March 4, 2023 • 18 mins
John Schmeelk and Paul Dottino sit down with Greg Cosell from NFL Films to discuss the Giants’ upcoming free agent decisions, adding more pieces to the wide receiver room, and the Giants defense overall. SUBSCRIBE NOW: Apple | Spotify | Google | Stitcher | iHeartRadio 00:00 - Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley 03:36 - Giants offensive line 07:40 - Wide receiver room 11:39 - Giants defense 15:41 - Standouts in 2023 draft class
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's time to get inside the Giants huddle on giants
dot Com. Here we go, Here we go on the
Giants Mobile. Let him in there, Let's go. Part of
the Giants Podcast Network. Welcome back to another Giant Huttle podcast,
all brought to you by pse and G Energy Efficiency
for game time and anytime, visit PSEG dot com slash
Giants for discounts, rebates and all energy assessments on this
(00:20):
Giants Huttle podcast with Poltasino and John Schmlk is the
one only great co sell who's been I don't know,
the grand Pappy perhaps of NFL film for a long time.
You're kind of the elder state's been there. I think
it's well. I yeah, you know. Unfortunately I'm not the
president or anything, but I am the longest tenure employee,
are you really? I am. I finished just finished John
my forty third season at NFL Films. That's awesome. So
(00:42):
no one has watched more tape than this guy. You
can also find them on the NFL Matchup Show, which
you can find on ESPN as well. Do they do
a great job CTV. Him and Darius Butler and your
crow over there just do a great job. So I
appreciate it. Thank you, no no problem, and we love
watching the show. You do a fantastic job. Great love
to have you on. So why don't we start with
some Giants Okay stuff first before we go to the
draft here, big decisions coming up on Daniel Jones and say,
(01:04):
Quon Barkley, your thoughts on those two guys in terms
of their how they did this year rolling the Giants
offense moving forward, you could take this whatever direction you want, right,
go right ahead, Well let's leave the money aside, because
you know, again I don't I don't deal with that
on the field stuff. Yeah, you know, I thought that
Daniel Jones had a really solid year. I thought that
(01:25):
Brian Dable kind of came in and in some way
spoon feed them. I mean, this was not an offense
where they asked necessarily Daniel Jones to throw the ball
a lot, to drop back, you know, forty forty five
times a game. I think there was a clear sense
that they wanted to take advantage of his running ability.
A lot of play action boot both by design and
(01:45):
also my sense just watching the tape was they probably
told Jones that if he saw an opening take it
take off and run and be effective doing that because
you're capable of doing that, and that's that's going to
be a meaningful part of our offense. We also might
not the offensive line to protect you for much longer
than that, correct correct um, you know. And then I thought,
it's the season progressed, I thought. And it started with
(02:09):
that first Vikings game, you know, I thought that. And again,
the Vikings did not have a great pass defense, so
that may affected in as well. But I but I
thought that they felt that, hey, now Jones can be
we can be a little more aggressive throwing the ball. Um.
I think they had a sense that those three wide receivers,
while not big time studs, were at least giving them
some stability and continuity at the wide receiver position. You know, Hodgens, Richie,
(02:34):
James Slayton. They became the three guys. I forget what week,
it's sort of but it was, you know, as the
second half of the season, Yeah, they kind of became
the guys. And I think they felt that, you know,
they had they could then have a passing game that
was certainly a little more stable than it was earlier
in the season. Right. Um, So I don't know if
this would be considered bold or controversial, But if if
(02:56):
I had to prioritize, if you if they couldn't feel
that both Barkley and Jones could be giants, Jones would
be the guy I would sign because you know, I
think sae Quon Barkley is a good back. I don't
think he's a great back. I think he's a big
playback who occasionally gives you that. But as far as
let's be a sustainer in the run game, you know
(03:18):
where you need to grind out yards. There were some
games where they needed to do that, and he's really
not that kind of back. So to me, if I
had to prioritize, if it came down to that, and
like I said, I don't deal with the money, I
don't know how that'll play out, but I would prioritize
Jones over Barkley. Now, Joe Shane mentioned us the other
day that he's got fourteen offensive linement under contract right now.
(03:41):
When he first came into the job, he only at
five right and he said, you know what, they've got
a lot better. Obviously, Neil Thomas at the tackles, they
got Lewinsky, and they're very far solid, very functional right guard.
