Tag: Bryce Ford-Wheaton

Giants’ Bryce Ford-Wheaton out for season with torn ACL

The New York Giants have placed rookie WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton on season-ending injured reserve (IR) with a torn ACL.

The New York Giants saw eight players go down with an injury on Saturday night against the New York Jets and only one returned.

Of the other seven, rookie wide receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton suffered the most significant injury.

Meeting with reporters during a Zoom call on Saturday, Giants head coach revealed that Ford-Wheaton had suffered a torn ACL and was placed on injured reserve (IR). He will miss the remainder of the season.

Although Ford-Wheaton was a bit inconsistent as a receiver, he had excelled on special teams. Specifically, he was making his mark as a gunner and had drawn unprompted praise from Daboll, special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey and general manager Joe Schoen in recent weeks.

“The obvious with Bryce is just size, speed. He’s 6-foot-4, he’s 225 pounds, or 230, whatever he is, and runs 4.40,” Giants special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey told reporters on Wednesday.

“Those measurables are pretty special. Whenever you can get — and with him, he’s a very mature rookie. He goes about his business very professionally, he comes into meetings, he works his tail off, he’s attentive, and he wants to learn. So, when you have those qualities — smart, tough, dependable — and just those physical attributes, he has a really, really big upside, I think.”

Ford-Wheaton was on the fringe for a 53-man roster spot but appeared to have earned his way in. With him now out for the season, the Giants can carry another receive or one less body at the position.

Meanwhile, Daboll said defensive linemen D.J. Davidson and A’Shawn Robinson did not play against the Jets because they weren’t medically ready.

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Giants fall to Jets, 32-24, in Week 3 of preseason: 7 takeaways

The New York Giants fell to the New York Jets in Week 3 of the preseason and here are 7 quick takeaways from the game.

The New York Giants dropped their preseason finale to the New York Jets, 32-24, on Saturday night at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Here are seven takeaways from the final game of their exhibition season.

Giants fall to Jets in preseason finale as injuries pile up

The New York Giants dropped their preseason finale to the New York Jets and lost several players to injury in the process.

The New York Giants faced off against the New York Jets on Saturday night at MetLife Stadium in the final preseason game for both teams.

The game held significance in several ways. It was the Jets debut for superstar quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the final game for many young hopefuls on both sides who are competing for roster spots to strut their stuff as final cuts are due Tuesday afternoon.

The Giants, as the ‘home’ team, wore their blue jerseys while the Jets wore all white. Two veterans — wide receiver Sterling Shepard and linebacker Jihad Ward — served as game captains for Big Blue.

Gametime temperature was a balmy 84 degrees with 49 percent humidity and a slight wind of six miles per hour.

7 Giants to watch in Week 3 preseason game vs. Jets

The New York Giants close out the 2023 preseason on Saturday against the New York Jets and these seven players are worth keeping an eye on.

The New York Giants close out their 2023 preseason schedule this Saturday night against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey with roster spots — and some starting roles — still at stake.

Here are seven players to watch in the exhibition finale.

Giants’ Thomas McGaughey: Bryce Ford-Wheaton has ‘really, really big upside’

New York Giants rookie WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton has drawn praise from GM Joe Schoen and now special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey.

The New York Giants believe they have a find in former West Virginia wide receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton, who they signed after he went undrafted this spring.

BFW, as he is being referred to, has had a solid camp but is in a dogfight for a roster spot this summer as the Giants have a slew of high draft picks and veterans in front of him on the depth chart.

Ford-Wheaton’s official line in the Giants’ first two preseason games is two catches for 24 yards on five targets with a very noticeable drop. Both of his receptions, however, went for first downs.

If BFW has any designs of seeing his name on the 53-man roster after next Tuesday’s cutdowns, he might have to prove his mettle on special teams. So far, he’s impressed. Not as a returner, but as a gunner and in other areas.

“The obvious with Bryce is just size, speed. He’s 6-foot-4, he’s 225 pounds, or 230, whatever he is, and runs 4.40,” Giants special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey told reporters on Wednesday.

