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COUGHLIN'S TEAM BECOMING MC ADOO'S
By Dave Klein It's a long process. Most of the players McAdoo has picked as starters for Sunday's season-opener in Dallas were Coughlin's players. But there are a few significant exceptions. --- For instance, middle linebacker Jasper Brinkley, who joined the team just four days prior to the start of the 2015 season and played in 15 games - starting the final nine - has been waived. In his place is a free agent signee, Kelvin Sheppard - who is scheduled to start Sunday. --- All six draft picks earned a spot on the final 53-man roster, while Coughlin, as is well-known, didn't really like (or trust) rookies. The six are cornerback Eli Apple, wide receiver Sterling Shepard, linebacker B.J. Goodson, tight end Jerell Adams, running back Paul Perkins and free safety Darian Thompson. In fact, one (Shepard) is scheduled to start Sunday night against the Cowboys in the WR-3 spot, the slot, while two others, Goodson (MLB) and Apple (LCB) are listed as backups at their position. --- The slow evolution to a "McAdoo team" shows itself in players who have been released. MLB Jasper Brinkley, who was signed just four days prior to the 2015 season and played in 15 games - starting the final nine - was dispensed last weekend in favor of a third quarterback, Josh Johnson, and it seems as though McAdoo will carry three of them (including Eli Manning and Ryan Nassib) on the 53-man roster. Coughlin didn't like to do that. --- It may well work out that both teams playing in AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Tex., will have three "active" quarterbacks. The Cowboys have announced they will not place starter Tony Romo (back) on Injured Reserve and thus will have rookie Dak Prescott (6-2, 220, second pick in the fourth round) and Mark Sanchez, recently acquired as a waiver pickup from the Denver Broncos. But the main assignment facing the Giants' defense is to stop rookie running back Ezekiel Elliot, the fourth overall pick in the draft this year. "He runs like a tank with no brakes," says a scout of the 6-0, 225-pound former teammate of Apple's at Ohio State. --- For those who might have missed it, the Giants' 10-man practice squad has been finalized. It consists of safety Andrew Adams, wide receivers Darius Powe and Geremy Davis, cornerbacks Michael Hunter and Donte Deayon, offensive tackle Adam Gettis, center Shane McDermott, quarterback Logan Thomas and defensive end Ishaq Williams. ... Adams, Powe, Hunter, Deayon and Williams are rookies. --- This will be the fifth season in the last 26 years that the Giants will open with a game in Dallas (previously: 1995, 2007, 2012 and last year). ... Seems silly, especially this year, because the date is 9/11 and that horrific terror attack occurred in Manhattan, an easy view of MetLife Stadium with medium-strength binoculars. ... Former Giants' running back Andre Williams, who was released last Saturday, has been claimed by the San Diego Chargers. --- The Giants didn't practice Tuesday but McAdoo said that that past-and-present offensive tackle Will Beatty worked out Monday "and did some nice things." --- One of your correspondent's best friends, Bruce Lowitt, has written a book that most sports fans should like. ... It's called "The Game Isn't Everything" and is a collection of 42 sports features, columns and essays -about the coaches, players and fans who invest so much of themselves into their sports and not so much about football, baseball, basketball, etc. ... It's well worth reading, as it is well worth the $14.95 price. ... The book is available through Amazon on-line. . Check out Dave's
website at E-GIANTS
where you can subscribe to his newsletters which
run much more frequently than what is available here. NOW - Send a request to davesklein@aol.com for a free week's worth of news!
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