NY Giants camp observations: Dexter Lawrence's rebuff of a rebuild & Darren Waller - Wow!
EAST RUTHERFORD - Dexter Lawrence has never been one for standing at the podium and having a multitude of reporters firing question after question his way. Just hasn't been his thing since he arrived as the 17th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft of the New York Giants.
Need someone to crack a joke or do the "Sexy Dexy" dance for social media? Absolutely. Lawrence lives it. He would hardly be considered an introvert when the spotlight is on, especially inside football stadiums.
But you could always sense a bit of uneasiness from Lawrence in the news conference setting that he again faced Thursday after the second practice of Giants' training camp.
Until now.
Maybe the $90 million contract the Giants gave him this offseason flipped a switch, or the undeniable impact Lawrence had on the field en route to All-Pro honors provided the validation he needed to feel empowered by his presence at the front of the room.
Or perhaps this was just another sign of a natural maturation as a recently-engaged 25-year-old who came to the shadow of the Big Apple four years earlier with the burden of being part of the trade that sent Odell Beckham Jr. out of town on his shoulders.
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Lawrence commanded respect with the messages he delivered Thursday, and the words he spoke, answering questions he could have easily tossed aside by flashing his wide smile and a chuckle, carried the weight of a 6-foot-4, 342-pound leader who had a statement to make.
"I don’t want to talk about building. It’s more about doing at this point," Lawrence said. "Going into my fifth season, and I hate losing. I don’t really want to talk about building. I want to talk about what we are doing today to get better for tomorrow, and then that day leads into the season. You all can talk about building but our mindset is winning."
It's really the first time we have gotten a sense of what these Giants, in Brian Daboll's second season, view themselves as inside the locker room. Of course, Daboll will stick with his live-in-the-moment mantra, especially publicly to the media, and considering how well it worked last year, there's no reason to divert from that approach.
Yet Lawrence is different. He's come to realize his place in this franchise, the way legends such as Hall of Famer Michael Strahan and adored captains Justin Tuck once did. And it was cool to witness part of that transformation by Lawrence within the past year.
He reminded everyone that Dexter Lawrence is someone the Giants are going to be listening to, and not just watching.
"I am not trying to make the same mistake that I made the day before. I know I am going to make them," Lawrence said. "I just want to improve. It’s one thing that I am focused on today, and I want to get that to a second nature, type of thing. Each day that is just my goal. I am trying to whoop that guy, but at the same day I am trying to get better with my technique and me doing that is getting him better with his technique, type of thing. My goal is just proving myself every day. Yes, I got paid. Hooray. It’s nothing if I don’t go prove myself and that’s just my mindset on that."
Here are some other takeaways and observations over the first week of camp:
Darren Waller wowing everyone
There is one word to describe Giants tight end Darren Waller in his first two practices: Wow.
The prized trade acquisition from the Raiders has seemingly been unguardable in the sessions so far, whether it's been 7-on-7 or 11-on-11 team drills. He's making catches in traffic, working inside and out, across the middle of the field and at the goal line, where his juggling reception on Day 1 was one of the more impressive plays so far.
It's easy to see why Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka are eager to design this offense with a chess piece like Waller involved. To this point, he's been even more than advertised.
The further along the Giants go in the development of this team, the more Waller and Daniel Bellinger will be on the field together. And Daboll/Kafka have already showed a willingness to go big with 12 personnel not just in the red zone, but in the middle of the field.
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Giants position battles begin
Brian Daboll has identified spots on this roster that will represent true competition, and he's intent on giving all players involved a shot.
Slot CB, Darnay Holmes vs. Cor'Dale Flott: Holmes ran with the 1st team Wednesday, Flott ran with the 1st team Thursday and that's going to continue. Holmes has a $2 million salary cap hit that looms in this battle.
Safety, Jason Pinnock vs. Dane Belton vs. Bobby McCain: Pinnock ran with the starters on the first day, Belton the second. McCain has been with the second team, but it won't be a surprise if he gets time with the 1s, too. Nick McCloud will likely be a factor in the slot and safety, too.
Center, John Michael Schmitz vs. Ben Bredeson: You get the sense that the Giants would love for Schmitz to win the job, but don't discount Bredeson, who opened camp with the starters. Schmitz is going to get every opportunity.
Left guard, Joshua Ezeudu vs. Bredeson: Ezeudu showed promise as a run blocker before a neck injury cost him a good chunk of his rookie season. If Bredeson does not start at center, he could be the option here.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY Giants training camp takeaways: Dexter Lawrence, Darren Waller and more
