Tag: eric gray

7 New York Giants with the most to gain in training camp 

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Darren Waller’s retirement now thrusts Daniel Bellinger back into a prominent spot in the passing game.

Or does it? The Giants love Bellinger but were wise enough to backfill their tight room this offseason in anticipation of Waller’s decision. They inked veterans Jack Stoll and Chris Manhertz in free agency and then selected Penn State’s Theo Johnson in the draft — a player who is very Waller-like in stature.

There’s also Lawrence Cager, who opened eyes during OTAs.

Bellinger, in his third season already, is going to have to step up his game to fend off the rest of the field, but he may already be relegated to a blocking role this year.

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PFF ranks New York Giants’ running backs among league’s worst

The New York Giants went through their biggest change of the offseason at the running back position. It’s no knock against Xavier McKinney or Darren Waller, but New York is going to feel Saquon Barkley’s loss more than any other player.

The Giants also have not re-signed Matt Breida, although a reunion between Breida and the Giants isn’t off the table.

Those changes at the position this offseason landed the Giants’ running back units among the league’s worst, according to Pro Football Focus.

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Devin Singletary looks to be the main back in New York after Saquon Barkley‘s offseason exit. He reunites with former Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll after generating the fifth-best PFF wins above average figure last season (0.17).

Eric Gray is in line for RB2 duties, and rookie Tyrone Tracy is the ultimate wild card who could really boost this group, especially in the passing game.

Recently, Singletary himself and the Giants’ running back unit were near the bottom of the league in similar rankings, respectively, so these low ranks shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.

The Giants are going to need to change the way they operate their offense considering they ran it through Barkley. They will likely go with more of a running back by committee in 2024 but don’t underestimate Singletary, who will be wearing No. 26 and believes he’s a playmaker just like Barkley.

The Giants will hope that Singletary provides the team with a more durable option at the position and ideally, the unit performs above expectations behind what should be an improved offensive line.

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6 New York Giants who are likely to break out in 2024

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John Michael Schmitz had several issues as a rookie last season. He injured his shoulder on an ill-fated ‘tush push’ attempt and missed a month. Then, due to a rash of injuries along the line, he was teamed up with a rotation of guards who underperformed. There was no continuity and the line was a mess as a result.

This year, Schmitz will be flanked by two free agent additions (Runyan, Eluemunor) and there should be more consistency up the middle. He believes the upgrades along the line will help him become the leader the Giants need him to be.

“I think the biggest thing for me when times are tough, you really know who a true leader is when you hit adversity, you hit a tough time. All the guys look to someone, and I want to be that for our room and take charge,” he said.

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New York Giants don’t fare well in 2023 NFL draft re-grade

The jury is still out on the 2023 NFL draft class but Diante Lee of The Athletic recently decided to grade the class after just one season.

The New York Giants had seven picks in the draft leading off with Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks at No. 24 overall. He started 15 games and was solid most of the season. He is now considered a No. 1 outside corner, so they appear to have made a good choice in him.

Banks was not likely the Giants’ first choice on their board, however. They were said to be in the market for a wide receiver and it just so happens that four studs were chosen right before they were on the clock in Jaxson Smith-Njigba, Quentin Johnson, May Flowers, and Jordan Addison.

The rest of the draft is still very much a mystery as injuries and underuse left much to be desired.

New York Giants: C-minus

Deonte Banks (No. 24) was a fun watch coming out of college and as a rookie showed the speed, physicality and competitive edge that made him a late riser in the draft process. Jalin Hyatt (No. 73) flashed some downfield ball-tracking skills, but he didn’t separate enough last season to be considered a long-term piece of this offense.

This year, the Giants hope to see some growth in center John Michael Schmitz, cornerback Tre Hawkins III, safety Gervarrius Owens, and defensive lineman Jordon Riley.

Eric Gray is expected to help fill the void left by Saquon Barkley and Hyatt still has to earn the trust of the coaches and quarterbacks.

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CBS Sports ranks Giants’ 2023 rookie class in bottom half of NFL

The New York Giants made seven picks in the 2023 NFL draft and most felt confident that general manager Joe Schoen had made the right calls.

In need of talent at multiple positions, the Giants fared well with their limited stock, adding cornerback Deonte Banks, center John Michael Schmitz, and wide receiver Jalin Hyatt with their first three selections.

They rounded things out with running back Eric Gray, cornerback Tre Hawkins III, defensive lineman Jordon Riley, and safety Gervarrius Owens.

