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00:04How much does Jackson Dart and this Giants offense need to play in Friday's preseason finale and who needs to
00:11put on the show for this coaching staff to make the final 53 man roster? This is your final Blue
00:17Rush post practice report of training camp training camp wrapped up today. We got Paul Schwartz here, Ryan Dunleavy, two
00:24of the best and brightest on the beat. I guess we'll start with the whole Jackson Dart.
00:29How much does he need to play? Our colleague Steve Serby said that he thinks he needs to play an
00:34entire half. Paul, we'll start with you. How much does Jackson Dart and this offense need to get out there?
00:41That will not happen. All due respect to our esteemed colleague Steve Serby, he does not need to play a
00:49full half and he will not play a full half. John Harbaugh said it's something you always have to balance.
00:56It was brought to his attention. If Jackson Dart doesn't play this game between the first preseason game and the
01:02first regular season game, September 13th, it'll be pretty much a month with him not playing in a game. He
01:07admitted that's not great.
01:09The other thing I asked him, well, what about a guy playing like one series, seven, eight, nine snaps? Does
01:15that mean anything? And he said, that's right. You have to weigh all that.
01:18But I think, and I'll be interested to hear what Ryan thinks about this, is that either Jackson Dart and
01:23most of the starters play no snaps or one series.
01:28It didn't seem like John Harbaugh to me was all pumped up about playing one series with these guys. I
01:33just did weigh it since I got it.
01:35You heard it. You weighed all the factors. How much do you think that this starting offense plays on Friday
01:40night?
01:41John Harbaugh had a good line on Sunday, Brandon. He said, he quoted the office and he said, I'm not
01:46superstitious. I'm a little stitious about injuries. Funny, right? We all laughed.
01:51Then Calvin Austin got hurt and that was not funny. And it would not surprise me if that spooked not
01:58just John Harbaugh, but the whole organization a little bit into what are we really gaining out of these 10
02:03plays against the Jets?
02:05The risk-reward of like, Calvin Austin's a good player, it's survivable. If Jackson Dart somehow got hurt in those
02:12seven plays, if Andrew Thomas somehow got hurt in those seven plays, those aren't survivable injuries. I'd say a series
02:17at most.
02:18Another thing John Harbaugh said, which is interesting, he said, look, the downside to all this is you're not quite
02:25100% ready for opening day. You know, you're not as crisp as you would be.
02:29He said, look, he remembers the third preseason game, guys played three quarters, right? They were ready. Then they didn't
02:35play. There was a fourth game. They didn't play. Then they were, you know, they had a lot of snaps
02:39in a real type game going into the regular season.
02:43Harbaugh said, yeah, that's not great, but we're all in the same boat. You know, it's a seven, he said,
02:49it's a 17 game schedule. And so if you're not quite right at your sharpest, the first two games, we
02:56don't like that.
02:57But everyone's in the same boat versus having everyone healthy. So I, what the heck does it matter if he
03:04goes out there? Look, you cannot orchestrate it either is once. If you, if I could tell him, John, I
03:09guarantee you, it's going to be eight plays, 68 yards. Jackson's going to miss one throw on third down and
03:16Dominic Zavada is going to kick a 38 yard field goal.
03:19And then you get everybody off and they're healthy. He would say, that sounds good, but they could go three
03:23and out. Then what happens? You put them on a next, you control what you control.
03:28He can't control what happens Friday night against the jets. I think he just sits guys.
03:32I also think there are a lot readier for this season. Like this was a pretty hard training camp. We
03:36saw the giants get blown out in week one, week two, the last couple of years, they didn't have a
03:41hard training camp.
03:41I go to the jets too, as you know, Brandon, like jets camp was a lot easier than giants camp
03:46for the players and the media. So I would say that there are a lot, there are a lot more
03:52conditioned.
03:52There are a lot more ready just based on the practices for week one than they, than they were the
03:57last couple of years. If that's a factor at all in the decision.
04:00The only reason why I would want to see them get out there and play at least two long drives
04:05is because one new offense to, they haven't thrown the football down the field as much as you would like
04:12to see throughout the course of a training camp and a practice.
04:14And then three, this new hard count that they've brought into their offense. They haven't seemed to be able to
04:20master that this yet.
04:22And it's, it's, it's time where there's times within practice where it's hurting them more than it's been something to
04:28help them.
