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4 Players Whose Stock Dropped From the Giants' Preseason Loss
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- 4 Players Whose Stock Dropped From the Giants' Preseason Loss
The New York Giants lost their preseason opener 13-10 to the Minnesota Vikings in a game where their offense didn't score after halftime.
It's hard to get too bogged down by a three-point preseason loss, but there were players who can't be happy with what they put on film.
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Here are four players whose stock dropped in the Giants' preseason opener.
Brandon Allen , Quarterback
Allen was a long shot to win the Giants' backup quarterback role, but those chances are just about zero after he went 5-for-8 for 35 yards and two interceptions.
On both picks, Allen locked in on his primary target and misread the Minnesota defense. On his first interception, he was targeting Odell Beckham Jr. , even though he had Dalen Cambre open on a hitch route and fullback Grant Finley open in the flat.
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On the second pick, he locked in on Ryan Miller , even though Beckham was in one-on-one coverage. Had Allen hit Beckham, it likely would have been a walk-in touchdown; instead, it was an easy interception for safety Jacob Thomas.
At this point, the 33-year-old Allen is nothing more than a camp arm.
Eric Gray , Running Back
Gray had an opportunity to play behind the Giants' starting line — minus Andrew Thomas , who didn't dress — but managed just five yards on two carries in the first half.
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He finished the day with eight rushes for 20 yards and added two catches for 17 yards while playing 26 offensive snaps. He failed to convert a third-and-2 in the first half and had three touches of less than a yard on Saturday.
At this point, Gray is squarely on the cut line and may ultimately end up fifth on the depth chart behind Damon Bankston.
Micah McFadden , Linebacker
McFadden is, of course, coming off a devastating Lisfranc injury, which he sustained in Week 1 in Washington. He started opposite Arvell Reese, with Tremaine Edmunds on the bench Saturday.
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But McFadden missed a tackle badly on the first play of the game, which let Aaron Jones rip off an 18-yard gain. He had an OK day in coverage but struggled to shed blocks, finishing with two tackles (one solo) in 26 defensive snaps.
McFadden is likely the Giants' second-string inside linebacker, and fortunately Reese had a solid day in his first game as an NFL linebacker. But if one game is any indication, McFadden still looks undersized and wasn't good enough to hold down an important role on the defense.
Korie Black , Cornerback
The Giants' pass defense was pretty good, especially against J.J. McCarthy .
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But even though Black led the Giants with two passes defended, he had two crucial misplays on the Vikings' lone touchdown drive. His pass-interference penalty set up Minnesota with first-and-goal at the Giants' 1-yard line, and he was beaten by Myles Price on Minnesota's only touchdown.
Black, whose lone role could be on special teams, took a bad angle on a tackle attempt that led to a 26-yard return — though it was fortunately negated by a penalty. The 2025 undrafted free agent may not be long for this roster.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Aug 16, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
