Giants end mini-camp: “Time away, not time off,” says Pat Shurmur

The New York Giants ended what head coach Pat Shurmur referred to as “spring training” on Thursday, finishing their three-day mandatory mini-camp. In announcing that the Giants will begin training camp on July 25 (July 22 for rookies and selected veterans) Shurmur said “it’s time away, not time off.”

“I told the players we have come a long way, but we have a long way to go in all areas,” Shurmur said.

Veteran left tackle Nate Solder echoed his coach’s “time away, not time off” message.

“If you take a step back in the next five weeks and you’re not pushing to get better and increase your conditioning and getting mentally prepared for the upcoming season, you’re going to be behind,” Solder said. “I think that if I need to communicate that, then maybe some young guys don’t understand that, but I think that is something that you have to pick up and you have to roll because there is no such thing as an offseason.”

The coach sent his players off for the summer with a reminder about being good citizens during their time away.

“We’re always talking to them about being a good citizen and we say New York Giants pride for a reason. So, be very smart,” he said. “Be good husbands, good fathers and be good citizens. So, we talk about that constantly. I think it’s just part of something we do and we encourage them to do the right thing in every area of their life.”

Valentine’s View

The Giants have had a good, productive spring. They made it through without any significant injuries (reports are Nate Solder is OK after today’s fight-related scare). There are a lot more smiles around the facility than I remember. There is a professional, workman-like attitude. The roster isn’t perfect, but there is some reason for optimism.

What will it all translate to? Nobody knows. Still, the spring felt like a good start to the Shurmur Era.