Aug 12 At first glance, the one that got away appeared to be an overthrow by Eli Manning on a play the Giants could have, and probably should have, struck gold with an 80-yard scoring pass. Rueben Randle seemed to do his part, operating on the left side and gliding past cornerback Ike Taylor. Manning's pass, though, sailed well beyond the reach of Randle. Errant throw? Nope. My bad, said the second-year receiver.

This game was a chance to see just what certain players are made of when faced with competition that comes in the form of either veterans who are signed to one-year "show me deals" because no one else really wanted them badly enough to offer them a bigger contract, or draft picks that on paper are studs in the making, but who have much to prove when they come in the doors to earn a roster spot.

Andre Brown made a bad situation worse in his preseason debut, and he hopes his mistakes don't land him in coach Tom Coughlin's doghouse. Given that Brown didn't fumble once in 73 rushing attempts for the Giants last season, he's probably safe for now.
Tom Coughlin had some choice words for Andre Brown as the running back came to the sidelines during Saturday's 18-13 win over the Steelers. He was still upset about it the next day after he had a chance to review the film.

Giants rookie running back Michael Cox, a seventh-round pick out of UMass, is still scratching his head. After watching him rush for 33 yards on nine carries, including runs of 11 and 12 yards, in his NFL preseason debut on Saturday night against the Steelers, it reasons that others are as well.

The Giants' linebacking competition is one, big, seven-man free-for-all with all three starting spots wide open. And after one game, it appears that absolutely nothing has changed. Coughlin praised his linebacking corps as solid, but unspectacular in the Giants' 18-13 win in Pittsburgh on Saturday night.
At this point, the Giants' defense remains the equivalent of an NFL Rubik's Cube. Tom Coughlin and his coaches will continue their search for the right combination in order to solve what ailed them last season, a quest that could last right up until the hours before Big Blue take the field against Dallas for the regular-season opener Sept. 8.

Aug 11 Eli Manning hit Victor Cruz for a 57-yard touchdown pass and the New York Giants beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 18-13 in the preseason opener for both teams Saturday night.
Victor Cruz, asked to run a seam route, expertly noticed that safety Troy Polamalu was "crashing down," expecting a different route. Cruz made a move to the outside, hauled in the pass.
Victor Cruz caught the pass in stride, with Steelers' corner William Gay and safety Troy Polamalu less than a yard behind him.
For all the talk in training camp that Cruz would be rusty, Manning and his record-setting wide receiver picked up where they left off.
Just in case anyone forgot about this in that long offseason of discontent, Cruz has always needed just one moment - and a sliver of space - to inject life into the Giants offense.
Cruz was the only player to reach the end zone in the first half - in other words, while the established NFL talent was on the field - and he celebrated in what has become an iconic fashion.
It was Cruz's only catch of the game but was enough to propel the Giants to a lead, which they would not give up .
The Giants have some work to do, but there are reasons to believe they can be explosive on offense. Manning and Cruz looked like they were in midseason form.
Victor Cruz -"It's great to be on the same page with your quarterback, and Eli and I work hard on that. When things are clicking, you really get the results you want." - PHOTOS
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Ryan Nassib's preseason debut got off to a shaky start, Kris Adams out.
Andre Brown commits turnover, but insists it won't eat him up.
Main thrust of the offseason was improving the shoddy run defense.
Giants' starters had their share of trouble defending against the run.
Injuries, depth and questions aside, it is, after all, still the preseason.
Damontre Moore shows his 'DaMonster' alter ego.
Moore didn't make an impact only on defense, either.
With questions surrounding defensive line, Giants loved Damontre Moore.
Tyler Sash helps his cause in Giants' preseason victory.
The Giants ended with five sacks as a team.
Five players who stood out against the Steelers.

Aug 10 The starters will play only about 12 to 15 snaps, according to coach Tom Coughlin. It will be interesting to see if Eli Manning is in sync with Victor Cruz after not having worked with him for much of the offseason, due to Cruz's contract negotiations. The two have appeared to be on the same page during training camp. We also get our first look at how Manning works with tight end Brandon Myers.

There are a few things you'll want to watch when the Giants take Heinz Field on Saturday night for their preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers. 1. Who and what are the linebackers? 2. Is Damontre Moore really DaMonster? 3. How good is Reuben Randle? 4. Besides the O-line, can anybody block? 5. The DB show.

After a long off-season without football, the first preseason game is here, and even though it's just the preseason, it's still like a gift-filled morning. So what can the Giants faithful expect? Besides live football to watch, there are all those brand new draftees, the newly arrived vets, the second-year unknowns, and the rookie free agents who will all get their first moments in the sun.

Gone are the days of twice-daily practices, players in full pads for every workout and frequent tackling. The Giants are one of many teams that refrain from tackling in camp practices. For those teams, the first chance for full-scale live action occurs in their preseason opener. The Giants will play theirs tonight in Pittsburgh against the Steelers in Heinz Field.

All the Giants' defensive tackles have been waiting for weeks to really hit, to prove that last season's nightmare performance against the run was an aberration. And Saturday, they'll get to do that against the smashmouth, always-physical Steelers. It's the perfect test for a new-look defensive tackle rotation.

So much has changed in a year for Andre Brown. He has gone from competing with D.J. Ware for a roster spot to battling David Wilson to be the No. 1 running back within what is potentially one of the NFL's best offenses. Brown has added 6 pounds to his 6-foot frame, and now at 227, he said he feels "a little bit quicker and more explosive".

Tight end Adrien Robinson may be hidden gem for Giants. Robinson faced a nearly impossible situation last year, forced to miss most of the spring team activities - veteran minicamp included - because of class obligations at the University of Cincinnati. By the time he reported to training camp with the rest of the Giants, it was as if he was ready for the first day of school and everyone else was taking midterms.

It won't take Ryan Mundy long to see what he left behind. He played his first four NFL seasons with the Steelers, appearing in all 64 games, sometimes as a reserve safety, mostly as a special teams ace. Lo and behold, Mundy's first preseason game with the Giants comes tonight against his former team.
Mundy, 28, is eager to show what he can do after playing behind Steelers safeties Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark. "I am excited," said Mundy, who was born and raised in Pittsburgh. "I thought it was extremely ironic that my first game as a non-Steeler is against the Steelers. "I had a great opportunity to learn from two of the game's best in Troy and Ryan," Mundy added.

Ryan D'Imperio sees opportunity staring him in the face, he sees the chance to finally appear in an NFL game, and eventually do it with the hometown Giants at MetLife Stadium, a quick drive from his college days spent at Rutgers. Starting Saturday night in Pittsburgh against the Steelers, the 25-year-old fullback from South Jersey gets to prove to the Giants he belongs, that the Vikings and Chiefs were wrong for getting rid of him.

Rookie cornerback Charles James is in camp with the Giants and should be part of Saturday's first preseason game against the Steelers. Charles James woke up from the crash slumped against the old Pontiac with the bald tires. His face was smeared with blood and his mind kept commanding his mouth to repeat the same words over and over: "God, please don't let me die here."

The Giants stunned many people when they traded up to draft Ryan Nassib in the fourth round back in April. After all, Eli Manning is still in his prime, and has started 135 consecutive games dating back to 2004 (146 if you include the playoffs). But general manager Jerry Reese and company had been talking about developing a young QB behind Manning for a while, and were shocked the Syracuse signal-caller was still available that late.
Nassib said he's usually "a little nervous" before a game, a feeling that disappears on the first series. But that's when he took the opening snap. In Pittsburgh, Nassib will follow Eli Manning and probably David Carr and likely won't step onto the field until the second half. Nassib admits his anxiety could build during the wait.

There is obvious familiarity for Sam Madison this summer. He is back as part of the Giants' defensive secondary in training camp, five years after he left. At times, there is awkwardness, too. The game has changed, and so have the players. Aaron Ross, Terrell Thomas and Corey Webster, once wide-eyed young cornerbacks, are now veterans. Madison can sense their snickering in delight when he has to remind the next generation of pupils, please, to stop referring to him as "Coach".

