Giants make series of transactions ahead of NFL roster deadline

*Daboll was asked if wide receiver Sterling Shepard, an eight-year veteran who is the Giants' longest tenured player, has "shown you enough to prove to you that he could help this team this year." Shepard missed the last 14 games of the 2022 season with a torn ACL.

"Yeah, everything that we've asked him to do, and we've had a rehab plan I know that I've talked about for him," Daboll said. "He's done a nice job of kind of hitting each marker that we've set for him up to this point. Pleased with where he's at, trainers have done a really good job with him and he's done a good job himself, as a player, of being ready to go and I'd say performing well each time he's had an opportunity to go out there on the practice field or in the game of being conscientious and knowing what to do. He's looked pretty good in terms of his quickness and his explosion coming back after a couple years of injuries, so I'm pleased with where he's at."

Shepard didn't catch a pass last night but did field one punt.

"That was the next step of his rehab," Daboll said. "To get him out there and play a few more reps in live competition and again, I told you guys last night, he can catch punts and it'd be good for him to get out there in live action and catch a punt. Where he's at and what we've asked him to do, I'm happy with the progress that he's made."

*Perhaps no Giants player had a more impressive preseason than Graham Gano. The veteran kicker made all five of his extra point tries and all six field goal attempts, the shortest from 40 yards. He also hit from 42, 47, 48 and – last night – from 56 and 57 yards.

"I feel confident," Gano said. "I feel like we've done a good job as a unit moving week by week. There's always ways to improve. So, I'm always looking for that. But, yeah, I feel good with the guys I'm working with."

In 2022, Gano set a Giants single season record with eight field goals of 50+ yards, one more than he had in 2021. He also holds the franchise career record with 20 field goals of at least 50 yards.

Gano is quick to credit long snapper Casey Kreiter and holder Jamie Gillan.

"I think on those long ones, everything's got to go right," Gano said. "I feel like a lot of it oftentimes gets overlooked at how well these guys do. Casey and Jamie and the line blocking, everything's got to go well on those, and they made me feel really comfortable back there. When coach has the confidence to send me out for those, I need to make them. It's good going into the regular season and having a few long ones. It was a good operation for everyone."

*Markus McKethan played 20 snaps as a substitute right guard. It was his first game action since Dec. 30, 2021, when he played for North Carolina against South Carolina in the Bank of America Bowl. The Giants' fifth-round draft choice in 2022, McKethan tore his ACL in a training camp practice and missed his entire rookie season.

"It was pretty fun, man," McKethan said of his long-awaited opportunity. "I enjoyed it. I had a little pregame jitters, but other than that, it was just football. It's been a long year, but I'm finally here, so I was just enjoying it, soaking it all in."

*Daboll said tackle Tyre Phillips and defensive linemen A'Shawn Robinson and D.J. Davidson did not play last night because they are still on a "rehab plan."