EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Brian Daboll likes to have former Giants address the team after training camp practices. Last week, Super Bowl champions Amani Toomer and Brandon Jacobs had an opportunity to speak to the players.

Today's post-practice speech was delivered by the best quarterback in franchise history. Eli Manning, two-time Super Bowl MVP and owner of most of the team's significant passing records, watched practice from the sideline before delivering a short but inspiring speech.

"(He said) just come out and trust in the process," said defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. "Being a good teammate and being a good person to people you're around every day, competing. You know, if you're not getting better, you're getting worse type of thing. Just having that mental thing going through camp is good."

"Just come out every day and don't take it for granted," linebacker Tae Crowder said. "Just come and be ready to work. Just have fun with it."

What was Crowder's reaction to having Manning in the post-practice huddle?

"That was pretty cool, I can't lie, that was cool," he said. "Just growing up watching Eli and just seeing all the great things he did. To come back and talk to the team, I feel like that means a lot to the team and everyone in the building. … I was excited. It's a blessing to be in the position that we're in and just to have someone come and talk like him, it's amazing."

Lawrence was a rookie in 2019, which was the last of Manning's record 16 seasons with the team. He is one of 10 current Giants who was a teammate of Manning's.

"I played with him for one year - I always call him the GOAT," Lawrence said. "I mess around with him and all this stuff, but you know, it's good to see his face. It's been a while since he could actually come around and talk because of COVID and stuff, but it's good to hear the message from him today."

*On Saturday, rookie safety Dane Belton jumped in the end zone to intercept a pass from Daniel Jones that was intended for David Sills. Later in the practice, he suffered an injury that has his left arm in a sling and has sidelined him indefinitely. Belton, a fourth-round draft choice from Iowa, could miss virtually his entire rookie training camp.

"It's always tough," Daboll said. "You feel terrible for guys that that happens to. But he is smart. He was having a really good camp and doing a really good job with (safeties Julian) Love and (Xavier McKinney) X when we were throwing him in there. He's diligent. I'd say he's out there. He's out there at walkthroughs. He's out there at practice. He's really good in the film room. Does it hurt that you're not out there? Absolutely. But he's really mature for a young player, too. So, as soon as we can get him out there, that will be great. But until then, we'll work with whatever we can relative to the meetings, the practices, the time on task is always helpful."

Daboll said Belton does not need surgery.

*Center Jon Feliciano (heat/hydration) returned to the practice field but did not participate in team drills.

In his absence, Ben Bredesen and Jamil Douglas flip-flopped, with the former playing center with the first line and Douglas shifting to the second team.

*The Giants were in full pads yesterday, which gave Daboll his first extended look at the running game and particularly star back Saquon Barkley.

"He looks explosive," Daboll said. "He hit one yesterday and got out into the open field. I don't know what his GPS numbers were, but it was high. He was moving pretty good. He's explosive. He's quick. He's strong. He looks good to me."

*Tight end Ricky Seals-Jones remains sidelined.

*Lawrence was asked if his "usage" is different under new defensive coordinator Wink Martindale than it was playing for Patrick Graham.

"At the end of the day, it's football," he said. "I don't think my usage is different. I'm a force in the middle, and I'm going to keep being that."