Feb 252020
 
Joe Judge, New York Giants (February 25, 2020)

Joe Judge – © USA TODAY Sports

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DAVE GETTLEMAN ADDRESSES MEDIA AT NFL COMBINE…
New York Giants General Manager Dave Gettleman addressed the media at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana on Tuesday.

JOE JUDGE ADDRESSES MEDIA AT NFL COMBINE…
New York Giants Head Coach Joe Judge addressed the media at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana on Tuesday.

GIANTS CUT TWO TIGHT ENDS…
The Giants have cut tight ends Scott Simonson and Isaiah Searight, both of whom were scheduled to become free agents in a few weeks.

Simonson was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Oakland Raiders after the 2014 NFL Draft. Simonson spent time with the Raiders (2014-2015) and Carolina Panthers (2015-2017) before signing with the Giants in June 2018. He had his best season with the Giants in 2018, paying in all 16 games with four starts, finishing with nine catches for 86 yards and one touchdown. The Giants placed Simonson on Injured Reserve in August 2019 with an ankle injury, cut him from Injured Reserve in September, and re-signed him to the 53-man roster in November. He was placed on Injured Reserve again in late December with a concussion. He played in five games in 2019 with one start, catching just two passes for 11 yards.

The Giants waived/injured Searight in August 2019 with a hip injury and then placed him on Injured Reserve. Searight originally signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the 2019 NFL Draft as an undrafted rookie free agent but was waived/injured in May with a hamstring injury. The Giants then signed him in July.

REPORT – GIANTS ADD ANOTHER COACH…
The Daily News is reporting that the Giants have hired Amos Jones as an advisory assistant to Head Coach Joe Judge. The 60-year old Jones has coached at the high school, college, and pro levels since 1981, his most recent experience serving as a special teams coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers (2007-2012), Arizona Cardinals (2013-2017), Cleveland Browns (2018), and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2019).

REPORT – GIANTS FIRE TWO SCOUTS…
InsideTheLeague.com is reporting that the Giants have fired two of their area scouts, Ryan Jones and Donnie Etheridge. Jone had been with the team since 2000 and Etheridge since 2001.

ARTICLES…

Dec 292019
 
Philadelphia Eagles (December 29, 2019)

Philadelphia Eagles celebrate their dominance over New York Giants – © USA TODAY Sports

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PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 34 – NEW YORK GIANTS 17…
An injury-depleted Philadelphia Eagles team humiliated the New York Giants 34-17 at a rainy, dreary MetLife Stadium on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants could have ended the Eagles’ season, but instead Philadelphia won the NFC East. New York’s 2019 season ends with a 4-12 overall record. The Eagles now have won 11 of their last 12 games against the Giants.

Aside from a few plays, the Giants largely slept walk through the game. The Eagles were not overly impressive; the Giants were simply that bad.

The Eagles received the football to start the game and drove 55 yards on their opening drive to the New York 38-yard line. But on 4th-and-7, linebacker Oshane Ximines pressured quarterback Carson Wentz into an incomplete pass and the Eagles turned the ball over on downs. The Giants gained one first down due a defensive holding penalty on the Eagles and then punted. On their second drive, Philadelphia drove 69 yards in nine plays to set up a successful 31-yard field goal. Eagles 3 – Giants 0.

The Giants and Eagles then combined for six punts on each team’s next three possessions. At this point in the contest, the Giants had gained only one first down (by penalty) and five net yards.

Finally, midway through the 2nd quarter, the Giants moved the ball, gaining 67 yards in seven plays to set up a 37-yard field goal by place kicker Aldrick Rosas. The game was tied at 3-3. However, the Eagles quickly regained the lead on their next possession as the defense surrendered an 8-play, 75-yard drive that resulted in a 24-yard touchdown pass from Wentz to tight end Josh Perkins. Neither team scored on their final possessions of the half.

At halftime, the Eagles led 10-3 with the Giants only gaining six first downs and 108 yards of offense, punting the ball away five times in six possessions.

New York offered a glimmer of hope in the 3rd quarter before fading fast. The Giants drove 76 yards in 10 plays on their opening drive of the second half, with quarterback Daniel Jones finding wide receiver Golden Tate for a 20-yard touchdown to tie the game at 10-10. After a punt by the Eagles and a turnover on downs by the Giants, Philadelphia once again regained the lead 17-10 with a 9-play, 62-yard drive that ended with a 7-yard touchdown run by running back Boston Scott. Nevertheless, the Giants tied the game in one play when running back Saquon Barkley broke off a 68-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 17-17.

