It was near perfect weather for the first day of Giants training camp. Temperatures were in the 80s with sunny skies and very little breeze.
Here's what I saw from the sideline:
* Coach Brian Daboll and General Manager Joe Schoen met the media before practice and said only Andrew Thomas and Eric Gray would start camp on the physically unable to perform list, with Schoen stating there was confidence Thomas would be ready for the start of the regular season. Everyone else practiced without restriction, including young players like Malik Nabers, Cam Skattebo and Darius Alexander. Nabers, who did very little on-field work in the spring due to a lingering toe issue, said after practice that the team's medical staff has a good plan to keep his toe healthy.
* Daboll maintained the same approach to training camp as he has in past seasons: starting with shorter practices (just 90 minutes but will ramp up to two hours over the first three days), helmets only, and working exclusively in the red zone to prevent lower body soft tissue injuries that sometimes occur when players open up at full speed for long distances this early in camp.
* Russell Wilson got the offense started fast, throwing a touchdown on a perfectly thrown corner fade on the first pass of practice to Wan'Dale Robinson during 7-on-7's. Wilson would connect with Malik Nabers on two touchdowns later in team drills, the first one coming on a jumping catch near the left sideline just over the cornerback. The second came on a quick slant over the middle.
* Tight end Greg Dulcich caught a touchdown pass from Jameis Winston over the middle, using his length to make a tough hands-catch over the head of the defender. Winston later connected with wide receiver Lil'Jordan Humphrey for a touchdown.
* Rookie running back Cam Skattebo was active as a receiver, catching several passes in the flat and turning one upfield for a score. The same strong hands we saw at Arizona State were on display today.
* The Giants offense used a lot of play action and misdirection in an effort to create room in the red zone, including a number of quarterback runs.
* The defense made several plays of their own throughout practice, with Nic Jones taking an interception for a touchdown after he jumped a route on a quick stop to a tight end near the goal line.
* Paulson Adebo knocked a pass away from Darius Slayton over the middle after Russell Wilson momentarily bobbled the snap, which seemed to throw off the timing of the play.
* Deonte Banks played well in coverage as he prevented two passes from being completed, including one on a fade pass to Malik Nabers in the end zone.
* Brian Burns had a batted pass and got into the backfield on a play that could have been a sack of Russell Wilson. Tomon Fox, Trace Ford, Elijah Garcia and Jordon Riley all had pressures.
