The getting-to-know-you introductions for the Giants figure to last longer than usual Monday as they convene for the start of their offseason workout program at their Qwest Diagnostics Training Center.
The Giants signed 15 veterans who played elsewhere in 2013 and so this is far more of an assembly than a reassembly for a team coming off a thoroughly disappointing 7-9 season. Many or all of those newcomers are expected to walk through the doors for the start of Phase 1 of the offseason program, which runs through May 4 and consists of strength and conditioning and player rehabilitation. Phase 2 (May 5-26) allows for individual drills on the field and offensive and defensive work on separate fields, with no contact. Phase 3 begins May 28 and can consist of as many at 10 organized team activities featuring 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills, with no contact permitted.
Phases 1, 2 and 3 are all voluntary, according to the rules laid down in the collective bargaining agreement, although a huge percentage of players attend and missing these workouts is highly frowned upon by the coaching staff. The Giants conclude their offseason work with a three-day mandatory mini-camp June 17-19.
This will truly be a new beginning for the Giants. Gone are veterans such as Justin Tuck, Hakeem Nicks, Kevin Boothe, David Diehl, Linval Joseph, Corey Webster, Terrell Thomas and Bear Pascoe, players who contributed to Super Bowl titles. Their lockers will be filled by a host of newcomers such as cornerbacks Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Walter Thurmond, offensive linemen Geoff Schwartz and J.D. Walton, running back Rashad Jennings, linebacker Jameel McClain, defensive end Robert Ayers and tight end Kellen Davis.
In addition to the influx of new talent, the Giants are also undergoing a massive change within Tom Coughlin’s coaching staff, as he has a new offensive coordinator (Ben McAdoo), a new running backs coach (Craig Johnson) and a new quarterbacks coach (Danny Langsdorf). Also something new to get used to is seeing Eli Manning in the trainer’s room, as he is coming off arthroscopic surgery to hasten the healing process to his high left ankle sprain, a procedure that is expected to keep Manning out of drills through all or most of the OTAs.
It is quite a challenge up ahead for the Giants as they rebuild their roster.
“Absolutely, it is,’’ Coughlin said recently. “You’ve got a big part of our football team that has not been through our routine, the way we do things, the presentation of our values and our principles, what we believe in, how we work, how we practice, how they are to come to work. So we have a lot of basic, fundamental teaching to do. It is definitely a year of transition, no doubt.
“Everywhere in the organization there has to be a marching to a little bit faster step, if you will, just to be able to incorporate new people in a short amount of time and to learn not only a new system on the offensive side of the ball but the defense will change according to our personnel. Now terminology isn’t going to change, but they will have new things to learn.”