Giants co-owner John Mara has heard all the criticism toward his team this offseason, but he is not entertaining any of it. 

In his first comments since the NFL Draft, Mara, who was in Florida for owners meetings on Tuesday, said he likes where his team is headed despite the frustrations the fan base may hold. 

"Absolutely, I think we're moving in the right direction," he told Bob Glauber of Newsday. "I certainly don't think we're a finished product yet, but I am happy with the direction of the team, contrary to popular opinion."

When RT Mike Remmers signed with the Giants, it didn't come as a surprise. 

The veteran tackle visited with the team twice, and with his connections to head coach Pat Shumur and GM Dave Gettleman having played under them over his career, it seemed like a no-brainer. 

That's why when the signing finally came true, fans were most likely saying, "It's about time." For Remmers, who was sitting in free agency awaiting a call from his next time, he was basically thinking the same thing. 

When it comes to the Giants' roster, Dave Gettleman has made it a point to eliminate what he perceives as "distractions."

The general manager and former safety Landon Collins appear to have different definitions of the word. 

Collins, now with NFC East rival Washington, told ESPN's Jordan Raanan the reason he, Olivier Vernon and Odell Beckham Jr. were not brought back because they provided too much of a presence in the locker room.

Giants head coach Pat Shurmur may have said that Eli Manning is the team's starting quarterback, but the 38-year-old spent more time answering questions about Daniel Jones than the upcoming season after Monday's OTA. 

It was the first time Manning and Jones took the field together since the Giants drafted the Duke quarterback with the sixth overall pick in April's NFL Draft, and afterward Manning was asked about the dynamic between him and the future franchise quarterback, particularly if he is comfortable mentoring the soon-to-be 22-year-old rookie. 

"I think I've been doing that the last 11, 12 years," Manning said. "I don't know when you become a mentor, or when that's official. I think if you've been in the league longer than any guy in the quarterback room I think you should be a mentor in that sense where if you know a little bit more and be helpful. 

Barring something unforeseen, Eli Manning will be the Giants' starting QB when they face the Cowboys in Week 1 in Dallas on Sept. 8 -- no matter how many times Pat Shurmur said Monday that Daniel Jones needs to get ready to potentially play Week 1.

"I view the quarterback position -- you have a starter in Eli, guys behind him and specifcally Daniel Jones that needs to do everything he can to get ready to play Week 1," Shurmur said Monday when asked if it was an open competition. "And that's where we're at."

What about Jones?

Dave Gettleman may have built a winner in the NFC East, but not the Giants. 

Just ask Washington Redskins cornerback Josh Norman about it. 

Norman went on The Rich Eisen Show this week and was asked about the connection he, Landon Collins and Dwayne Haskins have for being Washington Redskins. 

Giants offensive tackle Nate Solder underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove bone spurs from his ankle but is expected to be ready for training camp, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapaport and Mike Garafolo.

Solder, 31, played all 16 games with the Giants last season, his first with New York after seven with the Patriots.

Solder, who played on the left side, was rated the No. 21 offensive tackle by Pro Football Focus last year.

Tiki Barber has been an Eli Manning critic in the past, but he was singing a different tune on Thursday night.

Heading into CC Sabathia's second annual Celebrity Softball Game, Barber gave his thoughts on the Giants' offseason, including the selection of Daniel Jones and the trade of Odell Beckham Jr.

On Jones, the former Giants running back said that the way Jones handles himself will suit him well at the next level.

The Giants just can't seem to catch a break this offseason.

Earlier today, the NFL announced a six-game suspension for Arizona Cardinals shutdown cornerback Patrick Peterson, who violated the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Peterson has dropped his appeal and will serve the full six-game suspension.

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The Giants signed sixth-round pick Corey Ballentine, the defensive back who was shot the morning after he was drafted, to a rookie contract, the team announced Thursday.

Ballentine missed rookie mini-camp while he was recovering from a gunshot wound to the glute in a shooting that left his friend and former Washburn teammate Dwane Simmons dead.

Ballentine, who is expected to make a full recovery, joined the Giants earlier this week for the first time. The Giants told him to spend time with friends and family as he recovered from the non-life-threatening gunshot wound.

Mike Remmers is officially a Giant. 