“Those measurables are pretty special. Whenever you can get — and with him, he’s a very mature rookie. He goes about his business very professionally, he comes into meetings, he works his tail off, he’s attentive, and he wants to learn. So, when you have those qualities — smart, tough, dependable — and just those physical attributes, he has a really, really big upside, I think.”

But is upside going to get this young stud a job? Not likely. Any player who is not a starter on offense or defense has to prove their value as a special teamer.

Should the Giants waive BFW on Tuesday, he has to pass through waivers in order to sign him to the practice squad but the odds are in favor of some other team claiming and adding him to their 53-man squad.

The upcoming preseason game against the Jets this Saturday night is an important one to Ford-Wheaton and many others. With a strong performance, he can make his case for the 53. If not, he might end up being an unfortunate casualty of circumstance.

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5 Giants with most to gain in preseason matchup vs. Panthers

The New York Giants play the Carolina Panthers this Friday in Week 2 of the preseason and these 5 players have the most to gain (or lose).

The New York Giants will host the Carolina Panthers in Week 2 of their 2023 preseason schedule on Friday night at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

It’s entirely possible the Giants play some of their starters before wrapping up the preseason next week against the New York Jets, but it’s unclear which players will appear or how many reps they will receive.

With that uncertainty in mind, here are five players with the most to gain in the game.

Giants have a problem at wide receiver and that’s a good thing

The New York Giants have more solid wide receivers than they have available spots, and that’s a good problem to have.

The New York Giants have a number of options at slot receiver this season, a situation made even more competitive after two veterans logged in solid showings Friday night in Detroit.

Cole Beasley caught all four of his targets for a total of 33 yards and Jamison Crowder reeled in both of his for 32 yards.

The Giants signed each veteran this offseason as insurance after the receiver cupboard ran bare last season due to injuries, forcing the team to sign players off the street.

One of the players they brought in last fall was Isaiah Hodgins, who provided the Giants with a huge boost down the stretch as they drove toward the playoffs.

On Friday night, Hodgins — a prospective starter on the outside — caught one pass for 13 yards to remind everyone that he’s still very much in the plans.

Head coach Brian Daboll put Hodgins in for 18 snaps in the game, some early on and then again later in the game.

“I thought it was good for him,” Daboll said. “He was a practice squad player for a while there and came on with us late, so I thought it was good to get him some reps early on with Tyrod (Taylor).”

The Giants’ wide receiver room is a very crowded one this summer and when the music stops on August 29 for final cuts there won’t be enough chairs. Several will be going home, or at the least, to the practice squad.

Sterling Shepard is back, along with Darius Slayton and Hodgins. They, along with third-rounder Jalin Hyatt and free agent Parris Campbell, are all shoe-ins to make the roster.

That leaves perhaps three open spots on the 53-man roster. With Beasley and Crowder stepping up, that number could be reduced to just one. Several players will have two games to make their cases.

Heralded rookie Bryce Ford-Wheaton did not have an impressive debut, failing to reel in any of his three targets and dropping a sure reception that hit him squarely in the chest.

The ever-reliable David Sills V made the most of his time, catching two passes for 36 yards, including one for a 22-yard gain. Sills is a long shot to make the team. The 27-year-old has been with the Giants since 2019, either on the active roster or the practice squad.

Kalil Pimpleton continues to play well, catching both of his chances for a total of 15 yards. He can also contribute on special teams as a returner.

Jaydon Mickens had a six-yard reception in the game, but he appears to be headed to the practice squad (at best).

Collin Johnson, who missed all of 2022 with an Achilles injury, left the game with a knee issue. The 6-foot-6 former Texas standout had been having a solid camp.

As of Saturday, Daboll did not have an updated status on Johnson’s injury.

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Giants fall to Lions: Winners, losers and those in between

The New York Giants fell to the Lions, 21-16, on Friday and here’s a look at our winners and losers (and those in between) from the game.

Editor’s note: Upon reviewing the game, we changed the entry for Deonte Banks, adding detail on what was a bang-bang play and difficult to read in real-time. Giants Wire writers disagreed (and still disagree) on what transpired.

