At approximately 11:35 Friday morning, Giants defensive back Dravon Askew-Henry was sent on a lone round of the East Rutherford practice fields.
In the early stages of the Giants’ first of two intrasquad counterattacks from this short training camp, Askew-Henry, an alum of the New Jersey Guardians and the disbanded XFL, responded to the penalty imposed by Joe Judge in a way that just be a signature of the old school coach’s old school tactics.
Sign up for Giants Extra: Get exclusive news, behind-the-scenes observations and the ability to text directly with reporters
One possession after he was left with nothing but his thoughts of keeping him company as he chased the perimeter of the field, Askew-Henry jumped the route along the sideline and swam an Alex Tanney pass intended for wide receiver Tony Brown to the ground. Two plays later, Tanney tried to pass the ball to Brown in a tight window, and Askew-Henry swung it away as well.
Given the Giants’ lack of quality depth at cornerback, there is an opportunity for Askew-Henry to call for a roster spot and playing time.
Askew-Henry was not the only player fighting for a job that stepped up in control of Friday. Here’s a look at other sleepers, who suggest quality tape for the coaches to study the scrimmage:
WR David Sills
Whether he picks up from Daniel Jones, or Colt McCoy, Sills was a favorite of Giants quarterbacks on Friday. Halfway through the check, Sills crossed the sideline and hit cornerback Grant Haley with a step and a half when McCoy led him perfectly for a touchdown. Later, Sills ran a tight seam route, hitting James Bradberry and breaking open to catch Jones’ second and final touchdown of the day.
After losing Cody Core for the season with a torn Achilles, Sills appeared to be the chance favorite to replace him on special teams. Sills, however, seems to be building a strong rapport with Jones, and could also put pressure on playing time on offense, especially as he continues to build on Friday’s strong show.
DB Julian Love
Love’s place on the roster, entering his second season is safe, but the Notre Dame alum could just play his way into the starting lineup after a dominant display on Friday. In a period of the red zone, Jones directed an open Golden Tate in the end zone, but Love recovered to rip the ball away from Tate, which turned what was an easy touchdown when Jones released the ball into an interception.
Versatility will help get Love on the field, but he could push for a starting safety lane, as his performances in Friday’s checks are a harbinger for what the rest of the summer will bring.
TE Garrett Dickerson
The Giants have a volume room with tight ends, but Garrett Dickerson makes a strong case to place.
Dickerson picked up two touchdown passes Friday, one from Cooper Rush, and later from Colt McCoy, just as the bus ran into the veteran quarterback.
Evan Engram and Kaden Smith are locks to make the roster, but if Dickerson continues to stack impressive performances in practice, he could be at the forefront for the No. 3 track.
LB TJ Brunson
Tanney led wide receiver CJ Board on a pass over the middle, had him exposed, and TJ Brunson introduced him immediately. Brunson lowered his helmet and rode Board to the ground for a thunderous hit that fired his teammates on defense. One of three linebackers selected by the Giants in the late rounds of the NFL Draft in April, Brunson has a reputation as a punishing hitter, and he lived up to that on Friday morning.
RB Javon Leake
Leake, a developed rookie from Maryland, caused a lot of bursts, including a step by a defender along the sideline for a nice win late in the scrimmage. He also made some nice catches from the backfield.
If the Giants hold four running backs, Leake has a real chance to make the field, and maybe if he continues to flash the kind of potential he did Friday, he could bump veteran Wayne Gallman.
Other takeaways
Graham Gano to perfect start:
The veteran kicker, who arrived Wednesday to camp, missed a field goal during Thursday’s practice and was a perfect seven-for-seven on field goals while adding two extra points made during Friday’s check. At one point during the period of a special teams, Gano appeared to split the steps with plenty of room to save 50+ yards.
James Bradberry comes on for the occasion
Bradberry, signed as a free agent this spring, is considered the Giants’ best cornerback.
Friday, when they were matched with the Giants’ best wide receiver, Sterling Shepard, Bradberry did a nice job of crawling the ball loose to break a touchdown pass early in practice. While delivering a late touchdown pass to David Sills without safety assistance over the top, Bradberry appears primary to delivering the kind of stability in the secondary that the Giants desperately need.
Wayne Gallman runs with purpose:
Saquon Barkley’s workload was limited over the second half of the scrimmage, and Gallman made the most of his chance.
Gallman, driving for the no. 3 running laps behind Barkley and Dion Lewis, took a pitch from right-handed approach and came out of a pile of players for a big win that set a Jones touchdown pass to Kaden Smith four plays later.
What comes next?
Saturday is an off-day for the Giants, who return to practice Sunday morning with five more practices leading to a training camp hijacking of intrasquad countermeasures under the lights at MetLife Stadium at 7 p.m. Friday.
Get text messages from Giants: Cut through the clutter of social media and text directly with beat writers. Plus, exclusive news and analysis. Sign up now for a free trial.
Por favor sign up now and support the local journalism that YOU trust and trust.
Follow Matt Lombardo on Twitter and Instagram at @MattLombardoNFL. Tell us your coronavirus story or send us a tip over here.
