New York Giants head coach Joe Judge appeared on “MSG 150 at Home” on Monday and talked about the Giants’ performance at the NFL Draft, free agency and the schedule release.
The Giants selected 10 players in the NFL Draft, three on offense (all offensive lineman) and seven players on defense—four linebackers, two cornerbacks and a safety.
They did not select a pass rusher or a wide receiver but nonetheless, Judge is happy with the players the Giants took in the draft.
“I am very pleased with how they have been working,” Judge said on the show. “We had our rookie minicamp last week, which was really our first exposure as an entire organization to them and them to us in terms of laying out our expectations and what we’re going to demand from them. The biggest thing with these rookies is that it’s far from just the X’s and O’s that are important. With these rookies, it’s so much about just teaching them about the league. Teaching what it takes to be a professional, how important their bodies really are to them and how accountable they are to really maintain the shape they are in to compete.”
The Giants added several free agents at key positions on defense (linebackers Blake Martinez and Kyler Fackrell; cornerback James Bradberry) and on offense (running back Dion Lewis, tackle Cam Fleming) as well as a slew of undrafted players. Judge expounded on what the Giants were looking for in players this offseason.
“We were looking to add just smart and tough football players. And we believe all the guys we added to the team fit that criteria right now. I think we definitely got smarter. And that’s what we were looking to identify. We didn’t try to answer any one question in free agency or say we’re going to address this side of the ball now, and then in the draft later,” said Judge. “We were really looking at what fits us as a whole team. And what players we can add – in the way we want to be identified as a team. And I think the guys we added really do that. They have good experience in the league.
“They have good resumes. You turn their tape on, they play the style of ball we want. Communication is going to be a key element. All the guys we’ve added are very good communicators within their rooms and within their units. That’s going to help. But really, more than anything, we wanted to add was just competition. We wanted to make sure that when everyone shows up to training camp, everybody understands we’re going to be going full speed. This train is moving, so we have to get going fast.”
The Giants have the seventh easiest schedule in the NFL this season, strength-of-schedule-wise, but their first five games are brutal. Coming from the New England Patriots culture, Judge isn’t awed by the schedule but rather excited.
“It’s one of those things – you know it’s coming out, but you don’t really realize until it comes out how excited you really are. It’s something more in front of you, now you’re looking at who you’re playing and in what sequence,” said Judge. “But you’re really starting to change the mentality of how you’re thinking, in terms of mapping out the season. You’re thinking about your travel schedules, how you can map out practices. You look at long weeks, short weeks, trips across country. You start to do a lot in terms of organizing everything that goes around it.”
The first-year head coach will get his chance to build the foundation on and off the field whenever the team is able to get together again.
from Giants Wire https://ift.tt/3bnGohW
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