EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The bleachers where fans sat during practice early this month have been dismantled. Saturday night marked the end of the preseason. The regular-season opener against the Minnesota Vikings is two weeks away.
But the Giants are taking the same approach to work that they've had for the last month.
"We still have a week left to go in training camp," coach Brian Daboll said after the Giants' 10-6 defeat to the Jets in their preseason finale. "I told those guys in there we're still focused on the New York Giants, and we'll have a bunch of good-on-good periods. We'll have another day in pads this upcoming week. The first day back (Tuesday) will only be the 53 guys because you can't have the practice squad guys out there, so that'll be geared down. But there'll be pads and there'll be competitive periods and still things we need to clean up. But I like the direction we're going."
The Giants will practice Tuesday through Thursday this week before taking three days off on Labor Day Weekend. On a Zoom call with reporters, Daboll again said, "this is still a training camp week for us coming up these next few days."
Daboll also expounded on what the Giants players can expect in the coming week.
"We've really been focused on our team and our fundamentals and the things that we can do to improve for us," he said. "If you start too early on a (opposing) team, which we don't do with the players, I think it can get stale. It's like when you're going to a Super Bowl and you have two weeks to prepare, like how much you give the players versus not give the players. You want to keep it fresh. You want to keep them locked in, so it doesn't get dull later in the week. So, we're really going to focus on us.
"There's certainly things from the start of training camp to now that I'd say the defense needs to correct some things, the offense, the special teams. We'll compete against one another. We'll also do some carded things on plays we think or situations that we think each side needs."
The Giants coaching staff will also continue their preparation for the Vikings.
"The young coaches and the coaches that break down the opponents that we're facing, you do some of that work in the off season against the teams you're playing early in the year," Daboll said. "At least we do. So, you can get a baseline. And then I'd say once this time of year starts to hit, after these cuts, you have two weeks. In two weeks' time, we'll be playing right now. We've done some work. We'll continue to do work as a coach and staff, but the focus for the players will be the things we need to fix throughout training camp. We'll get into Minnesota soon enough, but not these next couple of days."
*None of the Giants' six 2024 draft choices played vs. the Jets. Normally, coaches use the final preseason game to get their late-round selections some game experience. What factored into that decision.
"One, I think we've practiced the right way," Daboll said. "We had 140 or 140 plus snaps of more team reps in pads than we did the year before. We had over 500 more team reps when you include OTAs and training camp than we did the year before. In terms of the planning and the preparation, plus we practiced against two teams. So that was the reasoning."
Why did he engineer such a significant change in training camp?
"I've been doing this for quite some time at a lot of different places," Daboll said. "Every year is a different year. (Executive director of player performance) Aaron Wellman came in and we sit down, the sports science staff, training staff, strength staff, and I'll lay out, 'This is kind of what I want to try to get accomplished' and talk about how to do it. And there's a lot of discussion going on.
"Some of those reps we talked about were in OTAs from one year to the next. We didn't do any team, which I thought was important. And then really specifically designed for D.J. (Daniel Jones) to give him more team reps and less 7-on-7, like we've talked about, to handle pressures and rush lanes, stepping up in the pocket. Thought that was important. We did more 9-on-7 than we did the year before. We did, like I said, a bunch more padded plays. We were 140 (more), I think it was. So, it was something that was a point of emphasis that I thought we needed, the coaches thought we needed. And we just try to do what we thought was best."
*Daboll had no updates on six of the seven players who were injured last night, notably offensive linemen John Michael Schmitz and Evan Neal. Well, no official medical updates.
"I saw John Michael right before I came in here," Daboll said. "He was in the meal room. He's in good spirits. Don't want you to give you information that… I want to make sure it's right from what I get from the doctors and trainers. But he's walking around fine. "
Daboll had yet to see Neal when he spoke to the media.
*Several players who have missed practice time with injuries should return this week, including quarterback Drew Lock, guard Jon Runyan, linebacker Carter Coughlin, cornerback Cor'Dale Flott, and rookie cornerback Dru Phillips.
Lock, signed to be Jones' primary backup, has not taken any team reps since suffering an oblique injury against Detroit on Aug. 8.
