little things and enhance my talents to be a better player.”

PREDICTIONS: I think there is a good chance that Evan Engram once again leads the team in catches and touchdown receptions. I think he will also break the 1,000-yard mark in receiving yards.

FINAL DEPTH CHART: The same three from last year – Evan Engram, Rhett Ellison, and Jerell Adams. The Giants could carry four tight ends which would help the chances of one of the other four players.

Apr 062018
 
Tavarres King, New York Giants (December 17, 2017)

Tavarres King – © USA TODAY Sports

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NEW YORK GIANTS RE-SIGN RYAN O’MALLEY…
The New York Giants have re-signed free agent tight end Ryan O’Malley, who was not tendered as an exclusive rights free agent by the team, thus making him an unrestricted free agent. The contract is reported to be a 1-year deal.

The Giants signed the 6’6”, 260-pound O’Malley to the Practice Squad and then the 53-man roster in December 2017. He played in the regular-season finale but did not have a catch.

O’Malley was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Oakland Raiders after the 2016 NFL Draft. He spent time on both the Practice Squad and 53-man roster of the Raiders in 2016. The Raiders cut him in September 2017 and he spent a few weeks on the Practice Squad of the Bills.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS SIGN TAVARRES KING…
The Minnesota Vikings have signed New York Giants unrestricted free agent wide receiver Tavarres King, who began 2017 with the Giants, was waived in mid-September, and then was re-signed to the 53-man roster in October. He was placed on Injured Reserve with a concussion in December. King played in eight games with three starts in 2017, finishing with 18 catches for 240 yards (13.3 yards per catch) and three touchdowns.

King was originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. He spent time with the Broncos (2013), Panthers (2013-14), Jaguars (2014), and Buccaneers (2014-15). The Giants signed King to the Practice Squad in late September 2015. He played in seven regular season games and the playoff game for the Giants in 2016.

For a complete listing of comings and goings, see our New York Giants 2018 Free Agency Scorecard.

GIANTS HIRE NEW ASSISTANT STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH…
The New York Giants have hired Thomas Stallworth as the team’s new assistant strength and conditioning coach. Stallworth replaces Markus Paul, who left the Giants for the Dallas Cowboys earlier this offseason. Aaron Wellman, who joined the Giants in 2016, remains the team’s strength and conditioning coach.

Stallworth’s bio:

  • 2017: Director of Football Strength and Conditioning, Western Kentucky University
  • 2016: Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Fresno State
  • 2016: Associate Director of Strength and Conditioning, Texas Tech University
  • 2015-2016: Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach, North Carolina State University
  • 2012-2015: Associate Strength and Conditioning Coach, Mississippi State University
  • 2008-2011: Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Grambling State University
  • 2004-2008: Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, South Carolina State University
  • Pro Experience: None
  • Collegiate Experience: Linebacker, University of Tennessee (1997-2001)

ELI MANNING HOLDS ANNUAL PASSING CAMP…
The New York Post and Newsday are reporting that New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning began his annual unofficial passing camp at Duke University on Thursday. Other players participating include wide receivers Sterling Shepard, Brandon Marshall, and Roger Lewis; tight ends Evan Engram and Rhett Ellison; and running back Wayne Gallman.

The workouts are overseen by current Duke University head football coach David Cutcliffe, who was Eli Manning’s head coach at the University of Mississippi from 2000 to 2003.

ARTICLES…

Jan 252018
 
Thomas McGaughey, New York Jets (November 24, 2014)

Thomas McGaughey – © USA TODAY Sports

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REPORT – GIANTS HIRE THOMAS MCGAUGHEY AS SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR…
Multiple media sources are reporting that the New York Giants have hired Thomas McGaughey as the team’s new special teams coordinator, replacing Tom Quinn. Ironically, McGaughey served as an assistant under Quinn from 2007-2010 with the Giants on Tom Coughlin’s staff.

The 44-year old McGaughey was hired away from the Giants by LSU after the 2010 season, where he served as Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Assistant from 2011-2013. He then went on to become Special Teams Coordinator of the New York Jets (2014) and San Francisco 49ers (2015). In 2016, the Carolina Panthers hired McGaughey as an assistant special teams coach and then promoted him to special teams coordinator in 2017.

