Aug
5 With
a little more than a week until their preseason opener, the New York Giants
hit the field again on Thursday at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center. Five
things we learned at training camp. | Standout
players from Training Camp practice.
In
some ways, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has to be loving all the
new pieces the front office has given him on defense. His guys include a mixture
of returning faces such as linebacker Devon Kennard, defensive tackle Johnathan
Hankins, cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.
They've been trying to blend in with newcomers.
Leon
Hall has a gut feeling the Giants are going to be good this year. That feeling
is what prompted the veteran cornerback to spurn a return invitation to the Bengals
and sign with Big Blue on Thursday, giving the Giants an instant upgrade at their
slot corner position.
After
a career with the Bengals, a team that made him a contract offer, he said,
and was in need of a veteran cornerback because of injuries, Hall decided to try
something new. "It's bittersweet," he said of leaving Cincinnati. "It
was a tough decision to make."
The
Giants had the worst defense in football last year, and Jonathan Casillas
says there are reminders every day of that fact when he watches film. "It's
tough to watch sometimes. We weren't as good as we should have been," Casillas
said Thursday. "And I feel like, honestly, I think we let (Tom) Coughlin
down."
Casillas
was part of that 32nd ranked defensive unit which last year allowed an average
of 420.3 yards per game, the most in the NFL. While many of the men who contributed
to that disaster are no longer with the team, Casillas still shudders a bit when
he thinks back a season that went so horribly wrong for so many reasons.
Leon
Hall has a gut feeling the Giants are going to be good this year. That feeling
is what prompted the veteran cornerback to spurn a return invitation to the Bengals
and sign with Big Blue on Thursday, giving the Giants an instant upgrade at their
slot corner position.
After
a career with the Bengals, a team that made him a contract offer, he said,
and was in need of a veteran cornerback because of injuries, Hall decided to try
something new. "It's bittersweet," he said of leaving Cincinnati. "It
was a tough decision to make.
Aug
4 The
Giants held their longest practice thus far of training camp and their first
with the full pads. The team is building up to their longest practice of camp,
scheduled for August 6.
With
their preseason opener on the horizon, the New York Giants are powering through
with eight practices in 10 days at training camp. | Photos.
Odell
Beckham Jr. did not practice for a second consecutive day, but he did some
running and cutting Wednesday, and it looks as though it will not be long before
he returns to work with his teammates at Giants training camp.
Odell
Beckham Jr. may return to practice on Thursday. Or Friday. The Giants aren't
particularly worried about the detail of the timing.
The
Giants desperately need Jason Pierre-Paul, one year after blowing off so much
of his right hand in a terrifying Fourth of July fireworks accident, to be a disruptive
sack machine once again, even if he says he has nothing to prove because it's
a miracle he's even playing.
Aug
3 Coach
Ben McAdoo ratcheted training camp up a notch on Tuesday with what he called
a "thud tempo" practice. Players strapped on the shoulder pads for the
first time this year, and they were popping.
The
goal of the thump-and-release is to keep guys off the ground as much as possible.
That wasn't the case early on and McAdoo certainly let his players know in no
uncertain terms that he wasn't happy with what he saw.
Running
backs coach Craig Johnson revealed that the team went to the infamous four-man
running back rotation last year out of necessity, not coaching ideology as many
originally thought.
The
Giants' offense isn't designed for a 2,000-yard rusher. It may not even be
designed for 2,000 rushing yards as a team. With Eli Manning and Odell Beckham
Jr., the task for the running game is far different from those teams Johnson coached
in the past.
Aug 2 How
the Giants perform this season should fall on GM Jerry Reese. The talent wasn't
there last season, and Reese is still here. Now, the Giants have more talent,
but in the NFL, talent does not guarantee victories.
One
thing Reese is adamant he does not feel is added pressure. Mara did not mince
words in January, saying that, "Jerry knows this is on him. I've had that discussion
with him. He can't hide from the record.
Eugene
Monroe. Phil Loadholt. Anthony Davis. Russell Okung. Donald Penn. Ryan Clady.
Name an offensive tackle on the market this offseason and odds are that he's been
linked to the Giants as a potential upgrade for right tackle Marshall Newhouse.
There
was a time when it tore him up, when the bombardment of criticism, insults
and ill wishes would cause him to lash out or look inward to figure out what was
so wrong with him. Marshall Newhouse did not understand why there was so much
venom out there.
Former Giants
Tom
Coughlin will work closely with Troy Vincent, the NFL's executive vice president
of football operations, on what the league says is a variety of issues to support
and improve the game.
Tom
Coughlin, who turns 70 at the end of August, still believes he should be the
Giants' head coach. And he wants to coach again.
Leonard
Marshall prepares to bring own marijuana-based product to market when legal.
He predicts the NFL will eventually have to loosen its ban on marijuana as more
NFL players embrace it for pain relief.
Aug
1 Odell
Beckham Jr. suffers cuts on leg after colliding with Janoris Jenkins, but
insists injury is 'nothing too bad'.
Jenkins
quickly stood up and jogged away. Beckham? He was swarmed by an army of trainers
and medical staff who sprinted to him and began working on the area around his
left ankle.
The
Giants actually suffered a significant scare when receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
had to leave practice early after getting his feet tangled up with cornerback
Janoris Jenkins on a deep pass.
After
a thorough checkup, Beckham eventually got to his feet and took his place
with the other punt returners during a special teams drill.
The
day's headlines were dominated by Odell Beckham Jr., who left early after
getting tangled up with Janoris Jenkins on a long pass play. But there was plenty
of other action, as we also heard from general manager Jerry Reese. So let's get
to it.
July 31 After
rain pushed the first practice of training camp indoors, the gates at the
Quest Diagnostics Training Center opened on Saturday to a "sea of red, white
and blue," in the words of first-year head coach Ben McAdoo.
When
was the last time Ben McAdoo saw an interception in a practice and was pleased
by it? "I think it would be never," he said. And yet on Saturday, that's
exactly what happened. Thus is the life of a former offensive coordinator who
is now a head coach.
Larry
Donnell made several catches in the first training camp workout fans were
permitted to attend. It was a satisfying performance for a player who missed the
second half of the 2015 season with a neck injury. "He made a couple of plays
down the middle of the field," coach Ben McAdoo said. "Winning down
the middle of the field is huge for this offense, and he's someone that could
definitely do that for us.
Giants
head coach Ben McAdoo has a very loud and clear message for his young players.
"We're not going to be afraid to play young players." Such is one of
the many differences in the coaching philosophies between McAdoo and his successor
Tom Coughlin, the latter of whom, with very few exceptions, tended to favor the
security offered by veterans, only turning to rookies when injuries would begin
depleting a position.
It's
a good day for the Giants when there is very little to talk about regarding
Victor Cruz. The wide receiver participated fully in his second straight practice
on Saturday, made a few catches in drills, ran his allotted routes and took his
full number of reps... and that's it.
The
first few days of training camp, Sterling Shepard got off easy. He walked
away from the practice field after workouts and didn't have to do the usual rookie's
job of hauling in the equipment of the veterans. Victor Cruz conceded that after
the first full practice it simply slipped his mind to tell Shepard to carry his
helmet.
Ask
Giants wide receiver Sterling Shepard about fellow rookie Eli Apple's greatest
attribute as a cornerback and the answer comes without hesitation. "He's one of
those guys that has a lot of range," Shepard said of the 6-foot-1, 199-pound Apple.
Rodgers-Cromartie
spent some of Saturday's practice playing in the slot during 7-on-7 drills
and in a walkthrough, while free agent acquisition Janoris Jenkins and rookie
Eli Apple stayed on the outside. At the moment, the plan still appears to be for
Rodgers-Cromartie and Jenkins to play on the outside, and any slot snaps for either
are just a case of due diligence and cross-training.
July
30 Victor
Cruz may have passed Thursday's conditioning and medical tests, participated
in Friday's first practice of training camp and gotten cleared to continue forward
without any limitations, but the Giants wide receiver said he isn't "back."
At least not now.
The
Giants will be absolutely thrilled - and more than a bit surprised - if Cruz
can return to the form that made him one of the most dangerous receivers in the
NFL. They need him to be healthy, get on the field, stay on the field and become
a threat that defenses must honor to alleviate the heavy burden Odell Beckham
Jr. carries.
It's
likely no one was more thrilled by Cruz's return than Odell Beckham Jr. When
OBJ was drafted two years ago, the Giants envisioned Cruz and him forming perhaps
the NFL's most dynamic receiving duo. But while Beckham has been otherworldly
by himself, they teamed up for just six quarters before Cruz went down.
Between
the lines, Beckham has at times gone over the edge, most notably late last
season when a series of altercations with then-Panthers cornerback Josh Norman
led to a one-game suspension. Opponents realize they can get under Beckham's skin,
a tactic that will be repeated until he proves he can rise above it.
More
recently, Beckham re-opened that wound with Norman in an interview appearing
in GQ in which he suggested that his nemesis signed with division rival Washington
to remain relevant. Such comments, along with Beckham's jet-set offseason lifestyle
might very well have made the bull's eye on his back even bigger.
Josh
Norman on Odell Beckham: 'He's talking about me, but I'm not talking about
him'. Norman, the Washington cornerback who got under Beckham's skin last season
as a Carolina Panther, threw the latest barb out from camp on Friday.
Former
Giants
Lucas
Petitgout has pleaded guilty to simple assault and was sentenced to one-year
probation in connection with an attack on his estranged wife.
July
29 Special
Report - Somehow, you get the idea that head coach Ben McAdoo wasn't just
saying the right words when the Giants "sort of" opened training camp Thursday.
They'll practice for the first time Friday, having gone through physicals Thursday,
and that resulted in three players being put on the Physically Unable to Perform
(PUP) list - all defensive guys.
They were tackle Damon Harrison (knee swelling),
linebacker J.T. Thomas (sore hamstring) and tackle Jay Bromley (recovering from
ankle surgery. At this point in the pre-season, the PUP list doesn't mean all
that much. In fact, McAdoo likens it to "keeping him on hold" when he talks about
a player on PUP in July.
The
Giants reported to the Quest Diagnostics Training Center on Thursday for physicals
and conditioning evaluation. With the first practice scheduled for tomorrow, we
heard from some of the players and coach Ben McAdoo to set the table for the next
45 days until opening kickoff at Dallas.
McAdoo
told his players in the Giants' first team meeting of camp that "our
goal is still to put the fifth trophy in the case." McAdoo still believes
that this specific team can accomplish that lofty goal. He didn't have to talk
Super Bowl on Day One, but he did, and he put more pressure on himself.
Giants
defense 'didn't trust the system' in 2015, Landon Collins says. Landon Collins
said the biggest issue facing last year's defense wasn't play-calling or missed
tackles or blown assignments. It was simply a matter of trust. A trust that took
too long to develop.
Collins
recognizes that he has to work on trusting defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's
defensive system. Collins believes that the combination of Spagnuolo system as
well as the integration of many new faces to the team made adjusting to the new
defense more difficult.
July
28 Giants
Training Camp Guide: What you need to know.
The
Giants report to training camp. Here's a primer of questions facing the team.
Former
Giants
Tom
Coughlin, former Giants coach, joins NFL's football operations department.
Hakeem
Nicks signing with Saints as 3 ex-Giants earn pre-camp deals.
July
27 Everything
you need to know about the New York Giants annual training camp that begins
July 28. After limping to the finish line last season-figuratively and literally-the
New York Giants renovated their coaching staff and their roster.
