Giantisms: This Week in Giants Football
Mar 26, 2014; Orlando, FL, USA; New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin speaks to reporters at the NFL Annual Meetings. Mandatory Credit: Rob Foldy-USA TODAY Sports
New York Football Giants News
Did you have a great Independence Day celebration, Giants Nation?
Every year, summer fireworks signify NFL training camps are just around the corner. What happened this week in Giants football? Not much, around GMEN HQ, we had to make up our own news. Doing so by asking one of the most ridiculous things you can question a Giants fan with:
Will the New York Football Giants ever change their name?
Over at the four letter, Dan Graziano has been quite busy, doing a few GIANT offensive breakdowns:
Giants roster preview: Quarterbacks
Giants roster preview: Running backs
Giants roster preview: Wide receivers
Giants roster preview: Tight ends
Giants roster preview: Offensive line
Today, Dan (@DanGrazianoESPN) also did a breakdown on the special teams unit:
Giants roster preview: Special teams:
"All this week, we took a position-by-position look at the New York Giants‘ offense as it heads into training camp. The week of July 14, we’ll do the same with the defense. Today, though, as a Saturday special, we’ll take a look at the way the Giants’ special teams stack up with a couple of weeks still left before camp.Kickers: Josh Brown, Brandon McManusPunter: Steve WeatherfordLong snapper: Zak DeOssieKick returners: Quintin Demps, Trindon Holliday, Odell Beckham Jr.Punt returners: Holliday, Beckham, Rueben Randle, Jerrel JerniganGunners: Zack Bowman, Bennett Jackson, Charles James et al.Special teams coach Tom Quinn said in June that he saw the placekicker position as a competition between Brown, who was the Giants’ kicker last year, and McManus, a rookie out of Temple. That’s a battle to watch in camp."
In GMEN HQ’s estimation, the NY Giants have quite a few battles heading into camp. However, the article also sums up the long snapper and punter battle very well:
"Weatherford’s and DeOssie’s spots are as secure as Eli Manning‘s is."
The real battles — outside of place kicker, returner and gunner — are at RB, TE and Safety. Though with any NFL training camp, battles emerge at every position as teams continue their ever present mission to improve. Dan Graziano is correct to imply that some jobs are safe on the New York Football Giants. Outside of injury, no one is taking Eli Manning’s job this season.
Over at Giants.com, they’re doing a series called, 20 Questions in 20 Days. Today, they featured – Punt Returner: Asking, Who will be the primary punt returner?
"MICHAEL EISEN: It was Rueben Randle’s job last season and it could well be his again in 2014. Last year with Denver, Trindon Holliday averaged 8.5 yards a return and scored on an 81-yard runback vs. the Giants. But he has had ball security issues. Randle isn’t as much of a threat to take it to the house, but he excels at catching and holding onto the ball. And that is what Tom Coughlin looks for first and foremost in a punt returner.JOHN SCHMEELK: I’ll lay low on Trindon Holliday here as well, and go with first round pick Odell Beckham Jr, who showed the quickness and explosion in college to be an excellent punt returner.DAN SALOMONE: Trindon Holliday. At 5-foot-5, he’s a unique talent that became the first player in NFL history to score multiple return touchdowns in a single postseason game with his previous team, the Denver Broncos. While blocking has been part of the reason, the Giants’ punt returners haven’t helped out the field position battle in recent years. Holliday can do that and more, but he has to hang onto the football."
At GMEN HQ, we posed the same question to our Editor, @AdamGaneles: Who will be the New York Giants number one PR man?
"If Trindon Holliday handles punts securely during training camp and the preseason, he will be the punt returner. I’m confident in pronouncing that. With Denver, Holliday was an explosive play maker collecting over 2,000 APYd (yards) and scoring 4 touchdowns in three seasons. It’s important to note Holliday has fumbled 11 times in his career, but the team possibly added a GIANT weapon on ST’s in TH."
Another option is number 29, Michael Cox, whom we mentioned in our Hall of Fame game countdown series:
Hall of Fame Game Countdown Review
Hall of Fame Game Countdown: 29 Days
"Currently at number 29 for the Giants is tailback – Michael Cox. A running back that spent some time at the university of Michigan where he struggled to see the field before transferring to to UMass and having his only productive college season, gaining 773 yards from scrimmage and 5 TD’s.With the Giants, Michael Cox started one game last season and had 55 yscrm, while returning kicks for 436 yards at 21.8 y/rt."
Will Michael Cox win a a roster spot?
Will Trindon Holliday hold onto the football?
With the HOF game approaching so rapidly, it’s only a matter of time before those questions and more are answered with FACT. Not with the hyperbole or paper expectations of the NFL offseason. That said, part of the fun of football is figuring who’ll win roster battles. Deciding which back-up QB is the future of your organization. As well as waiting for that fleeting understanding during the preseason of “why” your team passed on certain positions in the draft or free agency, because of the GEM potential already hidden on the depth chart.
Who are those hidden GIANT players? At GMEN HQ, we can’t wait to find out.