Cody Latimer

New York Giants bringing in preseason hero to help out at wide receiver

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T.J. Jones, New York Giants

With the New York Giants preparing to lose their top wide receiver in Sterling Shepard for the week two matchup against the Buffalo Bills, they have elected to re-sign preseason hero T.J. Jones to help fill the void.

With Shepard missing time and Golden Tate still three games away from being eligible to compete, the Giants will be thin in the wide receiver corps. Jones finished the preseason with 12 receptions for 146 total yards and two touchdowns, one of which was a Victor Cruz-esque grab in the endzone on an Alex Tanney pass.

He will immediately come in and have familiarity with the offensive playbook, as well as chemistry with quarterback, Eli Manning. Despite only being on the team for several weeks, his knowledge of the playbook and skillset will be put to use, especially in week two against the Bills.

What are the New York Giants getting with T.J. Jones?

In five season with the Detroit Lions, Jones caught 64 balls for 814 yards and four scores. He’s a seasoned veteran that was always fighting for reps against more talented pass-catchers. I imagine the Giants will utilize him all over the field if he can manage to secure ample minutes, but with the lack of talent at the position, he will be forced into a medium-volume role.

Against the Bills, Big Blue will likely trot out Cody Latimer, Bennie Fowler, Russell Shepard, and T.J. Jones in that order. Based on field position and scheme, head coach Pat Shurmur will likely rotate the receivers, using Fowler in the red-zone. Shepard is a deep-ball threat, while Jones is a solid post-route receiver. He can also contest balls along the boundary.

The biggest issue with losing Shepard is that they will have to compensate for the loss of their primary slot target. Jones could play out of the slot and act as a crossing route option/security blanket for Manning.

Nonetheless, Jones showed he is a capable receiver this preseason, and he will earn his opportunity for the Giants during the regular season in week two.

 

New York Giants top receiver could be out with concussion for week 2

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New York Giants, Sterling Shepard

To make matters even worse after the New York Giants loss to the Dallas Cowboys 35-17, starting wide receiver Sterling Shepard could miss week two of the regular season.

The Giants will look to bounce back against the Buffalo Bills in their home opener, but Sterling could miss time with a potential concussion. Head coach Pat Shurmur said Monday that Shurmur was dealing with concussion symptoms and would undergo further testing. The Giants top pass catcher will likely enter the protocol.

“It appears like he might be in the protocol here,” Shurmur said.

Also, right guard Kevin Zeitler also was seen with an ice wrap on his right shoulder after the game. The newly acquired offensive lineman hasn’t missed a game since 2015, so he will likely be available next Sunday against the Bills.

Shepard played 68 snaps on offense against the Cowboys, acting as Eli Manning’s top target. He finished the game with 42 receiving yards on six receptions. He averaged seven yards per catch. His influence was minimal, while tight end Evan Engram hauled 116 yards and a score on 11 receptions.

If Manning’s most trustworthy target is unable to play against the Bills, the Giants will have to look to Cody Latimer, Bennie Fowler, and Russell Shepard as their primary targets. They will likely utilize star running back Saquon Barkley more efficiently in week two. He only earned 11 carries against the Cowboys which was an alarming number that affected their overall offensive production.

The Bills defense limited the New York Jets two just 16 points on Sunday, which will present a challenge for the Giants. Starting quarterback for Buffalo Josh Allan, however, did turn the ball over four times, giving the Jets plenty of opportunities to capitalize. The Giants must come out firing if they wish to secure a win and rebound from a tough outing in week one.

New York Giants: Cody Latimer has competition for the No. 3 wide receiver spot

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New York Giants, Cody Latimer

Over two preseason games for the New York Giants, the number three wide receiver position has completely opened up. After Corey Coleman suffered a torn ACL, the starting roll automatically went to Cody Latimer.

So far, Latimer has looked good in two preseason matchup’s, hauling in two receptions for 36 yards against the Jets and two receptions for 60 yards against the Bears.

Latimer has the most chemistry with Eli Manning, the Giants’ starting quarterback for the 2019 season. That gives him a significant advantage over other options.

However, one new receiver has been making waves and is looking very impressive and efficient through two games. Former Detroit Lion T.J. Jones managed six receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown against the Jets in week one of the preseason, and week two he managed three receptions for 32 yards and a touchdown.

