OTA's Start Today

[Allstarjim]

I'm liking it! Thanks for all the updates, Pdub!

 

I think once Beatty is healthy around mid-season, he will be back at LT and Flowers will move to the right side. But Flowers at LT permanently will probably happen if not during the 2016 season, then 2017 for sure.

[Gman329]

I think that depends on how the line is playing when Beatty is ready to return. If they've jelled and are playing well, I don't see a midseason shuffle.

[CrazedDogs]

Wish that were likely the case, but Coughlin has thrown away a couple seasons by going back to the projected starters when the backups proved to be superior players. For example, Sean O'Hara in 2010. They put him back in, and the line play instantly went straight to hell, cost the team a playoff berth.... probably would have made the dance instead of the eventual champion Packers if not for that ill-advised loyalty.

[Treehugger]

He's only 29

 

I know he's not that old but goddamnit the joke was there.

[Treehugger]

 

• The offensive line combos were:

First team (from left to right) ‐ LT Ereck Flowers, LG Justin Pugh, C Weston Richburg, RG John Jerry/Geoff Schwartz, RT Marshall Newhouse

Second team ‐ LT Michael Bamiro, LG Brandon Mosley, C Dallas Reynolds, RG Adam Gettis, RT Emmett Cleary

 

Where the fuck is Jones?!

[Allstarjim]

 

Where the fuck is Jones?!

 

 

http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2015/05/how_big_a_loss_is_will_beatty_and_brett_jones_real.html

 

Consider this a long, long, long shot. When the Giants signed Jones a front-office executive with an NFC team told me he was short, small and strictly a center. He is 6-2, 315 pounds, so I didn't understand ... until seeing Jones at rookie minicamp.

He was easily the shortest offensive lineman on the field and didn't look 6-2. He has small arms and is likely too small to play guard at the NFL level, which is why the Giants had him taking snaps exclusively at center. Jones will get some looks at guard, but considering where he's coming from (CFL), where he needs to get and his size, it would be unfair to place that kind of expectation on him.

 

[Sephiroth]

Wish that were likely the case, but Coughlin has thrown away a couple seasons by going back to the projected starters when the backups proved to be superior players. For example, Sean O'Hara in 2010. They put him back in, and the line play instantly went straight to hell, cost the team a playoff berth.... probably would have made the dance instead of the eventual champion Packers if not for that ill-advised loyalty.

Yep. I'm surprised someone else remembers that. Seubert had that line playing great and was fucking destroying people but Coughlin brought out the Gimp.

 

You know how I always say Coughlin mismanages injured players? This is what I mean.

[BlueInCanada]

Wish that were likely the case, but Coughlin has thrown away a couple seasons by going back to the projected starters when the backups proved to be superior players. For example, Sean O'Hara in 2010. They put him back in, and the line play instantly went straight to hell, cost the team a playoff berth.... probably would have made the dance instead of the eventual champion Packers if not for that ill-advised loyalty.

 

Oh this silly little rumour, I'm surprised it hasnt died by now.

 

Yeah the O-line was so bad the offense only put up 31 points against the Eagles, to lose the game because the defense couldnt stop the Eagles from scoring 38.

 

Then the defense allowed Green Bay to put up 40 points against the Giants, the four interceptions from Eli didnt all but help.

 

But yeah beating teams like Washington, Minnesota, Jacksonville, Houston, etc was a real indication of the Giant's powerhouse team that year.

[Treehugger]

 

 

 

http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2015/05/how_big_a_loss_is_will_beatty_and_brett_jones_real.html

 

 

 

Chris Snee was 6' 3". So was Sean O'Hara.

[Tempest]

I don't believe there is a size issue for Jones but it is more about the one on one battle and his level of preparation for it. In the CFL he has more time, in the NFL it is instantaneous. When he was brought in it wasn't to start it was more to compete at backup and clearly there is a lot of work to be done.

[CrazedDogs]

 

Oh this silly little rumour, I'm surprised it hasnt died by now.

 

Yeah the O-line was so bad the offense only put up 31 points against the Eagles, to lose the game because the defense couldnt stop the Eagles from scoring 38.

 

Then the defense allowed Green Bay to put up 40 points against the Giants, the four interceptions from Eli didnt all but help.

 

But yeah beating teams like Washington, Minnesota, Jacksonville, Houston, etc was a real indication of the Giant's powerhouse team that year.

 

 

I know what I saw.

[Tempest]

 

 

I know what I saw.

 

Some people saw two planes fly into the WTC and we are still hearing about how the Government filled the WTC with explosives and blew it up.

[Balloonknot]

 

Some people saw two planes fly into the WTC and we are still hearing about how the Government filled the WTC with explosives and blew it up.

