Eric Gray’s issues with ball security are spelled out in black and white.
But the Giants seem to operate in a Gray area and will continue using the former fifth-round draft pick as a kickoff returner despite his six fumbles on 81 career touches from scrimmage or on special teams.
Gray muffed a kickoff return Sunday in his season debut, returning from a knee injury. He recovered for a 15-yard return and a drive start at the 18-yard line.
Why stick with him? Gray lost the job as a rookie punt returner in 2023.
“He’s had a ton of experience doing it,” special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial said. “He’s a running back that’s used to carrying the ball. He understands the vision, how to set up blocks.
“I know after that mistake was made, he came up to me apologizing. I’m like, ‘You don’t have to apologize. You just have to make it right.’ And part of making it right is his intent and his deliberation in practice. If you saw him the other day, it was him on the JUGS (machine) getting a ton of catches to make sure he’s catching that ball forward, ball-security drills, all those things.”
New York Giants running back Eric Gray (20) during practice at the New York Giants training facility in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
CB Deonte Banks (hip) and S Tyler Nubin (neck) were upgraded to full participants in Friday’s practice.
LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (neck/knee), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (shoulder) and DT Dexter Lawrence (elbow) remained sidelined.
New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) and New York Giants guard Jon Runyan (76) walk off the field after the Giants gave up a 2-point conversion in the 4th quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Could Lawrence be ready to play without missing a game?
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“I feel good about it,” interim head coach Mike Kafka said. “He’s working through it, got some rehab on it. But he wants to play.”
Interim offensive coordinator Tim Kelly is no stranger to the Mike Vrabel defensive system that the Giants will see Monday against the Patriots.
Kelly was the Texans tight ends coach when Vrabel was their defensive coordinator in 2017, the two matched wits as play-callers in two Texans-Titans games in 2019, and then Kelly was tapped by Vrabel as a Titans coordinator in 2022-23.
“Played against him, called plays against him,” Kelly said. “There’s some familiarity with the scheme.”