NYG Practice Squad Report

As promised, here is a short write up on the Practice Squad players, what NYG may be planning for them, and the chances/scenario of each ending up on the 53 man roster.

OT Adam Bisnowaty

Acquired: 6th round of the 2016 Draft

Scouting Summary: Rookie that played LT in college, but was bounced around the OL during the Senior Bowl. At least 2 teams that I know of labeled him an interior OL-only. NYG put him at RT, almost exclusively, during his first NFL preseason. Struggled with the quickness and speed of NFL pass rushers at the 2nd/3rd string level. Poor balance that impacted his ability to adjust on the fly. May have been the lowest graded "regular" on the team during the team's four preseason games.

The Plan: I think Bisnowaty will be on the PS the entire year unless another team comes in a scoops him up, which is unlikely. If injuries start to occur, I think there is a better chance they sign a FA off the street than put Bisnowaty on the field. Long term, I think he gets moved inside where his issues in space aren't as big of a deal.

WR Marquis Bundy

Acquired: FA signing August 2017

Scouting Summary: Tall, long arms and big hands. Not the most physical receiver but he can make the 50/50 catches with his ball control and plus-leaping ability. For a big, long-limbed WR, he runs good routes underneath with above average cutting and control. Bundy was signed by ARI in the UDFA period in 2016, and spent the majority of the season on their practice squad. He has yet to record his first NFL reception in regular season play.

The Plan: Bundy has something NYG wants coming off the bench that the other WRs do not have (outside of Marshall)...and that is height and length. Bundy is 6'4 and plays even bigger. His traits can be found every year in the draft, but the development in to WR-quality skill sets is always tough. Bundy has some natural pass catcher to him and enough route running positives that ARI tried him in the slot and kept him around long enough to prove he has some ability there.

LB Nordly Capi

Acquired: FA Signing September 2017

Scouting Summary: A hybrid OLB/DE type that will life live on the edge no matter where he ends up. Has developed "man-strength", as he will stifle blockers on contact and give himself initial positional advantages. Can play low to the ground and make it tough for blockers to lock on. Physical hitter. Tackles through his target. Stiff lateral mover that will hesitate and take too many recovery steps. Unsure of himself when it comes to assignment football. Had a very productive 2017 preseason with a lot of QB pressures (against 3rd stringers).

The Plan: As always, NYG keeps a hybrid edge defender around within grasp. Cap is a 3-4 type defender but it seems to me their plan is to throw in the occasional 3-4 principles to their scheme. Capi is around, at least for now, to see if he can take in the scheme and prove he can help this pass rush from multiple angles.

CB Donte Deayon

Acquired: UDFA Signing May 2016

Scouting Summary: Has all the plus-movement traits you want in a CB. Fast, explosive, quick, agile, balanced. He can move with anyone all over the field both underneath and down the field. His size is an obvious issue that will never go away, however. At times he looks like a boy playing against men with the way he is tossed around by a receiver trying to block and/or get off the jam. The coaches love his try-hard, get-it-done attitude and there is some return value to him. He was all but on the roster until the business-side of the NFL reared its ugly head and NYG traded for veteran CB Ross Cockrell.

The Plan: I have to think he is the first man up if an injury occurs at CB. Reading between the lines, this coaching staff loves what he brings to the table, they love his approach. But the size is simply too easy to exploit. He will get a shot though, it just seems to me they wanted more security to start off the season.

LB Curtis Grant

Acquired: Free Agency January 2017

Scouting Summary: Big, physical, and straight line fast. Has a lot of presence when it comes to taking on blockers and getting after the ball carrier. He can be an inside guy that really controls the B-to-B gaps. Gets exposed when he needs to quickly read and react to lateral movement. Has range, but is often a step behind because of his tight hips and average at best instincts.

The Plan: From day one, I've been impressed with Grant's straight line burst and physicality. He can really get after an elevate the physical nature of a defense. He isn't terrible on coverage, he has developed a bit since August, but right now he is a 2 down player that would struggle in space. He will get the call up if a 53 man LB goes down. I think they simply want to keep him around for another year to see if he can improve his twitch and reading.

