Winners and Losers of New York Giants' Offseason so Far

It's been business as usual for the New York Giants, who this week conclude their offseason program with a three-day mandatory minicamp.

The focus, per head coach Ben McAdoo, was to give all the new faces an introduction to the playbook and the Giants way of doing things, and for the coaches to get in some quality teaching time with the entire roster on new concepts that might find their way into the playbook this year.  

While McAdoo has been generally pleased with the effort so far, the Giants' offseason program wasn't without its share of storylines, both good and bad.

Here, then, is a look at some of the winners and losers from the 10-week offseason program.

Winner: TE Evan Engram

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

So far, so good for first-round draft pick Evan Engram, who, despite the non-contact nature of the spring practices, appears to be everything the Giants thought he might be when they selected him 23rd overall.

Engram has been lining up in multiple spots on the Giants offense, including in the backfield, in the slot and split wide. He has created a mismatch against the smaller, more athletic defenders, a battle he has won more often than not. 

In fact, Engram's growing belief in what he's being asked to do has given the Giants coaching staff more confidence to use more two-tight end sets.  

"Those first couple of days, the installs and everything, I was learning but I wasn't really confident," Engram said when asked to assess his progress. "I was thinking a lot, I was second guessing myself.

"But really digging in in the film room, correcting my mistakes and not letting those same mistakes happen again. That really boosts my confidence. So, when I know what I'm doing and I could play fast, that's the biggest leap I've taken during these OTAs."

For those concerned that Engram is nothing more than a glorified receiver who can't block, he welcomes and feeds off the criticism. 

"That's one of, I guess, what people would call one of the downfalls of my game," he said, adding that he doesn't pay much attention to what people have to say about his blocking. "But I'm willing to show my worth in that aspect, and I think if I really become great in that aspect of the game, and be a force with that, I'll just be a better all-around player."

If he can become a better all-around player, expect the Giants offense to take a big leap forward this year. 

Loser: WR Odell Beckham Jr

Tony Dejak/Associated Press

Odell Beckham Jr. has every right to skip the voluntary OTAs. Based on the videos he's posted, the workouts he has been doing would probably cost the Giants their next five draft classes if they were to try to replicate the intensity during OTAs governed by a watered-down CBA.

Just as social media has assured Giants fans that Beckham is working hard, it's also created some bad optics that have come about from him retweeting the opinions of others that passively aggressively appear to criticize those who say he should be with his teammates.

That includes his head coach, who said: "You want all your players here, especially your great players. It's a time to build fundamentals, communication, chemistry, and trust. So, you want all your players here, especially the great ones. They facilitate a lot of those things for you."

Among the gems retweeted by Beckham was one by former Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes, who opined that OTAs are "dumb."

Then there was this tweet by journalist Roland Martin in which he wrote: "I'm sick of folks acting like star athletes must always do what a coach asks. McAdoo wants @OBJ_3 at workouts? See ya when it's mandatory."

If all that isn't bad enough; Beckham was in town late last week to do a promotion with Verizon. Rather than appear at the team's final OTA, even if he were just there to stand on the sideline, he left the area and was spotted courtside at the Cleveland Cavaliers-Golden State Warriors NBA Finals, according to this tweet by Candace Buckner.

Again, the problem isn't so much that Beckham is choosing to train on his own. His use of social media to get public support on his side runs the risk of creating an image of a guy who cares more about himself than the big picture—the team.

Winner: LT Ereck Flowers

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

No one—not even the Giants coaches—will know for sure just how much progress offensive tackle Ereck Flowers has made since the end of last season until the pads go on. With that said, there hasn't been this much optimism or excitement surrounding the ninth-overall pick of the 2015 draft since he was drafted. 

The excitement is a result of Flowers' decision to remain in East Rutherford to reshape his body, improve his stamina and flexibility, and strengthen the foundation of his craft.

Everyone from McAdoo to offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan to offensive line coach Mike Solari has raved about his commitment, noting how much quicker and lighter on his feet he's looked this spring.

"He is in tremendous condition. You can see it as practice goes on and especially in a no-huddle period when the ones run back out there for a second time," McAdoo said. "He is in better condition, so his feet move a little bit better, his technique is a little bit better."

The Giants need Flowers to start living up to his draft pedigree if they are to put another Vince Lombardi Trophy in the team's silverware case anytime soon.

Loser: TE Rhett Ellison

Jim Mone/Associated Press

It's probably unfair to put a guy in the "loser" category when an injury is involved, but when that player signed a four-year, $18 million contract as tight end Rhett Ellison did this offseason, there has to be a cause for concern.

In case you've missed it, Ellison hasn't been able to participate in any of the OTAs due to soreness in his calf. The 28-year-old, remember, suffered the same injury (torn patellar tendon) that struck down Victor Cruz, Ellison's injury coming in the 2015 regular-season finale.

Like Cruz, Ellison now has a calf issue, which the tight end said he didn't believe to be related to his knee issue. But that's also what the Giants said about Cruz when his calf ailment popped up, only to later have it revealed that Cruz's injury was related to him overcompensating for his healing knee.

Only time will tell if Ellison's calf issue is something that warrants long-term concern, but this isn't the start he or the Giants expected.

Winner: WR Sterling Shepard

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

Last year, receiver Sterling Shepard started out on fire, averaging 14.6 yards per reception in his first three games.