After
a dozen years of Tom Coughlin running things, it's now Ben McAdoo's first
camp in control and he's got almost a quarter of a billion dollars worth of free
agents to help him turn things around and get the Giants back into playoffs for
the first time since the 2011 season.
Ben
McAdoo made it clear right away with his "evolution, not revolution"
mission statement. And, when asked about the clocks in the team facility - which
for a dozen years famously had been set five minutes fast - McAdoo sounded proud
to declare: "We remain on TC time." For the most part, though, TC time
is at an end.
Victor
Cruz has heard all the doubters. The Giants wide receiver is aware of the
skepticism about his ability to return to Pro Bowl form after missing most of
the past two seasons with injuries.
NFL
News
Speculation
has been rampant for months that the NFL will hold the 2017 NFL Draft in Philadelphia.
July
26 Giants
fans hoping for their team to snap a four-year playoff drought are thinking
too small. Odell Beckham is thinking big, as in Super Bowl LI big - as in he apparently
aspires to be as royal and revered in New York and the NFL as LeBron James is
in Cleveland and in basketball.
Beckham
has alluded to having "divine feelings" about Super Bowl LI and
his quarterback, Eli Manning, went public with his opinion earlier this month
that the Giants have built a playoff contender.
July
24 The
five biggest questions facing Giants entering training camp.
July
22 Odell
Beckham Jr.'s comments about Josh Norman in the August edition of GQ are receiving
a lot of attention, and understandably so.
Players
won't report to NFL training camps for several days, but Odell Beckham Jr.
and Josh Norman are talking trash like it's September already.
Giants
fans who were hoping their team would sign Eugene Monroe now have to look
elsewhere. Monroe, the free-agent offensive tackle who was released by the Baltimore
Ravens last month, announced his retirement from the NFL.
July
20 Giants
to induct Tom Coughlin, Justin Tuck, Ernie Accorsi into Ring of Honor on Nov.
14. The Giants will waste no time in giving Tom Coughlin his due recognition.
In
something of an olive branch following his de facto firing at the end of the
2015 season, the Giants announced they will be inducting Coughlin, along with
former defensive end Justin Tuck and longtime general manager Ernie Accorsi.
The
Giants careers of Tom Coughlin and Justin Tuck intertwined with Ernie Accorsi
from the beginning. In 2004, Accorsi, then the team's general manager, was instrumental
in the hiring of Coughlin as head coach. A year later he drafted Tuck. | Ring
of Honor Giants.
July
18 When
the Giants open training camp later this month, they'll do so with the hopes
of putting their recent injury woes behind them and returning to the sort of success
they're used to. Additionally, they'll also be aiming to get new players - acquired
via both free agency and the NFL Draft - acclimated prior to their Week 1 game
against the Dallas Cowboys.
July
17 Can
QB Logan Thomas succeed with Giants? The Giants seem to be seriously searching
for a third quarterback to keep on their 53-man roster. How else do you explain
the constant shuffling of the third quarterback throughout the spring?
NFC
East News
NFC
East preview: The New York Giants might be the most intriguing team.
July
14 The
Giants announced the schedule for their 2016 training camp. The camp will
feature 11 practice sessions open to the public at the Quest Diagnostics Training
Center, which is located on the MetLife Sports Complex. There is no admission
charge for watching training camp workouts.
The
camp will keep in effect a new autograph policy. Autographs are now restricted
to fans 12 and under, and only the first 400 fans that sign up and receive a wristband
will be able to line up for the post-practice signing.
Jason
Pierre-Paul is suing Schefter and ESPN for publishing an image of his medical
records in July of 2015 when Schefter reported Pierre-Paul's right index finger
had been amputated after his hand was severely damaged in a fireworks accident.
Two hospital workers were also fired for inappropriately accessing Pierre-Paul's
records, although one is now suing Jackson Health System.
From
Rashad Jennings to Andre Williams to Shane Vereen to Orleans Darkwa to rookie
Paul Perkins, there's certainly talent for head coach Ben McAdoo to use. Yet,
based on last year, no one player looks capable of standing out and becoming the
lead guy.
Big
Blue will need a strong season from Jennings and the entire running back corps
to complement what's expected to be a strong passing game. Last season, the Giants
finished 19th in the league, averaging just 100.6 yards per game on the ground.
Will
Tye ready for 2nd season: 'I'm going to get better every year'. After season-ending
injuries to veterans Daniel Fells and Larry Donnell, Tye went from the practice
squad to the starter's job, registering 42 catches for 464 yards and three touchdowns
over 13 games with seven starts.
July
12 The
Giants were pleased with what Brad Wing gave them last season as their hand-picked
replacement for longtime punter Steve Weatherford. Now they are making an investment
in Wing, announcing Monday a three-year extension that runs through the 2019 season.
Wing
wasn't much of an improvement in that category, though. The LSU product, who
played two seasons with Odell Beckham Jr. in Baton Rouge and is good friends with
the wide receiver, ranked 25th in the league last season with a net average of
38.9 yards.
The
Giants will wear white pants with blue jerseys for all eight of their regular
season home games, the team casually revealed on its official website on Monday
afternoon. The white jersey/gray pants road game combination remains the same.
This
is the first major, permanent uniform change that the Giants have made since
after the 1999 season. Going into 2000, the team switched from white pants to
gray. That being said, someone in the organization clearly likes the white pants
because they've been slowly creeping back into the team's uniform rotation in
recent years.
July 10
Keep
it, or give it up? One of the most important decisions facing Ben McAdoo entering
his first season as head coach of the Giants is whether or not he will call the
plays on offense. This may not, on the surface, seem like a big deal, but it is.
Former
Giants
Bill
Parcells says McAdoo likely to call plays.
July
8 Odell
Beckham Jr. was ranked the No. 10 player in the NFL by his peers on Wednesday
night. That seems like a high honor for a player just two seasons into his career.
But apparently Beckham has his sights set higher.
No
player in NFL history has recorded more receiving yards than Beckham (2,755)
in his first two seasons. With Beckham and Manning, the Giants had at least two
representatives in the "Top 100"
for the first time since 2013.
That year, Manning (43), defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul (55) and wide receiver
Victor Cruz (58) made the list.
Former
Giants
Kenny
Phillips, who was the Giants' first-round pick in 2008 and later their starting
safety during the run to Super Bowl XLVI, has retired from the NFL.
July
7 It
would have been news had Eli Manning said the Giants would miss the playoffs
for the fifth straight season since winning Super Bowl XLVI. But when he was asked
Wednesday if he believes the 2016 Giants are playoff-bound, Manning responded
as you would expect from the quarterback.
July
5 Ben
McAdoo, 2016 Coach of the Year? That's what one outlet is predicting. Sporting
News' preseason NFL preview magazine has hit newsstands, and its crystal ball
says McAdoo will be honored as the league's top coach in his rookie season after
leading the Giants back to the playoffs.
July
4 Why
2016 will be a career-defining season for Jason Pierre-Paul. We know he can
still impact games. Pierre-Paul miraculously demonstrated that during his abbreviated
2015 season, giving the Giants' punchless pass rush a clear lift from Day 1. But
he also showed clear limitations. Pierre-Paul only finished with one sack in eight
games.
Why
do Giants refuse to address their most glaring need? Offensive line - Returning
players: Ereck Flowers, Justin Pugh, Weston Richburg, John Jerry, Marshall Newhouse,
Bobby Hart, Emmett Cleary, Adam Gettis Key newcomers: Ryan Seymour (free agent),
Byron Stingily (free agent), Dillon Farrell (free agent) Assessment: Really? The
front office did not add one player who can step in and start, or at least step
in and compete for a starting job?
July
3 The
NFL will soon be uploading, in full, archived broadcasts of 96 classic games
- three for each team - to YouTube. The league held fan votes for each fan base,
and here are the trio of classic Giants games that made the cut: - Super Bowl
XLII vs. New England Patriots - 2007 NFC Championship vs. Green Bay Packers: -
Super Bowl XXV vs. Buffalo Bills.
July
1 Special
Report - Playing quarters: An early review of the 2016 schedule. Sure, the
Giants and everyone else in the NFL just broke for their version of summer vacation,
but looming in the distance is this thing called the 2016 regular season. There
is a common notion, only sometimes credited to former head coach Tom Coughlin,
that the season can evenly be broken into quarters and that the goal of each team
should be to win three out of four games in each quarter, which would, in turn,
result in a 12-4 record.
June
30 A
year after a life-changing fireworks accident, Jason Pierre-Paul is trying
to make sure those celebrating the holiday stateside hear his story, and think
twice.
Jason
Pierre-Paul is using himself as a warning. Nearly a year after the Giants
defensive end mangled his right hand in a July 4 fireworks accident, Pierre-Paul
is producing public-service announcements about the dangers of them.
Giants
writers answer 30 questions in 30 days before the start of Training Camp.
hich draft pick will start the most games in his rookie season? Which free agent
signing will have the biggest impact on the team in 2016? What was the biggest
storyline of the offseason?
June
29 Offensive
lineman John Jerry speaks candidly about how he's improved under the watchful
eye of LeCharles Bentley at the O-Line Performance Center, how Marshall Newhouse
is underappreciated, and how the Giants offensive line is going to be a lot better
in 2016.
For
three straight years, the Giants used either a first- or second-round pick
on an offensive lineman. This year, they need that investment to start paying
off. Right tackle is the spot the Giants would like to upgrade.
Former
Giants
Phil
Simms: Playing Buddy Ryan's defense 'was misery'. Ryan passed away Tuesday
at the age of 85. Simms appeared on CBS Sports Network to reminisce about his
experiences competing against Ryan and defensive units that "made it impossible
for many years to do anything against him."
June
26 Why
is Mark Herzlich still a Giant? Reasons more profound than blackmail. Who
does he know? He laughs. Just four players have been with the team longer: Eli
Manning (entering his 13th season), Zak DeOssie (10th), Jason Pierre-Paul (seventh)
and Victor Cruz (seventh).
June
25 Local
children will have the chance to learn from Giants star wide receiver Odell
Beckham Jr. later this summer when his inaugural football camp will be held in
New Jersey.
Former Giants
Leonard
Marshall has emerged as a major advocate for medical marijuana, and he recently
sat down with The MMQB's Kalyn Kahler for a fascinating question-and-answer feature
to discuss his stance.
NFL News
NFL
'monitoring' UK situation with 3 games (including Giants-Rams) there this
year.
June 24 Odell
Beckham Jr. is the best in the league after the catch. Beckham was the only
elite receiver in the Top 15 of YAC+. Julio Jones, Antonio Brown, DeAndre Hopkins,
Dez Bryant and others all finished well behind Beckham in this statistic.
The
Giants return the core of their special teams in 2016 after a record-setting
season for the outfit. From Josh Brown turning in one of the top-five scoring
campaigns in team history to Dwayne Harris doing something no other Giant had
done since 1955, there's no overlooking the third phase of the game heading into
2016.
NFL NEWS
Beeping
football may reduce fumblitis. Coaches have taught ball security for decades,
but this technology adds another element.
June
22 The
Giants and Jets are scheduled to play their annual preseason game on August
27, but the summer showdown between the crosstown/in-state/across-the-parking
lot rivals may be losing its name.
If
you have two corners in this league, you're short one because of how often
teams use three wide receivers. That was part of the thinking that went into drafting
Eli Apple, who joined veterans Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Janoris Jenkins
in the cornerbacks room.
Orleans
Darkwa spent the spring on the shelf. OTAs and minicamps went on without him.