He said, you know, we would like that more competition
though at left guard and center, and that will come
from inside, but we would not preclude us selves from
getting somebody else for those competitive spots. What is your
(04:05):
thought about how the Giants offensive line has come along
and how much further it needs to go? You know,
I think that it improved. You know, I think Neil
continues to he needs to continue to improve and right tackle,
he had one issue coming out that showed up too
often this year, and I'm they're well aware of. Everybody's
(04:25):
aware of it, so they're aware of it. He struggles
at the top of his past set on forty five
degree in vertical sets. His balance and body control is
a bit of a problem. Then, yes, yes, he loses
his balance and that's something he needs to work on. Look,
everybody knew that even coming out. The Giants are aware
of that. But obviously he's there right tackle. That's not
(04:46):
going to change, you know. I think, look, ultimately, you
always want more competition, you want a great old line.
You know, I think Jones. Jones is actually a pretty
good thrower or the football. I mean, I think that's
we looked at times He's a pretty good thrower of
the football if you can get him secure. He's kind
of tall in the pocket. He's kind of an upright thrower,
(05:08):
but he throws it. Well. M I don't know what
their plan is at wide receiver. Obviously they'll get the
Robinson kid back, you know, the Kentucky kid. He's a
certain kind of player. But they still need you know,
I don't know if they feel you know, what they
feel about Hodgens, but they need they need some explosiveness
at the wide receiver position, right, and if they do
(05:28):
get that, however they get it, whether it's grads you
the draft, what's the room for growth for Daniel to
continue to improve where it's not an offense where to
quote you, they have to do the spoon feeding right right,
it's a lot of play action. Some stuff is going
to be a lot of short stuff, right, So what
does it look like when they're past that, because there's
(05:49):
better talent around him? Well, you know, look, Jones is
not exactly Josh Allen, but we saw it with Dabo
and I watched Buffalo a lot, you know, every week
pretty much when he was there, and you know, he
had some really good intermediate vertical pass game concepts that
you didn't see a lot of with the Giants. Um
so he has that in his arsenal and you probably
(06:09):
see more of that. But they need more explosive plays,
you know, and that comes from receiver. Look, I think
you have to give a guy like Hodgens a ton
of credit. I mean, here's a guy I believe was
undrafted right or a late round, but he was hurt
the first years in the league. Again, and I remember
watching him at Oregon State. You know, big kid, competitive,
catches the ball, you saw the trades, you saw what
(06:30):
he is with the Giants, and he played extremely well,
big possession, big yeah, you know, and and a guy
who could you know, you want him on your team,
I mean, solid player, but they don't really have an
explosive player at wide receiver, you know, and that you know.
I mean Slayton can run, but he's you know, we
know what he is. He's not really he's not a
(06:51):
number one, he's not a number two. He's kind of
a straight lined, vertical guy. And there's always a place
for those guys stay in the league, but they need Look,
there's no Jamar Chases in this draft. There's Jamar Chase.
Those guys are special, but this is a draft with
a lot of wide receiver depth. There's the great thing
about the wide receiver class in any draft is there's
(07:12):
all kinds of flavors. You know. There's guys who are,
you know, five nine, one hundred eighty pounds like Zay
Flowers who I love on tape. There's guys like Jonathan
Mingo from All miss who's six three two twenty six,
another guy I really like on tape. You know, there's
all kinds of different players. You just have to decide
what you want. That's why for me, it's so hard
to make a list of receivers right because you can't
(07:34):
compare a five nine hundred eighty pound guy with a
six three, two hundred twenty five pound guy. They're not
going to be deployed the same way in an offense. Okay,
so I guess let me fall up. Okay, how do
you compliment then the Hodgens and Robinson If you're putting
the offense together, Greg, what's the type of wide receiver
you're looking at that they need and who are some
of the guys that fit that profile in this draft
class that you like? Well? If you if let's say,
(07:57):
let's say for the sake of conversation, here on Wednesday
at the combine, it is Wednesday, right, Yes, it is Wednesday. Yes,
at least we got that right. Yeah. Yeah. Um. You know,
let's say just for now that Hodgens and Robinson are
going to be two of their receivers based on what
happened last year. So let's say that's the case. So
Robinson is mostly going to be a slot movement guy. Okay,
(08:18):
He's gonna line up in multiple locations. He's a movement guy,
a motion guy. Maybe even lines up in the backfield
at time. He's that guy. Hodgens is the big physical
competitive for one of a better term. As you said, John,
I'm a possession guy. So now you need someone who
can run. You need someone who can take the top
off the defense. Does he have to be one hundred
(08:39):
forty target guy? Does he have to catch ninety balls? No? Um,
But he needs to be just a little more than
a runner. In other words, it can't be another Darius Slayton.
