Giants.com' brings you Training Camp notes and observations straight from the sidelines:
After players enjoyed a day off, the New York Giants returned to the field on Monday for training camp practice No. 9. They worked inside the fieldhouse due to inclement weather, and players were in shoulder pads with shorts. Here's a recap of the day:
• It's a game week at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center. The Giants host the Steelers in their preseason opener on Friday night at MetLife Stadium. Today was the first of three practices this week before their first game in seven months, but coach Ben McAdoo is keeping the team in training camp mode. He has yet to have his staff meeting about playing time for individual players.
• Wide receiver Sterling Shepard, who left last Wednesday's practice after rolling his ankle, did participate in individual drills, but no team periods yet for the second-year pro who caught eight touchdowns as a rookie. "He was running around," McAdoo said. "I didn't see any noticeable limp or anything like that. He was moving around, did some change of direction, looked fine," McAdoo didn't rule out seeing Shepard in any preseason games. "If he's ready to go," he said.
• Practice culminated with three rounds of the two-minute drill, the first time the team has done so this summer. Manning led the first drive with the first team, followed by Josh Johnson with the twos and then Geno Smith with the threes. In all three, the defense beat the offense, which needed a touchdown to "win" under today's scenario. All three ended in forced incompletions. Much like a scrimmage, do you credit the defense or scold the offense? "Little bit of both," McAdoo said. "It's nice to see the defense keep them out of the end zone when they needed to score. The offense had some sloppiness at the end of drives, where they need to get better. They need to be more crisp in finishing drives. There were some opportunities there, but the defense held them out nicely."
View the best photos from Giants Training Camp practice
• Sticking on the defensive side of the ball, cornerback Donte Deayon hauled in the lone interception of the day off Johnson. The 5-foot-9, 158-pound defensive back is looking to make the roster after spending time on the practice squad last year.
• Wide receiver Brandon Marshall had a big day, beginning with an entertaining one-on-one drill, where he got a step on second-year cornerback Eli Apple as Manning fired a deep pass down the right sideline. With the ball coming over his shoulder, Marshall used one hand to flick it up to himself and secure it for a big gain. Apple got one back and nearly had a pick-six later in practice.
• Wide receiver Darius Powe, part of a stiff competition behind the top trio of receivers, had another solid practice today and caught a touchdown from Smith on a free play for the offense.
• Wide receiver Dwayne Harris made a great catch down the sideline from Johnson during seven-on-seven work. After having a career year as a receiver in 2015, Harris caught only one pass last season – a 13-yard touchdown at Cleveland – but made his first Pro Bowl as a special teamer.
• If you haven't already checked it out, the Giants released their first unofficial depth chart of the season in advance of Friday's game. Don't read too much into it, but take a look. One of the things that stood out is Jay Bromley listed as a starting defensive tackle next to Damon Harrison. That was one of the few holes the team needed to fill this season after the departure of Johnathan Hankins in free agency. Bromley, originally a third-round pick out of Syracuse in 2014, has played in 40 career games in three seasons with four starts, all coming in 2015.
• The Giants practice again tomorrow and Wednesday, both of which are open to the public, weather permitting.
