The New York Giants are supposed to come back from a day off and play with intensity. At least that is what head coach Joe Judge expected.
After a day off on Sunday, the Giants were back on the practice field on a hot Monday morning and their performance was not up to Judge’s standards. After the session, Judge gathered the troops into a huddle and reportedly delivered a profanity-laced speech. Then he kept the team on the practice field for an additional half an hour.
Today’s practice was originally scheduled to go two hours. Near the end, Joe Judge gathered the team and ripped into them with an expletive-filled speech. Then he kept them on the field another half hour.
— Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) August 24, 2020
Judge then told reporters afterward he liked the way the team finished after the riot act was read.
“The guys came out and definitely ended with a good intensity at practice, competing at the end. We have to get it where we come off a day off and we start sharp,” said Judge. “That’s definitely something we have to work at as a team and improve there.”
The injury/DNP report: LB Ryan Connelly was held out again. He is coming off ACL surgery and one has to begin to think if he’s going to be ready for the season. WR Darius Slayton was held out with an undisclosed ailment. More to come on that. FB Eli Penny worked on the side with trainers.
Center Spencer Pulley limped off the field as did rookie TE hopeful Rysen John. The heat appeared to have gotten to safety Jabrill Peppers and rookie offensive lineman Shane Lemieux as they went into the tent to be attended to.
TE Evan Engram has been having a nice camp, coming off a Lisfranc injury. He dropped an easy pass from QB Daniel Jones on Monday but overall he’s been sharp. Judge said he told Engram last week, “Man, I love watching you practice.”
“I think he just took advantage of his opportunities today like he does every day,†Judge said of Engram. “Evan’s a guy who comes out every day and he really empties his tank. He focuses on what he has to do that day and what the focus of practice is. He does everything he can within his role to get better. I think there is tape in the past on what he has been able to do, and he’s demonstrated throughout training camp a level of improvement and upside. He’s definitely somebody who has been a pleasure to coach every day and I’m glad we get to work with him.â€
If there was any doubt whether or not left guard Will Hernandez is over his sophomore slump, just ask the defensive linemen he’s been going up against at camp. He’s been dominant.
After practice, Judge had praise for Cam Fleming as his right tackle, citing that he has won big games in his career. Judge also continued to heap praise on rookie defensive back Jarren Williams, who Judge says has responded well to everything the coaches have hit him with in his three weeks with the team.
With Slayton out, second-year wideout David Sills continued his strong camp, mainly working with the second team. He caught several passes again from backup QB Colt McCoy.
“He’s a really smart guy, he’s working hard,” Giants wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert said of Sills on Monday. “He’ll go in there and play all of the positions. I told you guys the other day, he’s a rep stealer. He has his reps, he’s going to go in and run his reps, then he’ll steal some other reps. If he sees guys running down the field, he’ll jump in there and say ‘I got them, I got them.’ I like that about him. He jumps in there, doesn’t matter what position it is. He goes in there and plays and executes his assignments.”