New York Giants news, 7/31: Beckham's challenge to Shepard, more

Let's check your Sunday morning headlines.

By Ed Valentine@Valentine_Ed Jul 31, 2016, 8:43am EDT

Sterling Shepard lines up during training camp.

Happy Sunday, New York Giants fans! It's a wet one out there in the New York/New Jersey area that has caused today's practice to be moved indoors and closed to the public. We're doing everything we can here at Big , Blue View to bring you as much camp coverage as possible, but there are also several other writers out there bringing you valuable information. Let's scan the headlines and catch up with some of it.

Odell Beckham challenges Sterling Shepard

Odell Beckham has laid out a lofty goal for rookie wide receiver Sterling Shepard -- 1,306 receiving yards. That's one more than Beckham compiled during his record-setting rookie season.

"We had already talked about it [during spring workouts], and he had told me he wanted me to go get that number, to strive to go get it," Shepard recalled with a smile. "It’s a challenge, but gives me a bar to set, and when you set a bar, you want to set it really high, and that’s pretty darn high.

"If I get anywhere near that, I feel like it’s going to be a good season."

Eli Apple working on being "less handsy"

A tendency to grab has been the biggest flaw thus far for rookie cornerback Eli Apple. He is well aware of it and attempting to correct it.

"I just have to be a little more disciplined with my hands, knowing I have to take them off."

DRC: No issue with playing in the slot

Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie spent considerable time in the spring practicing in the slot, and that has continued during training camp. When Rodgers-Cromartie played in the slot a few seasons ago with the Philadelphia Eagles, it didn't go well. Rodgers-Cromartie insists it won't be an issue this year if he plays the slot because the Giants are allowing him to prepare.

"In Philly, it was just thrown out there," he said on Saturday. "Whole time in camp playing outside, and then in season comes, you're just thrown in nickel. So it's just learning. At least here, doing the OTAs, I understood where I was going to be at for some parts, and got on it early." ...

"I want to be on that field at the end of the day," DRC said. "So if I've got to go out there and play D-end, then I'm going to D-end. It really doesn't matter. You want to be outside, you want to be where you're comfortable at, but at the end of the day, you just want to be on the field."

Matt LaCosse treasuring every day

Tight end Matt LaCosse ended up waived/injured after one training camp practice a year ago. He has already made it farther this time around, and he has a new perspective.

"Me getting cut showed me how, for lack of a better term, brutal this league is," LaCosse told Newsday on Saturday, after making it through his SECOND practice of the summer, breaking his own record.

"I'm just thankful for the opportunity that first of all they called me back and now that they're giving me the opportunity to compete for playing time," he said. "Last year was a feel out - ‘let's see how this kid is.' This year I feel like I'm competing and I did pretty well in the offseason (program) so I'm trying to continue that to now."