Aug 9 David Carr has, pretty graciously, accepted a teaching role in the Giants quarterback room. With fourth-round pick Ryan Nassib sitting at No. 3 on the team's depth chart -- a passer with plenty of upside whom some scouts placed a first-round grade on -- Carr said he's going to do his best to make sure Nassib is prepared for his preseason slate. He is not concerned that the rookie will eclipse him on the depth chart.
There were highs and lows for Nassib in yesterday's practice. He hit a wide-open Julian Talley deep down the sideline, but he was picked off by Laron Scott to end the two-minute drill. He called the Giants' offense "complex but learnable," and has impressed Carr with his thirst to learn.
Tom Coughlin refused to reveal his quarterback rotation when asked Thursday but Eli Manning will start and likely be followed by Carr, with Curtis Painter and Nassib getting the remaining minutes. Coughlin said he'll try to play all four.

Will Beatty is the youngest member of the Giants offensive line expected to start the season against the Cowboys. Left guard Kevin Boothe is 30, center David Baas and right guard Chris Snee are 31, and right tackle David Diehl is 32. They are among the most seasoned in the NFL - a strength of the Giants' offense and blessing to a defense that has to work against them every day.

Running back Michael Cox could barely get on the field at the University of Michigan. On Saturday night, he might play a starring role in the New York Giants' first preseason game. The Giants' starters are expected to play about one quarter in Pittsburgh. So Cox, the team's seventh-round draft pick this spring, will likely get several carries and might return some kicks as well.

The Giants loaded up at defensive tackle in an effort to stop the run. Justin Tuck has seen the talent at that position in camp and the defensive captain has been impressed. But he also knows somebody good is going to get cut because of a numbers game. "I see a lot of guys making our defensive coaches and coaching staff's job very difficult," Tuck said.

Preseason is about evaluating the players, particularly the depth, to decide what a team has and what a team needs. It's a time to make sure that those who are coming back from injury are paced, and that those who are healthy get out with minimal bumps and bruises.

Justin Pugh, as the story goes, recently went out to dinner with 20 offensive players. There's a code that mandates the highest draft choice pick up the tab, and Pugh, being the 19th overall selection this past spring, obliged. He looked at the check, and that's when the offensive tackle started to sweat. A $10,000 dinner tab will do that to a 22-year-old.

Former Giants
Tiki Barber said he always played hard for Coughlin, and he thinks even Coughlin would have to admit that. But those 16 Sundays a year were the only days when they got along. Tiki recalls dropping "like, a thousand" F-bombs on Coughlin.
Plaxico Burress has suffered a setback that could mean the end of his roller-coaster NFL career. NFL.com's Albert Breer reported the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver suffered a torn rotator cuff in practice Thursday, according to a source close to the player. It's likely a season-ending injury.

Aug 8 Eli Manning and his brother, Peyton, made their hip-hop debut in a new commercial rap video that has his teammates doubling over in laughter and giving him a heavy dose of good-natured ribbing, Some teammates are even humming the music to the video while in the lunch line, unaware Eli is behind them.
Eli Manning's rap "video" was the talk of Giants camp on Wednesday, but Manning is more excited about football and working with his talented receiving corps. That includes new tight end Brandon Myers, signed away from the Raiders during the offseason. "He's done a great job so far getting open versus our defense, making good reads," Manning said.
Brandon Myers isn't worrying or wondering whether there will be enough catches for him in an offense in which he doesn't figure to be a top priority, because that's not his top priority either. "That's not my style, really," the Giants' new tight end said yesterday.

The Giants were back in shells and shorts on Wednesday, after practicing in full pads on Tuesday. Coach Tom Coughlin wasn't happy about the amount of contact that occurred Tuesday, saying he doesn't want players getting knocked to the ground in practice. But there was still plenty of action Wednesday.
The Giants have said they are working on creative ways of getting the ball to David Wilson out of the backfield this season. We've seen that with some stretch plays off the handoff, but they were working through the air on Wednesday.

Tom Coughlin said he expects to let his starters take about 10-15 snaps on Saturday against the Steelers. Chris Snee is still slowly working his way back into the lineup. With James Brewer and Justin Pugh not expected to play on Saturday, look for second-year man Brandon Mosley to get the start at right guard, in place of Chris Snee, who is also not expected to play on Saturday.
Justin Tuck, who sat out practice yesterday with tightness in his back, still may play in Saturday's preseason game against Pittsburgh. It is one of a few opportunities the team will have to toy with some new looks - something Tuck expects in the coming weeks. .

Brandon Mosley is one of the most anonymous Giants, but Saturday night he will have one of the team's most important jobs - protecting Eli Manning. Mosley has worked with the first team this week and will likely start at right guard Saturday night when the Giants open their preseason schedule in Pittsburgh.
The Giants will likely audition many of their rookies for much of the second half. Foremost among them is expected to running back Michael Cox, a seventh-round pick out of UMass. He's an explosive and tantalizing talent who has been impressive throughout rookie camp, minicamp and now training camp.

You can't help but root for Mark Herzlich, and it's not just because he has survived his battle with cancer. There's an image that fits the legacy of Giants linebackers. From Van Pelt to Carson to Taylor to Banks to Pierce, they all fit the uniform: tough, dedicated, special. Herzlich is already special. Now he just has to be good..

Like all rookies, cornerback Jayron Hosley was eager to please, eager to show his new coaches that he belonged with the big boys. The year was 2012 and Hosley, who stands 5-10 and is listed at 178 lbs., was a third-round draft pick who came into camps with high expectations of not just himself but from his new bosses as well. But as Hosley quickly found out, sometimes we don't get what the heart wants.

Aaron Ross, who played just one season for the Jaguars before returning to the Giants, says you get "spoiled" by a first-class organization. A player rarely gets a second chance with his first team, but the Giants welcomed Ross back after the Jaguars waived him. Ross got a one-year deal, hasn't stopped smiling and has looked as if he has a new lease on life.

Four years ago, if Victor Cruz wanted to get into a Jay Z concert, he would've had to wait on line like anyone else. That's because he was just like anyone else then, a kid who couldn't have gotten a second of Jay Z's time. These days if he wants Jay Z he just calls him or sends him a text and the rap mogul/entrepreneur is sure to answer.

Fotmer Giants
Deon Grant, who made his mark with four different teams throughout an 11 year career, decided to retire as a member of the Giants today. In a release sent out by the team, Grant said that his connection with the organization, with which he won a Super Bowl, was too strong to ignore.
Deon Grant, who logged five tackles on defense and one on special teams in New York's win over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI, didn't play football last year despite receiving some interest from other teams. Instead, he had long overdue surgeries to repair issues with his shoulder, ankle and hand.

Aug 7 GM Jerry Reese said he expects Jason Pierre-Paul to continue his progress and is hopefully he will be ready for the opener vs. Dallas.
Jason Pierre-Paul said he is not obsessing about returning in time to play in the Giants' regular-season opener on Sept. 8 in Dallas. Rather, he is focused on rehabbing and getting better one day at time.
It's already known Jason Pierre-Paul has the potential to be one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL. But is he dependable and durable enough? Pierre-Paul swatting away his chances of being ready for the opener is the first sign he and the Giants might be on a different page in terms of his recovery.

When it comes time to practice, Giants head coach Tom Coughlin likes to see good energy from his players. But there's a fine line between putting forth good energy and being over aggressive, and after watching the linebackers be a little too aggressive against the running backs in 11-on-11 drills, Coughlin had seen enough.
The head coach shouted at his defense, demanding to know what his players were doing. And after one play, Coughlin went over to talk to defensive coordinator Perry Fewell. "We don't want them on the ground," Coughlin said. "There was too much of that today."

Guard Chris Snee and cornerback Terrell Thomas passed their physicals and practiced for the first time in training camp. They had been on the physically unable to perform list. Wide receiver Hakeem Nicks and cornerback Corey Webster returned to work after missing time with groin injuries.
Hakeem Nicks is ready to get back on the practice field. He declared himself "good to go" on WFAN radio Tuesday. "I'm 100 percent, man," Nicks told Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton, who were broadcasting live from Giants camp. - Listen here.

When cornerback Terrell Thomas was rehabbing from his third ACL injury down in Pensacola, Fla., he would often times look around at other patients who had it worse than he did if the thought of quitting ever crossed his mind. "My goal is week 1, without a doubt."
Terrell Thomas, who also was recovering from a strained hamstring suffered during the Giants' pre-camp conditioning test, worked in individual drills yesterday but didn't take any team reps and will be limited in practice for now.