“I think that the opportunity, when its presented you make it what you want it to,” Jones told reporters on Wednesday. “If you come in leaving here, just a camp body then that’s what you put out on film. You won’t believe you have a shot so you won’t put your best foot forward, but if you come in with the mindset that I’m here to earn a spot, to earn a job whether it’s here to put out good film or if I were let go for someone else to see good film. That’s on you, so I came to make the best of the opportunity and to definitely not let the timing of it, kind of effect the way I approached it.”

Jones is a capable wide receiver that can play on the boundary and in the slot. He has shown versatility and speed in his game so far. He was overshadowed in Detroit behind players like Golden Tate and Kenny Golladay in previous seasons, but he is a solid pass catcher and can be an impact player for the Giants next season. At this point, Latimer seems to be the favorite option, but Jones is creeping up quickly.

Jones is more than capable of handling the workload against first-string opponents, as he has been dominating the reserves of other teams.

What has been most impressive from the five-year veteran has been his touchdown receptions. His first score was on a  back-shoulder pass from Alex Tanney that Jones tracked down perfectly and rotated his body to secure in the end zone. Against the Chicago Bears, he enjoyed a beautiful fade route that saw Daniel Jones drop the ball in his breadbasket.

One thing that has stood out to me is that Jones can run a good portion of the route tree. The Giants and head coach Pat Shurmur have been utilizing him in different ways to see what he’s capable of and how they can extract the most value during the regular season. He can be a significant contributor moving forward. Whether or not he can beat out Cody Latimer for the number three receiver spot is a whole different story.

New York Giants: Daniel Jones shows his biggest weakness

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New York Giants, Daniel Jones

The New York Giants trumped the Chicago Bears for a second consecutive pre-season win on Friday night, sealing the victory 32-13. Big Blue put on a show in every facet of the game, but it’s important to note that the Bears did not utilize their first-stringers on offense and rested some of their defensive starters.

The Giants, however, had solid performances on both sides of the ball. The offense was productive and once again showed their depth with Kyle Lauletta securing another touchdown late in the ball-game.

How did Daniel Jones look for the New York Giants?

Rookie passer Daniel Jones looked solid under center, but he put his biggest weakness on display. Jones lost two fumbles on the day — similar to Eli Manning in another category, so it seems. The Duke product finished 11-of-14 with 161 yards passing and a perfect touchdown to TJ Jones.

Jones showed elite poise in the pocket against the Bears — his ball placement was excellent. His release is clean, and mechanics are perfect. He’s quick, decisive with his reads, and mechanically sound in the pocket. All of these positives were on display in his second pre-season game, but his ball security was a significant issue.

One play after hitting Latimer on a deep ball on the left-boundary, Jones fumbled the snap and gave the ball back to Chicago. Luckily, he can work out those kinks without any repercussions in the pre-season.

One of the aspects I liked most about Jones was his ability to bounce back from the two fumbles and still throw accurately with poise. Confidence is essential for quarterbacks in the NFL, and he showed his ability to overcome adversity and still get the job done.

The New York Giants need to give WR TJ Jones a fighting chance

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T.J. Jones, New York Giants

With the New York Giants losing Golden Tate for the first four games of the regular season due to a violation against the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy, several other past catchers will earn the opportunity to fight for a roster spot.

Tate is an automatic starter, but behind him and Sterling Shepard, the competition is wide open. Receivers such as Cody Latimer, TJ Jones, Brittan Golden, Bennie Fowler, Russell Shepard, and Alonzo Russell are all fighting for a starting spot.

At this point, Latimer seems to be in the lead for the number three spot on the wide receiver corps, but Jones is making a significant impact.

Better receivers have kept Jones in the shadows over the last few seasons. The emergence of Kenny Golladay with the Detroit Lions pushed Jones down the depth chart, but he has plenty of talent and effectiveness to offer another team. The Giants will need his services this year after injuries to Corey Coleman and a suspension to Golden Tate.

What are the New York Giants getting in TJ Jones?

Last season, TJ played in 15 games hauling in 19 receptions for 190 yards and two touchdowns. He had a catch rate of 73.1%, which attests to his trustworthy hands. For the Giants this preseason, he has looked sharp. In the first preseason game against the New York Jets, he led the Giants in both receptions (6) and yards (72) and caught a 31-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Lauletta on the back shoulder.