In his remaining games, that dropped to just 9.2 yards per catch, and with that his reliability—Shepard went from catching 84.2 percent of his pass targets in those first three games to 58.3 percent the rest of the way.

Take that drop-off and the addition of tight end Evan Engram, who can play in the slot, and it looked like there might be some question as to whether Shepard would have much of a role on this offense in 2017.

A more motivated Shepard has set his focus on improving every facet of his game. With Odell Beckham Jr. absent and Brandon Marshall having missed at least one workout, he has had plenty of opportunities to show the coaches that he needs to be just as much a part of the offense as anyone else.

If he keeps on making the kind of plays he has this spring—several of which have come over the middle and in the red zone—he's going to have a big role in the offense.

One thing Shepard told reporters he was working on was getting more yards after the catch. In the three OTAs open to the media, he's done a better job of that, snaring passes while in stride stand then turning on the jets to pick up the YAC.

Interestingly, with Engram a likely possibility to play in the slot, Giants wide receivers coach Adam Henry told reporters that Shepard, who at 5'10", 194 pounds was thought to be too small to play anywhere but the slot, will get his chance to work outside in some packages.

What's been the biggest difference for Shepard, who has played faster this spring?  

"I think it is just adjusting to the speed," he said after the team's third OTA. "I feel a lot more comfortable out here running routes. I know the play system now, so it helps me be a little more comfortable."

If that comfort level translates into production, even better.

Loser: The Consistent No-Shows

Al Bello/Getty Images

Again, OTAs are voluntary, so it's probably not fair to lump defensive ends Olivier Vernon and Owa Odighizuwa in this category. Or is it?

Let's start with Vernon, the Giants' biggest free-agent signing in 2016. During an appearance at a team charity event last week, he hinted that the weather in the New Jersey area for most of the OTA period has been a turnoff.

While it's possible he was joking, if he wasn't and that really is Vernon's reason for staying in Florida, it's a disappointing and short-sighted one.

What's probably most disappointing about his decision to skip OTAs is that the Giants have a few new faces on the defensive line, including two new defensive ends—rookie Avery Moss and veteran Devin Taylor—and rookie defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson, who will battle youngsters Jay Bromley and Robert Thomas for the starting job vacated by Johnathan Hankins.

While you can make the argument that there is still plenty of time to build chemistry during training camp, there is no getting back the reps and meeting time lost during the spring that helps build a critical foundation toward forging that long-term chemistry.

Odighizuwa's absence is a bigger mystery. Back in April, before the team commenced its offseason program, he tweeted that he planned to take some time away from the game, though he never indicated why.

The next day, he sent out another tweet indicating that he still planned to be part of the Giants, even showing up for the start of the program.

However, when it comes to the OTAs, Odighizuwa has gone AWOL. When asked about the player, none of McAdoo or defensive line coaches Patrick Graham and Rob Leonard would discuss him, even in terms of commenting what he has to do to take a step forward this year. 

It's unclear if Odighizuwa is using the time away to tend to whatever it is that initiated that original cryptic tweet. It's also not known if the 25-year-old plans to rejoin the team any time soon, though we should find out where his head is at when the team opens its three-day mandatory minicamp. 

One thing does seem clear: The additions of Moss and Taylor, combined with Odighizuwa's absence, don't look good if he hopes to be on the roster this year. 

Winner: TE Matt LaCosse

Mel Evans/Associated Press

Third-year tight end Matt LaCosse's NFL journey has been nothing short of frustrating.

A promising young two-way tight end who came to the Giants as an undrafted free agent out of Illinois in 2015, the Giants had visions of LaCosse giving them a big target in the red zone as well as a decent enough blocker in the run game, just as his NFL draft profile suggested might be the case.

Instead, LaCosse has had injury issues that have twice ended his year before it could really get started.  

He's hoping that a change in his training, which he told me included doing more strength and flexibility work to ensure he wasn't overcompensating for one side over the other due to any type of imbalance, will keep him on the field this year.            

So far so good for LaCosse, who has gotten off to a strong start in making a case for a roster spot at a crowded tight end position. 

"He made some nice plays," head coach McAdoo said after the team's sixth OTA. "He is a big target down there in the green zone. Match-up-wise, he gives you that length that you are looking for, he can run and is a functional blocker, so he has a nice skill set."

It all means nothing if LaCosse is unable to stay on the field. But if he has put his injuries behind him, the tight end competition this summer just became that much more interesting.

Loser: WR Roger Lewis

Mel Evans/Associated Press

When you're sitting toward the bottom of the depth chart at your position, the last thing you can afford to do is run afoul of the law.

Unfortunately, that's what happened to Roger Lewis, an undrafted free agent who made the 53-man roster last year and was set to compete for a bigger role on offense.

Lewis was arrested  in Ohio earlier this month on an OVI (operating a vehicle while impaired) charge, one that he pled not guilty to during a recent court appearance.  

McAdoo declined to offer insight into the club's thinking regarding Lewis' run-in with law enforcement and how that might affect his roster spot. All the coach would say is that the team was going to "let the legal process take care of itself."

Even if Lewis, who, per the police report (h/t the New York Post), was found to have 0.2 grams of marijuana in the car he was driving should emerge from the legal process free and clear, he could still be subject to the NFL's personal conduct policy.

Combine that with several promising roster hopefuls at receiver, such as emerging fan favorite Travis Rudolph and Darius Powe, and Lewis could well need more than the forgiveness of the law to be a part of the 2017 Giants roster.

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