The team formally announced the signing Tuesday, and the expectation is that the 30-year-old will assume the starting right tackle job in a revamped right side of the line that includes guard Kevin Zeitler. 

SNY's Ralph Vacchiano reported last week the deal is a one-year, $2.5 million contract. Remmers is guaranteed $1 million and also has another $1.5 million in incentives, which would make the deal worth a maximum of $4 million. 

Giants draft pick Corey Ballentine joined his teammates for the first time on Monday since he was wounded in a shooting the morning after he was drafted, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. 

The defensive back out of Washburn, who was selected by the Giants in the sixth round, was shot in the glute and had missed rookie mini-camp from May 3-5 despite being released from the hospital. The Giants told him to spend time with his friends and family as he recovered from the non-life-threatening gunshot wound. 

Ballentine's friend and former teammate, Dwane Simmons, was killed in the shooting. The two were leaving a party when strangers asked them if they had marijuana on them. After telling them no, the strangers left but returned minutes later and shot both men. 

The Giants announced three signings on Monday, including two of their 2019 NFL Draft picks.

Big Blue inked fifth-rounders Ryan Connelly, a linebacker out of Wisconsin, and Darius Slayton, a wide receiver from Auburn. They also re-signed defensive tackle John Jenkins. 

Former Jets and Giants quarterback Geno Smith will have yet another new team this season. 

The 28-year-old quarterback is expected to sign with the Seattle Seahawks, according to ESPN's Jordan Raanan. 

Smith, who was drafted in the second round by the Jets in 2013, joins Paxton Lynch as the potential backup options for Russell Wilson in Seattle. 

The Giants finally have their new right tackle. 

Big Blue agreed in principle to a deal with free agent Mike Remmers on Saturday, his agent announced on Twitter and confirmed he will be moving back to his natural position of right tackle.

SNY's Ralph Vacchiano confirmed the deal as a one-year, $2.5 million contract. Remmers will get $1 million fully guaranteed, and have another $1.5 million in incentives to bring the maximum value up to $4 million.

Ralph Vacchiano | Facebook | Twitter | Archive

Kurt Warner was there, 15 years ago, in the most unenviable spot for a starting quarterback. He knew he could still play. He knew he could still win.

And he knew his replacement was standing right behind him.

The Giants signed offensive lineman Mike Remmers on Saturday, his agent announced, and he is likely the final piece of Big Blue's o-line puzzle. 

Here is what you need to know about the 29-year-old, six-year veteran, Remmers:

1) He has versatility

The football world couldn't believe their eyes this offseason when the Giants traded away Odell Beckham Jr. to the Browns. Giants GM Dave Gettleman said on multiple occasions they "didn't sign him to trade him," but here they were getting Jabrill Peppers, the Browns' first-rounder, and a third-rounder in exchange for the dynamic wide receiver. 

But while everyone tried to come to grips with the biggest move of the offseason, another former Giant in Landon Collins wasn't the least bit surprised Beckham and the Giants parted ways.

"Was I shocked with Odell? No, honestly, not," Collins told NJ.com's Ryan Dunleavy. "They felt like he was a problem the whole time. Ever since Odell stepped into the league with them, they felt like he was a problem, I felt like from the outside."

From the beginning of the offseason to the start of the 2019 NFL Draft, Ohio State QB Dwayne Haskins has been linked to the Giants with their No. 6 overall pick. But, as the weeks turned into days, reports that Duke QB Daniel Jones was "their guy" which shifted perspective about that first pick.

But as Big Blue went on the clock down in Nashville, former Giants S Landon Collins was certain it was going to be Haskins who got the call. Instead, he was seen back home in Maryland shaking his head as Jones walked his way on stage to take the jersey from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

A few picks later, though, Haskins found himself in the same boat as Collins this offseason: Two suspected Giants turned Redskins.

Heartbroken. 

That's how Landon Collins felt when the Giants didn't want him back this offseason. He had become a mainstay on the Giants' defense, a hard-hitting safety that led the team in tackles for the four seasons he wore the blue and white. 

But that will change in 2019 when he wears a division rival's colors in the Redskins, who signed the Pro Bowler to a lucrative six-year, $84 million deal. While Collins accepts the new threads he'll don this season, he does admit it was hard to let go from the franchise that drafted him with the first pick of the second round back in 2015.

