Five takeaways from Wednesday's team practice and media hour:
1. WEBB GETS REPS WITH FIRST TEAM
Interim head coach Steve Spagnuolo said after Wednesday's practice that the quarterback depth chart hasn't changed as the Giants prepare for Sunday's matchup in Arizona. That didn't prevent Spagnuolo from giving rookie quarterback Davis Webb some work with the first-team offense.
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For the first time since summer, the third-round pick out of California received six of the eight practice reps that pits the first-team offense against the first-team defense. Normally, starting quarterback Eli Manning would take all eight. Spagnuolo said the decision to give Webb those reps was simply to amp the rookie up a little bit.
"I've told you before that he's always preparing like he's going to be a two or maybe even play in the games," Spagnuolo said. "So, the preparation is the same, but we just wanted to make sure we got him some reps on the field."
"I was excited," Webb said. "I got told yesterday and it's an opportunity for me to work on the things that got worked on behind the scenes in my preparation throughout the year. Eli [Manning] has been getting most of the reps, along with Geno [Smith], so it kind of got me a chance to be thrown in there and actually go through it myself, have the o-line hear my calls and see the receivers see my signals. It was cool, it was a cool experience and I got better from it today."
2. INJURY REPORT
Did not practice: S Landon Collins (ankle), LB B.J. Goodson (ankle), WR Tavarres King (concussion), DE Jason Pierre-Paul (finger)
Limited: S Nat Berhe (hamstring), CB Brandon Dixon (heel/hamstring), C Brett Jones (ankle), S Darian Thompson (knee)
Full participation: TE Rhett Ellison (groin/finger), WR Travis Rudolph (hamstring)
3. COLLINS TALKS ANKLE INJURY, PRO BOWL
The left ankle of Landon Collins again bears watching this week. The third-year safety entered last Sunday's contest against the Eagles as doubtful, but suited up for his 47th consecutive start. Collins' time on the field was short-lived, however, after he aggravated the injury in the first half and did not return.
"I wasn't 100% [vs. the Eagles] at all," Collins said. "I just felt like my presence on the field would help my defense. It kind of did in the first half and I tried to just make it work from there. It was working until I tweaked it."
"He's still hopeful," Spagnuolo said when asked about shutting Collins down. "We'll see. We got to be careful."
Collins received some good news yesterday. The Alabama product was elected as the starting strong safety on the NFC Pro Bowl team for the second consecutive year. Collins currently has 98 tackles (73 solo), which is 32 more than any other Giant. The 2018 Pro Bowl will be played on Jan. 28 in Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
"It means a lot," Collins said. "It's an honor, it's a blessing, definitely to go back-to-back. I look forward to it. It's definitely hard work and after the season that happened, to get the honor off of the season we had, it's a blessing and I appreciate that."
4. MANNING AND FITZGERALD CONNECTION GOES WAY BACK
There have only been three occurrences in the 47-year history of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award where co-winners were selected. The most recent came in 2016, when Eli Manning and Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald both received the honor. Manning's relationship with Fitzgerald goes all the way back to their playing days at Ole Miss and the University of Pittsburgh, respectively.
"Known him since college," Manning said. "We were up for the Heisman together our senior years and from then forward, I've kept up with him his whole time in Arizona, seen him around different times. Obviously last year, we both won the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award together, so I was around him a bunch there. Just a great person. Great football player. I've played some Pro bowls with him, thrown touchdowns to him in some Pro Bowls. So, we have a good relationship."
5. GETTLEMAN INTERVIEWS FOR GM ROLE
The Giants' search for the club's next general manager continued on Wednesday with Dave Gettleman becoming the second candidate to interview for the vacant position. On Monday, Marc Ross, the Giants vice president of player personnel, met with ownership about the role.
Gettleman interviewed with team president John Mara, chairman Steve Tisch and former general manager Ernie Accorsi, who is consulting with the Giants during the selection process. A 30-year NFL veteran, Gettleman most recently spent four seasons as the Carolina Panthers' general manager. Prior to that, Gettleman spent 15 years as a personnel executive in the Giants organization, most notably as the pro personnel director from 1999-2011. Gettleman, 66, has been a part of seven Super Bowl teams, including three winners.