Eli and Peyton Manning rap their way through a new commercial for DirecTV's Sunday Ticket In the three-minute spot, both Mannings dress up as stereotypical rappers - which for Eli included a curly wig and apparently fake tan - as they rap their way through the streets of New Orleans.
The Mannings are simply awesome and so is Archie for his cameo. Without a doubt, there will certainly be reaction from teammates today since the video came out while the players were on the field Tuesday.

Former Giants
Luke Petitgout was arrested Tuesday and accused of using unnecessary roughness on his wife during a spat over alleged infidelity.

Aug 6 On Saturday, the Giants open up their preseason schedule with a game against the Steelers in Pittsburgh, meaning later in the week there will be some cutting back a bit on the hitting in full pads as the team gets into game mode. Tom Coughlin expects to see a few players removed from the PUP list, although it's highly unlikely any of the five players who come off will see any playing time in Pittsburgh.

David Wilson put it simply: Throwing him the ball more just makes sense. In his mind, the fact that he's never been much of a receiving threat shouldn't matter. He can change that. He's ready to change that. For linebackers moving over to guard him in the slot or on a route out of the backfield, it's a taxing assignment. And with so much focus being placed on the Giants' receivers, it seems there will be plenty of opportunities to get Wilson those ideal matchups.

The Giants' tight end position has been a revolving door ever since Jeremy Shockey was traded after the 2007 season. From Kevin Boss in 2010, to Jake Ballard in 2011, to Martellus Bennett last season, QB Eli Manning is entering his fourth straight year with an offense featuring a new starting tight end, as Brandon Myers became the latest addition to the club this off-season.
Potential always came as a surprise to Adrien Robinson, who's heard the word every day in football. With his size, speed and hands, there's no ceiling. There's no reason he can't be dominant. It's something he shared with new teammate and fellow tight end Brandon Myers.

There was a reason Justin Tuck left a note in Damontre Moore's locker for the rookie to read as soon as he arrived in the Giants locker room. So when Moore arrived in the spring, just a few days after being selected in the third round of the draft, he opened a short note from Tuck that read "I hope you're ready to work." Three months later, Moore, a defensive end from Texas A&M, has been one of the early stars of Giants training camp.

Trumaine McBride 27, who is hoping to make the New York Giants' 53-man roster out of training camp, hasn't appeared in an NFL regular-season game since Jan. 1, 2012, for Jacksonville. He is currently getting regular snaps with the Giants' second team at corner and is ahead of 2012 third-round pick Jayron Hosley on the depth chart.

Over the last two seasons, Spencer Paysinger, Jacquian Williams, and Mark Herzlich have been core special teamers for the Giants. Now the third-year players are charged with making up the face of Giants linebackers as they take their games to the next level. So is Kyle Bosworth. He shares the same background and mindset, and that's why he fits right into the competition.

Lifelong Giants fan Joseph Brennan's final days were brightened when Giants punter Steve Weatherford, contacted by Brennan's daughter through Facebook, signed Brennan's favorite hat and added a personal note.

Aug 5 With Andre Brown and David Wilson ready to break out in 2013, the Giants are better off without Ahmad Bradshaw. It wasn't easy for the Giants to let Ahmad Bradshaw go after last season. As they did, Tom Coughlin fondly remembered the "great toughness" he played with. But the truth is they'll be better off this season now that he's not around.
David Wilson and Andre Brown are both listed as the starting running back. Even though the depth chart is "unofficial," it's an indication of how both backs will play a significant role this season. "We're both going to contribute," Wilson said before Sunday's practice. .

Tom Coughlin didn't have a whole lot of expansive things to say about practice and his team. But when asked about his experience at the Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony on Saturday night, Coughlin couldn't stop talking. In fact,
In particular, he was struck by the perspective of the inductees, and all the people that helped get them there. But instead of breaking it all down, it's best to let the coach speak for himself. Here's Coughlin discussing everything from Parcells to team building.

Tom Coughlin can hold the Giant coaching hat for as long as he wants, according to Jerry Reese and John Mara, but Big Blue brass has short list ready if Coughlin - who turns 67 later this month - decides to retire after this season, one year before his current contract is up.
Coughlin, who takes pride in being a motivator, spoke of how Parcells' acceptance speech moved him, all the while perhaps thinking of ways that he might incorporate new methods to instill the values that Parcells spoke about in the current Giants locker room.

Second-year WR Rueben Randle expects big things from the Giants' passing game this season, and is hoping to be right in the middle of it. Randle, who is trying to solidify his spot as the team's No. 3 wideout, said when he, Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks are all healthy, the aerial attack, "can be very dominant."

Brandon Myers delivered his biggest play yet in camp to the delight of his teammates on offense. On the first play of the Giants' two-minute drill to end practice, Myers slipped behind the defense, took advantage of blown coverage and caught a perfect touch pass from Eli Manning down the seam for an over 50-yard gain.

They called him the "Joker" at Texas A&M, but Giants rookie Damontre Moore isn't kidding around. The third-round pick looks to be on the fast track toward playing a significant role in Big Blue's defense this season, and has been impressive thus far in training camp, according to the coaching staff..

Stadium News
Super Bowl Sunday at MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands is six months away. But behind the scenes, preparations for the big game are already ramping up to a fairly frenetic pace.

Aug 4 Bill Parcells gives thanks during Pro Football Hall of Fame induction, asks for his bust to be next to Lawrence Taylor's. Parcells showed his many sides during his unscripted 20-minute speech: He was philosophical, informative, educational, especially on the dynamics of life in the locker room.
Parcells surrounded himself with some of the most astute and respected assistants in the business, coaches like Bill Belichick, Romeo Crennel, Dan Henning, Sean Payton and Tom Coughlin, but on the plane rides to the Super Bowls, the coach who sat next to him, the coach he used as a sounding board, was the coach who threw him out of the gym at River Dell all those years ago.
Tom Coughlin was one of three former Parcells assistant coaches in attendance who went on to win Super Bowls as head coaches. The others were New England's Bill Belichick and New Orleans' Sean Payton. Parcells didn't mention them by name, but, as Coughlin said, "he never acted like he was very proud of us, but he was."
Sunday at 1 p.m. at Giants Stadium was always the best time for Bill Parcells - his guys playing like Giants in front of him, his Jersey guys howling in the stands behind him as he stood on the sideline. But Saturday night at 9 in a Canton Hall of Fame place of worship called Fawcett Stadium, was the best place for him now. Legends live here, and now Bill Parcells lives here with them. Forever.

With a swing of poor weather this week, the Giants were forced back inside and back into helmets and shorts. It wasn't exactly what Tom Coughlin was hoping for, but it also added a little perspective for the coach. If the team was in Albany, there wouldn't really be anything they could do without an indoor facility. The Giants got things over and done with early today so Coughlin could join the team's convoy out west to Canton for Bill Parcells' induction ceremony.
Coughlin was one of Parcells' assistant coaches from 1988-90. He was asked what he learned from Parcells. "It was just the way that he went about his business and the way the organization went about its business," Coughlin said. "The continuity, winning, the high expectation level that was put by Billy on his players. He had an ability to gauge right away whether it was championship-level or not, and his ability to communicate that in fluent 'New Jersey-ian' to his players."
In so many ways, Parcells changed the culture of the Giants and turned them back into a winning organization after a long drought and that may forever make him the best coach in Giants history. But he does see a lot of himself in Coughlin. "Tom and I are basically, in my opinion, from a professional standpoint, we are the same guy," Parcells said. "We're really the same guy in a lot of ways."

When Justin Pugh initially came off the field with concussion symptoms, it was easy to tell that something wasn't right. "He didn't feel well when he got inside and coming to the meeting was not an easy thing for him," Tom Coughlin said. "I don't think there's any question about that... That was proper. That's the thing that he should have done."
Rookie first rounder Justin Pugh, the Giants' first rounder who is out indefinitely as he recovers from a concussion. Here's a young man who is fighting for a starting job and who can ill-afford to miss any time since he's a rookie. Yet credit Pugh for being smart enough to tell the medical staff that something wasn't quite right after he took a blow to the head during Thursday's practice.

David Diehl stripped bread and pasta out of his diet, and nixed his regular offseason vacation trip to Croatia to work out more. He's lost 11 pounds and rebuilt his body. The Giants' offensive lineman is a changed man this year, with one key focus. Some think the 32-year-old, coming off an awful 2012, is going to lose his right tackle job to rookie first-round pick Justin Pugh. Diehl is intent on proving the doubters wrong.

