The Giants nearly got out of a practice session without one of their players going down. 

Azeez Ojulari, the second-year outside linebacker, was participating in the post-practice conditioning running with his teammates on Thursday following the joint practice with the Jets when he was forced to stop and came up limping. He left the field with the help of two medical/training personnel, slowly walking into the team facility. 

Ojulari’s injury is to his calf. An MRI exam revealed no structural damage, and he should be fine, though calf issues can be tricky and can linger. Figure Ojulari will be held out of practice for a while leading up to the Sept. 11 season opener. 

Ojulari missed the first three weeks of training camp dealing with a strained hamstring. He led the team with eight sacks in 2021, setting a franchise rookie record. 

The Giants need what Ojulari brings to the field, especially with the other starting edge rusher, Kayvon Thibodeaux, out for three to four weeks with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee suffered in Sunday’s preseason victory over the Bengals. The Giants are hopeful Thiobdeaux can heal in time for the Sept. 11 season opener against the Titans in Nashville, Tenn. 

There was not a hint of any extra-curricular action from the Giants on defense in this joint scrimmage. 

“I mean, it was just a normal practice,’’ defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence said. “We both understood we’re out here to get better. Here to compete, make each other better; and obviously you want to win. Just not going and beating up my guys up all the time. I have to beat up on some other people, which is always fun.’’ 

The Giants beforehand were warned by coach Brian Daboll to keep things orderly. 

“We’re not looking to go out there and fight,’’ Daboll said. “I think it’s important to be able to practice with one another. We’d like to do this for a while without anything happening like that again. 

“Show respect for each other, work hard together to improve and play football. Not interested in going to see a UFC or boxing match or anything like that, although I love both of those. … Just good, competitive football.’’ 

Newly-acquired CB Olaijah Griffin had an interception on Jets QB Mike White. 

Daboll said he met Jets coach Robert Saleh at the NFL owners meeting in March. 

“Hung out by the pool a little bit and just started talking football,’’ Daboll said. “Just have a lot of respect for him as a man first and then as a coach second.’’ 

Of course, Daboll was familiar with Saleh from their time together in the NFL, Daboll mostly coaching offense and Saleh coaching defense. 

“They play fast,’’ Daboll said. “They play physical. They play some zone. They play a little bit of man. They have usually a four-down rush with some blitzers. We played him when I was at the Bills. He was at San Francisco, and I just got a lot of respect for how he handles things.’’ 

A day after he was activated off the physically unable to perform list and participated in his first practice of the summer, WR Sterling Shepard did not work in any of the 7-on-7 or team drills. “We’ll just keep ramping him up,’’ Daboll said. … The Giants on Wednesday claimed WR Bailey Gaither off waivers from the Ravens, but he failed his physical and he was waived on Thursday.