When Giants wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert walked to the podium during coaches availability on Wednesday, it was expected the slew of Odell Beckham Jr. questions were going to come his way. But with him now on the Browns, Tolbert wanted to talk about who he actually will be coaching in the new season.

"I'm going to say this about Odell, I don't want this to be an Odell Q/A," Tolbert said affirmatively. "Odell was a great player for us, with the Giants. We all love Odell, we respect him as a player and wish him nothing but the best with the Cleveland Browns."

For the Giants, though, it isn't as simple as replacing Beckham in the offense this season. He had over 1,000 yards receiving in four of the last five seasons, and was Eli Manning's favorite target when he was on the field. 

For as many headlines as the Giants' pick of quarterback Daniel Jones made on draft night, he's just one of the players now.

"You don't say anything. He doesn't say anything. He comes into work every single day," safety Michael Thomas said, according to ESPN's Jordan Raanan, about how the team is accepting him. "So, nah, Daniel Jones is one of our teammates now. If he can help us win, he'll help us win like every other draft pick."

The NFL Draft has come and gone, and the only man the Giants added to their depth chart at right tackle was seventh-rounder George Asafo-Adjei. Many saw GM Dave Gettleman going after a tackle higher in the draft, but that wasn't the case as more defensive reinforcements found their way to the Giants. 

Chad Wheeler, then, is the Giants' starting right tackle as training camp inches closer by the day. He struggled last season manning the right side, earning a 47.4 Pro Football Focus grade, which is considered below average. 

So are the Giants settled with their right tackle despite it potentially being their weak spot again? Offensive line coach Hal Hunter doesn't seem worried. He'll work with whoever comes into training camp on Day 1. 

Ralph Vacchiano | Facebook | Twitter | Archive: EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The top of the first round was shaping up like a dream for James Bettcher. As the sixth overall pick got closer and closer, there were still a couple of prized, elite defensive players on the board.

And yes, the Giants defensive coordinator wanted them. He had his eyes on Kentucky edge rusher Josh Allen and Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver. Those two have Pro Bowl potential, according to many scouts. They could've changed the makeup of the Giants' defense.

What defensive coordinator wouldn't have wanted one of them instead of Duke quarterback Daniel Jones?

The Giants are expected to not only start the season with Eli Manning as their QB, but end the season with him there if everything goes according to plan. 

But could No. 6 overall pick Daniel Jones be a starter from Day 1 on a team that needed him to start right away?

"I think he'd be ready to go" OC Mike Shula said Wednesday at the Giants' facility. "He has that capability."

Eli Manning reacted in a very Eli Manning way upon learning the Giants took Daniel Jones at No. 6 overall in the NFL Draft.

At least according to offensive coordinator Mike Shula, who phoned Manning when the Giants decided they were picking Jones. Manning was apparently preoccupied with his son, Charlie, at the time.

The Giants added depth to their backfield by bringing in someone they're familiar with.

Big Blue signed former Cowboys running back Rod Smith on Wednesday, adding to the mix of players who will compete for the backup job behind 2018 Rookie of the Year, Saquon Barkley.

Smith, 27, appeared in 16 games for Dallas last season but didn't get much run, finishing with 127 yards rushing and a touchdown along with 60 yards receiving.

After trading Odell Beckham Jr. and letting Landon Collins walk, the Giants' odds to win Super Bowl LIV dropped from 50/1 to 80/1, and their fresh odds to win the NFC East are right in line with the above expectations.

Big Blue has 16/1 odds to win the division this season, per BetOnline.ag -- the worst odds of the four teams in the NFC East.

The Eagles are the even bet at 1/1, the Cowboys have 5/4 odds, and the Redskins are 10/1.

Ralph Vacchiano | Facebook | Twitter | Archive

Sixteen new players were drafted by the Jets and Giants two weeks ago, and both teams are confident they landed an outstanding class. Of course, it's early and they won't know for sure until training camp begins which of their rookies will be able to immediately help them out.

It's not hard to project, though, based on talent and - perhaps most importantly - opportunity. So here's a look at the 16 members of the Giants and Jets Draft Class of 2019, ranked in the order they're expected to make an impact on New York football this year.