Darkwa said he could've practiced and played if necessary, but they took the safe
route in the spring even though it put him at a disadvantage. This summer will
be different.
Former Giants
Rich
Seubert, a former New York Giants offensive lineman who helped the team win
Super Bowl XLII against the New England Patriots, has been named the next head
coach at Watchung Hillsay.
Lawrence
Taylor on Joe Theismann: 'I did him a favor'. Giants great Lawrence Taylor
claimed that he did Joe Theismann a favor by breaking the Washington quarterback's
right leg on a gruesome sack sequence in 1985 that ended Theismann's career.
June
21 Eli
Manning overpaid? That's what Pro Football Focus thinks, as it laid out its
case for why the Giants' franchise quarterback is the NFL's most overcompensated
player on ESPN.com. Here's what PFF had to say.
June
19 For
10 weeks, the Giants gave new head coach Ben McAdoo all sorts of data, which
will help him piece together a depth chart for his first training camp running
the show. They stayed healthy throughout their offseason workouts and practices,
incorporated their free agent defensive trio of Olivier Vernon, Janoris Jenkins
and Damon "Snacks" Harrison, and were given an early indoctrination
into McAdoo's methods.
June
18 The
Giants swapped quarterbacks at the back end of their roster before the end
of the spring when they were awarded Logan Thomas on Friday off waivers. Thomas
was released Thursday by the Miami Dolphins. He replaces quarterback B.J. Daniels
on the Giants roster.
Cornerback
Donte Deayon impresses Giants. Janoris Jenkins, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie,
first-round pick Eli Apple and Trevin Wade would seem to have the top four spots
on lockdown. The Giants will keep at minimum five corners and perhaps even six
with the chance that they could sign another veteran such as Leon Hall, who visited
earlier this spring, in advance of the season.
How
Ben McAdoo and the Giants handled playcalling this spring. It was on again
and off again, here and there, not with any sort of consistency or permanent designation.
When McAdoo wasn't calling the offensive plays at Giants practices this spring
it was offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan's turn.
Why
undrafted rookie Romeo Okwara has a good shot to crack Giants roster. While
they are set with starters Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon, the Giants have
some uncertainties and depth concerns at defensive end after their two stars.
It
takes a few years to properly evaluate a draft class, so it is silly to make
any pronouncement after six or seven weeks. But (you knew there would be a "but")
it is not too early to offer an admittedly hot-take prediction for the 2016 draft
picks.
June 17 As
the Giants break for six weeks following the completion of minicamp on Wednesday,
coach Ben McAdoo hopes they will "all make smart and wise decisions."
Running
back Rashad Jennings said he and a few other older Giants met with the younger
players to "remind them that they worked their entire life to get to this
position and find themselves in one of these buildings and how it can be taken
away so quickly."
Five
reasons it feels like this will be the Giants' year . Odell Beckham was asked
to stop and think ahead for just a moment this week, to dream of a time when he
and Victor Cruz and rookie Sterling Shepard would all be on the field together.
Players
return from their break on July 28 for the start of training camp, and then
it's off to the races. Meanwhile, vacation is a relative term for coaches. Here
are five things we learned at minicamp.
June
16 Thirty-two.
31. 30. 25. No, those aren't the numbers on a Powerball ticket. They are the
Giants' respective league rankings a season ago in overall defense, pass defense,
yards-per-play, points-per-game and run defense. It all added up to the NFL's
worst defensive unit.
The
numbers were pitiful. Last in the league in yards allowed. Thirtieth in points
allowed and in sacks. The second-most passing yards allowed in NFL history. It
really is no wonder that the 2015 Giants didn't make the playoffs. Steve Spagnuolo
doesn't want to hear about that, though.
Steve
Spagnuolo had a steely look in his eyes when asked how confident he is that
the days of owning the worst defense are over. "They're done," he said.
"We're gonna be better. We're gonna be better because of players. We're gonna
be better because of better coaching, less mistakes.
Like
defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said, it's funny how you have to add
a last name to "Eli" now at practice. That's because cornerback Eli
Apple, the 10th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, is making a name for himself.
Apple,
the Giants' first-round draft choice this year, probably won't be a two-time
Super Bowl MVP, and isn't going to set team passing records like Eli Manning.
But the talented cornerback from Ohio State should contribute as a rookie and
for many years afterward.
Eli
Apple stood across the line of scrimmage from Odell Beckham Jr. awaiting the
snap count. First-round pick from 2016 vs. first-round pick -- and eventual All-Pro
-- from 2014. Here we go.
On
Wednesday, the Giants' first round draft pick, playing mostly outside, had
his best practice of the spring. He broke up passes intended for Odell Beckham
Jr. and Roger Lewis, knocking Beckham off balance. Apple then prevented Myles
White from coming down with a touchdown in the corner of the end zone.
The
Giants have spent the offseason looking for an upgrade at right tackle. Now,
with the offseason almost over, they may have found their man.
The
Giants are in the market and have inquired about Eugene Monroe, who on Wednesday
was released by the Ravens.
Monroe,
a native of Plainfield, New Jersey, was a first-round pick of the Jaguars
in 2009 and was traded to the Ravens in 2013.
Monroe
has season-ending shoulder surgery last season, and has not practiced this
offseason. But he recently said he has been medically cleared.
June
15 Victor
Cruz has never been so happy to get insulted. Victor Cruz was getting some
grief from his teammates Tuesday, and loving every bit of the ribbing.
Cruz
said he feels his recovery is "right at that turning point" and
that "the plan is definitely to be 100% full go" for training camp.
Cruz
ran routes and caught passes. He felt the camaraderie that comes with being
able to work alongside Odell Beckham, Eli Manning and the rest of the Giants.
Who is the new guy?" teammates joked as he ran through the gauntlet drill.
All
parties retain their optimism tinged with caution, because Cruz and the Giants
traveled a similar path a year ago, and that ultimately led to nowhere.
Hard
as it is to believe, there was a time when Odell Beckham felt he didn't get
enough attention, when he craved the spotlight that some of his fellow receivers
had. "I tell people now," Beckham was saying on Tuesday, "'Be careful
what you ask for.'"
After
an offseason that has seen Beckham pop up in tabloids for a variety of reasons
from flirting with Khloe Kardashian to training at the house of the rapper Drake,
Beckham said he wouldn't mind some of his former anonymity.
June
13 When
his position coach reminds him about his veteran status, Giants tight end
Will Tye looks around to make sure Kevin M. Gilbride is talking to him. When Larry
Donnell is referred to as an elder statesman among the other tight ends, he flinches
a bit. No one knows for certain what is going on with the Giants at tight end,
as they have collected youngsters with little or no NFL pedigree. Of the five
on the roster, only one, Jerell Adams, was even drafted.
It's
Monday morning. Time for another edition of Monday Morning Giants to get you
caught up on all the weekend's news, and ready for a busy week ahead.
The
Giants minicamp will wrap up the team's offseason program this week. The minicamp,
which runs Tuesday through Thursday, will follow the same rules as the OTAs as
far as having no pads or contact.
Throughout
the spring, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has rotated different guys
at the slot cornerback, including first-round pick Eli Apple, and projected starters
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Janoris Jenkins. If that doesn't sound appealing
to you, then I don't blame you.
June
12 Special
Report - It is not commonplace for NFL teams to find a gold nugget on their
roster, especially one who was not drafted out of college. But the Giants might
have made just such a discovery with wide receiver/H-back Darius Powe, who is
6-3, 220 and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.49. The fact that he attended the University
of California and caught passes from the NFL's top overall selection, quarterback
Jared Goff, makes him slightly more interesting.
When
the Giants close out their offseason program this week with mandatory minicamp
at the Quest Diagnostic Training Center, wide receiver Victor Cruz may be doing
some real work with his teammates. He could be practicing to some degree for the
first time since last November.
Former
Giants
Leonard
Marshall swapped Big Blue for leafy green. The former Pro Bowl defensive end
will appear as one of the keynote speakers at the three-day Cannabis World Congress
and Business Expo - coming to the Javits Center on Wednesday.
June
10 Nine
down. One to go. As spring football winds down, the New York Giants held their
ninth practice of organized team activities on Thursday at the Quest Diagnostics
Training Center. On a windy day not uncommon to East Rutherford, the longest-tenured
Giant on defense intercepted the longest-tenured Giant on offense for the highlight
of the afternoon.
Eli
Manning was revealed as the No. 47-ranked player Wednesday night on NFL Network
as Nos. 41-50 of the 2016 edition continued its rollout.
After
a two-year absence from the controversial list, Eli Manning has once again
been voted one of the Top 100 players in the NFL. The Giants' quarterback, who
last appeared on the list in 2013, made his third career appearance on the NFL
Network list.
June 8 Entering
his third season running McAdoo's offense, Eli Manning in 2016 is looking
to follow up two of his best statistical campaigns. The Pro Bowler threw three
touchdowns in practice, including a pair from the red zone to tight end Larry
Donnell and rookie wide receiver Sterling Shepard.
There
has been a buzz around rookie wideout Sterling Shepard since the Giants drafted
him in the second round. And former Giants wideout, Super Bowl XLII hero and Montclair
native David Tyree says it's obvious why when you see him in action.
Landon
Collins was the first rookie safety in franchise history to start all 16 games
and the first rookie defensive player to do so since Barry Cofield in 2006. Collins
led the Giants with 108 tackles and unquestionably progressed as the season went
on, but will probably best be remembered for failing to secure what would have
been a game-clinching interception of Tom Brady in what devolved into a crushing
27-26 loss to the Patriots.
Jason
Pierre-Paul to warn kids of dangers of fireworks in advance of 4th of July.
Two sources familiar with his plans told the Daily News he is planning to do some
type of public service announcements in the coming weeks as a way to get the word
out that he's serious: Fireworks are dangerous. Kids shouldn't play with them.
After all, look what happened to him.
Former
Giants
Rueben
Randle's first offseason with the Eagles hit a bump when he learned that he
needed to have his gallbladder removed.
Rueban
Randle had limited opportunities to showcase his talent to the coaching staff
this spring because had his gallbladder removed in late May.
NFC
East News
NFC
Least? Not when it comes to wide receivers as Dez Bryant and Odell Beckham
lead the way. Here's a closer look at how the division is catching on.
NFL
News
NFL
commissioner: No deal with Tom Brady.
NFL
Twitter hacker kills off Roger Goodell.
June
7 Head
coach Ben McAdoo has consistently insisted that there is no depth chart, nor
will there be, at least for a while. Well one guy who seems to be taking full
advantage of his opportunities is rookie safety Darian Thompson, who once again
split reps on the first-team defense with third-year player Nat Berhe.
In
the early moments of red-zone play during Monday's OTA workout in East Rutherford,
Thompson, the club's third-round pick, watched an Eli Manning pass deflect off
the hands of receiver Odell Beckham Jr., then alertly made the interception.
When
Justin Pugh defended teammates Marshall Newhouse and John Jerry from their
very loud critics last week, it may have been one of the most important blocks
he has thrown. Not because it stopped people in the outside world from fretting
over that right side of the line, but because of what it meant inside the Giants'
offensive line room.
Marshall
Newhouse started 14 games for the Giants last season. By now, many observers
figured there would be a new right tackle on the scene, but there is not. On Monday,
Newhouse again lined up with the starters during another Organized Team Activity
practice.
The
sound of a familiar voice barking out assignments brought some comfort for
undrafted cornerback Donte Deayon in his quest to stand out among the Giants.
