July 25 Giants Camp Reports: ESPN  |  NJ.com   |  BBI  |  InsideFootball  |  Video  |   Photos
Giants release first unofficial depth chart.
Overreacting to Giants' first depth chart.
The Giants don't have a definitive starter at tight end no matter what the depth chart says.

Science intrudes on Tom Coughlin's practices. It used to be that football teams would practice twice a day in training camp. Now the Giants barely get one of them in.
Tom Coughlin has proven in recent years that he is flexible and open-minded, but in his heart he remains an old-school coach.
The Giants, in an attempt to maximize performance and decrease the number of soft-tissue injuries in training camp, study data collected from GPS monitors strapped to their players.

People keep asking the same question: How will the Giants' new offense, under coordinator Ben McAdoo, look different from the old offense they ran for the past decade? If the Giants get their wish, it's going to look very, very fast.
Rashad Jennings compared learning the hurry-up phase of the Giants' new offense to staring a ceiling fan. The more you stare at it and focus, he said, the slower it gets. Eventually you're able to pick out one blade on the fan and watch it.
Rueben Randle: 80 percent of Giants QB Eli Manning's interceptions were miscommunication. At least that is what Randle is claiming now that the Giants are running a new offense under a new coordinator that has universally been declared simpler for the receivers.

Jason Pierre-Paul was in a good mood Thursday, even if that meant having to talk to reporters. The 25-year-old defensive end is one of the funniest players in the locker room.
He has seen Osi Umenyiora go. He has seen Justin Tuck go. As next in line to accept the mantle as the next great Giants defensive end, Jason Pierre-Paul admits his own Giants mortality has crossed his mind..
Jason Pierre-Paul says he came back too soon in 2013 and advises Jon Beason to wait until he's 100 percent.
Jason Pierre-Paul can become a free agent after this season, which was something he rarely thought about -- until Justin Tuck shipped off to Oakland this summer.
Tuck was the Giants' defensive captain, a veteran who had never worn anything except Giants Blue. And then he was headed elsewhere, when the Giants seemed uninterested in bringing him back to East Rutherford.

Mathias Kiwanuka is part of a dying breed. After Chris Snee's retirement, just Kiwanuka, Eli Manning and Zak DeOssie remain from the Giants title teams of 2011 and 2007. When reminded he's one of the last remnants of the 2007 group, Kiwanuka tried to change the subject.
The defensive end said he does feel a burden to carry on a tradition that, for him, began with Michael Strahan. When Kiwanuka was a first-round pick in 2006, Strahan was the established star of the team. Kiwanuka still wants to emulate Strahan.

David Wilson never once wavered about his desire to keep playing, and his upbeat demeanor never changed. He was all full-steam ahead, risks be damned, and he was apparently exactly the same behind the scenes.
If football doesn't pan out, the Giants' new running back always can become a preacher. Rashad Jennings met the media Thursday and rather than a question-and-answer session, it felt more like a sermon..

Giants director of player development David Tyree said that his opinions on homosexuality have evolved from comments he made in 2011.
Tyree said he had no issues with working with a gay player, like St. Louis Rams rookie defensive end Michael Sam, the first out player to be drafted by an NFL team.

Former Giants
Michael Strahan likely would not have the single-season sack record (22.5) if sacks been an official stat during Deacon Jones' career. Historians say Jones had 26 sacks in 1967 and 24 more in 1968. But to Strahan, the value of the friendship wasn't in the sacks they shared. "Deacon Jones is the one guy I wished was still around to watch me go in," Strahan added. "He was my guy.
Michael Strahan will have plenty of family and former teammates at the induction ceremony. But he took the time to single out one of the most important figures in his life -- the late Deacon Jones, a Hall of Fame defensive end who played from 1961-1974.

July 24 Giants Camp Reports: ESPN  |  NJ.com   |  Video  |   Photos  |  Photos
Giants training camp: A detailed look at what reporting day's like

Jerry Reese noted that Eli Manning's age - 33 years old and entering his 11th NFL season - is "getting up there," but said that it is not a concern for the Giants.
Reese isn't worried about Manning. His primary concern about Manning is keeping him upright, which he addressed through his offseason moves along the offensive line.
Reese loaded up on free agent offensive linemen and nabbed another in the draft. He brought in a new offensive coordinator who will emphasize quick release, and he spent his first-round pick on a potential game-breaker at wide receiver. All of this can make Manning seem 27 again.
Last year the general manager opened the season with a countdown to the Super Bowl in order to instill some urgency. This year, the date circled is a lot closer. Sept. 8. The regular-season opener.
Jerry Reese will make no predictions for this season, but he has high hopes for the Giants in 2014. Reese and everyone else in the organization hopes they will make significant contributions to what they expect will be a much more successful season.

After watching three players go down with heat-related ailments yesterday, Tom Coughlin took a progressive step toward keeping his players off the injury cart.
So halfway through the Giants' training camp practice Wednesday, the whole team left the field, walked over into the field house and stood there for five minutes before coming back out and finishing practice.
A practice halftime could become a permanent part of the schedule. "If I keep it, it will be because of the heat we experienced yesterday and there's nothing wrong with that," Coughlin said.

Before Adrien Robinson even arrived at the Giants facility, he was dubbed the "JPP of tight ends" by general manager Jerry Reese. At the time, defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul was coming off 16.5 sacks in his second season. To this point, Robinson, a tight end drafted in the fourth round in 2012, has failed to live up to the hype. He has yet to catch a pass in first two professional seasons.

Odell Beckham was on the field Wednesday with his helmet and pads, but did nothing aside from stretching and warmups. It admittedly has the Giants concerned. "He missed part of spring ball with a hamstring and he tweaked it yesterday. Obviously there is a concern," general manager Jerry Reese said.

Giants have reasons to believe in a fast start. The decision to leave Albany after 16 seasons and hold their 2013 training camp at the Giants practice facility in East Rutherford was prudent. But the inaugural year of working from home produced an 0-6 start that ruined any chance of making the playoffs. Put simply, the Giants were out-coached, out-prepared and often dominated in losing to the Cowboys (36-31), Broncos (41-23), Panthers (38-0), Chiefs (31-7), Eagles (36-21) and Bears (27-21).

David Tyree to speak with Michael Sam advisor over comments on gay rights, conversion therapy. Tyree wrote on Twitter in 2011 that people are not "created gay" and advocated for gay conversion therapy, a practice abandoned by the mental health community and banned in New Jersey for treatment of minors.
General manager Jerry Reese, meanwhile, defended the team's hiring of Tyree on Wednesday, even as HRC escalated its criticism of the team for hiring Tyree. "He was qualified for the job," Reese said.
Derrick Ward, who played for the Giants from 2004-08, fired off a series of tweets that stressed that Tyree has "a right to voice his opinion. Whatever happened to freedom of speech in America? Is that not a constitutional right anymore?"

July 23 Giants Camp Reports Day 1: ESPN  |  NJ.com  |  Video  |   Photos
As soon as Victor Cruz heard the Giants hired Ben McAdoo as offensive coordinator, and he would be running his version of the West Coast offense, Cruz began studying old 49ers tapes of Jerry Rice, the greatest receiver of all time.
Of all the players on the Giants' offense, Cruz might be the biggest beneficiary of the new system. Not that he wasn't a star in the previous offense run by former offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride.

The last time the Giants' offensive line underwent this much significant transition was in 2011 when, just before the start of training camp, the team released Shaun O'Hara and Rich Seubert.
Chris Snee's gone. David Diehl is retired. Justin Tuck is playing for the Raiders. Quietly and quickly, wide receiver Victor Cruz has become one of the longest-tenured Giants.

For the first time since shattering his leg in last year's season finale, Giants left tackle Will Beatty was on the field Tuesday taking part in team drills. He was "limited" and rotated in and out of the drills.
The Giants' linebacker corps was already reeling with Jon Beason out until possibly September. The last thing they needed was another linebacker to go down on the first day of camp.

John Jerry is excited for the moment you'll see him as an offensive lineman who has started every game each of the past two seasons. He's also excited about clearing his name following the Jonathan Martin bully-gate scandal where he was mentioned an eye-opening 106 times.
Jerry, a former Miami Dolphins offensive lineman, was in the middle of last season's bullying scandal involving Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin.

David Tyree brought more than just memories of that famous Super Bowl helmet catch with him when he returned Tuesday to the Giants as the director of player development.
In 2011, Tyree said he'd trade his miracle "helmet catch," in exchange for a law outlawing gay marriage. And he's publicly professed his belief that "there is no scientific data to support the claim of being born gay," which is totally false.

Former Giants
Chris Snee's former foes detail what it was like to play against the retired Giants guard.

July 22 Offensive linemen don't get stats. They don't gain yards or score touchdowns or sack quarterbacks. Check out Chris Snee's page on ESPN.com right here and, well, you don't see a whole lot of information. But Snee makes a strong case as the best offensive lineman in Giants history.
The 32-year-old played just three games last season because of a torn hip labrum and later had right elbow surgery in November. He planned on returning this year but was having trouble with his elbow during OTAs and both of his surgically repaired hips were barking as well. "I know it's my time," Snee said.
The elbow was the last part of Snee's physique to give out, preventing him from practicing this spring. When the injury did not heal this summer, it became evident that he could not contemplate another season, even after 141 regular-season and 11 postseason starts as one of the best offensive linemen in Giants history. "There's only so much cartilage and bone you can take out of a joint," Snee said.

Chris Snee, of course, will be remembered for more than being Coughlin's son-in-law. He was perennially one of the strongest players on the team, winning the weightlifting competition year after year. He was fast for his size and maintained all his power from snap through contact. He hated losing, and hated to be embarrassed even more.
His departure leaves Eli Manning as the only starter from the Super Bowl XLII team (long-snapper Zak DeOssie and defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka, who was on injured reserve in 2007, also were on that team). It also leaves the Giants' offensive line without any starters from the Super Bowl XLVI win just 21/2 years ago.
The 32-year-old guard bid a tearful farewell to the Giants and the NFL Monday, barely getting the words out during a minute's worth of halting sentences announcing the end of his comeback attempt. "It's a bittersweet day," Snee began, needing nearly 20 seconds to compose himself, "but, uh, one I really had no choice in.

David Wilson finally got the good news he was waiting for Monday regarding his surgically repaired neck, receiving a doctor's word that he was cleared for all football activities on the day the Giants reported for their first day of training camp.

The Giants said linebacker Jon Beason would be the only player to begin training camp on the active/physically unable to perform list, which is no surprise given that he's recovering from a broken foot. Beason has said he hopes to be ready by Week 1, and playing him on the training camp PUP list does not affect that hope.

July 21 Chris Snee will walk into the team facility as a Giant Monday morning. He might not walk out as one by the end of the day.
One more season. That's what Chris Snee is hoping for, but his body might not allow him to suit up for an 11th season at right guard for the Giants.
Chris Snee is having a hard time with his recovery from offseason elbow surgery, and he has not progressed physically to the point that would allow him to play an 11th NFL season.
Although Snee can decide to try and play through pain, signs are pointing toward the 32-year-old heavily considering retirement.

In Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning, the Giants head into training camp with their franchise foundations in place, but that does not mean this is a business-as-usual summer. There is newness all around -- from the wholly redesigned playbook put together by first-year offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo to the revamped defensive backfield.

The excuses were plentiful and most of them were valid, no matter whom anyone wanted to blame for last year's disaster. The offensive line was terrible. The offensive scheme was stale. Injuries destroyed the running backs. The top receiver's effort was questionable. The tight end position became a black hole.

In Ben McAdoo, Tom Coughlin seems to have gotten a younger version of himself. Both circle the field in the same way. Both can intimidate with a stone expression. Both, while not opposed to the new wave of NFL thinking, are grounded in the old school. Coughlin was a running back behind Larry Csonka and Floyd Little. McAdoo was an undersized left tackle at a high school that didn't pass..

Tom Coughlin has a contract that runs through the 2015 season and some people have opined that the two-time Super Bowl winner has earned the right to decide when his run as the team's coach comes to an end. One of the guys who pays Coughlin's salary is not one of those people.

Rashad Jennings: How he trained for his first training camp with the Giants. running back Rashad Jennings is serious about his craft. So serious that when the team dispersed for four-plus weeks between the end of the minicamp and the start of training camp, Jennings barely took a break.

Jon Beason will not participate in Monday afternoon's conditioning test when he and the Giants players report for the start of training camp, but the middle linebacker said he could if he had to and he fully expects to be ready for the start of the regular season Sept. 8.

July 20 In the wake of last season's 7-9 debacle, Giants owner John Mara talked of fixing a "broken" offense, of rethinking the offensive philosophy. And then, Mara delivered. The Giants, traditionally frugal in free agency, doled out more than $100 million in contracts, importing more than 20 new players.

Five questions for the Giants entering training camp: How quickly will the players grasp Ben McAdoo's new offense? Can Eli Manning rebound? How will David Wilson be used? When will Jon Beason be back? ho will be the five starting offensive linemen?

Eli Manning is one of the brightest minds in the game, a man with the rare ability to process reams of information even as he drops back to pass and surveys a defense. But even he acknowledges this is a daunting challenge, his biggest since those first uncertain games in his fledgling start as a rookie.

Tom Coughlin may have shown more patience during Giants practices this offseason than in all of his previous coaching career combined. A wrong route? No problem, son. A missed assignment? Let's just try it again. Miscommunication? Hey, these things happen!

The Giants report to camp Monday and hit the field for practice Tuesday, nearly a week earlier than most teams, a jump-start based on their participation in the Aug. 3 Hall of Fame Game against the Bills.

Giants Head Groundskeeper shares his insight. Millions of kids grow up with dreams of one day joining the NFL. New York Giants head groundskeeper Rob Davis is one of the lucky few to actualize that dream, even though his path to professional football was less traditional than that of a player or a coach.

July 18 John Mara likes what he sees but won't be making any more Giants predictions. "I was the same idiot who said last year it was the best team we'd had in years," Mara said Thursday, "and look what happened."

Antrel Rolle named a Top-5 Safety. Safety, cornerback, linebacker, he does it all for them in some form on defense. But on a roster, you can be listed at only one spot. For Rolle, that's safety, and after a career year, he was ranked third in the NFL at his position by Bucky Brooks.

Former Giants
Michael Strahan will be introduced at his Hall of Fame induction by Fox Sports colleague Jay Glazer. When Michael Strahan hung up his cleats, he did everything but retire.

NFL News
2015 NFL draft will not be at Radio City Music Hall, headed to either Los Angeles or Chicago If the league signs just a one-year deal, then New York could be back in the mix for the 2016 draft. It has been held in New York every year since 1965 and at Radio City since 2006.

July 17 It may be the single biggest question facing the Giants entering training camp: Will right guard Chris Snee be able to play this season? Nobody seems to know the answer.

The Giants - with over 40 new faces reporting on Monday, as well as a new offense led by Ben McAdoo - are proving to be one of the toughest teams to predict.

The Giants retooled their roster with a bevy of free agents, shoring up their secondary, offensive line and running back corps. But they're still looking for some help from within.

July 16 Special Report - As we head into the Giants' training camp, which begins Monday, there are a few areas to mention -- and this time, they aren't going to be negative ones such as who will play tight end, who will be the middle linebacker and who will start at running back? In this case, why not concentrate on those who might come up with a superlative season?

Eli Manning says he's energized and revitalized, ready and excited to learn a new offensive scheme for the first time in a decade. And next week, when the Giants open training camp in East Rutherford, their two-time Super Bowl MVP quarterback will finally get to show it.

Former Giants
Frank Gifford's book about the 1958 Giants-Colts NFL championship game - what has been called the single most memorable match-up in the history of professional football - has been optioned by HBO for a new film, the New York Post reports.

July 13 The grind begins one week from Monday. The Giants open training camp at their Quest Diagnostics Training Center leading into their 2014 season. There's a lot that will take place in the seven weeks before the 2014 campaign officially begins. Here are dates between now and then to circle on the calendar.

After a 7-9 campaign and a turnover of the Giants roster, the future still isn't so bright. "The foundation of the roster is weak," former front office executive and current analyst Louis Riddick said in ESPN's 2014 NFL Future Power Rankings.

July 12 Eli Manning works with Giants rookie receiver Odell Beckham at the Manning Passing Academy going over concepts and signals from the Giants' new offense under first-time coordinator Ben McAdoo.

The outlook for the Giants secondary in 2014 has been widely optimistic, and now a ranking by NFL.com names a new member of the Giants defense as one of the best corners in the game.

Former Giants
Steve Smith said that he rebuked the Giants in favor of the Eagles as an unrestricted free agent in 2011 because he was concerned that the window was closing on his potential NFL earnings due to his surgically repaired knee.
David Tyree's helmet catch in the waning minutes of the Super Bowl XLII victory over the New England Patriots had to be the winner for most memorable play in New York Giants history. The helmet catch was a runaway winner in fan balloting, pulling in more than 70 percent of the votes.

July 11 For the first time in what seems like forever, the Giants will put on the field a multitude of options in their return game when they report for training camp this month.

The biggest key to the Giants' success over the next three years is a player who's only signed for two of them, and it's not a young player. Quarterback Eli Manning is as vital to his team's success as any player in the league.

NFL News
It's Up, and It's ... Five Feet Taller NFL Scrambles to Install Taller Uprights After Rule Change.

July 9 The Giants announced their full training camp schedule. They will hold 14 practices open to the public, beginning on Tuesday, July 22, and ending on Thursday, Aug. 14. All practices will be at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Five benefits and differences from holding camp at the location they call home during the season - Resources available, Indoor practices, Travel, Seamless transition, No more racquet.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie film review: Giants CB overrated, underrated, as expected? Giants cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie looked overrated in a film review of his 2013 season.

July 8 The right guard spot is less than certain following the spring, especially with the flare-up in Chris Snee's surgically repaired elbow. He's also coming off a second hip surgery and needs to put on 10 pounds of good weight by training camp. Brandon Mosley has been fighting for the spot in his absence, and offensive line coach Pat Flaherty has been pleased with the results so far.

Former Giants
David Tyree pinned the ball against the forehead of his helmet with his left hand, then managed somehow to get his left hand back on the ball and maintain possession all the way to the ground. This is one of three nominations for the most memorable play in Giants history. In the next two days, we'll feature Lawrence Taylor's sack that broke Joe Theismann's leg in 1985 and the Joe Pisarcik-Herman Edwards "Miracle at the Meadowlands" play from 1978. Please vote for your choice as the Giants' most memorable play.

July 5 A position-by-position look at the Giants' roster heading into training camp. A look at the offensive line, which was the unit most responsible for the 2013 collapse and an area they hope they've improved this offseason.

It didn't take long for rookie running back Andre Williams to get the message: the Giants need to be a cohesive unit "at all times." Thanks to group text messages -- one with his position players only and one that includes running back coach Craig Johnson -- that memo has gone mobile. The linebackers and wide receivers have also established similar group texts.

Stadium News
It's been about five months since hordes of Super Bowl fans found themselves stuck on train platforms for hours, waiting for NJ Transit to get them home from the big game.

July 4 As the team's new quarterbacks coach, Danny Langsdorf had to feel out a relationship with his new quarterback; one that wasn't too reverential and one that wasn't too stern. But early on, he knew moments like this would make working with Manning easier. There was already a mutual respect.

The perception of Eli Manning among NFL insiders is all over the map. Very few view him as elite. ESPN's Mike Sando did an excellent project on NFL quarterbacks that anonymously polled 15 personnel people (including eight general managers) and 11 coaches. For the most part, the personnel people and coaches agreed. But Manning provided one of the biggest splits.

For the better part of the past 19 years, Charles Way has been a Giant. Whether it is as a fullback or involved in player development, he's been involved with the organization that drafted him out of Virginia in the 1995 NFL Draft. That will change this year because Way accepted a job as the NFL's new Head of Player Engagement.

NFC East News
Summer Questions:
Giants - What will be the biggest changes in the Giants' offense under new coordinator Ben McAdoo?
Cowboys - Without Sean Lee, DeMarcus Ware and Jason Hatcher, can the Cowboys' defense be good enough?
Eagles - Can safety Malcolm Jenkins really make a significant difference in a secondary that allowed the most passing yards in the NFL last season?
Redskins - Has the Redskins' defense improved enough to make a difference in 2014?

July 2 Stevie Brown believes his surgically repaired knee is fully healthy, and he's not expecting to be limited at all in training camp later this month. The Giants safety, who tore his ACL in preseason against the Jets last year, expects to be able to practice fully.

New Giants CB explains the difference of playing with Eli and Peyton Manning. "Both have had great success in this league, but they are two very different quarterbacks," Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie told the Bradenton Herald

The last time we saw Will Beatty, he was capping off a regressive season on the back of a training staff cart while nursing a shattered right leg. It was a long season, and Beatty admitted as much after surrendering 13 sacks in 16 games.

July 1 Under the Radar players. Make sure you watch these three players closely throughout training camp! CB Charles James. Safety Quintin Demps. TE Daniel Fells.

Former Giants
Justin Tuck said he's surprised he's not a Giant. Justin Tuck has always been bi-coastal, maintaining friends and favorite locations around the San Francisco Bay Area throughout his career, so moving to Oakland and playing for the Raiders wasn't strange.

June 28 There are many new faces in the Giants locker room this year, particularly on the offensive line. Following the final day of the Giants' three-day mandatory mini-camp last Thursday, offensive line coach Pat Flaherty spoke about some of the new players, such as center J.D. Walton and guard/center Weston Richburg.

When the Giants allowed Linval Joseph to walk this offseason with little or no resistance, it became obvious that they viewed last year's second-round pick Johnathan Hankins as his heir apparent. Nothing that the team has said or done in the months since has altered that line of thinking. "It's his turn," coach Tom Coughlin said during OTAs. "That's why he's here."