It needs to be a guy's more complete. That's what
you need. It's probably what they thought they were getting.
And this was before Dayble before they what they thought
they were getting in Kenny Golladay, and obviously you know
what happened there. We don't need to rehash that. But
(09:01):
they need a guy. We need a guy that is
a more complete receiver, that that can kind of work
at all three levels effectively. They don't have that guy.
You know what's interesting, Greg, We know the Giants need
some help at receiver. We know they could use some
more help stopping the run on the interior of their defense.
Get somebody there could rotate with Williams and and uh
(09:23):
and Dexter Lawrence. It's pretty damn good, but he's really
and we know they could use some help and inside linebacker.
But yet, when you looked at this team this past year,
they was so good in the red zone defensively and offensively,
and that's how they wound up making the playoffs. So
it's kind of weird and that their biggest problems were
(09:44):
between the twenties, not inside the twenties. How would you
explain that as someone who watches so much film. Yeah,
that's that's a hard thing to explain. And I'm being
honest with you, Paul, That's why I'm asking you. I'd
have to do a really deep dive though, into just
the you know, giant I mean something where you have
to look at all the plays and see what they're running,
you know, see why certain plays don't work. I mean,
(10:06):
I'm just being honest. I can't answer that with any
degree of certainty. You know. The one thing that you'd
like to see more of are explosives. They don't have
a lot of explosives, right and every offense you really
need that. You really need to have explosives somewhere in
your offense. You know what's weird to me though, Greg
(10:28):
they were so good defensively in the red zone, and
then when you hear well they got to do better
against the run and the interior defense you know needs
to be fortified. Usually that those two statements don't make sense.
In the red zone usually have to be stout in there.
But giants say they need that. Well, you know, coaches
(10:48):
always talk, you know, they see things, you know, a
lot more detailed than we do. You know, I thought
for the most part. You know, obviously Dexter Lawrence had
a phenomenal years. You can make the argument he was
the best interior d lineman in the game. You know,
Williams I thought had a solid year. Missed a little time,
but he had a solid year. Um, you know, I think, look,
they got to get better a linebacker. Yeah, I mean
(11:11):
they got you know, they were playing they were playing
Smith who's basically become a journeyman, and he was literally
playing every snap, and you know, you need to be
better than that, you know. So that's an area they
clearly need to be better at. And you know, I
don't know how they prioritize the position a lot of teams, don't.
You know. Personally, I think that's a mistake. But that's
(11:32):
just my opinion. You know, others could disagree with that,
and that's fine. Um, but you know, they got to
be better a linebacker for sure. All Right, here's a
follow up, and this is this might be too much
in the weeds for your too bragg and if it is,
I apologize. We can go another question. I was actually
really maybe surprises the wrong word. I'll use the word impressed.
You know, wink Morendale still flits a lot this year,
(11:54):
top of the league in blitzerin all this stuff, But
unlike when things fell apart from him at the end
of his ten year in Baltimore. Right, we all remember
that Bengal Borrow game where he there for six touchdowns.
It was a deep and with his style and frankly,
the lack of quarterbacks after Georgy Jackson, the Giants defense
did not give up a lot of explosive plays on
the field this year. How the heck did he do
(12:16):
that keeping such a high Blitzer rate yet not allowing
those explosive plays without top quarterbacks because it seems kind
of impossible. Well, it's funny because he made a big
adjustment late in the season. The last four or five
weeks they were they were a heavy man team, and
then the last four or five weeks they changed dramatically,
(12:37):
started playing a ton more zones, especially against the Vikings. Yeah,
and again only he could tell you. I can't tell
you why. I just know that's what the tape showed.
But clearly he did that. Um, you know, I thought
he mixed and matched in the secondary and awful. The
Giants were one of those teams that was tough for
me to watch on defense because I kept saying, Okay,
(12:59):
he was playing car who's playing in the slot? Who
you know? Because they start, oh, they have seven safeties
on the field on this. I mean they had games
where they played games with seven dbs, with twenty twenty
two twenty five snaffs with seven dbs, which is unheard
of in the league. They used Landing Collins and Tony
Jefferson as linebacker, yeah right, and McCloud became a huge
part of what they did, playing both outside in the slot.
