Giants news, 8/16: Practice report, Julie’n Davenport, Justin Pugh, more headlines

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Takeaways from New York Giants practice on Tuesday

Josh Ezeudu, Ben Bredeson, and Mark Glowinski continued to share the first-team reps at the guard spots.

“I’m seeing a great competition,” said offensive coordinator Mike Kafka. “I’m seeing two or three tough kids – four tough guys that are really going after it in that core so they’re doing a nice job and we’re mixing them around and trying to give them as many different looks. In the run game, in the pass game, they’re seeing a bunch of different looks from Wink’s defense as far as pressure. So, all of those things and you go all the way back, really to the spring, you evaluate that part of it then you take the whole body of work and now you can get a clean picture.”

More from Big Blue View

• Looking for keepers on Day 3 of the draft
• STs coach Thomas McGaughey addresses The Glare from Brian Daboll
• Giants roster moves: LB Ray Wilborn claimed, OL Julie’n Davenport also being added
• The Giants won’t extend Xavier McKinney’s contract until after the 2023 season

Other Giant observations

How Darren Waller gives the Giants what they’ve lacked in the passing game | The Athletic

Fellow Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger sees Waller impacting everyone else on the offense.

“(Waller) making plays like that (a leaping catch) does nothing but open things up for everybody else,” Bellinger said in camp. “It opens up so many possibilities that (offensive coordinator Mike Kafka) can call, that Dabes (Brian Daboll) can call. I think it’s a lot of fun ’cause now we have plays that there’s no real limit to them. We can move guys around. We can get guys in a certain spot, and it’s like, ‘OK, the defense is giving us this look, let’s switch, and now a defense doesn’t know what to do.’”

Reunion on tap with former first round draft choice?

The NFL’s 11 best running backs | USAToday.com

5. Saquon Barkley, New York Giants. Barkley isn’t your typical sustaining, tackle-breaking back — he averaged 2.75 yards per carry after contact last season, and his 41 missed tackles forced ranked 17th in the NFL. But if you want explosive plays in the run game — well, he’s got those. Barkley had 21 carries of 15 or more yards last season; only Nick Chubb (23) had more of those.

Short, back-shoulder touchdown pass from Daniel Jones to wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins

Backup NFL Playmakers Most Likely to Blossom in 2023 | Bleacher Report

Isaiah Hodgins, the fourth-year veteran, is a 6-foot-4, 210-pound target and true outside receiver. Whereas, the rest of the Giants’ options tend to be better suited to the slot. Hodgins’ size and catch radius provides quarterback Daniel Jones with a large margin of error.

Why NFL players were drawn to jersey No. 0 after its return | ESPN.com

Parris Campbell didn’t like his choices after he signed as a free agent. It was either 19 or 80-something because of all the retired single-digit numbers for the Giants. Luckily for Campbell, the new rule allowing players to wear zero passed less than two weeks after he signed.

“I saw on Twitter that it was available. As soon as I saw it, I hit up the [equipment] guys and was like. ‘I need zero,’” Campbell said.

Why?

It “looks fire!

6 NFL Rookies Already Looking Like Draft-Day Steals Ahead of 2023 Season | Bleacher Report

It hasn’t been all great for WR Jalyn Hyatt, however. Daboll noted that he’s “still got a long way to go,” and he had a quiet preseason debut. Expect the Giants to get Hyatt more involved, leaning on his speed to take the top off defenses and create the type of big plays they probably envisioned when they selected him.

NFL Preseason Week 1: Every team's highest-graded player | PFF

New York Giants: LB Micah McFadden (90.5, 14 Snaps). The 2022 fifth-rounder out of Indiana ended Week 1 with one run stop and just six yards allowed in coverage on his 14 snaps.

One thing we learned about every NFL team in Week 1 of 2023 preseason | CBSSports.com

The Giants still need pass rushers. The G-Men added more slot receivers than they can count this offseason, but what about help for Azeez Ojulari and Kayvon Thibodeaux? The pressure off the edge was lacking against the Lions, and the depth chart isn't overly impressive beyond the projected starters.

#BaldyBreakdown focuses on Cole Beasley

Why Giants’ Joe Schoen is taking right approach with Xavier McKinney’s next contract | NJ.com

Giants general manager Joe Schoen said Monday — during a WFAN interview — that his plan is to wait until after the season to address free safety Xavier McKinney’s next contract. This is not surprising. And it makes perfectly reasonable sense, even though McKinney — a 2020 second-round draft pick — is entering the final year of his rookie deal.

Xavier McKinney opens up about ATV accident to Evan and Tiki | WFAN.com

“I was on like a dune buggy almost. It’s like a bigger version. It’s the one with more seats in it,” McKinney explained. “But basically, the buggy just tilted over, I tried to put my hand down. I was in the seat belt. So I tried to put my hand down and the top bar just kind of smashed on it.”

Veteran Bobby McCain still fighting for a New York Giants role | New York Post

Three weeks into training camp, McCain’s window of opportunity to plug Love’s vacancy and start alongside Xavier McKinney has already begun closing. It might’ve slammed shut altogether across the past five days.

Daniel Jones turns down Netflix’s Quarterback series | Pro Football Talk

The producers approached the Giants quarterback about participating, and Jones told WFAN’s “Boomer and Gio” on Monday that he is not interested.

“I’m not doing it. Yeah, I’ve been asked” Jones said, adding it was his decision and not coerced by the Giants.

SB Nation Reacts

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This week’s opponent

One thing we learned about every NFL team in Week 1 of 2023 preseason | CBSSports.com

Bryce Young needs reinforcements up front. The rookie QB did his part getting rid of the ball quickly against the Jets’ pass rush, but getting Austin Corbett healthy would help shore things up. They’ve got good personnel in Ikem Ekwonu, Bradley Bozeman, etc., but they’ll need better execution and depth moving forward.

NFL Preseason Week 1: Every team’s highest-graded player | PFF

Jacksonville Jaguars: CB Gregory Junior (89.1, 30 Snaps). Junior saw just one target across 20 coverage snaps. However, it was an effort-driven forced fumble on his tackle of Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle that sent his grade into elite territory.

Around the league

Jets activate Breece Hall (knee) off PUP list; Saleh 'very confident' RB is ready for Week 1 | NFL.com

Dalvin Cook won’t practice with Jets for at least a week | Pro Football Talk

How Zach Wilson Is Showing Development During Jets Training Camp | ProFootballNetwork.com

Rookie Anthony Richardson named starting quarterback for 2023 | PFF

Tempers flare at Ravens-Commanders joint practice | Pro Football Talk

Patriots TE Mike Gesicki suffered dislocated shoulder during practice Monday | NFL.com

49ers QB Brock Purdy cleared for practice without off-day | ESPN.com

Chiefs wide receiver Justyn Ross carted off with leg injury during practice | CBSSports.com

Did Baker Mayfield look the part, in Tampa's preseason opener? | Bucs Nation

Jaguars HC Pederson compares Lawrence to past great QBs: ‘He’s one of those guys’ | NFL.com

Bills OT Brandon Shell retires after 7 NFL seasons | ESPN.com

Stock up, stock down after Week 1 of the 2023 NFL preseason | PFF

Former Ravens, Seahawks running back Alex Collins killed in motorcycle accident | CBSSports.com

Tuohy family claims to be “devastated” by Michael Oher’s “insulting” allegations | Pro Football Talk

2023 NFL MVP odds: Joe Burrow leads Patrick Mahomes despite calf injury | The Athletic

Al Michaels had no fear about criticizing Amazon’s 2022 slate of games | Pro Football Talk

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