His
name is Donte Deayon, nickname Neon, given him by his mother, a Deion Sanders
fan, and he stands 5-foot-9 and weighs 160 pounds.
You
won't have to worry about Jason Pierre-Paul this Fourth of July. "I'll
be gone," the Giants defensive end said of the holiday coming up next month.
"I won't even be in the United States. Where I'm going, they don't celebrate
the Fourth of July."
JPP
can and should celebrate this: He's alive, he's playing football, and he's
done his absolute best to turn a horrible negative into something positive. In
truth, he's handled his tragedy better than anyone ever imagined he would.
June
5 What
do the Giants really have with Ryan Nassib? The untrained eye can see that
Nassib is light-years ahead of where he was at this point two years ago when McAdoo
arrived with the new Giants offense. Even the Giants can't be certain if Nassib
will stick around or if he's even the answer when Manning's career eventually
comes to a close.
Justin
Pugh played guard (and some tackle) for the Giants last season at 310 pounds.
In his estimation, it wasn't enough. He could survive long-term as a tackle at
that weight, but not as a guard.
June
4 The
Giants wrapped up the week with their sixth of 10 organized team activities
(OTAs) on Friday at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center. Players will be back
on the field June 6, 7, 9, and 10 before mandatory minicamp runs June 14-16.
Andre
Williams has posted some impressive numbers this offseason. He lost 12 pounds
of fat and reduced his waist from 36 to 31½ inches. The Giants' third-year running
back hopes the reduction in those numbers leads to an increase in others, most
notably his rushing total, which dropped precipitously when he was an NFL sophomore
in 2015.
The
latest no-name tight end to bubble to the surface with the Giants may already
be making his move at organized team activities. This is Matt LaCosse's big chance.
He was signed as an undrafted free agent last year but was waived early in training
camp when he suffered a hamstring injury. He was re-signed later in the season
and worked his way into the lineup by Week 16.
The
Giants signed Will Johnson away from the Pittsburgh Steelers in April. He's
currently listed on the team roster as a fullback, but Johnson has worked with
the tight ends so far during the two OTA practices open to the media. McAdoo has
been coy so far about how he plans to utilize Johnson.
June
3 As
the NFL hit 100 days to Kickoff Weekend, the Giants reached the midway point
of organized team activities on Thursday at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.
A pair of young tight ends led what was a loaded highlight reel during the fifth
of 10 OTA practices. Photos
The
Giants never came out and told Geremy Davis he would be inactive for the final
six games of last season. But the wideout quickly realized he was unlikely to
see any more game time during his rookie season. After a nondescript first season
in the league, Davis has impressed so far this offseason.
Safety
first? According to both fans and media, one of the New York Giants' biggest
offseason needs was the safety position. The Giants' personnel department, as
is often the case, saw things differently.
Odell
Beckham Jr. is more popular than Tom Brady and every non-QB in the NFL. What
the list says is that quarterbacks are king when it comes to the NFL. (Not a surprise.)
Of the 16 NFL players on the ESPN list, 12 are quarterbacks, with Beckham the
most popular non-quarterback.
Former
Giants
Tiki
Barber picks Kirk Cousins over Eli Manning as best quarterback in the NFC
East.
Steve
Weatherford, one of the world's most noted workout fiends, says he was thrown
out of a local gym for "excessive breathing/grunting."
June
2 Top
receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul did not show
up for Wednesday's OTA session in East Rutherford, but according to Giants head
coach Ben McAdoo, both players' absences from the nonmandatory workout were expected.
Voluntary
or not, anticipated or not, McAdoo made it clear he would like to see everyone
at these workouts. Last week, cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie missed the
opening OTA practice.
It
certainly is a lot easier to make the most impressive catch of the day at
Giants practice when the king of the art form, Odell Beckham Jr., is not in attendance.
But Geremy Davis' sideline grab over cornerback Janoris Jenkins on Wednesday might
have stood up to just about anything Mr. One-Handed-Grab could have shown.
When
Darian Thompson showed up for his rookie minicamp, the Giants coaches were
impressed right away with his ability to run the defense from the free safety
position. In the very first workout he was yelling orders and making checks to
get everyone lined up properly.
The
more one sees New York Giants head coach Ben McAdoo's program unfold, the
more there is to like. Very early on, McAdoo once said that the goal is to train
the way they want to play the game. That means at an upbeat tempo and with a focus
on fundamentals.
Justin
Pugh has heard the criticisms about the right side of the Giants offensive
line, and he thinks they're unfair.Pugh's confidence stems from his intimate knowledge
of his teammates, their preparation, their work habits, the way they think, and
the kind of people they are.
The
Giants' 2015 offensive line consisted of Pugh at left guard, Weston Richburg
at center, Ereck Flowers at left tackle and Jerry and Newhouse on the right side.
Speculation was rampant Newhouse and/or Jerry would be replaced as starters.
Pugh
offered unconditional endorsements for Newhouse and Jerry, calling Newhouse
"a hell of a player" and saying Jerry "has to be one of the most
underrated guards in the NFL."
One
of the qualities the Giants liked about Keenan Robinson when they signed him
is his ability to provide a presence in pass coverage. The Giants were routinely
carved up by tight ends down field last season.
June
1 After
some BBQs and golfing on a long Memorial Day weekend, the Giants get back
to work on Wednesday. They'll take the field at the Quest Diagnostics Training
Center for organized team activities (OTA). The full details for this workout
which is open to the media.
The
Giants held three OTA practices last week, leaving seven more (June 1-3, June
6-7, June 9-10) to complete before a three-day mandatory minicamp opens June 14.
O-line
continuity - which every team craves - could bite Giants. As it currently
stands, their offensive line could return intact from 2015, prompting more alarm
than glee. Three of the spots are safe and secure: Ereck Flowers at left tackle,
Justin Pugh at left guard and Weston Richburg at center.
The
results of Flowers' rookie year indicate there should be real concern. He
struggled to handle pass rushers off the edge, and led the league in pressures
allowed. Until he blossoms into the player the Giants expected when they drafted
Flowers ninth overall in 2015, it's far from a given.
NFL
News
The
NFL is moving the Pro Bowl from Honolulu to Orlando this season, three people
with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
May
29 Anthony
Dable's path to the Giants' training facility is so improbable, so ridiculous
that it is hard to believe it wasn't made up by a bunch of Hollywood scriptwriters.
Giants
rookie Eli Apple was finishing up his first day of organized team activities
Monday when ESPN announced that his mother, Annie, would be joining its "Sunday
NFL Countdown" pregame show as a contributor.
ESPN's
decision to hire Annie Apple works for all involved parties - except the Giants.
Say there is some controversy involving the Giants. It's reasonable to suggest
the "Countdown" crew might turn to Annie Apple for her opinion. If they
don't, they won't be doing their job.
May
27 Andre
Williams looks to move on from sophomore season bust. Do not give up on Andre
Williams. That was the strong sentiment and nearly verbatim plea of coach Ben
McAdoo a few weeks after a dismal season for the Giants and Williams mercifully
came to an end.
Something
was missing from that 2015 defense that allowed it to flounder near the bottom
in most statistical rankings. Not only were they shorthanded in talent at several
positions, they also clearly lacked leadership. J.T. Thomas is hoping to change
that.
May 25 Special
Report - Hate to keep harping on the Giants' offensive line, but it is critical
to the health and well-being of both quarterback Eli Manning and whichever running
back offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan chooses to put on the field in what seems
to be a merry-go-round program for 2016.
The problem is this: The left side
of the line appears to be solid, with tackle Erick Flowers, guard Justin Pugh
and center Weston Richburg. But that leaves two more hopeful starters, as right
guard and right tackle, and for the moment the names are John Jerry and Marshall
Newhouse.
Any
way you look at it, the Giants need Owa Odighizuwa. He's their contingency
plan off the edge for Olivier Vernon and Jason Pierre-Paul. He's also the best
hope to be their next Justin Tuck or Robert Ayers, pass rushers who did damage
from multiple spots on the defensive line.
NFL
News
Patriots
join 'Deflategate' battle in court for first time.
May
25 The
Giants resumed organized team activities on Tuesday at the Quest Diagnostics
Training Center. Because of rain in the area, they practiced inside the fieldhouse,
where we saw how deep the wide receiver competition will be this summer.
Dominique
Rodgers-Cromartie is back. The Giants top cornerback was in the building for
Tuesday's OTA workout, a league source confirmed, ending a brief stir surrounding
his absence a day earlier.
Why
Giants' interchangeable LBs are blessing and curse. Jasper Brinkley is one
of eight players at the position on the Giants roster, and seven of them have
fairly extensive NFL resumes.
NFL
News
NFL
approves major changes to replay, challenges.
Super
Bowls awarded to Atlanta, Miami, Los Angeles.
May
24 The
Giants opened up the first of 10 organized team activities on Monday at the
Quest Diagnostics Training Center. 5 things we learned from OTA practice (5/23).
- Photos
The
depth at offensive tackle remains concerning. Veteran offensive tackle Byron
Stingily, who was supposed to factor into the equation in the battle at right
tackle, was seen working on the side with a trainer. That, of course, usually
means that there is some sort of injury involved.
DRC's
absence works out just splendidly for Eli Apple. "DRC wasn't able to
make it," first-year head coach Ben McAdoo said after Monday's practice.
Dominique
Rodgers-Cromartie expected at Giants OTAs on Tuesday, per source. Dominique
Rodgers-Cromartie was the only non-injured veteran not in attendance at the voluntary
practice.
Annie
Apple, the mother of Giants first-round pick Eli Apple and a Voorhees, N.J.,
resident, will join ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown as a contributor this fall, the
network announced on Monday. Apple will "will offer player profiles and other
stories" for the show starting in September.
May
21 The
Giants get a "B" for their work this offseason. At least, that's
the grade they got from the analytical website Pro Football Focus. In discussing
free agency, PFF harps on the idea that the Giants failed to address needs on
the offensive line and at safety.
Odell
Beckham Jr. hasn't been in the NFL for long, but the Giants wide receiver
has already development a reputation and stature around the NFL. No, not just
for great play, hard work and highlight-reel catches. Apparently, for being one
of the most hated players in the league--already.
May
20 Will
Johnson was one of the Giants' least-heralded free agent signings this offseason.
He also might be their most intriguing. While he is listed as a fullback on the
roster currently, that is only the beginning of the impact he could have on the
Giants in 2016, both in terms of on-field production and roster construction.
New
Giants WR Sterling Shepard was born to run and catch. His father, a retired
professional football-player-turned-coach, recognized immediately that Sterling
was different from other boys his age. Derrick, who died of a heart attack in
1999, played five seasons in the NFL with the Redskins, Saints and Cowboys.
Janoris
Jenkins says 5 kids with 4 women is 'a blessing'. Jenkins, the Giants' big-ticket
free-agent cornerback, had four children, all under the age of 3, with three different
women before he went to the Rams in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Jenkins
played out his original four-year, $4.99 million contact with the Rams and struck
it rich on the open market with a five-year, $62.5 million deal with the Giants
that includes $29 million in guaranteed money.
May
19 The
Giants most definitely do not have a competition at quarterback. But they
wanted to have a competition at backup quarterback. The club was one of three
teams to put in a waiver claim for former Tennessee Titans quarterback Zach Mettenberger.
Janoris
Jenkins said he's been welcomed by his new teammates, hangs out with Dominique
Rodgers-Cromartie - his new running mate at cornerback - senses a "championship
mindset" in the building and appreciates the unexpected, constant presence
of general manager Jerry Reese and co-owner John Mara.
