No, after all these years Tom Coughlin did not put together the offseason schedule, consider the annual rookie minicamp and then decide to bag it because he’s tired of sorting through all those first-year NFL hopefuls.
“There are reasons why there isn’t a rookie minicamp,’’ Coughlin said.
Of course there are reasons, though Coughlin’s thinking doesn’t mesh with the vast majority of his head coaching brethren around the league. Of the 32 teams, only the Giants and Bengals this spring will not hold a rookie camp, as 26 teams conduct their rookie camp this weekend. Instead, the seven Giants draft picks and all the undrafted free agents began arriving this past Monday and were immediately incorporated into the veterans’ workout program, which was already in its third week.
Why the departure from the traditional rookie camp? For the first time, the NFL Draft was held in May, three weeks later than usual and at a time when the veteran offseason workouts were in an advanced stage.
“It’s never been done before,’’ Coughlin said. “We’re into the program, we’re on the field four days a week, so to shut this thing down so we can have a rookie minicamp or do something, a one-day camp on the weekend. It is integrating them right into the program but it’s not a reason for us not to have a rookie minicamp and certainly they’ll be right with our veteran players right from the get-go.’’
Coughlin also took into account the Giants, as participants in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio, open training camp a week earlier than usual and have a fifth preseason game, affording him extra time to evaluate the young players. The rookies will have two days of specially-designed instruction just for them, but not in a formal minicamp setting.
The lack of a rookie minicamp allows the draft picks to get to know the veterans right away, but it could be too much, too soon for players who might benefit from the more grassroots approach of a rookie camp.
When center Weston Richburg, the second-round pick from Colorado State, first spoke with offensive line coach Pat Flaherty, “He said it would be kind of more difficult than normal, but I think they have an understanding of what we’re going through,’’ Richburg said. “We’re going to work through it.’’
Safety Nat Berhe, a fifth-round pick from San Diego State, was thrilled to meet Antrel Rolle and has enjoyed rubbing elbows with the veterans.
“I actually like this,’’ Berhe said. “I feel like I’m getting a head start. I feel like everything I’ve been learning I’m trying to stick it and hold it down, having the playbook early has been helpful to me.’’
Richburg was home in Bushland, Texas, when he got the call last Friday from the Giants and he was on a flight two days later to New Jersey. It was even more of a scramble situation for Berhe. He learned Saturday afternoon the Giants selected him, and the next day he was on a cross-country flight from Los Angeles.
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The Giants on Friday signed two of their seven draft picks – Berhe and RB Andre Williams (fourth round). They also signed an undrafted free agent, TE Xavier Grimble from USC.