SB Nation - Dwayne Wright

New York Giants training camp: Thursday evening practice report

Ed Valentine — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 01:58:06 -0000

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning signs autographs after the morning practice during NFL football training camp in Albany Thursday.

Browse more photos »

Apparently, 'Mr. August' is not a night owl. Sinorice Moss had an excellent morning practice, and earned the 'Mr. August' moniker from a media member along the sideline (no, I didn't catch who). Tonight, though, was a bad evening for Moss.

The diminutive third-year wide receiver dropped three passes during the first evening workout of the 2009 training camp, including two on successive plays.

Moss' bad night was topped only by the continued putrid work of Adam Koets, as he tries to figure out how to act like a backup center. Rather than act like a guy ready to back up Shaun O'Hara, Koets is acting more like a guy trying to snap his way out of the league. He bounced, or more accurately, dribbled two shotgun snaps and messed up a regular exchange with David Carr.

Even worse for Koets, these came on three successive plays. That makes roughly a dozen messed-up snaps involving Koets in six practices.

Here are some other notable happenings from Thursday evening.

This was the first practice in full pads. It led to the first near fight of camp, too, as rookie Clint Sintim and undrafted free agent running back Dwayne Wright did a little pushing and shoving.
Being in full pads also led to the best on-field trash-talking exchange I have heard thus far. During punt return drills, Domenik Hixon bobbled a Jeff Feagles' punt, and it led to the following exchange with Chase Blackburn:

Blackburn: 'C'mon Hix .... we aren't gonna hit you yet."

Hixon: "You ain't gonna hit me anyway, Chase."

Just a little friendly banter.

ADDED VALUE? Apparently, $97 million will still buy you a handful of wounded ducks along with your helping of Super Bowl MVP quarterback. That setup is meant to get to the point that Eli Manning's first pass Thursday night during 11-on-11 drills was a horrible wobbler over the head of Kevin Boss that Michael Johnson easily intercepted. Other than that, Manning threw the ball well.
Lawrence Tynes made 6-of-8 kicks, missing from 40 and about 42 yards. He is now 14-of-16 in camp. So, in addition to running pass routes he is actually kicking pretty well in camp thus far.
WATCHFUL EYES: According to the Giants, today’s attendance was 3,650 (1,660 in the morning, 1,990 in the evening. That increases the camp total to 8,755, the second-highest three-day total in the Giants 14 years at the University at Albany. The three-day record of 10,430 was set last year.
NOTE: Check the 'Transcripts' page for interviews with Coughlin and several players.

2009 Schedule Preview: Week 5 vs. NY Giants

Saintsational — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:00:10 -0000

The Saints finally finish up their run of three straight New York-based opponents when they take on the Giants in the Superdome during week five of the season. Since last facing each other, the Giants went and won themselves a Super Bowl and became a perennial contender. To be sure, the G-Men will provide a tough test for the Saints, in particular, their agressive defense. Hopefully, the results of this years clash will closely mirror those of the last meeting between these two teams. Something tells me it won't.

Giants Offense

New Orleans native Eli Manning is still running the show in New York but the team around him has seen some change. To offset the loss of their two big receivers, Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer, the Giants used their first round pick to take Hakeem Nicks in this years draft. They also selected receiver Ramses Barden and tight end Travis Beckum for added depth. Steve Smith (not that one), who led the team in receptions last year, will remain one of Manning's favorite targets while Domenik Hixon should develop quite nicely this season.

On the ground, Brandon Jacobs will certainly continue to be the main man for the G-Men, who led the league in rushing last season, but they've lost Derrick Ward, their 1,000-yard backup. Yes, that's right...backup. Ahmad Bradshaw should step up and fill that role in 2009 while a slew of other young backs like Danny Ware, Andre Brown, Allen Patrick and Dwayne Wright all fight for a spot in camp.

This is going to be a tough challenge for the Saints defense but certainly not impossible, especially if improvement really has been made.