Why
the Giants should look into trading Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. The chances
of Rodgers-Cromartie being on the 2017 Giants are incredibly small. His contract
has no guaranteed money left, and he'd be a $4.5 million cap savings for them
if released next spring, when he'll be turning 31.
Former
Giants
Markus
Kuhn had an opportunity to return to the Giants as a reserve. But he instead
opted to sign with the New England Patriots. And, Kuhn told reporters in Foxborough,
Mass., he's glad he did.
May
18 Alajuwon
Bell recalled the thought that crossed his mind last month the first time
he used the new bench-press equipment at Kennedy High School's weight room. "I
wondered if Odell Beckham ever touched it," said Bell, a middle linebacker
for the Kennedy Knights, referring to the star wide receiver from the National
Football League.
Evolution,
not revolution: What could Giants' offense look like with McAdoo as head coach?
There are a number of players who are likely on the roster bubble and we won't
know the final roster for months yet. However, we can make some educated guesses
as to who stands the best chance.
May
17 The
first nine seasons of Giants long snapper Zak DeOssie's career had been under
the Tom Coughlin regime. It was all he'd known as a professional. Until now. DeOssie,
the Giants second-longest tenured player on the roster, and his teammates are
adapting to LPC, life post Coughlin. Even in the spring, it's massively different
with Ben McAdoo as the head coach. What has really stood out to DeOssie is that
players are constantly on the move.
The
draft is over and so is free agency, for the most part, which means what you
see with the Giants is likely what you will get. There may be a small addition
or two in the coming months, especially if veterans at a few key positions become
available. But for the most part, this is it. Five burning questions for Giants
after busy offseason.
May
16 The
Giants will open training camp at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center on
July 28. It's the earliest date players can report.
Former
Giants
Tyler
Sash's brother critical of Giants in ESPN's 'Outside the Lines' feature.
May
15 Key
Offseason Dates: What's next for Big Blue? May, June, July, August, September.
May 13 The
naked eye says the Giants should be better this season after several significant
offseason additions. The analytics disagree. They say they'll be the same 6-10
they were last year.
May
12 Who
was responsible for that stupid, four-running back rotation they used last
year: Tom Coughlin or Ben McAdoo. Hopefully it was Coughlin, and hopefully McAdoo
saw that the running game worked better with one guy getting the lion's share
of the workload.
May 11
The
Original Victor Cruz is flattered that Sterling Shepard is being labeled the
Next Victor Cruz. Cruz welcomes the addition of the rookie and in no way feels
threatened.
Cruz
says his legs are feeling good. He is participating in drills with the team
during Phase 2 of the offseason workout program. He's running routes and catching
passes alongside teammates.
The
Giants went through another round of post-rookie minicamp roster tinkering
on Tuesday, with the notable move being the decision to waive/injured linebacker
Uani 'Unga.
ESPN
ranked the Giants among the most improved teams of the 2016 offseason. From
a big free-agent haul on defense to bringing back key veterans to drafting what
they hope is a productive class, the Giants look to right the ship in 2016.
Former
Giants
Lawrence
Taylor presumably would have been an effective player in any era, but the
former Giant and Hall of Fame linebacker believes that he was better suited to
the game as it was played in his era than this one.
May
10 Just
a couple days removed from the end of their rookie minicamp, the Giants made
several roster moves, adding four players who were in camp on tryout basis, and
cutting four others. The four added included quarterback B.J. Daniels, who played
quarterback, wide receiver and on special teams in eight games for two teams last
season; receivers Kardon Boone and Donte Foster, and defensive end Ishaq Williams.
To
make room, the Giants waived four players, including two who spent time with
the team a year ago. Wide receiver Ben Edwards, who played in two games in 2015,
was waived/injured. Linebacker James Morris was also waived. A pair of players
who had been signed to undrafted free agent contracts prior to mini-camp were
also waived. They are quarterback Josh Woodrum and tight end Cedrick Lang.
The
Giants have a new quarterback -- another one who'll likely never play a game.
The team signed veteran free agent B.J. Daniels on Monday, according to an NFL
source, one of four players offered contracts after a weekend tryout at the Giants'
rookie mini-camp.
Daniels
attended this past weekend's rookie mini-camp as a tryout, and he did enough
to earn himself a contract. He joins Manning, backup Ryan Nassib and rookie Josh
Woodrum from Liberty on the roster as quarterbacks.
May
8 Brooklyn
native Ishaq Williams signs contract with Giants to complete comeback story.
The Giants signed Ishaq Williams just one day into his tryout.
The
Giants are searching for a companion for Landon Collins in the back end of
their defense. They have Nat Berhe, Mykkele Thompson and Bennett Jackson, three
youngsters who all missed the entire 2015 season with lower leg injuries. None
is assured of anything. That is why Darian Thompson has a shot.
May
7 As
might be expected in a rookie minicamp with more than 70 participants, Giants
coach Ben McAdoo has some very basic expectations. McAdoo said players like Apple
and Shepard most caught his eye, though not necessarily because they are the team's
marquee draft choices.
The
Giants went through an hour and half workout in which the coaches focused
on getting the players acquainted with how the team practices and conducts business.
The roster consisted of 73 players, including draft picks, the 14 undrafted free
agents who were signed earlier in the day, six eligible first-year players who
have been with the team since last month, such as TE Matt LaCosse and WR Ben Edwards.
When
he was breaking down Eli Apple before the draft, Giants defensive coordinator
Steve Spagnuolo had to spend more time watching video than looking at the stat
sheets. Apple lined up against second-round pick Sterling Shepard in one 11-on-11
drill, and the two marquee picks went head-to-head in one of the highlight plays
of the workout.
How
Beckham, Cruz defy the rip that's haunted Sterling Shepard. This is what the
Giants envision, three diminutive, elusive receivers scattering across the field,
too slippery to catch, too fast and crafty to stop.
Former
Giants
Justin
Tuck reflects on career, teammates, future. Justin Tuck stepped onto a stage
at the Giants headquarters for what was purported to be his retirement news conference
- which to him was a misnomer. "I'm not gonna say retiring," Tuck said.
"I'm going to say transitioning."
From
2,900 miles away, Justin Tuck still felt the sting of all the losing the Giants
did the last two years as they continued a downward spiral that began with his
final season in New York. He was an Oakland Raider on the surface, but still a
Giant in his heart. And he hated what was happening to his old team.
A
2005 second-round draft pick, Tuck joined a locker room that included eventual
Hall of Famer Michael Strahan and eventual Ring of Honoree Osi Umenyiora at his
position of defensive end. The following season, the Giants drafted another defensive
end in Mathias Kiwanuka in the first round. Tuck never stopped hustling to earn
his spot on and off the field.
He
never played for Ben McAdoo, but said the new Giants head coach might want
his services. Tuck said he made sure to speak to a few of the rookies attending
minicamp this week and revealed he was surprised a few days ago to get a call
from cornerback Eli Apple, the Giants' first-round draft pick from Ohio State.
May
6 On
Friday, new Giants head man Ben McAdoo will preside over his first rookie
minicamp, a three-day session in East Rutherford that he calls "more of an
orientation." It will be a crash course in his offensive and defensive philosophies,
he says, but the plan is to test the newest Giants and challenge them heavily.
He
kept insisting that this was just like any other NFL draft, that the pressure
to unearth top-tier talent was the same. And then Giants GM Jerry Reese went out
and did something different, gambling less and hunting down proven talents more.
This is what happens when your owner, John Mara, tells everyone that "Jerry
knows this is on him" now: You change tactics.
May
5 Giants'
Super Bowl 2017 odds improve with arrival of Eli Apple, draft class. Las Vegas
was not all that impressed with the Giants' free agency haul, but their new draft
class appears to have moved the needle a bit out in the desert.
Months
and months of planning for the Giants and it was all undone in the first round
of the draft by two trades, a bong and a gas mask. Or was it? Happy with Eli Apple?
Sure. As happy as they would've been if they had landed either of their top two
choices? Not exactly, according to several people in the Giants' draft room.
Former
Giants
Justin
Tuck will sign a one-day contract on Friday so he can retire as a member of
the Giants, the team announced Wednesday morning.
Justin
Tuck made his biggest impact on the grand stage, notching two sacks each in
the Giants' victories over the New England Patriots in Super Bowls XLII and XLVI.
May 4
Special Report
- With Jerry Reese having led a scouting department that has the fewest draft
choices they have made since 2007 still on the roster of any team in the NFL,
and with Tom Coughlin (effectively) fired after a third straight disappointing
season, one got the feeling that Reese had no more latitude left ... no more excuses,
and he and his team HAD to have a good draft this year to still be doing this
job a year from now.
Which, for those of you frustrated by previous drafts,
felt like "Here we go again!" There is really no way to "sugar coat" this, so
I am just going to blurt it out. The team incredibly "leaked" who their two favorite
players were that were likely to be available with the No. 10 pick the Giants
owned: offensive tackle Jack Conklin of Michigan State and outside linebacker
Leonard Floyd from Georgia.
In fact, ESPN published an article the day before
the draft stating that "the Giants' coaching staff is really in favor of Leonard
Floyd, but Giants' owner John Mara loves Jack Conklin." And none of the many interviews
with Giants' staffers after the first day refuted that assertion.
The
Giants took Eli Apple only after their well-documented top targets - Georgia
linebacker Leonard Floyd and Michigan State tackle Jack Conklin - went off the
board. And both players were stolen out from under the Giants due to trade-ups.
As a result, Giants general manager Jerry Reese has taken heat for his draft night
actions, or lack thereof. The criticism: He was outmaneuvered by two relatively
telegraphed trades, leaving the Giants with no choice but to settle for a "reach"
pick with Apple.
May 3
Jerry
Reese has an answer for every knock on Giants' draft. Reese also played down
the majority outside opinion that the Giants are in trouble if they begin the
2016 season the way they ended the 2015 season, starting John Jerry at right guard
and Marshall Newhouse at right tackle.
Giants.com
ranks the biggest surprises of the 2016 NFL Draft: Like always, there were
some surprises this year as 32 teams selected 253 players over the course of three
days. Here we take a look at those defining moments.
Antrel
Rolle wants to return; do Giants want him to return? The pitch has been made.
Antrel Rolle is on the prowl and angling for a return to the Giants after an injury-filled
season in Chicago.
Rolle
played five seasons for the Giants without missing a game, but they did not
re-sign him last offseason. He signed a three-year deal with the Bears, played
in only seven games because of injuries and was released. The Giants, meanwhile,
never were able to replace Rolle on the field or in the locker room.
Giants
shouldn't live in past with Antrel Rolle, need to commit to stable of young
safeties Antrel Rolle has some great years with Giants, but Big Blue shouldn't
sign him.
Those
who were appalled by Odell Beckham Jr. and Josh Norman clashing on the turf
couldn't appreciate the beauty of the situation -- at least, according to the
new Washington cornerback.
Josh
Norman said there was "beauty" and "truth" in his altercations
with Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. last year, and is looking forward
to renewing their rivalry on a more regular basis.
May
2 NFL
Draft grades: 'Experts' dish out mostly favorable marks to Giants. The second
the NFL draft ends, you know what's coming. Draft grades! It's too easy and too
much fun.
Pick-by-pick
grades for the Giants draft The Giants didn't get the linebacker they wanted
(Georgia's Leonard Floyd) and they missed the offensive lineman most believed
they coveted (Jack Conklin).
Nothing
can be determined about the 2016 draft class for the Giants. The names of
the six players selected will forever be recorded in the team media guide and
the six will be linked, for better, for worse and for anything in between.