04:28So you want to see them in that game, like environment. But again, like you said, Calvin Austin going down,
04:34I think that kind of opened up their eyes a little bit, but at the end of the day, like
04:37he went down, it was just one-on-ones.
04:41He was just making a regular football move. So you, I can't look at that.
04:46Bubble wrap.
04:47I can't, but I also can't look at it. It's football, you know, things happen, but yeah, you want to
04:53be able, but things don't happen if you don't play.
04:56You know what I mean? If you don't play, things don't happen. So, and also you said you want to
05:01see, they haven't had thrown the ball down the field a lot.
05:03So you think he wants to put his first team offense on there and throw the ball down the field
05:08a lot and expose Jackson Dart to a pass rush.
05:11If it may be, is David Bailey playing? Does he want to get juiced up in his, you know, in
05:16a preseason game against the Giants?
05:18You want Slayton or Mooney to pull a hamstring running a 60 yard goal?
05:22If you can't, if you're worried about David Bailey, then you're going to be worried about a Quinnen Williams, a
05:27Frank Clark, a Miles Garrett.
05:29In a game that counts. In a game that counts. I mean, to me, I think John Harbaugh looks at
05:35it and says,
05:36I feel very confident in the way I prepared my team this summer.
05:40And I don't know what the Cowboys did to prepare, but they didn't prepare any harder or longer than we
05:46did.
05:46So I think John Harbaugh will look at this and say, I'll put my preparation for this team versus the
05:52Cowboys.
05:53I think we're prepared. And the preparation doesn't end today.
05:56You know, he's got many more practices to go.
05:59I just, I just don't know what, what, what, you know, eight snaps is going to do for this team.
06:06Final, okay. So let's move on to the guys that, that need to impress.
06:10That's what I was going to say. That's not sexy, but let's talk Lucas Patrick.
06:15The Brandon London's on this roster. Let's talk about those guys.
06:19Dunleavy, you go ahead and start us up.
06:21I didn't put Brandon London on my final 53 this year. I'm sorry.
06:24This year? But did you back in 2008?
06:28I think that's enough.
06:29You wrote about me, Paul. You wrote about me. Do you still have that clip?
06:32I still have that. I still have that.
06:33So was it, was, it was positive, right?
06:36Very, but you're a positive reporter. You're one of the positive ones on the beat.
06:39Is that microphone working right now?
06:42All right. Dunleavy, who are some guys that you feel as though are on the bubble
06:45and really need to stand out to make this 53?
06:48Look, this isn't sexy, but this is for the Giants fan who really cares about these things, right?
06:52Like who's the backup center, Lucas Patrick or Brian Hudson?
06:55I think that's a battle that's to be one.
06:57There's probably only keeping nine offensive linemen after they traded Josh Izudu.
07:01One of the spots that's open is backup center.
07:04So is it Patrick with his brawky knees but experienced,
07:07or is it Hudson, the younger guy without experience but took some first-team reps?
07:11Who is the last inside linebacker?
07:14Because that guy's going to play a lot of special teams.
07:15Is it Darius Musel, a draft pick who's started games here?
07:18Is it Zaire Barnes?
07:20Do they have a spot on the team for Elijah Campbell as an extra safety?
07:23You might be listening to this and saying, like, who are these guys?
07:26But these are the guys who are going to make special teams plays,
07:29and these are the guys who, quote-unquote, next man up.
07:32If Tyler Newbin has to miss a game, you're going to see Elijah Campbell.
07:36And you think about when it comes to special teams, they lost Dane Belton,
07:39who was a special team's ace for this football team
07:42and had to have spot duty at safety as well from time to time.
07:46So I tell fans all the time when I'm like, hey, you need to keep an eye out on this
07:50guy.
07:50Why?
07:50I'm not going to draft him on fantasy.
07:52Yeah, but in November or December, all it takes is one injury,
07:55and that guy is now a starter against the Eagles down at the Link or wherever
08:00or at MetLife Stadium.
08:02Paul, who are you kind of eyeing on who needs to show up on Friday night?
08:06Well, it was so interesting because before yesterday, I would say,
08:10I'm really looking at these wide receivers.
08:12Now, do I think that Odell needed to have six catches Friday to make the team?
08:17Do I think that somebody else, Dallin Cambry or Braxton Berrios needed to have a huge game in special teams?
08:26I mean, I think they have a really good idea of that, but Odell was right on the fringe.
08:32Would you agree with me?