After being involved in a single-car accident last week, the prognosis could be better for Jason Pierre-Paul. 

The Buccaneers DE suffered a fractured neck that could cause him to miss the entire 2019 season, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported. 

Per Schefter, Pierre-Paul will visit with neck specialists this week in an effort to save his season, but the expectation is that he will undergo surgery to repair the injury. 

The Giants shocked the NFL when they traded Odell Beckham Jr. to the Browns earlier this offseason, but the star receiver actually expected a trade to go down a long, long time ago.

Saying that he's "probably the happiest" he's ever been in his entire life, Beckham told GQ that he thought he was going to get traded two years ago -- before he signed his massive extension.

After signing the extension but feeling something in his "gut" and not being "very happy," Beckham thought he was going to get traded in 2018. Instead, it took until March.

Giants running back Saquon Barkley met a couple of familiar faces at the Met Gala on Monday night.

Barkley posed for a photo with former teammate Odell Beckham Jr. and current Patriots stars Tom Brady and Julian Edelman.

The Giants signed Austin Droogsma to be an offensive guard on Monday after rookie minicamp.

Droogsma is 6-foot-4, 345 pounds, so he has the size to be an NFL lineman.

Yet while it could be cliche to say he isn't like most players trying to win a roster spot for a pro football team team, it is accurate in this case.

How so?

The Giants did not have a lot of salary cap space, so this offseason was always going to be about the draft for them. Anything else they added was likely come out of the bargain bin of free agency.

And their bargain shopping is about to begin.

Starting on Tuesday, the Giants figure to be in the market for a right tackle, maybe an edge rusher, and probably plenty of depth, when the free-agent signing period heats back up again. That's the first day that free-agent signings do not count against the NFL's compensatory draft pick formula, which determines comp picks for the next draft, and takes into account free agent signings, losses, money spent and performance. Any player a team signs Tuesday won't count against his new team.

While some believe the Giants reached by taking Duke QB Daniel Jones with the sixth overall pick in the NFL Draft, there is reportedly at least one team that was not sure he was good enough to be a quarterback. 

According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, there was one team that wanted to work out Jones as a tight end at the combine because they did not think he was good enough to be an NFL starting quarterback. 

While it is not uncommon for coaches to suggest moving players to a different position, Jones was never really thought of in this matter publicly before the draft despite some skepticism he was worthy of a first-round pick. 

Ryan Anderson has already enjoyed one successful season in northern New Jersey. Will he have the chance for another one? 

The Giants signed the former Rutger punter Sunday after a tryout during rookie minicamp last week. Anderson punted for the Scarlet Knights during the 2017 season as a graduate transfer. 

Before landing at Rutgers, the lefty kicker played Division II ball at Saginaw Valley State in his native Michigan and spent his junior and senior seasons at Division III Olivet. For the Scarlet Knights, Anderson set the all-time single-season punting average mark (44.4 yards per attempt), was named to the Ray Guy Award watch list and earned first team All-Big Ten honors. 

Coming into the 2019 NFL Draft, the Giants needed to address their pass rush. Ranking 30th in the league last year just doesn't cut it, and with Olivier Vernon -- the team's best option off the edge -- traded to the Browns this offseason, it became that much more of a priority. 

And when Josh Allen, arguably the best edge rusher in the Draft, fell to the Giants at No. 6, it seemed liker a no-brainer. But GM Dave Gettleman wanted his quarterback of the future in Daniel Jones, and made their pick. Montez Sweat was also on the board at No. 16, but Clemson DT Dexter Lawrence heard his name called instead. 

It wasn't until the third round that the Giants got their edge rusher in Oshane Ximines, the first player to ever be drafted out of Old Dominion. He may be from a small school, but he totaled 32.5 sacks over his four-year career with the Monarchs. 

Rookies on an NFL team will always remember their first time walking into the team facility to get their new equipment, and of course, their first professional number. 

For Giants undrafted WR Reggie White Jr., that number comes with very high expectations. 

White was seen wearing No. 13 at the Giants' rookie minicamp -- yes, Odell Beckham Jr.'s old number. 

As the Giants began their rookie mini-camp on Friday, all the attention was on Daniel Jones, but there was another quarterback who raised some intrigue.  