His decisiveness and dynamic play style make him a threat as a wide-out and in the slot. The Giants can move him all around the offense and utilize him in different ways to keep the defense honest.

Jones seems to have a chip on his shoulder and sees the opportunity with this struggling wide receiver group. He has left his mark thus far and will earn another chance against the Chicago Bears on Friday night to prove that he can be an impact player during the regular season.

“We signed him because we liked him,” Shurmur said. “We felt like he was a guy that could come in, compete, and make our team, regardless of who we had on the roster. It was more of replacing Corey at that time. When you have a player that’s going to miss a month, then it kind of elevates the guys behind him. One of those guys may be a guy that’s here for a month until Golden gets back.”

New York Giants: Rookie receiver Darius Slayton needs to step up

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New York Giants, Darius Slayton

The New York Giants are dropping like flies at the wide receiver position. On Monday, WR Amba Etta Tawo has carted off the field with an apparent leg injury. It has since been confirmed that he tore his Achilles tendon.

Etta Tawo was a fan favorite from 2018 and was looking to make his mark on the team once more this season. With pass-catchers dropping, the Giants brought in the speedster to add depth to the unit, but even the depth is prone to the injury bug.

The Giants now have Sterling Shepard (thumb), Golden Tate (potential suspension), Cody Latimer, TJ Jones, Brittan Golden, Bennie Fowler, Russell Shepard, Allonzo Russell, Da’Mari Scott, Alex Wesley, Reggie White Jr., and Darius Slayton.

Slayton, who was selected in the 5th round, has been nursing a hamstring injury the past few weeks, failing to feature against the New York Jets last week and missing out on essential practice time. However, he’s one of the young bright spots on the offense that offers potentials.

The Auburn product’s primary strength is his impressive speed. Entering mini-camp and OTAs, Slayton looked awful; dropping passes left and right. Once he shook off the rookie jitters, though, he became one of two players to earn first-team reps before training camp.

His most recent injury has held him back significantly.

“It stands out,’’ Giants WR coach Tyke Tolbert said. “It’s noticeable all the plays he was making throughout the spring.’’

The Giants desperately need their speedy pass-catcher on the field, especially with all of the recent injuries popping up. He will likely make his preseason debut against the Chicago Bears on Friday, allowing him to showcase his abilities against professional talent.

Expect head coach Pat Shurmur to utilize him as a wide receiver-screen target and quick slant option. Having great speed and agility off the line of scrimmage will make him deadly within 10 yards. His yards after catch will be the fun part to watch.

 

New York Giants: The No. 3 wide receiver position has been filled

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New York Giants, Cody Latimer

Before New York Giants wide receiver Corey Coleman went down with a torn ACL, the No. 3 pass-catching spot was up for the taking.

A position battle between Corey Coleman and Cody Latimer was expected to be one of the highlights of training camp and preseason. However, that reality came crashing down which has given Latimer an open doorway to claim the final starting receiving spot.

Latimer has done nothing but impress recently, as his chemistry with Eli Manning has proven to be extraordinarily beneficial and trustworthy in the passing game.

The Giants might have to rely on their No. 3 wide receiver early on in the 2019 season. A fractured thumb to Sterling Shepard and a potential four-game ban for Golden Tate might force Cody into the No .1 spot.

While it’s expected that Sterling Shepard will return to full health and participate in week one against the Dallas Cowboys, they will likely utilize him in a lesser fashion to avoid re-injuring the fractured thumb.

“Cody is probably one of our most veteran receivers. I think he shows that out there,” head coach Pat Shurmur told reporters on Sunday. “He knows how to practice. He knows how to compete. He has a unique ability to make a play down the field. I think he does a good job. . . there are times when he can get behind the (corner) and he’s open. But then there are other times when he’s in a contested situation where he can make a play on the ball. That’s hugely valuable when you’re a wideout.”

Latimer is one of the Giants’ most lethal deep threats. His elite speed and playmaking ability give him an advantage over lesser corners, which he will face being the third option behind Shepard and Tate.

Manning isn’t the type of quarterback to take risks downfield frequently, but when he does, Latimer seems to be on the receiving end. In addition, Eli and Cody have been working in the endzone to improve their red-zone efficiency and touchdown percentage. We could see Manning utilize Latimer as a fade option in the corner of the endzone. Similar to what we have seen in the past with Plaxico Burress and most recently, Evan Engram.

