Afternoon workout

The rookies did a little better in the afternoon practice as they settled into their new situation.

Second-round pick CB Terrell Thomas and third-round pick WR Mario Manningham split on two head-to-head battles. Thomas broke up a deep pass from Andre Woodson intended for Manningham, but the Michigan receiver came back and took a contested hook pattern away from Thomas.

Kenny Phillips had his first interception on a deflected pass off the hands of some tight end from Syracuse.

WR D.J. Hall, who had a decent morning workout, did well in the afternoon, too, and caught a bomb from Woodson over some little cornerback from Akron.

Two players, TE Eric Butler from Mississippi State and OL Carnell Stewart from LSU, flunked their physicals and were released.

Jeremy Young, who was a quarterback in the morning, was a wide receiver in the afternoon.

RB Jerome Messam, a huge dude from Canada who almost attended Rutgers, suffered a leg injury while trying to catch a pass.

Among the tryouts are two long-snappers, Tim Bugg of Indiana and Nick Leeson of Virginia Tech. The Giants were the only team in the league not to have a snapping specialist last year as DT Jay Alford and LB Zak DeOssie split the chores.