While the front office and coaching staff decide who makes the team, the veteran Giants get to kick back this weekend and look ahead to the regular-season opener, once again against the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.
“We know them. They know us,” guard Justin Pugh said.
In this case, familiarity breeds something more powerful than contempt. The resurgent Cowboys in 2016 won the NFC East, with the Giants finishing second, despite sweeping the two-game series.
“They’re definitely the team to beat,” Pugh said. “They won the division. We did beat them twice. So there’s definitely a lot of storylines in that, I guess you could say. We’re very familiar with them. So we’re just going to go out there and it’s going to be an NFC East game. It’s going to be grimy. It’s going to be gritty. It’s going to be tough. You’re going to feel like you were in a car accident after that game.”
If coach Ben McAdoo is monitoring the legal proceedings involving Cowboys star running back Ezekiel Elliott, he is not admitting it.
“We’re focused on our own team right now,’’ McAdoo said. “Whoever rolls out there for Dallas, whoever they put out on the field, we’ll be prepared for, we’ll have a plan for and we’ll be ready to go.”
The roster was trimmed to 80 after the Giants waived eight players and placed safety Duke Ihenacho on injured reserve. Those waived were safety Eric Pinkins, LB Chris Casher, LB Steven Daniels, CB Tay Glover-Wright, CB Tim Scott, CB Daniel Gray, WR C.J. Germany and OL Richard Levy. Another 27 players must be cut by 4 p.m. Saturday.
McAdoo said it will be a “tough decision” choosing between Geno Smith and Josh Johnson for the backup quarterback job.
It seems as if rookie Aldrick Rosas did everything possible to make the team, going 8-for-8 on field goals, including the game-winning 48-yarder at the buzzer Thursday night to beat the Patriots. McAdoo, though, did not concede anything regarding Rosas, 22, and his competition, 35-year old Mike Nugent.
“Experience is a big factor, whether you look at lack of experience or an experienced player,” McAdoo said. “I don’t know that age really matters all that much. I think experience does, especially at that position.”
It would be a shock if undrafted rookie OT Chad Wheeler is cut.
“I think he’s coming along. I think his best days are ahead of him,” McAdoo said. “As a player I think he has some versatility for us. It’s encouraging.’’
Expect McAdoo to keep a fullback after going without one in 2016 and for rookie Shane Smith to be the choice.
LB Mark Herzlich is seeking to return for a seventh season, but a neck stinger injury has cost him valuable time and may continue to linger.
“He’s making progress,” said McAdoo. “Obviously you weigh that in [when determining the roster].”
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie has been a strong advocate for Donte Deayon, the undersized cornerback trying to make the team after a year on the practice squad.
DRC believes his little buddy had done enough, telling Deayon, “Get your legs ready!’’