Giants Defense

Two years ago the Giants defense was so good they were credited with taking down the almighty and undefeated New England Patriots. So good, in fact, that the Saints used them as a model for getting pressure on the quarterback last season. It didn't really work for the Saints but the Giants kept on rolling with 42 sacks and finished 2008 with the leagues fifth best defense. And all of this without Osi Umenyiora. Now Umenyiora is back and the team has also added defensive tackles Rocky Bernard and Chris Canty to further make their defensive line just scary good.

To help upgrade their linebacking corp, possibly the weakest aspect of their defense, the Giants have added Michael Boley and stole first round prospect Clint Sintim in the second round of this years draft to help veteran Antonio Pierce. This should definitely be an area of improvement in 2009.

In the pass defense department, New York has lost cornerbacks R.W. McQuarters and Sam Madison as well as safeties Sammy Knight and James Butler. The team is hoping that late round draft picks DeAndrew Wright and Stony Woodson along with safety C.C. Brown will offer depth behind Corey Webster, Kenny Phillips and Michael Johnson.

New Yorks defense definitely poses a legitimate threat to the Saints powerful offense. Not good.

Giants 2008 Season

12-4 Record

Last Meeting

December 24th, 2006

Week 16	1	2	3	4	OT	F
Saints	3	10	7	10	--	30
Giants	7	0	0	0	--	7

Why the Saints Can Win

They Saints have been known to shut down very talented running backs.

Why the Saints Can Lose

The Giants defense may be too much to handle.

Prediction

Saints 17 - Giants 15

Newly Acquired

TE George Wrighster

DT Chris Canty

DT Rocky Bernard

OLB Michael Boley

S C.C. Brown

2009 Draft Class

WR Hakeem Nicks

OLB Clint Sintim

OT William Beatty

WR Ramses Barden

TE Travis Beckum

RB Andre Brown

QB Rhett Bomar

CB DeAndre Wright

CB Stoney Woodson

Key Losses

RB Derrick Ward

RB Reuben Droughns

WR Plaxico Burress

WR Amani Toomer

TE Darcy Johnson

TE Martrez Milner

OT Shane Olivea

C Grey Ruegamer

DE Jerome McDougle

CB R.W. McQuarters

CB Sam Madison

S James Butler

S Sammy Knight

K John Carney

Linkage

Big Blue View

SB Nation Giants Coverage

Giants @ Saints Coverage

Giants Roster

Giants Transactions

Poll

What worries you more?

The Giants running game

38 votes

New York's defensive line

88 votes

Both of them

101 votes

Neither of them

38 votes

265 votes | Poll has closed

This year's useless try at predicting the Giants' season-opening 53-man roster

Ed Valentine — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:00:11 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, left, runs a drill with Rhett Bomar (5) and Andre Woodson during mini-camp last month. The competition for a roster spot between Bomar and Woodson will be one of training camp's most interesting.

Browse more photos »

OK, so with training camp only days away it is time to take a stab at predicting the season-opening 53-man roster. It's an exercise in complete futility. I mean, there is no way to predict injuries, and no guessing what veterans might get picked up right before the season starts.

But, I will take a stab at it anyway. Before Week 1 I will have to remember to look back and see how close I got.

Quarterbacks: Starter -- Eli Manning. Backup -- David Carr, Andre Woodson, Rhett Bomar.

The obvious fight here is between Bomar and Woodson for the third slot. Bomar, this year's fifth-round pick, was better than Woodson, last season's sixth-round pick, in the mini-camps. There is very little reason to think that won't still be the case in training camp. The Giants kept only two quarterbacks on the 53-man last season. Most teams keep three, and I am going to base this choice on Tom Coughlin keeping three.

The picks (3) -- Manning, Carr, Bomar

Running Backs: Starters -- RB Brandon Jacobs, FB Madison Hedgecock. Backup -- RB Ahmad Bradshaw, RB Danny Ware, RB Andre Brown, RB Allen Patrick, RB Dwayne Wright.

The roster spots here are easy to pick. The fight that will develop for carries behind Jacobs is not. I haven't got a clue who will emerge as the true backup behind Jacobs. I know, however, that between Bradshaw, Ware and the rookie Brown I'm not worried about it.

The picks (5) -- Jacobs, Hedgecock, Bradshaw, Ware, Brown.