 

 

Bah, They changed the story again. The Govt actually flew the buildings into the planes

[Mr. P]

 

 

Bah, They changed the story again. The Govt actually flew the buildings into the planes

 

I thought it was the jews.

[Treehugger]

 

I thought it was the jews.

 

No, they would have used hot air balloons.

[Mr. P]

 

No, they would have used hot air balloons.

 

oh yeah.

[Mr. P]

Jordan Raanan ‏@JordanRaanan 13m13 minutes ago

Robert Ayers swollen and has ankle sprain. Not major or of high ankle variety #Giants

[Sephiroth]

I don't believe there is a size issue for Jones but it is more about the one on one battle and his level of preparation for it. In the CFL he has more time, in the NFL it is instantaneous. When he was brought in it wasn't to start it was more to compete at backup and clearly there is a lot of work to be done.

 

I heard on the awesome, awesomely produced Giants podcast that he's listed at 6-1 but looks to be about six even.

 

I guess "heard" might be stretching it since their mics were barely audible.

[Treehugger]

I don't believe there is a size issue for Jones but it is more about the one on one battle and his level of preparation for it. In the CFL he has more time, in the NFL it is instantaneous. When he was brought in it wasn't to start it was more to compete at backup and clearly there is a lot of work to be done.

 

The report from mini-camp praised him for his quickness off the snap though.

 

 

Moving over to the offensive line drills, I wanted to see Canadian Football League import Brett Jones, who was signed by the Giants earlier in the offseason, in action.

 

Jones, 6-1, 316 lbs., is cerebral he doesn't make the same mistake twice.

 

And boy, does he have quickness. During the sled drills, he was the first one up and out of his stance, knocking into the sled with a forceful thump. When the offensive line was simulating snapping the ball and then stepping into their blocks, he was the first one up and out of his stance, and into the air in front of him that was his "man."

 

Other thing to note about Jones is that for as mild-mannered as he is off the field, he is a brute on it. You can see it in every drill he performs that he wants to dominate and is hungry to be the best.

 

So yes, that CFL Top Offensive Lineman of the Year award wasn't a fluke; Jones, based on today's work at least, very much appears to be the real deal in the making.

[CrazedDogs]

It wasn't that long ago that centers used to go 250 lbs. Being quick off the snap is arguably the most important factor at Center.

[Mr. P]

NY Giants OTA No. 7 Practice Report

 

 

One of the cool things about OTA practices is that it gives the coaching staff a chance to experiment.

And boy, do they experiment—we’re talking different formations, different personnel groupings and new concepts, all of which are evaluated afterhours in the film room as the coaching staff figures out what to keep, what to scrap and what to modify.

While the workouts themselves don’t really provide as detailed of a look at the players, who remember can’t wear pads and can’t engage in contact, there are still some things to be gleaned from these practices.

That brings us to OTA number seven, the latest workout to which the media was granted access.

 

Injury Report

Safety Nat Berhe continues to be sidelined with a calf issue; in fact, Berhe wasn’t even out there on the practice field as he had been in the last two OTAs to which the media had access.

Presumably, Berhe was inside getting treatment, but regardless of where he was, head coach Tom Coughlin wasn’t too pleased that the second-year safety wasn’t on the field.

“This would have been the ideal time for him. Unfortunately, he has not been able to get to where he can really drive, so it has been very slow,” Coughlin said.

Also sitting out practice were receiver Marcus Harris (unknown), linebackers Jameel McClain (back) and Jonathan Casillas (injection), left tackle Will Beatty (pectoral), tight end Larry Donnell (tendonitis) defensive end Robert Ayers (ankle), and receivers Odell Beckham Jr. (hamstring) and Victor Cruz (knee).

Defensive ends Owa Odighizuwa (knee) and Damontre Moore (shoulder) took part in individuals, but were otherwise limited in team drills.

Also, linebacker Jon Beason (foot) and right guard Geoff Schwartz (ankle) continue to have their respective snaps managed as they work their way back from season-ending injuries.

The good news is that Ayers was on the practice field, off to the side, so that means the swelling in his ankle has obviously subsided. Still, it would be surprising if he works the rest of the spring, just as it would be surprising if Beckham works.

 

Practice Notes

* Defensive end Kerry Wynn continues to make a case for a roster spot. Last year he was so disciplined against the run; well this year it looks like he added a new pass rush move to his arsenal because he pulled a fast one on the tackle (I didn’t catch the number), and knifed his way inside and into the backfield.

Wynn has definitely added some upper body muscle and looks quicker than he was last year. If all the defensive ends scheduled to come into camp stay healthy, they are going to have a tough time deciding whom to keep if they only plan to keep five.

