Takeaways from New York Giants practice on Monday

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants, who are “still in training camp mode,” according to head coach Brian Daboll, returned home for their first 2023 practice without fans in attendance on Monday.

Maybe it is still training camp. Maybe it isn’t, since games are now being played. Either way, the Giants were practicing and Big Blue View was there. Here are some of the takeaways.

Injury updates

A substantial number of players did not practice on Monday. Those were:

OL Devery Hamilton, OL Tyre Phillips, WR Collin Johnson, RB Gary Brightwell, LB Cam Brown, DT Ryder Anderson, DB Nick McCloud.

Johnson, who missed all of last season with a torn Achilles tendon, suffered a knee injury Friday against the Detroit Lions. “I don’t think it’s long-term,” Daboll said.

Right tackle Evan Neal, who missed the joint practices and the preseason game against the Lions with a concussion, was back to practice as a non-contact player. Wearing a red jersey, Neal participated only in walk-thru periods.

Rakeem Nunez-Roches (groin) was also back to practice.

Punter Jamie Gillan, who appeared to twist an ankle against the Lions, practice. Daboll said Gillan is “OK.”

D.J. Davidson off PUP

Second-year defensive tackle D.J. Davidson, who played in five games last season before going on IR with a torn ACL, was activated from the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list on Monday.

Drafted in the fifth round (147th overall) a year ago, Davidson had four tackles in just 43 defensive snaps before being injured.

Wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson and cornerback Aaron Robinson are the only players remaining on the PUP list.

Lineup notes

• With Neal and Phillips not practicing, Matt Peart was still at right tackle with the first team.
• We continued to see a healthy amount of Adoree’ Jackson in the slot with rookie Tre Hawkins III at one of the outside cornerback spots.
• John Michael Schmitz took all of the first-team reps at center. Ben Bredeson and Joshua Ezeudu continued to split first-team reps at left guard. Bredeson took at least one series of first-team reps at right guard, though the vast majority continue to be taken by incumbent Mark Glowinski.
• Shane Lemieux handled second- and third-team snaps at center. Marcus McKethan, ramping up as he works back from last season’s torn ACL, was the third-team right guard.
• Running backs Eric Gray and Jashaun Corbin each got some first-team reps.
• Sterling Shepard got some first-team run, and caught a couple of short passes from Daniel Jones.

Practice notes

The Giants worked in shells on Monday.

• I did not count his exact completions/attempts, but this did not seem like a great day for Jones. He threw a pick 6 during a two-minute drill, with safety Dane Belton undercutting a route by Darius Slayton. It felt like there were more incompletions and off-target throws than we have usually seen from Jones this summer.
• It was a mostly quiet day for rookie wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, but near the end of practice he did catch a long pass from Tommy DeVito for a score.
• Red zone 1-on-1 passing drills featuring tight ends and running backs vs. safeties and linebackers were dominated by the offensive players. The best defensive rep might have come from Bobby Okereke, who batted away a pass across the middle intended for Saquon Barkley.

Upcoming schedule

The Giants practice again Tuesday and Wednesday, then face the Carolina Panthers on Friday evening in a preseason game.