Tight Ends: Starter -- Kevin Boss. Backup -- Michael Matthews, Darcy Johnson, Lee Vickers, Travis Beckum.

Third-round pick Travis Beckum wasn't drafted to block. Kevin Boss can block, but he is a pass-catcher. That means the third tight end has to be a big-time blocker, and that's what Matthews is.

The picks (3) -- Boss, Beckum, Matthews.

Wide Receivers: Starters -- Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon. Backups -- Mario Manningham, Sinorice Moss, David Tyree, Taye Biddle, Shaun Bodiford, Derek Hagan, Micah Rucker, Hakeem Nicks, Ramses Barden.

There are likely six roster spots to be had out of this group, and barring injury or trade it is pretty clear who will get them. That means a sad goodbye to Super Bowl 42 hero David Tyree. It also means cult hero Micah Rucker is likely playing for a spot on the practice squad.

The picks (6) -- Smith, Hixon, Manningham, Moss, Nicks, Barden.

Offensive Linemen: Starters -- LT David Diehl, LG Rich Seubert, C Shaun O’Hara, RG Chris Snee, RT Kareem McKenzie. Backups -- T Guy Whimper, T/C Adam Koets, T Andrew Carnahan, G/T Kevin Boothe, T Cliff Louis, G/T Terrance Pennington, G Tutan Reyes, G/T Orrin Thompson, T Will Beatty.

Each and every Giants' fan should pray that this starting offensive line, one of the league's best, continues to stay healthy. There isn't much in the way of dependable backups.

Second-round pick William Beatty should make the team. Veteran guard Tutan Reyes is likely in. The versatility of being able to play guard and tackle probably gets Kevin Boothe a slot. There has to be a backup center, so Adam Koets probably also sneaks onto the roster.

The picks (9) -- Diehl, Seubert, O'Hara, Snee, McKenzie, Beatty, Reyes, Boothe, Koets.

Defensive Linemen: Starters -- LE Justin Tuck, LT Barry Cofield, RT Fred Robbins, RE Osi Umenyiora. Backups -- DE Mathias Kiwanuka, DE/DT Chris Canty, DT Rocky Bernard, DT Jay Alford, DE Dave Tollefson, DE Maurice Evans, DT Anthony Bryant, DT Jeremy Clark, DT Leger Douzable, DE Robert Henderson, DE Tommie Hill.

If everyone gets through camp healthy, some very good football players will wind up being available to the NFL's other teams. I doubt there is another unit in the league that is this talented and this deep. The hardest cut out of this group will be Dave Tollefson, a popular player who has played well at times in sporadic opportunities. But with all this depth, with Jay Alford doubling as snapper on field goals and PATs, and with the talented Maurice Evans likely ending up on the practice squad I don't know how Tollefson sticks around.

The picks (8) -- Tuck, Cofield, Robbins, Umenyiora, Kiwanuka, Canty, Bernard, Alford.

Linebackers: Starter -- SLB Danny Clark , MLB Antonio Pierce , WLB Michael Boley. Backup -- MLB Chase Blackburn, MLB Jonathan Goff, WLB Bryan Kehl, WLB Gerris Wilkinson, SLB Zak DeOssie, SLB Kenny Ingram, SLB Clint Sintim, MLB Kelvin Smith.

The picks (8) -- Clark, Pierce, Boley, Blackburn, Goff, Kehl, DeOssie, Sintim

Defensive Backs: Starter -- LCB Aaron Ross, RCB Corey Webster, FS Michael Johnson, SS Kenny Phillips. Backup -- CB Vince Anderson, SS C.C. Brown, SS/FS Steve Cargile, CB Kevin Dockery, CB Bruce Johnson, CB Travonti Johnson, FS Sha’reff Rashad, CB Terrell Thomas, CB Stoney Woodson, CB DeAndre Wright.

The Giants are deep and talented at cornerback, a fact that is incredibly important in today's pass and blitz-happy NFL. They aren't so deep at safety, and I think that might leave room for undrafted free-agent Sha'reff Rashad to sneak onto the roster.