*Tight end Jerome Cunningham continues to impress. He catches everything thrown his way and the thing that has really been impressive is that when the ball meets his hands, you barely hear a sound (and yet there is indeed a catch).

*Tight end Matt LaCosse continues to show quickness—he cut on a dime and left inside linebacker Cole Farrand in the dust in coverage on a crossing route over the middle.

*Receiver Corey Washington has got quite a bit of praise for his pass receiving this spring, and rightfully so. Washington shows no fear going over the middle and on two passes, he did a good job of splitting the defensive backs trying to cover him.

On a pass to running back Shane Vereen in the backfield, Washington didn’t get in the way of cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who was coming over to make the play against Vereen.

Had Washington gotten in Rodgers-Cromartie’s way, Vereen might have been able to turn it up field for a bigger gain; instead, he was forced out of bounds for maybe a three-yard gain.

Washington, who has also been used a great deal in the red zone by the way, spoke to reporters after the practice and talked about how things are slowing down for him. He has definitely made baby steps forward, but the jury is likely still out on him until the pads go on and he has to do the other parts of the job such as downfield blocking and of course the special teams work.

*Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo must be one of those coaches who looks at the clouds and comes up with an idea for a play. This practice saw some interesting looks, including some three-man fronts, which fooled everyone. He also has tried out twists up front to create confusion and it seemed to work in this practice on more than one occasion.

The biggest thing though is that in addition to drawing up all these creative plans, Spagnuolo is also teaching his players how to act—that is sell the blitz and disguise coverages.

So far, so good. Jon Beason, for example, did a nice job of selling a blitz only to drop into coverage and hustle to the sideline to stop Shane Vereen, a very speedy man, from turning up field.

Beason, by the way, seems to love this new system and the flexibility it offers not to mention he chance to orchestrate the entire operation.

“We obviously have tendencies and they obviously have tendencies, but when you just sit back and stay in the same call, it is easy for them,” he said.

“So you make it hard and make them have to do some things post-snap where maybe we can steal a play and get an interception or a turnover. Get the ball back to our offense and hopefully win more games.”

*Quarterback Eli Manning, who has been throwing the ball as well as I can recall him doing so in the spring, has been sporting two knee wraps in practice.

Problem Eli?

“It is just a little sleeve that seems to help a little bit,” he said, ducking the question. “I think it looks good—looks like I’m a great athlete.”

Again, problem Eli?

“I’m 34, I think,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. “I just like the look; it’s a good style.”

Anyway, Manning did a nice job threading the needle to hit Washington, who was doubled by linebacker Cole Farrand and cornerback Trumaine McBride in coverage.

*Cornerback Prince Amukamara came up with the defense’s lone pick of the day, this on a pass thrown by Ryan Nassib intended for receiver Julian Talley.

Amukamara also nearly came up with another pick on a pass thrown by Eli Manning intended for Corey Washington.

*I’m not sure if there is going to be room on the roster for defensive end Jordan Stanton, but he’s flashed a few times in practice, showing a good motor and taking advantage of some extra reps with Jason Pierre-Paul, Robert Ayers, Owa Odighizuwa and Damontre Moore not available for the team drills. Credit Stanton for at least making a case and trying to take advantage of the reps he’s getting.

*Receiver Geremy Davis looked like he ran the wrong route on a pass that was defended by Trumaine McBride. Davis cut to the inside and the ball went to the outside.

*Defensive tackle Jay Bromley has been getting snaps at both defensive tackle spots. Bromley, to my eyes at least, looks like he added some upper body muscle, and while he looks still to be a better fit for the 3-technique, given that the Giants don’t really have a true backup to Kenrick Ellis at that 1-technique spot, it would not be surprising to see Bromley continue to get snaps there.

What’s Next?

The Giants will finish their OTAs this week with workouts on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, all of which are closed to the media.

Next week, the team will hold its three-day mandatory minicamp. All of those sessions will be open to the media.

After that, be sure to check Inside Football starting Monday, June 22 when I roll out the annual “Blog Bits” series.

Blog Bits, for those not familiar, is a series of player and coach interviews I conducted, many of them one-on-one or at the very least quotes that to the best of my knowledge have not appeared elsewhere.

The purpose is two-fold. First, its’ a chance to empty out my notebook and recorder of all player interviews that otherwise didn’t make it into an article this spring. Second, it’s a chance to give you something to read until the start of training camp.

This year’s lineup is shaping up nicely and I’m very excited about who has taken part so far. I am still working to add to the list, so be sure to keep an eye out for the announcement which will come the week after the minicamp ends.