It was all downhill after that. The Eagles responded with their second scoring drive in a row, moving 43 yards in eight plays to set up a 50-yard field goal. Then disaster struck when an errant snap from center Jon Halapio was fielded by Jones but quickly snapped out of his hand by another defender. This resulted in a fumble that was knocked backwards 25 yards and recovered by the Eagles at the New York 2-yard line. Scott scored on the very next play and the Eagles were quickly up 27-17 early in the 4th quarter.

After both teams went three-and-out, the Giants turned the ball over on downs again when Barkley was stuffed on 4th-and-2 at the New York 38-yard line. Four plays later, Scott scored his third touchdown of the game and the Eagles led 34-17 with just over six minutes to play.

The Giants’ seventh possession of the half ended with an interception at the Philadelphia 6-yard line when wide receiver Darius Slayton slipped on the play. The Eagles went three-and-out. The Giants threatened on their last drive but couldn’t make the final score more respectable.

Jones finished the game 28-of-47 for 301 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He was also sacked four times and officially hit 10 times. Jones’ leading targets were tight end Kaden Smith (8 catches for 98 yards), Tate (5 catches for 68 yards and a touchdown), and wide receiver Sterling Shepard (5 catches for 39 yards). Barkley carried the ball 17 times for 92 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, the Giants allowed 25 first downs and 400 total net yards (121 rushing and 289 passing). The Giants only accrued one sack and did not force a turnover.

Video highlights are available at Giants.com.

INACTIVES AND INJURY REPORT…
Inactive for the game were RT Mike Remmers (concussion), CB Sam Beal (shoulder), QB Alex Tanney, RB Wayne Gallman, WR David Sills, OG Chad Slade, and NT Chris Slayton.

FB Eli Penny (back), WR Cody Core (concussion), and OC Jon Halapio (Achilles) left the game and did not return.

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

POST-GAME NOTES…
The Giants finished in third place in the NFC East.

The Giants’ were 2-6 in home games in MetLife Stadium for the third consecutive season. They also lost there as visitors to the Jets.

The Giants were 2-4 in NFC East games.

The Giants have lost seven consecutive games to the Eagles.

The Giants did not intercept a pass in any of the final five games.

Daniel Jones  led all rookie quarterbacks with 24 touchdown passes this season, the fourth-most by a rookie quarterback in a single season in NFL history. Only Baker Mayfield (27 in 2018), Peyton Manning (26 in 1998), and Russell Wilson (26 in 2012) had more.

Jones threw a touchdown pass in each of his last 12 games – all starts – the longest streak by a Giants quarterback since Eli Manning threw for a score in 12 straight games in 2008. The Giants’ record is 15 consecutive games from 1962-64 by Y.A. Tittle.

Jones rushed for 289 yards in 2019. That is the third-highest total by a Giants quarterback in the Super Bowl era, surpassed only by Fran Tarkenton in 1967 and 1968 (306 and 301 yards, respectively).

Saquon Barkley rushed for 1,003 yards in 2019. He is the first player in Giants history to rush for at least 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons and the first with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons since Brandon Jacobs in 2007-08.

NEW YORK GIANTS 2020 OPPONENTS SET…
The New York Giants’ 2020 opponents have been set:

Home:

  • Dallas Cowboys
  • Philadelphia Eagles
  • Washington Redskins
  • Arizona Cardinals
  • San Francisco 49ers
  • Cleveland Browns
  • Pittsburgh Steelers
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Away:

  • Dallas Cowboys
  • Philadelphia Eagles
  • Washington Redskins
  • Baltimore Ravens
  • Cincinnati Bengals
  • Los Angeles Rams
  • Seattle Seahawks
  • Chicago Bears

NEW YORK GIANTS TO PICK 4TH IN 2020 NFL DRAFT…
The New York Giants now hold the 4th pick in the 1st round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

ROSTER MOVES…
On Saturday, the New York Giants placed tight end Scott Simonson on Injured Reserve. Simonson suffered a concussion during last Sunday’s game against the Washington Redskins. To fill that roster vacancy, the Giants signed tight end Garrett Dickerson to the 53-man roster from the team’s Practice Squad.

