Giants return home for camp in makeshift conditions because of construction

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — John Harbaugh and the New York Giants are not in West Virginia anymore.

After beginning training camp on the road at The Greenbrier Resort , the Giants resumed practice Monday back at their practice facility that is very much a work in progress because of construction. Needless to say, it's an adjustment.

“It’s not the Taj Mahal over there, and we have to make it better,” Harbaugh said. “It’s as good as we could do right now, but you kind of learn real quick what you need.”

By the time it's completed, which is expected in 2028, there will be state-of-the-art locker and weight rooms, sports medicine and rehabilitation space, and recovery and wellness areas. For the time being, players are in a temporary locker room.

Harbaugh applauded them for not complaining about the makeshift conditions.

“It's just conditions,” linebacker Brian Burns said. “It ain’t really got nothing to do with what’s going on between these lines.”

Between the white lines, Camp Harbaugh took another step forward with a full-pads, nearly 2 1/2-hour session following a break Sunday. The Giants have practiced 11 times in 13 days.

After getting off to an 0-3 start last season, holdovers are not whining about Harbaugh working them harder than they did a year ago under Brian Daboll.

“This camp is supposed to be hard,” Burns said. “These days do stack on you, but it ain’t doing nothing but making us stronger, so I’m glad to go through that with these boys.”

Harbaugh acknowledged the construction does affect day-to-day operations but also tried to find a silver lining.

“It’s gritty, so maybe it’s just what we needed,” Harbaugh said. “Maybe God said, 'I need you to be a little grittier as a football team.”

Second-year edge rusher Abdul Carter, who was one of the standouts at The Greenbrier, did not participate Monday because of what Harbaugh called a finger/hand issue. Harbaugh said Carter probably would practice Tuesday.

Veteran receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (knee), center John Michael Schmitz (concussion), cornerback Greg Newsome (undisclosed) and offensive lineman Lucas Patrick (knee) also did not take part.

Quarterback Jaxson Dart is fine after having his right foot stepped on, according to Harbaugh, who said defensive lineman Chauncey Golston was being evaluated for a concussion. Practice ended after Jalin Hyatt was hurt on a tackle by linebacker Darius Muasau.

“That’s just a matter of you've got to stay on your feet,” Harbaugh said. “You can’t be laying out for a tackle in that situation.”

Taking unnecessary hits to gain an extra yard or two — including one that concussed him — was a theme of Dart's rookie year in the NFL. It already seems like he's learning.

Dart slid before going out of bounds during team drills Monday, a move that elicited applause from teammates and coaches.

“I clapped, I applauded when he did that — that was great,” Harbaugh said, praising the 23-year-old's awareness in a third-down situation. “Got the first down, slid in bounds, kept the clock running. All those things were well done.”

Going into his second season as the undisputed starter, Dart got an opportunity to exhibit some growth after getting chided for not getting down when he has the chance.

“We’ve been begging him to do that for a while now,” Burns said. “So, I’m glad that he’s starting to practice it.”

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