(13:21):
I mean, guys, you know who are would be considered journeyman,
you know, and he was able to mix and match
really effectively. And again, I John, I can't tell you
why they didn't go so other than they didn't, you know.
I mean, but but just people might not be aware
because they think of wing Martindale blitz man to man.
Over the last four or five six weeks, he still blitzed,
(13:43):
but he wasn't playing anywhere near the same amount of
man coverage. I kind of ask you about the quarters though,
because Flott, who was hurt for some of the year,
really seemed to impress the coaching staff and the and
the front office. And remember Aaron Robinson was lost for
the Sea because of a dreadful knee injury, and coming
in they thought he was going to be cornerback number
(14:05):
two Yeah, how do you feel about those two young
guys as being part of the competitive mix this year
because it's obviously going to impact whether or not they
import another corner. Well, I really like both guys coming
out of college. Flot Flat was a really good player
who just had a thin frame, which he does. I mean,
he's probably a hundred and seventy five pounds, But at
LSU he played both in the slot and he played outside.
(14:28):
He went outside when Stingley got hurt, but you know,
and he played outside for the Giants a lot. Yes,
I think he has outside corner trades. The question is
how do you feel about him in a hundred and
seventy five pounds? So that's that's a philosophy thing with
a coach, you know, only Martin Dale and I guess
the dB coach, and you know they have to figure
that out. Robinson, I remember watching him, I believe Central Florida.
(14:50):
He came out, he played both outside in the slot
in college and he's a tough, physical, competitive kid like
him a lot. Excuse me, And I don't know how
they see him. Do they see him as a slot guy?
Do they see him as an outside guy? I think
he can do both or either one or both. But
I think both those guys will be majorly in the
(15:12):
mix for this year and they'll work out through the
offseason how they see them whether they're slot guys or
inside or outside guys. But I think both guys are
have start or trades, you know, so you know. And
I don't know how they feel about Darnay Holmes. I
think he's had ups and downs, but I think he's
played almost exclusively in the slot. Yes, so I don't
(15:33):
know if if again, much might depend on how they
feel about a flot and Robinson before they decide on
Darnay Holmes. All right, we didn't have a chance to
get to this year's draft class, which is an excuse
to get you on the phone on Big Blue Kickoff
Live later. Sorry you're stuck now, but we will wrap
with this question before we say goodbye, Just throw out
and all your extensive film watching of this class. Give
(15:55):
me some of your pet cats guys that you're like.
These are great co cell guys. I can't get enough
of watching these guys on tape. When I watched the
draft class this year, the popcorn guys, Greg, you know what,
I brought some of my notes. Let me look, and
I probably brought the guys that I that I like.
I hope I did. I hope I did. Uh. Let's see. Um.
And by the way, these and these are some of
(16:16):
the notes that you will post on Twitter sometimes which
are strhenomenal. I love the tight end from Utah, Dalton
kinkageh what a route runner he is. He's the guy
I really liked on tape. I did him last summer
and I loved him, and then I did him. I
did him. You know, I've already done him this summer.
I really liked him a lot. In fact, you know,
at this moment, I have to do a little more work.
(16:37):
But right now I don't have a weakness for him. Um.
I mentioned Jonathan Mingo, a wide receiver from miss Really
really liked that kid. By the way, the way the
Chiefs used Travis Kelsey, you bring Dalton Kings. I think
you're going to be that kind Yeah, that's what I'm saying.
I mean again, Um, like I said, I said, the
question is whether Kincage can develop and do a foundational
receiver in an NFL pass offense in a way that
parallels Travis Kelsey. And I said I'm not suggesting that
(16:59):
he's Kelsey right now, because you know, as soon as
you mentioned the name, people think, oh, you think he's Kelsey.
I'm not saying that Travis Kelsey right now, you know.
But I mean I think he's that kind of receiver. Um.
You know the guy who I really really like and
everybody does so it's not is b John John Robinson.
He's really good. Um let's see Zay Flowers I mentioned.
(17:21):
I love him. Um there's a Oh there's a receiver
at a Cincinnati I find really intriguing. Scott. Yeah, Tyler Scott,
he's a you know, Jalen Hyatt and Tyler Scott are
probably gonna run under four three. They are those guys
and that's gonna you know, that'll be that'll get people excited.
But but I think I think that Scott is a
(17:42):
little more than that as a receiver. He's really intrigued.
Like to me, I don't think he'll get into the
first round, but I think he's the kind of receiver
to me, that style that the Giants should be looking for.
