Here is your Monday morning practice report from New York Giants Training Camp here at a cool, overcast University at Albany.
The Giants went through a full workout in shorts and shells, and we saw some 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 for the first time.
- I will be honest here. I spent all of last summer's training camp trying to figure out who Bill Sheridan was. You never saw him, or heard him. It's beating a dead horse a little, but that's not an issue with new defensive coordinator Perry Fewell. After the first place of 11-on-11s this morning Fewell came sprinting toward his defense. "Back in the huddle, back in the huddle," Fewell was screaming. "Let's be the ones to set the tempo."
- Fewell had more reason to scream later when Corey Webster made the play of the day. Webster made a tremendous one-handed leaping interception of a deep from down the right sideline from Eli Manning intended for Mario Manningham. Fewell was screaming "score, score" and chasing Webster down the sideline. Yes, times have changed on the defensive side.
- Mixed results today, at least to my eyes, for Ramses Barden. A tremendous leaping, stumbling catch on a long ball from from, I believe, Eli. The catch was made against D.J. Johnson. Working against Webster, though, Barden got blown up on one play and never got off the line of scrimmage. Later, he did beat C-Web, who was seen holding Barden's jersey to keep him from getting away.
- Bad morning for Travis Beckum. Dropped a beautiful seam pass from Rhett Bomar to start. Later, lined up as a traditional tight end, practically got shoved to the ground by defensive end Tommie Hill. Beckum lined up in the slot, at tight end and in the backfield. He simply has to be able to do better than that as a blocker, though, if the Giants are going to be able to get him on the field.
- Madison Hedgecock dropped both passes thrown his way this morning. Yes, it's still not a good idea to throw the ball his way.
- Ahmad Bradshaw looked good this morning. Taking a pitch from Manning AB looked up to see Antrel Rolle already in the backfield. Only Rolle never had a chance to make a play as Bradshaw cut quickly and was gone up the field. A great sign for the Giants.
- It is really difficult to judge the run game, or run defense in these settings. Clint Sintim did make one nice play in the backfield, though.
- Nice leaping catch from Andre Brown on a pass from Sorgi down the right sideline. Brown, coming back from Achilles Tendon surgery, seemed to move well.
More later on.