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Reader Mailbag: Roster Decisions, Unknowns and More

It’s time for another mailbag, so let’s get to it.
Patricia Traina|

This is obviously our final reader mailbag before roster cuts are announced, so let's jump right in.

Hi Ashleigh. Sandro Platzgummer caught my eye a few times this summer. I thought he had decent change of direction skills and vision and seemed decisive in making his cuts. Like all young running backs, it takes time to master pass protection, which is where I thought his game lacked refinement.

As Platzgummer is part of the NFL's Pathway program, he won’t count toward a practice squad spot, so it won’t really “cost” the Giants anything to develop him. 

I’m interested in seeing how far along he comes this year should they decide to keep him on the roster next year, which is the next time we’ll likely watch an entire practice.

They don’t look good right now. I would say that if he’s still available and if there is an injury that pops up, maybe they will kick the tires on him, but with Logan Ryan on board, I don’t think there would be room at the moment for Prince Amukamara.

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I like what I’ve seen from the defensive line Jonathan. I also have to say I love Coach Sean Spencer’s energy and how he goes non-stop. 

One of the things they’ve driven home is the importance of getting their hands up into the passing lanes, which you would think is a fundamental everyone does yet is one that they haven’t always done in the past.

I’ve also noticed that the defensive linemen seem a lot quicker to punch at the snap of the ball, which should give them an advantage in gaining leverage. 

I thought that perhaps the defensive line, which I considered the team's strength at the end of last year, would fall behind the defensive secondary, but I was wrong. The defensive line remains the strongest unit on this team.

What’s up, Alex? Actually, Halapio does have experience at guard, maybe just not as much with eh Giants (Halapio has been around a while now and was a guard at first before cross-training to learn center a few years back.)

Halapio is also a smart player, so I’m not worried about him picking up the playbook. But with all that said, remember that it’s looking highly likely that Nick Gates will be the starting center, so it’s not like Halapio has to go in there tomorrow.

As I noted in my 53-man roster projection, this move is likely a cost-related one. And if that’s indeed the case, it makes sense.

Tony, I say this every year, and people refuse to believe me. But I’m going to say this again. Football is a challenging, physical sport. The body is put through trauma that it’s not meant to absorb consistently; thus, injuries happen. 

And what about soft tissue injuries? Those can be a result of overtraining, improper warmup, or lack of proper hydration. There’s no one size fits all here, but I believe many injuries outside of broken bones can be avoided with proper nutrition, hydration, and recovery.

Seriously, everyone seems to think the injury bug is unique to the Giants. It’s not. Look at the Eagles and the issues they’re having, for example. EVERY TEAM has injuries. The Giants appear to have come through this summer with very few major injuries, at least as compared to recent years.

The best way I can describe it is that Judge ran a much more intense practice than his two predecessors. I always thought McAdoo, and to a degree, Shurmur ran soft practices. 

With Judge’s practices, everyone is doing something at all times; there is no standing around. They do get a break midway through, but otherwise, they’re on the go from the first horn's sound to the last. 

What’s good about that, in my opinion, is it builds up the adrenaline. You see more spirited practices, which I think is a good thing.

To quote defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, “Yes.” Seriously I think Logan Ryan will play corner and safety for this team and be asked to do multiple things depending on the formation. 

Also, don’t count out Darnay Holmes being in the mix. That kid had a strong camp, and I could see him being the No. 3 cornerback in this group.

From Bruce F.

Here we are, a week away from the first game. How effective and how much do you think Logan Ryan will be or play in Week 1. He sat out the entire training camp season. I can't imagine he will be in football shape with a week of practice.

Bruce, I wouldn’t worry too much about Logan Ryan’s physical condition. Michael Strahan once missed an entire training camp, and as I recall, he had a pretty good season that year. 

This isn’t Ryan’s first rodeo, so I think he’ll not only be ready to go, but he’ll have a large role in the defense and be ready to hit the ground running.

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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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