Big Blue Huddle

Quote from: londonblue on Today at 09:34:29 AMI'd assume he is cheap. Competing with Hodgins for a role? A possibility to get some Waller 'big slot' snaps? He is said to be a good locker room guy and that has some value in our young, inexperienced WR room. No harm in seeing what he has left on a cheap deal IMO.

He appears to be here on a minimum salary.  I also agree with the need for a veteran presence (especially with their only other real vet Slayton holding out)

https://x.com/pfrumors/status/1788562664014180370

https://x.com/GiantInsider/status/1788561613399773386

https://x.com/GiantInsider/status/1788562081379233898

https://x.com/Jason_OTC/status/1788358374230204462

I guess the question would be, what does this mean?  To me, it indicates a team that is tied in terms of big-ticket veterans they wish to retain, and there is less flexibility.



https://x.com/Jason_OTC/status/1788357250681077928

DOB
1993-08-24 (30.7)
HEIGHT
6'3"
WEIGHT
220
SPEED
4.6
COLLEGE
Penn State Nittany Lions
DRAFT YEAR
2014
DRAFT TEAM
Jacksonville Jaguars
ROUND
2
SELECTION
61

https://x.com/DDuggan21/status/1788547824532979920

https://x.com/art_stapleton/status/1788551577873109362

https://x.com/Doug_Analytics/status/1788556428799512687

Quote from: kartanoman on May 08, 2024, 09:55:33 PMThis is an excellent thread and, if the Giants have any hope of being competitive in the coming season, having a good, if not excellent, special teams could enable them to stay close in games they would otherwise lose or, glass half-full, be the difference in winning a close game (e.g. Polish Power Olszewski's punt return TD last year).

It was one of Bill Parcells' interests, especially punt returners, but special teams in general, that hitting on two of the three cylinders in a football game (i.e. offense, defense, special teams) will put a team in a good position to win a football game. Special teams have become a little more refined since then, and I believe they have even more opportunity for refinement. But a special teams' coach has to ensure that his players can, first and foremost, execute correctly and consistently. That's been a challenge with the Giants for a while now. That Michael Ghobrial is no stranger to the Sardine Can, and all its little details, such as wind patterns, is a good head start. The team has brought in new players, and I trust even more new players from free agency will find their way onto the team via special teams, so it's going to be different.

It's already been noted, and it cannot be understated, that Daboll is handling this off-season very differently than previous years in that he's now bringing in competition to challenge the incumbents and this is sorely overdue. This is going to help the entire team, not just special teams, bring their best every day to compete and fight for their job.

My biggest question mark remains Graham Gano's recovery to include his flexibility in his planting leg, as well as his strength to bear his weight on the planting leg as he goes through his kicking motion, will be something to keep an eye on. I have no doubt he will be ready for camp, assuming his procedure went well with no complications, and he has had time to rehab it so his flexibility and strength should be getting close to normal. But you know with surgeries, things are never the same as they once were. So, we'll see.

Peace!

Another concern with Gano is that even prior to the knee injury, he missed 35% of his field goal attempts.

Quote from: DaveBrown74 on May 08, 2024, 05:33:06 PMI respectfully beg to differ. Last August there were people on this board arguing that the Giants were going to be "something special this year." I don't think any of those folks, or even a number who were less emphatic but still cautiously optimistic, would have told you last August that the Giant would go 0-5 in those five games.

I remember most fans were less than thrilled at the killer row the Giants opened with.  I think most were hoping to come out of that stretch maybe 2-3 or, at best, 3-2 (this was considered a longshot). 

Quote from: Philosophers on May 08, 2024, 03:58:17 PMEvery team needs a draft like this once in a while to turn things around.  Look at Rams 2023 draft.

Absolutely, the Seahawks were another example

PFF had listed Phillips as the best 3rd round pick


ROUND 3
PICK 70. NEW YORK GIANTS: CB ANDRU PHILLIPS, KENTUCKY
The Giants drafted Deonte Banks in the first round of last year's draft and now add more youth to that group early in the third round this year. His career-best 23 defensive stops led all SEC cornerbacks in 2023, and his 72.9 PFF coverage grade was also the best mark of his career.

https://www.bigblueview.com/2024/5/8/24152074/pff-names-ny-giants-cornerback-dru-phillips-the-best-pick-of-the-third-round?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_source=twitter&utm_content=bigblueview

Quote from: Uncle Mickey on May 08, 2024, 12:53:48 PMThe Malik Nabers addition is going to make it difficult for defenses to shade coverage over the top of Jalin Hyatt like we saw at times in 2023.
Instead, we could be looking at a lot more rolled coverages toward Nabers & one-on-one opportunities for Hyatt to beat his man #Giants

Daboll when he came on board made a comment that we must be one of the slowest teams in the NFL. He emphasizes speed kind of like that Dolphins ball coach does.

THey have transformed team speed and Theo is pretty fast for a 6'6 255-260 pound TE too.

That is the impact a true number one WR has on an offense.  Not only does he make the QB's life easier, but his fellow WRs tend to benefit by having to face lesser defenses due to the focus on the number one guy.
 

Quote from: Uncle Mickey on May 08, 2024, 12:50:43 PMMacAdoo was itching to get Geno playing over Eli so anything can happen when you are not the regime that drafted said QB.

Apart from that, I think DJ would beat out Lock if they are on level playing ground.

A lot of the outrage over the Giants breaking Eli's consecutive starting streak was due to the quarterback starting in Eli's place, Geno Smith.  I wonder if how Geno has played with the Seahawks the past two seasons might have some people reconsidering the outrage over starting Geno Smith.

Ben McAdoo has his shortcomings, but he seems to have a pretty good handle on QB assessments, or at least as well as anyone, since it's a bit of an inexact science.

Quote from: AZGiantFan on May 08, 2024, 12:12:25 PMCreativity will be at a premium this year as ST coaches will have to figure out how to deal with the radical change in the kickoff rules.  A team that really nails how to deal with the new rules could reap a significant competitive advantage.  Let's hope that with a new ST coaching staff and influx of potential talent that team is the Giants.

I couldn't agree more.   This is the season, more than any other, where a team's fortunes could be greatly impacted by who they have as their special team's coordinator.

Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on May 08, 2024, 11:04:19 AMI hope Michael Ghobrial is successful, even with an unimpressive résumé. I see he spent two years at SUNY Cortland, a school where I spent a couple of years before transferring to Binghamton U., and is right in my backyard. They were D3 National Champions last season, which is neither here nor there (just putting in a plug for them) and they've been well known nationally for superior soccer, baseball, and lacrosse teams, winning a number of championships. It's the "jock school" of the SUNY system, and even though it is plugged as an "education and teachers' school", its real focus is on sports

I suspect, if Ghobrial is not pretty successful in a short time period, that he will be replaced. Schoen doesn't seem to have a lot of patience with coaches who don't make good things happen

I appreciate that resumes are only part of the story.  I have interviewed people with meh resumes who just hit it out of the park with their interviews.   I am assuming that was the case with Ghobrial.

Quote from: T200 on May 08, 2024, 10:45:15 AMI understand your point, Rich.

My point is that despite his being 10th in separation yards, that statistic did not contribute to his issues. If he had held onto the majority of the passes thrown his way, 1) he'd probably still be a Giant, and 2) his separation yards would not be discussed.

I won't disagree that his untimely drops certainly were a major issue for him.