Jake Ballard replaced Kevin Boss in 2011, and Martellus Bennett replaced Ballard in 2012. Now Brandon Myers, listed as the starter on the first unofficial depth chart of training camp, is the leading candidate to fill Bennett's shoes.

How do you become an NFL. draft pick? Consider the path taken by Michael Cox, a running back drafted by the Giants in the seventh round this year. First, he was a nationally known junior hockey star from the Dorchester section of Boston. But when he tried out for his high school football team as a sophomore, they gave him a uniform and then never played him.

A full week into training camp, all three Giants starting linebacker jobs remain open. Mark Herzlich, Spencer Paysinger and Keith Rivers are the first unit, according to the first unofficial depth chart of the summer, released by the team on Thursday. But that is far from set in stone one week before the team's first preseason game, in Pittsburgh next Saturday.

Last season, Giants secondary/safeties coach Dave Merritt knew what was coming at his guys each week. His friends on opposing coaching staffs gave him the league-wide scouting report on how to dissect his unit. Yet, Merritt and the Giants defensive coaches had no answer. They were unable to hatch a game plan to mask the team's glaring weakness - cornerback - or provide enough help. The position was decimated by injuries.

The learning curve continues for Ryan Nassib. The rookie quarterback threw two interceptions during the hurry-up drive portion of practice on Saturday. The first pick was actually more a product of a great play by linebacker Mark Herzlich, who made a diving interception after a Nassib pass was deflected in the air by Kyle Bosworth.

Aug 3 Despite coach Tom Coughlin admitting his frustration over Hakeem Nicks not practicing, Nicks says the two speak daily. Coughlin understands why, after an injury-plagued season last year, he would need to rest. Nicks, though, seemed to intimate that there was an initial disagreement about him missing practice. He thinks he'll be back "in a day or two."
While the sight of Nicks in a baseball cap riding the exercise bike is discomforting, the Giants have taken a more long-term approach to their thinking. What began as a stern message from Coughlin about the importance of practicing is now more of a wait-and-see approach. Losing Nicks, whose contract expires at the end of the year, for a handful of preseason games is far better than losing him for the season.

David Wilson is a 210-pound meteor ready to flash across NFL skies now that Ahmad Bradshaw is no longer in his way. General manager Jerry Reese swears the Giants had Wilson rated ahead of Doug Martin, who enjoyed a banner rookie season (1,454 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns) with Tampa Bay. Wilson (71-358, four touchdowns last season) said he believes he can have similar success. Some say he has a chance to be the most exciting, dynamic runner the Giants have had in a long time.
Andre Brown can finally exhale. After living on the NFL fringes since being a fourth-round pick by the club in 2009, he has found a home - four teams later. He had stints with the Broncos, Colts, Panthers and Redskins, never staying in one place long. This season, Brown, who rushed for 385 yards and eight touchdowns on 73 carries - all career-highs - before suffering a season-ending broken leg against Green Bay in Week last season, will split time with David Wilson. With Ahmad Bradshaw gone, the pair will likely have the most carries of their career.

Eli Manning got the best of the team's starting defense during a two-minute drill Friday, completing four of five passes. The only pass Manning didn't complete? A clock stoppage. The second-team defense prevented the second-team offense from scoring. Friday was the team's first full-padded practice and its first nine-on-seven drills.

Nine days before they play the Steelers in their first preseason game, the Giants released their unofficial depth chart. It will surely change as we work toward the regular-season opener on Sept. 8. The big news is there is no news. If you've been following camp thus far, there were no real surprises.
Aaron Ross was listed behind cornerback Prince Amukamara, a former first-round draft pick whom Ross helped during Amukamara's rookie season in 2011. Ross is battling for playing time with Jayron Hosley, a second-year corner. The spots might get even tighter if Terrell Thomas returns from a serious knee injury.

Although Corey Webster wasn't on the practice field. This year, the Giants are no longer going to have a #1 and #2 cornerback, as has been the case in the past. Rather, they're going to assign their defensive back personnel according to the receivers being faced.

Antrel Rolle signed with the Giants in 2010 to play free safety. But because of injuries to other Giants defensive backs, Rolle has been forced to play a lot of nickel cornerback, covering speedy slot receivers. He has also taken a physical beating while playing up in the box -- the 5-yard area behind the offensive line -- like a strong safety in order to shut down the opposition's running plays.

Mathias Kiwanuka has always been more than willing to help the team where ever he was needed, which is why the defensive end turned linebacker, turned defensive end, turned linebacker, turned defensive end can't even remember the last time he played at one spot for more than one season. "I couldn't tell you," said the eight-year pro with a smile. "We'd have to go to the film on that one."

Aug 2 Hakeem Nicks managed to push through at least some drills in practice on Monday and Tuesday, but he was a complete bystander when the Giants returned to work on Thursday afternoon. Still bothered by a groin injury, Nicks was unable to do even individual drills.
Wide receivers coach Kevin M. Gilbride met with reporters and was asked about the frustration resulting from Nicks' missing practice. "I think the frustration is across the board and it starts with Hakeem," Gilbride said. "He is very frustrated. He is very frustrated that he can't practice.
Eli Manning has yet to have his full compliment of receivers around him in any capacity this summer. Whether it was voluntary workouts or training camp, Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks have rarely been on the field together.

Left tackle Will Beatty was a player with a sore back and an uncertain future last summer as he entered the final year of his contract. Today, he's financially secure for life and entrenched as the Giants starting left tackle with a five-year, $38.75 million contract. Beatty said that while job one is protecting quarterback Eli Manning, the offensive line wants to establish the run so the offense won't be so depend on Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz and the running game.

The anticipation surrounding the first padded practice lingers for another day. Because of poor weather conditions the Giants moved inside and worked in shells and helmets. There was a little bit of contact, but not nearly as much as Tom Coughlin was hoping for.

Eli Manning isn't competing for the Giants' starting quarterback job, like the Jets' Mark Sanchez is up north in Cortland, N.Y. Still, Manning won't be thrilled with his performance on Thursday, after throwing a pair of interceptions.

Thursday belonged to the tight ends. Adrien Robinson and Brandon Myers both looked in sync with Eli Manning. Two plays stuck out, and they were mirror images of each other.

For the first time in Eli Manning's tenure, the Giants have a quarterback with high upside and an intent to develop. Outside of the short-lived Rhett Bomar experiment, Manning has never really had an opportunity to become both a teacher and position group leader.

The Giants handed out their first unofficial depth chart without too many surprises. Ryan Nassib is listed as the third string QB, David Diehl is the starting RT, Rueben Randle is the No.1 punt returner and Damontre Moore is a second string defensive end.

The Giants loaded up on defensive tackles this offseason in an attempt to improve on their poor run defense last year. In addition to bringing in veterans Cullen Jenkins and Mike Patterson, they used a second round pick on Ohio State All-American Johnathan Hankins.
Rookie defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins is the Giants' version of the incredible shrinking man. And the smaller he gets, the bigger he plays. Last Friday, Hankins, the Giants' second-round pick (49th overall), reported to training camp at 318 pounds, two pounds below his assigned weight. Already, he has the coaching staff marveling at his ability.

Late last season, a frustrated Antrel Rolle said the Giants needed to rediscover their "dog" mentality on defense. We're only a week into training camp, but Rolle sounds pleased with what he's seen thus far in 2013 -- particularly from his fellow defensive backs.

By the end of last season, Stevie Brown was one of the Giants' most valuable defensive players. He played in every game and his eight picks tied for second in the NFL and were the most by a Giant since Willie Williams had 10 in 1968.

Tom Coughlin is not one to miss a minute of training camp for an optional event. that's scheduled to take place hundreds of miles away from where his team is training. But this weekend is going to be a little different, as Coughlin and a group from the team's front office will board a private jet to Canton, Ohio, the site of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which on Saturday, will opens its doors to one of the Giants' very own. That would be Bill Parcells.

Former Giants
Bill Parcells didn't just bring out the best in his players on the field. The former Giants and Jets coach inspired some lively quotes, too.

NFL News
At NFL training camps across the nation this week, it's as if a bunch of touch football games have broken out. This week, after season-ending knee injuries cost the Philadelphia Eagles two of their starters, Coach Chip Kelly, in his first year with the team, banned tackling for the duration of training camp.