08:33I would.
08:33Right on the fringe.
08:34Look, you can't – I don't think they were going to keep seven wide receivers.
08:37He was my 53rd guy on my penciled-in one on Saturday.
08:43I kept seven receivers.
08:45Now, without Calvin Austin, he's six.
08:46Now, here's what I was told.
08:48I was told a couple of days ago that Darnell Mooney has not significantly outplayed Odell Beckham this camp.
08:56That's what I was told what people say, and that Calvin Austin and Braxton Berrios do represent some duplication.
09:03They do, right?
09:04They're slot guys.
09:05They're both going to be –
09:06Punt returners.
09:07You know, maybe the prime – probably the primary punt returner.
09:10Now, Austin has had a better camp as a receiver.
09:12I mean, he's a better receiver.
09:14That's all there is to it.
09:14I think they're both good punt returners, but I don't know if Berrios is better than Austin.
09:19So, Austin was definitely going to make the team.
09:22So, and I don't think Darnell Mooney was not going to make the team.
09:26I don't think they were going to cut him to keep Odell.
09:29I just – that didn't make sense from what we saw all summer, and I don't think they were going
09:33to trade Darnell Mooney because I don't know who's trading for Darnell Mooney.
09:36So, it was going to be seven.
09:39I mean, it was going to be right there with Odell unless they kept seven.
09:44So, but now I think – I don't know why Odell doesn't make the team.
09:47Now, I think we have to temper our expectations because if he's the sixth wide receiver, you know that, being
09:55at the end of the wide receiver, right?
09:56Either you don't get a uniform on game day or you don't play on offense on game day.
10:00And if you don't play on offense, Odell doesn't play special teams.
10:04So, it's still kind of a murky thing to me why he will even be on the team.
10:08But to his credit, number one, he had to stay healthy.
10:12If he had one soft tissue injury, I think it would have been over for him.
10:15If he missed a week, I think it would have been over for him.
10:18He didn't miss any time, and he got better.
10:20This week was his best week of practice.
10:22So, you know, more power to him.
10:25He did what he needed to do without, you know, looking like he did five years ago.
10:29Big touchdown catch in the end zone today off the same route that he dropped in the Miami game.
10:34Caught a touchdown against Tate Banks.
10:37Good hands in the red zone and was able to kind of put the ball across the pylon for the
10:42touchdown.
10:42Yeah, I look at – because I was wondering what they were going to do with the slot position
10:47once Calvin Austin III went down, and for the short term, it was Braxton Berrios who took those reps.
10:53Today, we saw Darnell Mooney take the bulk of those slot reps.
10:58Didn't see Odell much in the slot.
11:00So, it looks like Mooney has been bumped up to that slot receiver role.
11:05But you – seven wide receivers?
11:07No, I –
11:08I've been rubbing off on you, huh?
11:10Yeah, yeah, no.
11:10I mean, I think the only way Odell really got on before this injury was to keep seven,
11:16and they weren't going to keep seven.
11:17It didn't make any sense.
11:19So, they'll keep six.
11:20You know what, though?
11:21Isaiah likely can be a slot receiver.
11:23I mean, you know, he's going to catch a ton of passes.
11:26Berrios can be a slot receiver.
11:28I, you know, I don't know what Mooney's history is as a slot guy.
11:31I do.
11:31I looked it up today.
11:32So, he played a lot of slot under Nagy in Chicago.
11:35And then the last two years in Atlanta, more outside, but 200-plus snaps in the slot both years.
11:41There you go.
11:41So, a good amount.
11:42Yeah.
11:42That's Riverside on the defensive side of the football.
11:45You kind of talked about that last inside linebacker position.
11:48Let's go back to the secondary, who a lot of people have been talking about the rebirth of Taye Banks.
11:55Does he play this game?
11:57Is he playing?
11:58Well, obviously, he's made the team at this point.
12:00Yes.
12:01But has he solidified a spot as one of the starting corners on this football team, Paul?
12:07I don't think he's solidified a spot as a starting corner.
12:10Now, I know we could debate this.
12:12You know, Ryan could say he outplayed Paulson Adebo in the summer.
12:16He should start.
12:17I mean, I think they're trying to push Paulson Adebo and kind of like, let's go.
12:21You're getting paid like the number one corner.
12:23Start playing like it.
12:24I think if you didn't know anybody's uniform number, you wouldn't point to Paulson Adebo and say, well, that's the
12:29best cornerback on the team.