  • 2018-Present: Special Teams Coordinator, New York Giants
  • 2017: Special Teams Coordinator, Carolina Panthers
  • 2016: Assistant Special Teams Coach, Carolina Panthers
  • 2015: Special Teams Coordinator, San Francisco 49ers
  • 2014: Special Teams Coordinator, New York Jets
  • 2011-2013: Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Assistant, Louisiana State University
  • 2007-2010: Assistant Special Teams Coordinator, New York Giants
  • 2005-2006: Assistant Special Teams Coordinator, Denver Broncos
  • 2004: Special Teams Coordinator/Cornerbacks Coach, University of Houston
  • 2003: Special Teams Coordinator, University of Houston
  • 2002: Special Teams Intern, Kansas City Chiefs
  • 2002: Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Backs Coach, Scottish Claymores (NFLE)
  • 2001: Pro Scouting Assistant, Houston Texans
  • 2001: Minority Intern, Kansas City Chiefs
  • 1998-2001: Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Backs Coach, Willowridge High School (Houston, TX)
  • 1998: Graduate Assistant, University of Houston
  • Pro Experience: Safety for Philadelphia Eagles (1996) and Barcelona Dragons (1997)
  • Collegiate Experience: Safety for University of Houston (1991-1995)
  • Born May 8, 1973

DAVE GETTLEMAN TALKS GIANTS…
New York Giants General Manager Dave Gettleman answered a few questions from the media at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama on Wednesday. Here are a few highlights:

  • On Head Coach Pat Shurmur: “The bottom line is we got the right guy. I am absolutely thrilled he’s our football coach. I can look you in the eye and say that. I am thrilled… I really believe the head coach job for the New York Football Giants is a job for an adult, and Pat’s every bit of that. I’m just really excited. We’ve had some great conversations. He’s got a great sense of humor, and I’m just excited about where we’re going… He’s an adult. He’s mature. He’s got wisdom. He’s very even-keeled. It really pays off. I’ve watched him on the sideline. He doesn’t get shook. He doesn’t get rattled. This is a job for a grownup. We’re halfway through the interview and I wrote down, ‘This is an adult.’ Everybody wants the next whiz-bang kid. Let me tell you something, you look at history and see how that’s worked out. He’s a veteran, seasoned, professional football coach.”
  • On whether or not Shurmur will call the offensive plays:  “I believe so, yes.”
  • On why some media sources were claiming that the Giants preferred New England Defensive Coordinator Matt Patricia for the head coaching job: “Because you got agents (putting) all the bullshit out. That’s why! It’s frustrating. People make shit up. There’s no accountability.”
  • On QB Eli Manning: “I had an opportunity to watch (Manning’s film) because the quarterback is the most important position on the team. At the end of the day, (the second game against the Philadelphia Eagles) wasn’t a mirage. It was not a mirage.”
  • On QB Davis Webb: “I know nothing (about him). I know that he’s a double transfer. I’ve spent some time talking to him. He seems like a great kid. I know he followed Eli around and is learning how to be a pro. That’s what I know.”
  • On what was the problem on the Giants’ offense: “I’m not going there.”
  • On WR Odell Beckham, Jr.: “I had a chat with Odell. I had a great chat with him. People are going to call me crazy, but in that (2014) draft the only guy I would have taken over Kelvin Benjamin, who (the Panthers) took, the only guy I would have taken over him was Odell. That’s it… The bottom line is he’s a wonderfully talented player and I’m looking forward to working with him.”
  • On picking second in the 2018 NFL Draft: “With the second pick, we’re going to take the best player. They screamed at me in Carolina, ‘You’ve got to draft a tackle, you’ve got to draft a tackle.’ If the value’s not there when you pick, you’re going to make a mistake. You’ll make a mistake. We’re going to set ourselves up so that we can take the best player available. And if the best player available is a quarterback, then that’s what we’re going to do… If you take a guy just to take a guy, especially at the quarterback position, and he fails, you set yourself back five years. You set yourself back five years because there are teams that are in what I call quarterback hell. They’ve got quality defense, they’ve got a good special teams, and they’re going 7-9, 8-8, 9-7. And now if there is a legitimate guy, they’ve got to trade up and give away the farm to get the guy.”
  • On the Giants’ roster: “There’s talent here now. There’s talent on this team. I went to Carolina and they’re coming off, I think, four consecutive losing seasons and we went 12-4. I’m not saying we’re going to replicate that, but I’m saying you’ve seen quick turnarounds in this league. It happens all the time. We’re going to build it one brick at a time. We’re going to see what we have. I have not had the opportunity to study our personnel yet. That’s my job Monday. I’m going to turn my cell phone off and just watch film for five days until my eyes bleed.”

