NY Giants Twitter Mailbag: The "Going Camping" Edition

You hear that, Giants fans?

Those whispers in the wind are the sound of the blocking sleds coming out of storage, the crackling of plastic packaging being ripped from jerseys, gloves and other practice apparel and the whoosh of air being used to inflate dozens of “Dukes.”

That’s right, New York Giants training camp is set to begin on Thursday when the players report for the mandatory conditioning drills.

I don’t know about you, but I’m so ready to be your eyes and ears at every practice (yes, even those closed to the public). 

In the meantime, I did offer to do a pre-camp Twitter mailbag, so let's go ahead and get to your questions.

Joe, first, thanks for the kudos on the podcast. I’m glad you enjoy it and that someone other than my immediate family actually listens.

Remember that spring practices are done without pads, so there is only so much you can tell about the guys in the pit.

To my eyes, I thought Newhouse looked tentative at times. However, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that was because he was learning a new system.

Uncredited/Associated Press

Now if he continues to struggle once the pads go on, then it might be time for Plan B, whatever that is.

The most likely option is the Giants will add another veteran who shakes free once the final training camp cuts are made.

If they don’t find someone they like, they could move Justin Pugh back to right tackle if Brandon Mosley or Brett Jones show they can handle the left guard spot.

John Jerry is also an option, though I think the three scenarios I just outlined are probably the most realistic if Newhouse struggles in the preseason.

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@Patricia_Traina what's the word on Ereck Flowers run blocking ability? Also what are your thoughts on Brandon Mosley ability to play ROT?

— vin (@vin_e) July 27, 2015"

Thanks for the question, Vin. The word on Ereck Flowers is that he’s a solid run-blocker. Though as I said to Joe, above, until the pads go on, we’re not going to have a complete picture on the guys in the pit. 

Regarding Brandon Mosely, he was a college tackle, but he’s worked almost exclusively at guard since being drafted, so I think that might be where his best position is.

I should also add though that despite being healthy last year following a back issue, it was a bit of an eyebrow raiser that Mosley couldn’t unseat John Jerry, who had his issues in run-blocking.

It’s a new year, though, so I’m very interested to see how far Mosley has progressed.

Thanks for the question, Stephen. Both Landon Collins and J.T. Thomas were working with the first-team defense in the spring so I have no reason to believe that will change for the start of training camp unless either or both are injured.

Thanks for the question, Chris. I also received another question about Pierre-Paul and whether I thought he might show up.

I do not think it will be a surprise if Jason Pierre-Paul doesn’t show up until he is cleared by his doctors.

Pierre-Paul apparently wants to be paid, and he knows that there is a possibility that if he shows up for Day 1 of camp and signs the franchise tag tender, he runs the risk of being placed on the NFI list and not being paid.

So absent the Giants guaranteeing that they will pay him regardless of his physical condition, no, I don’t think we’ll be seeing Pierre-Paul until he is healthy.

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

Now for your question, Chris. The thing you have to remember that each week that Pierre-Paul doesn’t show up, the Giants get a $870,588 cap credit (the franchise tag tender, $14.8 million, divided by 17). 

That $870,588 should cover a one-year salary for a veteran player, whose salary, remember, is not guaranteed if he is added to the roster after the first week.

Now with all that said, if the Giants did decide to move on from Pierre-Paul, they would have a nice little chunk of change, which they’d probably carry over to 2016.

That’s when the contracts of cornerback Prince Amukamara, whom ESPN’s Dan Graziano believes will not get a new contract until then, and, if he has a solid season, receiver Rueben Randle will have to be addressed. (And let’s not forget quarterback Eli Manning, if he doesn’t finalize an extension before then.)

As I said before, I don’t think the Giants will move on from Pierre-Paul this year (even though I argued why they should). Until the Giants meet with Pierre-Paul and have their doctors examine his hand, they hold all the cards.

"

@Patricia_Traina is Cullen Jenkins staying at DT primarily or is he gonna see a lot of snaps at DE?

— Sunflower Samurai (@SunFlowSamurai) July 27, 2015"

Thanks for the question. I do think that Cullen Jenkins is going to open training camp at defensive end—that’s where he worked most of the spring.

Whether he stays at that position remains to be seen—I suppose it all depends on how quickly Damontre Moore and Owa Odighizuwa make their respective presences known.

Great question! I’m going to go with OLB Devon Kennard, who, as I noted in this analysis, is quite impressive when coming off the edge as a pass-rusher.

I could also see Damontre Moore playing a similar role, and I wouldn’t be surprised if defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo uses linebacker Jonathan Casillas as a pseudo-safety—the role Deon Grant played so well.

Brilliant question! (Sorry, I just finished a four-week course during the downtime that was led by an Irish-born instructor whose catch phrase was “Brilliant!”)

There are two positions where I think the Giants are abundant in talent and where I think guys who don’t make the 53-man roster will almost certainly land on their feet. 

LM Otero/Associated Press

The first is tight end. I’ve been maintaining this position all along, but I firmly believe that veteran Daniel Fells is on the bubble.

I’m not sure another team will trade for Fells, who if added after Week 1 to another roster won’t have his salary guaranteed, but I could see him easily landing elsewhere if he’s cut.

The other position where there is an abundance of talent and where I think there is a possibility of swinging a trade is at receiver. I’m projecting the Giants keep six receivers—Victor Cruz, Odell Beckham Jr., Rueben Randle, Dwayne Harris, Corey Washington and Geremy Davis.

That means players like Preston Parker, Julian Talley and Ben Edwards will all likely be available (though I do believe that Edwards is going to be among the first players the Giants try to stash on the practice squad.

Thanks for the question, Barb. I think the only and obvious answer to start the season on the PUP list—at least based on the information currently known about the injury situation—is LT Will Beatty.

To clarify a few things, there is inactive PUP and active PUP. A player who is placed on the active PUP list counts toward the 90-man training camp roster. He can, however, be activated at any time.

The inactive PUP designation means the player doesn’t count against the 53-man roster. He must sit out the first six weeks of the season.

For those wondering, no, defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul is not eligible for the inactive PUP or active PUP lists. His injury was non-football related, hence why, if he should report to the team, he would likely be placed on the NFI (non-football injury) list.

"

@Patricia_Traina When camp opens, and pads are allowed which individual drills are you more eager to watch and why?

— Felipe Fingerl (@ffingerl) July 27, 2015"

Thanks for the question, Felipe. Truthfully, I don’t have a preference. I try to watch a little bit of everything, and I try to give folks as much of a picture as to what is going on as I can. I try to avoid tweeting the obvious, e.g. who caught the ball, who made the tackle, etc.

If it ever looks like I’m tweeting extensively about one position unit or one drill, it’s probably because the drill work is in close proximity to the media’s observation area. 

Patricia Traina covers the Giants for Inside Football, the Journal Inquirer and Sports Xchange. All quotes and information were obtained firsthand unless otherwise sourced.

Follow @Patricia_Traina.