There’s only one new starter on the Giants’ offensive line for tomorrow night’s season opener. Sean Locklear is hoping there isn’t another new starter next week.
Thanks to Will Beatty’s back issues, Locklear will open the season as the starting left tackle, and the 31-year-old veteran — in his first season with the Giants — isn’t anxious to be replaced.
“I’m not getting complacent,” Locklear said yesterday. “I know anything can happen, but I’m taking it [as], yeah, I am a starter and I’m going to play like it. I don’t want to lose the job.”
Locklear, of course, isn’t rooting for Beatty’s back woes to continue (Beatty has been practicing). But he is hungry to play. And tomorrow night he will join offensive-line holdovers Kevin Boothe, David Baas, Chris Snee and David Diehl in protecting Eli Manning from DeMarcus Ware & Co.
Locklear has had to learn a new offense and get familiar with the communication, but Boothe said the 6-foot-4, 310-pounder, who played seven seasons with the Seahawks before spending last season with the Redskins, has acclimated superbly.
“He knows how to handle himself. He picked up the playbook very quickly,” said Boothe. “He jumped right in as if he’s been here for years now rather than months.”
Added offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride: “His [pass] protection has been excellent. He’s been one of the better performers in pass protection. He’s still learning some of the things with the run game the way we do it, so I think he’ll get better and better, but he’s been a bona fide pro.”
All of which is encouraging praise, although Locklear admitted he didn’t feel completely familiar with the Giants’ offensive language and communication until “probably last week. It’s just the verbiage, there’s so much verbiage. … I think now I’m completely comfortable with the offense.”
At times tomorrow night, however, Locklear will be asked to handle Ware, the Cowboys’ pass-rushing monster who racked up 19 1/2 sacks last year, including 1 1/2 against the Giants. Ware has played 15 career games (including the playoffs) versus the Giants and has recorded 11 1/2 sacks. He’ll line up on both the left and right side, and when he’s on the left against Locklear, the Giants will probably give their new tackle help in the form of tight end Martellus Bennett.
Still, help or not, Locklear has a big assignment in his season — and Giants — debut. He has to slow down Ware. And he wants to keep his starting job.