ARTICLES…

Dec 302017
 
Bobby Hart, New York Giants (October 23, 2016)

Bobby Hart – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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DAVE GETTLEMAN FIRES MARC ROSS, CUTS BOBBY HART, BENCHES ERECK FLOWERS…
Dave Gettleman, the new general manager of the New York Giants, isn’t fooling around. On Friday, he said, “My plan is to come in here every day and kick ass.” On  Saturday, the ass-kicking commenced. The Giants have fired Vice President of Player Evaluation Marc Ross, who was in charge of the team’s college scouting process. The Giants also waived/injured starting right tackle Bobby Hart (ankle).

The 44-year old Ross had been with the Giants since 2007 and officially served as the director of college scouting for six years before his promotion to vice president of player evaluation in 2013. Ross was also one of the four candidates to interview for the general manager vacancy that was given to Gettleman.

“I worked with Marc when I was with the organization before,” said Gettleman. “I have great respect for him and high regard for his work. Clearly, we’re going in a different direction, but that doesn’t make these kinds of decisions any easier.”

Hart was drafted in the 7th round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Giants. In three seasons, Hart played in 33 regular-season games with 21 starts at right tackle, including seven starts this past season. According to various media reports, Hart had mentally checked out, refused to practice this week, and had told the Giants he would not play this Sunday against the Redskins.

More troubling is that left tackle Ereck Flowers, who is officially “questionable” with a groin injury, has reportedly also checked out and told coaches he will not play this Sunday. Newsday is reporting that Gettleman came close to cutting Flowers and may do so at some point in coming months. According to press reports, rookie Chad Wheeler will now start at left tackle against the Redskins and rookie Adam Bisnowaty will start at right tackle.

The Giants placed wide receiver Tavarres King (concussion) on Injured Reserve and signed offensive linemen Adam Bisnowaty and Nick Becton and tight end Ryan O’Malley to the 53-man roster from the Practice Squad. The other roster vacancy came from cornerback Eli Apple being suspended from the team.

The Giants drafted Bisnowaty in the 6th round of the 2017 NFL Draft. The 6’6”, 307-pound Bisnowaty played left tackle at the collegiate level but the Giants moved him to right tackle as a rookie. He has spent the entire season on the Practice Squad.

The 6’6”, 322-pound Becton was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2013 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers. He has spent time with the Chargers (2013), Giants (2014), New Orleans Saints (2014), Chicago Bears (2015-2016), Detroit Lions (2017), and Kansas City Chiefs (2017). Becton has played in six regular-season games with no starts. The Giants signed him to the Practice Squad in November 2017.

O’Malley was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Oakland Raiders after the 2016 NFL Draft. He spent time on both the Practice Squad and 53-man roster of the Raiders in 2016. The Raiders cut him in September 2017 and he spent a few weeks on the Practice Squad of the Bills.  The Giants signed the 6’6”, 260-pound O’Malley to the Practice Squad in December 2017.

ARTICLES…

Dec 122017
 
Hunter Sharp, Denver Broncos (August 26, 2017)

Hunter Sharp – © USA TODAY Sports

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NEW YORK GIANTS ROSTER MOVES
The New York Giants have signed wide receiver Hunter Sharp off of the Practice Squad of the Denver Broncos and offensive guard Damien Mama off of the Practice Squad of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Sharp was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Philadelphia Eagles after the 2016 NFL Draft. The Eagles waived him in August of that year and Sharp was then signed to the Practice Squad of the Broncos in December 2016. He spent 10 days on Denver’s 53-man roster in October 2017. The 5’11”, 198-pound Sharp lacks ideal size and speed, but he’s a tough, versatile, elusive competitor with return skills.

Mama was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Kansas City Chiefs after the 2017 NFL Draft. The Chiefs waived him in their final round of cuts in early September and then signed him to the Practice Squad. The 6’3”, 342-pound Mama is a big, strong player who lacks ideal overall athleticism and consistency.

The Giants also signed tight end Ryan O’Malley and defensive back Tim Scott to their Practice Squad.

O’Malley was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Oakland Raiders after the 2016 NFL Draft. He spent time on both the Practice Squad and 53-man roster of the Raiders in 2016. The Raiders cut him in September 2017 and he spent a few weeks on the Practice Squad of the Bills.  The 6’6”, 260-pound O’Malley has a nice combination of size and athletic skills.

The 5’11”, 195-pound Scott was originally signed as a rookie free agent by the Dallas Cowboys after the 2015 NFL Draft. He spent time with the Cowboys (2015), Cleveland Browns (2015), and Washington Redskins (2017). The Giants signed Scott in August 2017. He started the season on the Giants’ Practice Squad and was signed to the 53-man roster in November 2017. He played in one game and was cut. Scott is a tough and physical corner with a decent combination of size and athletic ability.

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The players return to practice on Wednesday in preparation for Sunday’s home game against the Philadelphia Eagles.