Simonson was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Oakland Raiders after the 2014 NFL Draft. Simonson spent time with the Raiders (2014-2015) and Carolina Panthers (2015-2017) before signing with the Giants in June 2018. He had his best season with the Giants in 2018, paying in all 16 games with four starts, finishing with nine catches for 86 yards and one touchdown. The Giants placed Simonson on Injured Reserve in August 2019 with an ankle injury, cut him from Injured Reserve in September, and re-signed him to the 53-man roster in November. He played in five games in 2019 with one start, catching just two passes for 11 yards.

The Giants originally signed undrafted rookie free agent Garrett Dickerson in June 2018. He spent a couple of stints on the team’s Practice Squad and 53-man roster in 2018. Dickerson made the 53-man roster in 2019, but was waived in October and then re-signed to the Practice Squad in November. Dickerson has played in seven regular-season games for the Giants, but he does not have a catch.

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
There is unspecified media availability to the team on Monday. General Manager Dave Gettleman told the press after the game that he would speak to them on Tuesday.

Nov 122019
 
Scott Simonson, New York Giants (December 23, 2018)

Scott Simonson – © USA TODAY Sports

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NEW YORK GIANTS RE-SIGN SCOTT SIMONSON…
The New York Giants have re-signed tight end Scott Simonson. The Giants placed Simonson on Injured Reserve in August 2019 with an ankle injury and cut him from Injured Reserve in September.

Simonson had his best season in 2018 after being signed by the Giants in June 2018. Simonson played in all 16 games with four starts, finishing with nine catches for 86 yards and one touchdown.

The 6’5”, 255-pound Simonson was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Oakland Raiders after the 2014 NFL Draft. The Raiders waived him in June 2015 and he was then signed by the Carolina Panthers. He spent all of 2017 on Injured Reserve with a back injury. Simonson has played in 34 regular-season games with five starts. He had one catch in his NFL career before 2018.

PRACTICE SQUAD MOVES…
The Giants have signed tight end Garrett Dickerson, wide receiver Alex Bachman, and long-snapper Colin Holba to the team’s Practice Squad. The Giants also terminated the Practice Squad contracts of wide receiver Reggie White, Jr. and defensive end Freedom Akinmoladun.

The Giants originally signed undrafted rookie free agent Dickerson in June 2018. He spent a couple of stints on the team’s Practice Squad and 53-man roster in 2018 and made the 53-man roster this year, but the Giants waived him in October. Dickerson has played in seven regular-season games for the Giants, but he does not have a catch.

The 23-year old, 6’0”, 190-pound Bachman was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Los Angeles Rams after the 2019 NFL Draft. The Rams cut him before the season started.

The 25-year old, 6’4”, 255-pound Holba was originally drafted in the 6th round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He has spent time with the Steelers (2017), Jacksonville Jaguars (2017), and San Francisco 49ers (2018-2019). Holba has played in 13 regular-season games, including two with the 49ers in 2019.

The Giants originally signed White and Akinmoladun as undrafted rookie free agents after the 2019 NFL Draft.

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The New York Giants are off during the bye week and return to team activities on November 18th.

Sep 112019
 
Sterling Shepard, New York Giants (September 8, 2019)

Sterling Shepard – © USA TODAY Sports

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NEW YORK GIANTS ROSTER MOVES…
The New York Giants claimed linebacker Tuzar Skipper off of waivers from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday. The 24-year old, 6’3”, 246-pound Skipper was signed by the Steelers as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2019 NFL Draft. Skipper had five sacks, seven quarterback hits, and two forced fumbles in four preseason games.

“We’re going to get him out there,” said Head Coach Pat Shurmur of Skipper. “He’s a pass rusher, edge pressure guy. Edge player… so he’ll play.”

Although not official, there are also media reports that the Giants will place linebacker Kareem Martin (knee) on Injured Reserve and re-sign wide receiver T.J. Jones.

The Giants signed Martin as an unrestricted free agent from the Arizona Cardinals in March 2018. Though not a standout, Martin has his most productive season as a pro, playing in a 16 games with seven starts, and finishing with 48 tackles (twice as much as his previous high), 1.5 sacks, and 2 pass defenses. The 6’6”, 272-pound Martin was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Cardinals as a defensive end. The Cardinals moved him to linebacker after his rookie season. Martin injured his knee in the season opener against Dallas.

