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New York Giants Mailbag: The "I Can't Wait for Camp" Edition

Let's check in with the readers.
Patricia Traina|
New York Giants Mailbag: The "I Can't Wait for Camp" Edition
New York Giants Mailbag: The "I Can't Wait for Camp" Edition

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New York Giants

If you'd like to submit a question for the mailbag, please send it to nygiantsmaven@gmail.com. Note: Some letters may have been edited for clarity/length.

(From Kris M.) I have a question about the 53-man roster. You say that Wan'Dale and Sterling will start the season on the PUP, and it was mentioned between you and Paul that Bryce Ford-Wheaton would then make the 53-man roster because they'd be afraid he wouldn't clear waivers.

Here's how I remember the rule: For someone to start the regular season on PUP, they have to be on the 53-man roster FIRST... that means that Wan'dale and Sterling would have to make the 53-man roster, THEN be put on the PUP to start the season...so anyone else would have to clear waivers to then be put on the roster in place of anyone on the PUP. Or is that for IR?

Hi Kris. You are confusing IR and PUP, which are two different things. If a player starts training camp on PUP, he can stay on PUP, even moving into the regular season, for as long as he can't pass a physical.

With IR, if a player is injured during the summer and the team doesn't believe it's season-ending, the team must include the player on the initial 53-man roster per rule, and then by the next day, they can move him to IR, where he has to miss a minimum of four games. Teams can use up to eight return designations on players under the current CBA.

A player cannot be put on PUP once he has passed a physical. If he gets hurt, it's either carry him for the first few weeks or move him to IR. Also, as you probably know, if a player goes on IR before the initial 53-man rosters are set, he is ineligible to be designated for return.

Hope that clears it up.

Hey Off-Broadway. That is a very good question. Whoever it ends up being--and right now, I'm not convinced it will be Tommy DeVito--that person will sit on the practice squad.

They could, but if you're going to trade for a guy like that, wouldn't you want him on the field a lot? And if so, then who of Kayvon Thibodeaux and Azeez Ojulari are you going to take snaps from? 

And for such a trade to come through, they'd have to redo Hunter's contract by kicking the can down the road, something Schoen has said he prefers not to have to do. 

So while I'm sure the Giants looked into it, assuming Hunter is indeed on the trade market, I don't see it happening because if you're going to trade for someone, you're going to want him on the field.

(From John A.) Everyone agrees Daniel Jones was overpaid, BUT as I understood it, if DJ was not signed and had the Franchise Tag applied to him, it would have been a devastating $30 Million hit to the Giant's cap.

So he had them over a barrel compared to Saquon Barkley's $10 Million franchise tag salary cap hit. Yet I hear from everyone that offense's success was all due to Saquon and that he should have been signed and DJ have the tag applied to him, or better yet, let him walk and sign some random QB or draft one. I don't get it - were the Giants in panic mode over DJ's hit on the salary cap?

John, no, not everyone agrees Daniel Jones was overpaid. I think he was paid market value and, more so, in the range where he should be once you strip away the incentives he may or may not hit.

And no, not everyone agrees that Saquon was the reason for the Giants success. (Gotta be careful with those generalities, John!) Yes, Saquon contributed to the success, but mid-way through the year, when teams figured out how to slow him down, there were other things finally clicking that contributed to the success.

Also, I think you have this jumbled a bit. Paying the franchise tag would have been cheaper for the team than they ended up offering him APY. But that would have meant that they couldn't tag Saquon. That's why there was a mad rush to get Jones signed.

(From Andrew G.) Do you recall seeing Daniel Jones taking snaps under center into a straight dropback to pass? I don't recall that, and is that even prevalent in today's NFL? I remember Eli doing that a lot under Gilbride with much success. Do Paris Campbell, Colin Johnson, or Hodgins have any special teams experience?

Andrew, Jones has taken snaps under center, but maybe not as many as you'd think. As for the receivers having special teams experience, those three you mention have had minimal career snaps on special teams.

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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