Giants'
running back plans still unclear after drafting UCLA's Paul Perkins A week
after saying he had five running backs on his roster that could play in the NFL,
Giants general manager Jerry Reese added a sixth.
Former
Giants
Antrel
Rolle's stay in Chicago lasted just one season.
Antrel
Rolle released by Chicago Bears, so about that Giants reunion.
May
1 Experts
react to Giants 2016 Draft Class.
2016
Undrafted Free Agent Tracker.
2016
Giants undrafted free agent signings.
2016
New York Giants undrafted feee agent tracker.
Reader
Mailbag: Post 2016 Draft Edition.
Ignoring
linemen for the first time, the Giants focus on pass defense.
For
the first time in team history, the Giants didn't draft a single offensive
or defensive lineman with any of their six selections.
It
certainly wasn't something they came into this draft hoping to accomplish
-- or even considered in the historic scope -- yet that's exactly what happened.
First-round
draft pick cornerback Eli Apple covered some Q&A with Post columnist Steve
Serby.
Giants
first-rounder Eli Apple has been living, breathing football since days in
Voorhees, N.J.
Apr 30
UPDATE
- Giants draft South Carolina tight end Jerell Adams in the sixth round.
Apr
30 UPDATE
- New Giants running back Paul Perkins is the nephew of former Cowboys running
back and Ring of Honor member Don Perkins. But it is a Giants Ring of Honor member
to whom some scouts compare him the most: Tiki Barber.
Apr
30 UPDATE
- Giants draft UCLA RB Paul Perkins in the fifth round. Five things to know about
the newest member of Big Blue.
Apr
30 UPDATE
- Giants select Clemson LB B.J. Goodson in Round 4. The Giants have Devon Kennard
on one side, but both Jonathan Casillas and J.T. Thomas appear to be short-term
solutions at the weak-side linebacker spot. Perhaps Goodson could develop into
an answer there.
Apr
30 Ben
McAdoo's plan crystallizing: Make Giants offense a juggernaut. The Giants
brass insist Sterling Shepard was the top player on their board when he was drafted,
which is what they always say this time of year, when presenting a unified front
is important.
Time
will tell if this draft will be strong enough to keep general manager Jerry
Reese from paying the ultimate professional price for a few very lean years, the
same price his former cohort Tom Coughlin paid after last season. Surely, this
is indeed the GM's last stand.
Apr
29 UPDATE
- The Giants have drafted Boise State safety
Darian Thompson with the 71st pick in the third round of the NFL Draft. Thompson
had 19 interceptions in his collegiate career. He was considered the best true
free safety prospect by some early in the draft process, and was originally projected
as a second-round pick.
Safety
Darian Thompson became the Mountain West's all-time interceptions leader (19),
passing Eric Weddle. A national semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, he earned
four All-America nods and was named to All-Mountain West First Team.
Apr
29 UPDATE
- Giants draft Oklahoma wide receiver Sterling Shepard in 2nd round. Shepard caught
233 passes for 3,482 yards and 26 touchdowns at Oklahoma. He had 1,288 yards receiving
and 11 touchdowns last season as the Sooners won the Big 12 title and appeared
in the College Football Playoff
A
semifinalist for Biletnikoff Award, Shepard was named first-team All-American
by ESPN.com and second-team All-American by USA Today in 2015 after posting 86
catches for 1,288 yards and 11 touchdowns (all career highs).
Apr
29 Special
Report - Giants take CB Eli Apple with first pick in draft. Let's see, what
did Jerry Reese and the Giants accomplish Thursday night with their first round
selection of Ohio State cornerback Eli Apple with the 10th overall pick?
First
of all, let's agree that the players they wanted were suddenly snatched away from
them - Georgia linebacker Leonard Floyd (by he Bears), Ohio State running back
Ezekiel Elliot (by the Cowboys), Michigan State offensive tackle Jack Conklin
(by the Titans) and Notre Dame offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley (by the Ravens).
Apr
28 UPDATE - Giants
select Ohio State CB Eli Apple with 10th pick in NFL Draft. It was the nightmare
the Giants absolutely didn't want. So they wound up with the Ohio State cornerback
who can't cook, cornerback Eli Apple.
For
analysts across the board, Apple is considered a reach at ten. After both
Conklin and Floyd were off the board and Reese said the Giants fielded one offer
to trade down, but "we didn't like it" and the price to trade up was
too high.
Eli
Apple, welcome to the Big Apple. Giants GM Jerry Reese said Apple "has
all the tools" and was the highest player on the team's draft board "without
issues."
Apr 28
Giants
likely to address need at linebacker by drafting Leonard Floyd. It's almost
impossible to believe that they haven't taken a linebacker in the first round
of an NFL draft in 32 years.
The
Giants have not gone for a linebacker in the first round since taking Carl
Banks in 1984 and this could be the year they end that streak.
Giants
can't hesitate to pick Ezekiel Elliott at No. 10. It would open up the offensive
playbook for McAdoo and help Eli Manning as he tiptoes towards the twilight of
his career.
Day
2 of the Giants' three-day voluntary minicamp is in the books, and as promised,
head coach Ben McAdoo advanced his team a little further, mixing in the offense
and defense in some 11-on-11 drills while a fresh playlist was piped in over the
open field in the background.
It
was another opportunity for new head coach Ben McAdoo to install his program,
but unlike yesterday, the Giants did some offense vs. defense periods. There was
plenty of action at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center. - Five things we learned
from Wednesday's practice.
At
some point Thursday night, Ben McAdoo will get on the phone and introduce
himself to the team's newest player. It will be a welcome-to-the-NFL moment for
whomever the Giants select with their first-round pick, but it will also be the
first time McAdoo gets to be on that call and be part of the decision that leads
to dialing the number. So who will it be?
Upholding
the organization's longtime vow of secrecy regarding the draft, McAdoo offered
no substantive information, including, of course, who the Giants will select.
"That is a good question," he said. "That is a great question.
It depends on whose mock draft you are looking at."
Former
Giants
Kurt
Warner can relate to Sam Bradford's 'tough' situation with Eagles. For Warner,
it was Eli Manning with the Giants in 2004 and Matt Leinart just two years later
in Arizona.
Apr 27
Because
the Giants have a new head coach, they are permitted to have a voluntary camp
in addition to the mandatory camp they will have in June.
Players
do not have to show up or participate in this camp. Of course, if they want
to score some early points with new head coach Ben McAdoo, it would behoove them
to be there.
There
were certainly differences from the way things have been done for the past
12 seasons with the Giants. There were new drills, new stretches, and new music.
The
Giants have picked up the fifth-year option on offensive lineman Justin Pugh.
Pugh, 25, was the Giants' first-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. The move is
a no-brainer for the Giants.
As
Odell Beckham Jr. looks ahead to his third NFL season, the star receiver knows
the record since he has arrived with the Giants (12-20) belies his uncommon individual
success. This troubles him.
Jason
Pierre-Paul said he's in the best shape of his life and has reported to the
offseason program lighter than ever. "I'll be better than the player I was."
Apr
26 Special
Report - All right, boys and girls. Do the Giants want an offensive tackle,
a running back, a defensive end, a linebacker, a safety or a cornerback with their
first-round pick Thursday night? The answer is YES, all of the above, but clearly
they'll have to make a choice.
From this vantage point, and according to how
the first nine picks will unfold, this correspondent's opinion is an offensive
tackle (if either Jack Conklin or Ronnie Stanley are as yet unclaimed), a linebacker
(if Myles Jack or Leonard Floyd are there) or a running back, Ezekiel Elliot.
NFC East News
Eagles
- Sam Bradford going on strike over Eagles QB fiasco
Redskins
- Josh Norman on facing Odell Beckham: It's gonna be fun.
Cowboys
- Why Dallas would, wouldn't pick Jalen Ramsey, the only DB worthy of a top-five
pick.
NFL News
Tom
Brady's deflategate suspension reinstated.
Apr
25 The
Giants take the field for the first time this week when the team holds its
voluntary minicamp. After two weeks of being together for mostly weight room training
and conditioning, Eli Manning said he thinks this camp, which begins on Tuesday,
will not only give the squad the first glimpses of itself but also the first true
impressions of new coach Ben McAdoo.
Eli
Manning won't remind Odell Beckham to keep his cool against Washington corner
Josh Norman. Manning says Odell Beckham has learned from his mistakes. Manning
said he won't remind Beckham to keep his cool when they face Washington this year
-- but expects that others will.
Beckham
hasn't completely disengaged from the spat. Last month, Norman was on ESPN
and had the audacity to describe Beckham as "OK." That led to Beckham
tweeting about the perceived slight and suggesting that it was Beckham's star
that provided Norman the glow of a spotlight.
Every
year since 2008 Eli Manning has served as the celebrity
chairman of the March of Dimes "March for Babies" walk. The money goes to a cause
that is close to Manning's heart. Most of his charity work involves children.
Apr
24 Get
out your calendars and circle the date. Sept. 25, 2016. Redskins and Giants,
MetLife Stadium, 1 p.m. EST. The Rumble in East Rutherford, Part II. Cornerback
Josh Norman, who enjoys a high-profile feud with Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham
Jr., has come to terms with the Redskins.
Get
ready for Josh Norman vs. Odell Beckham II and III - and maybe many, many
more. The two enemies, who famously held their own personal game-long battle during
a Carolina Panthers win over the Giants last December, are now slated to face
each other twice a year after Norman signed a blockbuster, five-year, $75 million
contract with Washington on Friday.
There
is no love lost between the two. They don't talk, they don't intend to talk
and they're not making up any time soon. The dislike is real. They went at it
on Twitter as recently as last month.
Apr
23 An
explosive, versatile linebacker would fit nicely into the Giants lineup. He
would look perfect with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. That type
of player has been noticeably absent from the Giants roster for years.
There
is little doubt the Giants absolutely, positively love Myles Jack as a prospect.
He is everything anyone wants from a linebacker entering the NFL Draft and, if
he somehow is not taken in the first nine picks Thursday night, the Giants most
likely will count their blessings, select him and gleefully inject him into their
revamped defense.
The
Giants' running back committee has actually grown this offseason, and could
further swell after next week's NFL Draft. But the guy who seemingly grabbed a
clear chairmanship at the end of last season does not mind.
Rashad
Jennings spent last season rushing for a career-high 893 yards, eclipsing
200 touches for the first time in his seven-years in the NFL, and doing everything
possible to prove that he could be a true No. 1 running back for the Giants.
If
you're sick and tired of seeing strong-side linebacker Devon Kennard's name
on the injured list, just imagine how fed up he is. Actually, multiple that by
a thousand, and you get a player who is dead-set on erasing the "injury prone"
label from his name and replacing that with the "play maker" label.'
Apr
22 Jerry
Reese doesn't get what his boss is saying -- or doesn't care. The Giants need
to add impact players, starting with the No. 10 pick in next week's draft. They
also need to hit big on their other early-round picks. Mara's words translate
to urgency, but it is business as usual for Reese.
This
draft is important for the Giants. John Mara has made that crystal clear.
And he's implied that it's pretty important to his embattled general manager,
who engineered too many bad drafts in a row a few years ago, which got the Giants
stuck in their current losing rut.
Mara
clearly is pushing an agenda of impatience, proven by his unmistakable nudge
of Tom Coughlin out the door after a 6-10 season and his comments about needing
a productive draft. Mara hasn't officially placed Reese on the hot seat, but the
GM knows the reality of his production-based business.
