New York Giants Day at Camp: Deeper Issues
While other teams around the NFL have followed the lead of the NBA and WNBA who have canceled games to draw attention to the continued social injustices involving police behavior against black citizens, the Giants, at least for now, decided to go ahead and continue with their planned activities pending further discussion with each other, the coaching staff and with team co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch.
It was revealed yesterday by both head coach Joe Judge and defensive lineman Leonard Williams that the team chose to continue working not to deprive those younger players fighting for a roster spot every available opportunity. Both Judge and Williams spoke about the off-field activism the players have been doing in the tri-state area, with player groups divided into smaller teams who use their platforms to promote specific causes.
But despite the Giants working Thursday while teams like the Cardinals, Washington, Denver, and Jets were among those who canceled their planned activities so that open dialogues could be held to determine how they can use their platforms, the Giants plans remain fluid.
“That’s something that we’re going to talk about as a team. I’m not going to comment on that until we do so,” said receiver Sterling Shepard. “But yeah, when I saw the video (of the Jacob Blake shooting), it’s unfortunate. My thoughts and prayers go out to Jacob Blake and his family.”
Head coach Joe Judge is proceeding as though the team’s planned scrimmage Friday night will proceed. But he left the door open just a bit for that to change, depending on the outcome of discussions he planned to have with his team’s leadership council.
“We’re going to continue the conversations later this afternoon,” he said, noting that the team had a gap in its schedule.
“We have a chunk of time until we lead up to evening meetings. We’re going to reconvene later tonight before we kick off the special teams and unit meetings. We’re letting the players think about what they want to do. We’re going to have conversations as a coaching staff and ownership tonight, and we’ll have more answers then.”
Barkley Feels the Pain of Social Injustice
Running back Saquon Barkley said he was left feeling sick over the shooting of Jacob Blake by police, an incident in which Blake was shot multiple times in the back and left paralyzed during an encounter with law enforcement officials.
“Words really can’t describe how you feel,” Barkley, a star running back, said Thursday about Blake’s shooting. “It makes you sick, especially being a Black man. You see those situations happening — and continue to happen. It’s just sad. You look at it like: What if that was my brother? You could lose someone that you really care about.”
Barkley witnessed someone he cares about—his father Alibay—experience a run-in with law enforcement in 2017 when Barkley was a student at Penn State. The issue began when the elder Barkley, who had paid his bus fare using an all-day pass, refused to swipe his pass a second time when the bus driver questioned whether he had paid his fare.
He was tased by police and forcibly removed from a seat dedicated to the late Rosa Parks, a seamstress, and civil rights activist. They famously refused to surrender her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus to a white man in 1955.
Barkley was later awarded $45,000 to drop his civil rights lawsuit against Allentown and the Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority (LANTA).
“It hurt me,” Barkley said of his father’s run-in with law enforcement officials.
Matt Peart Gets a Look at Left Tackle
Matt Peart, the Giants' third-round draft pick, has primarily been a right tackle most of his college career. So imagine the surprise when the rookie out of UConn got some snaps at left tackle during Thursday’s practice.
The move to give Peart snaps at both tackle spots—Andrew Thomas worked at right tackle when Peart was in the lineup, by the way—shouldn’t come as a big shock.
Judge and his coaching staff have insisted from Day 1 that they intend to cross-train all their players at multiple positions. But in terms of a bigger picture, getting Peart snaps at left tackle results from a domino effect.
First, it looks more and more as though the starting center position is nick Gates’ job to lose. So assuming Gates does win the starting center position, that leaves a little bit of a dent in the depth at offensive tackle.
Remember, the initial plan was thought to be Nate Solder at left tackle, Thomas at right tackle and Cameron Fleming as the swing tackle with Peart a developmental prospect. With Solder having opted out, Thomas has shifted to left tackle, which is thought to be his long-term position in the NFL, and it appears that Fleming is in the lead at right tackle.
Again, with Gates more in the mix at center, by getting Peart cross-trained to handle either side, the Giants are giving themselves some replenished depth at the offensive tackle position going into the season.
Judge has been generally pleased with what Peart has shown him. “He’s a guy who comes to work every day with a lunch pail and he’s improved going along,” he said.
“As we said early in camp, we’re going to move our line around. We’re going to work guys at different spots and make sure we build in versatility and position depth.”
Judge’s Consistency
Judge has made it clear he won’t tolerate stupid mistakes that result in a potential penalty that can hurt the team.
That includes celebration penalties as well. When receiver Sterling Shepard caught a pass for a big play, Shepard tossed the ball in his excitement about 15 yards down the field.
That, however, didn’t sit well with Judge, who loudly ordered the veteran receiver to get the ball and hand it back to the official.
“Look, every practice is a mini game,” Judge said. “You have to learn from the experiences going forward. He made a tremendous play on the play and then he threw the ball. That’s a 15-yard penalty. We’re going to have the ball on the 10-yard line, the penalty is going to put us on the 25-yard line. That’s not something that we’re going to accept from any player on the team.”
Shepard said he had no problem with Judge getting on him for his reaction. “You have to take coaching in every way, shape and form. I need somebody to stay on me. You never have it figured out. That’s something that we learned in our team meeting yesterday. You can be a 10-year vet and think you have everything figured out, but you really don’t. It keeps you grounded. I appreciate having a coach like Coach Judge.”
Injury Update
Missing from Thursday’s practice were safety Xavier McKinney (foot/surgery), inside linebacker David Mayo (knee/surgery), and inside linebacker Blake Martinez (unknown).
Offensive lineman Spencer Pulley, safety Nate Ebner and tight end Rysen John were on the side. Also, inside linebacker Ryan Connelly, who hadn’t practiced since last Thursday, was back to work.
Judge said he wasn’t concerned at this point about whatever it is Martinez has going on, adding that it’s something he was just having checked out.
Judge on the Giants’ Two-minute Offense
The Giants’ two-minute offense had its up and downs, but Judge said he sees some improvement.
“Look, for me and Jason (Garrett) as head coach and coordinator, me and Pat (Graham) in four-minute situations, the offense with the personality of the play-calling and then understanding each unique situation, this is why we’re practicing on a daily basis, to make sure we iron out any kinks,” Judge said. “But I think the progress has been very good. I’m pleased with the way it’s going.”