The 6’0”, 190-pound Jones was originally drafted in the 6th-round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. In four seasons with the Lions, Jones played in 42 regular-season games with nine starts, catching 64 passes for 814 yards and four touchdowns. The Giants signed Jones in July 2019 and cut him at the end of August.

The team also cut running back Rod Smith, wide receiver Brittan Golden, tight end Scott Simonson, offensive tackle Chad Wheeler, offensive guard Victor Salako, and linebacker Jonathan Anderson from Injured Reserve with injury settlements. Even if interested, the Giants are ineligible to re-sign any of these players for six weeks. However, other teams can sign them now.

The 6’3”, 235-pound Smith was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Seattle Seahawks after the 2015 NFL Draft. He was released by Seattle in October 2015. The Cowboys claimed him off of waivers and he played with the Cowboys until the end of the 2018 season.The Giants signed Smith as an unrestricted free agent in May 2019. Smith has played in 49 regular-season games with two starts, carrying the ball 101 times for 364 yards and five touchdowns. He also has caught 30 passes for 272 yards and one touchdown.

The 5’11, 186-pound Golden was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Chicago Bears after the 2012 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Bears (2012 and 2013), Jacksonville Jaguars (2012), and Arizona Cardinals (2013-2017). The Giants signed Golden to a reserve/futures contract in January 2019.

Simonson had his best season in 2018 after being signed by the Giants in June 2018. Simonson played in all 16 games with four starts, finishing with nine catches for 86 yards and one touchdown. The 6’5”, 255-pound Simonson was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Oakland Raiders after the 2014 NFL Draft. The Raiders waived him in June 2015 and he was then signed by the Carolina Panthers. He spent all of 2017 on Injured Reserve with a back injury. Simonson has played in 34 regular-season games with five starts. He had one catch in his NFL career before 2018.

Wheeler was signed by the Giants as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2017 NFL Draft. Not only did he make the team, but he ended up playing in 11 games with four starts, three at right tackle and one at left tackle. In his second season with the Giants in 2018, Wheeler was promoted to the starter at right tackle when the team decided to bench Ereck Flowers after the second game. Wheeler ended up starting 14 games at right tackle. 

The Giants claimed Salako off of waivers from the Cleveland Browns in August 2018 and then signed him to the Practice Squad in September. The 6’5”, 316-pound Salako was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Philadelphia Eagles after the 2017 NFL Draft. He spent time on the Practice Squads of both the Eagles and Browns in 2017.

The 6’1”, 237-pound Anderson was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Chicago Bears after the 2015 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Bears (2015-2017) and Arizona Cardinals (2018). The Giants signed Anderson to a reserve/futures contract in January 2019.

SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
Wide receiver Sterling Shepard (concussion), wide receiver Darius Slayton (hamstring), tight end Garrett Dickerson (quad), and linebacker Kareem Martin (knee) did not practice on Wednesday.

“Kareem Martin, that will be an extended deal probably,” said Head Coach Pat Shurmur. “Weeks more than days. Then (Shepard) is in the concussion protocol. Those are the two that are probably the biggest right now.”

Right guard Kevin Zeitler (shoulder), defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence (shoulder), and linebacker Markus Golden (hip) were limited in practice.

HEAD COACH PAT SHURMUR…
The transcript of Pat Shurmur’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 on Thursday, with the team’s coordinators also addressing the media.

Aug 312019
 
Kyle Lauletta, New York Giants (August 16 2019)

Kyle Lauletta – © USA TODAY Sports

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

Placed on the Reserve/Suspended List:

  • WR Golden Tate

Placed on Injured Reserve:

  • RB Rod Smith (adductor)
  • WR Brittan Golden (calf)
  • TE Scott Simonson (ankle)
  • OT George Asafo-Adjei (concussion)
  • LB Jonathan Anderson (knee)

Waived or contracts terminated:

  • QB Kyle Lauletta (2018 4th-round draft pick)
  • RB Jon Hilliman
  • WR T.J. Jones
  • WR Reggie White, Jr.
  • WR Alex Wesley (waived/injured – foot/ankle)
  • TE C.J. Conrad
  • TE Jake Powell
  • OC James O’Hagan
  • OC/OG Evan Brown
  • OG Malcolm Bunche
  • OT Paul Adams
  • OT Chad Wheeler (waived/injured – back)
  • OT Victor Salako (waived/injured – shoulder)
  • NT John Jenkins
  • NT Chris Slayton (2019 7th-round draft pick)
  • DE Jake Ceresna
  • DE Freedom Akinmoladun
  • LB Avery Moss (2017 5th-round draft pick)
  • LB Jake Carlock
  • LB Josiah Tauaefa
  • LB Terrence Fede
  • LB Keion Adams (waived/injured – knee)
  • LB Joey Alfieri
  • CB Henre’ Toliver (waived/injured – ankle)
  • CB Ronald Zamort (waived/injured – ankle)
  • CB Terrell Sinkfield, Jr.
  • S Kenny Ladler (waived/injured – hamstring)
  • S Tenny Adewusi
  • LS Taybor Pepper
  • P Johnny Townsend

