Giants news, 8/6: Barkley, Jones speak ahead of Fan Fest

Good morning, New York Giants fans!

Daniel Jones focused on chemistry in the new offense | Big Blue View

Ahead of practice Friday night, BBV's Ed Valentine was on hand to hear Daniel Jones speak to the media about the work he and his teammates have been doing through the spring and summer.

“I think a lot of it is specific to this offense, to the scheme we are installing and plays we are running. I think every day you make progress with that kind of stuff as a group. Personally, you’ve got things you are working on, but I think collectively as a unit in the pass game and the run game, you’re getting on the same page,” Jones said. “I’d say from a chemistry standpoint, from an overall understanding of the offense, of seeing things the same way, I think that’s where we’ve made the most progress and that’s what we’ll continue to focus on.”

Giants RB Saquon Barkley on having ‘burst’ and confidence so far in camp

Giants curtain call for Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones? | CBSSports.com

Both Barkley and Jones are at a career crossroads, each staring down the final year of the rookie contracts in 2022 while playing for a new head coach in former Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and general manager in former Buffalo Bills assistant general manager Joe Schoen, neither of whom have to employ their starting backfield beyond this season to keep their jobs since the two were drafted by previous regimes.

Giants' Aaron Robinson looking to make impact in Year 2 | New York Post

In Wink Martindale’s pressure-heavy defensive system, steady cornerback play is imperative: With the pressure turned up, the corners are often left in one-on-one coverage. In turn, Robinson has spent camp trying to “tune every aspect” of his game. So far, he is not satisfied with his progression — a feeling more a product of lofty expectations than of poor play.

“Not up to my standard where I wanted it to be,” Robinson said. “But that’s why we have training camp. We’re still crafting, always finding things to tune up.

Wan’Dale Robinson impressing as Giants’ fearless, undersized slot wide receiver | NJ.com

Robinson knows he can be a versatile piece for Daboll’s new Giants offense — a small but elusive player who can be moved all over the formation, from the slot to the backfield.

“That’s just Dabes being creative and showing that we can do a lot of different things in this offense,” Robinson told NJ Advance Media. “We can move a lot of people around — and we all have a lot of different skill sets. It was fun.”

NFL News and Rumors Mailbag: Role for Wan'Dale Robinson in Giants offense? | Pro Football Network

PFN's Mike Kaye writes that "Robinson has really impressive lateral quickness and the ability to gain yards after the catch. Running seam and slant routes would appear to be his best usage and working the slot regularly could help him take advantage of his skills. Robinson and Sterling Shepard could rotate at the Z and slot spots with Kenny Golladay at the X position. Eventually, Robinson will take off as the No. 2 wideout in the offense."

"At 5-foot-8 and 185 pounds, Robinson is a smaller player, so it’s important to not put him in harm’s way too often. Giants head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka are both really creative, so there’s a strong chance that Robinson is used on gadget plays as well."

Giants' Shane Lemieux resembling Rich Seubert's 'toughness' | New York Post

Seubert was the starting left guard on the Giants’ 2007 Super Bowl team, renowned for his toughness and do-anything-to-get-it-done zeal on the field. It seems as if Lemieux has some of these same qualities. So, the call goes out, Seubert responds and is told there is something about this young offensive lineman that reminds this inside observer of him. The reaction is immediate.

“Did he start a fight in practice yet?’’ Seubert asks.

Well, as a matter of fact, yes. Lemieux was the instigator of the first scuffle of training camp this summer, mixing it up on Day 4 with defensive linemen Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams.

“See, there you go,’’ Seubert said, approvingly.

Baldy sees another guard in the Giants past that Lemieux reminds him of, one of the famed Suburbanites

Will Holden signing: Giants add veteran offensive tackle to 90-man roster | Big Blue View

n a move necessitated by the loss of Matt Gono this week, the New York Giants have signed veteran offensive tackle Will Holden to their 90-man roster. Fan favorite Niko Lalos was waived. Holden, 28, was one of three tackles who worked out for the Giants this week. The others were Mitch Hyatt and Kyle Murphy. A fifth-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in 2017, Holden has played in 27 games with nine starts.

2022 NFL training camps: First-stringers who could lose starting jobs | NFL.com

The assumption has been that QB Daniel Jones would be on a one-year trial with new coach Brian Daboll before the team figured out its long-term direction at quarterback. But NFL.com’s Eric Edholm wonders is it possible that Jones doesn’t even begin this season as the starter?

