Mac plants rook in Flowers’ place
Ben McAdoo replaced left tackle Ereck Flowers with undrafted rookie Chad Wheeler on the first-team offense for three snaps near the goal line at Wednesday’s practice.
On the first play, Wheeler was flagged for holding Olivier Vernon as the defensive end flew past him around the end toward Eli Manning. But it was noteworthy that McAdoo made the substitution because he “wanted to look at him.”
“He jumped in there and got beat like a drum on the first play. After that, he hung in there nicely,” McAdoo said. “I see a young, talented player, a physical player that can bend well. He’s working on the fundamental part of the game. He knows football.”
The Giants did not add a veteran in free agency or a high draft pick at left tackle to challenge or even back up Flowers after his poor 2016 season. So McAdoo needs to know if Wheeler, the undrafted rookie out of USC, is up to the task of being the next man up protecting Eli Manning's blind side.
ALL ABOUT ELI
McAdoo told ESPN Radio on Tuesday that Manning was having the best training camp he’s had in McAdoo’s four years with the Giants. On Wednesday, the coach explained why:
“He’s completing the ball at a high percentage,” McAdoo said. “He knows the offense like the back of his hand, and (he’s) teaching others. He’s been in the offense for four years now, he’s teaching it to others, and that’s the best way to learn it.”
GIANTS ADD O-LINE
The Giants on Wednesday signed undrafted rookie offensive tackle Corin Brooks out of the University of Texas of the Permian Basin and waived injured lineman and Harlem product Jessamen Dunker. ESPN first reported the signing.
The 6-foot-5, 300-pound Brooks adds depth after Dunker (foot) struggled to stay healthy. Brooks originally signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in the spring but was released in June.
On Tuesday, Ben McAdoo used backup right guard D.J. Fluker and backup left guard Adam Gettis to fill in the gap and take extra snaps. Fluker, an HOWARD SIMMONS/NEWS offseason free agent signing and a former Chargers first-round pick, actually saw brief auditions at both left guard and right tackle between Monday and Tuesday.
CAMP INJURY UPDATES
Wideout Sterling Shepard (sprained left ankle) has increased his workload to the point that he joined the first-team offense intermittently and even caught a pass against the defense from Eli Manning. McAdoo said Shepard “didn’t seem to be limited” and “looked great,” so it’s possible Shepard actually could log a few snaps on Friday … Fifth-round pick Avery Moss returned to practice after leaving Tuesday’s session early with a shoulder injury. Linebacker Keenan Robinson (concussion) missed his sixth straight practice but was seen doing some work outside with trainers for the first time since his injury one week ago … Linebacker Mark Herzlich (stinger) and defensive tackle Robert Thomas (soreness) missed their third straight practices, but Thomas worked with trainers on the side. Corner Mykkele Thompson (shoulder), safety Ryan Murphy (unknown) and wideout Kevin Snead (lower-body) sat out their second straight practices and worked on the side. Wideout Tavarres King (ankle) stayed off the field entirely for a second straight day, as well.