12:31But, you know, in my mind, they've done enough.
12:35I don't need to play Taye Banks in this game and have him turn an ankle.
12:40I'm a very conservative guy when it comes to this.
12:43Two months ago, I didn't know if Deontay Banks would be on the team.
12:48He had to fight his way onto the team.
12:51Absolutely.
12:52He was not John Harbaugh's first-round pick.
12:54He was Joe Shane's first-round pick.
12:56Harbaugh liked his talent, and he said he's not making any money, much money in his fourth year.
13:01Let's see if he can, you know, we liked him coming out.
13:04Let's see if we can get something out of him.
13:06So he's made the team.
13:07He's made the team.
13:08And if he doesn't start, I'm not going to get back out of shape.
13:11He's going to play.
13:12He's going to play in the, you know, he's going to be the third cornerback if he's not one of
13:16the first two cornerbacks.
13:17So for that reason, I don't play him.
13:19Yeah, I wouldn't play.
13:20I probably wouldn't play him.
13:22If he plays, that's fine.
13:23They don't need to play.
13:24Whether he's the starting two corners, we know who the top three corners are.
13:27The top three are Newsom, Adebo, and Banks.
13:29They're all going to play in some way.
13:30I don't want to see them do what they did last year and, like, arbitrarily rotate Banks with Flott.
13:37I don't want to see that.
13:37I'd like to see two guys win the job.
13:39But we know who the three guys are, and I don't think you need to play against the Jets to
13:42win that job.
13:43If you haven't made up your mind yet, which you probably should if you're Denard Wilson,
13:46you still have a couple practices next week to make them.
13:48Let's face it, this game is, you know, is for the last two or three spots.
13:53And I think they know who they want, and don't you agree?
13:57I would agree.
13:58They know who they want, and this can maybe flip-flop a little bit.
14:01You know, forget about an injury.
14:03An injury could change things.
14:04But just, oh, man, this, you know, if, you know, somebody, you know,
14:08Zaire Barnes all of a sudden blows up on special teams, and they say, you know what?
14:12He's better than we were, Sal.
14:14We're keeping him.
14:15You know, I mean, and it's close.
14:16But this is not, I don't think we have to worry about fine-tuning this.
14:20And, you know, this is for a couple of spots at the end, and that's what they'll be focusing on.
14:25The guy with the most to gain or lose is probably Tyrone Tracy.
14:28Like, we haven't mentioned Tyrone Tracy.
14:30It's probably Tyrone Tracy because maybe they keep four running backs plus a fullback.
14:35But like Paul said, even if you keep four, that doesn't mean you're getting a uniform on game day.
14:39So they're not going to activate four running backs.
14:41So whoever the fourth running back is probably inactive in week one.
14:45At this point, Tyrone Tracy will be, should look at himself as, whew, I made the team.
14:53You know what I mean?
14:54He's not one of the top three running backs right now unless Najee Harris is not ready.
14:58You know, if Harris is not ready game one to handle a moderately full load, I mean,
15:03Motor Singletary is ahead of Tyrone Tracy.
15:05He's had a good camp.
15:05Yeah.
15:06We know Cam Scadaboo is.
15:08And Harris looks ready.
15:09I mean, he, he, look, he made a couple of cuts today.
15:11So look, I don't know if he's ready for 20 carries.
15:14I don't think anyone's going to get 20 carries.
15:15So if he's ready for eight carries on September 13th and Tyrone Tracy will be happy to, in
15:24my mind, he should be happy to get a uniform, maybe be an active first game and then wait
15:29it out and play your butt off in practice and do what you can.
15:33And somebody invariably is going to get hurt and he will get a shot at some point, but he's
15:36going to play Friday and he better not make another mistake.
15:39That's what I would say about his case right now.
15:41He better, better not miss another block, better not have another fumble because then
15:44he'll, his seat will be very warm.
15:47All right.
15:47Well, that all goes down Friday at MetLife Stadium.
15:50They still call it the Snoopy Bowl.
15:51Is it still the Snoopy Bowl?
15:52They don't call it that.
15:53Okay.
15:53It's not that anymore.
15:54Well, that's your final post-practice report of training camp for Paul Schwartz.
15:59We got Ryan Dunleavy.
16:00I'm Brandon London.
16:01Appreciate you guys for watching another episode of Blue Rush.
16:04Blue Rush.