I have not watching it. I'll look forward to doing that. Greg,
this is awesome. We gotta run all right, always good
will and we will talk to you the draft, all right,
Guyl NFL Films, Thank you for joining us in Johnson
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(18:04):
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It's time to get inside the Giants huddle on giants
dot Com. Here we go, Here we go on the
Giants Mobile. Let him in there, Let's go. Part of
the Giants Podcast Network. Welcome back to another Giant Huttle podcast,
all brought to you by pse and G Energy Efficiency
for game time and anytime, visit PSEG dot com slash
Giants for discounts, rebates and all energy assessments on this
(00:20):
Giants Huttle podcast with Poltasino and John Schmlk is the
one only great co sell who's been I don't know,
the grand Pappy perhaps of NFL film for a long time.
You're kind of the elder state's been there. I think
it's well. I yeah, you know. Unfortunately I'm not the
president or anything, but I am the longest tenure employee,
are you really? I am. I finished just finished John
my forty third season at NFL Films. That's awesome. So
(00:42):
no one has watched more tape than this guy. You
can also find them on the NFL Matchup Show, which
you can find on ESPN as well. Do they do
a great job CTV. Him and Darius Butler and your
crow over there just do a great job. So I
appreciate it. Thank you, no no problem, and we love
watching the show. You do a fantastic job. Great love
to have you on. So why don't we start with
some Giants Okay stuff first before we go to the
draft here, big decisions coming up on Daniel Jones and say,
(01:04):
Quon Barkley, your thoughts on those two guys in terms
of their how they did this year rolling the Giants
offense moving forward, you could take this whatever direction you want, right,
go right ahead, Well let's leave the money aside, because
you know, again I don't I don't deal with that
on the field stuff. Yeah, you know, I thought that
Daniel Jones had a really solid year. I thought that
(01:25):
Brian Dable kind of came in and in some way
spoon feed them. I mean, this was not an offense
where they asked necessarily Daniel Jones to throw the ball
a lot, to drop back, you know, forty forty five
times a game. I think there was a clear sense
that they wanted to take advantage of his running ability.
A lot of play action boot both by design and
(01:45):
also my sense just watching the tape was they probably
told Jones that if he saw an opening take it
take off and run and be effective doing that because
you're capable of doing that, and that's that's going to
be a meaningful part of our offense. We also might
not the offensive line to protect you for much longer
than that, correct correct um, you know. And then I thought,
it's the season progressed, I thought. And it started with
(02:09):
that first Vikings game, you know, I thought that. And again,
the Vikings did not have a great pass defense, so
that may affected in as well. But I but I
thought that they felt that, hey, now Jones can be
we can be a little more aggressive throwing the ball. Um.
I think they had a sense that those three wide receivers,
while not big time studs, were at least giving them
some stability and continuity at the wide receiver position. You know, Hodgens, Richie,
(02:34):
James Slayton. They became the three guys. I forget what week,
it's sort of but it was, you know, as the
second half of the season, Yeah, they kind of became
the guys. And I think they felt that, you know,
they had they could then have a passing game that
was certainly a little more stable than it was earlier
in the season. Right. Um, So I don't know if
this would be considered bold or controversial, But if if
(02:56):
I had to prioritize, if you if they couldn't feel
that both Barkley and Jones could be giants, Jones would
be the guy I would sign because you know, I
think sae Quon Barkley is a good back. I don't
think he's a great back. I think he's a big
playback who occasionally gives you that. But as far as
let's be a sustainer in the run game, you know
(03:18):
where you need to grind out yards. There were some
games where they needed to do that, and he's really
not that kind of back. So to me, if I
had to prioritize, if it came down to that, and
like I said, I don't deal with the money, I
don't know how that'll play out, but I would prioritize
Jones over Barkley. Now, Joe Shane mentioned us the other
day that he's got fourteen offensive linement under contract right now.
(03:41):
When he first came into the job, he only at
five right and he said, you know what, they've got
a lot better. Obviously, Neil Thomas at the tackles, they
got Lewinsky, and they're very far solid, very functional right guard.