OL Jon Halapio

Acquired: Free Agency January 2017

Scouting Summary: Originally a tough, hard nosed prospect that the Patriots used a draft pick on in 2014, has since bounced around the league. Had stretches of the preseason where I thought he could be the backup OC to Richburg. Straight line mover with plenty of hand strength and power. Very stiff lower half though, gets exposed when he is moving laterally and at the second level.

The Plan: He only gets the call up if Richburg or Jones goes down. If an OG goes down, I think they look elsewhere. His best football is when he's at OC. I think the end is near for Halapio.

S Ryan Murphy

Acquired: Free Agency December 2016

Scouting Summary: A versatile DB with experience at CB and S. NYG looking at him as a S. Physical, stout guy that can close downhill very fast. Solid tackler, wraps up and hits hard. Doesn't have the burners to catch up if he is beat deep, but he can be a quality in the box guy. Has the right blend of tools to be a matchup for athletic TEs.

The Plan: Whats going on at safety is very up in the air. Nat Berhe is the primary backup to Landon Collins, but they are VERY different players. In addition, Berhe has had a tough time staying healthy. I thought his preseason was very poor considering the missed tackles, something a S simply cannot do. Murphy fits the mold a tad more, but he needs to prove he can consistently cover and read offenses first.

WR Travis Rudolph

Acquired: UDFA signing May 2017

Scouting Summary: Lacks the desired size and speed, but does everything else at an established-veteran pace and skill level. He makes up for physical shortcomings by running precise, quick routes and catching almost everything thrown his way. He also has the easy burst and acceleration with the ball in his hands. You know Rudolph will work hard, do things right, and fully take advantage of opportunities thrown his way. He is the WR that gets overlooked by defenses that put attention on the primary targets, does exactly what he is supposed to do, and will be where needs to be, when he needs to be there, and catch everything his hands get on.

The Plan: I was very surprised to see him cut loose by NYG, keeping the inconstant Roger Lewis and the injured Tavarres King around. Rudolph is not the sexy tall, fast, long, strong WR but he will make things happen if he is on the field. Perhaps the plan is to get some more meat on his bones, make him a little stronger, and simply learn the offense to a higher level. I think before the year is over, he is on the gameday active roster.

CB Tim Scott

Acquired: Free Agency August 2017

Scouting Summary: A hybrid CB/S. Very good athlete with the burst and agility you want in a CB. Some teams viewed him as a FS out of college, but he is best suited for CB, more specifically the slot. He plays physical, good tackler that won't hesitate to throw his hat in there. Tough and hard nosed. In his short stint with NYG, he showed solid ability to turn his hips and burst out of his breaks.

The Plan: The backup NYG CBs (behind Hunter/Deayon) were beat up all preseason. Scott was brought in as new blood and I think he was a pleasant surprise to the coaches. He checks off a lot of boxes outside how his size. If he continues to impress in practice, there is a shot he leapfrogs Deayon as first man up if a CB goes down.

DT Jordan Williams

Acquired: FA Signing December 2016

Scouting Summary: Versatile inside/out threat that plays quicken than his size would indicate when he is outside, stronger than his size when he plays inside. There is a lot of intrigue here. Halfway through preseason I thought there was legit chance he would make his way on to the roster as a 3rd down pass rusher. The DL was too crowded though. Williams has some of that Justin Tuck type style and versatility. Not that caliber obviously, but he is a tough assignment for certain blockers. He still has a ways to go in terms of his pass rush skill set, but I am intrigued by him.

The Plan: Develop, develop, develop. This multi-front, creative pass rush scheme can use a guy like this if he can figure out how to play fast with versatile pass rush techniques. NYG could use a guy like this on 3rd down and his power is already there. He is one of the more likely guys on the PS to eventually get on the field in 2017.