 

http://insidefootball.com/2015/06/08/ny-giants-ota-no-7-practice-report/

[Mr. P]

 

ODELL IMPROVING

WR Odell Beckham remained sidelined at Giants practice with his sore hamstring, but Tom Coughlin said his star receiver is getting better and was even able to do some individual drills at practices last week when the media was not allowed to attend.

As for whether he’ll participate in the full-team mini-camp next week, Coughlin said, “I don’t know. I only know what (the trainers and doctors) tell me. They probably won’t be able to project that until they see this week.”

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/giants/eli-manning-shrugs-attack-entourage-creator-article-1.2250788?utm_content=buffer30364&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=RVacchiano+Twitter

 

 

 

But, it's Coughlin who rushes these guys back from injury and ruins their careers.

[GA4M]

He's also brought two championships to NY, so......

[Mr. P]

He's also brought two championships to NY, so......

 

I was being sarcastic.

[Mr. P]

 

EAST RUTHERFORD ‐ If you looked out onto the field Monday during Giants practice (organized team activity No. 7 of the year), you may have caught undrafted free agent linebacker Cole Farrand taking some first-team snaps. Or you may have seen wide receivers Preston Parker and Corey Washington running with the first-team offense.

All three may be contributors this season, but each has little to no NFL success on their resume. They don't exactly inspire much confidence in starting roles at this point of their careers.

Injuries have once again decimated the Giants this spring, somewhat curbing already modest expectations. But what should get fans excited about this team is the improved play of quarterback Eli Manning, even if it is just in organized team activity (OTA) workouts in June.

In the first year of the Giants new offense last summer and spring, Manning (and all the Giants quarterbacks) were regularly throwing the ball into the defense's hands during practice. It wasn't uncommon to see three or four interceptions per practice.

This spring, in the second year in coordinator Ben McAdoo's offense, the interceptions have almost completely disappeared. Manning didn't throw an interception in the three OTA practices open to the media. The lone interception Monday was thrown by backup Ryan Nassib.

Eli Manning hopes to see a healthy Beckham back on the field soon New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning is looking forward to seeing Odell Beckham Jr back on the field for training camp. (Video by John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

It's only June and everything needs to be put in perspective. Manning isn't facing real pressure. The Giants are practicing in shorts.

Still, for a quarterback throwing to a group missing some of his top receivers, Manning has looked sharp. His familiarity with the offense appears to have made a significant difference.

Even when blitzers and pass-rushers came unimpeded during Monday's practice, Manning held the ball rather than throw hurriedly into traffic. He took sacks instead of interceptions.

After a year where Manning saw his interception total dip from 27 to 14, all signs point in the right direction for a flaw that has plagued him throughout his career. It provides reason for hope in the second year of the offense.

LISTEN: This week's Talk Is Cheap podcast looks at the positives and negatives of OTAs

Players Who Impressed at OTA #7

RB Shane Vereen ‐ He caught pass after pass out of the backfield, in particular in the red zone. He's going to be a big part of the offense.

WR Corey Washington ‐ The second-year wide receiver looked very much the same as he he did last preseason, when he was the NFL's MVP. He continuously made plays, including a tough catch in traffic with cornerback Prince Amukamara on his hip.

S Cooper Taylor ‐ He moved well and showed good instincts breaking up a pair of passes.Taylor's had a strong spring while his competition (Nat Berhe) hasn't stepped on the field.

LB Devon Kennard ‐ It was obvious Monday the kind of impact he can have as a pass rusher. He just seems to regularly find his way into the backfield. If Kennard remains healthy, he's a weapon who should thrive in Steve Spanguolo's defense.

Other Tidbits

• The Giants blitzed their linebackers a lot during Monday's practice. Kennard and defensive end Kerry Wynn were having plenty of success running stunts on the left side.

• Two players who did little during the team portion of OTAs on Monday were offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz and wide receiver Marcus Harris. The Giants are bringing them both along slowly this spring coming off serious injuries.

Coughlin updates Bechkam's condition after OTA New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr worked out on the sideline during today's OTA and afterward coach Tom Coughlin gave an update on his condition. (Video by John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

• With Odell Beckham and Victor Cruz working on a side field and Harris doing little, the first-team wide receivers to begin practice were Rueben Randle, Washington and Parker. Washington made the most of his opportunities.

• Chiseled tight end Jerome Cunningham continues to make plays and stand out during practice. He runs well for a man his size.

• Left tackle Ereck Flowers continued to double-shift. He took all the first-team and some of the second-team snaps at left tackle for the second straight week. The Giants seem to be trying to get him as much work as possible this spring.

 

http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2015/06/giants_ota_observations_eli_manning_cuts_down_on_i.html