The chemistry they continue to build will prove to be extremely significant. The cycling injuries in regards to the wide receiver corps has posed significant challenges, but a healthy Cody Latimer can alleviate some of those stresses.

New York Giants Practice Report, 8/11: Eli Manning Lights It Up

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The New York Giants held their first public practice since defeating the New York Jets on Thursday, August 8th. They are preparing for their next preseason game which will take place on Friday, August 16th as they host the Chicago Bears in MetLife Stadium.

Players Who Stood Out:

Eli Manning had one of his best practices of the summer. At one point he was 11/12 with 3 touchdowns. He had a strong connection with each of the starting pass catchers and he was sharp on all 3 levels of the field. In total, Manning attempted 23 passes, his highest total of the summer. His previous high was 15.

Saquon Barkley had a big day through the air. He caught 2 passes that would’ve gone for touchdowns and one of them was deep down the field. He also handed out a “welcome to the NFL” moment to Ryan Connelly who did his best to track him down.

Cody Latimer and Eli are building strong chemistry with one another. They make plays not only deep but anywhere on the field. Latimer could become another legitimate asset on offense even when Shepard and Tate are both available.

Bennie Fowler made a handful of tough catches, he was able to hold on when Jenkins gave him a little extra pop after the catch.

Jabrill Peppers continues to flash outstanding coverage ability. He was able to keep up with Engram on a play and break up the pass. If he can cover Engram he should be able to cover any tight end in the league.

Another practice, another display from Daniel Jones and Alonzo Russell. They’ve made big plays together in every practice and yesterday was no different.

Alex Wesley made some noise with a tough catch contested by Julian Love. As a player who was known for being a burner in college, it’s nice to see him make tough catches in the intermediate area of the field.

Camp Battles:

Ryan Connelly and Tae Davis are both ahead of BJ Goodson at this point. When significantly younger players move ahead of a veteran it’s hard for the veteran to take his job back.

Bennie Fowler has seemed like a guy that’s been destined to move down the depth chart at times but he’s held onto his first-team reps so far. His touchdown reception from Daniel Jones in the preseason game and his handful of nice grabs yesterday make a compelling case for him to stick around.

Alonzo Russell has made a strong push to make this team. He’s arguably very good for Daniel Jones’ development since he thrives when throwing to Russell. He also created a ton of separation in the preseason game. Yesterday he made his daily big plays with Daniel Jones.

Alex Wesley had some chances with the second-team offense and fared well with a tough catch. He’s a longshot to make the team but getting time with the second-team this quickly shows some legitimate intrigue from the coaches.

Wayne Gallman is making a resurgence in his race for the number 2 running back role. Paul Perkins has looked better throughout camp but Gallman has looked better since the preseason game against the Jets. He was the tougher runner in the game and has picked it up in pass protection. Protecting the quarterback was one of the main reasons the coaches were prioritizing Perkins over Gallman.

Sean Chandler made a nice play intercepting Daniel Jones in the back of the end zone. He appears to be on the roster bubble but could make a mid-camp resurgence to secure a roster spot.

Notable Bumps and Bruises:

Sterling Shepard and Grant Haley were both in yellow jerseys. Both players are very important to this team but both are optimistic about week 1 of the regular season.

Sam Beal remained on the sideline, his timetable for returning remains unclear.

Alec Ogletree has calf soreness and shouldn’t be missing for very long.

Deandre Baker sprained his knee in warmups, the team hopes he can return for week 1 as they depend on him to be the number two cornerback in 2019.

Significant Injuries:

Geroge Asafo-Adjei remains in the concussion protocol.

Brian Mihalik remains sidelined with a burner.

Final Thoughts:

The offense easily won the practice. There were a couple of plays where the defense locked down and made Eli throw the ball away. Outside of those plays Eli had his way with the defense. Eli is clearly in survival mode between his extra measures in the offseason and putting together his best camp in years. Daniel Jones also continues to impress but Eli would need to come back down to earth a little bit to have any legitimate talks of close competition for the starting role.

New York Giants: Three Observations From First Unofficial Depth Chart

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New York Giants, Cody Latimer

We’re finally close enough to the preseason that we can get an idea of what the New York Giants will be running with for their starting lineup, and a couple of weeks into training camp, we have our first unofficial depth chart. You can find it on the team website, and of course, there’s some interesting things to note from what’s listed on it.