Danny Langsdorf, the Giants new quarterbacks coach, never anticipated a realistic scenario where he'd need to divide up camp reps between five quarterbacks, even when the Giants had five on the roster. Eli Manning will obviously get a majority of the reps, but with Ryan Nassib still developing, how many each does he provide to Nassib and Curtis Painter to ensure both know the new offense?

June 27 David Wilson made it clear last week that he didn't want to answer any "neck questions." The Giants' third-year running back is hoping a July 21 exam of his surgically repaired neck will clear him for contact in time for training camp, and until that does or doesn't happen, he's right. There's not a lot more to say about it.

Safety Stevie Brown, who came to the Giants as a free agent in the 2012 offseason, is entering his fifth season as a Pro. It was with the Giants where Brown had hi breakout season in 2012, recording a team-high eight interceptions for a league-high 307 yards in addition to two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 19 pass breakups.

Odell Beckham (5-11, 198 pounds) may not be the biggest or tallest wide receiver out there, but he's expected to do some very large things for the Big Blue on the football field, beginning this season. When you're drafted 12th overall, there is no grace period. That's the burden of being such a high selection. Beckham was selected in the upper half of the first round by the Giants in last month's NFL Draft.

Over the past five years, Giants running backs have the second-most rushing touchdowns (74) and the 11th-most rushing yards (8,337) among NFL corps. Over that span, the Giants have run the ball on 55 percent of their plays from inside the 10-yard line, the seventh-highest rate in the NFL.

The Giants' ideal plan with their defensive tackles is to rotate them to keep them fresh. At this point, they project to have a four-man rotation at that position that includes veterans Cullen Jenkins and Mike Patterson and young players Johnathan Hankins and Markus Kuhn.

June 26 After signing his big contract extension last summer, Victor Cruz showed up at training camp and told his coaches he wanted to work to improve his blocking. Yes, that's a wide receiver, in the wake of signing his big contract, deciding he wants to work on blocking because he knows he's got to get better at it to help the team and make himself a more complete player.

The Giants have been talking about Ben McAdoo's scheme and how it will make life easier for wideouts who were uncomfortable using the visual cues in Kevin Gilbride's offense. Rueben Randle, whose miscommunication with Eli Manning on audibled routes led to several glaring mistakes last year, was among McAdoo's biggest champions.

The Giants had a plan when they released safety Will Hill following his third suspension in three years. It began with reinserting Stevie Brown into a starting role and utilizing offseason signing Quintin Demps as their third safety.

The Giants know they need Chris Snee back healthy at right guard to get the most from their offensive line this year, and they aren't worried about the missed time costing Snee time in the new offense. They think his health is more important.

NFL News
The NFL agreed Wednesday to remove a $675 million cap on damages from thousands of concussion-related claims after a federal judge questioned whether there would be enough money to cover as many as 20,000 retired players.
Under the new agreement, the NFL must pay claims for the next 65 years while no longer limiting the fund for those payments to $675 million. That ceiling had been a sticking point for the settlement in the eyes of the federal judge in Philadelphia overseeing the case.

June 25 Eli Manning may get together with Giants receivers before training camp. Their offseason workout program was complete and, by rule, they're not allowed on the field at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center until the start of camp on July 21.

Rueben Randle led the Giants in touchdown receptions in 2013. Now, that's a little like being the tallest dwarf, since he only had six of them and the Giants' offense was so bad that no one else could come up with more than four.

Jason Pierre-Paul continually proclaims himself fully healthy for the first time in nearly two years and says he's ready to do incredible things at defensive end for the Giants this year. Their hope and belief is that he's right.

The Giants did their best to manufacture some linebacker depth this offseason with the additions of Jameel McClain in free agency and Devon Kennard in the draft. During OTA's and minicamp. one of the most frequently-seen faces was Dan Fox, an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame.

Newly signed former Chicago Bears cornerback Zack Bowman was one of the standout stars of OTA and minicamp practices for the Giants this offseason. He will have to fight for playing time, as he sits on the depth chart behind projected starters Prince Amukamara and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and slot corner Walter Thurmond.

NFC East News
Over the years, the NFC East rivalries change. The Giants nemesis has shifted at time from the Redskins to the Cowboys to the Eagles. Giants, Redskins, Cowboys legends chime in.

June 24 Three months of Organized Team Activities (OTAs) and a mandatory minicamp have taught us plenty about the 2014 Giants. Of course, with close to another month until training camp and two months until the start of the season, a lot is subject to change.

Giants RB coach: Don't sleep on Michael Cox, Kendall Gaskins when pads come on. David Wilson, until he is cleared, will be a question mark. Andre Williams is a rookie, but is making progress. Learning more about them will take time.

The goal for cornerback Prince Amukamara last year was a simple one: Stay healthy and play all 16 games. This had been a problem for Amukamara in his first two NFL seasons, so the Giants made it clear to him before 2013 started that his focus should be on durability and availability.

The Giants didn't make a splash at the tight end position this offseason, but Jerry Reese has found plenty of success with tight ends who aren't exactly household names coming out of college.
Several options remain on the thinning free agent market, headed by former Packer Jermichael Finley, who is trying to rebound from a neck injury. And the Giants recently worked out another former Green Bay tight end, Tom Crabtree.

The Giants ranked 26th in the NFL in punt-return average and 27th in kickoff-return average in 2013, so it's little surprise that they spent part of their offseason focus on those areas.
When the Giants drafted Odell Beckham Jr. 12th overall in the NFL Draft last month, one of the reasons they mentioned for making him such a high pick was his return ability.

June 23 When Ronnie Barnes began working for the Giants in 1976, part of his job was to develop a menu for the players. But at the start, catering was quite simple. "If a majority said they wanted fried chicken," he said, "then that is what we had." He can laugh about it now as he and team nutritionist Tara Ostrowe pilot a continuous overhaul of the team cafeteria and dietary program. This offseason was by far their boldest.

June 22 Five months after he was hired as the Giants' new offensive coordinator, Ben McAdoo may still be the most important offseason addition to a team that has experienced more turnover than at any other point in the past decade. And hardly anyone knows who he is..

The minicamp is over, and all those non-contact offseason training sessions are done. And now, the Giants have at least a few things settled. By the time the Giants wrapped up their minicamp and headed into a month of relaxation (they return for training camp on July 21), they'd answered at least a few questions.
There have been some changes this spring on the Giants depth chart. That's what happens when the coaches run players through months of practices, even if they are without pads. Some players impress. Others have their stock drop.

There is a reason the NFC East has not allowed back-to-back division champs in almost a decade. It's because of the competition between the four teams, making it possible for one franchise to go from last to first in any given season -- and vice versa. But the scales are often tipped according to quarterback play.

A year after suffering its worst performance in recent memory, the New York Giants' offensive line, which brought in two projected new veteran starters in Geoff Schwartz at left guard and J.D. Walton at center, is hoping to become a strength of the offense.

June 21 Special Report - The Giants' off-season program has officially wrapped and it's time to play golf, go fishing, take vacations and rest up for the 2014 season. Training camp opens in month. Last week, we ruminated over the changes to the Giants' offensive system under new coordinator Ben McAdoo. The system is still being installed as we speak.
In fact, wide receiver Reuben Randle let it slip earlier this week that he has talked to coaches about lining up as a slot receiver now and then - or perhaps it was the coaching staff talking to him. Whether or not that happens in a live game situation remains to be seen, but it's yet another wrinkle for the offense, considering that Randle's size/speed is built for the outside spot.

Ben McAdoo's first meeting with members of the Giants' offense two months ago left little doubt as to what his philosophy was all about. The new offensive coordinator preached speed, on the field and off; haste not waste; and a simple message: "Get in your playbook and learn it because we're not stopping." In the words of Tom Coughlin, McAdoo is "exactly what I thought when we hired him."
Ben McAdoo is doing his best to blend the offensive philosophies he learned as a Packers assistant with the schemes that helped the Giants to two Super Bowl titles since 2006. The 2014 Giants will not feature some revolutionary offense, he said. The only thing McAdoo has aimed to do is simplify an attack that was filled with miscommunications in 2013, when the Giants totaled a league-worst 44 giveaways.

Last year was a big year for safety Antrel Rolle. He was named a defensive team captain. He made it to the Pro Bowl. And on the field, he was one of the most reliable performers the Giants had on either side of the ball. But to hear his position coach tell it, Rolle is still developing as a safety and is likely to get even better this year and beyond.

Justin Pugh started all 16 games at right tackle for the Giants as a rookie in 2013. But because he was a first-round pick and left tackle Will Beatty struggled, there are those who wonder if Pugh will or should be moved to left tackle, either now or in the future.

Former Giants
Aaron Ross is trying to turn back the clock. He's reuniting with Steve Spagnuolo, his first defensive coordinator in the NFL.

June 20 Practice reports from Day 3 of minicamp.  |  Photos.
The Giants concluded their minicamp practices and the next time the team will gather will be during Training Camp.
Overall, Tom Coughlin described the camp as a positive experience in which the team managed to accomplish a great deal.
The Giants players stretched, did some half-speed drills, stretched again and walked off the field. All told, they weren't out there for very long on the final day of their offseason workout program.
Tom Coughlin ended practice early but not without a stern warning to his players. "Always talk about being smart," Coughlin said after practice today. "The NY never comes off. Be responsible.

Kevin M. Gilbride, the affable new Giants tight ends coach, was sailing along in his meeting with reporters on Thursday when a question seemed to catch him off guard. Was it a hard transition, he was asked, going from last season to this? "Why, because of my father?" Gilbride said, his smile briefly fading.
The Giants replaced three long-time offensive coaches this offseason, parting ways with offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, tight ends coach Mike Pope and running backs coach Jerald Ingram. They were replaced with new coordinator Ben McAdoo, running backs coach Craig Johnson, and quarterbacks coach Danny Langsford.

Ben McAdoo: I'll fix Eli Manning and Giants offense. "Watching the film from last year, it's no secret they didn't protect the ball as well as they would have liked to," Ben McAdoo said Thursday at the conclusion of Giants mini-camp.
McAdoo has little time to sweat the "new" aspects of his job. He doesn't think much about hierarchy or management structure. Yes, he'll be calling plays for the first time, and yes, he'll be designing a playbook that molds Mike McCarthy's offense in Green Bay with philosophies he's brought from different stops along the way.

Looking around the field at his defense, Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell can see a distinct difference than last year's eighth-ranked unit. This group of players appears beefed up on the outside, in a way that in these parts has been compared to the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.
It might seem like the rest of the NFL is copying the Seahawks' defensive blueprint this offseason, but Perry Fewell thinks the Seahawks are just copying the Giants. Fewell didn't elaborate, but he apparently was referring to the combination of a stiff pass rush and playmaking secondary that led the way for the Giants in each of those two championship seasons.

The shuffle at tight end for the Giants spring has been noticeable. One day it's Adrien Robinson's turn to begin the day with the first team. The next it's Daniel Fells or Larry Donnell or Xavier Grimble or Kellen Davis.

Corey Washington may come from the smallest of schools but he's quick to remind anyone that when it comes to Giants wide receivers, there are none bigger than him.

