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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.

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