FLORHAM PARK, N.J. \u2014 The New York Giants and New York Jets completed their first of two joint practices on Tuesday, this one at the Jets\u2019 practice facility. This was a better day for the Giants\u2019 defense than the offense, although the offense did rally during the practice-ending 11-on-11 red zone period.<\/p>\n
The teams will be back on the practice field Wednesday morning, this time as the Giants\u2019 Quest Diagnostics Training Center facility in East Rutherford, N.J.<\/p>\n
Here is some of what we learned on Tuesday. Full reports on what we saw from the Giants on both sides of the ball are upcoming.<\/p>\n
Injury updates: Malik Nabers, Andrew Thomas<\/p>\n
The following Giants did not practice:<\/p>\n
Wide receiver Malik Nabers, wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, wide receiver Da\u2019Quan Felton, running back Cam Skattebo, cornerback Dru Phillips, cornerback Tre Hawkins, guard Evan Neal.<\/p>\n
No Nabers, of course, meant no 1-on-1 matchup between the Giants\u2019 star receiver and Jets\u2019 star cornerback Sauce Gardner.<\/p>\n
Giants\u2019 head coach Brian Daboll would not discuss the reason for Nabers, who did not play Saturday against the Buffalo Bills in the Giants\u2019 preseason opener, to continue sitting out. Nabers has not practiced since Wednesday. Does that have anything to do with the toe injury that kept him off the practice field all spring?<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not going to get into injuries,\u201d Daboll said. \u201cHe\u2019s rehabbing, and he\u2019s doing everything he can to get back.\u201d<\/p>\n
Neal, competing with Greg Van Roten for the starting job at right guard, continued to miss important reps as he transitions to a new position.<\/p>\n
Starting left tackle Andrew Thomas remains on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. With less than a month remaining before the Sept. 7 regular-season opener against the Washington Commanders, there has to be concern about Thomas\u2019s readiness for Week 1 following Lisfranc surgery.<\/p>\n
Daboll, as usual, offered nothing of substance on Thomas.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s rehabbing, so getting better,\u201d Daboll said. \u201cJust focused on each day like normal, so he\u2019s getting better every day.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Giants have managed Dexter Lawrence\u2019s reps this summer. The star defensive tackle did not play Saturday against the Bills, but did participate in a limited number of reps Tuesday against the Jets.<\/p>\n
Lawrence said Tuesday he is \u201cwhere I\u2019m supposed to be\u201d as he ramps up after last year\u2019s season-ending dislocated elbow.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe process of me and my elbow, it\u2019s a continual process,\u201d Lawrence said. \u201cI\u2019m getting better every day. I got a lot more reps today than I got, you know, last week, and I\u2019m feeling good. So that\u2019s the process you just got to keep going through.\u201d<\/p>\n
Up and down day for offense<\/p>\n
Well, really down throughout most of practice per reports from those watching offense (I spent my day watching the defense), and then encouraging during red zone work to finish practice.<\/p>\n
Lawrence isn\u2019t having the Abdul Carter hype. After yet another dominant day from the rookie No. 3 overall pick, the Giants\u2019 All-Pro defensive tackle was asked to summarize what he thought of Carter\u2019s work this summer.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know yet. We\u2019ll see. We\u2019ll see,\u201d Lawrence said with a wry smile. \u201cWe\u2019ll see with him.\u201d<\/p>\n
So, Lawrence played the \u201cnothing Carter has done counts yet\u201d card. We have, though, already seen a lot to get excited about.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s so special about Travis Hunter of the Jacksonville Jaguars, anyway? It looks like the Giants might have their own two-player in Elijah Chatman. For the second time this summer, the former undrafted free agent defensive tackle Chatman took an offensive rep at fullback. He also took his usual full complement of defensive reps.<\/p>\n
Because of course they did. It was almost 90 degrees, and there was a lot of physicality.<\/p>\n
During the red zone period at the end of practice, Giants guard Aaron Stinnie and Jets defensive lineman Phidarian Mathis got into it on back-to-back plays, with punches appearing to be thrown on the second play.<\/p>\n
Daboll said before practice that \u201cgood, competitive practices\u201d were expected.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to make sure we\u2019re practicing smart. We want to stay healthy,\u201d he said. \u201cWe want to keep the Jets healthy. We want to get something out of it. So that\u2019s always important.\u201d<\/p>\n