Safety Kamrin Moore, who did not count against the roster, was waived off the commissioner’s exempt list.

“We are in the second year of building the kind of team we all want,” said Head Coach Pat Shurmur in the team’s press release. “The process never stops. The communication between (General Manager) Dave (Gettleman) and I and our coaches and Dave’s staff is really good. The group of 90 that was with us through the spring and summer bought into what we are building here and created the kind of competition that makes for tough decisions.

“For the players who were released today, we thank them for their effort and commitment, and we told them to stay ready because you never know when your next opportunity will come, either here or somewhere else.

“I said it last week, it’s a credit to Kyle (Lauletta) the way he came in here every day and worked to get better and competed after we drafted Daniel. Not every guy would respond that way, and Kyle improved as a result. So there was a lot to consider in that decision, but ultimately we decided to go with (Alex) Tanney.”

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.

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

Jun 242019
 
Evan Engram, New York Giants (September 9, 2018)

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

2018 YEAR IN REVIEW: After a strong rookie season, Evan Engram did not play as well as expected in 2018. He missed five games with injuries (knee, hamstring) and was a virtual non-factor before the bye week, catching only 17 passes for 145 yards. In addition, his subpar run blocking appeared mismatched for a team increasingly relying on Saquon Barkley. The good news is that despite missing two games, Engram played much better after the bye week, catching 28 passes for 432 yards with a number of big plays (two 50+ yard catches and three 30+ yard catches). Overall, the receiving tight end played in 11 games and caught 45 passes for 577 yards and three touchdowns.

Rhett Ellison actually played more than Engram, but finished the year with a pedestrian 25 catches for 272 yards and a touchdown. He was also an inconsistent blocker. The Giants signed journeyman Scott Simonson in June 2018. He surprisingly played in all 16 games with four starts, catching just nine passes for 86 yards and a touchdown. At times, he looked like the best blocker of the group. Rookie free agent Garrett Dickerson spent most of the year on the Practice Squad, but did play in four games.

ADDITIONS/SUBTRACTIONS: The only change was the addition of undrafted rookie free agent C.J. Conrad after the draft.

TRAINING CAMP STORY LINES: Last season, Evan Engram played his best football in the second half of the season when Odell Beckham did not play. In four games in December, Engram caught 22 passes for 320 yards and a touchdown. With Beckham now in Cleveland, the Giants need Engram to consistently produce at that level or more. Engram has the tools to become one of the most dangerous pass-receiving tight ends in the game. Not many tight ends have his ability to create physical mismatches and stretch a defense. But Engram has to stay healthy, cut down on his drops, and not disappear for long stretches. (Note that Engram missed much of the Spring workouts with another hamstring issue).

The Giants clearly overpaid Rhett Ellison when they signed him to a 4-year, $18 million contract in 2017. His 2019 cap hit is $5.75 million and cutting him would save $3.25 million. However, at this point in time, Ellison is the one guy the coaching staff and quarterback can count on. Can he hold off challenges from Scott Simonson, Garrett Dickerson, and C.J. Conrad? Conrad went undrafted due to a heart issue, but he was consistently productive throughout Spring practices.

ON THE BUBBLE: Probably everyone aside from Evan Engram, and some think Engram could still be trade bait.

FROM THE COACHES: Tight Ends Coach Lunda Wells on Evan Engram: “Obviously, he needs to stay healthy. You know, being on the field. Second thing is just kind of letting the game come to him, playing a little more calm, more relaxed. I think as he realized what he was being asked to do, he started to play a little more calm and a little more relaxed, especially at the back end of the season, which in turn allowed him to play some of his best ball. And like always, you kind of always want to be climbing during the season and then at the back end of the season playing your best football in December. So, that’s kind of the trend we are trying to do. Build on December and get better throughout the season… He’s moving forward and progressing really well and we are really excited about him this season.”

