The New York Giants’ protection can have a brand new look and new angle below not too long ago employed coordinator Shane Bowen.
Bowen, who held the identical place the previous few seasons with the Tennessee Titans, can have a strong base to work with, most notably defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence and inside linebacker Bobby Okereke.
Okereke, who led the Giants in tackles this season in his first 12 months with Large Blue below coordinator Wink Martindale, was making the rounds on Radio Row on the Tremendous Bowl in Las Vegas this week. He instructed the New York Submit that he and Bowen are already in contact.
“Had an amazing dialog with him,” Okereke mentioned on Friday. “I’m very excited.
“I’m excited, actually, how briskly we jelled based mostly on the dialog we had. We sat there and talked ball for about 10 minutes, speaking to him about my experiences, taking part in with Matt Eberflus within the Cowl-2 system, taking part in with Gus Bradley within the Cowl 3-system, and clearly taking part in with Wink within the blitz-man system. … Excited to immerse myself in what they do, what we do now. Simply excited to start out taking part in soccer once more.”
Okereke and Lawrence gained’t be the one items Bowen is inheriting. Cornerback Deonte Banks, outdoors linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux and fellow inside linebacker Micah McFadden are additionally in that group.
Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden had been the one two LB’s to have over 100 tackles, at the very least 10 TFL and be on the identical workforce. Top-of-the-line LB duos within the NFL this 12 months. pic.twitter.com/SCGFI1bPnx
— Justin Penik (@JustinPenik) February 8, 2024
Okereke had one of the best season of his five-year NFL profession with a team-high 149 tackles and in addition set profession highs in passes defensed (10), compelled fumbles (4), sacks (2.5), tackles for loss (11) and quarterback hits (six) whereas taking part in each single defensive snap (1,128) for the Giants this 12 months.
Okereke will probably be requested to put on the headset once more subsequent season to name the defensive alerts. He acknowledges that Bowen’s system is way completely different than that of Martindale’s blitzing routine that he flourished in final 12 months. There shall be adjustments.
“We’re gonna simplify it. Everyone’s gonna know precisely what we’re gonna do. There’s not gonna be too many wrinkles. We’re gonna play very essentially sound soccer,” Okereke mentioned. “We’ll most likely run a great little bit of 3-4, a great little bit of 4-3, good little bit of quarters, a great little bit of Cowl-2, Cowl-5, so we’re all excited.”
Okereke was requested if the adjustments could be for the higher.
“I feel will probably be an excellent factor,” Okereke mentioned. “That was my expertise my first couple of video games adjusting to the Wink system. I received to convey lots of the instruments I discovered in earlier programs and integrated it into Wink’s system. I feel all people’s gonna undergo that very same adjustment and it’s gonna be significantly better kind.
“Plenty of the instruments, lots of the basic teachings we had from Wink, that’s ingrained in us, that’s a part of our toolbelt and now we are able to go incorporate it in a special protection with a special play type. It’s solely gonna assist.”
As for the rift between Martindale and head coach Brian Daboll, Okereke had this to say.
“Clearly knew there was some rigidity there,” Okereke mentioned. “You bought two alpha coaches, everybody’s not at all times going to get alongside.
“Undoubtedly wouldn’t have forecast it that Wink wouldn’t be our coach on the finish of the 12 months however very joyful for him to get the Michigan job, and speaking to Shane, I’m very enthusiastic about it, so I feel all of it works out.”