All seven of those players saw time on the field this past season but the results weren’t quite what the Giants had hoped. Injuries derailed the development of several rookies while others were stunted due to misuse (see: Gray as a punt returner).

Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports recently ranked all 32 draft classes from 2023 and the Giants landed in the bottom half of the league. However, he did credit them with two hits: Banks and Hyatt.

Hyatt didn’t exactly rekindle all of the magic he had at Tennessee winning down the field on a regular basis. But averaging over 16 yards per snag as a rookie demonstrated there’s a bright future for him if the development as a route runner continues. Sixth-round pick Tre Hawkins was respectable as a rotational cornerback. Second-round pick John Michael Schmitz really struggled with power before his injury. Banks had some hiccups in coverage but mostly dealt with No. 1 receivers in man coverage and snagged two picks while knocking away 11 passes.

Banks has the makings of a solid, long-term CB1 and although he struggled at times, Schmitz still has plenty of upside. Hyatt also performed better than his stats would indicate. He suffered due to poor offensive line and quarterback play.

The Giants remain hopeful that Hawkins can develop into a starter and that Riley eventually becomes a dominant interior defender.

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New York Giants’ Dexter Lawrence, Darius Slayton doubtful vs. Patriots

The New York Giants will host the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium in Week 12 and could be down several additional key players.

Man games lost has been the major story for the Giants since 2009 as they lead the league in injuries over that span, and they will look to continue that string here in 2023.

Nose tackle Dexter Lawrence, the team’s most dominant player, missed all three practices this week due to a hamstring injury and is listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game.

Meanwhile, wide receiver Darius Slayton, the team’s leading receiver, is also listed as doubtful for the Patriots clash due to a neck injury that is causing some nerve-related issues.

“So, we’ll take both those guys right up to game time,” head coach Brian Daboll said. “Evan Neal will be out.”

Full injury reports for both the Giants and Patriots can be found below:

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Out: OL Evan Neal (ankle)

Doubtful: NT Dexter Lawrence (hamstring), WR Darius Slayton (neck)

Questionable: RB Eric Gray (knee)

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Out: N/A

Doubtful: N/A

Questionable: LB Ja’Whaun Bentley (hamstring), OL Trent Brown (ankle), CB Jonathan Jones (knee), WR DeVante Parker (concussion), OL Riley Reiff (knee), ST Matthew Slater (ankle), DL Deatrich Wise (shoulder)

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New York Giants injury report: Dexter Lawrence remains sidelined

The New York Giants held a brief practice on Thursday morning before players and staff were permitted to leave early and attend their respective Thanksgiving celebrations.

“We’ll bump it up a little bit,” head coach Brian Daboll said of Thursday’s practice. “I talked to the captains last week relative to how they wanted to approach the week, if they wanted to push it up and practice on Tuesday, give them off on Thursday.

“They wanted to keep it a normal week. So, we’ll push up the time that we start, and then they’ll get out a little bit earlier than they would. Fairly normal.”

East Rutherford facilities were closed to the media, so there were no press conferences or Zoom calls held, while practice was closed.

The Giants’ full Thursday injury report can be found below:

Did not participate: NT Dexter Lawrence (hamstring), OL Evan Neal (ankle)

Limited participant: WR Darius Slayton (neck), LB Bobby Okereke (rib/hip), DL A’Shawn Robinson (back), CB Tre Hawkins (shoulder)

Full participant: OL John Michael Schmitz (finger), RB Saquon Barkley (rest), LT Andrew Thomas (knee), RB Eric Gray (ankle), OL Tyre Phillips (knee), WR Sterling Shepard (hip), CB Adoree’ Jackson (concussion), S Bobby McCain (illness)

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Defense carries New York Giants to 14-7 victory over Commanders

The New York Giants, losers of five of their six games thus far in 2023, hosted the 3-3 Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Giants played the game with an extensive injury list. Quarterback Daniel Jones and starting cornerback Adoree’ Jackson both sat out with neck injuries.

Three starting offensive linemen — left tackle Andrew Thomas (hamstring), center John Michael Schmitz (shoulder) and right tackle Evan Neal (ankle) were also inactive as well as swing tackle Matt Peart (shoulder).

The Giants wore their ‘legacy’ uniforms in this game, which was a sloppily-played affair by both sides.

Ultimately, the Giants’ defense stepped up and embodied the players who had worn those uniforms before them, carrying the team to a 14-7 victory.