June 19 Practice reports from Day 2 of minicamp.  |  Photos.
Tom Coughlin can't be upset about the rapid pace at which Ben McAdoo is changing this offense. The Giants will look far different in 2014 than they have in the past 10 years.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., the Giants' first-round draft choice, participated in team portions of practice for the first time since straining his hamstring during organized team activities (OTAs).
Wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Mario Manningham both gave New York Giants fans a reason to be excited on Wednesday.
Mario Manningham said he can be the player he was when he helped the Giants win Super Bowl XLVI. He just has to get on the field to prove it.

Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul knows he had an unproductive season last year as he recovered from back surgery. But he feels some people around the NFL have been too quick to declare that his days as a Pro Bowl-caliber player are over.
He listened to all the critics yapping last season, heard them doubt his ability and read their tweets that slammed him as an injury-prone has-been at 24. But now, it's finally Jason Pierre-Paul's turn to do the talking.

June 18 Practice reports from Day 1 of minicamp.  |  Photos.
For the second time in less than a week, the Giants saw their practice-ending two-minute drill end a little sooner than they imagined.
Eli Manning made perhaps his best throw of spring when he hooked up with wide receiver Rueben Randle today for a deep completion.
Guard Chris Snee will not work this week due to some discomfort that's developed in his surgically repaired right elbow.

Expected to be a starter at strongside linebacker, Jameel McClain lined up at middle linebacker on Tuesday and took the first team snaps at Giants minicamp in East Rutherford, NJ.
The Giants announced on Tuesday that Jon Beason will not need surgery, but he is still expected to miss the entirety of the preseason and maybe even the beginning of the regular season.

The Giants and left tackle Will Beatty still can't put an exact date on when he'll be cleared. All they seem to know is that they expect him to be back from a broken leg suffered in the season finale some time early in training camp.

Trindon Holliday, all 5-foot-5 of him, is the shortest player in the NFL. He is the Giants' Little Big Man, and of course he has carried a chip on his shoulder from the day his own mother wouldn't let him play football until eighth grade because she feared for his safety. But his new Giants teammates know this much: They would much rather play with him than against him.

The three-month whirlwind that turned Geoff Schwartz into a Giant and a Bergen County resident began in a matter of 30 seconds. That's how long the Giants waited beyond the time at which they could reach out to representatives of Schwartz, one of the most coveted offensive linemen available when the market opened in March.

Mathias Kiwanuka not happy with paycut, thinks more needs to be done to protect player rights. The nine-year veteran, who agreed to a four-year, $21.75 million contract in 2012, was asked this offseason to take a pay cut and his base salary was sliced from $4.375 million to $1.5 million.

June 17 With Jon Beason sidelined until at least September, the Giants needed to add another linebacker to their 90-man roster. They worked out and signed Terrell Manning on Monday.

The middle of June is no time to get all panicky and twitchy about a specific ailment that might infect your football team, but it is never too early to raise a red flag about Will Beatty and the Giants' left-tackle situation.

The Giants begin the final phase of their offseason program Tuesday with the start of a three-day minicamp in East Rutherford, New Jersey. This will be the last time they're all on the field together until they start training camp July 22.

NFC East News
Eagles - Will the Eagles win more than nine games? Don't bet on it.
Cowboys - How can this team finally break the string of 8-8 seasons and get on the winning side.
Redskins - Can the Redskins win the NFC East this season?

June 16 He looks the same, but doesn't act the same and Jerrel Jernigan laughs when he acknowledges his teammates probably see him nowadays and wonder "Where did he come from?"

Fifth-round pick Devon Kennard should fit right in with these Giants. Just like some of his teammates, the rookie linebacker has been around the game of football his entire life because of a father that was either a player or coach.

June 15 Now that we know Jon Beason will be out for roughly three months, and may not be healthy for the season-opener, we can welcome in the anticipated contempt toward the Giants front office for signing a player with an alarming injury history to a three-year deal worth $16.8 million.

The Giants currently have five tight ends on the roster with a grand total of six catches in the NFL last season. That's a scary thought. Coach Tom Coughlin clearly hopes one of the younger players will emerge over the course of the summer and be ready to start come September.

Tom Coughlin admitted Thursday that the progress of installing the new offense is "slow." But it hasn't taken the wide receivers long to get excited about it. The offense being implemented by new coordinator McAdoo is less reliant on the wideouts making their own reads based on how the defense is playing, and that suits Randle just fine.

Antrel Rolle has seen it often - though high school and college and right there inside the Giants locker room. It is more the norm and not the exception, and Rolle knows he is blessed not to be part of this statistical epidemic, this societal breakdown..

Offensive guard Geoff Schwartz wants to be a cook and host his own cooking show after he retires from the NFL. The best meal he's had since joining the Giants, he said, was at a Cuban restaurant in the Bronx named Havana Cafe. Check his Shrimp and Pasta dish instructions.

Former Giants
Phil Simms: Giants had a 'great' offseason. It was the way the Giants were able to tear it all down (allowing players like DE Justin Tuck, WR Hakeem Nicks, DT Linval Joseph to walk) and restock with a handful of quality of players on both sides.
Phil Simms looks back on his shocking release from the Giants. It will be 20 years ago Sunday that Simms heard the news that would send shock waves through the organization and end the career of the first Giants quarterback to win a Super Bowl.

June 14 The one player on defense the Giants felt they could least afford to lose was middle linebacker Jon Beason. Now they're facing the possibility that they've lost him for Opening Day, and maybe more.
Jon Beason will meet with a foot specialist on Monday to determine whether he needs surgery, but either way, the Giants' starting middle linebacker will be sidelined for about three months and could miss the regular-season opener.
In addition to the torn ligament in his right foot, Beason also has a small fracture to the sesamoid bone. The Giants likely cannot function on defense without Beason for any extended length of time, because there's no proven replacement at middle linebacker.
Until Beason returns, it is expected to be a free-for-all for the Giants' middle linebacker job. After he left practice on Thursday he was replaced by veteran Mark Herzlich, recently signed Jameel McClain and rookie Devan Kennard. They'll all likely get a shot at the job this summer, while the Giants cross their fingers and hope for Beason's speedy return. - 5 best replacement options.

Jerrel Jernigan and the receivers have already raved about there being fewer reads for the wide receivers than there were in the past in Tom Coughlin and Kevin Gilbride's offense. They don't have to think as much as in the past. Instead, they can just play more freely.

Rookie wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. stood overlooking the Giants' practice field Thursday, but his thoughts were more on futbol than football. The Giants' first-round pick said he started playing soccer when he was 3 and still keeps up with the game. And, yes, he plans to watch as much World Cup action as possible.

June 13 Linebacker Jon Beason suffered a right foot injury during the team's OTA on Thursday. Beason was able to limp off the field, but then was carted out of the Giants' indoor practice facility after being examined for several minutes on the sideline.
Beason pulled up limping after suffering the injury, but he was able to walk over to the sidelines where trainers examined his foot, before summoning a cart.
How important is Beason to the Giants? "Very. Very important because of the nature of the player, the man, his attitude, what he brings to the table, his leadership skills," Coughlin said. "Very important."
Beason was one of the most valuable Giants after joining the team last Oct. 4 in a trade with the Carolina Panthers. He instantly became a team leader and finished second on the team with 98 tackles.
With Beason sidelined, rookie Devon Kennard stepped in as the middle linebacker, his first time playing with the starters. He also took over the job of calling the defense and making adjustments.

The Giants' offense gave a glimpse of what it might be capable of doing this season with its new scheme. But you had to look quickly. Shorter passes. Faster releases. More touchdowns (perhaps). Welcome to the 2014 Giants.

Chris Snee is mindful of the roster changes the Giants made, in part because of his uncertain physical condition. The Giants signed free-agent guards Geoff Schwartz (Chiefs) and John Jerry (Dolphins) and brought back guard James Brewer.

Tom Coughlin noted the way Peyton Hillis came into training camp in phenomenal shape. Then came the signing of Rashad Jennings. The drafting of Andre Williams. On Thursday, Coughlin announced that Hillis has missed a few practices with a minor muscle strain. Still, Hillis is determined.

Ryan Nassib appears to be struggling so much in offseason workouts that the Syracuse product might need a terrific training camp and preseason just to keep his roster spot.

June 12 Mark Herzlich zipped down the steps and into the basement of Bookends Bookstore, where 50 or so fans were waiting for his arrival. Herzlich hardly looked like a mortal figure who five years earlier was facing the fight of his life while battling a rare form of bone cancer, Ewing's sarcoma.
During that time, Herzlich's friend helped keep his mind off the drugs that were pumped into his body via a port in his chest by engaging him in video games. The bottom line is that modern medicine can only do so much to heal the body.

Eli Manning admitted his impressive streak of starting 151 consecutive NFL games "might have gotten saved a little bit" because the ankle sprain he suffered last year came in the last game of the season. But he's not conceding that the ankle would've kept him out of Game No. 152 if the Giants' season hadn't been over.

The game was called "amazing catches," and every night Eli, Peyton and Cooper Manning would line up in the front yard and wait for their father, Archie, to throw them passes just outside of their reach. The goal was to do something - anything - out of the ordinary. They would dive and go at the ball one-handed.

A year after missing the team's offseason workouts during contract negotiations, Victor Cruz said he is thrilled to be taking part in OTAs this year.
Yes, there was a massive contract extension waiting for him at the end, but there were also the moments where he had to shut everyone out and simply trust the process.

Prince Amukamara says Giants fine players $500 for every pound they're overweight. Amukamara revealed the steep price per pound during an interview with TMZ that appears to have been taken Tuesday night prior to a Hope For Children event in Manhattan.

June 10 RB Andre Williams makes list of rookies who can make impact this season. The Giants could really use a late-round pick make an impact. It's been a while since they hit on one. Linebacker Jacquian Williams and running back Andre Brown are the only late-round picks in the past five drafts to make much of a positive impact.

The Giants will arrive at the gates of the 2014 season as great an unknown as any team in the league. An offseason of change has brought a new offensive coordinator and a dozen new starters.

This time of year has become synonymous with Eli Manning having to answer questions about where his top targets are. This year, though, Manning has Victor Cruz, Rueben Randle and Odell Beckham right by his side.

Fomer Giants
Bill Parcells pays visit to Giants at OTA No. 8. There are only 13 coaches in NFL history who have won multiple Super Bowls. Two of them were at the New York Giants' training facility on Tuesday.

NFL News
NFL Network to use drones to tape teams' practices? Apparently we've reached the point where NFL teams may be watched at practice by so-called drones. Little, mechanical, flying UFOs may be flying over a practice field in a city near you, soon.

June 10 Want to attend a single Giants game this season? Get to your computer on Wednesday morning. That is when single-game Giants tickets go on sale. Tickets are available only online at www.ticketmaster.com beginning at 10 a.m. (ET) on Wednesday, June 11.

Two months after ankle surgery and three months before the Giants open the season in Detroit, Manning was asked Monday: If there were a game tomorrow, is your ankle strong enough and do you have enough confidence in it that you could play? "Yeah, 100%, yeah," Manning said.
Eli Manning said he would be physically ready to play in a game if the Giants had one this week. It's a little early to be trotting the new offense out onto that hypothetical field just yet, though. We haven't gotten everything," the quarterback said of installing the new offense this spring.

