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SEPT 17 – RIVAL SIGNEE – The Philadelphia Eagles will have a leg up on the New York Giants after signing running back Saquon Barkley, but the star running back wasn’t the only move between the two teams. On Tuesday, hours after the Eagles fell to 1-1 after a dramatic Monday Night Football loss, the Giants poached one of their players. New York signed edge rusher Patrick Johnson off of waivers after he was put on waivers by Philadelphia.
© Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images He’s merely edge depth for as long as he’s on the active roster, but he’s versatile and adds depth to the team’s special teams units, too. SEPT 16 – KICKER COMPETITION – On Saturday, the New York Giants found out that kicker Graham Gano hurt his groin. A day later, Gano injured his hamstring on the opening kickoff.
The absence defined New York’s Week 2 loss against the Washington Commanders, a 21-18 defeat that left head coach Brian Daboll in the scope of the press. Gano’s hamstring will keep him out multiple weeks, opening the door for an elevation of practice squad kicker Jude McAtamney. Before that, though, the team will work out four kickers.
According to Talkin’ Giants , New York worked out Tanner Brown, Randy Bullock, Zane Gonzalez, and Riley Patterson on Monday. The Giants will decide between those four and McAtamney as the kicker for the foreseeable future. SEPT 14 – WEEK 2 MOVES – The New York Giants have made their final preparations for their Week 2 contest against the Washington Commanders.
New York put receiver/punt returner Gunner Olszewski on injured reserve after Week 1’s pregame groin injury; The Giants also made their practice squad elevations for Sunday’s game, elevating linebackers Ty Summers and Tomon Fox. Both are candidates to appear on special teams. It isn’t particularly surprising to see two linebackers being promoted, given the special teams depth and injury to rookie ‘backer Darius Muasau.
Kickoff for Sunday’s contest is set for 1 p.m. ET.
SEPT 14 – DUTY CALLS – You can never have enough depth in the NFL, although the New York Giants didn’t expect to need reinforcements on the coaching staff. During the Week 1 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, a collision along the sideline late in the contest fractured outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen’s leg. He may not be on injured reserve, but the Giants will need a replacement for Sunday against the Washington Commanders.
Given that Bullen won’t be traveling, Art Stapleton reported that defensive assistant Ben Burress will leave the coach’s booth and tend to the outside linebackers on the sideline in his place. New York’s edge rushers didn’t produce a sack in Week 1, upping the ante for the position’s importance against dual-threat dynamo Jayden Daniels. SEPT 12 – MAN DOWN – The New York Giants lost receiver/punt returner Gunner Olszewski to a groin injury in the waning hours before Week 1 kicked off against the Minnesota Vikings, an eventual 28-6 loss.
The departures wouldn’t stop there. Receiver Darius Slayton was placed in concussion protocol, and – if matters weren’t already dire enough – their coaching staff became thinner, too. A sideline collision fractured Giants outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen’s leg late in the season opener, per Art Stapleton .
He had surgery on Thursday. Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen is expected to spend more time presiding over that group until New York’s staff is back at full strength. SEPT 11 – WEDNESDAY INJURY REPORT – The New York Giants were fortunate to enter Week 1 almost fully healthy (a pregame injury to receiver Gunner Olszewski would throw a wrench in their punt-returning plans).
However, Week 1 was likely the healthiest the Giants will be all season. Four players were held out of Wednesday’s practice. The following did not participate in the team's first practice of the week, per the injury report .
Linebacker Micah McFadden (groin) was a full participant. New York will look to get as many bodies back as possible for Week 2 against the Washington Commanders. SEPT 10 – MAYS INSURANCE – Another day meant another roster move for New York Giants fullback Jakob Johnson, who has bounced between the roster and practice squad seemingly numerous times since the cut down to 53 players.
On Tuesday, his transaction was joined by two more transactions. Dan Salomone reported that the team had signed interior lineman Cade Mays to the practice squad, and in a corresponding move, released lineman Marcellus Johnson from the practice squad. Mays struggled this preseason but was a strong run blocker in limited time last season.
He was initially a sixth-round pick by the Carolina Panthers in 2022. SEPT 9 – REINFORCEMENTS – The New York Giants did their best to start Week 1 at rock bottom, losing 28-6 to the Minnesota Vikings. New York looked rudderless on offense, headlined by quarterback Daniel Jones’ struggles.
But without an imminent change under center, the Giants had to look elsewhere for reinforcements. Subsequently, the team signed receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette to the practice squad, per Ian Rapoport . He was most recently with the Carolina Panthers.
In a corresponding move, New York released linebacker Carter Coughlin to the practice squad injured reserve. Smith-Marsette is additional receiver depth, while also adding special teams versatility as a kick returner, made more important by receiver Gunner Olszewski’s pregame injury. SEPT 7 – TWO LINEBACKERS UP – The New York Giants are putting the final touches on their opening day roster.
