Mara would be happy with Eli

Giants owner has no problem with letting Jones mature

East Rutherford, N.J. — John Mara would be perfectly happy if two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning had a great season for the New York Giants and heir apparent and first-round draft pick Daniel Jones never took a snap.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday for the first time since training camp opened, the Giants' co-owner said he wants to walk off the field after the final game and feel the franchise is heading back in the right direction.

The Giants have made the playoffs once (2016)

No matter what it is, Williams wants winners.

"There has been a smile on my face since I walked in here," said Williams, who spent the past two years in Cleveland. "These young men want to compete, whether it's an argument, whether they're playing chess or checkers in the room, anything. They want to compete, and they want to know that I'm there to pull them back if they go too far. That's what I'm supposed to be doing.

"But, if they won't do that, we've got the wrong people, OK? And, you can't win at this level without that kind of competition."

Williams has his work cut out for him at one position in particular: cornerback. Top starter Trumaine Johnson is "week to week" with a hamstring injury, the same thing ailing Kyron Brown, an undrafted rookie who was having a solid summer. Derrick Jones and Jeremy Clark have already been cut, and the starters at the moment are Darryl Roberts, mostly a career backup, and Arthur Maulet, who couldn't stick with Indianapolis or New Orleans the past two years.

Pro Bowl safety Jamal Adams has even offered to play the position if needed.

"He could do it," Williams said. "There's no doubt about it. He's a good enough athlete to do that."

While Jets fans and the media scan the depth chart and wonder how they'll manage, Williams refuses to sweat it. He subscribes to a "next-man up" approach that sounds like a bunch of coach-speak, but Williams truly believes in it.

"That's how you battle the injuries, that's how you battle through a game and not having to change drastically within a game because it's next man up," he said. "Who's the next man or the next-best athlete we have to have? It doesn't have to be on the depth chart."

Williams has been thinking that way since he served as an assistant with the then-Houston Oilers, working as a linebackers coach. When the Jets got started in the offseason, every player on defense needed to learn their position inside and out. Then, Williams makes it mandatory to learn a second position. Some have already advanced to a third spot on the field.

He has seen it work, and points to the success New England coach Bill Belichick has had plugging guys into spots in what others deem to be dire situations.

Williams did it himself on football's biggest stage, moving safety Usama Young over to cornerback when Randall Gay was injured in the first quarter of New Orleans' Super Bowl win over Indianapolis in 2010.

"They take great pride in being the next man up," Williams said. "When they prove that to other teammates, their stock in the locker room goes up because the other teammates say, 'Hey, I can trust you.'

"And, that's the whole thing: respect and trust is earned."

Giants WR Tate has his suspension appeal turned down

New York Giants wide receiver Golden Tate has had the appeal of his four-game suspension for a violation of the NFL's policy on performance enhancers turned down. The decision by an independent arbiter was announced Tuesday and means the 10-year-veteran will miss the first four games of the regular season, starting with Dallas on Sept. 8. Tate, who signed a $37.5 million contract as a free agent with the Giants in March, announced the suspension in a Twitter post on July 27. He said he intended to appeal it and felt his case had merit because he was using a fertility drug prescribed by a doctor. The appeal was heard by a member of an independent appeals panel in New York last week. Tate will be eligible to practice with the team until the start of the regular season. In his tweet last month, Tate said he has never violated the league's rules on banned substances. He noted the treatment was for a fertility issue and it will have no effect on this season. since winning the Super Bowl in February 2012. The have won eight games over the past two seasons, five last season under then-new coach Pat Shurmur.

Manning, who is entering a record 16th season with the Giants, is in the final year of his contract.

Mara said the 38-year-old Manning would have his contract handled on a year-toyear basis, something Manning felt was fair.

"I hope Eli has a great year and Daniel never sees the field," Mara said. "In an ideal world you would like to see that. At the end of the day, it is going to be a decision by the head coach as to when or if Daniel ends up playing."

Mara said Jones not playing would mean the Giants and Manning are having a great season.

