During the offseason, the New York Giants lost former defensive coordinator Wink Martindale and replaced him with new defensive coordinator Shane Bowen.
With a new defensive scheme to learn and new personnel on the field, the defense as a whole has to work hard to be ready for the regular season.
Bowen is spearheading the installation of his defensive scheme, and Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke says the unit is in a good spot.
“We’re in a good spot,” Okereke said Thursday after practice. “We’re growing every day. Obviously, we’re still installing. Guys are still getting a feel for each other, how we communicate, how we play. It’s still day six or seven of camp, so we still have a lot of growth. This joint practice (against the Detroit Lions) will be a good test for us, and we’ll just keep growing as we go.”
Guys are still getting a feel for each other, and Okereke is also building rapport with Bowen. As the quarterback of the defense, Bowen and Okereke need to be on the same page.
“It is a growing relationship. Shane has to get to know me. I got to get to know him. How we’re going to be in stressful situations as the plays go on. But I think we’re developing a great rapport,” Okereke said.
Okereke led the defense last season with 149 tackles (92 solo), 2.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, two interceptions, 10 passes defensed and four forced fumbles. His on-field communication is key to the success of the defense.
Okereke has to pay attention to everything on the field at all times, and that goes for practice too. So when he says the defense is “in a good spot,” it’s probably safe to trust his opinion.
