(photo credit: Bobby O’Hara/PuresportsNY)
The first training camp practice with the fans on hand kicked off with a palpable energy from the start. The chant, let’s go Giants, erupted early on as the team began to run drills. A lone Dallas Cowboy fan wearing a Tony Romo jersey faced loud boos as he grabbed a seat in the bleachers to take in the action with the Giants faithful. There were three players who stood out on Saturday for memorable plays.
On the first snap of the day, linebacker Devon Kennard intercepted an Eli Manning pass on the sidelines that was intended for Will Tye. It was the highpoint of the day for Kennard and a moment for him to build on as he goes through training camp. Kennard, who was drafted in the 5th round of 2014 draft has battled injury problems which have kept him off the field in his first two seasons. In 2014 he missed 4 games with hamstring issues and in 2015 missed a total of 7 games due to hamstring and foot injuries. The Giants are going to need consistency in the linebacker group and if Kennard can stay healthy he’s certainly a player to watch.
The second play of note was a deep touchdown pass from Ryan Nassib to wide receiver Tavarres King. King was drafted in the 5th round of the 2013 draft by the Denver Broncos and the Giants became his 5th team when they signed him to their practice squad in September of 2015. Aside from the the long touchdown pass King demonstrated a consistent ability to get separation, making multiple catches during the practice. It will be interesting to see if he can take the strong showing and replicate it as training camp continues. If he’s able to stay highly visible for all the right reasons, the coaching staff may seriously consider him as a viable option as the 5th or 6th receiver on the depth chart.
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Veteran tight end Larry Donnell provided the final play worth discussing. He looked sharp as he made several catches, highlighted by a diving reception across the middle of the field that drew loud cheers from the crowd. Donnell is coming off a neck injury which forced him to miss 8 games last season which allowed Will Tye to step in and start in 7 games. The competition at the tight end position is fierce this season with a young crop of tight ends, ( Will Tye, Matt LaCosse, Ryan Malleck and Jerell Adams ) all hoping for more snaps. A day like today should definitely give Donnell a boost. If he can stay healthy and bring consistency as a receiver than the Giants’ staff need only concern themselves with continuing to try and improve his ability as a blocker. His journey through camp is one to watch because the starting tight end position is one that has yet to be determined.
There’s competition at all three position groups: Tight Ends, Linebackers, and Wide Receivers. Over the course of training camp each of these players will be vying for the chance to prove that they’re up to the challenge of being a productive player on the 53 man roster.