Kelvin Benjamin started the first minutes of his first training camp practice with the Giants on Wednesday engaged in an intense conversation with head coach Joe Judge. A moment later, Benjamin made a slow walk off the field, trailed closely by general manager Dave Gettleman, who when he was the GM in Carolina, made Benjamin a first-round pick of the Panthers in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Benjamin might as well have kept on walking. The Giants released him later in the day.
The 30-year-old was an extreme long shot to make the final roster. He has not played in the NFL since 2018 and was trying out at a new position, tight end.
The Giants took a flier on Benjamin, signing him May 16 out of a rookie minicamp to a one-year deal worth $990,000. The comeback attempt was short-lived.
Benjamin caught 73 passes for 1,008 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie, but missed the 2015 season after tearing his ACL and his career never fully recovered from that injury.
The Giants still have seven tight ends on the roster. One of them, Rysen John, was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday.
RB Saquon Barkley, on the physically unable to perform list following knee surgery, wore a white hooded sweatshirt during practice and did some running on a side field. … The Giants will not be in full pads until Tuesday, which will be their sixth practice of camp.
WR Kadarius Toney, who came off the COVID list Tuesday, did not participate in any team drills.
“He’s going to ramp up with our trainers,’’ Judge said. “We’ll see where he is physically before we kind of bring him back completely.’’
Judge said every player passed Tuesday’s conditioning test. That comes as no great surprise, considering how much running Judge put his team through in the spring.
“I think they know when they come here, you’re going to run,” safety Jabrill Peppers said of new players adapting to Judge’s methods. “I think that anyone that stems from that tree knows you’re going to run, be in condition. I think the guys want that. When you’re in condition, you play that much faster, it’s injury-proof. For me personally, it gives me a mental edge. When it comes to the third, fourth quarters, I’m not tired and you see the other guys bending over and you know the first thing that goes when you’re tired is your mind, so building that mentality so you can stay in the game and play that full 60 minutes.”
OL Will Hernandez, who said he is fully vaccinated, did not wear a mask while speaking with the media. DL Leonard Williams, who said he has received one vaccination shot for COVID-19, wore a mask for his media session. … DB Montre Hartage came up with an interception late in practice and, one play later, LB Cale Garrett ended the day with a pass breakup. … WRs Sterling Shepard and David Sills V caught touchdown passes from Daniel Jones, while WR C.J. Board caught one from Mike Glennon.