Former Giants
Jake Ballard, ex-Giants tight end, had awkward encounter with Tom Brady after Super Bowl XLVI win. Ballard also remembered barely getting to see the end of the Giants' Super Bowl win -- there was no way for him to know what was happening on the field while a team doctor looked at his knee.

June 9 Giants' newcomers forge team ties. Giants recruits Geoff Schwartz, Walter Thurmond, III, and Jameel McClain, are getting familiar with their new teammates ahead of training camp.

NFL.com put together a list of the league's Top 26-paid players. Eli Manning came in at 14th with compensation of $15,271,428. He was one spot behind Detroit's Matthew Stafford and one ahead of San Diego's Philip Rivers.

June 7 How Ben McAdoo helps Eli Manning. The prevailing opinion is that Giants quarterback Eli Manning will have no trouble adjusting to McAdoo's offense and that it will benefit him.
Change a positive for Eli Manning, says Phil Simms. Take it from another Giants quarterback who went through a similar change late in his career: This could go much better than expected.

Odell Beckham Jr.'s first month as a Giant certainly has been an eventful one. Beckham spoke at length for the first time Thursday, saying it amused him until it started drawing the attention of media that appeared to take it seriously.
Stories of a fake girlfriend/fiancee, crazy sexual encounters and masquerades around the world were funny to Giants first-round pick Odell Beckham Jr. For a little bit, at least. Beckham put a halt to it all.

Steve Weatherford takes Bayonne girl to the Prom. She is the one who asked him to be her date on Twitter. Weatherford put as much care into the night as his date, Lauren, who greeted him with a custom football boutonniere.
All eyes at the Bayonne prom are on Bayonne High senior Lauren Delbert, who is being accompanied by Steve Weatherford. On April 18, Delbert sent out a message via Twitter to Weatherford asking if he'd like to go to the prom with her. Shortly after, he accepted.

There are a lot of wide receivers on the Giants roster fighting for that final wide receiver spot (or two). One somewhat unfamiliar name not to sleep on: Marcus Harris.

Former Giants
Luke Petitgout was sacked again by police, this time for popping a club patron in Midtown Manhattan, authorities said Friday. The former offensive lineman was charged with misdemeanor assault for the alleged incident and was awaiting arraignment Friday afternoon.

June 6 Special Report - Coughlin addresses the Will Hill mess. Rolle explains his reaction to the event and no one is upset with Wilson's report. Rolle, one of the team's leaders and most outspoken of the players, was quick to address and Hill tragedy. "Will was one of the most gifted safeties I've seen," he said. "To do what he did is foolish and puzzling."

Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., the New York Giants' first-round draft pick, was held out of the team's OTA on Thursday with a sore hamstring.
The Giants are proceeding cautiously with their newest offensive weapon, especially since hamstring injuries have nagged several Giants players in recent years.

Jayron Hosley talks to the media, a day after he was suspended for the first four games of the season. Hosley explained he failed a drug test last season. He appealed his suspension to the league, but finally dropped his appeal this spring.
Hosley declined to say what drew the suspension, although he did say that he does "see counseling," and that he attempted to appeal to the league, but "the ball didn't bounce my way." Mostly, he said, he wants the Giants to give him another chance.

As the door closed for former Giants safety Will Hill, it may have swung open for Cooper Taylor. One week after rotating between the second and third-team defense, Taylor snuck in a few reps with the first team on Thursday at the Giants' Organized Team Activities workout.
Tom Coughlin equated the Giants organization to a business, and safety Will Hill to just another employee. If this was any other situation, Hill would not have stayed as long as he did. If any other employee failed a third drug test, he would be gone, too.

Former Giants
Will Hill is apparently now on the roster of the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League. Hill played for the Rattlers in 2011 before signing with the New York Giants.
Will Hill left maggots, dog feces at rented home: report. Giants fans may be frustrated with Will Hill, who was cut by the team after being issued his third drug-related suspension in as many years, but one woman is furious with the safety.

June 5 What David Wilson heard Wednesday was, in his view, "not ideal," but it was certainly encouraging enough for him to believe it won't be long before he is able to return to action.
While Wilson wasn't cleared for full participation, the exam revealed he is progressing to where that could occur next month. Giants players will report to training camp on July 21.

Defensive back Jayron Hosley was suspended four games by the NFL after failing a drug test. He dropped his appeal and, despite being able to practice and play in the preseason, will not appear until Week 5 against the Falcons.
Hosley is the second Giants defensive back to be suspended in the last week, joining Hill who was hit with a six-game ban - his third violation of one of the NFL's drug policies in the last three years. The Giants weren't willing to give Hill another chance and waived him on Monday.

New offense a 'dramatic change' for Eli. "Very uncomfortable and difficult process" comes before "risk involved" and then, finally, "scary." These are the warnings of Rich Gannon, who knows exactly what Manning is going through as, after a decade in the NFL running essentially one system, he has been handed the keys to an unfamiliar West Coast offense.
Eli Manning's made a living on throwing the deep ball. Won two Super Bowls on throwing the deep ball. Made millions off this skill, even if it meant heaving a toss that stuck to an unlikely receiver's helmet. But things went so poorly in 2013, Manning didn't even throw the deep ball well. He was among the league's worst on balls thrown over 30 yards, according to Pro Football Focus.

Giants punter Steve Weatherford pulling out all the stops for Bayonne prom. After shopping at Saks Fifth Avenue in Hackensack, Weatherford picked out his outfit and a teal tie to match Lauren Delbert's gown. Weatherford, 31, said he will take pictures with Delbert at her home before driving her to the red carpet.

NFL News
NFL ditches Roman numerals for Super Bowl 50 logo. The NFL was so concerned about how the gold lettering would play to an international audience that the logo was painted onto game footballs and even onto the field at Candlestick Park in San Francisco last week as a test run.

June 4 Amukamara 'shocked' Giants cut Hill, hopes he doesn't land in NFC East. Prince Amukamara has been watching a lot of film from the 2013 season lately, and while the primary aim of that study has been to self-scout and improve his own skills, there's another player who keeps jumping off the screen. Will Hill.

Former Giants
Will Hill goes unclaimed off waivers, Giants add DB Kyle Sebetic. Hill is now an unrestricted free agent and can sign with any team. Hill can practice and compete in preseason games, but cannot play in an NFL game until mid-October following a six-game suspension for his third failed drug test.

June 3 Three days after the NFL announced that Will Hill is facing a third drug-related suspension, the Giants waived the talented safety.
Hill's release a matter of trust. They already knew that he was more likely than not to keep getting in trouble.
Hill was set to open the 2014 season serving a six-game suspension without pay, after yet again violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

May 31 Jason Pierre-Paul isn't worried about the succession of leadership in the Giants locker room, even with Justin Tuck gone. Tuck assumed a role few would want. He checked up on players late at night, and sent text messages to rookies to ensure they were learning their plays. He policed his teammates on social media like a high school parent. When the Giants significantly undershot the Raiders two-year offer, it was one of the few things they may not have considered seriously enough.

The Giants released quarterback Josh Freeman on Friday, just six weeks after signing him. Manning underwent ankle surgery in the offseason but practiced fully during Thursday's OTA just seven weeks after the surgery. With Manning ready to take offseason reps, there was no need for Freeman as an insurance policy.
It was clear Thursday during OTAs that Freeman didn't really factor into the team's plans. He spent most of the team drills with a helmet in his hands. On one occasion when he did get on the field, the Giants were unable to get aligned properly and never ran a play. Freeman was immediately pulled in favor of Curtis Painter.
While quarterback seems to be secure for now, protecting that position has become an issue. Theoretical starting left tackle Will Beatty is sidelined until "the fall," according to Tom Coughlin, and one of his potential replacements, John Jerry, had his knee scoped recently and will miss the rest of spring practices and minicamp.

Safety Will Hill has been suspended by the NFL for the first six games of the 2014 season, a third such punishment that will almost certainly spell the end of his short but troubled career with the team. Hill reportedly tested positive in this latest violation and appealed the decision. The announcement of the suspension means that appeal was denied.
Will Hill told friends suspension came from second-hand marijuana smoke. The old, I didn't smoke but was around others that did story doesn't appear too plausible, especially coming from Hill. Most studies show that second-hand smoke doesn't lead to positive drug tests.
Will Hill will be eligible to return to the active roster on Oct. 13, a day after the Giants' game against the Philadelphia Eagles. He's allowed to work with the team during the offseason, and during preseason practices and games. News of Hill's suspension filtered out in April, and there had been rumors that the Giants might part ways with the talented but constantly troubled safety.

May 30 Giants' OTA #2 Practice Report.  |  Photos
It's been a long time since there was some real football to watch. While I wouldn't exactly call Thursday's OTA "live" football since the players work in pads and no live contact is allowed, it was still a good opportunity to get a look at the new offense, some of the new players, and to get back into the swing of things.

Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul and running back David Wilson both feel "great," but only one of them is practicing with the Giants. Pierre-Paul was on the field for the Giants' second OTA on Thursday, but Wilson continues to be held out following offseason neck surgery for spinal stenosis. The next step for Wilson is another MRI on June 4.
No offense, but David Wilson does not consider his return a "bonus.'' That's the way general manager Jerry Reese views having Wilson - his 2012 first-round draft pick - back on the field this season. For Wilson, getting the ball in his hands and doing what he does best - running with it - is not a bonus. It is inevitable.

Eli Manning could not stomach idly standing by and watching first-year offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo instructing another quarterback about the starting offense. It wasn't going to happen. Manning made sure of that.
After Eli Manning underwent arthroscopic ankle surgery on April 10, the Giants thought they might not see their longtime quarterback on the football field until training camp. They were off by two months.

As Will Hill's future remains in limbo, so apparently does his standing with the Giants. After finishing last season firmly entrenched as a starter, the position he won with his play on the field may have been given away by his actions off it. Hill and the Giants continue to wait for a verdict on the appeal of his latest failed drug test.

Stevie Brown held the world's shortest pity party after tearing his ACL last August. The Giants' playmaking safety said he only felt down about missing the entire 2013 season for a couple of days before throwing himself into a vigorous rehab program that appears to have Brown ahead of schedule this spring.

May 29 Five things we learned at OTA practice. | Photos
Wilson on the field: The Giants are taking an optimistic wait-and-see approach with their former first-round draft choice. - Ben McAdoo is in a hurry: Throughout the Giants' offseason workout program leading up to OTAs, we received hints about what the new offensive coordinator's system would look like. - Eli Manning put in a full day: Manning took quite a few snaps on the first day of OTAs. - J.D. Walton played center with the first unit: In what is sure to be the first of many, the Giants rolled out their initial offensive line configuration. - First-round draft choice Odell Beckham Jr. got his first taste of action: While no live contact is permitted, 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills are allowed.

The first major surgery of Giants quarterback Eli Manning's career cost him a grand total of, wait for it ... zero practices.
When the veteran first had surgery on April 10, the team had decided on a slow timetable, and just before the NFL draft, Reese declared that Manning would almost certainly sit out for the spring.