"He actually wanted to do some stuff last week to see how it felt, and he really pushed the envelope to be out there," Daboll said. "He's a tough young man. And then we backed off a bit based on how he felt. But I think he's feeling better. So, we'll see where we're at this week."
"They'll be doing more than they did last week or in Runyan's case, doing something with the guys that were out," Daboll said
*The Giants began the process of reducing their roster to the 53-man regular-season limit by releasing 12 players. The group includes one former draft choice, offensive lineman Marcus McKethan, a fifth-round selection in 2022.
Running back Joshua Kelley, cornerbacks Breon Borders and Christian Holmes, and defensive tackle Timmy Horne were the other players among those cut with NFL experience. Kelley was signed 10 days ago after spending four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers. Borders joined the team on July 28 after stints with 11 teams. Holmes spent two seasons in Washington before he was awarded off waivers to the Giants on Aug. 5.
Horne and safety Jonathan Sutherland were waived/injured. Horne suffered a torn Achilles tendon on the first play from scrimmage last night. He played in one game for the Giants last season.
The other players who were waived are wide receiver Ayir Asante, defensive tackle Kyler Baugh, safety Clayton Isbell, wide receiver John Jiles, linebacker Trey Kiser and running back Lorenzo Lingard.
The moves leave the Giants with 78 players, plus kicker Jude McAtamney, who gets an international exemption. They must reduce their roster by 25 more players by 4 p.m. Tuesday.
*Allen Robinson was by far the most experienced Giants player to participate in the game last night. He has played in 130 regular season and postseason games and caught a combined 580 passes. Robinson, who turned 31 yesterday, signed with the Giants on May 9, two months after he was released by the Pittsburgh Steelers, for whom he started all 17 games in 2023.
With several talented receivers much younger than him on the roster, Robinson must sweat out cutdown day like a rookie free agent.
"Whatever, whatever is gonna happen is gonna happen," Robinson said. "If you had asked me a few weeks ago how I approach it, I would have said, 'Put together good days in training camp, you know, be consistent, and so on and so forth.' At this stage of the game, whatever is meant to be is meant to be."
Two players who could be competing for one roster spot – Robinson and Isaiah Hodgins – were the Giants' starting receivers against the Jets. Robinson caught one pass for four yards and ran once for 10 more and a first down. He had three receptions for 23 yards in the three-game preseason. He'll soon learn if that's enough to claim a roster spot.
"What happens is out of my control," he said. "I feel like I've controlled everything that I could up until this point as far as the physical aspect of it going out there each and every day competing in practice, getting better, making plays, being consistent.
"For me, it just was about going out there, as cliche as it may sound, and getting better, being better. I felt like I was able to do that."
*The Giants finished 1-2 in the preseason for the second straight year.
View photos of every move made by the Giants during the 2024 cycle.
FB/TE Jakob Johnson - Free Agent Signing (September 10)
G Cade Mays - Practice Squad Exception (September 10)
OT Marcellus Johnson - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (September 10)
WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette - Free Agent Signing (September 9)
LB Curtis Bolton - Practice Squad Veteran (September 9)
LB Carter Coughlin - Practice Squad; Injured (September 9)
LB Ty Summers - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 7)
LB Carter Coughlin - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 7)
LB Curtis Bolton - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (September 7)
ILB Carter Coughlin - Practice Squad Veteran (September 6)
TE/FB Jakob Johnson - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (September 6)
ILB Carter Coughlin - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (September 5)
OT Yodny Cajuste - Terminated, Vested Veteran, Injury Settlement (September 4)