The picks (9) -- Ross, Webster, Johnson, Phillips, Brown, Dockery, Rashad, Thomas, Wright.

Kickers (2): P Jeff Feagles, K Lawrence Tynes

Feagles is the best in the business at what he does. Tynes makes many Giants' fans nervous, but he is a perfectly acceptable veteran kicker.

-- New York Giants schedule

State of the Bills Roster: Running Backs

Brian Galliford — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 21:00:08 -0000

Lynch spearheads talented group (buffalobills.com)

The "State of the Bills Roster" series trucks on! If you're new around these parts within the past nine months or so, this series is an off-season progression of posts in which we'll break down Buffalo's roster in-depth. From these discussions, we'll put together a "Community Needs List" in priority order, then begin researching potential free agent and draft acquisitions that will satisfy all of the Bills' needs as we perceive them.

Hey - at least this way, we're doing the job right. Right? Unlike a certain front office we're forced to support.

And now, we continue our foray into heavy-duty off-season work at Buffalo Rumblings. It's our "State of the Roster" series, off-season mode, and we'll continue the discussions by breaking down the situation at Buffalo's running back position.
Previous installments: QB

Opening statement
News flash: the Buffalo Bills have one of the better one-two running back punches in the entire NFL. Few running back tandems give as much effort as Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson; both runners have made names for themselves as guys who will claw for every inch of real estate they can cover, play in and play out. That's the good news. The bad news is that these two aren't the focal point of Buffalo's offense. That needs to change in 2009.

#23 Marshawn Lynch (starter)
5'11", 215 pounds
Age: 23 in April 2009
Contract status: 4 years remaining, 4th year voidable (UFA after 2011); owed $2.655M in base salaries
- He runs hard. He works hard. He's the heartbeat of Buffalo's offense. He's here for the foreseeable future, and that's a good thing for Bills football. The only knock I have on Lynch is that due to his running style, he's a guy who needs a dependable backup, because he's going to be banged up a lot. Otherwise, Marshawn is great.

#22 Fred Jackson
6'1", 215 pounds
Age: 28 in February 2009
Contract status: Exclusive Rights Free Agent
- Because Jackson served as an emergency quarterback for the Bills early last season, he technically has less than two years' accrued NFL experience, meaning the Bills retain exclusive negotiation rights during Jackson's upcoming free agency. He plays like he's been in the league for a decade, though he still makes some curiously bad decisions on kick returns. Still, he's one of Buffalo's most valuable "backups" by a long shot, and even at age 28, he's got a lot of tread on his tires.

#25 Xavier Omon
5'11", 220 pounds
Age: 24 in February 2009
Contract status: 3 years remaining (UFA after 2011); fiscal terms undisclosed.
- Sure, he beat out Dwayne Wright in the pre-season for this third running back gig, but that had a lot more to do with Wright's fumble-itis than anything Omon did. He was inactive for much of this season, and when he got chances, he was highly unremarkable. It's too early to give up on the kid - he was making the leap from DII to the NFL, after all - but there are serious doubts about how much he could shoulder if both Lynch and Jackson were dinged up.

#42 Bruce Hall
5'11", 210 pounds
Age: 24 in March 2009
Contract status: Undisclosed.
- He was on the practice squad until Week 17, when he was called up thanks to Marshawn's shoulder injury. Yeah, he'll probably be around in training camp next year - these types of guys typically get two-year deals - but he's clearly not a big part of the team's future at this position.

#38 Corey McIntyre
6'0", 244 pounds
Age: 30 in January 2009
Contract status: Undisclosed.
- Chances are good that McIntyre, a mid-season acquisition at fullback, is on a one-year deal that's just expired, meaning he's an unrestricted free agent. I highly doubt he returns. He was good on special teams, but his lead blocking left a lot to be desired - and that's an understatement.

The Breakdown
Keepers: Lynch. Modest contract, hard-working player that could play for most teams in the league. Enough said.

Extendables: Jackson. He's exclusive, I know, but the Bills should make extending Jackson one of their top priorities this off-season. Lynch makes Jackson better, and Jackson makes Lynch better. This duo needs to stay together if they can be the featured tandem of Buffalo's offense in 2009.