Wells on C.J. Conrad: “I like Conrad. He’s tough. He’s smart. He can learn. He’s not a blazer, but he’s instinctive in the pass game. It didn’t take a long time to figure out that this guy is very determined about being a really good player and I like that about him. He takes coaching very well. I really like that kid from what we saw over the three-day rookie mini-camp… Easy going, again, loves football. He’s a good guy for (the tight end) room.”

PREDICTIONS: I thought Evan Engram would have a 1,000-yard season in 2018. I was way off, but I’m going to double down on that prediction. I think Pat Shurmur and Mike Shula have a better understanding of Engram’s strengths and weaknesses. And with Odell Beckham out of the picture, we’ll see the coaching staff try to create more mismatches with Engram out in space. Engram is basically a wide receiver in a tight end’s body. Linebackers and most safeties should not be able to cover him. My biggest worry with Engram is his ability to stay healthy. He needs to play a full 16 games and him missing so much time in the Spring is not a good omen.

Ellison is one of those guys who coaches trust. He’s not going anywhere until another player can duplicate that level of trust. Scott Simonson has been in the League since 2014. His resume doesn’t suggest he will be that guy, but Simonson did flash at times as a blocker and receiver last season. Garrett Dickerson is a relative unknown who is built more like a versatile H-Back.

The wild card here is C.J. Conrad. Though not a flashy athlete, Conrad seemed to impress all observers this Spring with his consistently reliable pass catching. Now we have to find out about his blocking.

FINAL DEPTH CHART: Evan Engram, Rhett Ellison, Scott Simonson, C.J. Conrad

(I think it is becoming increasingly clear that Engram is more TE/WR hybrid than true down tight end. He’s the reason why I see the Giants carrying five wide receivers and four tight ends. Don’t discount the Giants replacing one of these guys with a waiver-wire pick-up).

Feb 192019
 
Scott Simonson, New York Giants (December 23, 2018)

Scott Simonson – © USA TODAY Sports

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NEW YORK GIANTS RE-SIGN SCOTT SIMONSON…
The New York Giants have officially re-signed tight end Scott Simonson, who was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on March 13. NJ.com is reporting that the contract is a 1-year deal.

Simonson had his best season in 2018 after being signed by the Giants in June 2018. Simonson played in all 16 games with four starts, finishing with nine catches for 86 yards and one touchdown. The 6’5”, 255-pound Simonson was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Oakland Raiders after the 2014 NFL Draft. The Raiders waived him in June 2015 and he was then signed by the Carolina Panthers. He spent all of 2017 on Injured Reserve with a back injury. Simonson has played in 34 regular-season games with five starts. He had one catch in his NFL career before 2018.

BENGALS INTERVIEW LOU ANARUMO FOR DC POSITION…
NFL.com is reporting that New York Giants defensive backs coach Lou Anarumo will interview with the Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday for their defensive coordinator vacancy. Anarumo is supposedly the front runner for the position. Anarumo joined the Giants staff last year after serving as the defensive backs coach for the Miami Dolphins from 2012 to 2017.

Feb 132019
 
Evan Engram, New York Giants (September 9, 2018)

Evan Engram – © USA TODAY Sports

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When the New York Giants drafted Saquon Barkley in the 1st round of the 2018 NFL Draft, many pundits and fans believed the Giants now had the best RB-WR-TE trio in football in Barkley, Odell Beckham, and Evan Engram. After all, despite a bad case of the dropsies, Engram was coming off an impressive rookie season in which he had led the team in receptions and touchdowns despite often being the center of the opposing defense’s attention. It was thought that the return of Beckham from a serious injury that had caused him to miss most of the 2017 season, and the addition of the explosive Barkley, would leave Engram in many extremely favorable one-on-one match-ups.

However, Engram significantly regressed in the first half of the 2018 season. Whether it was due to a knee injury that caused him to also miss three games before the bye week, or the learning curve between the new coaching staff and the second-year tight end, Engram was a virtual non-factor in the passing game until November. Through the midway point, Engram had only caught 17 passes for 145 yards. Worse, Engram’s size and power limitations as a blocker were ill-suited to a team looking to focus more on the ground game and Saquon Barkley. It began to look like team and player were mismatched.

