Shane Bowen isn’t planning on a gradual transition.
The Giants’ new defensive coordinator wants a sense of urgency from his defense.
Bowen, who took over from Wink Martindale after the team had an ugly offseason split, said he doesn’t want to hear a word about the title.
“The new thing is over,” Bowen said Wednesday afternoon after the Giants’ second minicamp practice. “I told the guys this morning, I don’t want to hear the word ‘new’ anymore. It’s not new anymore. … I told the guys this morning, we’re six weeks out.” [when training camp starts] We have to come back ready to go. Time is ticking.
“Again, this is nothing new anymore. It’s an issue with the Giants defense. We need to be able to take the next step in our coaching progression and figure out how our strategy and game plan adjusts depending on personnel, from meetings to walk-throughs on the field and eventually when we start playing other opponents.”
Even just from OTAs and minicamp, Bowen feels his defense isn’t developing as quickly as he would like.
“We’ve seen improvement, but it’s not enough,” Bowen said. “And it’s not enough this spring.”
Ol’field guard Jermaine El-Montanaud signed with the Giants this offseason, leveraging his versatility to play both guard and tackle.
He played primarily as a tackle for the Raiders the past two years, but has played almost exclusively at left guard during the spring and appears set to start there.
Evan Neal is the presumed incumbent starter at right tackle, but he did not practice this spring after undergoing offseason ankle surgery and is expected to be ready in time for training camp.
Joshua Ezeudu filled in for Neal at right tackle during OTAs and minicamp.
“I just want to start,” Eluemno said. “I just want to play. Looking back, I spent the first five years of my career in and out of the starting lineup trying to figure out how to become an NFL player.”
“Now that I have experience as a starting pitcher, I just want to be there, wherever it is.”
The Giants signed cornerback Willie “Tre” Herndon III, who had a tryout during the two-day minicamp and recorded an interception during the team’s practice on Wednesday.
Herndon, a former undrafted free agent, played the past six years for the Jaguars.
WRs Darius Slayton, Bryce Ford Wheaton and Chase Cota left Tuesday’s practice with injuries and did not participate in Wednesday’s practice.
Daniel Bellinger didn’t practice much throughout the spring, but said Tuesday that it was to give the team a chance to get a good look at the other tight ends on the roster.
But manager Brian Daboll said Wednesday that Bellinger suffered a minor injury “a few weeks ago” and that he’s just being cautious.
