Category: Giants Training Camp

Giants’ Brian Daboll won’t commit to Week 1 return for Evan Neal

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll says RT Evan Neal is “day to day” but refuses to commit to a Week 1 return.

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll addressed the media on Sunday morning before his team’s practice at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.

The players had a day off on Saturday but it was back to business on Sunday.

Daboll announced the team released quarterback Nathan Rourke, leaving the team with just three for the remainder of training camp. Meanwhile, rookie tight end Theo Johnson, a fourth-round pick out of Penn State, was activated off the PUP list.

Daboll also said rookie safety Tyler Nubin (calf) would not practice again on Sunday but was “getting close” to returning. Defensive lineman Timmy Horne (calf) will return to work after a short absence.

Center John Michael Schmitz (shoulder) will be limited on Sunday.

The status of right tackle Evan Neal remains murky with Daboll refusing to commit to a Week 1 return. Currently, Neal is considered “day-to-day.”

Daboll spoke about the value edge rusher Brian Burns has had on both the players he’s playing alongside (Kayvon Thibodeaux, Azeez Ojulari) and the players he’s going up against (left tackle Andrew Thomas).

The Giants will conduct their first padded practice of training camp on Monday.

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Giants rookies, first-year players report to training camp

Although the full team won’t report until next week, the New York Giants open training camp on Tuesday with the arrival of their rookies.

Football season is finally here, New York Giants fans.

Today, on Tuesday, July 16, rookies report to the team’s training facility — the Quest Diagnostics Training Center — in East Rutherford,  New Jersey with the veterans not due to report until July 23.

Rookies are defined as  “players who have never signed an NFL Player Contract with a Club in a prior League Year.” That includes all six of this year’s draft picks and subsequent undrafted free agents plus a score of others who fit that category.

Veteran quarterbacks and “injured players” are eligible to report no earlier than five days before the other vets to get a jump on training camp.

The Giants play their first preseason game at home on Thursday, August 8 against the Detroit Lions. Before the game that week, the Giants and Lions will hold joint practice sessions together at Quest.

Only eight NFL teams currently train away from their year-round facilities as opposed to 22 in 2001. The Giants have been holding training camp at their home facility since 2013.

They last trained away from home in 2012, at SUNY Albany, where they had trained every year since 1996 with the exception of 2011, when they stayed home.

Before Albany, the Giants had held camp at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey (1988-95) and Pace University in Westchester, New York before that from 1975-87.

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Giants will officially report to training camp on July 23

The New York Giants will officially report to training camp on Tuesday, July 23 and hold their first summer practice a day later.

The New York Giants will open their 2024 training camp at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Tuesday, July 23.

That is when the team will convene for the first time as a whole as the veterans will join the rookies and first-year players, who will report to camp on July 16.

The first training camp practice will be held on Wednesday, July 24.

The Giants completed their mandatory minicamp last week and have now dispersed for the next five weeks. Head coach Brian Daboll was asked what his message to the team would be in regards to their time off.

“I think when I first started in 2000, it’s not the exact same speech. You have to grow and learn. Obviously it’s different. Certainly you want to represent yourself, represent the organization the right way, be a pro both on and off the field, and let them know that we’re here for them if anything does come up,” he said.

“But they’re so used to structure right now. The players have been here since April. They have a routine and then you go away and I have kids that are some of those rookies ages and of course, you got to try to lead them, show them the right way.

“But we have a lot of good young men who do things the right way. That’s something we will address.”

The Giants will slap the pads on soon after going through non-contact drills in the offseason season program. Daboll called the offseason program and associated practices a “teaching camp.”

“There is good communication,” he said. “Those answers will all come as we get going in training camp. Got a little bit here before we start up here.  But the chemistry, the communication, those have been good. That’s what you’re looking for this time of year in an OTA without pads on. It’s important. Half of your offense is basically the offensive line, so the more communication, the more looks they can get, that’s where I told you one of the reasons I want to do so much team is for that reason. Team. Team reps.”

“Want to make sure we’re heading home healthy, ready to go,” he added.

They did that for the first time in years.

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What we learned from Giants’ 27-10 win over Eagles

The New York Giants defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 27-10, in Week 18 and here’s some of what we learned from that game.

The New York Giants defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 27-10, at MetLife Stadium on Sunday afternoon to close out the 2023 regular season.

It was a positive finish to an otherwise dismal season that saw the Giants finish 6-11 and out of the postseason one year after they made their first trip to the playoffs in six years.

Here are three things we learned from Sunday’s Week 18 game.

Giants’ Brian Daboll laments cutdown day: ‘It sucks’

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll is no fan of cutdown day, admitting it “sucks” for him after building relationships with each player.

Whether the NFL staggers training camp cuts or has a deadline for teams to trim their roster to 53 men all on the same day, it doesn’t matter. The conclusion of camp is a difficult one and something that New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll laments.

“To be completely honest, cutdown day sucks,” Daboll told reporters on Tuesday. “It really does because you develop relationships with players, you see how hard they work and to bring a player up to your office and let them know that we’re going in a different direction or they didn’t make the team, you get a lot of different reactions and I completely understand it. They’ve laid everything the have on the line and it’s a sports business but it’s a people business. If you have relationships with people, that’s not easy. It’s not easy for me.”

It will be especially difficult for Daboll here in 2023 because there is not only an abundance of talent at certain positions, but several players he’s been close with over the years are almost guaranteed to be in the crossfire.

The players aren’t immune to the emotions, either. Not only does their anxiety rise on cutdown day itself, they feel the growing pressure to perform leading up to the deadline.

“Look, they’re human, so you know that as it gets closer to a cutdown date, I’m sure some players feel that way,” Daboll said. “Again, you just try to be open and honest with everybody. The team is not cut down yet. There’s plenty of opportunities for people to show what they can do, particularly in this last game. Again, empathy goes a long way, I think.”

