Joe Judge, Saquon Barkley, and Sterling Shepard spoke about the New York Giants’ first padded practice on Monday.
The New York Giants took to the practice field on Monday in pads for the first time in training camp, as preparation for the upcoming season is in full swing.
Several questions were revealed on the practice field, but the biggest question relates to the offensive line. First-round pick Andrew Thomas started at left tackle, with Will Hernandez at left guard, Spencer Pulley at center, Kevin Zeitler at right guard, and Cam Fleming at right tackle.
We also found out how Joe Judge will discipline his players and coaches for making mistakes and he’s taking an old-school approach. He’s making everyone, coaches included, run laps.
“There are consequences on the field for making mistakes In a game,” Judge explained. “it’ll cost you five, 10, or 15 yards. In practice, there needs to be consequences so we learn how to deal with our mistakes.”
Two of the Giants’ best players—Saquon Barkley and Sterling Shepard—spoke about running laps.
Barkley:
“We’re focusing on being a detailed team and holding each other accountable. The little things matter and that comes with the territory.”
Shepard:
“It’s going to take everybody to buy in if we want to be the team that we said that we wanted to be. I think we have to buy into what Coach Judge has in store for us. If that’s what he has in store for us, running laps for mistakes, just don’t make mistakes. That’s a simple way to get out of doing that. But yeah, the last time I did it was probably middle school. But I’m embracing the change and I’m all for it.”
Having two of the leaders of the team on board with the new head coach is paramount in changing the culture of the franchise.
Barkley and Shepard also spoke about what it was like to put on pads for the first time since last year’s season finale.
Barkley:
“It was great. Any time you are able to go out there and you are presented with an opportunity to play the sport that you love, you have to go try and take advantage of it. We got to put on pads for the first time in a while. Any time you get that, and the pads get popping, everyone is definitely eager to get out there. It’s another day, another day at work, another day to get better, another day to try to improve, and I think we were able to do that today.”
Shepard:
“It definitely brings some more juice to the practice. Guys haven’t been in pads since the last game of last season. Some of us were very excited about it. I know the coaches were fired up about it. It’s always like going to the first day of class. Guys were amped up in the locker room about it.”
The Giants will practice the rest of the week before they have a day off on Saturday.
