OTAs End: Giants “Got A Lot Of Teaching And Learning Done”

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants completed their 10th and final OTA on Friday, with the team’s mandatory mini-camp now set for next week. What was coach Ben McAdoo’s impression of the team’s offseason practices?

“They’re finished,” the second-year coach said.

McAdoo, though, did expand on the offseason program.

“It’s good to have eight weeks in, looking forward to mini-camp next week. We made a lot of progress. We got a lot of teaching and learning done, that’s the goal, and it looks like we have some chemistry going.

“Everything’s in from a teaching and learning standpoint. We just need to polish it up.”

Who Wasn’t There

Odell Beckham Jr., Olivier Vernon and Owamagbe Odighizuwa were not in attendance, as has been the case throughout OTAs. Justin Pugh and Bobby Hart were also not in attendance. Adam Gettis was at left guard for Pugh with the first group and rookie Adam Bisnowaty took first-team reps at right tackle in Hart’s spot.

Injury Updates

Tight end Rhett Ellison, who had been sitting out workouts with a calf injury, worked lightly on Friday. He did not participate in any of the team or individual drills, but did take some half-speed reps during what appeared to be an install phase of practice.

Donte Deayon, Eli Apple. Mykkele Thompson and Kevin Norwood did not practice. Linebacker J.T. Thomas, working his way back from a knee injury, did some light running on the side. Quarterback Geno Smith practiced, but did not do any work in offense vs. defense situations.

Wide received Kevin Snead appeared to injure his left hamstring while reaching to catch a deep ball from Davis Webb. He did make the catch, for what it’s worth.

Jarron Jones Plays Offense

Undrafted free agent Jarron Jones, a defensive tackle, during his career at Notre Dame, is getting a look at left tackle. Offensive line coaches Mike Solari and Lunda Wells spent a fair amount of time talking with Jones, and McAdoo admitted the Giants are taking a look at Jones on the offensive side.

“He’s a flexible young man. We look at our guys a bunch of different ways in the offseason,” McAdoo said. “We have some position flex periods in there we like to train ‘em and see what they can do give them an opportunity to stick in this league. Took a look at him the last couple of days in white (offense) jersey.”

Ereck Flowers Remains Mum

Media in attendance at Friday’s OTA hoped to hear from Ereck Flowers regarding the offseason work he has done in preparation for his third season. Flowers, though, noted for his disinclination to talk with reporters, declined to come out and speak. McAdoo, though, said again that the work Flowers has done is translating to the practice field.

“It has. He’s in tremendous condition, you can see it as practice goes on, especially in no-huddle period when the ones run back out there for the second time. He’s in better condition, so his feet move a little bit better, his technique’s a little bit better,” McAdoo said.

“It’s still early. We need to get the pads on these guys, especially the big guys and see how they come along with their fundamentals, but it definitely shows.”

Below, a peek at Flowers, who is on the right. It’s grainy, but gives you an idea of how much leaner he is.

Photo by Ed Valentine

No Update On Roger Lewis

Wide receiver Roger Lewis Jr. was at practice Friday. McAdoo had no update on anything regarding Lewis’s weekend arrest in Ohio.

McAdoo Lauds Rookies

McAdoo said he was pleased by what he has seen from the team’s young players thus far.

“I like our first-year players and I like our rookies,” he said. “I think we have a bunch of young players that are going to make a push for playing time.”

Practice Notes

Truthfully, there isn’t a lot to report from practice. This was a fairly light day, and much of the offense vs. defense work was conducted in the corner of a back field far from the view of reporters.

• Ryan Murphy had an interception, snagging a Josh Johnson pass after it bounced out of Lewis’s hands.
• Kerry Wynn blew inside of Bisnowaty for what would have been a sack, and possibly a safety, in a live situation.
• Undrafted defensive end Evan Schwan had a couple of pressures.
• Tight end Matt LaCosse got some first-team reps and made a nice catch in traffic on a ball Eli Manning squeezed through a number of defenders.