Aug 1 Five players who have stood out in the first week of Training Camp: WR Rueben Randle: CB Prince Amukamara: DE Damontre Moore: CB Aaron Ross: TE Adrien Robinson.

Tom Coughlin says he has never had a training camp competition as wide open as the one he currently has at linebacker. Linebacker is just one of the positions where there will be competition.

Giants will be sunk if wide receiver Hakeem Nicks is hurting. You can understand why it matters so much to the Giants that Nicks, now supposedly fully recovered from offseason knee surgery, is already somewhat 'limited' in training camp.

Get all three of them out there, healthy, running free and easy, two split wide, another in the slot, Eli Manning taking the snap and scanning the field as he would a menu, choosing from an appetizing feast consisting of Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz and Rueben Randle.

It was just three years ago, in 2010, when Tuck was a pass-rushing force and finished with 11 ½ sacks. But he's had just nine in the last two regular-seasons combined, including only four last season. That's why the critics have been out in force.

Mark Herzlich said being a starting linebacker in the NFL is a dream 25 years in the making. For the moment, he is running with the first-string alongside Spencer Paysinger and Keith Rivers and in each practice, he's working to make his presence felt in the huddle.

Spencer Paysinger, Mark Herzlich and Jacquian Williams are all entering their third season in the league. The Giants clearly want to see if they are ready for bigger roles with the departures of Michael Boley and Chase Blackburn and Mathias Kiwanuka moving to defensive end. .

Cornerback Trumaine McBride has been with the Giants since January, having signed a reserves/futures contract. The former Ole Miss standout has 68 tackles and one career interception thus far as he looks to rejuvenate his NFL career with the Giants.

Former Giants
Sam Madison hopes his part-time job with the Giants leads to a full-time gig in the NFL. "My eventual goal is to coach DBs in the National Football League," Madison said.
Bill Parcells - "Bill called me after he was elected into the Hall of Fame and said, 'I'd like to go in as a Giant, if you'll have me.' I said, 'Of course we'll have you.'" - John Mara
Bill Parcells - "The Gatorade shower was Jim Burt's idea. When we first did it back in 1985, I did it with Burt because Burt was fearful of what Bill Parcells might do or say, and Burt said I was one of Parcells' guys and he wouldn't do anything unless I did it with him." - Harry Carson

NFL News
The 2014 Pro Bowl will feature a new format. Gone is the familiar AFC vs. NFC match-up that has existed since 1971. Instead, players will be selected without regard to conference in voting by fans, coaches and players. For example, the top six quarterbacks following voting will earn distinction as All-Stars, regardless of how many are from AFC or NFC teams.

July 31 Special Report - Once upon a time, long, long ago, a San Diego psychologist named Dr. Arnold Mandell wrote a book that outlined personality characteristics for each position player in professional football. While some of the data is out-of-date, much of it still applies, and the subject for today is the defensive backfield. "A cornerback and a safety will never accept blame," he wrote.

There was a time when Corey Webster looked to be on the verge of becoming one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL. That was before his disastrous 2012 season, though, when he struggled so much he nearly began 2013 out of a job.

Through Aaron Ross' first five years as a Giant, winning the Super Bowl was an expectation. It was the collective goal every season. But after a year in Jacksonville, he saw a different side. The lowly Jaguars would, of course, talk about making it to the big game. But there was a different feeling altogether.
It's possible no player is happier to be here than cornerback Aaron Ross, who returned to the Giants after a season in Jacksonville in which the Jaguars went 2-14. "It feels like I haven't missed a beat," Ross said. "Like I always said, the guys and the coaches accepted me from day one when I returned. The playbook hadn't changed, so it feels great to be back."
Ross says the veterans on the team understood why he took the Jaguars deal, Ross has also made the Giants feel great about having him back. He has two interceptions in as many does, including one of Eli Manning, which has been tough to do so far in camp.

When Big Blue GM Jerry Reese said he's going to put a Super Bowl countdown clock in the locker room to create a sense of urgency to play in the big game across the parking lot, well, that was really something you would expect Rex Ryan to do.
That was the first time he made mention of the Super Bowl countdown inside the Giants facility -- a reminder that time is precious and that the season goes by quickly. .
General manager Jerry Reese kicked off Giants training camp by putting everyone on notice, including himself. His boss hasn't read anyone the riot act, but that doesn't mean he's remotely satisfied with what has gone down lately.

The Giants are thinking bigger. While we're used to seeing them work in as many pass rushers as possible on the defensive line, the Giants experimented with more defensive tackles at practice on Tuesday.
We nearly had our first fights of training camp, but the battles ended before it escalated. The first was a rare battle between two defensive teammates, Dan Connor and Adewale Ojomo, the grumbling coming on a special teams play.
Tom Coughlin says Victor Cruz is still "knocking some of the rust off." "He's coming along and he's definitely gonna get there," Coughlin said, noting the key is that Cruz is on the field and getting his practice time in. "And we know that he'll work his way through camp and he'll be ready to go."

How do you top a brilliant, completely unexpected breakout 2012? How do you better eight interceptions (second-best in the NFL) and two fumble recoveries, returned for a Giants-record 307 yards? These are the questions that flashed through Stevie Brown's mind early on the offseason.

From the moment his knee injury was diagnosed on May 23, Henry Hynoski set Sept. 8 as the target date for his return. That's the night the Giants open their regular season in Dallas. Almost 10 weeks since he underwent surgery and 40 days until they face the Cowboys, Hynoski said his objective hasn't changed.
Hynoski, who has been able to stand on the field during practice, has had no swelling or pain from the long periods of inactivity. However, he has yet to start running on solid ground - he has been working on a special machine that allows him to run with partial weight-bearing.

Eleven-year veteran David Diehl faces a challenge from rookie Justin Pugh. Pugh, working with the second team, has impressed with his versatility (he played left tackle in college and can play both guard spots).

The competition for backup QB is bringing out the best in Curtis Painter and David Carr. Curtis Painter is the only NFL player to spend time in an NFL quarterbacks meeting room with Peyton and Eli Manning. He was Peyton's teammate for three seasons with the Indianapolis Colts (2009-2011). Now he's in the Giants' training camp, trying to earn a spot on the roster as Eli's backup.

Tom Coughlin won his two Super Bowls with the Giants in eight years, same as Bill Parcells, who is four days away from his Hall of Fame induction. The difference is, Coughlin came back for a ninth year, and now a 10th, and because he will turn 67 years old next month, you ask him how much longer he wants to do this, be the head coach of the New York Football Giants.

Former Giants
Bill Parcells - "Anytime I'm in public, giving a speech, or talking to Giant fans, I always ask them one question, "Do you think Bill Parcells was tough?" Everybody nods their heads in agreement and says, "Yeah. He was tough." Then I say, "You have no idea." - Phil Simms.
Bill Parcells - "Bill was very demanding. The thing that I'm still amazed at is we looked at the practice tape as an offensive and defensive staff every day and we did it in about a half an hour. He was amazing. He just flew through it. He knew what he wanted." - Tom Coughlin.

July 30 With Chase Blackburn's free agent departure to Carolina, Mark Herzlich figured the most prudent way to prove he could be the starting middle linebacker was to first convince those around him he deserved the role. The Giants brought in Dan Connor as a free agent, but Herzlich is running with the first team and looking good doing it.

Victor Cruz missed the entire offseason and Hakeem Nicks a large chunk of it, but Eli Manning gave the Giants' starting wide receivers a favorable review for their work early in training camp. "I think both guys have done well," said Manning, who is in his 10th Giants training camp..

Eli Manning suffered last season with a hobbled Hakeem Nicks, but it was the Big Blue defense, with the playoffs on the line, which disgraced the proud 53 and 56 jerseys from the team's Hall of Fame past and the 92 from its Hall of Fame future, and sickened management. The Giants, 31st in total defense? It was truly nauseating watching it unfold on film.

Defensive line coach Robert Nunn believes that his group of players is ready to get back to form in 2013. Nunn started off by saying, "Justin (Tuck) has probably had his best offseason since I've been here. I think he's in the best physical shape and seems to be in a great state of mind."

Cullen Jenkins is still getting used to wearing blue. "I've been green my whole career (with the Packers and Eagles), but I feel like I'm part of the team and I don't even think about it anymore," said Jenkins, 32, who signed a three-year, $8 million contract with the Giants in the offseason. The Giants brought in the veteran defensive tackle to help stop the run.