“Tyrod Taylor never played for Daboll in Buffalo, but that doesn’t mean Taylor couldn’t win the job if the Giants’ new leadership decides that Jones isn’t the long-term answer — and presumably never will be. After inheriting a flawed roster and messy salary-cap situation, Daboll has already hinted there could be growing pains this year. The smart money remains on Jones getting a shot to prove he can still be the starter, but the Giants could opt to pull a stunner and turn to Taylor.”

And a story of what Osi Umenyiora had to do to earn his first big payday

NY Giants’ Yusuf Corker pursuing roster spot with purpose | The Record

Xavier McKinney and Julian Love are the starting safeties and Andrew Adams will be asked to step up to help compensate for Dane Belton’s absence in sub-packages. Corker, 23, should get his opportunities, having already been working with the second-team defense heading into Friday night’s Blue and White scrimmage during Fan Fest at MetLife Stadium.

“Right now it doesn’t matter where you ended up or what round you were drafted in. I’m just ready to prove my worth,” Corker said. “Whenever you get your reps, you have to make the most of them, be noticed and make plays.”

Around the league

NFLPA files reply brief to NFL appeal of Deshaun Watson | ProFootballTalk

Another step toward the hearing of the NFL’s appeal of the six-game suspension given to Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson took place on Friday afternoon. The NFL Players Association announced that it has filed a brief replying to the league’s appeal. Friday was the deadline for the NFLPA to file that brief. The policy calls for an expedited decision on appeal, so former New Jersey Attorney General Peter Harvey's ruling should come in the near future and provide the Browns with clarity about when they might have their big acquisition of the year in the lineup.

Patriots training camp: Offense continues to be a work in progress | Pats Pulpit

The offense wasn't as bad as it was in the first two padded practices, but it was far from firing on all cylinders on Thursday. The struggles were highlighted during the first 11-on-11 session. There was a three-play stretch that included a coverage sack, run stuff by Davon Godchaux, and throwaway from Mac Jones. They ended that period with an incompletion to Jonnu Smith in which he seemed to take credit for running the wrong route. The offense continues to be a work in progress.

Kyle Shanahan: Jimmy Garoppolo's just trying to get his body ready for his next situation | ProFootballTalk

Shanahan also noted that Garoppolo and the team have mutually agreed it’s best to have Garoppolo working out on the side in this arrangement.

“We made it the best for both,” Shanahan said. “I mean, if Jimmy wanted to be in every single meeting and wanted to do everything, for sure we would let him. I would guess that isn’t what he would want, totally. And when we asked him, that was accurate — he didn’t totally want that. So he’s just trying to get his body ready for hopefully the next situation he goes into.”

Dak Prescott not fretting Cowboys’ WR corps | NFL.com

The Cowboys’ receiver corps is CeeDee Lamb and a bunch of young question marks. While there might be consternation about the Cowboys’ situation outside the locker room, quarterback Dak Prescott dismissed any worry.

“You’re never going to catch me looking at anything in my life as a step back. You’ve got an opportunity to move forward, you’ve got an opportunity to grow. If you don’t do that, you’re in trouble and you’ve already lost to begin with,” Prescott said, via the team’s official website. “I just know, the young guys that we’ve got, the guys that we already have are going to step in and take on bigger roles. I continue to say exciting, but that’s what it is. And the reason is, is because I feel like a lot of you — and people don’t know necessarily — what these guys are, what these guys can do.”

Sean McVay calls Matthew Stafford's elbow pain "a little bit abnormal" for a QB | ProFootballTalk

“It’s a little bit abnormal for a quarterback, some of this stuff is things that MLB pitchers deal with, so it is something that we’re kind of learning about on the fly and his feedback,” McVay said Thursday, via a transcript from the team. “We’re really trying to just figure out, ‘OK, how do we get the best plan in place to try to minimize some of the things that he was having to push through,’ while also giving him the confidence that, ‘Hey, I can really just, let it go, not have to worry about it, play to the best of my ability.’

In case you missed it

• Are the Giants the biggest sleeper in the NFL?
• Giants injury, roster tracker: Jarren Williams waived/injured
• Giants roster moves: DB Nate Meadors claimed off waivers
• Giants’ offensive depth chart/roster review: How things look at this point in training camp
• Giants’ defensive depth chart/roster review: How things look at this point in training camp

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