Wide receiver Collin Johnson was a mainstay on the first-string offense during Sunday’s goal-line heavy practice.
He has earned that promotion with standout play. And it’s encouraging to see Brian Daboll running a meritocracy: rewarding the best performers with more significant snaps.
“As a player, I feel like when coaches do that, players really respect that,” Johnson, a third-year vet, said Sunday. “Because they feel that it’s within their control. Every day they show up, if they perform [well], they’re gonna get a chance with the staff.”
“And I feel that’s important mentally for a player,” he added. “So I respect coaches who do that. Coach Daboll and the whole staff preach that all the time: they don’t care if you’re undrafted, first round pick, whatever. If you can play, you can play.”
Johnson, 24, a 2020 fifth-round pick by the Jaguars, earned opportunities under Joe Judge in his first Giants season of 2021, too. But he has hit another gear in this camp: frequently open, catching everything and doing whatever is asked at a high level.
He’s shown a solid chemistry with backup QB Tyrod Taylor, which has earned him more chances with first-string QB Daniel Jones. Johnson credited hard offseason training in Los Angeles with a track coach and receiving coach for his ability to sustain so far.
“I got on the track a lot to get in shape, take care of my body, get the endurance for the tax that training camp puts on your body,” Johnson said. “The better shape you’re in, the easier practice and games will be. Endurance always helps.”
There are a lot of names better known in the Giants’ receiving corps, but if Joe Schoen and Daboll picked their team today, it seems clear Johnson would be on it. Not that he’s focusing on his place on the depth chart at all.
“Every day I wake up, I try to be better than yesterday,” Johnson said. “And I try to be process oriented, not just result oriented. So I try not to think about if I’m going with the threes, twos, ones. If I have 10 catches, one catch, no catches. If I’m asked to block … The results take care of themselves when you focus on the process.”
HOLDEN’S SECOND CITI
Offensive tackle Will Holden worked out for the Giants last Thursday, signed and practiced Friday, then spent his Saturday off day at Citi Field taking in the Mets and the Braves.
“I took my iPad, went and looked at some plays, and watched some baseball,” Holden, 28, said Sunday with a smile.
Holden isn’t a Mets fan by chance. His father in law, David Musicant, was affiliated with the club’s previous ownership group. And his wife’s family are Giants fans living in Bergen County. Holden even used to work out at the Wyckoff YMCA during summer breaks at Vanderbilt.
Joining the Giants is extra “special,” though, because Holden and his wife just had their first baby, a boy, and now the family can be closer as he fights for a roster spot.
“When that call came, my mother in law was in town in Nashville helping to babysit, and it was a frenzy,” Holden said. “We packed up, flew up to New York, which we do very often. We fly into LaGuardia, very close to Citi Field, hop over for some games… I’m happy to be here.”
The Giants’ depth at tackle is thin after Matt Gono recently left the team and rookie fifth-round pick Marcus McKethan went on injured reserve with a torn ACL sustained Friday.
Holden is here to prove he belongs.
“It was a no-brainer to come up here and work out and give it my all,” he said.
BUMPS AND BRUISES
Starting left tackle Andrew Thomas was limping during early in the Giants’ 11-on-11 period after going to the ground with Kayvon Thibodeaux and nearly having Leonard Williams roll up on his legs the next play. Thomas finished the practice, but he was clearly laboring. This is to be expected for a player coming off a second ankle surgery in two years. Still, the Giants need Thomas to be healthy in Week 1 and to stay healthy. With no depth at tackle, this is a situation that bears close monitoring. … Kadarius Toney again was held out of the Giants’ 11-on-11 team period, the third time in nine practices he has received rest from that work. That’s in addition to mostly standing on the sidelines during special teams, although he did join the punt return rotation briefly for the first time this camp, catching his first. … Linebacker Carter Coughlin was a new injured player working on the side with trainers. Wide receivers David Sills and Robert Foster, corner Rodarius Williams also worked on the side. Tight end Ricky Seals-Jones missed his seventh straight practice and was nowhere in sight. Rookie OL Josh Ezeudu practiced despite some nicks and bumps incurred in Friday night’s practice.
()