Two Giants sprint way into scuffle
to combat certain opponent looks. Manning’s protection on the line, of course, was a major issue, as well.
McAdoo, therefore, bristled any time someone broached the subject of his calling plays on offense while also coaching the team. As offensive coordinator, after all, he had improved the Giants’ offense from 28th in points in 2013 under Kevin Gilbride to 13th in 2014 and then sixth overall in 2016 before last season’s regression.
Critics may have seen it as McAdoo spreading himself too thin as a rookie boss. The head coach was simply calling the offense he felt his personnel — in the context of his team’s makeup, with a dominant defense — was required and able to execute.
In 2017, however, McAdoo’s offense is going to be expected to produce both inside the building and out, no matter how left tackle Ereck Flowers performs after his latest vote of confidence from GM Jerry Reese.
Reese drafted Engram (6-3) with the 23rd overall pick in April’s draft and signed Marshall (6-4) and Ellison (6-5) in free agency. Co-owner John Mara said Friday, “I’d like to see some of our young guys get us excited about what they can do,” a nod to players like Perkins, Shepard and Engram stepping up.
The players will have expectations, too, and there is only one football, and McAdoo will have to get it into the hands of both Beckham and Marshall while also establishing a running game to keep defenses honest.
Then there is the issue of assembling the roster in the first place. McAdoo will have some difficult decisions to make to retain the personnel groupings he values most.
Adding a fullback, for example, probably eliminates a tight end. Does that push a player like Tye out with the presences of Engram, Ellison and 2016 draft pick Jerell Adams? Or is the Giants’ depth at receiver, with Roger Lewis Jr. making a strong deep catch on Sunday and King continuing to impress, going to impact what happens at running back for Shaun Draughn, who opened camp on the physically unable to perform list? cAdoo revealed on Saturday that “every day” his coaches “go in and they rank the players each and every day at their position.” And of course, these are good problems to have: more weapons, more options, more plays, more ways to hurt a defense.
Still, while McAdoo coaches the entire team, the offense is his baby, and it won’t be considered good enough with this personnel if the Giants’ offense again is their Achilles heel.
MIt didn’t take long for tempers to flare at Giants training camp.
In only the third practice of camp, cornerback Janoris Jenkins and safety Eric Pinkins got into a physical altercation at the end of Sunday’s practice at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford.
The two were doings sprints with the rest of the defense as the day was coming to a close when Pinkins finished his way out in front of the pack.
Jenkins sprinted up behind and ran right into Pinkins, pushing him backwards before delivering a punch or two.
The players had to be separated by teammates, but Giants head coach Ben McAdoo wouldn’t read too much into it.
“You know how it is with families. Sometimes you have some dustups but some of the best dust- ups you’re ever in is with family,” McAdoo said. “You learn from it and move on.”
The “dustup” comes on the eve of an off-day for players and two days before they get the chance to put some pads on.
The intensity level is starting to ramp up, but without pads there isn’t much the Giants can do to match that level of enthusiasm.
“When you put the pads on the intensity goes to a different level,” McAdoo said. “We’re going to be smart about how long we’re on the field … make sure we teach the fundamentals the right way before we just roll the ball out there and start hitting on each other.”
The temptation and desire to increase the physicality is definitely there, and it’s not just Jenkins and Pinkins who have made that evident.
“I know ‘Snacks’ (Damon Harrison) has been wanting to get after some guys but you can’t do too much until you get those pads on,” said linebacker Jonathan Casillas, who didn’t see the altercation at the end of practice. “I’ve been wanting to see him, he’s one of the better players in the league.” Getting the pads on will also help the Giants get a better grasp on where guys stand in position battles, especially the one for who gets to play alongside Snacks Harrison on the interior defensive line. The battle is one of the more intriguing ones at camp and includes Jay Bromley, Robert Thomas, Corbin Bryant and second-round pick Dalvin Tomlinson competing for that spot.
There’s plenty of excitement about Tomlinson, an Alabama product, but Casillas says it’s been hard to judge him after three days.
“Dalvin, he’s a young guy, but can’t really say he’s done too much because he hasn’t done anything too much interior-wise,” Casillas said. “But now we’re going to see how good Dalvin is.”