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Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
Giants 0 14 0 0 14
Commanders 0 0 7 0 7

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  • The Giants’ defense looked strong again, holding the Commanders to just 1-for-15 on third down while forcing 10 punts and nine three-and-outs.
  • The Giants came into the game with just five sacks in their first six games. They matched that total by halftime in this game. Washington was allowing 7.3 sacks plus turnovers per game this year, the most in the league.
  • Five receivers had receptions of over 20 yards for the Giants in this game and Tyrod Taylor had a 20-yard rush. The most 20-plus yard plays the Giants have had all year.
  • The Commanders had 10 accepted penalties for a total of 75 yards. The Giants had four for 40 yards.

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When the Giants forced Commanders quarterback Sam Howell out of the pocket for an incompletion on a 4th-and-5 on the New York 7-yard line with 1:01 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Giants took possession and went into the victory formation deep in their now territory and ran out the remainder of the clock to secure a 14-7 win.

Dustin Satloff/Getty Images

  • Quarterback Tyrod Taylor completed 18 of 29 passes for 279 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a 116.9 quarterback rating.
  • Tight end Darren Waller reeled in seven of eight targets for 98 yards and a touchdown.
  • Running back Saquon Barkley racked up 118 yards from scrimmage (77 rushing, 41 receiving) and scored what would become the deciding touchdown.
  • Wide receiver Jalin Hyatt made big plays again, catching two passes for a total of 75 yards.
  • Defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence had two sacks, four QB hits and six total stops on the afternoon.

Dustin Satloff/Getty Images

Running back Saquon Barkley was shaken up after a 9-yard run in the first quarter after getting hit late out of bounds. No penalty was called. Trainers put a sleeve on Barkley’s left arm and he returned on the Giants’ next possession.

Running back/returner Eric Gray suffered a calf injury in the first half and did not return. Sterling Shepard replaced Gray on punt returns.

Backup running back Gary Brightwell (hamstring) left the game in the second quarter and was ruled out.

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Head coach Brian Daboll will hold a Zoom call with the team’s beat writers on Monday afternoon before a few players are also made available.

Big Blue will return to practice on Wednesday ahead of a Week 8 game against the New York Jets on Sunday, October 29 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Kickoff is 1:00 p.m. ET.

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New York Giants working out WR James Proche

The New York Giants will hold their weekly workouts on Tuesday and wide receiver James Proche will be among the group in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler was the first to report Proche’s workout.

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The 26-year-old Proche was a sixth-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in the 2020 NFL draft and had spent his entire three-year career with the team before being released as a part of final cuts.

In 43 career games, Proche has hauled in 25 receptions for 278 yards and 14 first downs. He also sees a lot of action in special teams, returning 27 punts for 222 yards and two kickoffs for 22 yards.

The Giants have needs along the offensive line, at cornerback and in the secondary, but don’t really have a glaring need at receiver. However, head coach Brian Daboll & Co. may be looking for an alternate option at punt returner after rookie running back Eric Gray fielded just one for seven yards on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys.



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New York Giants’ Eric Gray plans to gift first TD ball to his mother

Eric Gray, the New York Giants’ fifth-round selection in this year’s NFL draft, could be the future of the team’s rushing attack but for now, he’s strictly going be a returner and a depth player.

Gray was a star at Oklahoma and tumbled down the draft order to Day 3, where Giants’ general manager Joe Schoen adroitly snatched him up with the 172nd overall pick.

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In Friday night’s preseason game against the Carolina Panthers, Gray displayed his tough inside running style by battering his way up the middle for a nine-year touchdown in the second quarter.

“I thought he ran with a good pad level,” head coach Brian Daboll told reporters on Saturday. “I thought it was well blocked upfront with the line and Belly (tight end Daniel Bellinger), there was some good finish in there and he had some good leg drive and finished it off there. That’s important, you have to get the ball downhill, mainly down there in the red zone and run with good pad level and leg drive, got to block it up well.

“The space is condensed, course patterns are a lot different. There is more guys in the box, there is usually an extra guy you are going to have to either run through or run around. It was good to see him be able to finish the play in the end zone.”

Gray was asked about the play and put it in simplistic terms.

“I saw the hole and said, ‘I gotta get in, I gotta get in’ and I hope they don’t yell at me for reaching the ball over the goal line but I gotta do it for the team,” he said with a laugh.

The play was reviewed and the touchdown was upheld. Gray wanted the actual football after the play to send to his mother, who wasn’t in attendance. That might be more challenging than the touchdown itself.

“They told me it was one of the 12 footballs in the bag,” Gray said.

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