He said, you know, we would like that more competition
though at left guard and center, and that will come
from inside, but we would not preclude us selves from
getting somebody else for those competitive spots. What is your
(04:05):
thought about how the Giants offensive line has come along
and how much further it needs to go? You know,
I think that it improved. You know, I think Neil
continues to he needs to continue to improve and right tackle,
he had one issue coming out that showed up too
often this year, and I'm they're well aware of. Everybody's
(04:25):
aware of it, so they're aware of it. He struggles
at the top of his past set on forty five
degree in vertical sets. His balance and body control is
a bit of a problem. Then, yes, yes, he loses
his balance and that's something he needs to work on. Look,
everybody knew that even coming out. The Giants are aware
of that. But obviously he's there right tackle. That's not
(04:46):
going to change, you know. I think, look, ultimately, you
always want more competition, you want a great old line.
You know, I think Jones. Jones is actually a pretty
good thrower or the football. I mean, I think that's
we looked at times He's a pretty good thrower of
the football if you can get him secure. He's kind
of tall in the pocket. He's kind of an upright thrower,
(05:08):
but he throws it. Well. M I don't know what
their plan is at wide receiver. Obviously they'll get the
Robinson kid back, you know, the Kentucky kid. He's a
certain kind of player. But they still need you know,
I don't know if they feel you know, what they
feel about Hodgens, but they need they need some explosiveness
at the wide receiver position, right, and if they do
(05:28):
get that, however they get it, whether it's grads you
the draft, what's the room for growth for Daniel to
continue to improve where it's not an offense where to
quote you, they have to do the spoon feeding right right,
it's a lot of play action. Some stuff is going
to be a lot of short stuff, right, So what
does it look like when they're past that, because there's
(05:49):
better talent around him? Well, you know, look, Jones is
not exactly Josh Allen, but we saw it with Dabo
and I watched Buffalo a lot, you know, every week
pretty much when he was there, and you know, he
had some really good intermediate vertical pass game concepts that
you didn't see a lot of with the Giants. Um
so he has that in his arsenal and you probably
(06:09):
see more of that. But they need more explosive plays,
you know, and that comes from receiver. Look, I think
you have to give a guy like Hodgens a ton
of credit. I mean, here's a guy I believe was
undrafted right or a late round, but he was hurt
the first years in the league. Again, and I remember
watching him at Oregon State. You know, big kid, competitive,
catches the ball, you saw the trades, you saw what
(06:30):
he is with the Giants, and he played extremely well,
big possession, big yeah, you know, and and a guy
who could you know, you want him on your team,
I mean, solid player, but they don't really have an
explosive player at wide receiver, you know, and that you know.
I mean Slayton can run, but he's you know, we
know what he is. He's not really he's not a
(06:51):
number one, he's not a number two. He's kind of
a straight lined, vertical guy. And there's always a place
for those guys stay in the league, but they need Look,
there's no Jamar Chases in this draft. There's Jamar Chase.
Those guys are special, but this is a draft with
a lot of wide receiver depth. There's the great thing
about the wide receiver class in any draft is there's
(07:12):
all kinds of flavors. You know. There's guys who are,
you know, five nine, one hundred eighty pounds like Zay
Flowers who I love on tape. There's guys like Jonathan
Mingo from All miss who's six three two twenty six,
another guy I really like on tape. You know, there's
all kinds of different players. You just have to decide
what you want. That's why for me, it's so hard
to make a list of receivers right because you can't
(07:34):
compare a five nine hundred eighty pound guy with a
six three, two hundred twenty five pound guy. They're not
going to be deployed the same way in an offense. Okay,
so I guess let me fall up. Okay, how do
you compliment then the Hodgens and Robinson If you're putting
the offense together, Greg, what's the type of wide receiver
you're looking at that they need and who are some
of the guys that fit that profile in this draft
class that you like? Well? If you if let's say,
(07:57):
let's say for the sake of conversation, here on Wednesday
at the combine, it is Wednesday, right, Yes, it is Wednesday. Yes,
at least we got that right. Yeah. Yeah. Um. You know,
let's say just for now that Hodgens and Robinson are
going to be two of their receivers based on what
happened last year. So let's say that's the case. So
Robinson is mostly going to be a slot movement guy. Okay,
(08:18):
He's gonna line up in multiple locations. He's a movement guy,
a motion guy. Maybe even lines up in the backfield
at time. He's that guy. Hodgens is the big physical
competitive for one of a better term. As you said, John,
I'm a possession guy. So now you need someone who
can run. You need someone who can take the top
off the defense. Does he have to be one hundred
(08:39):
forty target guy? Does he have to catch ninety balls? No? Um,
But he needs to be just a little more than
a runner. In other words, it can't be another Darius Slayton.