WR Isaiah McKenzie - Terminated, Vested Veteran, Injury Settlement (September 3)
FB/TE Jakob Johnson - Practice Squad Veteran (September 2)
WR Miles Boykin - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (September 2)
CB Adoree' Jackson - Free Agent Signing (August 31)
FB/TE Jakob Johnson - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 31)
S Gervarrius Owens - Practice Squad (August 30)
LB K.J. Cloyd - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (August 30)
FB/TE Jakob Johnson - Free Agent Signing from NYG Practice Squad (August 29)
C Austin Schlottmann - Reserve/Injured (August 29)
DB Duke Shelley - Practice Squad Veteran (August 29)
DE Elijah Garcia - Practice Squad (August 29)
DB Art Green - Practice Squad (August 29)
LB Curtis Bolton - Free Agent Signing (August 28)
ILB Dyontae Johnson - Reserve/Injured (August 28)
OLB Tomon Fox - Practice Squad Exception (August 28)
C Jimmy Morrissey - Practice Squad Exception (August 28)
K Jude McAtamney - International Practice Player Signing (August 28)
WR Miles Boykin, TE Lawrence Cager, WR Isaiah Hodgins, FB/TE Jakob Johnson, OT Joshua Miles, LB Ty Summers - Practice Squad Veteran (August 28)
LB K.J. Cloyd, DB Alex Johnson, OT Marcellus Johnson, DB Raheem Layne, RB Dante Miller, DL Casey Rogers - Practice Squad (August 28)
S Anthony Johnson - Claimed off Waivers from GB (August 28)
S Gervarrius Owens - Waived, No Recall (August 28)
LB Matthew Adams - Reserve/Injured - Designated for Return (August 27)
WR Isaiah McKenzie - Reserve/Injured; Prior to Cut to 53 (August 27)
LB Darrian Beavers, LB K.J. Cloyd, LB Tomon Fox, DB Alex Johnson, OT Marcellus Johnson, DB Raheem Layne, K Jude McAtamney, RB Dante Miller, C Jimmy Morrissey, DT Casey Rogers, TE Jack Stoll - Waived (August 27)
WR Miles Boykin, TE Lawrence Cager, DB Tre Herndon, WR Isaiah Hodgins, DB Darnay Holmes, FB/TE Jakob Johnson, DB David Long, OT Joshua Miles, OT Matt Nelson, WR Allen Robinson - Terminated, Vested Veteran (August 27)
DB Mario Goodrich, G Jalen Mayfield, DE Ovie Oghoufo - Waived, Injured, Prior to Cut to 53 (August 27)
RB Joshua Kelley - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 25)
DB Breon Borders - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 25)
DB Jonathan Sutherland - Waived, Injured, Prior to Cut to 53 (August 25)
DT Timmy Horne - Waived, Injured, Prior to Cut to 53 (August 25)
WR Ayir Asante, DT Kyler Baugh, DB Christian Holmes, DB Clayton Isbell, WR John Jiles, LB Trey Kiser, RB Lorenzo Lingard, T Marcus McKethan - Waived, No Recall (August 25)
DB Clayton Isbell - Free Agent Signing (August 20)
WR Dennis Houston - Waived/Injured (August 20)
DT Kyler Baugh - Free Agent Signing (August 19)
LB Trey Kiser - Free Agent Signing (August 19)
DL Ryder Anderson - Waived/Injured (August 19)
OT Yodny Cajuste - Reserve/Injured (August 19)
TE/FB Jakob Johnson - Free Agent Signing (August 16)
TE Tyree Jackson - Waived/Injured, Prior to Cut to 53 (August 16)
RB Joshua Kelley - Free Agent Signing (August 15)
S Raheem Layne - Free Agent Signing (August 15)
S Jonathan Sutherland - Free Agent Signing (August 15)
DL Jordan Phillips - Traded to Dallas Cowboys (August 15)
S Jalen Mills - Terminated, Vested Veteran, Failed Physical (August 15)
DB Elijah Riley - Reserve/Injured (August 15)
RB Lorenzo Lingard - Free Agent Signing (August 12)
RB Jacob Saylors - Waived, No Recall (August 11)
OT Evan Neal - Passed Physical (August 11)
DB Kaleb Hayes - Waived, No Recall (August 11)
LB K.J. Cloyd - Free Agent Signing (August 11)
CB Christian Holmes - Claimed off Waivers from WAS (August 5)
RB Jashaun Corbin - Waived/Injured (August 5)
CB Mario Goodrich - Claimed off Waivers from PHI (July 31)
CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver - Terminated, Vested Veteran, Non-Football Injury (July 31)
OL Greg Van Roten - Free Agent Signing (July 30)
CB Aaron Robinson - Waived, Failed Physical (July 30)
DB Breon Borders - Free Agent Signing (July 28)
QB Nathan Rourke - Waived, No Recall (July 28)
TE Theo Johnson - Passed Physical (July 28)
OT Evan Neal - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 23)
CB Aaron Robinson - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 23)
DB Jalen Mills - Declared Non-Football Injury (July 23)
DB Stantley Thomas-Oliver - Declared Non-Football Injury (July 23)
