it takes time.
That’s what most meaningful, long-lasting, successful relationships are like, right?
For the Giants to be at their best defensively this season, their returning middle linebacker and new playmaker need to finish each other’s words. They need to be in sync during the game, each anticipating what the other is thinking and what the other is going to do. When one speaks, the other hears it through a radio transmitter in his helmet, as if they were in lockstep, moving in unison.
That’s exactly what Bobby Okereke and former defensive coordinator Wink Martindale had. Their partnership allowed the intelligent linebacker to lead his teammates with poise and purpose, allowing his talents to flourish. The longer the pair spends together, the stronger the bond becomes. Martindale is no longer on the field, but Okereke, entering his second year with the team, has a second coordinator, Shane Bowen, to get to know, learn from and work with.
“The relationship is growing,” Okereke said this week after a training camp practice in the sweltering heat. “Shane’s got to get to know me and I’ve got to get to know him, how we do in stressful situations as the game progresses. But I think we’ve got a great rapport. Obviously me and Wink had a great rapport last year, so we’re just trying to build that again.”
Things would have been easier for Okereke if Martindale’s relationship with coach Brian Daboll hadn’t deteriorated into an ugly standoff the day after the 2023 season ended, leading to Martindale’s departure (now coaching defense at Michigan) and Daboll’s thorough interview process before hiring Bowen. Mastering the ins and outs of the entire defense is something Okereke has had to do, not a spring project or summer fun. It’s a massive undertaking, and it’s ongoing.
Okereke is in the huddle, the only player designated to take instructions from the coordinator and communicate them to the other 10 defensive players on the field. He must be at the center of it all, because he really is at the center of it all.
“You have to be on the same page at that position,” Bowen said. “I want to make sure he’s on the same page as me in terms of concepts and schemes. I think it’s going to deepen as it goes along as to why calls are being made in certain situations. Obviously you want leadership from that position because he’s involved with everybody. Front end, back end, everything. But obviously, I want everybody on the team to understand the why.”
They all need to know the why, but Okereke has to know the why, the where and the how. Martindale’s blitz-heavy system was new to Okereke last season, and it took him a while to really understand it.
Once he did so, all was well for Okereke as he had a sensational debut season for the Giants. He made an immediate impression and was named team captain despite being new to the team. He recorded a team-leading 149 tackles, a career-high 2 interceptions, a career-high 11 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and 6 quarterback hits.
No wonder the 28-year-old Okereke wanted Martindale back and was disappointed that things ended so badly. Now it’s a case of starting over. Bowen plans to cut down on blitzing, play zone at the back more often and rely on applying pressure from his front group before adding more players.
As an inside linebacker, Okereke will continue to run, hit, chase the ball and tackle. There will likely be growing pains as he and Bowen get to know each other. The defense has outperformed the offense so far in camp, but Okereke isn’t satisfied yet.
“We’re starting to get a little more comfortable and a little more instinctive, a little more freedom to play,” Okereke said. “I think Shane’s doing a great job. Everybody’s adjusting well.”
“We’re in a good spot. We’re getting better every day. Of course, it’s still early days. The guys are still getting a feel for each other, how to communicate and how to play.”
Former Giants linebacker and current Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce spent four seasons (2005-2008) with defensive guru Steve Spagnuolo, and by the end they were perfectly in sync. It won’t always be this seamless, but that’s the goal.
“He’s a veteran player at this point, so he asks good questions,” Bowen said of Okereke. “These are the questions I want them to ask. But I think it’s important for the whole team to know why they’re doing this, why this is being called, because once you know the why, you know the strengths, you know the weaknesses, and it makes a little more sense.”
For Okereke, it’s also a process.