It needs to be a guy's more complete. That's what
you need. It's probably what they thought they were getting.
And this was before Dayble before they what they thought
they were getting in Kenny Golladay, and obviously you know
what happened there. We don't need to rehash that. But
(09:01):
they need a guy. We need a guy that is
a more complete receiver, that that can kind of work
at all three levels effectively. They don't have that guy.
You know what's interesting, Greg, We know the Giants need
some help at receiver. We know they could use some
more help stopping the run on the interior of their defense.
Get somebody there could rotate with Williams and and uh
(09:23):
and Dexter Lawrence. It's pretty damn good, but he's really
and we know they could use some help and inside linebacker.
But yet, when you looked at this team this past year,
they was so good in the red zone defensively and offensively,
and that's how they wound up making the playoffs. So
it's kind of weird and that their biggest problems were
(09:44):
between the twenties, not inside the twenties. How would you
explain that as someone who watches so much film. Yeah,
that's that's a hard thing to explain. And I'm being
honest with you, Paul, That's why I'm asking you. I'd
have to do a really deep dive though, into just
the you know, giant I mean something where you have
to look at all the plays and see what they're running,
you know, see why certain plays don't work. I mean,
(10:06):
I'm just being honest. I can't answer that with any
degree of certainty. You know. The one thing that you'd
like to see more of are explosives. They don't have
a lot of explosives, right and every offense you really
need that. You really need to have explosives somewhere in
your offense. You know what's weird to me though, Greg
(10:28):
they were so good defensively in the red zone, and
then when you hear well they got to do better
against the run and the interior defense you know needs
to be fortified. Usually that those two statements don't make sense.
In the red zone usually have to be stout in there.
But giants say they need that. Well, you know, coaches
(10:48):
always talk, you know, they see things, you know, a
lot more detailed than we do. You know, I thought
for the most part. You know, obviously Dexter Lawrence had
a phenomenal years. You can make the argument he was
the best interior d lineman in the game. You know,
Williams I thought had a solid year. Missed a little time,
but he had a solid year. Um, you know, I think, look,
they got to get better a linebacker. Yeah, I mean
(11:11):
they got you know, they were playing they were playing
Smith who's basically become a journeyman, and he was literally
playing every snap, and you know, you need to be
better than that, you know. So that's an area they
clearly need to be better at. And you know, I
don't know how they prioritize the position a lot of teams, don't.
You know. Personally, I think that's a mistake. But that's
(11:32):
just my opinion. You know, others could disagree with that,
and that's fine. Um, but you know, they got to
be better a linebacker for sure. All Right, here's a
follow up, and this is this might be too much
in the weeds for your too bragg and if it is,
I apologize. We can go another question. I was actually
really maybe surprises the wrong word. I'll use the word impressed.
You know, wink Morendale still flits a lot this year,
(11:54):
top of the league in blitzerin all this stuff, But
unlike when things fell apart from him at the end
of his ten year in Baltimore. Right, we all remember
that Bengal Borrow game where he there for six touchdowns.
It was a deep and with his style and frankly,
the lack of quarterbacks after Georgy Jackson, the Giants defense
did not give up a lot of explosive plays on
the field this year. How the heck did he do
(12:16):
that keeping such a high Blitzer rate yet not allowing
those explosive plays without top quarterbacks because it seems kind
of impossible. Well, it's funny because he made a big
adjustment late in the season. The last four or five
weeks they were they were a heavy man team, and
then the last four or five weeks they changed dramatically,
(12:37):
started playing a ton more zones, especially against the Vikings. Yeah,
and again only he could tell you. I can't tell
you why. I just know that's what the tape showed.
But clearly he did that. Um, you know, I thought
he mixed and matched in the secondary and awful. The
Giants were one of those teams that was tough for
me to watch on defense because I kept saying, Okay,
(12:59):
he was playing car who's playing in the slot? Who
you know? Because they start, oh, they have seven safeties
on the field on this. I mean they had games
where they played games with seven dbs, with twenty twenty
two twenty five snaffs with seven dbs, which is unheard
of in the league. They used Landing Collins and Tony
Jefferson as linebacker, yeah right, and McCloud became a huge
part of what they did, playing both outside in the slot.
(13:21):
I mean, guys, you know who are would be considered journeyman,
you know, and he was able to mix and match
really effectively. And again, I John, I can't tell you
why they didn't go so other than they didn't, you know.
I mean, but but just people might not be aware
because they think of wing Martindale blitz man to man.
