New Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke primed for camp
New York Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke at minicamp at the Quest Diagnostics Center on Tuesday. Credit: Corey Sipkin
Wink Martindale was a big fan of the Giants signing linebacker Bobby Okereke in free agency.
Asked if he can help the Giants find consistency at middle linebacker, Okereke said: “I just think I’m a good addition to the group. Obviously, just trying to push everybody and make it a very competitive group, competitive training camp.”
He was more definitive about the Giants working in pads Tuesday for the first time.
“I’m excited,” Okereke said. “It’s only a day away, so here we come.”
Shepard has day off
Wide receiver Sterling Shepard did not practice Monday as the Giants try to give him every opportunity to get back on the field after season-ending injuries in back-to-back seasons.
He practiced for the first time Sunday.
“[He’s] down today,” Brian Daboll said, “then we will just monitor it every day. After this first [practice], we wanted to give him a day off the next day.”
Shepard, 30, who tore an Achilles in 2021 and an ACL last season, is confident in his ability to make the roster.
Also, tight end Darren Waller and cornerback Adoree’ Jackson had partial rest days, participating early in practice before sitting out the later team drills.
Jackson helping rookies
Jackson is in his seventh NFL season, but he remembers what it was like to be a rookie. And that’s why he is so willing to help first-round draft pick Deonte Banks and sixth-rounder Tre Hawkins.
“It’s very helpful,” Banks said. “Me and Adoree’ have a good relationship going on and we’re starting to build it . . . For him to say he’s willing to help me, it’s love. It’s going to make us be a better duo.”
Said Hawkins: “Adoree’ is a very intelligent player . . . So it’s just the fact he’s an experienced player and I want to learn from somebody who has been in the league a long time.”
Kimberly Jones covers the Giants for Newsday, a beat she first worked in the early 2000s before joining the YES Network to cover the Yankees. She worked for the NFL Network for more than a decade and has been heard semi-regularly on WFAN.