David Wilson's neck injury in October and subsequent surgery in January cast a good deal of uncertainty over the 2014 season. Wilson was able to take some carries and do some return work during the Giants' first OTA practice, according to a video post on the team's website.

Former Giants
David Diehl has been hired by Fox Sports to be an analyst on game broadcasts for the upcoming NFL season. It's an impressive first post-career job for a guy who didn't have a superstar profile and who just retired four months ago.
David Diehl is not exactly a household name nationally and he played a position that lends itself to anonymity. It is rare for a player to go directly from such relative obscurity to a national broadcast booth.
Domenik Hixon tears ACL at OTAs. Based on his post, Hixon believes the injury will end his NFL career. A league source confirmed the severity of the injury, revealing Hixon tore his right ACL.

May 25 Giants' Mark Herzlich has 'What It Takes' to beat cancer. Giants linebacker Mark Herzlich details his battle with cancer in his soon-to-be-released book, "WHAT IT TAKES: Fighting for My Life and My Love of the Game"

May 23 Giants offseason wrap-up. Best move: Signed to start at left guard after a season in which the interior of the Giants' offensive line crumbled completely and decimated the offense, Geoff Schwartz will be an immediate upgrade at a key position. Riskiest move: Letting defensive tackle Linval Joseph leave for Minnesota in free agency. Joseph is still just 25 years old -- younger than any free agent the Giants signed.

May 22 When Giants fans list their favorite players, (you can do that here) it's not long before they get to No. 89. That was the jersey number once worn by Mark Bavaro, the Giants' rough and tough tight end who was a standard-bearer for the attitude of the 1986 and 1990 Super Bowl-winning teams. Now Xavier Grimble, an undrafted rookie, is embracing the weight of wearing it a quarter century later.

Tom Coughlin and Rex Ryan have very different personalities. Coughlin is the straight-laced drill sergeant for the Giants. Ryan is the boisterous rah-rah Jets boss. Despite the exterior differences, the two New York coaches (who work and live in New Jersey) share some of the same morals and beliefs -- namely, family first.

May 21 The Giants currently have five tight ends on their roster, with a combined six receptions in the NFL last season. The team made seven draft picks earlier this month, but none of them were tight ends. Sounds like a problem, right? But it's also a huge opportunity for 25-year-old Adrien Robinson and 21-year-old Xavier Grimble, two young players with a lot to prove.
Through three days and seven rounds, Xavier Grimble, a tight end at Southern California, waited with family and friends to hear which NFL team would draft him. He had been advised that he might be selected as early as the third round or as late as the sixth. No one ever mentioned that 256 players would be chosen and he would not be among them.

It is time, and Adrien Robinson knows it. The Giants didn't draft Eric Ebron, they didn't draft Jace Amaro, they didn't draft any tight end.They've been waiting on Adrien Robinson from the day they drafted him in the fourth round in 2012 and GM Jerry Reese gushed: "We think this guy is kind of a JPP {Jason Pierre-Paul] of tight ends."
This may be his last chance to prove to the team that drafted him they didn't waste a fourth-round pick in 2012. After two seasons, Robinson has ZERO career receptions. He also admitted to weighing 285 pounds last year because he didn't dedicate himself enough in the offseason.

Giants QB Ryan Nassib ready to win primary backup job, isn't worried about increased competition. Ryan Nassib played in a college system grounded in West Coast principals, just like the one being installed by new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo. Nassib also came up in an up tempo version, which, by early indications, is also in McAdoo's plans.

Don't believe all the stories you hear about Odell Beckham Jr. scoring in college. The Giants' first-round draft pick said Tuesday that salacious tales of his LSU sexual exploits - spun by a woman claiming to be his fiancee - were flat-out bogus.

Former Giants
Ron Stone, former Giants guard, is part of group suing NFL over alleged illegally supplied drugs.
Phil Simms will be on hot seat at St. Anthony High 'roast' to raise funds for the Jersey City school.

NFL News
The Giants and Jets agree on nothing - it's astounding they were able to co-host Super Bowl XLVIII - so it was totally in character Tuesday when Giants co-owner John Mara said he is against expanding the playoffs by two teams and Jets owner Woody Johnson said he supports it.

May 20 Jay Bromley has noticed a few things about Jason Pierre-Paul during his first week with the Giants. "He's an amazing football player," the third-round pick said of spending time with the fifth-year pro who is now one of the leaders of the defensive line room. "He's a cool dude. He's a big guy."

Of all the Giants picks in the 2014 NFL Draft, Nat Berhe is easily the most obscure. Berhe was a safety for San Diego State playing in the Mountain West Conference who rather anonymously (to fans at least) flew around the field and delivered big hits. NFL teams apparently took notice. The Giants made Berhe their first of two fifth-round picks with the 152nd-overall selection.

May 19 Devon Kennard may not be the most talented of the Giants' five picks from Rounds 3-6, but he likely is the most versatile. That gives him the best chance to see the field sooner rather than later. The Giants plan to start Kennard at middle linebacker, where there should be ample opportunity to surpass Mark Herzlich as Jon Beason's primary backup.

The Giants hope what Nat Berhe gave San Diego State can transfer to the next level even though, at 5-foot-10 and weighing in with the Giants this week at 198 pounds, he looks more like a cornerback than a safety. His timed speed is ordinary, but that did not stop him from leading his team in tackles the past two seasons.

May 17 The fullback position may eventually be an endangered species. Some NFL offenses have even completely eliminated it from their roster. But despite it being a copycat league, the Giants aren't ready to follow, even though they're installing a new offense under coordinator Ben McAdoo.

Damontre Moore enjoyed watching his former Texas A&M teammates continue to overtake the NFL Draft last weekend, but was also pleased with the Giants' haul. Defensive end was viewed as a position of need, but the team didn't use one of their seven picks to find one. In part, it shows some faith in the second-year pass rusher.

For the second time in as many Triple Crown races, there will be a horse with a Giants connection on the track. Co-owner Chris Mara had a horse in the Kentucky Derby. Wide receiver Victor Cruz will have a horse named after him run in the Preakness Stakes. Kid Cruz, a 3-year-old colt named after the Giants receiver, will be looking to win the Preakness as a longshot at 20/1 odds.

May 16 The Giants officially filled out their 90-man offseason roster Thursday when tight end Xavier Grimble signed with the team as an undrafted free agent. Grimble 21, had 25 catches for 271 yards and two touchdowns in his junior season last year at USC.

It is said the best offense can be a good defense. But a team also needs a lift from its specialists.The Giants know this better than anybody else and acquired a slew of players with decorated resumes as returners this offseason through free agency as well as the draft.

As most of the NFL's newest players spend the weekend in rookie minicamps, the Giants recent additions will be resting up. They already spent most of the past week working on the field with veterans and will be back for more next week.

May 15 Giants projected to win roughly nine games in 2014, finish second in NFC East. Here is a very early breakdown of the NFC East: Philadelphia Eagles (10-6) New York Giants (9-7) Dallas Cowboys (7-9) Washington Redskins (6-10).

As he faces a hefty suspension that could threaten his NFL career, Giants safety Will Hill has maintained his innocence to teammates. Hill has already been suspended twice for drug-related suspensions, once for Adderall in 2012 and for marijuana in 2013. He's appealing the latest failed test.

May 14 Giants Draft Fallout: Who should be nervous for their job? While some may have roster spots, only a select few are guaranteed playing time. Competition is always fierce in this business, but it should be unusually cutthroat with so many new players, a new offensive coordinator, and a new system being put in place this year.

Victor Cruz made it clear that the draft isn't his favorite time of year. It still doesn't exactly keep Cruz from tuning to the early rounds, but it does seem to conjure bad memories. Cruz's story is well documented. He went undrafted out of UMass, before signing as an undrafted free agent with the hometown Giants.

May 13 Special Report - In the wake of the 2014 draft, Giants let let the board dictate picks - maybe more than ever beforeI. The draft has wrap up and with no trades, the Giants will enter the 2014 season in full swing with seven rookies plucked from six rounds.We heard from fans wondering if Bromley was a reach or if Beckham was truly a need. Why not a tight end? Weren't there better offensive linemen?

There are Giants fans reading this who aren't sure how to feel about this year's draft but assume it'll be all right because they trust GM Jerry Reese as a good drafter. They shouldn't. Because the evidence says he's not.
If the No. 1 goal of the offseason was to get Eli Manning some help, then the mission seems almost accomplished. If only they had found someone to play tight end. It's hard to tell if that's as big a worry inside the Giants organization as it seems to be on the outside.

The Giants made a series of post-draft roster moves, releasing four players and signing five rookie free agents, all of them defensive players. The team terminated the contract of quarterback Rusty Smith, whom they signed on April 28. Meet the Undrafted Free Agents.

The Giants have said that Eli Manning will not participate in spring practice. Manning, however, wants to call an audible. Manning, who had surgery five weeks ago, said he was on the field last week working on his passing. He said he can do "all the routes, all the drops" without any pain or issues.

May 12 The recently-completed NFL Draft needed to address several leaks and fissures, cracks that weakened the foundation of the Giants. Three of the first four picks added offensive players. Mixed in with the veteran offensive linemen Reese signed in free agency, plus solid running back Rashad Jennings, the 2014 draft class should give Manning a fighting chance to rise up the league's quarterback efficiency chart.

Everybody knows grades on the day after the draft are about as useless as a snot-filled tissue. Regardless, they're much more fun to look at and debate. Have at it after reading ESPN's Mel Kiper and some other national pundits opine on the Giants' draft picks.

NFL News
The NFL will not decide until late summer where next year's draft will take place. But Commissioner Roger Goodell has said the league is considering several changes, including expanding the event to four days and moving part or all of it to another location.

May 11 A wrap-up of the Giants' draft. Best move: The Giants addressed an immediate and long-term need with the selection of Colorado State center Weston Richburg with the 11th pick of the second round. Most surprising move: It was surprising that Boston College running back Andre Williams was still available for the Giants in the fourth round, but it's not surprising they took him.

No, the Giants did not draft a tight end. The Giants will keep tinkering to make sure they get tight end right, as they will continue to do with every position on their roster. But they're not about to do anything drastic here. They just don't think it's as big a problem as a lot of people outside their building seem to think it is.
The door is clearly open for the Giants' current tight ends, especially third-year player Adrien Robinson, who was a fourth-round pick in 2012. Larry Donnell, Kellen Davis and Daniel Fells are the only other tight ends currently under contract. It doesn't mean the Giants still won't bring in another body.

What, pray tell, would happen if the league forced "Hard Knocks'' down the throats of the Giants? Tom Coughlin said HBO would not be happy with the results. "You wouldn't get what you normally associate with that show," Coughlin said. "I'd go the other way and they'd fire us in a minute. Canceled. Nobody would watch it."

NFC East News
Philadelphia Eagles draft wrap-up.
Dallas Cowboys draft wrap-up.
Washington Redskins draft wrap-up.