In the hours before New York’s season opener against the Minnesota Vikings, depth at linebacker and special teams has become a focus. On Saturday, the team elevated linebackers Carter Coughlin and Ty Summers to the 53-man roster. Starting linebacker Micah McFadden will go, but if he’s not at 100 percent, keeping special teams fresh in the event Darius Muasau takes his spot makes sense.
In a corresponding move, the Giants released linebacker Curtis Bolton. Coughlin made the initial 53-man roster but was demoted during the Week 1 roster churn. Kickoff from MetLife Stadium is set for 1 p.
m. (ET). SEPT 6 – OKEREKE RESTRUCTURED – There is seemingly no end to the transaction log between the end of the preseason and Sunday’s Week 1 kickoff.
Like a CVS receipt, it just keeps coming . The New York Giants continued their housekeeping in the final days before opening day. On Thursday, New York restructured linebacker Bobby Okereke’s contract, per Field Yates .
The move created $4.5 million in cap space. The Giants entered the day with just over $2 million in cap space, per Over the Cap , so this should make the team more flexible should a trade be necessary in the middle of the season.
SEPT 5 – THURSDAY INJURY REPORT – On Thursday night, the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens will kick off the 2024 regular season. The New York Giants, like everyone else, will have to wait a few more days for their Week 1 festivities to commence. New York shifted its practice schedule around because of Labor Day and Week 1, practicing Tuesday and Wednesday, but not the typical Thursday.
However, the team produced a projected injury report in place of an official practice. Limited Notably, this is the same as Wednesday’s report, so no setbacks were experienced and nothing flared up after practice. No one has been ruled out for Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings at this point.
SEPT 4 – JACKSON CONTRACT DETAILS – The New York Giants made the somewhat surprising move to sign cornerback Adoree’ Jackson ahead of Week 1. After the Giants didn’t seem keen on welcoming him back, their tune changed after cornerbacks Cor’Dale Flott and Nick McCloud struggled in camp. The signing naturally came with several questions.
Is he ready to play? Will he return punts? Are the Giants willing to start him on Sunday? One question fans got the answer to on Tuesday was how much his one-year contract was worth. Per Dan Duggan , Jackson’s one-year deal will pay him $1.75 million ($1.
7 million against the cap). None of it is guaranteed, but the base salary is worth $1.5 million.
The remaining $250,000 is tied to per-game roster bonuses – a functional guarantee. Duggaan also states that interceptions and playing time could result in incentives for the veteran corner, but they won’t count against the cap. SEPT 3 – DABOLL CALLING PLAYS – After two years of offensive coordinator Mike Kafka calling the shots on offense (at least on Sundays), suspicion arose that head coach Brian Daboll could return to his roots and start calling plays.
After last season’s catastrophes on offense – which, in fairness, weren’t a matter of play calling – it’s hard to blame Daboll for wanting more control. Some will call it a last-ditch effort to cool his seat ahead of what looks to be a turbulent season. Others would prefer to call it a way to improve the offense and give Daniel Jones the best chance at success.
Daboll has been vague all summer. But after follow-ups on Tuesday, he gave in. "Yeah, I'm doing it.
" SEPT 2 – JOHNSON TO PRACTICE SQUAD (AGAIN) – It’s been an exhausting week for New York Giants fullback Jakob Johnson. The Giants cut him on Aug. 27, then added him to the practice squad a day later.
Then they signed him to the active roster, and after signing corner Adoree’ Jackson, cut him again. On Monday, New York added him to the practice squad once again. But every move this time of year has a corresponding move attached.
Johnson was cut to make room for Jackson. He was added to the practice squad to the detriment of receiver Miles Boykin, who was subsequently released. That’s a relatively surprising release given how well-positioned he seemed to make the initial 53-man roster.
Both he and Bryce Ford-Wheaton are big-bodied receivers with special teams value. The latter won out. At least for now, that’s cost Boykin more than just a roster spot.
SEPT 1 – JOSH JACOBS – On Thursday, The Athletic ran a story on Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs and his free agency journey from the Las Vegas Raiders. The New York Giants were named among potential suitors. “The Giants came on strong with an offer between $3 million and $4 million more than he eventually accepted,” Pompei wrote.
“But Jacobs was turned off by the New York taxes, lifestyle, media and the artificial turf at MetLife Stadium.” Related: Giants Unretire Number for Nabers' Jersey Reveal However, it’s worth mentioning that much of the Giants beat contradicted Jacobs’ story. “To my understanding -- and we all know I pay a lot of attention to RB contracts -- #Giants never made Josh Jacobs an actual offer,” Ryan Dunleavy posted on Twitter .
Art Stapleton would follow suit. “My reporting throughout the off-season does not corroborate what Josh Jacobs told The Athletic regarding the Giants and an offer,” he wrote ..
