There were moments early in their careers — probably too early — when Spencer Paysinger and Jacquian Williams started games at linebacker for the Giants. They made plays, missed plays, stayed on the roster and did not do enough to seize control of a job.
Help has arrived — Jon Beason not long into the 2013 season and Jameel McClain in this year’s free agent haul.
Just like that, the Giants have a stable of linebackers in their physical prime, with an impressive rookie in Devon Kennard waiting in the wings.
Maybe, just maybe, this is the season the Giants have linebackers who can make a difference.
“You have guys that got thrown into a starting role for the first time so there’s going to be a curve there as opposed to guys like myself and McClain who have several years of experience playing in the NFL, where you get comfortable and you understand the grind of what it takes,” Beason said. “I really feel like that group, that class of what is it, 2010, 2011, collectively they’ve really come along. It’s been scary to watch what they’ve been able to do.”
Williams was a sixth-round pick in 2011 and Paysinger was a priority undrafted free agent, as was Mark Herzlich.
They have hung around, Paysinger and Williams mixing and matching at times on defense, Herzlich mostly on special teams.
Beason came in a trade with the Panthers and instantly changed the look, feel and sound of the entire defense.
Now McClain is the newest face — a confident, effervescent and capable player from the Ravens. Beason is out with a foot injury and hopes to be back for the season opener.
The ability of Paysinger and Williams, both 26, to emerge in their fourth seasons will determine the quality and depth of the position.
Both have started 13 games in their career, Paysinger 10 last season, Williams eight. When the defensive scheme called for a more run-heavy formula, Paysinger got the call.
When more coverage was needed it was Williams pushed into the lineup. Williams after an eye-opening rookie year hasn’t progressed as anticipated.
Paysinger has come on, growing from a 236-pounder considered a softie from Oregon and the pass-happy Pac-10 into a full-grown 245-pound linebacker who can tackle and run.
“We’re not young any more, we shouldn’t be considered young any more,” Paysinger said. “The main thing we should have is responsibility thrown on our shoulders because we know we can carry it now. With the additions of guys like Jameel McClain and Beason coming in last year we feel like our linebacker group can be something special this year.”
Linebackers coach Jim Hermann says he can feel certain things after 33 years in coaching and he sees his unit as changed from the recent past.
“There’s a lot of tough guys in it, it’s a different mentality,” Hermann said. “I like that, if you have tough linebackers, then really the defense as a whole seems a lot different with a mentality, and to me I like that. That means good things.”
What does he mean by toughness?
“The guys in my group and the guys that have been here, they enjoy the contact, they enjoy listening to the air go out of the other man’s body,” Hermann said, “and to me, that’s what you want.”
When healthy, Beason never comes off the field. McClain will also be close to an every-down player.
Paysinger and Williams have been around long enough in defensive coordinator Perry Fewell’s system to know the ropes and smarts can lead to increased toughness.
“It’s that we’re at the stage now where we’re not trying to learn the playbook every single day we come here,” Paysinger said. “We do know the playbook and now we know how to manipulate it and make it work for ourselves in terms of disguising, in terms of putting people in the right position.”
McClain, 29, has been a part of excellent defenses with the Ravens.
“I know this group is good,” he said of the this year’s Giants group. “I have been around good linebackers, and I have been around good groups, and this group has all of those things intact for it. I mean it is going to be strength. I don’t know what the past is, but I know what the present is, and that is what we are going to do.”
If so, that’s a departure from the past.