Expendables: Omon, Hall, McIntyre. As far as I'm concerned, none of these guys offer any tangible value to the team in any facet of the game. All three can be upgraded.

Questionables: None.

Goners: None.

What we need: First and foremost, we need a blocking fullback. To be more specific, we need a blocking fullback that can block. Nothing would help out our terrific tandem more than a guy who'll make it so that the duo doesn't have to earn their yardage on effort alone. It would also be nice to see the Bills explore a far more viable third running back option than Omon - Lynch and Jackson have been banged up a times, and their depth has been severely limited in those moments. I'm not talking about a specific style of back, either; really, I'm talking about a Mewelde Moore-type pickup that can make plays if pressed into action. Lynch is fine, and if Jackson is extended, the Bills can find someone viable as a third back, and a solid blocker is added, this unit could be one of the best running back groups in the entire league.

That's it. I'm done with the easy stuff. Now it's on you, folks. Do you agree that Jackson deserves an extension? Should the Bills explore upgrades over Omon and McIntyre? Have any names of potential additions you'd like to throw into the ring? Have fun with this, and let's get brainstorming.

Bills/Lions: What to Watch For

Brian Galliford — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:04:31 -0000

QB Edwards a game-time decision (Photo Source)

The Buffalo Bills close out their pre-season schedule tonight in their first real home game, in which they'll take on the (undefeated) Detroit Lions. After playing extensively just four days ago, Buffalo's starters are only expected to play a series or two as the coaching staff allows younger players to compete for final roster spots. The Bills must reduce their roster to 53 players on Saturday.

Your humble narrator will be attending tonight's festivities in person, checking out our newly upgraded seats at good old Ralph Wilson Stadium. I'm excited - and not just because of the seats. I have plenty to keep an eye out for tonight; here, in a more specific manner, is what I'll be watching for:

Trent Edwards? Please?
Look, I'm all for keeping a guy healthy, but since the starters are only going a series or two tonight, I really hope Trent Edwards plays. Buffalo's starting quarterback is a game-time decision with a thigh contusion that held him out of the win over Indianapolis; Tom Brady and Peyton Manning might be able to skip the pre-season and not miss a beat, but I highly doubt Edwards is in the same boat. Even a series or two helps kick off a little more rust before we take on Seattle.

Wright vs. Omon
My guess is that these two guys are going to play the majority of the game, with Bruce Hall getting work at third down back. A roster spot is on the line for Buffalo's two young running backs. So, naturally, I'll be paying attention to their special teams integration as well as how they tote the rock. For the record, I'm pulling for Wright. I think he's got a chance to be a good back. I want to trust him again, and I think the Bills do too.

The Replacements
No, I'm not talking about the crappy Keanu Reeves flick made worse by John Madden's cameo (though Rhys Ifans is excellent in that film). At least one key player (LT Langston Walker) is not expected to play in this game, and other players such as receivers Josh Reed, James Hardy and Roscoe Parrish could miss the game as well (and that's just me speculating - I expect we'll know more later on today). That means young guys like Demetrius Bell, Justin Jenkins and Felton Huggins are going to see time quite early. If they perform well, they'll probably make the team. (Not that two of the three I mentioned here aren't virtual locks already).

Chris Ellis
Let's face it - guys like Aaron Schobel, Chris Kelsay and Ryan Denney aren't going to see a ton of time tonight. Chris Ellis, on the other hand, will. I haven't paid as much attention to him this pre-season as I've liked to (though I've enjoyed what I've seen of him thus far), so he'll be my primary focus on defense tonight.

The Cornerback Carousel
I don't expect much to change in terms of the cornerback depth chart based on tonight's game, but this is the last chance for guys like Ashton Youboty and Reggie Corner to make some plays - and with them, a serious attempt at a move up the depth chart. I enjoy watching all of Buffalo's cornerbacks play (save Leodis McKelvin last week), so their play should be charted closely tonight as well.