May 10 - UPDATE In the sixth round of the NFL Draft, the Giants added CB Bennett Jackson from Notre Dame. NFL.com scouting report: Intriguing height and athletic ability. A former WR, he has good hands to intercept.
It's unlikely that any of their Day 3 picks will develop into stars. But it's reasonable to expect that they'll at least be useful, if only on special teams. Jackson is a local kid, a native of Hazlet, NJ and a graduate of Raritan High School.

May 10 - UPDATE The Giants added LB Devon Kennard to their improved defense in the fifth round. NFL.com scouting report: Well-proportioned, muscular build. Generally plays on his feet. Can drop into short zones. Good tackler.
Everyone being taken Saturday is a developmental player, and the Giants are looking for guys whose makeup leads them to believe they can develop relatively quickly.

May 10 - UPDATE The Giants were expected to take a safety on Day 3 of the NFL Draft. They did, in the fifth round (pick No. 174), when they selected San Diego State safety Nat Berhe.
Giants pick Nat Berhe in 5th. Another senior. Another team captain. Another strong statistical performer, with 94 tackles as a junior and 99 as a senior.

May 10 - UPDATE The Giants drafted RB Andre Williams in fourth round. NFL.com scouting report: Has very long arms with good overall musculature, wide shoulders and a thick, power base.
The Giants crave depth at running back and love guys who (a) perform at a high level statistically in college and (b) went to Boston College.

May 10 The Giants, even after the biggest free-agent spree any team went on this offseason, entered this draft with so many needs that they can't afford to draft guys who aren't going to perform right away.
The Giants were ecstatic to have drafted not only three talented players, but players who also have displayed the kind of leadership qualities coaches can depend on.

The Giants had Beckham among their Top 7 players in the entire draft. They had Richburg as the top center. They had Bromley much higher than everyone else seemed to expect.
Picking Bromley in the third round surprised many, including Bromley himself. The defensive tackle, who expected to be a third-day pick, wasn't even watching the draft.

Best available players on the board for Day 3. The first two days of the 2014 NFL Draft are in the books. Let the search for hidden gems commence.

May 9 - UPDATE The Giants have selected former Syracuse defensive tackle Jay Bromley with their third-round selection. The 6-3, 306-pounder from Queens has 33 career starts with the Orange and led his team in sacks (10.0) and tackles for loss (14.5) as a senior. The Giants were in search of some offensive line help following the departure of Linval Joseph to Minnesota.

Don't let anyone tell you the Giants do not draft for need. After blending need and value with the first-round selection, receiver Odell Beckham, Jr., the Giants Friday night went directly for need taking Colorado State center Weston Richburg.
The Giants need a steady center in the new offensive era under Ben McAdoo. A year ago, that was an issue, as veteran David Baas and backup Jim Cordle both suffered early season-ending injuries. A decimated offense never recovered.
It's good that they took an offensive lineman. It would have been irresponsible and negligent for them not to do so. They should have taken one in the first round and chose not to, and with Richburg, they get a center with whom they spent a great deal of time prior to the draft and whom they likely think can start for them early in his career, possibly right away.

May 9 It was clear after the Giants picked Odell Beckham Jr. with the No. 12 pick in the draft Thursday night, that they had fallen in love. They loved their interview with him at the combine. They loved his speed. They loved that he can return kicks and punts.

Best available players on the board for Day 2. Take a deep breath and get ready for more NFL Draft action. Rounds 2 and 3 unfold on Friday night and there are plenty of quality players remaining. Who are the best still out there?

Personalizing jerseys of top NFL picks Is a race against the clock. Two years ago, Leo Kane and Nike, which had just become the official apparel provider for the league, decided to personalize the jerseys so that Eric Fisher, E J Manuel and other top picks could admire their last names on them. "We realized it should be a much more special moment," Kane said.

May 8 - UPDATE Giants general manager Jerry Reese could hardly contain himself as he met the media tonight. He feels the Giants got a triple threat in the person of their first-round pick, LSU wide receiver Odell Beckham.
The Giants had him in the top 10 on their draft board Thursday afternoon and by the time they made their selection he was the top player remaining. Reese said. "We definitely think we've gotten a playmaker for our offense tonight."
With the 12th pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Giants selected wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. out of LSU. Five things you need to know about the newest member of Big Blue.

May 8 There is a line somewhere that players can't cross if they want to be a New York Giant. It's just impossible to define and often arbitrary. It can be easily erased, too. For an organization with a reputation for conservative values and "clean" players, the Giants are just like everyone else in professional sports. Their risk tolerance is high when they believe a player can help them.

The Giants won't be getting any snacks on "Hard Knocks" this year. An NFL source told The Post on Wednesday that Big Blue will not be required to participate in the NFL Films-produced reality show because several other teams already have volunteered..

The Giants picked up the fifth-year option on cornerback Prince Amukamara's contract last week. Good thing, too, because Amukamara wouldn't have been happy if they didn't. "Definitely relieved," Amukamara said of the Giants picking up his option. ""Everyone wants to be wanted, and if they didn't pick up my option it would just show they didn't trust me. "I'm not going to lie," he added. "It would have hurt a little for them not to pick it up."

May 7 Jason Pierre-Paul, the Giants' first-round pick in 2010, is the last Pro Bowler to come out of Jerry Reese's drafts and one of his finest picks overall. But his choices haven't always worked out as expected. He seems to have more hits than misses.

Giants general manager Jerry Reese recently said nothing that happens in the draft surprises him anymore. But the same can't be said for those without more than two decades in the business. Here are five things, if they were to occur, that might shock Giants fans in the upcoming 2014 NFL draft.

Eric Ebron to the Giants makes so much sense because they do not have a legitimate tight end threat on the roster, "I'm not going to sell myself but I'm very fast, I'm very different," Ebron said at the NFL scouting combine. Interestingly, Ebron was born in Newark, grew up a Giants fan (before moving to Greenboro, N.C.) and says Jeremy Shockey is his all-time favorite player.

Former Giants
Chris Canty could see the changes coming, even before last year's collapse. Canty, who left for the Baltimore Ravens after the 2012 season, knew that longtime Giants such as Justin Tuck and Corey Webster were near the ends of their contracts. And he knew what that would mean.

May 6 The Giants are known around the NFL as one of the league's most private franchises. But on Thursday night and through the weekend, they will be letting the entire world in.
As one of 16 teams to grant access to their war rooms, the Giants will allow behind-the-scenes video access as the team executives make their selections.
This week, for the first time ever, cameras will be placed inside the team's sanctuary to record and broadcast the goings-on as John Mara, Jerry Reese, Tom Coughlin and their assembled advisors determine who they will be selecting in the NFL Draft.

Believe it or not (and it seems as though many do not), Ryan Nassib's first year in the NFL went exactly the way the New York Giants planned. The former Syracuse quarterback was inactive for all 16 games of his 2013 rookie season, but that doesn't mean he's a disappointment or a "bust."

Former Giants
Marvin Austin, a former second-round pick by Giants, ends up in Denver. Now 25, Austin is hoping to resurrect his once-promising career with a team that finished one offensive line and defense away from a Super Bowl.

May 5 Everyone believes that the Giants need a tight end. Everyone but the Giants, that is. The last time the Giants used a first-round pick on a tight end was 2002 when they selected Jeremy Shockey.
When a team rebuilds through free agency, like the Giants were forced to do this offseason, it's generally a sign that they have drafted poorly in recent years. At the very least, that seems to be the consensus among Giants fans.

Eli Manning updates can turn up in some pretty strange places. The latest one came from Peyton Manning at Yankee Stadium. "Eli feels good," Peyton told reporters.
According to Manning's older brother Peyton, the Giants' franchise cornerstone has already started throwing the football. Both Manning brothers were guests in Derek Jeter's suite at Yankee Stadium for the Bombers game against the Rays on Sunday.

Former Giants
Bill Parcells - If NY Giants coach Bill Parcells got his way in 1984 draft, Reggie White would have been Lawrence Taylor's teammate, but brass overruled him and went with offensive lineman.

May 4 Since last year's NFL. draft, the Giants suffered through a humiliating 0-6 start to the 2013 season, missed the playoffs, lost their starting running back to a serious neck injury and watched as a big-name receiver and two of the team's most productive defensive linemen left via free agency.
They have won two Super Bowls with Jerry Reese as general manager, but the Giants have drafted only two Pro Bowl players in the eight drafts in which Reese has been in charge of the picks: wide receiver Steve Smith, who isn't even playing football anymore, and defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.

Thirty-five years ago, George Young turned Giants' fortunes around. Since the 1986 season, when the Giants won their first Super Bowl title, they have won more championships (four) than any other team. They are the only team to win a Super Bowl in each decade since the 1980s. Only the Patriots have matched the five Super Bowl appearances the Giants have made since then.

Giants' first pick will give hint to concerns about Beatty. They know Justin Pugh is a solid player with the potential to be more, after starting all 16 games as a rookie at right tackle. But what are the Giants to make of Will Beatty, who is coming off a terrible season and a fractured right leg?

May 3 When Giants general manager Jerry Reese was asked about the team's tight end position, he didn't mention a single name. It's expected that not much is going to change in terms of those expectations heading into the season. All signs are pointing to the Giants going in a direction other than tight end in the first round.
The Giants' offense has not, in point of fact, relied on the tight end. Shockey was an exceptional case -- an exceptional talent the Giants deemed worthy of a first-round pick. And Bennett's athleticism allowed them to use him a bit more than they've used other guys. It's not a position on which they feel compelled to spend major resources.

Don't be surprised if the Giants trade up, down or out of the first round. Don't be surprised if they deal Ryan Nassib and don't be surprised if they draft a sixth quarterback. Don't be surprised if anything within the realm of possibility takes place, because Reese will consider it.
Lucky for you, we're here to make sense of it all. It's only possible because, by this point, we have (or at least think we have) the magical power to decode Jerryspeak. The goal for Reese and the Giants in the draft next week is to find two starters (or immediate significant contributors) out of the first three picks.
It is in the draft where the Giants hope to find the true, long-term, cornerstone solutions to their biggest problems. It is in the draft where they have, in too many recent years, failed to find enough such players.

May 2 The Giants' decision to exercise the 2015 contract option on cornerback Prince Amukamara doesn't appear to have been a tough one.
The only player on the Giants' books for 2015 with a higher base salary than the one Amukamara is now scheduled to receive is Eli Manning with $17 million.
Despite signing Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to be their No. 1 corner this offseason, they still view Amukamara as a potential top corner, and are willing to pay him close to $7 million next season to prove it.

On April 10, Eli Manning underwent arthroscopic surgery to hasten the healing process in the ankle he sprained last Dec. 29 vs. Washington. It is possible Manning will not practice with the team until training camp in July.
In the meantime, general manager Jerry Reese said, Manning's injury would offer the team a chance for a better look at Ryan Nassib, a fourth-round pick a year ago who did not suit up for a game as a rookie.
Jerry Reese keeping his options open with possible Ryan Nassib trade. Although the trade route seems highly unlikely, there are some talent evaluators that believe Nassib grades out higher than any quarterbacks in this year's draft.