The New York Giants opened the 2023 preseason on Friday night against the Detroit Lions and neither team played their key starters. There were a few spot starters on both sides but predominantly, the game featured depth players.

Accordingly, it was a rather ugly performance for each team. There was more bad than good, and neither coach is going to be particularly happy on Saturday morning.

Here are some winners, losers, and in-betweens from Fright night’s Giants’ victory/defeat.

Giants have logjam at wide receiver

The New York Giants will bring at least 15 wide receivers into training camp and half of those won’t make the 53-man roster.

The New York Giants will be taking 15 wide receivers to training camp this week, leading to the question — what is the plan?

Are they just throwing options against the wall to see what sticks? Or are they simply creating competition to see who will rise, or are they safeguarding themselves in case of a repeat of last year when they suffered an unusually high number of injuries?

It could be a little of both. The team found themselves shorthanded last season and they don’t want to get caught short again.

The unit will be run again by assistant coach Mike Groh and he will have a diverse group of players of all shapes, sizes and skill sets who possess a varied level of NFL experience.

Of the 15 players, perhaps eight of them will make the team’s final 53-man roster, and — if things go right — one or two of them could end up leading the team in targets and/or catches.

But that will be difficult. The Giants’ big move this offseason on offense was the trade for former Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller. He is expected to be heavily involved in the passing game.

So is running back Saquon Barkley, when he returns from his ‘holdout.’ Barkley has been the Giants’ best receiver when healthy the past few years and there’s no reason to stop throwing him the football.  Between he and Waller, there will be fewer opportunities for the wideouts, unless something changes.

So, what should fans expect this summer at wide receiver?

Expect the veterans to get the benefit of the doubt, at least in the beginning. That means initial work for Sterling Shepard, who is returning from another lost season due to injury, and Darius Slayton. Toss in Isaiah Hodgins and Wan’Dale Robinson (when he’s ready), along with free agents Parris Campbell, Jamison Crowder, Jeff Smith, Cole Beasley, and rookie Jalin Hyatt.

The Giants will try to forge a serviceable unit out of those names. They are top-heavy on slot receivers it seems so they might thin the herd there in favor of some outside options.

The others will all have to have monster camps to even be considered. Collin Johnson, David Sills and rookie Bryce Ford-Wheaton are interesting names to watch but where do they fit? Jaydon Mickens, Makai Polk and Kalil Pimpleton are long shots and will have to show special teams prowess to stick.

Wide receiver will be a heavily contested unit this summer and will be a fun one to follow.

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Giants’ Bryce Ford-Wheaton named an UDFA to watch

Pro Football Focus believes New York Giants WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton is among 12 UDFA to watch during training camp.

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Every season, hype surrounds a few undrafted rookie free agents and 2023 is no exception. Already, New York Giants wide receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton has become the center of attention, appearing on various UDFA watch lists.

Pro Football Focus is the latest to hop on that bandwagon, naming Ford-Wheaton to their very own “UDFA to watch in 2023” list.

One of the more notable players to not hear their name called on NFL draft weekend, Ford-Wheaton instantly pops on his 2022 film due to his explosiveness and body control downfield. While he ran a limited route tree at West Virginia and lacks some creativity after the catch, he showed strong hands, converting more than 50% of his contested targets into catches, and brings suddenness at the top of his routes to create additional separation.

The Giants’ receiving corps has improved, at least on paper, from this time last year, and Ford-Wheaton’s athletic profile and untapped potential as a route runner provide a ceiling for him to develop into a rotational piece.

Ford-Wheaton is one of the most athletic wide receivers to come out of college ever. His RAS score of 9.97 was the 11th-highest for any receiver since 1987 and had he performed better in the 3-cone drill (6.47), he might have scored the highest of all time.

Perhaps more impressive than Ford-Wheaton’s RAS score has been the pro comparisons to Pro Football Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson. That is exceptionally high praise.

But it’s important to remember that Ford-Wheaton hasn’t taken a single NFL snap and there’s a reason why he went undrafted. He’s not a perfect prospect by any stretch of the imagination and isn’t a lock to make the Giants’ 53-man roster. Still, the athleticism and potential are most certainly there.

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