Things changed after the bye despite the fact that Engram missed two more games, this time with a hamstring injury. It was not so much the improvement in receptions from 17 to 45, but the number of big plays Engram began to make. There were two 50+ yard run-and-catch gains and a number of 30+ yard receptions. This was the type of explosive impact that had been expected all year.

Rhett Ellison actually saw more on-field action than Engram in 2018. Ellison played in 54 percent of the team’s offensive snaps, while Engram saw the field 46 percent of the time. Ellison’s numbers were very similar to his initial season with the Giants, catching 25 passes for 272 yards and just one touchdown. Unfortunately, his blocking was inconsistent and not up to the level one would expect from a supporting-cast-type tight end.

The surprise player was Scott Simonson, a no-name tight end signed from the Carolina Panthers in June. Simonson played in 28 percent of all offensive snaps. And while he only had nine catches, at times, Simonson appeared to be the team’s best blocking tight end.

Overall, it is fair to say that more was expected from this unit because more was expected from Engram and Ellison. Engram began to redeem himself in the second half after his horrific pre-bye play. Ellison still has not lived up to his 4-year, $18 million contract.

THE PLAYERS

It was a tale of two seasons for Evan Engram in 2018. Before the bye week, Engram missed three games with a knee injury and caught just 17 passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns. After the bye, Engram missed two games with a hamstring injury, but his productivity increased to 28 catches for 432 yards and one touchdown, with a number of game-changing plays. The Giants drafted Engram in the 1st round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Other than too many dropped passes, Engram had a very solid rookie season for the Giants in 2017, playing in 15 games with 11 starts, and finishing with a team-high 64 catches for 722 yards and a team-high six touchdown receptions. Engram is not built like a traditional tight end, more like an H-Back/wide receiver ‘tweener. The strength of Engram’s game is catching the football. He creates mismatches because of his combination of size and athletic ability. Engram is quick and fast. He runs good routes and is a natural pass receiver with a good catch radius. While Engram works hard at his blocking, he lacks the frame to ever be a significant factor as an in-line blocking tight end.

Rhett Ellison’s 2018 season was remarkably similar to his 2017 campaign, catching 25 passes for 272 yards and one touchdown. Ellison was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Vikings. He suffered a serious patellar tendon injury in December 2015. The Giants signed Ellison as an unrestricted free agent in March 2017. The 6’5”, 255-pound Ellison is versatile, having the ability to play tight end, H-Back, and fullback. While Ellison lacks ideal speed and quickness, he is a very sure-handed receiver who runs good routes. He is an adequate-at-best blocker.

Scott Simonson had his best season in 2018 after being signed by the Giants in June 2018. Simonson played in all 16 games with four starts, finishing with nine catches for 86 yards and one touchdown. The 6’5”, 255-pound Simonson was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Oakland Raiders after the 2014 NFL Draft. The Raiders waived him in June 2015 and he was then signed by the Carolina Panthers. He spent all of 2017 on Injured Reserve with a back injury. Simonson has played in 34 regular-season games with five starts. He had one catch in his NFL career before 2018. While he does not excel at either, Simonson can block and catch.

The Giants signed undrafted rookie free agent Garrett Dickerson in June 2018. He spent a couple of stints on the team’s Practice Squad and 53-man roster during the year. Overall, Dickerson played in four games with no starts and did not have a catch. The 6’2”, 244-pound Dickerson is a versatile player who can play a variety of positions including tight end, fullback, and H-Back. Though he lacks ideal size, he is a good athlete with fine hands.

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.

Jun 122018
 
Sterling Shepard, New York Giants (May 29, 2018)

Sterling Shepard – © USA TODAY Sports

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JUNE 12, 2018 NEW YORK GIANTS MINI-CAMP REPORT…
The first day of the New York Giants 3-day mandatory mini-camp was held on Tuesday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 90 players on the current roster were present.

“All right, so first day of mandatory mini camp,” said Head Coach Pat Shurmur. “I told the players this and really it’s the case, it’s really OTA 11 in my mind because anytime they come on the field with their helmets on, it’s about the ball, it’s about the ground and it’s about getting yourself better. They handled today just like they have the other OTAs, so good work, was very competitive. You saw at the end there – everyday we do a situation and today was the two-point play and the defense did a good job with those two-point plays today.”

The mini-camp will continue with practices on Wednesday and Thursday.

INJURY REPORT…
Wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. (recovering from ankle surgery) has been cleared to practice. On Tuesday, he participated in individual and walk-thru drills, but not team drills. He also fielded punts after practice.