Last year, the Giants defense turned soft. The unit ranked next-to-last in total defense and 25th in run defense, allowing 129.1 yards per game. "We had too many missed tackles as a group and we didn't feel like we played with an edge that has gotten us to where we've gotten to," defensive line coach Robert Nunn said today. "We have to get back to playing with a little edge and playing with some nastiness."

Rookie defensive end Damontre Moore doesn't just want to be known as a pass rusher. "That's all I've been labeled as, "Moore, the team's third-round pick out of Texas A&M said Monday. "So I'm just trying to go out there and just prove a lot of people wrong."

Rrookie Justin Pugh was the first offensive tackle the team has selected in the first round in fourteen years, when they drafted Luke Petitgout in 1999 out of Notre Dame. Though Putitgout came in and started right away for that Giants team, Pugh is looking at the right tackle competition he is engaged in with David Diehl in a different light. "I'm just going to go out there and work and learn from him. He's been here eleven years and he knows how to play the game."

Tom Coughlin, who got his start with the Giants as a wide receivers coach under Bill Parcells in 1988, says Parcells was demanding of his assistant coaches, but displayed a kinder side when he sent hand-written notes congratulating Coughlin and the Giants on their Super Bowl titles, even when Parcells was coaching the rival Cowboys.

July 29 Not every day of a football training camp is sunny, cheery and full of enthusiasm. At the Giants' camp on Sunday, there was some off-season housecleaning to finish - like addressing the recent arrest of one player and the suspension of another.
Will Hill said the marijuana he smoked was more medicinal than recreational. Growing up in East Orange, he claims it is the only way to cope with the environment, at least until the Giants got him into a treatment program.
Dan Connor said he was almost as surprised as the airport security when they fished a spring-loaded pocket knife out of his bag in Philadelphia. Connor said it was buried deep in a toiletries case that he stuffed full during his move from Dallas to New Jersey. He thought he'd lost it years ago.

The Giants held their second practice of training camp on Sunday afternoon at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center, in front of a big crowd. It was autograph day -- the entire team was slated to sign for the fans afterward. Some of the highlights, and lowlights.

Is greatness within Rueben Randle's reach? With Victor Cruz missing the entire offseason program due to his contract situation, and Nicks sitting out OTAs after last year's foot and knee injuries, Randle got lots of extra reps during the spring. Head coach Tom Coughlin had positive things to say about Randle as well, following Sunday's practice.

With the offseason departure of Ahmad Bradshaw, the Giants this week opened training camp without a 1,000-yard rusher on their roster for the first time since 2000. The two players expected to carry the ball most often for the Giants this season have rushed for a combined 743 career yards. But David Wilson and Andre Brown are confident they can continue the tradition of success in the Giants' backfield.

Tom Coughlin wants a return to the old smashmouth Giants defense. The Giants made it a major priority in the offseason to fortify the defensive line, as GM Jerry Reese added Cullen Jenkins and Mike Patterson while drafting Johnathan Hankins and re-signing Shaun Rogers at defensive tackle. The Giants hope proud veterans like Justin Tuck and Corey Webster have bounce-back seasons as well.

Giants center David Bass is simply calling it a "tune up." He would only say he had "multiple surgeries" this offseason. The only surgery that is documented is one in which Bass had bone chips removed from his elbow. Nonetheless, after missing all of the OTA practice sessions and the June minicamp, Baas is practicing in a limited capacity as training camp opens.

Cornerback Prince Amukamara reflects on learning experience from hazing incident. These days, Amukamara can smile and laugh at all of it, as he did when he relived the experience for the Daily News. The 2011 first-round pick is no longer a target. In fact, he said he rolls with what he calls 'the 'in' group' on the Giants now - corners Corey Webster, Aaron Ross and Terrell Thomas.

July 28 Giants GM Jerry Reese put everyone on notice, including himself. "I have a couple of numbers I've been banging around in my head and the No. 1 number is 190," he began. "That's 190 days until the Super Bowl is played in MetLife Stadium. It makes me think about the sense of urgency for our team.
"We're going to put up in the locker room our countdown, so our guys can see how urgent it is to be ready to go every week," Reese said. "You can't let games get away from you and expect to make the playoffs. So we've got to have a sense of urgency going into this season.

Justin Tuck says 2012 Giants defense lacked consistency, cared too much about sack numbers. After a top eight season in pass rushing efficiency, a metric from Pro Football Focus that combines several factors to "grade" a team's ability to rattle a quarterback, the Giants fell to the middle of the pack in 2012. They finished 22nd in the league in sacks, with 33. Tuck, along with Jason Pierre-Paul, struggled with injury. Tuck, though, chose to blame the team's attitude as a whole.

Jason Pierre-Paul described his back surgery as "horrible" and that, above anything, he doesn't want to rush back and risk further damage. Right now, he's at 75 percent, with no timetable for a return. There does not seem to be an overwhelming push to make sure that date is somewhere around the season-opener.
Asked if playing against the Cowboys is his goal, JPP said, "That's everybody's goal that's hurt. But I don't know. Like I said, I can't promise anything for the season opener." Despite that ambiguity, the Giants are pleased with Pierre-Paul's recovery and rehabilitation.
For Jason Pierre-Paul, the pain in his lower back was nearly continual. It hurt to drive a car. It hurt to stand. And most noticeably, it hurt to get in his stance as a defensive lineman, something he did hundreds of times in an average week during the regular season. .
The Giants' most feared pass-rusher is still less than two months removed from major lower back surgery - a microdiscectomy performed in early June - and he has little idea when he'll actually be ready to take the field for the Giants again.

Tom Coughlin says this may be the most wide-open competition he's ever had at linebacker in all his years. In the team's first practice of camp, the Giants opened with Mark Herzlich at middle linebacker and Spencer Paysinger and Keith Rivers at outside linebackers. The second team consisted of Dan Connor at MLB and Jacquian Williams and Aaron Curry on the outside.
Aaron Curry comes to the Giants off four injury-riddled and mostly unproductive years with the Raiders and Seahawks. He hasn't proven much since being drafted fourth in the 2009 Draft, but he's confident he can still be a play maker. "No doubt in my mind," Curry said.
Curry said he's been working at the strongside linebacker spot so far, but that he remains open to going wherever he's asked to move. In the meantime, he is pleased with his progress in learning the team's playbook. What Curry does know is that he can become the playmaker that many thought he would be when he was initially drafted in the first round in 2009 by Seattle. .

Eli Manning has two Super Bowl rings and two MVP trophies because he represented excellence for the Giants on the sport's grandest stage. The fate of the franchise rests on his shoulders, more specifically his right arm and everything that comes with being the one player everyone in the building trusts.
As the Giants gathered for the start of training camp, Eli Manning as pitchman for the offense and Antrel Rolle as a drum-banger for the defense sounded similar themes: Last season wasn't good enough and this year must be much, much better. "I think hunger is an understatement for what we have in mind, for what we're trying to pursue as far as the defense,'' Rolle said.

Now he's out to showcase what he can do as a running back. Following the departure of Ahmad Bradshaw, David Wilson is projected to be the Giants' starting running back this upcoming season. He's in a competition with Andre Brown, who most likely will serve as the change-of-pace and goal-line back.
David Wilson spent the start of his rookie season making an impression as a kick returner. And even though he's expected to play a key role at tailback in his second year, he wants to keep his old job. Wilson began lobbying to continue as the Giants' lead kick returner on Saturday. He averaged 26.9 yards per kickoff return last season, including a 97-yard TD.

After an offseason of multiple surgeries, David Baas returned to day one of practice at training camp. He missed all the spring drills and the team's minicamp, but throughout the offseason had the goal of returning to his familiar position on the offensive line for the initial camp practice. Today, he realized his goal.

There's a joke in the linebacker room that you have to be either a first-round pick or an undrafted player to enter. If you look at the lineup the Giants rolled out as their first-team defense on Saturday, that one-liner has merit. Trotting out for the first 11-on-11 drills of training camp were Keith Rivers, a former ninth overall selection, along with Spencer Paysinger and Mark Herzlich, two members of the Giants' undrafted class of 2011.

The only foe Giants coach Tom Coughlin defers to is the sun. With two separate bouts of skin cancer in the past few years, Coughlin long ago joined the legion of fair-skinned baby boomers paying the price for youthful days of sun-baked ignorance.

