The same thought must be running through dozens of minds entering these last few days of Giants’ training camp: One more play could make all the difference.
NFL teams need to cut roster sizes from a maximum of 90 players to 53 by 4 p.m. Tuesday, which means that all on the bubble are pressing for one more dazzling catch, one more forced takeaway, one more pancake block or whatever other example is needed prove their worth to the coaches and executives in charge.
“Look, they’re human, so you know that as it gets closer to a cutdown date, I’m sure some players feel that way,” head coach Brian Daboll said. “You just try to be open and honest with everybody. The team is not cut down yet. There are plenty of opportunities for people to show what they can do, particularly in this last game. Empathy goes a long way, I think.”
“Plenty of opportunities” is a bit of a stretch.
The Giants will practice three more times — twice before their preseason finale Saturday against the Jets and once after — before cuts are made.
“To be completely honest, cutdown day sucks,” Daboll said. “It really does because you develop relationships with players — you see how hard they work — and to bring a player up to your office and let them know that, ‘We’re going in a different direction,’ or they didn’t make the team, you get a lot of different reactions. And I completely understand it.
“They’ve laid everything they have on the line. It’s a sports business, but it’s a people business. If you have relationships with people, that’s not easy. It’s not easy for me.”
One situation that could squeeze the bubble is the health of WR Wan’Dale Robinson, who remains on the physically unable to perform list, but was running uncovered routes and catching passes to the side at practice on Tuesday.
Robinson, who is recovering from ACL surgery he had in December, hasn’t practiced yet this summer.
If he remains on the PUP list, then he won’t count against the 53-player cap, but must sit out the first four regular-season games. If he is activated before Tuesday, that would be one less spot available.
“A day closer than he was yesterday” is the only update that Daboll has offered on Robinson’s status.
Daboll downplayed the significance of a lopsided practice Monday, when the starting defensive line dominated the starting offensive line to the tune of three to five “sacks.”
“I’d say both sides had their moments,” he said. “It was a big-time situation day so there were some third-and-20s, some second-and-1s. You try to put stress on both sides of the ball the best you can.”
Free-agent CB William Jackson, a career 64-game starter who spent last season with the Commanders and Steelers, reportedly worked out Tuesday for the Giants.