Developments in the battle at right tackle

Mike Remmers came out on top at right tackle, even if this is only the first depth chart and is still subject to change. That’s the expected outcome – second string right tackle Chad Wheeler was better than Ereck Flowers but still not good enough to be called impressive last season, after all. However, Remmers being the starter at the position wasn’t guaranteed.

The staff reiterated multiple times earlier in the offseason that the position has an open competition, even going as far as to say that it was Wheeler’s job to lose. In the end, however, it looks like Remmers is winning that competition despite coming off of injury.

Peculiarly, seventh round draft pick George Asafo-Adjei is in dead last behind Brian Mihalik despite some believing the Giants drafted him for below his worth earlier in the year. Is finishing last at the position behind a journeyman who joined the team last year the worst outcome in the world for a seventh round draft pick? No, but it does show that Asafo-Adjei has some more work to do before becoming a legitimate option for the rotation.

No surprises in receiver battle

Golden Tate and Sterling Shepard are both listed as top receivers – although Tate is likely going to face a four game suspension for violating the league’s substance policy – but the battle for the other receiver spots is about what was expected. Bennie Fowler, Russell Shepard, and Cody Latimer are shown to be in the mix and it looks like Shepard and Latimer are the frontrunners to become receivers two and three for this season’s lineup.

Don’t count Fowler out completely, however. As a former teammate of Cody Latimer, Fowler is already pretty familiar with competing with one of the players in the mix in this competition.

Markus Golden doesn’t enter first team immediately

Markus Golden should be a big addition to a pass rush that desperately needs it – if the Giants can get him back to his 2016 form. Golden had the third most sacks in the league that year but only had 2.5 in 2018 following an injury the year prior which ended his season.

Golden has big expectations this season but at this point the pass rusher is listed as the second SAM linebacker on the defense behind Kareem Martin, who took the top spot. Martin, of course, has a bit more experience with the Giants after joining them in 2018, which leaves one to wonder if Golden is behind Martin due to inexperience with the Giants or because of a failure to step up his play back to previous levels.

Another possible explanation, of course, is that the Giants are intending to use Golden mainly as a pass rusher who is more effective coming off the bench than playing in the starting lineup.

 

New York Giants: Latimer and Fowler Ready To Take Spots At Receiver

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New York Giants wide receiver, Cody Latimer.

With injuries and suspensions to star players comes chances for lesser known players to shine and that’s exactly the position that New York Giants receivers Cody Latimer and Bennie Fowler are in following the news that Golden Tate will likely miss the start of the season with suspension and that Corey Coleman will be out with a torn ACL. It seems Sterling Shepard will be back for week one following a fractured thumb if things go well, but that’s about the only good news the team has gotten at the receiver position recently.

Latimer will likely find himself in the starting lineup, at least at the start of the season, as Coleman was considered the main competition for him and Russell Shepard. Now that Coleman is injured and Tate will likely be suspended for the first games of the season, both Latimer and Russell Shepard will likely find themselves as the main receivers playing next to Sterling Shepard.

“We’re just a bunch of hungry guys. Bennie and Russell are so humble and just so hungry. Watching them every day and the excitement they bring, it motivates me. Me and Bennie have been competing for years now and to see him never slouch, every day is always bringing it and always hungry,” Latimer said on Wednesday.

Fowler and Latimer were teammates on the Denver Broncos before the former ended up spending time with the Patriots and Bears and the latter ended up in New York before their eventual reunion. Fowler ended up playing in 10 games last season and scored one touchdown for the Giants, a number that may improve with a full season to work with.

“We don’t know what’s going to go on with Golden, but we know [Sterling Shepard is] going to be back. It’ll be Cody, [Russell Shepard] and Sterling out there, just like how we finished the Dallas Cowboys game last year,” Fowler stated.

It remains to be seen just how effective the Giants will be with no Beckham and now no Tate, at least for the first four games of the season. If there is one fringe benefit of the situation, however, it’s that there’s room for players such as Russell Shepard and Latimer to take the spotlight a bit more and improve with regular season experience that isn’t limited as much by being low in the rotation… At least for the first four games of the season.

Will this receiver corps be enough to prevent another early season skid that turns into a worse one as the season continues, like the one that happened last year? We’ll just have to wait and see.