July 27 Jason Pierre-Paul will start training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list as expected. The defensive end is one of five Giants to be placed on PUP for camp. Tom Coughlin said Pierre-Paul (back), right guard Chris Snee (hip), cornerback Terrell Thomas (knee), fullback Henry Hynoski (knee) and defensive tackle Markus Kuhn (knee) all will start on PUP.

Despite being 66 years old, Giants coach Tom Coughlin displayed the enthusiasm of a young pup as he addressed the media. Coughlin, who has led the Giants to two Super Bowls in his first nine seasons, is looking to rebound from being a playoff bystander a year ago after winning the Super Bowl the previous season.
Coughlin was not revealing his 2013 slogan, which he usually delivers to the team early in training camp, but it was unmistakably clear what was on his mind. "Last year's experience at the end of the season was not a very pretty one," Coughlin said. "I think we're better than that. And I think that's on everyone's mind."

Victor Cruz: 'I don't feel underpaid at all' by Giants Cruz said. "For me to be here with a contract that's over six years and to be with the best franchise in football, that's great."
Cruz hung tough and waited patiently for things to fall into place. So now that that he has a deal that secures his and his family's financial future with a pact that will pay him $45.879 million over the next six years, Cruz is ready to take on his next challenge.

Eli Manning, Victor Cruz, Justin Tuck and company return for another year more desperate than ever to reach the big game, which is being played at their home stadium. A group of new faces hopes to shore up the run defense, while Cruz, fresh off a new contract, hopes to continue his rise among the leagues top wideouts.
This might be hard to believe, but Eli Manning is beginning his 10th season in the NFL. "Each year it's exciting," Manning said Friday after the Giants' opening-day conditioning test. "I have to play at a higher level," he added, "and we've got to get back to being precise and everything being done the right way to ensure that we're winning these games that we should be winning."
Manning, who still sports a boyish look, is coming off a season in which his total yards dropped almost 1,000 from 2011 to 2012 although the rest of his stats remained consistent. His place among the game's elite quarterbacks is secure. Still, it seems like yesterday critics were questioning his ability and toughest.

John Mara was just saying how he believes having Super Bowl XLVIII at the Meadowlands will provide the Giants added motivation Thursday when the lights went out. Someone leaned up against the switch inside the newly named Quest Diagnostics Training Center auditorium, and with Mara mid-interview, the room went dark. "And that's not going to happen during the Super Bowl," Mara said with a laugh, referring to the infamous blackout at Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans.
Mara said that Quest executives over the past year convinced him of "their ability to help our players achieve better health." He added that the executives were so compelling that they "convinced me to put a green-colored logo out there" - even though that is the primary color of the Jets, the other team that plays at MetLife Stadium across the Meadowlands Sports Complex parking lots from the Giants' training site.

July 26 John Mara admits that he's still not over last year's failed title defense. But the New York Giants co-owner believes this team can go far -- as far as the Giants did in 2011. Mara believes this year's team has the potential to win it all.
John Mara cautioned that his response was based on his view of the team "on paper." But on paper, he believes this year's team is just as good as the 2011 Giants, who went on to win the Super Bowl. Part of the reason? Plenty of players on one-year deals looking to establish themselves.
Just ask four of the most recognizable players on the roster, all of whom could be saying goodbye to Big Blue if things don't turn out better than they did in 2012. Justin Tuck, Corey Webster, Hakeem Nicks and David Diehl - seven Super Bowl rings among them - will be counted on to bounce back from what they would consider the most disappointing seasons of their careers.
The Giants might also have some extra motivation, because Super Bowl XLVIII will be played MetLife Stadium on Feb. 2. No team has ever played in a Super Bowl on its home field. "I would hope that's in the back of their minds," Mara said. "But I wouldn't think you'd need that to motivate you to play. There's enough motivation during every NFL season."

The Giants and Quest Diagnostics have announced a new multiyear sponsorship that will see the laboratory diagnostic information services provider's name on the team's East Rutherford, New Jersey headquarters. The building, previously known as the Timex Performance Center, will now be known as the Quest Diagnostics Training Center."

The Giants announced that Justin Pugh and Ryan Nassib, their first- and fourth-round selections in the 2013 NFL Draft, signed contracts and will report with the rest of their teammates tomorrow for the beginning of training camp at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.
While financial terms of the two deals weren't announced, Pugh's contract is believed to be a five-year deal worth about $8.34 million while Nassib is believed to have received a four-year deal worth in the neighborhood of $2.5 million.

July 25 In the immediate aftermath of Victor Cruz's deal, a six-year contract worth $45.879 million, the Giants wide receiver talked about all the positives that will come with the money - the first time Cruz will have cash guaranteed ($15.625 million) despite being one of the league's premier playmakers over the past two seasons. But since the announcement of the long-term marriage between Cruz and the team that discovered him, Cruz has had moments of feeling less than excited.

Justin Tuck and the Giants better hope he has something left. Everything about the Giants' defense is predicated on generating a pass rush - something they might not be able to do without a revived Tuck. His NFL career is undeniably winding down, even if he does have more years remaining than everyone seems to think.

There's no doubt the Giants do not know what to expect from Terrell Thomas, once a rising star after starting at cornerback in 2009 and 2010, amassing 10 interceptions. Thomas could fit as a third or fourth cornerback, or perhaps a move to safety would also work. "Right now, to be honest with you, I feel great," Thomas said. "I am not 100 percent. I would say I am 85 percent to 90 percent. The only thing missing is real field work, going against my teammates, the grind of practice and seeing how my knee handles all that."

Time's up for Timex at Giants' facility. The Giants will still be holding training camp at the Meadowlands this summer, but not at the "Timex Performance Center". By the time camp opens on Friday, the Giants' practice facility will have a new name.
New York has recently deepened its business relationship with Hackensack University Medical Center, in Hackensack, NJ, which is not far from the team's East Rutherford headquarters. It would not be surprising if HackensackUMC is the new naming sponsor of the team's headquarters.

Former Giants
Jake Ballard had a very short stay on the physically unable to perform list, and that's a positive development for the Patriots as he continues to recover from a pair of serious knee surgeries.

NFL News
All it took was a phone call, and the New Jersey State Police were at their beck and call, ready to provide a celebrity, professional athlete or any other VIP with an escort - wherever they needed to go. That's according to a retiring state police sergeant who led a high-speed caravan of sports cars to Atlantic City in an incident that became known as "Death Race 2012."
By all accounts, a sizable percentage of NFL players love their HGH. Human growth hormone is like anabolic jet fuel: It makes them bigger, faster and stronger. It also helps them heal from injuries quicker. The best part of all? You can't detect it without a blood test. as long as the NFL didn't test for it, it's a win-win-win. Except, of course, for the fact that HGH abuse could lead to an enlarged heart, diabetes, osteoarthritis, metabolic dysfunction, hypertension, joint problems from head to toe, cardiovascular issues and reduced life expectancy.

July 24 Camp preview: 10 hottest issues:
JPP's back injury - Hakeem Nicks' health - Right tackle: Who will start? - Reviving the pass rush - Stopping the run. - Secondary: Corey Webster needs a bounce-back season - Linebacker: Who will replace Chase Blackburn and Michael Boley? - Can David Wilson and Andre Brown fill the Ahmad Bradshaw void? - One more time: A few long-time veteran Giants need to step up in what could be their last go-around with the team in the final year of contracts. - Victor Cruz: He missed all of OTAs and minicamp.

Linebackers: Projected starters: OLB Jacquian Williams, MLB Mark Herzlich, OLB Keith Rivers. Projected reserves: MLB Dan Connor, OLB Spencer Paysinger, LB Aaron Curry, LB Jake Muasau, LB Kyle Bosworth, LB Etienne Sabino. Michael Boley and Chase Blackburn helped the Giants win a Super Bowl just two years ago. Both were an extension of Fewell on the field. The Giants lost a lot of starting experience.

The Giants signed Cullen Jenkins to a three-year deal in March, a move that added quickness and strength along the defensive line. Why were the Giants the right fit? "I felt like with the Giants there was a lot of mutual respect. I felt like they were looking for what I have to offer. They really wanted me here to come in and do a lot of things to help them. At the same time, I know a lot about the organization from playing against them so much. I just felt like it was the best opportunity for me to come in and play well at a high level and win.

