Giants news, 8/12: Kadarius Toney among players who missed New England game

Good morning, New York Giants fans!

Giants vs. Patriots final score: Giants win preseason opener, 23-21 | Big Blue View

The Giants won their preseason opener as Graham Gano kicked a 24-yard field goal as time expired. See all of our Giants-Patriots coverage.

Kadarius Toney left at home for New England game | ProFootballTalk

Wide receiver Kadarius Toney had a difficult time staying in the lineup for the Giants during his rookie season and that issue remains in place as the 2021 first-round pick starts his second season.

Per multiple reports, Toney did not make the trip and will not play. Toney has been limited in a number of practices during training camp after having knee surgery this offseason and he also appeared to hurt his hamstring during practice this week.

WR Rickie James with the reception off of CJ Board’s deflection

Giants 53-man roster projection: Updated look at potential roster as preseason starts | Big Blue View

With the New York Giants playing their first preseason game, BBV’s Ed Valentine offered his 53-man roster projection. There are quite a few changes since my pre-training camp projection.

The Giants first touchdown of the season, a 7-yard pass from Tyrod Taylor to Richie James

Giants QB Daniel Jones has to beat the odds to turn his career around | USA Today

Throughout NFL history — or, at least more recent NFL history — the ability of quarterbacks to reverse course when they’ve played down to Jones’ low level is not great. Per Football Outsiders, quarterbacks since 1981 who have posted DVOA (FO’s opponent-adjusted play-to-play efficiency metric) of -10.0% or lower in each of their first three NFL seasons do not turn it around in their fourth.

Jones’ Passing DVOA of -10.6 in 2021 ranked 26th in the league, and that’s the best DVOA he’s posted in a season. There was his -22.4% DVOA in 2020, which ranked 32nd, and his -19.2% DVOA in 2019, which ranked 30th.

Could acupuncture keep Saquon Barkley on field for Giants? | New York Post

Saquon Barkley was anxious when he first tried acupuncture, but now it just may be the secret to his, and the Giants’ season. He overcame his trepidation, though, and came away pleased with his first treatment. This was back in 2018, Barkley’s rookie year, and he has been a proponent of the traditional Chinese medicine ever since.

“I think it just helps with releasing the muscle and just helping me feel better,” Barkley said. “Some people like acupuncture, some people don’t; some people like cupping [therapy], some people don’t. Everyone has different methods they like, and for me personally, especially these last couple years, trying everything to get my body back.”

Roy Mbaeteka: NY Giants rookie turning dream into reality | The Record

Not long ago his coaches in Nigeria would show him YouTube videos, mostly of offensive linemen participating in drills, and their advice: Watch 'em and well, try to do that.

“We had no idea what they were calling in the huddles or if the defense was moving, all we saw was the movements of the players,” Mbaeteka said in a recent interview, laughing at just how crazy of a request that was given the context of the situation. “The idea was: He’s coming, block him. You’re big, take him out - block him. That was all. Make sure the quarterback has enough time to throw the ball and you hold this guy away for at least five seconds so he has time to throw it. That was how I was being taught. As simple as that. This, what I'm doing now? This is a dream come true.”

Football Outsiders says ‘Take the under’ on the Giants| Big Blue View

Football Outsiders staff writers Bryan Knowles and Cale Clinton had a conversation about the state of the NFC East, centered around whether they would take the “Over” or “Under” with each team’s projected win total. Let’s start with the bottom line up front, then get to their reasoning: They hung an over/under of 7 wins on the Giants, and agreed that we should probably expect fewer wins than 7 wins.

Giants draft bust works out for NFC contender | NJ.com

Deandre Baker worked out Wednesday for the Arizona Cardinals, four days after he was cut by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Best 2023 NFL draft prospect on all 65 Power 5 college football teams | ESPN

The household names such as Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud are listed, but have you heard of Tyree Wilson (Texas Tech) and Brett Johnson (California)? They’re prospects NFL scouts believe can be top 10 picks. Print it, bookmark it or save it — this is a piece you’ll want to reference throughout the season. These are the best potential NFL players in all five major conferences, including double-digit quarterbacks.

Around the league

NFL will yet again crack down on roughing the passer calls | CBSSports.com

The league’s officiating department, in consultation with the competition committee, will ease off some of the roughing calls that have caused many of us watching to say, “What was the defender supposed to do?!”

While “forcible” contact to the head or legs of the quarterback will still be properly ruled as roughing the passer, the incidental contact to the passer should not draw a flag, according to documents provided by the NFL. Walt Anderson, the NFL’s SVP and head of officiating training and development, has instructed his officials of these new rules throughout the offseason, and officials are explaining the rule clarifications to coaches and teams during training camp this preseason.

Todd Bowles: Tom Brady won’t return until after second preseason game | ProFootballTalk

Head coach Todd Bowles told reporters in his press conference that Brady will remain away from the club through Tampa Bay’s second preseason game on Aug. 20.

“Tom has been excused today. He’ll be taking — he’ll be back somewhere around after Tennessee. He’s going to deal with some personal things,” Bowles said. “This is something we talked about before training camp started. We allotted this time because he wanted to get in and get chemistry with the guys and go through two weeks of training camp, knowing he wasn’t going to play the first two games... it’s something he needs to handle.”

Deshaun Watson expected to start in Browns’ preseason opener | CBSSports.com

The Browns announced on Wednesday that Watson is expected to start in Friday’s preseason game along with most of Cleveland’s starters against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Browns won’t be able to start Watson on Friday if NFL designee Peter C. Harvey abides by the league’s wishes to indefinitely suspend the former Texans quarterback prior to kickoff. Under the collective bargaining agreement, any decision made by the appeals officer constitutes a “full, final and complete disposition of the dispute.” Watson was recently hit with a six-game suspension, one that the NFL is hoping to increase. Watson recently faced 24 civil lawsuits that accused him of sexual misconduct during massage sessions during his time with the Houston Texans. He has since settled 23 of those suits.

New Bronco CEO Greg Penner is mum on Russell Wilson contract | ProFootballTalk

Wilson has two years left on his existing contract. He typically gets a new deal with one season remaining. The Broncos, by giving up so much to get him, obviously have welcomed the reality of giving him a major deal. The biggest question is whether he’ll squeeze a fully-guaranteed deal from an ownership that can sneeze $200 million or so into escrow, for the purposes of complying with the league’s outdated funding rule.

Former first-rounder Jalen Reagor: Battling for Eagles roster spot 'a humbling experience' | NFL.com

Leading into training camp, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman admitted he "expected more from" Reagor by this point, while head coach Nick Sirianni flatly said the wideout was "battling for a spot." Considering the spot he's in now, Reagor is admittedly sheepish due to the circumstances and propelled to work hard to overcome the uncertainty.

"I love a good challenge. It's a humbling experience, 'cause you go from a first-rounder to you're battling," Reagor said Wednesday, via the team website's Dave Spadaro. "But I like challenges, though.

In case you missed it

• NFL power rankings: Giants enter preseason near the bottom
• Giants vs. Patriots: 5 things to watch in the first preseason game

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