Teams have until 4:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday to reduce their respective roster to 53 players.

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Giants’ Jalin Hyatt wants to win Offensive Rookie of the Year

New York Giants WR Jalin Hyatt has set a lofty goal for himself: Winning the 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.

The New York Giants third-round selection in this year’s draft, Tennessee wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, is setting lofty goals for himself in his first year in the NFL.

Thus far in camp, Hyatt has been very impressive. Impressive to the point where he’s opening eyes and setting records for speed that has not been seen in the league in many years.

“I always set high goals for myself,” Hyatt said on Thursday after another super showing on the practice field.

“A high goal is I want to be Offensive Rookie of the Year. I think that’s the biggest thing I want to do. But we’re going to get there. It’s going to be day by day, we’re going to stack days, and even if it’s a good day or a bad day, we’re going to learn from it and get better.”

If Hyatt can pull off winning the OROY, he’ll be the third Giant in past decade to receive the award. Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (2014) and running back Saquon Barkley (2018) are the others.

Hyatt is not short on confidence, however. He believes in his ability.

“I think I can do everything,” he said. “I want to be a complete receiver. I think that’s the biggest thing for me, and that’s going to be day by day. Just getting more comfortable as far as in the league and how defenders are and how they cover; everything is more in tight space, so just getting open quicker. But that’s what I want to show, that I’m a complete receiver.”

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Giants OC Mike Kafka talks Northwestern, Daniel Jones’ development, rookies

New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka spoke on a number of topics on Thursday, including Northwestern and quarterback Daniel Jones’ development.

New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka was a hot name on the NFL head-coaching carousel this past winter, as he was interviewed — and seriously considered — by as many as five teams.

Kafka did not land any of the open jobs and returned to the Giants with a little more juice as he heads into his second season running the offense for head coach Brian Daboll.

One job opening that could intrigue Kafka going forward is the one at his college alma mater, Northwestern, where head coach Pat Fitzgerald was recently fired after 17 seasons following a hazing scandal.

Kafka, a quarterback, both played and coached under Fitzgerald at Northwestern.

He opened his presser at Giants’ training camp on Thursday morning with some remarks about NU and Fitzgerald, while noting he’s “just focused on today” when asked about the head-coach vacancy there.

Of course, Kafka had to field questions regarding the development of quarterback Daniel Jones, who is entering Year 2 in the offense. He said Jones is now able to “problem-solve faster.”

Kafka also said he and Giants defensive coordinator, Wink Martindale, work together to try to make each unit better during drills.

In addition, Kakfa had positive things to say about several young players, including wide receivers Isaiah Hodgins and rookie Jalin Hyatt, and his rookie center, John Michael Schmitz, who Martindale is sending the kitchen sink at in practices.

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5 standouts from Giants’ first week of training camp

A look at five New York Giants who stood out during the first week of training camp.

The New York Giants have completed their first week of training camp and things have been relatively quiet.

As things go for the Giants, that’s always a positive. That means no injuries, no controversy and lots of harmony.

There has been some news, however, in the way of standout players. Here’s five players who have impressed thus far.

Giants players excited for Azeez Ojulari ahead of third season

“If you can get him 17 games, who knows how many sacks you’ll get,” Kayvon Thibodeaux said of fellow New York Giants edge rusher Azeez Ojulari.

When the New York Giants selected Georgia outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari No. 50 overall in the 2021 NFL draft, many experts felt they got a steal with someone who they believed was a first-round talent — and, maybe they are right.

Unfortunately, after a promising rookie season where Ojulari set a new Giants franchise rookie record for sacks with eight, he immediately fell victim to the Big Blue injury curse.

Year 2 for Ojulari would prove to be frustrating. Held to just seven games and five starts by a calf issue, he never got on track health-wise but still managed to log 5.5 sacks on the season.

Kayvon Thibodeaux was drafted last April to augment the pass-rush opposite Ojulari but the two were rarely on the field together. He hopes that changes this year.

“It’s going to be exciting,” said Thibodeaux this week at camp. “For him (Ojulari) on paper, you know how many sacks he had to how many plays he had, so just knowing that, I mean, if you can get him 17 games, who knows how many sacks you’ll get. Yeah, he’s definitely one of the most talented pass rushers I’ve ever played with. So yeah, I’m excited to really get it going.”

Veteran defensive lineman Leonard Williams also holds Ojulari in high regard.

“Azeez is a great player to have on the team,” Williams said. “He’s a great player to have on the field. It’s unfortunate when guys ever go through injuries and stuff like that. When he was on the field, he was very productive. I think having him out there is always a great thing. I think he’s focusing a lot on taking care of himself and taking care of his body to make sure that he is out there as much as he can be.

“I think he has a natural feel for the game and natural feel for pass rushing,” he added. “I think it’s smooth the way he pass rushes. It doesn’t seem like he has to try too hard. I think it’s great to have all four of us, and even the more additions that we added to the team, just healthy on the field when we’re called upon. We’re trying to create more bond between us all this year and work together.”

The Giants’ defense is beginning to come together, especially in the front seven.

With Williams and Pro Bowler Dexter Lawrence upfront, and with Bobby Okereke at inside linebacker and flanked by Thibodeaux and Ojulari, this group has to have Giant fans amped this summer.

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Photos from Giants’ first week of training camp practices

The photos from the New York Giants’ first week of training camp practices.

The New York Giants are into their second week of training camp, with Tuesday being a big day for the team.

It’s a big day because the Giants will be wearing pads for the first time this summer and that’s when the evaluations from coaches really start and, in turn, the competitions heat up.

But before we get to the biggest day of training camp thus far, here’s a look back at the first week of practice, via photos.