Over the last four or five six weeks, he still blitzed,
(13:43):
but he wasn't playing anywhere near the same amount of
man coverage. I kind of ask you about the quarters though,
because Flott, who was hurt for some of the year,
really seemed to impress the coaching staff and the and
the front office. And remember Aaron Robinson was lost for
the Sea because of a dreadful knee injury, and coming
in they thought he was going to be cornerback number
(14:05):
two Yeah, how do you feel about those two young
guys as being part of the competitive mix this year
because it's obviously going to impact whether or not they
import another corner. Well, I really like both guys coming
out of college. Flot Flat was a really good player
who just had a thin frame, which he does. I mean,
he's probably a hundred and seventy five pounds, But at
LSU he played both in the slot and he played outside.
(14:28):
He went outside when Stingley got hurt, but you know,
and he played outside for the Giants a lot. Yes,
I think he has outside corner trades. The question is
how do you feel about him in a hundred and
seventy five pounds? So that's that's a philosophy thing with
a coach, you know, only Martin Dale and I guess
the dB coach, and you know they have to figure
that out. Robinson, I remember watching him, I believe Central Florida.
(14:50):
He came out, he played both outside in the slot
in college and he's a tough, physical, competitive kid like
him a lot. Excuse me, And I don't know how
they see him. Do they see him as a slot guy?
Do they see him as an outside guy? I think
he can do both or either one or both. But
I think both those guys will be majorly in the
(15:12):
mix for this year and they'll work out through the
offseason how they see them whether they're slot guys or
inside or outside guys. But I think both guys are
have start or trades, you know, so you know. And
I don't know how they feel about Darnay Holmes. I
think he's had ups and downs, but I think he's
played almost exclusively in the slot. Yes, so I don't
(15:33):
know if if again, much might depend on how they
feel about a flot and Robinson before they decide on
Darnay Holmes. All right, we didn't have a chance to
get to this year's draft class, which is an excuse
to get you on the phone on Big Blue Kickoff
Live later. Sorry you're stuck now, but we will wrap
with this question before we say goodbye, Just throw out
and all your extensive film watching of this class. Give
(15:55):
me some of your pet cats guys that you're like.
These are great co cell guys. I can't get enough
of watching these guys on tape. When I watched the
draft class this year, the popcorn guys, Greg, you know what,
I brought some of my notes. Let me look, and
I probably brought the guys that I that I like.
I hope I did. I hope I did. Uh. Let's see. Um.
And by the way, these and these are some of
(16:16):
the notes that you will post on Twitter sometimes which
are strhenomenal. I love the tight end from Utah, Dalton
kinkageh what a route runner he is. He's the guy
I really liked on tape. I did him last summer
and I loved him, and then I did him. I
did him. You know, I've already done him this summer.
I really liked him a lot. In fact, you know,
at this moment, I have to do a little more work.
(16:37):
But right now I don't have a weakness for him. Um.
I mentioned Jonathan Mingo, a wide receiver from miss Really
really liked that kid. By the way, the way the
Chiefs used Travis Kelsey, you bring Dalton Kings. I think
you're going to be that kind Yeah, that's what I'm saying.
I mean again, Um, like I said, I said, the
question is whether Kincage can develop and do a foundational
receiver in an NFL pass offense in a way that
parallels Travis Kelsey. And I said I'm not suggesting that
(16:59):
he's Kelsey right now, because you know, as soon as
you mentioned the name, people think, oh, you think he's Kelsey.
I'm not saying that Travis Kelsey right now, you know.
But I mean I think he's that kind of receiver. Um.
You know the guy who I really really like and
everybody does so it's not is b John John Robinson.
He's really good. Um let's see Zay Flowers I mentioned.
(17:21):
I love him. Um there's a Oh there's a receiver
at a Cincinnati I find really intriguing. Scott. Yeah, Tyler Scott,
he's a you know, Jalen Hyatt and Tyler Scott are
probably gonna run under four three. They are those guys
and that's gonna you know, that'll be that'll get people excited.
But but I think I think that Scott is a
(17:42):
little more than that as a receiver. He's really intrigued.
Like to me, I don't think he'll get into the
first round, but I think he's the kind of receiver
to me, that style that the Giants should be looking for.
I have not watching it. I'll look forward to doing that. Greg,
this is awesome. We gotta run all right, always good
will and we will talk to you the draft, all right,
Guyl NFL Films, Thank you for joining us in Johnson
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