Giants OTAs Notes: Not a great day for the quarterbacks; tempers flare

EAST RUTHERFORD – The Giants' plan at quarterback evolved during their second week of organized team activities. Jaxson Dart, the 25th overall pick in this year’s draft, worked primarily with the second unit.

Russell Wilson remains the starter.

Dart struggled some throughout the afternoon. He completed 5-of-9 passes with two interceptions. He took a sack and had two passes broken up at the line of scrimmage. The majority of his completions came within five yards of the line of scrimmage. Dart went 2-of-3 passing in the 7-on-7 period of practice.

This was the second OTA open to the media. In the first, Dart worked almost exclusively with the third-string offense (behind Wilson and Jameis Winston, ahead of Tommy DeVito). He did get in for a handful of first-team reps. Thursday, Dart received 10 full-time reps. Eight came with the second unit, one with the starters, and one with the third team.

Dart had one first-team rep in 7-on-7 drills.

On to the complete practice report...

Attendance isn’t mandatory

Brian Daboll announced 100 percent attendance. That did not mean 100 percent of the Giants players were on the field, though. Notable offensive absences included: Receiver Malik Nabers, tackle Andrew Thomas and guards John Runyan Jr. and Greg Van Roten. The Giants were without tackle Dexter Lawrence, linebacker Bobby Okereke and cornerback Deonte Banks on defense.

Jake Kubas replaced Van Roten and Evan Neal replaced Runyan. Jalin Hyatt started for Nabers. James Hudson replaced Thomas. Roy Robertson-Harris, Darius Muasau and Cor’Dale Flott took over for Lawrence, Okereke and Banks.

The starting lineup …

Wilson, Devin Singletary, Darius Slayton, Hyatt, Wan’Dale Robinson, Theo Johnson, Hudson, Neal, John Michael Schmitz, Kubas, and Jermaine Eluemunor made up the first-team offense. The defense, in nickel, consisted of Paulson Adebo, Dru Phillips, Jevon Holland, Tyler Nubin, Flott, Micah McFadden, Muasau, Brian Burns, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, Robertson-Harris, and Kayvon Thibodeaux.

About those quarterbacks

It wasn’t a great day for any of New York’s passers. Wilson finished 10-of-14 with a touchdown, interception and two sacks. Winston was 4-of-8 passing. Tommy DeVito was 2-of-3.

Winston threw a long touchdown to Darius Slayton in 7-on-7 work. He beat Flott and Winston hit him perfectly in stride. Slayton wasn’t done. He also caught a touchdown in full-team drills from Wilson. This was a perfect ball over his shoulder – one of Wilson’s signature moon passes.

Practice ended with a situational, drive-the-field drill pitting starters versus starters. The score: 21-17. Time: 58 seconds. Ball: On the opposite 33. Wilson had pressure in his face right off the snap on first down. He threw it away. He threw a bit too inside for Johnson on second down. He completed a short one over the middle on third to Singletary.

It’s unclear if the Giants would have gone for it on fourth down because …

Fight!

Usually you see this in training camp. Guys are banging into each other for hours in 100-degree heat day after day. That wears you down. One guy pushes another. The other guy pushes back. Next thing you know .. fight.

It’s a bit more uncommon to see one in these June, contact-less practices. There was a doozy on Thursday, though. It started on Wilson’s incompletion to Johnson. Burns and Hudson looked ready to go at it to the point both needed to be separated. Teammates saw things escalating so they ushered both off the field – Burns to the defensive side, and Hudson offensive.

After the completion to Singletary, Thibodeaux and Eluemunor threw a few punches. Hudson came sprinting in from the sideline. Burns saw this as his opportunity to go. He sprinted in from the defensive side and dropped Hudson to the ground. A whole bunch of players piled on. Daboll called practice after the rumble.

Burns spoke after practice and blamed the heat. He claimed he and Hudson “squashed” their beef.

Quick hits and tidbits

• Rookie first-round pick Abdul Carter had a sack. He got Winston on a play-action boot. Give the secondary credit for locking the receivers down, forcing Winston to hold it a tick longer. He then rolled right into Carter’s lap.
• The interceptions came from Dane Belton (Wilson), Makari Paige (Dart) and Isaiah Essissima (Dart). Belton’s was the most impressive of the three. He jumped a Wilson pass for Slayton and took off. Belton is having quite the camp, per defensive coordinator Shane Bowen.
• Hyatt had a touchdown in 7-on-7 drills. It came on a nice deep throw from Wilson. Hyatt is having a good camp and looks to have put on a few pounds. It will be interesting to see if he can carve out a role for himself once Nabers gets back.
• Tight end Theo Johnson made a nice catch over the middle in team drills. Pass there from Wilson.
• It was good to (finally) see Josh Ezedeu receive reps at guard. Most scouts believed that was his best position coming out of the draft. The Giants have tried to force him into the tackle spot the last two years with absolutely zero success. Neal worked as the starting guard for the first time. He didn’t stand out one way or another – which is usually a good sign for a lineman.
• Wan’Dale Robinson met the media. He said he’s been pleasantly surprised with Wilson. He, like any receiver would, heard stories of him. It sounded like he developed a preconceived notion. Wilson is much better than Robinson expected, evident by the private workout he, Slayton and Johnson held with him a bit back. Robinson said he can still sling it, but more importantly, he hasn’t worked with a quarterback who’s commanded the huddle like him before.