The expectations are sky-high for Saquon Barkley. Impossibly high, perhaps given his draft status (second overall) and the uncommon hype that accompanied his arrival to the Giants and the NFL.
In many ways, it is the job of Craig Johnson if not to temper those expectations, then to bring them into a more manageable realm.
“The biggest thing is don’t try to do too much every play,” Johnson, the Giants’ running backs coach, said Sunday. “The people outside are going to say, ‘I’m looking for a superstar that’s going to have explosive plays and go down the field and make all this.’ Don’t worry about that. Just handle what you get. Make sure you make a positive gain on every play. The big plays will come.”
Johnson said he has told Barkley: “When you go for big plays all the time, sometimes you get big mess-ups.” So, has Barkley had any big mess-ups thus far in training camp?
“He has little things that a position coach always has something to work on,” Johnson said. “I’m always going to make sure his fundamentals are right and try to make sure that he understands his pass protection.“Each play is a play within itself, but the bottom line is that he’s done a very good job of understanding the whole picture globally and then understanding that when this play is over, it’s over. That’s what you have to do as a young player — let it go and move on.”
Ereck Flowers described Saturday’s first training camp practice in pads as “exciting for everybody.” It apparently was a productive afternoon for him.
“I think Ereck had a good day,” coach Pat Shurmur said. “I think he got comfortable through the back end of the OTAs at right tackle. He’s been competing real well in both the run and the passing game.”
Running back Paul Perkins is on the reserve/non-football injury list and attends all practices and meetings.
“What he is trying to do is he is trying to help some of the younger players out there,” Johnson said. “He understands the offense inside and out. He is a very sharp guy. He understands the process. That’s someone I trust a lot and who knows the system.”
Michael Thomas worked as the starting free safety, as that spot continues to shuffle players in and out.
Rookie cornerback Sam Beal was placed on injured reserve, ending his season. He will have shoulder surgery. To take his place on the roster, cornerback Kenneth Durden was re-signed. Durden, waived last week when the Giants selected Beal in the third round of the compensatory draft, came up with an interception late in practice.
There was a nifty bit of improvisation from Davis Webb as the pocket closed in around him. Webb got out of there, escaping to the right boundary, and fired deep down the field for a connection with Kalif Raymond, who eluded safety Darien Thompson. Webb likely would have been sacked by linebacker Mark Herzlich on the play, but this is training camp, where everything goes.
There are not many 33-year old cornerbacks still running with the young receivers, but that is what William Gay is trying as he attempts to stick on the roster. Gay, the longtime Steelers nickel back, was beaten deep by Sterling Shepard and has to pick up his game in order to convince this coaching staff he can be the third corner.
This was the first time kick return was included in camp practice, and wouldn’t you know it, there was Barkley taking the second return, right after Cody Latimer. Could Barkley actually be the Giants’ kickoff returner? He was dynamic at it at Penn State and no doubt could be a force in the NFL, but don’t hold your breath. Maybe if the Giants are trailing late in a game. Otherwise, Barkley is too valuable for what he brings to the offense to work on special teams.
