Mailbag: Yes, the Giants did conduct an extra minicamp

With the New York Giants fully in the throes of training camp, let’s open the Big Blue View mailbag and see what’s on your mind.

“Shady1776’ asks, via e-mail:

I thought first year coaches got an extra week of practice. Did that rule change and if not why didn't the Giants take advantage of it?

Ed says: Yes, first-year head coaches are allowed one extra veteran minicamp. The Giants did take advantage of it when they held the allowed voluntary veteran minicamp in the days leading up to the 2016 NFL Draft.

Here is the section of the Collective Bargaining Agreement that deals with these extra minicamps:

“If a Club hires a new head coach after the end of the prior regular season, that Club may hold one additional voluntary minicamp for veteran players. Any mandatory minicamp for veteran players shall count as one of the nine weeks of the Club's official offseason workout program ... Any voluntary minicamp for veteran players must be conducted prior to the College Draft, but no earlier than week three of the Club's offseason workout program and after at least one week of the two weeks of Phase One activities.”

Ed says: I can’t answer that one yet. The Giants have only held one practice, which was in shorts and t-shirts just like the spring workouts. They didn’t even do any 7-on-7 or 11-on-11 work Friday. The first fully-padded practice will be on Tuesday. That is when we will be able to begin answering that question.

Ed says: Milhouse isn’t replacing Harrison, let’s not make that leap. I do think it is noteworthy, however, that Milhouse ran with the first team rather than experienced defensive tackles Montori Hughes or Louis Nix. There is no time to waste first-team reps on a guy if you aren’t serious about him. The talent evaluators I’ve talked to really like the kid. I think what we saw Friday is an indication that the Giants believe the kid has a chance to make the team.

Ed says: We wrote Friday about Jake Long still being a free agent after apparently refusing to sign an injury waiver with the Baltimore Ravens, who had concerns about Long’s twice surgically-repaired knee. Other than that, the Giants will most likely have to wait until teams cut their rosters down at the end of the preseason to see if anyone interesting shakes loose.

Ed says: Well, the way you phrase the question takes right tackle off the table. So, two moves on defense concern me. I think the riskiest big-money free-agent signing was Janoris Jenkins. He could be great, but there is also bust potential there. I’m also concerned about middle linebacker, but the Giants pretty much use it as a two-down position so I’m not going to obsess over it. They obviously didn’t.

Ed says: Possibly several of them. Second-round pick Sterling Shepard and third-round pick Darian Thompson look like they have the inside track on starting jobs right now. First-round pick Eli Apple is going to play a lot. Fifth-round pick Paul Perkins might work his way into the running back picture eventually.