If a change is made, Mara Hours before the suspension was officially announced, quarterback Eli Manning called Tate a smart player who can turn short plays into big ones. The Giants, who traded standout receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to Cleveland in the offseason, have been hit a rash of injuries at the wideout spot in training camp. Sterling Shepard broke his left thumb in the opening practice. He has returned to practice on a limited basis. Fellow receiver kickoff returner Corey Coleman tore an ACL in the same workout. Rookie Darius Slayton, the fifthround draft choice, returned to practice this week after missing almost all of training camp with a hamstring injury.

Grieving Steelers return to practice

Gray, rainy skies and a subdued, sparse fan turnout made for a fitting setting Tuesday as the Pittsburgh Steelers returned to practice for the first time since the sudden death of wide receivers coach Darryl Drake. Drake, a longtime NFL and college assistant, was found dead in his Saint Vincent College campus dormitory room Sunday. He was 62. The Steelers canceled Sunday's practice and bumped up said the only thing he wants is to hear about it before he reads it.

Looking at this season, Mara feels general manager Dave Gettleman has done a good job rebuilding the team through the draft, trades and decisions on free agency. He sees good young talent on both sides of the ball, which is a cause for optimism. He also likes the feel of the locker room this year, adding it's stronger than last year.

While he admitted it was tough seeing players such as receiver Odell Beckham Jr., safety Landon Collins and linebacker Olivier Vernon either traded or sign elsewhere as free agents, Mara supported Gettleman's decisions.

"You don't like to see all that talent go out the door," Mara said. "But let's face it we had one winning season in '16 and the other five or six years were not-so good since we won the last Super Bowl. We an idle day to Monday to allow extra time for players, coaches and staff to absorb the loss. After stretches and before team drills Tuesday, most of the Steelers' offensive skill-position players gathered near midfield for a group prayer. "Professionally, obviously, the loss is significant," head coach Mike Tomlin said of Drake earlier Tuesday. "But personally, it's even bigger. Those of us that knew and had personal relationships with coach Drake all feel that way." But for a team grappling with the grief over a beloved assistant, the meetings and drills that resumed Tuesday mark a return to routine. Whether that accelerates the healing is unclear. "I don't know that it does," Tomlin said during a news conference in which he fought back tears. "But we've got professional obligations ... so we intend to march."

Colts expect Luck to miss preseason due to injury

Andrew Luck will likely miss the rest of the preseason with an injury near the front of his left ankle. Colts general manager Chris Ballard says he isn't sure if the injury will keep Luck out of the Sept. 8 season opener against the Los needed some drastic changes. Again, he (Gettleman) had the courage of his convictions. He knew they would be unpopular moves but he went out and made them anyway."

Mara has never been a patient owner and he takes losses pretty hard. However, he understands there is a big picture to look at, although he still hates losing.

Manning's mindset is to play well, win games and have a great year. The goal is to make the playoffs and make a run in the postseason.

"The goal is to always win a championship," Manning said. "You can't do that without making the playoffs. The goal is to win the division and go from there."

Manning isn't worried about his contract, saying it's fair for the Giants to discuss it after the season.

Jones has been good in training camp and was very impressive in the preseason Quarterback Danny Etling's tenure with the Patriots has come to an end. The Patriots completed a trade with Atlanta on Tuesday to acquire tight end Eric Saubert for a conditional draft pick. The Patriots released Etling to make room for Saubert on the 53-man roster. Etling, a seventh-round pick out of LSU in 2018, spent last season on the practice squad. After the Patriots drafted Jarrett Stidham in April, Etling tried to convert to wide receiver. But competition at the position pushed him far down the depth chart. opener against the Jets, hitting all five of his passes and throwing a touchdown pass in his only drive.

"I think people need to temper their enthusiasm a little bit," Mara said. "It's one preseason game, one series. But so far, so good."

Mara said he met with Jones before the draft and asked him if he had a "thick skin." After the draft, Mara asked the Duke product whether he understood why he was asked about his mental toughness and the quarterback smiled.

"He can handle being the quarterback of the New York Giants," Mara said, adding talking to Jones reminds him of talking to a young Manning.

Mara said Manning has been a great representative for the franchise. He also knows the run will end at some point.

"It will be a difficult, emotional moment I'm sure, but I'm not thinking about that just yet," Mara said.