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For some New York Giants fans, the panic button was slammed when the news that pass rusher extraordinaire Jason Pierre-Paul went under the knife earlier this week.
Not Robert Nunn.
The New York Giants defensive line coach knows it's a setback to lose his top pass rusher, especially with Osi Umenyiora now in an Atlanta Falcons uniform and the team having failed to generate sacks in 2012 like it's accustomed to doing.
Mathias Kiwanuka ready to fill in Manning missing Nicks, Cruz JPP return for Week 1 in question
In the absence of Pierre-Paul, Nunn sees an opportunity for the young linemen to step up and surprise some folks.
After the New York Giants' OTAs on Thursday, Nunn told the media he's comfortable allowing Damontre Moore and Adrian Tracy fill in.
"It is a great opportunity for them," said Nunn. "Damontre has come in and has shown flash in some good things. He has a long way to go – a lot to learn in a short time. With the new rules you are limited to how much you can do with these guys. And so he really is off to a good start. He has a lot to learn in a short period of time.
"I’m really pleased with the way Adrian Tracy. He is further along right now than he has ever been in his career at this time; this point. He has got to keep moving forward and come in here in great shape, which I know he will. He always takes care of himself. When he gets to training camp. He has proven, as a special teams player, that he has got to go out there and be consistent playing the run and pass on Sundays on defense."
Moore, the New York Giants' third-round pick out of Texas A&M, had 26.5 sacks in three seasons in College Station.
But it's the second-year player Tracy who has received first-team reps opposite of Mathias Kiwanuka, who has returned to right defensive end.
Tracy, a 2010 sixth-round pick, spent his rookie year on IR and has just one sack in two NFL seasons. But thus far in OTAs, Tracy -- or as some call him "Yosi" -- is reminding coaches of the departed Umenyiora.
"Adrian Tracy has done a good job. The one kid [Damontre Moore] who has been sick for a couple of days but he has had his flashes, too," head coach Tom Coughlin said Thursday. "We have plenty of talented guys. Let's step up and go. There are more opportunities for younger guys - we need them."
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