Nov 8, 2020; Landover, Maryland, USA; A view of the helmets of New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) and Giants inside linebacker Blake Martinez (54) resting on equipment case on the sidelines against the Washington Football Team at FedExField. — Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

New York Giants Mailbag: Camp Winding Down Edition

Let's open up the mailbag and see what's inside.

Author:
Patricia Traina
Publish date:
Aug 28, 2021 8:00 AM EDT

If you'd like to submit a question for the mailbag, please send it to nygiantsmaven@gmail.com. We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity and conciseness.

From Christopher M. - Love the Giants and Browns training together. How much interaction goes on, i.e., eating together and socializing? Do coaches compare notes and advice?

What's up, Christopher? I don't think there's much socializing going on at all. From what I understand, the team changes at the hotel gets on the bus, practices, and then gets back on the bus to return to the hotel to do whatever it is they need to do after.

As for the coaches comparing notes, I'm sure there are discussions regarding how the joint practices will be structured, but beyond that, I can't imagine they're swapping any advice on a deep level.

From David in Seattle - In 2021 vs. previous decades, should we expect fewer ends and outside linebackers will be held less accountable to set the edge on passing downs?

Hi David. No, I don't think that will be the case at all, and especially against mobile quarterbacks. I mean, someone has to set the edge, right? And it wouldn't make much sense to ask the cornerbacks to do it, now would it?

From Kevin S. - Why didn't Sandro Platzgummer get any playtime in the Brown's game while he was the leading yardage-per-carry running back last weekend?

What's up, Kevin? I don't think Joe Judge hands out preseason snaps based on who led the team in various statistical categories. And this is just a guess, but the Giants might not feel Platzgummer is ready, and considering they have another roster exemption on him, what's the rush to showcase him to the league? The Giants know what they have in him, so continue to develop him and go from there.

From Joe G. - Santoso is reported to have a very good camp with a promising career. He is also an emergency punter. Would it not be better to keep Santoso, trade, perhaps a 7th if possible, or cut Gano for salary cap and keep a promising PK?

Hi Joe. This is water under the bridge since the Giants did trade Santoso for a conditional seventh-round pick, but to answer your question, no, it didn't make sense to keep him.

The Giants just signed Gano to an extension last year, so financially, it doesn't make sense. And Judge last year spoke of how he appreciates older kickers because they know how to approach the game and take care of themselves.

From Ron L. - Any news on o-line additions?

Not yet, Ron. The Giants put that on hold because they got some guys back from injury and because there's no one out there. But I wouldn't be stunned to see some additions made once the rosters are cut from 80 to 53, especially among the depth ranks.

From Pat R. - First year back from a major ACL injury is challenging, especially for a running back. What would you consider a successful season for Barkley? I read in few articles that Joe Judge says, "My loyalty is with the Giants right now." What's that about, if anything? Is the hill really necessary? Will some of Judge's training methods lead to injuries? Also, if the players are worn out during training camp, will it negatively impact the players during a long 17 game season?

What's good, Pat? If you're asking me to define a "successful season" for Saquon Barkley with stats, I can't do that as it all depends on how the game flows and what opportunities are there. But what I'd say is that if he gets through the year without having to miss any games or having any setbacks, that would be a resounding success in my book.

As for your second question, some reporters kept asking Judge about returning to New England for the joint practices. In other words, nothing to see here.

And as for the rest of the questions, Pat, I think you're overthinking the impact of conditioning. Would you rather see the Giants players with their tongues hanging out late in the game on a hot day? If no, then let Judge have his hill if he wants it--and no, don't worry about guys being worn out from training camp or the guys being overworked. They do get days to rest and recover, and they have all kinds of treatments, from massage to stretch therapy, to help them with that.

From Jim H. - Did Joe Judge face off against Kevin Stefanski in a Punt, Pass, and Kick contest? I'm hoping he did, but I kind of doubt it.

Hey Jim. I'm not sure if this is tongue in cheek or what, but the answer is no. Judge and Stefanski were briefly high school teammates, but that's about it as far as I know of their prior relationship beyond their existing friendship.

From George B. - The Giants have been tinkering with the defensive backfield and special teams since camp began. When are they going to do something to strengthen the O-line?

How are you, George? As I've said before, if there was an offensive lineman out there worth singing, I think the team would have done so by now. Wait until the roster cuts are made--the expectation is there will be a few offensive linemen being let go around the league.