The Giants are already talking like a team that knows its biggest defensive problem, and Dennis Johnson isn’t soft-pedaling it. New York was 31st against the run last season, and after trading away Dexter Lawrence on April 19, the pressure on the front is only louder. Johnson made the mission plain.
“The number one thing we’re gonna do on defense, come hell or high water, is stop the run,” Giants DL coach Dennis Johnson said via the New York Post. “That’s what we’re gonna teach, that’s what we’re gonna preach, that’s what we’re gonna get executed.
It’s on the walls in meeting rooms, it’s in most of our team meetings, defensive meetings, it’s in my position meeting. That’s where it begins and ends.
“It’s football, right? People try to gain yards, and you’re on defense and trying to make sure they don’t gain yards.
What’s the easiest way to gain yards? Just run the ball right down the middle.”
The words are strong, but the roster churn tells the real story. New York has 13 defensive tackles on hand, and nine of them arrived after Lawrence was dealt.
The biggest name in that group is D.J. Reader, who is expected to take over Lawrence’s old spot at nose tackle.
“He’s very talented and very skillful, and he’s a vet in his own right,” Johnson said. “He has this unique skill set where he’s a physical dude, but he’s seen enough blocks in his career where he has anticipation and can play them a lot quicker than most cats.
His eyes move quickly, his hands move with his eyes, he has that sense to him. He’s gonna command a double team, he’s gonna win single blocks out there.”
In Washington, Jayden Daniels is already building chemistry with new Commanders offensive coordinator David Blough, and the quarterback sounds genuinely energized by the setup. Blough has been Daniels’ assistant QB coach, so this isn’t a cold start - it’s a promotion that keeps the relationship intact while shifting the job title.
“It’s been fun,” Daniels said in an interview with Bryan Colbert Jr. of the team website. “I talk to him all the time. And I told him it’s just been cool to see…him go from assistant QB coach to now offensive coordinator.”
Daniels said the collaboration has been a welcome part of the process as the Commanders shape a new offense around him.
“I’m super excited that he’s here. He’s the O.C., but we get to build this offense together,” Daniels added. “…It’s been awesome just to see his offensive mind, his creative mind and juices flowing.”
In Dallas, Javonte Williams sat out the final minicamp practice, but that doesn’t mean the Cowboys are backing away from him as their lead back. Instead, the extra work went to the younger runners, Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah, who split first-team reps on the last full-speed day.
“More than anything, we just wanted to give the two young guys (Blue and Mafah) a lot of work,” Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. “We knew it was the last full-speed practice (on Wednesday).
Javonte’s in a great spot, looks great. It was more about the young guys and reps in the last full practice.”
In Other News...
Stefon Diggs Just Sent The Commanders Another Message They Can't Ignore
Stefon Diggs keeps nudging the conversation in Washingtons direction, and the latest hint came on social media, where he liked and commented on a Washington-related Instagram post showing Wale training with the Commanders in Los Angeles. It is the kind of small signal that does not move a roster on its own, but it does keep Diggs attached to a team that has already been linked to him in a way that feels more pointed than casual.
Diggs has also made clear he would like to play closer to home, which only adds to the intrigue around a possible fit with the Commanders. For now, though, general manager Adam Peters has not made any official move or public declaration about whether Diggs is truly in the mix, leaving the situation in the same speculative space it has occupied for now. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders May Have Found The Stability Jayden Daniels Needed Most
The Commanders spent the offseason trying to give Jayden Daniels a steadier runway after the churn around him, and one of the quieter moves may prove to be among the most important. D.J. Williams, hired as the quarterbacks coach, has already built a positive working relationship with Daniels, giving the young passer a familiar voice at a time when Washington has had to replace key pieces from the offensive staff.
Williams also arrived with the kind of scrutiny that comes with a notable last name, but the staffs view is that he won the job on merit. Dan Quinn backed the hire and saw him as a qualified coach, and that matters for a quarterback who has lost some of the allies who helped shape his early development. For Daniels, the value may not just be in instruction, but in the stability that comes with it. [Read more 🡒]