Despite having two surgeries in the past calendar year, Terrell Thomas is not short on confidence. The Giants defensive back, who has had three surgeries on the same ACL and would be the first player to come back from such a setback, took to his personal website today to give an update on his progress. Thomas is about 90 percent, he's very confident he'll have a role in the defense this year, and the team will start him off by managing his reps at the beginning of camp.

Rueben Randle showed flashes of his talent near end of last season, and Giants hope the receiver can build off his performances. If Randle truly breaks out, it's even possible that he'll give the Giants some fiscal freedom, making the injury-prone Nicks - in the final year of his contract and seeking a big raise - expendable.

July 23 Fully recovered from his broken leg, Andre Brown not only aspires to have a breakout season, he's hoping to emerge as a leader in the running backs room."The Achilles was the worst. The bones? That's easy to heal. So you have to stay positive and fortunately it worked out and I came back. I feel like I'm stronger and can run faster, and I repeatedly tell myself things to stay motivated. Fortunately, it came back in my favor."

Last year's top pick, David Wilson, and Andre Brown will compete for the starting running back job but both will play, so it is just a matter of how they're listed and who leads off. Other camp stories of intrigue include former Eagle Cullen Jenkins getting a career second-wind at defensive tackle, Brandon Myers looking to show that his breakthrough 2012 season with the Raiders was not a fluke and whether rookie quarterback Ryan Nassib can make popular David Carr expendable as Manning's backup.

On a defense that gave up the fifth-most passing yards in the NFL in 2012, Stevie Brown was a standout. Picking eight passes, Brown's 307 interception return yards set a Giants franchise record. After making 11 starts as a breakout player last season, Brown is working hard to become an anchor of the Giants defense this year.

Every year, there are questions among the fans about the various roster designations and who is eligible for what list, etc. Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) - Active This designation probably created the most confusion, probably because there are two designations, active and inactive.

July 21 Special Report - The Giants will open their 2013 training camp with a 1:30 afternoon practice a week from today. So, with seven days to go until that first summer practice, and 47 days before the regular season begins, there are plenty of things to think about. Ponder. Worry about. Look forward to seeing. Before we begin this list, remember that the Giants opened the season at 6-2 before the injuries struck and the chaos began, an eight-game stretch that included a virtual demolition of the eventual NFC champions, the San Francisco 49ers. That being said, the team hasn't gotten any worse in the offseason. In fact, the Giants may have improved a bit. Here we go.

With Jason Pierre-Paul recovering from back surgery and Osi Umenyiora gone to the Atlanta Falcons the Giants have to be worried about the pass rush going into training camp. There is a possibility Pierre-Paul will be on the field on opening day, but that's only if he has no setbacks (and maybe recovers slightly ahead of schedule). Regardless, he'll be out of camp all summer leaving the Giants to work on their pass rush without him.

Giants safety Will Hill has been suspended for the first four games of the 2013 season. Hill, who is allowed to participate in training camp and preseason games until the suspension comes into play, was also suspended last year for a violation of the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances.
With two suspensions on his record, his chances of keeping a roster spot might very well have taken a hit. Hill was set to compete for one of the remaining two safety spots behind starters Antrel Rolle and Stevie Brown, his competition being Ryan Mundy, Tyler Sash, and rookie Cooper Taylor.

July 20 During Giants minicamp, Damontre Moore displayed the two pass-rushing qualities that spurred the Giants to pick him in the third round of April's NFL Draft: Speed and tenacity. A defensive end at Texas A&M who had 12 1/2 sacks last season as a junior, Moore, 20, could also play at outside linebacker for the Giants.

The Giants have versatility, experience and some much-needed depth on the O-line. David Diehl, Kevin Boothe, Justin Pugh, James Brewer and Jim Cordle all can play multiple positions on the line. This is extremely important considering the Giants almost always get hit with injuries to the O-line.

July 19 Giants.com highlights five camp battles that will be worth keeping an eye on.
1. Middle Linebacker - There are a lot of players with different skill sets competing.
2. Kicker - The storied career of Lawrence Tynes is over in New York.
3. Nickel Cornerback - The Giants bring a mix of youth and experience in the secondary.
4. Backup QB - The Giants head into 2013 with three contenders for the main backup role.
5. Right Tackle -- Justin Pugh, drafted in the first round, to eventually earn a starting spot.

Johnathan Hankins, selected in the second round of the NFL Draft, has focused on learning the Giants' playbook at the defensive tackle and end positions. He has had no problem bonding with Damontre Moore, the defensive end the Giants selected 32 picks later.

Former Giants
Tiki Barber, who once questioned Eli Manning's leadership abilities, now thinks the New York Giants quarterback has improved to the point that he is better than his brother Peyton.

Stadium News
Gov. Chris Christie says he's done trying to intervene in American Dream. Calling the sports teams "unreasonable," Christie said it's not likely the complex will be completed by next February's Superbowl at nearby MetLife Stadium but noted portions of it may be ready with a favorable timetable.

July 18 How important is Hakeem Nicks? Though their defensive struggles were a major factor in the Giants' disappointing 2012, a healthy Nicks could've been the difference between the Giants winning 10 games and making the playoffs and winning nine games and missing the postseason.

For all of the accolades he's received and the generous spotlight afforded him as a member of the New York Giants, two-time All-Pro defensive end Justin Tuck had yet to capitalize on his star power with a scripted prime-time television appearance. Until now. Look for the Giants' soft-spoken defensive captain when he guest stars on Wednesday night's episode of "Necessary Roughness."

Former Giants
Lawrence Tynes kicked for the Giants the last six seasons, but signed on with the Bucs Wednesday to fill in for kicker Connor Barth, who tore his Achilles tendon in a charity basketball game. Tampa Bay general manager Mark Dominik maintained that Tynes chose Tampa Bay over several standing offers from other teams.
Lawrence Tynes came under fire from the media due to a lack of consistency late in the season and missed field goals in three straight games for the Giants; one of which came late against the Washington Redskins in a 17-16 loss and a field goal that could have ended up being the deciding points in the game for the Giants in that game.

Bill Parcells has started to collect his thoughts about a record-setting career that saw 322 wins, including two Super Bowls. Parcells said that his favorite moment came as head coach of the Giants, specifically in the 1990 NFC Championship Game in a win over the 49ers.
Bill Parcells chose former Giant George Martin to present him at his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction next month. But when asked who he would pick to start a team, Parcells said he would tab another one of his former Giants defensive greats.
Bill Parcells' longest stint with one team was his eight-year tenure with the Giants from 1983-90. His 77 regular-season victories with the Giants place him third among head coaches in the 88-year history of the franchise.

July 17 Victor Cruz thinks he deserved more money and took less with Giants. Cruz, of course, could have opted for the open market to see what those numbers were really worth but chose an option worth more than $15 million guaranteed.
Cruz said he felt less was more, and that it was more than worth it to give the Giants a hometown discount. "I think playing in New York, you can't take that away," Cruz said. "You have to hold that up to an account at some point when you're going through these negotiations."

All eyes will be on David Wilson, whose opportunity to be the lead back has come one season after being drafted in the first round. He has a lot to prove in camp and has been working hard to master the offense.

Rookie Cooper Taylor has the potential to see a lot of playing time for the Giants this year. But like all rookies, there's a period of adjustment what with keeping up one's stamina during the longer season, and absorbing new responsibilities that come with multiple positions.

The Giants will be hard-pressed to make the playoffs in 2013. The defense was horrible in 2012, finishing 31st overall. The team made no major improvements to that unit in 2013, save for drafting Johnathan Hankins. Mid-tier free-agent additions, like defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins, aren't enough.
Given the struggles out of the defensive line in 2012-13, Jenkins should provide a much-needed spark inside. The linebacker duo of Dan Connor and Aaron Curry could prove to be the most important of all the acquisitions given the widespread opportunities presented at the position.

July 16 As Eli goes, so do the Giants. Manning has proven that he is an elite quarterback thanks to his two Super Bowl rings. But he has to play more consistently than he did last year for the Giants to be contenders again. The Giants have surrounded Manning with the weapons and supporting cast he needs to have an explosive offense again.

As the Giants prepare for the start of training camp next week, at least one player who already has two Super Bowl rings gets the feeling that this could be another special year. Cornerback Aaron Ross thinks it could end with the team winning a third title in the Tom Coughlin era and becoming the first to win a Super Bowl at its home stadium.