As the Giants gathered Monday for their first offseason workout, there wasn’t much, physically, Eli Manning could do, coming off an arthroscopic procedure on his left ankle that will prevent him from running for at least another month.
So Manning tried to learn as much as he could about the new New York Giants.
“I tried to meet a lot of guys, tried to introduce myself to a lot of guys and start learning a little bit about them – where they’re from, are they married,’’ Manning told giants.com. “Just little things like that, so hopefully these next weeks I’ll get to spend more time with each of the players and get to know them on a personal side.”
Indeed, there is plenty of getting-to-know-you work for all the Giants. They signed 15 players who were with different teams in 2013, prompting defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka to state: “It’s unprecedented, the percentage of change in this locker room.’’
Kiwanuka returns for his ninth season with the Giants, but only after accepting a pay cut in order to remain on the roster.
“Those of us who are still here are excited for the start of a new season, but obviously it’s changed a lot,’’ Kiwanuka said. “A lot of changes needed to be made, but whenever you’re a member of a team, it’s tough to see people go.”
Plenty of them are gone. Justin Tuck is with the Raiders. Hakeem Nicks is with the Colts. Kevin Boothe is with the Raiders. David Diehl has retired. Corey Webster, Terrell Thomas, David Baas and Bear Pascoe are unsigned. Linval Joseoh is in Minnesota. Andre Brown is with the Texans.
“There’s a lot of work to be done here, not only learning an offense but getting familiar with your teammates, building relationships there.”
- Eli Manning
Guard Chris Snee, attempting to return for a 10th season coming off hip and elbow surgeries, joked that Giants needed to hand out name tags for the start of the off-season workouts.
“This is the most change I’ve been part of, for sure,” Snee said. “It’s going to take me a few weeks to learn all these guys’ names.”
The new names aren’t limited to the roster. Longtime offensive assistants Kevin Gilbride (coordinator), Mike Pope (tight ends) and Jerald Ingram (running backs) are gone, and former Packers assistant Ben McAdoo is now running the show. Manning’s new quarterbacks coach is Danny Langsdorf, most recently with Oregon State.
“That’s just kind of become football,” Manning said. “Sometimes you need change. We have a new offense, a new quarterback coach, a new offensive coordinator. It’s a learning experience for me, getting adjusted to that, having a lot of new teammates and new faces. There’s a lot of work to be done here, not only learning an offense but getting familiar with your teammates, building relationships there. It also is exciting.
“I think sometimes you’ve got to mix things up and change things up a little bit in your career. It will be a great challenge, but I’m looking forward to that.”
Victor Cruz, so ingrained in Gilbride’s offense, said he is “enjoying’’ that he has to study a new playbook.
“Before, Gilbride’s offense was so innate for me that I kind of understood it, but this time I’ve really got to hone in and study every night. It’s like I’m back in college, so I’m excited about it,’’ Cruz said. “It’s cool. You understand this offseason we made some changes, we got a lot of guys through free agency and we’re looking to kind of change the mold of our team a little bit, at least from a visual standpoint — different guys, different positions. I’m excited. Any time you bring in guys, new energy, new people, it’s always a good thing, so we’re excited.”
Newcomers excited for this chemistry experiment
Geoff Schwartz signed to become the new starting left guard. Jameel McClain signed to become a new starting outside linebacker. They are two of the 15 veteran free agents now aboard to help fix a franchise that has missed out on the playoffs four times in the past five years.
“It’s an adjustment but not a big one,” said McClain, who spent his first six NFL seasons with the Ravens. “My personality, I just go with the flow and see how things are done here and fit in as time goes on. But it is different. I’ve been in Baltimore for six years, so that’s a change of scenery for me.
“Everybody is eager to see how it all falls together. That’s every NFL season. You come into the next year with a different team. There are a lot of moving parts, and it’s good to see how it all comes together. So far there are a lot of great personalities, so that’s a winning combination by itself.”
This is as dramatic a change as the Giants roster has experienced in quite some time. McClain is the only new linebacker signed in free agency, but the defense has taken on a new look with the additions of cornerbacks Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Walter Thurmond and Zack Bowman, defensive end Robert Ayers and safety Quintin Demps.
On offense, the Giants signed four linemen – Schwartz, J.D. Walton, John Jerry and Charles Johnson – plus running back Rashad Jennings, tight end Kellen Davis, quarterback John Freeman and receiver Mario Manningham, a former Giant who spent the past two years with the 49ers. The Giants also added return man Trindon Holliday.
“It’s exciting to finally get here after all of the buildup of signing and everything,” said Schwartz, who played last season with the Chiefs. “It was great meeting some of the guys and getting going and kind of building toward the future. Right now it’s so early that it’s the getting to know each other phase. As we continue to work and go through stuff, you bring it all together. The guys I’ve met so far today seem to fit that personality of wanting to build chemistry.”