Good morning, New York Giants fans! Here are the stories you need to know as the Giants get ready to name their 53 man roster.
The Giants have held 21 practices from the start of training camp to this point. They held 15 practices over the same stretch last year. Harbaugh’s practices have been longer, with 12 sessions lasting more than two hours. Just four of Daboll’s practices ran over two hours last year.
Every coach drills situational football, but Harbaugh dedicates more time to game management — leading late, trailing late, end of half, etc. — than any of the previous four Giants coaches I’ve covered in the post-Tom Coughlin era. No stone has gone unturned by Harbaugh. The Giants have rehearsed everything from their pregame stretching routine to the victory formation. It will be shocking if the Giants aren’t effective at converting on fourth-and-1 because they’ve seemingly drilled that situation as much as any other this summer.
If you are a Giants fan and want to believe that this team can be frisky and compete for a wild-card spot this season, go for it. There’s a scenario in which Harbaugh shows he’s still got it, Dart is an exciting playmaker (and stays healthy), and Carter emerges as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
But I can’t get there. Harbaugh did not look like a great coach with the Ravens last year. I need to see a lot more from Dart before believing that he can be a real difference maker. This roster still has a lot of holes and lacks depth. And I’m not sure that the offensive coaching staff will be able to do more with less. This feels more like a transition year in which Harbaugh figures out which guys he wants to build with going forward. Projected record: 6-11
Round 1 (No. 10): Francis Mauigoa, G. Mauigoa fits in nicely on the Giants offensive line. He has been the starter at right guard since Day 1 of camp, where he has proven to be a big help with his nasty style of play, specifically in the run game. New York seems to have big plans for Mauigoa. The only downside is he missed some time this summer with a stinger, which comes after he was diagnosed with a herniated disc in his back earlier this year. It’s something to keep an eye on moving forward.
Round 2 (No. 37): Colton Hood, CB. It has been an up-and-down summer for Hood, but he is still competing with Deonte Banks, Greg Newsome II and Paulson Adebo for playing time at one of the two outside spots. It’s likely that Hood starts the season as a backup, but he’ll get a chance at some point. His competitiveness has flashed, which has made life difficult for receivers but also led to some penalties.
Arvell Reese, LB, New York Giants. When Arvell Reese was drafted No. 5 overall by the New York Giants, the premier question became whether he’d be staying at off-ball linebacker, or making the rumored transition to edge rusher. With the Giants loaded at defensive end, they decided to keep him at his college position. Reese has looked very comfortable at linebacker throughout camp. The former Ohio State standout has been displaying his athleticism and sideline-to-sideline ability.
John Harbaugh is not in the dream-crushing business. But the NFL reality is that the Giants are going to cut 38 players by Sunday to form a 53-man roster.
Harbaugh spent the final days of training camp telling his bubble players, “Your best dream is not too big – matter of fact it might not even be big enough.”
You probably could have sold tickets, perhaps even getting a few observers to pay market value.
The free agent workout held by the New York Giants on the morning of June 1 featured an All-Pro returner, a former second-round pick and two Super Bowl champions, including one of the most popular players in franchise history.
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