The
reporters who attended Jerry Reese's pre-draft news conference today knew
nothing more about the team's intentions when it ended than they did when it began.
And that's exactly how the Giants general manager likes it.
Remember
when Odell Beckham Jr. and then-Carolina Panthers cornerback Josh Norman scuffled
all over MetLife Stadium last year? It apparently didn't stop the Giants from
making a phone call to the now-free agent cornerback.
Apr
21 NFL
Man of the Year nominee for 2015 and Giants quarterback Eli Manning is receiving
another award for his off-the-field work. Manning will be honored next month for
his work in fighting childhood cancer.
NFC
East News
Eagles
- The Eagles acquired the No. 2 overall pick from the Cleveland Browns, putting
them in position to select one of the top two quarterbacks in the draft.
Eagles
- They traded away Chip Kelly's $63 million cornerback mistake, Byron Maxwell.
They got rid of his $40 million running back blunder, DeMarco Murray.
Cowboys
- Eagles' crazy draft trade knocks Cowboys out of QB sweepstakes, but only for
one round. Yeah, the Cowboys are out now. But Jerry Jones is also enjoying a welcome
reprieve from "Who's the Worst GM" talk around the NFL.
Redskins
- Should the Redskins pick a QB in the draft? Are the Redskins ready for another
quarterback controversy? Penn State passer Christian Hackenberg visited Redskins
Park on Tuesday; another potential pick getting a closer look before the April
28-30 draft.
Apr 20
After
a $200 million spending spree in free agency, the Giants enter draft week
with plenty of holes to fill. They could use a right tackle, another defensive
end, a linebacker, a cornerback, a safety, a tight end, a receiver. And they won't
be able to get them all next week.
After
a scare last season that threatened to end his playing career, Giants tight
end Larry Donnell received medical clearance from the team Tuesday and officially
signed his restricted free agent tender of $1.671 million for the 2016 season.
Donnell
has the most experience among the tight end candidates for the Giants. In
three seasons he has 95 catches for 877 yards and eight touchdowns. Last season
he had 29 catches for 223 yards and two TDs before his injury.
In
addition to Tye and Donnell, the Giants also have Matt LaCosse and Jerome
Cunningham under contract. Tight ends coach Kevin Gilbride mentioned last month
that LaCosse impressed with both his blocking and pass catching over the final
few weeks of last season.
Donnell's
role with the Giants, however, is anything but set. In Donnell's absence late
last season, undrafted free agent Will Tye emerged, piling up 42 catches for 464
yards and impressing the Giants with his athleticism.
Former
Giants
Michael
Strahan is trading one morning show for another: He's leaving ABC's "Live:
Kelly and Michael" for "Good Morning America."
Preston
Parker has been arrested in South Florida on drug charges. Again.
NFL
News
John
Mara discusses on-field conduct as a focus of the NFL's competition committee.
A
federal appeals court upheld an estimated $1 billion plan by the NFL to settle
thousands of concussion lawsuits filed by former players.
Apr
19 The
most reliable and consistent player the Giants had in 2015, in terms of succeeding
at one specific job requirement, was Josh Brown. The veteran kicker connected
on 30 of his 32 field-goal attempts as he compiled a career-high 134 points. The
Giants made sure Brown stayed put, re-signing him Monday to a two-year contract
worth $4 million.
Brown
made 30 of 32 field goal attempts in 2015, a franchise-record 93.8 percent
success rate. He broke his own mark of 92.3, set in 2014. In three seasons with
the Giants, Brown has hit 77 of 84 field goal tries, a team-record 91.7 percentage
(minimum 50 attempts). His 30 field goals last year were the Giants' fifth-highest
single-season total.
Apr
18 The
honeymoon is over for Jerry Reese. Those two Super Bowl titles in his first
nine years as general manager have word off and the stench of the past few years
has stuck to his resume. Reese is under fire after four straight playoff-less
years and three straight losing seasons. An inordinate amount of misses in the
draft (see: Round 3-7 from 2009-13) has left his roster lacking.
Apr
17 Despite
spending over $200 million on free agents, and despite the fact they beat
the Cowboys once last season and should have defeated them twice, the Giants are
considered underdogs for their season-opening showdown in Dallas. And the line
is a bit up there, too - the Cowboys are favored by five-and-a-half points, according
to the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook.
Apr
16 The
hardest stretch of the Giants schedule could be the first six games, when
their rebuilt defense faces three of the four Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks
(Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and Joe Flacco) on their schedule. Talk about being
thrown directly into the fire.
NFL
News
The
6 cant-miss games on 2016 NFL calendar.
Apr
15 For
the fourth consecutive year, the Giants will open their season on the road.
And, for the fourth time in the past five years, they will open their season facing
the Cowboys. The Giants play four of their last six games on the road. The last
two, though, do not require flights, as they play in Philadelphia and then close
out the regular season at Washington on New Years Day.
A
three-game homestand that includes a Monday night game, back-to-back road
night games, and a meeting against the Los Angeles Rams in London highlight the
Giants 2016 regular-season schedule, A complete analysis and game-by-game breakdown.
The
Giants will have the NFLs second-easiest schedule this season as they aim
to snap a four-year postseason drought in their first season with head coach Ben
McAdoo at the helm.
Hey,
if the NFL can get everyone to watch a two-hour show about a schedule, then
its certainly worth analyzing that schedule five months before the start of the
regular season and two weeks before teams the NFL draft.
When
the Giants posted a 2016 schedule graphic on social media Thursday night that
referred to the Redskins as "Washington" while using a nickname for every other
team on the schedule, it appeared as if the Giants were taking a similar stand
against the divisive nickname to the one the Eagles took. And then, about a half-hour
later, the Giants posted a different graphic that used the Redskins nickname,
suggesting they had reversed the stance they were assumed to have taken.
Apr
14 John
Mara opened up his checkbook in March to give the Giants a talent infusion
with several high-profile signings. Now he expects general manager Jerry Reese
and the rest of the front office brain trust to follow up with a strong showing
in the NFL Draft two weeks from Thursday.
John
Mara isnt passing up any opportunities to put the screws to general manager
Jerry Reese. Mara continued to ratchet up the public pressure on Reese on Wednesday,
describing the upcoming NFL Draft as "time to pick it up" in the wake
of four consecutive non-playoff seasons.
The
2016 schedule will be here soon. Now how tough is it? If the previous season
is any indicator -- and its often not in the NFL -- the New York Giants are tied
for having the second-easiest strength of schedule this year.
NFL
News
The
NFL announced that the 2016 regular-season schedule will be unveiled Thursday.
NFL Network will have live wall-to-wall coverage of the schedule reveal starting
at 8 p.m. ET, breaking down each teams potential path to Super Bowl LI.
Apr
13 In
Jason Pierre-Pauls second game following the infamous July 4 fireworks accident
that severely damaged his right hand, he started at right defensive end Nov. 15
against the Patriots wearing a special glove on his right hand. At halftime, the
glove was off and the massive wrap was back on. Now we know why.
Pierre-Paul
told his story exclusively to Sports Illustrateds Jason Buckland, detailing
everything that occurred, along with videos and photos. "People want to know the
story," he told SI, "so Im putting it out there so people understand the story.
Lets move on." The full story can be read by following this
link; a word of warning: The videos and photos with the story are extremely
graphic.
Most
Overrated and Underrated New York Giants Draft Picks Since 2007. Wouldnt it
be awesome if every New York Giants draft pick turned out to have the kind of
impact as wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.?
Apr
12 Ben
McAdoo addressed the team for the first time as head coach before the players
headed to the weight room for their first workout under new strength and conditioning
coach Aaron Wellman.
For
Eli Manning and Giants, unofficial start of Ben McAdoo regime.Eli Manning
showed up for an official day of work Monday and, for the first time in his NFL
career, Tom Coughlin was not there as his coach.
Three
months ago, Eli Manning had been very nearly shaken to tears by Coughlins
departure. But on Monday, the oldest player on the Giants roster was back to his
normal, steady self, and he proclaimed himself "excited" for the season
to come.
Eli
Manning has spent the past few weeks reaching out to some of his new Giants
teammates, he said Monday, to introduce himself and see if there is anything he
can do in order to make their transition a more smooth one.
Manning
said he hopes Victor Cruz, who has missed most of the last two seasons with
leg issues, can "be out there healthy" alongside Odell Beckham Jr. But beyond
that pair, the club has no proven targets on the roster.
The
Giants hope the trio of center Weston Richburg, left guard Justin Pugh and
left tackle Ereck Flowers form the foundation of a line on the cusp of being one
of the leagues best units
Eli
Manning shared teammate Justin Pughs sentiments that among the factors that
kept hurting the Giants offense was their lack of scoring in the red zone and
improving on third down.
The
Giants finally added an offensive tackle as they opened up their offseason
workout program Monday, signing Byron Stingily, who has started nine games in
his five-year NFL career.
Apr
11 The
Giants are well-stocked at running back, with four players who ran the ball
in 2015 remaining on the roster. They are adding another running back, as Bobby
Rainey will arrive on Monday when their offseason workout program begins.
So,
who is Rainey? He appeared in all 16 games for the Buccaneers last year, but
started none, receiving a grand total of eight offensive touches. He was very
active on special teams, though, returning 29 punts (10.0 yard average) and 19
kickoffs (24.7 yard average). Rainey played a team-leading 268 special teams snaps.
Apr 10
The
Giants had many boxes to check off as they entered this offseason, so many
holes to fill as they embarked on free agency. Quickly, they put checkmarks into
several of the neediest boxes.
Apr
8 The
Giants do not live in the AFC East, but theyll be summering there. Their preseason
schedule consists of four games against the four teams that play in the AFC East:
the Dolphins, Bills, Jets and Patriots.
Last
season, the Giants beat the Dolphins and Bills on the road and lost to the
Jets and Patriots at home. McAdoo will make his preseason debut on Aug. 12, in
MetLife Stadium against the Dolphins.
Two
of the Giants major free agent acquisitions this offseason - defensive end
Olivier Vernon and defensive tackle Damon Harrison - will get to play against
their old clubs in the preseason.
Former
Giants
Markus
Kuhn is headed to Foxborough. The former Giants defensive tackle and 2012
draft pick announced he is signing with the New England Patriots on his Instagram
account Thursday night.
Apr
6 So
much for the inactivity of the past couple weeks. The Giants signed three
players, including two offensive linemen. Center/guard Dillon Farrell and Ryan
Seymour join the competition on the line. It was much needed. Fullback or H-back
Will Johnson has the biggest chance to make an impact.
Johnson
has spent his entire four-year career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where
he played an H-back role, lining up mostly as a fullback and occasionally as a
tight end. The 6-2, 240-pounder could provide some competition for fullback Nikita
Whitlock.
Former Giants
Rueben
Randle, 24, officially signed a one-year deal with the Eagles late last week.
He expects to be a starter. Despite some concerns about his work ethic and desire,
it was a calculated risk by the Eagles front office. Randle was guaranteed just
$500K.
NFL News
NFL
will stream Thursday games on Twitter. Leave it to the NFL to sell the same
product three times. On Tuesday, the NFL said that Twitter will join the party.
Apr
2 Steve
Spagnuolo admits hes disappointed he wasnt named Giants head coach. Spagnuolo
was among the first to interview for the vacated head coaching job, hoping to
run the team. But the task of replacing Coughlin went to Ben McAdoo.
Spagnuolo
made it clear he is hoping one of the Giants three young safeties - Nat Berhe,
Bennett Jackson and Mykkele Thompson - will emerge and grab the open starting
spot next to Landon Collins.
