Big Blue View
The mail’s here!
Taj Siddiqi asks: I am curious to know what is going on with the development of D.J. Davidson drafted fourth round 2022 and Jordon Riley drafted 7th round 2023. Are they any where near contributing this season. Have you heard any positive comments from their coaches or saw them being prominent during mini camp/OTAs?
Both seemed to have pretty decent college careers what is that holding them back in NFL?
Ed says: Taj, we have not had the opportunity to speak with position coaches yet this offseason. We may get that chance during mandatory minicamp next week.
It is really impossible for any defensive — or offensive — lineman to be “prominent” at this time of year. There are no pads and practices are non-contact.
As for Davidson and Riley, these are limited, rotational players drafted who have contributed some the past two years. Davidson was a fifth-round pick, and Riley, as you said, a seventh. What’s holding them back? I would ask, what more should be expected from Day 3 draft picks than what they have done?
There is a reason the Giants drafted Darius Alexander, and signed Chauncey Golston Roy Robertson-Harris, and Jeremiah Ledbetter. They are looking for upgrades. I would think both Davidson and Riley are going to have a difficult time making the roster.
rjalbro asks: The new travel ban that is being instituted, will that have any effect on the international games slated for this coming season?
Ed says: RJ, as far as I can tell, the answer is no. At least for the teams. The order includes “specific exemptions for the World Cup and Olympics, along with any “other major sporting event as determined by the Secretary of State.” I would think NFL games would fall under that umbrella.
As for fans who may be hoping to travel to those games, I would check on travel restrictions wherever you may be intending to go.
Al Fiume asks: Given what looks like a dangerous defense at least on paper, is there confidence Bowen will be creative enough? I feel Wink would have loved to coach this defense, he was always in attack mode.
Ed says: Al, here is the same answer I gave to this question a few weeks ago:
“ ... the job of a coach is to put his players in the best position to succeed. That means figuring out what they do best and allowing them to do it, not simply plugging them in to a system and making them fit in.
“Do I think Shane Bowen might have been guilty of not being flexible enough in certain areas last season? Sure. But, he has now had a year to learn his players and you hope that both he and the players benefit from that.
“Bowen will never play the amount of man-to-man coverage Wink Martindale did. Few do. It is what both Deonte Banks and Paulson Adebo do best, though, and he needs to lean into...