Special Teams
There isn't a better indicator of who is making a late move up the depth chart than who is playing where on special teams. I'm going to do my best to keep track of coverage units and playmakers on special teams tonight. Bobby April has a lot of pull when it comes to those last few roster spots, so anyone who stands out tonight has a pretty good shot of at least warranting serious roster consideration.

Regrettably, as I'll be at The Ralph, I will be unable to join you in tonight's open game thread. I will be in contact via email at The Ralph, so if you're bored (and if you're in the open thread, you probably won't be), fire me a question and I'll try to get back to you promptly. Tonight's open thread will open at 6, approximately a half-hour before the game is set to kick off.

Just get through tonight, folks. Regular season football is just around the corner.

Bills/Colts: What to Watch For

Brian Galliford — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 13:20:00 -0000

DT Williams fighting off S. Johnson for starting role (Photo Source)

The Buffalo Bills have made the trip to Indianapolis, where they are set to take on the Colts in tonight's pre-season game at the newly constructed - and absolutely gorgeous - Lucas Oil Stadium. The Bills will be without three key players - QB Trent Edwards, WR James Hardy and WR Roscoe Parrish - for this matchup, and the Colts are missing some starters as well, most prominently QB Peyton Manning.

Despite the starters missing the one pre-season game that's important to a team's growth - especially a team as young as the Bills - there will still be some positional battles and players in unique positions that we'll be keeping an eye on. We sincerely hope that you'll join us for tonight's open thread; here's what we'll be watching for:

Hamdan vs. Baker: It has become excruciatingly obvious that the Bills will be relying on J.P. Losman as a starting option at some point during the 2008 season. With that in mind, it's probably high time to start paying a bit more attention to the battle for the team's third quarterback spot raging between Gibran Hamdan and Matt Baker. One of these guys might actually be our primary backup for stretches during this season. It is prudent, therefore, to know a bit more about these two players.

Dwayne Wright: He's 2/2 this pre-season; unlike in baseball, that's not a good thing - Wright has fumbled in each of this pre-season's two games. Rookie sixth-round pick Xavier Omon is far more than just a challenger to Wright's job as the third back now. Wright has looked good running the ball, but he needs to protect the rock, or he won't be a part of this final roster.

Jenkins, Huggins and Johnson: We can only guess, but we're predicting that Josh Reed - due to the problems he's had with his lower back - won't play as much as the rest of the starters tonight. Lee Evans might not see a huge work load either, though he's expected to play much of the first half. With Hardy and Parrish out, we're going to see a lot of playing time for the three receivers fighting for one to two spots - Justin Jenkins, Felton Huggins and rookie Steve Johnson. The time is now for them to prove that they belong on this team.

Langston Walker: Dwight Freeney is making his first start of the pre-season tonight for Indianapolis, and with that, Walker faces by far his stiffest challenge since his move from right to left tackle. Walker handled Jason Taylor relatively well in Washington, but Freeney steps the challenge up a notch. We're expecting Ron From NM to keep an eye on #68, but we'll be watching closely as well.

Demetrius Bell: See Walker, but substitute Freeney's name for any of a number of the Colts' reserve ends who have ridiculous speed, most prominently rookie Marcus Howard. I'm very intrigued with this kid, as most of you know, and he'll get tested tonight.

Williams vs. Johnson (vs. McCargo?): Apparently, there's a battle raging for the starting tackle spot next to Marcus Stroud, and the two main combatants are Kyle Williams and Spencer Johnson. The winner of the battle's title may in reality be only a figurehead position, but we've spent enough time with our eyes glued to Marcus Stroud this pre-season to know he's legit; it's time to get more familiar with his running mates.

Angelo Crowell: Buffalo's starting strong-side linebacker makes his 2008 pre-season debut tonight. Will he look rusty? How does he look in pass coverage? How will he operate next to, in essence, two new teammates in Paul Posluszny and Kawika Mitchell? Well, that's why we're watching him tonight.

Cornerback rotation: The third pre-season game is followed swiftly by initial roster cut-downs and the fourth pre-season game - this coming Thursday against the Lions - so Buffalo's cornerback battle is about to get furiously heated. Ashton Youboty will again get most of our focus, but we're expecting Leodis McKelvin to take a step forward in the competition tonight as well.