Spagnuolo
said that there was a chance of Jason Pierre-Paul moving to the left side,
a move that, years ago, helped Hall of Fame defensive end Michael Strahan take
his game to a whole new level.
Mike
Sullivan wants to call the plays in Ben McAdoos first year as Giants head
coach and, if hes handed that responsibility, believes he will be an asset.
The
Giants were 29th in the NFL in red-zone offense. After studying themselves,
Sullivan and McAdoo thought too much of that was self-inflicted.
An
NFL teams strength and conditioning coach is not usually an in-demand interview.
But that is exactly what Aaron Wellman was on Friday.
Summary
of the Giants assistant coaches meeting the media. Offensive Coordinator Mike
Sullivan. Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Head Strength Coach Aaron Wellman.
Special Teams Coordinator Tom Quinn
Victor
Cruz is a Giant enigma and a wild card all wrapped into one. And there wont
be any clarity until he steps on the field and proves (in a real game) he can
play at an NFL level.
After
taking a substantial paycut, Cruz is trying to return. And while the Giants
are not necessarily counting on him, they certainly are hopeful that he can at
least be on the field and something close to the player he was at the prime of
his career.
Apr 1
Tom
Coughlin is not going to be with the Giants in any capacity this season. When
Coughlin stepped aside at the end of the season, the Giants front office seemed
to leave the door open for a role with the organization, but the future Hall of
Fame coach said it hasnt happened.
Coughlin
slammed that door shut on Wednesday, finally completely ruling out a return,
and finally delivering some round criticism to his old franchise (and GM Jerry
Reese) for never giving him the ammunition needed to chase a playoff berth in
his final four years with the Giants.
Coughlin,
who received a standing ovation from the sellout crowd at Radio City Music
Hall, also made two things crystal clear once more: He was forced out the door
by the Giants, and he still has some hard feelings about the situation.
Mar
30 The
Giants announced they have re-signed linebacker Jasper Brinkley, the teams
third-leading tackler in the 2015 season. Brinkley, who is entering his eighth
NFL season and second with the Giants, was an unrestricted free agent.
Brinkley,
30, was picked up by the Giants four days prior to the start of the 2015 season
after he was dumped by the Cowboys. He ended up starting the final nine games
at middle linebacker, becoming a full-timer after Jon Beason was lost for the
season with a knee injury.
Former
Giants
Will
Beatty plots comeback from shoulder surgery. Teams have expressed interest
in him since he was released - the Raiders and Broncos both reached out and asked
him to visit for a workout - but he decided to decline those invites until he
is fully healed.
Mar 27
Steve
Tisch called his offseason "a perfect storm" for his Giants. At
their lowest moment they were struck with a tsunami -- a triple infusion of energy
in the form of a new coach, a ton of salary cap space and "some great players"
willing to take their money. The co-owner said he was excited. Ben McAdoo said
he was excited too. He was just handed more talent and more support than Tom Coughlin
got in his last four seasons combined with the Giants.
When
the Giants handed out an $85 million contract to Olivier Vernon, it was pretty
obvious they thought he was a special player. Vernon was their top priority this
offseason, and even though coach Ben McAdoo said they wouldnt have signed him
at all costs, it was pretty close.
When
Justin Pugh was drafted by the Giants with the 19th overall pick in 2013,
it began a three-year streak of the team selecting an offensive lineman in the
first two rounds. After Pugh, center Weston Richburg was taken in the second round
in 2014, and left tackle Ereck Flowers went ninth overall in 2015. The three are
now cornerstones in the foundation of a new-look offensive line.
Mar
26 Special
Report - When the Giants declined to offer wide receiver Rueben Randle a new
contract (he signed a one-year "show me" agreement with Philadelphia last Wednesday),
he became the last surviving draftee of 2012. He was a second-round pick and now
there are no players remaining on the roster from that draft. None from the 2011
draft, either, by the way, since first-round pick Prince Amukamara left for Jacksonville.
In fact, from 2007 through 2012, there are two - thats TWO - players on the current
roster, defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul (first in 2010) and long-snapper Zak DeOssie
(fourth in 2007). Coincidentally, general manager Jerry Reese has been in command
of the draft since that 2007 draft. This is not intended to be overly critical
of Reese.
NFL News
If
anyone asks Mayor James Cassella if the Super Bowl should once again be played
at Met Life Stadium, he has a two-word answer: "Probably not."
Mar
25 After
another 6-10 season, the Giants will not make any changes to their ticket
prices for the 2016 season. In addition, the team says parking will remain $30
per game for the teams eight regular season home games and two preseason games.
Its
only March. But the Giants spending spree in free agency is already starting
to convince some they could end their four-year playoff drought in 2016. -- The
Giants have the best shot at making the playoffs for one reason: The NFC East
is the weakest division.
NFL
owners approve Odell Beckham Rule, players will be tossed after two unsportsmanlike
conduct penalties.
Odell
Beckham Rule wouldnt even get Odell Beckham ejected. Beckham would not have
been ejected if the new rule had been in place because coaches lobbied to have
the rule narrowly tailored.
Former
Giants
Tom
Coughlin still regularly uses Giants practice facility gym, Ben McAdoo thinks
its great.
NFL News
Kevin
Turner, one of the lead plaintiffs in a concussion-related lawsuit brought
by more than 5,000 former players against the NFL, died Thursday after a six-year
battle against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. He was 46.
Mar
24 Ben
McAdoo hasnt announced who will call the Giants offensive plays for 2016,
although he did admit that the decision has been made. And reading between the
lines, it seems as if he will do it himself.
Ben
McAdoo institutes changes to the Giants workouts and practice schedule. When
the Giants players arrive for the start of the teams offseason program on April
11, they will meet new strength and conditioning coach Aaron Wellman, and work
in a redesigned weight room.
Eli
Manning is coming off perhaps his finest all-around season, a year in which
he completed 62.6% of his passes for a career-high 35 touchdown passes and 4,436
yards (the second-highest total of his career). McAdoo thinks the quarterback
just might be even better in 2016.
Former
Giants
Rueben
Randle has found a new home. Randle signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia
Eagles on Wednesday, officially putting an end to an inconsistent four-year run
with Big Blue.
Rueben
Randle found himself in as advantageous position as possible last season with
the Giants. He lined up opposite Odell Beckham Jr. every game. He did not rise
to the occasion to give the Giants what they needed, and as a result he was allowed
to become an unrestricted free agent.
Mar
23 The
Giants arent done yet. I know it looks like they are. It seems like its been
forever since they signed anyone. But theyre not finished. And I know that because
John Mara said so. Hes aware there are still plenty of holes to fill.
The
Giants started with $56.6 million in cap space. It provides general manager
Jerry Reese with options. Lots of them. And he went to work. Here is a running
total of all their moves and the financial implications of each.
Former
Giants
Prince
Amukamara played five years for the Giants, but played a full 16-game season
just once. Amukamara played well when on the field, but the Giants did not believe
that was often enough.
NFL News
The
chop block has been entirely outlawed from NFL games, and extra-point kicks
snapped from the 15-yard line are now permanent.
Mar
21 While
the Giants free-agent spending spree so far has been, in Maras words, "a
little more expensive than I thought [it] would be," the Big Blue boss said
GM Jerry Reese has merely been following instructions to improve the roster no
matter what after consecutive 6-10 finishes.
Mara
has long talked of preferring to build through the draft and not treating
free agency as a panacea. They may not be done. Mara knows there are still some
hopes, and he hopes to fill those with budget signings.
Mar
17 Everyone
knew the Giants had money to spend this year, and everyone knew they needed
to improve their defense. Nonetheless, the team was still the buzz of the first
wave in free agency when it signed three of the best players on the market at
their respective positions.
The
Giants have spent over $200 million this offseason rebuilding their defense
in order to, they hope, end a four-year playoff drought and contend for a berth
in Super Bowl LI. But Las Vegas is not exactly buying in quite yet. Bovada.lv
released its first set of Super Bowl odds since the start of free agency, and
the Giants are still on the board at 33-1, exactly where they were immediately
after the Broncos won Super Bowl 50 last month.
New
Giants linebacker Keenan Robinson is learning its not cheap to live in New
Jersey. Welcome to Jersey, Keenan. "Paying a lot for a little" should be the state
motto. And wait until you see our property taxes, which are the highest in the
nation, according to Forbes.
Former
Giants
Martellus
Bennett, 29, will now be paired with All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski, and
the Patriots are betting hell toe the line playing for coach Bill Belichick and
with quarterback Tom Brady.
Will
Hill is facing a 10-game suspension for drug violation. Hill played exceedingly
well for Big Blue, but they couldnt trust the safety to not get suspended again.
Mar
15 The
Giants, who began the free agency signing period upgrading the front and back
of their defense, bolstered the middle of the unit when they signed middle linebacker
Keenan Robinson.
After
four injury-riddled seasons in Washington, Thompson said he is ready to play.
When healthy, Robinson was productive. In four seasons he played in only 36 games
with 21 starts but was credited with 177 tackles (110 solo), 1.5 sacks, two interceptions
and two fumble recoveries.
Mar
13 Everywhere
you turn, someone has had a different opinion or outlook on the Giants aggressive
free agency spending spree. Some people think the Giants obscenely overpaid, while
others think the Giants simply paid market value in a player-friendly environment
and did what was necessary to improve their dead-last defense.
GM
Jerry Reese completely overhauled the NFLs worst defense, gave Ben McAdoo
a better team than Tom Coughlin had in his final three seasons, and put the Giants
in position to make a run at the NFC East title.
The
successful teams build through the draft and fill in holes in free agency.
Thats what the Giants did putting together the surprising Super Bowl teams of
2007 and 2011. But now they are trying to build the foundation of their defense
with free agents. For the most part, the elite players never even reach free agency.
Mar
12 JPP:
You dont have to worry about my hand anymore. Jason Pierre-Paul vows he will
not wear that massive, unwieldy club on his right hand in 2016, ditching the protective
wrapping that prevented the Giants defensive end from getting a grip.
Jerry
Reese clearly didnt think Janoris Jenkins was a roll of the dice, a $62.5
million gamble. Reese saw a young man who has matured beyond a checkered past,
is an upgrade over Prince Amukamara and an athletic partner in crime opposite
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.
Prince
Amukamara has found a new home. The former Giants cornerback and 2011 first-round
pick has signed with the Jaguars, according to ESPNs Adam Schefter, landing a
one-year deal. The contract details here will be intriguing. That Amukamara only
signed for a season is a bit of a surprise, but it also makes some sense.
Very
quietly, Robert Ayers Jr. hit free agency coming off a 9.5 sack season in
2015, giving him the most sacks of any pass rusher on the market this year. And
now that guys like Olivier Vernon, Jason Pierre-Paul and others have landed their
deals, it was Ayers turn to get paid. The former Giants defensive end landed a
three-year, $21 million deal with $10 million in guaranteed.
Former
Giants
Gary
Jeter, a first-round pick of the Giants in 1977 who played 13 seasons as a
defensive lineman in the NFL, died this week at his home in Plainsboro, N.J. He
was 61. Jeter was the fifth overall selection in the 1977 draft and a key member
of the 1981 team that broke the franchises 18-year postseason drought.
Michael
Strahan helped the Giants upset the undefeated New England Patriots in 2008s
Super Bowl XLII - the last game of his 15-year career - and the team rewarded
his blistering defensive play by giving him a bogus jersey from the big game.