TE Theo Johnson - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 16)
RB Jacob Saylors - Free Agent Signing (June 18)
WR Chase Cota - Reserve/Injured (June 18)
CB Tre Herndon - Free Agent Signing (June 12)
TE Darren Waller - Reserve/Retired (June 10)
S Tyler Nubin - Selection List Signing (May 31)
DB Elijah Riley - Free Agent Signing (May 30)
RB Gary Brightwell - Waived, Injured (May 30)
TE Theo Johnson - Selection List Signing (May 22)
LB Darius Muasau - Selection List Signing (May 15)
CB Dru Phillips - Selection List Signing (May 14)
DL Elijah Chatman - Free Agent Signing (May 13)
OLB Jeremiah Martin - Waived (May 13)
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. - Selection List Signing (May 10)
WR Malik Nabers - Selection List Signing (May 10)
K Jude McAtamney - Free Agent Signing: Exempt/International Player (May 10)
WR Ayir Asante, WR John Jiles, DB Alex Johnson, OT Marcellus Johnson, G Jake Kubas, DE Ovie Oghoufo, DL Casey Rogers - Free Agent Signing (May 10)
RB Deon Jackson - Waived, Injured (May 10)
WR Allen Robinson - Free Agent Signing (May 9)
QB Nathan Rourke - Claimed off waivers from New England (May 7)
DB David Long - Free Agent Signing (May 1)
Giants select LB Darius Muasau with No. 183 pick in 2024 NFL Draft
Giants select RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. with No. 166 pick in 2024 NFL Draft
Giants select TE Theo Johnson with No. 107 pick in 2024 NFL Draft
Giants select CB Dru Phillips with No. 70 pick in 2024 NFL Draft
Giants select S Tyler Nubin with No. 47 pick in 2024 NFL Draft
Giants select WR Malik Nabers with No. 6 pick in 2024 NFL Draft
DB Nick McCloud - Restricted Free Agent Signing (April 15)
LB Matthew Adams - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (April 12)
DL Jordan Phillips - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (April 11)
WR Miles Boykin - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (April 9)
S/LB Isaiah Simmons - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (April 5)
RB Dante Miller - Free Agent Signing (April 5)
WR Isaiah Hodgins - Free Agent Signing (March 24)
CB Darnay Holmes - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 22)
OT Matt Nelson - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 22)
OL Austin Schlottmann - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 18)
OL Aaron Stinnie - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 18)
TE Chris Manhertz - Free Agent Signing (March 16)
TE Jack Stoll - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 15)
OL Jon Runyan - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
OL Jermaine Eluemunor - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
RB Devin Singletary - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
QB Drew Lock - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
DB Jalen Mills - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
WR Isaiah McKenzie - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
WR/PR Gunner Olszewski - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
LB Carter Coughlin - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
OLB Brian Burns - Acquired via trade with Carolina Panthers (March 13)
LB Benton Whitley - Signed, Renegotiated Contract (March 12)
LS Casey Kreiter - Signed, Renegotiated Contract (March 12)
G Mark Glowinski - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (March 4)
C Jimmy Morrissey - Reserve/Future Signing (January 23)
WR Chase Cota - Reserve/Future Signing (January 23)
LB Tomon Fox - Reserve/Future Signing (January 10)
DL Ryder Anderson - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
OT Yodny Cajuste - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
DB Kaleb Hayes - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
WR Dennis Houston - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
RB Deon Jackson - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
ILB Dyontae Johnson - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
OLB Jeremiah Martin - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
G Jalen Mayfield - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
OT Joshua Miles - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
DB Stantley Thomas-Oliver - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
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