That was Syracuse's Eric Dungey.

Dungey was not just there to get in reps as a quarterback, but he was also listed as a tight end as he tries to find a way to make an NFL roster. 

Nothing ever seems to faze Eli Manning. 

Giants GM Dave Gettleman and head coach Pat Shurmur had called their 38-year-old starting quarterback to let him know they were about to draft his eventual successor, Daniel Jones, with the sixth overall pick in the draft. 

On Saturday, Shurmur was asked about Manning's response to that decision. 

The Giants' rookies were front and center at Quest Diagnostics Training Facility in East Rutherford on Friday morning, as they were introduced to the New York media for the first time face-to-face. 

And one of the first questions that come their way is how they play on the gridiron. For the 16th overall pick in DT Dexter Lawrence, he doesn't just consider himself simply a brute force in the trenches that his career at Clemson showcased.  

"Smart, physical, instinctive defensive lineman," Lawrence said. "Tough, none quitting dude. Just ready to work, work every day and be great."

Daniel Jones officially began his first day of work with the New York Giants as rookie mini-camp started in East Rutherford on Friday. 

The Giants' sixth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft was introduced to the media and spoke for the first time since he was being drafted. 

Here are the takeaways from what he had to say:

Giants rookie QB and sixth overall pick in the NFL Draft, Daniel Jones, goes 1-on-1 with SNY's Pat Leonard about his expectations as a rookie, what it means to him to join Big Blue and also learning behind two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning. 

One New York team drafted a tall Duke star in the first round.

Will the Knicks be the second?

The Knicks will find out on May 14 whether they win the draft lottery (and ultimately the Zion Williamson sweepstakes), but for now, New York has one former Blue Devil who may be the next face of the franchise: Giants rookie quarterback Daniel Jones.

Giants GM Dave Gettleman spent most of the NFL Draft defending his selection of Duke QB Daniel Jones with the sixth overall pick -- which has arguably made the criticism worse. 

Per ESPN's Mike Sando, who spoke with executives, coaches and talent evaluators around the league, many seem confused by Gettleman's difficulty to rationalize the pick. 

On a scale of most objectionable to least objectionable thing the Giants have done, the most was passing on Sam Darnold in favor of Saquon Barkley last year, but the least was taking Jones sixth overall once they decided that he was their guy. 

One week after the Giants made the controversial decision to select Duke quarterback Daniel Jones at No. 6 overall, they added another rookie QB to the fold.

Syracuse quarterback Eric Dungey is one of 13 undrafted free-agent signings the Giants announced ahead of this weekend's rookie minicamp. 

Three of the Giants' 2019 NFL Draft selection have inked their rookie contracts, as DB Julian Love, G/T George Asafo-Adjei, and DT Chris Slayton have signed. 

Love is at the top of the three, being a fourth-rounder. Giants GM Dave Gettleman noted that Love could make the transition to safety depending on how the team assesses his skill set. And that position switch could work out for Love, who called himself a physical player in his first interview after becoming a Giant. 

"I think I'm a pretty physical player, I don't shy away from contact at all," he told reporters on Saturday. "If anything, I show a lot of effort, I'm a smart player and I make plays. That's what I've done my whole life and I'm excited to do that going forward. I'm just going to continue to be a playmaker. "

As the Giants rookies get set for their minicamp this week, they have chosen their numbers for this season. 

Getting first dibs is New York's top pick in the 2019 NFL Draft in Daniel Jones, who chose No. 8. The two other first rounders in DT Dexter Lawrence and CB DeAndre Baker chose No. 97 and No. 35 respectively. 

Here are the numbers for the rest of the rookies...

Here's something that Giants fans haven't been able to say in awhile: The offensive line looks pretty solid this season. 

I'm being serious when I say it, too. The Giants saw much improvement in the second half from new left tackle Nate Solder and new left guard Will Hernandez, while Jon Halapio should be returning fully healthy after winning the center job after training camp last year. 

There is also the addition of new right guard Kevin Zeitler, who comes over from Cleveland in the Odell Beckham Jr. trade. According to Pro Football Focus, Zeitler was the league's best pass-blocking guard, and the sixth-best guard overall.