“He ran maybe three or four routes, but he looks good coming out of his breaks,” quarterback Eli Manning said. “From what I have seen, he looks sharp and ready to go.”

Safety Landon Collins (recovering from offseason arm surgery) wore a non-contact jersey and did not participate in full-team drills.

Defensive linemen Josh Mauro (unknown) and R.J. McIntosh (unknown) and linebacker Avery Moss (unknown) did not practice.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • The first-team offensive line was left tackle Nate Solder, left guard Will Hernandez, center Jon Halapio, right guard Patrick Omameh, and right tackle Ereck Flowers.
  • The second-team offensive line was left tackle Nick Becton, left guard John Greco, center Brett Jones, right guard John Jerry, and right tackle Chad Wheeler.
  • The starting safeties were Andrew Adams and Curtis Riley.
  • Quarterback Eli Manning hit wide receiver Cody Latimer for a redzone touchdown against cornerback Janoris Jenkins and safety Curtis Riley.
  • Fullback Shane Smith made a nice catch in the flat, tipping the ball to himself and then heading up-field.
  • Quarterback Davis Webb overthrew wide receiver Roger Lewis, Jr. but then came back with a nice throws to wide receivers Travis Rudolph and Kalif Raymond.
  • Wide receiver Marquis Bundy made a nice play on an underthrown pass by quarterback Kyle Lauletta.
  • Place kicker Aldrick Rosas went 8-for-8 on field goal attempts, many of them from long distance.
  • Running back Saquon Barkley toasted linebacker B.J. Goodson on a wheel route and quarterback Eli Manning hit him downfield for the touchdown.
  • Wide receiver Sterling Shepard beat cornerback Eli Apple along the sideline and made a nice catch on a pass from quarterback Eli Manning.
  • Cornerback Eli Apple, cornerback Donte Deayon, linebacker Mark Herzlich, and defensive lineman D.J. Hill all broke up passes. Late in practice, safety Curtis Riley, safety Orion Stewart, and linebacker Thurston Armbrister broke up 2-point conversion attempts.
  • Defensive back Curtis Riley made a nice break-up of a sideline pass intended for wide receiver Hunter Sharp.
  • Wide receiver Amba Etta-Tawo made a number of nice plays, including beating cornerback Eli Apple.
  • Notes and observations from minicamp practice (6/12) by John Schmeelk of Giants.com
  • Who stood out at Giants minicamp? (6/12) by Dan Salomone of Giants.com

B.J. HILL SIGNED…
The New York Giants have signed defensive lineman B.J. Hill, one of their two 3rd-round picks in the 2018 NFL Draft, to a 4-year contract. The only two remaining unsigned draft picks are running back Saquon Barkley (1st round) and defensive lineman R.J. McIntosh (5th round).

ROSTER MOVES…
The New York Giants have signed free agents tight end Scott Simonson, offensive tackle Jarron Jones, and cornerback Kenneth Durden. The team also waived offensive tackle Tyler Howell and waived/injured cornerback Aaron Davis (hamstring) both rookie free agents who were signed after the 2018 NFL Draft.

The 26-year old, 6’5”, 255-pound Simonson was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Oakland Raiders after the 2014 NFL Draft. The Raiders waived him in June 2015 and he was then signed by the Carolina Panthers. He spent all of 2017 on Injured Reserve with a back injury. Simonson has played in 18 regular-season games with one start. He has one catch in his NFL career.

The 24-year old, 6’6”, 320-pound Jones was originally signed by the Giants as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2017 NFL Draft. A collegiate defensive tackle, the Giants moved him to offensive tackle, but cut him in early September 2017. Jones then spent time on the Practice Squads of the Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys in 2017. The Cowboys waived him in May 2018.

The 26-year old, 6’1”, 180-pound Durden was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Oakland Raiders after the 2016 NFL Draft. He spent his rookie season on the Raiders’ Practice Squad before being cut in September 2017. The Tennessee Titans then signed him to their Practice Squad and cut him in October 2017. Durden has not played in a regular-season game.

GIANTS AND LIONS TO HOLD JOINT PRACTICES IN AUGUST…
The New York Giants and Detroit Lions will hold joint training camp practices at Detroit’s headquarters and training facility in Allen Park, Michigan on August 14-16. The two teams play a preseason game on Friday, August 17 at Ford Field.

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

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

ARTICLES…