Currently, the Giants' roster includes no players drafted in the third round or later from 2008 to 2010. It has no starters and only one part-time starter, linebacker Jacquian Williams, on the team who was selected in the third round or later from 2011 to 2013. That has left the Giants with a talent void, and general manager Jerry Reese admitted the organization has to improve.

Running back David Wilson expects to be ready for offseason training activities in less than a month. But Giants general manager Jerry Reese isn't exactly waiting with bated breath. Reese called Wilson's return a "bonus" and said the organization will select a running back in next week's draft if one is on the board that they like.

May 1 As much as everyone wants to know who the Giants are looking at with the 12th overall pick, the true answer is there's no real answer yet. There are definitely some names floating around the league, but they don't even have a "target" just yet. It's just too early to know. Having said that, it's never too early to guess or to take a look at the possible candidates.
One interesting tidbit to note as the draft gets closer: The Giants typically don't bring their eventual first-round pick in to the team facility for a visit. Only one of the last five Giants first-rounders visited with the team before the draft (Pierre-Paul).

Stevie Brown re-signed with the Giants early on in free agency. Brown was glad to be back. The Giants waited out the exclusive rights period, and Brown, who broke out in 2012 with eight interceptions before tearing his ACL in the preseason last year, said he heard enough rumblings from other teams to know he could get a job elsewhere. He just didn't want to.

Former Giants
David Diehl: I played 11 seasons without a single concussion. Diehl said his health has allowed him to continue his goal of becoming a broadcaster. He spent the offseason watching tape and visiting with some old coaches and hopes to be involved in calling or analyzing games this year.

Apr 29 Because NFL offseason rosters are massive, because their starting quarterback is hurt for the first time and they don't know what to do about it, and maybe because they just hadn't signed anyone in more than a week and we're getting bored, the Giants on Monday announced the signing of quarterback Rusty Smith, late of the Tennessee Titans.
Originally selected by the Titans with their first of two sixth-round picks (176th overall) in the 2010 NFL Draft, the 6-5, 226-pound Smith has appeared in three career games with one start and completed 23 of 45 passes for 234 yards with four interceptions.

Curtis Painter backed up Eli Manning last season, and now he's backing him up on the Giants' sidelines after undergoing knee surgery on Friday that will keep him out at least four weeks.
No matter how much he gets on the field this spring, Eli Manning's going to be the Giants' starting quarterback. He's still the franchise QB making $17.5 million this season. You don't pocket that type of cash to sit on the bench.

Apr 28 It's taken until now for JPP to feel like he's finally built his body back up. If he really has, that might be the best news of the Giants' entire offseason -- better than anything they've done in their $116.3 million spending spree.

According to quarterback Eli Manning, the entire offense was at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center this week to begin work on fixing the unit that owner John Mara labeled "broken" after a disastrous 2013.

Apr 26 Special Report - The Giants spent a good part of their free agency money on improving the defense, filling holes, securing a few of their own free agents and creating competition where there had not been much. Guess what? If general manager Jerry Reese thinks he's done with the defense, he's sorely mistaken.

The most important Giants player on the defensive side of the ball is Jason Pierre-Paul. And no one is a close second. If he is the menace of 2011, everything should fit neatly together and this could be a top-10 unit. If he is the mediocrity of 2013, everything could fall apart and this could be a bottom-10 defense.

Giants Players Talk
Eli Manning revisits drama of the draft day that changed Giants history. Manning walked on stage for the obligatory handshake from the commissioner and posed for photographers holding a No. 1 Chargers jersey.
Jon Beason remembers getting a call from the Giants at 3:52 on Tuesday, just eight minutes before the start of free agency. He was one of their top priorities, but he was also their biggest obstacle to a new deal.

NFL News
Giants president John Mara talks about new NFL rules and what the future might bring. A significant change to the NFL instant replay system will likely be instituted in the future, but not in time for 2014 season.

Apr 25 The Giants are 4-point underdogs on Monday night Sept. 8 in Detroit, according to The Las Vegas Hotel and Casino (LVH) Superbook. The point total is 45.5. The Giants were similar underdogs in their season-opening Sunday night loss to the Cowboys last season.

He can laugh about it now, 10 years and two Super Bowl championships later, but there was a time when John Mara wasn't so sure Eli Manning was right for the Giants.
It's fair to say the trade has worked out pretty well for the Giants. It didn't work out too poorly for San Diego, either. The details of how it all went down have trickled out over the years.

Victor Cruz knows what the Giants should do with the 12th pick of this year's NFL draft: Grab a replacement for the departed Hakeem Nicks. That's something the Giants' "definitely" need, Cruz said.

Apr 24 The Giants finished last season a disappointing 7-9, but that didn't stop the NFL from putting them in the spotlight early and often in 2014. The Giants will open the regular season on Sept. 8 at Detroit on "Monday Night Football."
Five prime time games, including the first Monday night opener in 13 years, and an early November visit to Seattle to face the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks highlight the Giants' 2014 regular-season schedule.
November appears to be a killer month for the Giants. They face Andrew Luck and the Colts Nov. 3 in a nationally televised Monday night affair at MetLife Stadium. Next up is a Nov. 9 game at Seattle against the Super Bowl-champion Seahawks, who are 15-1 the past two regular seasons at CenturyLink Field.

Puzzled but positive, Giants learn an offense that has shades of Green Bay. It is a new world for the Giants in multiple ways. Eleven years ago, when they were last required to learn an offensive system, they flipped through a thick playbook. Now, many of new coordinator, Ben McAdoo's schemes and plans have been loaded into hand-held, team-issued digital devices.

Apr 23 The Giants view Will Hill as a rising star at safety, potentially a player who could emerge as a fixture on their defense. But there's a chance he never plays for them again as he faces a suspension for failing yet another drug test.
This time, any suspension will be lengthier than four games. If Hill violated the substance abuse policy, he faces a ban of six games and possibly -- but not likely -- a season-long ban. If he violated the performance enhancing drug policy, he faces a suspension of eight games.

The dreadful 2013 Giants season ended with the left ankle of Eli Manning in a hard boot, protection against the serious sprain that the franchise quarterback sustained in the final game. Four months later, Manning's ankle is still in a boot.
The issue Manning faces is he will not have an opportunity to work on the field for most of the spring, if not all of it. It's possible he won't take his first rep in new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo's offense until training camp. "I'll try to get as many mental reps as possible, get a lot of talking with the teammates and players," Manning said.

Josh Freeman, 26, agreed to join the Giants last week on a one-year deal worth $795,000. The deal only contains $55,000 guaranteed. That's a far cry from a year ago when Freeman was the starting quarterback for the Bucs, and set to make over $8 million. Then everything went totally awry when he fell into Schiano's doghouse. He never really made it out.

Prince Amukamara will be with the Giants for the 2014 season. Now he wants them to tell him he's still in their plans for 2015, too. The Giants have until May 3 to decide whether to pick up the fifth-year option on Amukamara - a decision every team is facing with their 2011 first-round picks.

Apr 22 The Giants on Monday gathered for their first offseason workout, the official (although "voluntary") start of the long grind preparing for the 2014 season. There is an air of change and urgency around this franchise.
There wasn't much, physically, Eli Manning could do, coming off an arthroscopic procedure on his left ankle that will prevent him from running for at least another month. So Manning tried to learn as much as he could about the new New York Giants.
The Giants signed 15 veterans who played elsewhere in 2013 and so this is far more of an assembly than a reassembly for a team coming off a thoroughly disappointing 7-9 season. Gone are veterans such as Justin Tuck, Hakeem Nicks, Kevin Boothe, David Diehl, Linval Joseph, Corey Webster, Terrell Thomas and Bear Pascoe, players who contributed to Super Bowl titles.

The Prince Amukamara Dilemma: Giants must decide on fifth-year option. Some time in the next two weeks, the Giants brass will summon cornerback Prince Amukamara to the second floor of their facility and inform him of their decision on his future.

Apr 20 Giants Offseason Program: 5 questions to be answered when it begins Monday. What will the offense look like? Who is healthy and in shape? What did the Giants add this offseason? What happened with Eli's ankle and is it a serious concern moving forward? Why weren't Rueben Randle and Jerrel Jernigan with Manning at Duke?

Apr 18 Longtime Giants guard Chris Snee isn't completely healthy just yet, but he's close, and all signs point to him seeing considerable action in Big Blue's offseason program. Giants OTAs begin next week, and a source said that Snee, who had hip surgery last season and had an elbow surgery earlier this offseason, will be in attendance.

Apr 17 The talented but enigmatic Josh Freeman, who had drawn little interest on the market, worked out with the team on Tuesday and one day later, the Giants had added a physically gifted signal-caller with on a low-risk contract.
The Giants could have done worse, so much worse, than Josh Freeman. A quick look at some of their other options and the thought of any of them playing for Big Blue this season might have led fans to a padded room with no windows.
Josh Freeman will give them an extra arm in OTAs next month and mini-camp in June. He also is expected to compete for the backup job with second-year pro Ryan Nassib and veteran Curtis Painter.

Apr 16 For better or worse, it's open season right now on Giants quarterback Eli Manning. You're either with him or against him, it seems. New Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins is against him. Jenkins believes Manning's best days are probably "behind him."
Jenkins, who signed a three-year, $16.25 million deal with the Eagles this offseason, has faced Manning three times in his career. The last time Manning played against Jenkins and the New Orleans Saints, the Giants quarterback threw for 259 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions in a 52-27 win.

Apr 15 Special Report - You can tell that these are the dark days before the draft, that the free agency quality candidates have dwindled to a precious few and that all the head coaching vacancies have been filled. Why else would a reputable outfit like CBS Sports waste hundreds of words accusing unnamed Giants' front office types of fearing that quarterback Eli Manning is in decline?
For instance, it is reported that Eli is ranked 42nd of 45 NFL quarterbacks by Football Outsiders, ahead of only Terrell Pryor, Geno Smith and Brandon Weeden. Football Focus is similarly offensive, suggesting that Eli is 40th of 42 NFL quarterbacks.--only ahead of Geno Smith and Chad Henne.

In the wake of the surgery quarterback Eli Manning had on his ankle last week, the Giants are bringing in some veteran quarterbacks to have a look at them. Manning is hoping to be able to run by the end of May, and if that's the case he should be fine for the start of the team's offseason practices. But in case his recovery takes longer than expected, the Giants will host former Buccaneers and Vikings quarterback Josh Freeman and former Packers quarterback Matt Flynn for visits Tuesday.

Apr 14 ESPN Insider KC Joyner is one of the first to completely buy into the Giants' rebuild-on-the-fly strategy. He's predicting a playoff appearance following a hollow 7-9 campaign. Joyner's argument is based on six key points: 1. Major turnaround in Eli Manning's turnovers 2. Improved health 3. Offensive line improvement 4. Running back upgrade 5. Better at sustaining drives 6. Greatly improved cornerbacks.

That the Giants were able to win seven games last season despite horrible luck and a slew of injuries unprecedented in the past decade speaks to just how incredibly effective their coaching staff is at working around problems. Given the wide variety of upgrades and the talent this team can bring home in the draft, Tom Coughlin and company likely won't have to perform any miracles in 2014.