‘Things I think’ about the Combine, the Giants’ OL, more

Are football and the New York Giants ever really far from your mind? Not if you’re reading this website. Thus, here are some “things I think” about the Giants as we wait for training camp.

Another vote of confidence for OL

I think the fact that Giants did not sign former Carolina Panthers guard Trai Turner, and were never even reported to have shown serious interest in the five-time Pro Bowl right guard, is yet another indication that the Giants are all in with their young offensive line.

“It’s really apparent that we have a little more confidence in our offensive linemen than you guys do,” Giants GM Dave Gettleman told the media after the draft.

Yes, it is apparent the Giants have more faith in their young offensive linemen than many in the media or the fan base do.

Turner was drafted by Gettleman in Carolina. He is still only 28 years old. He plays the same position as Kevin Zeitler, the veteran guard the Giants cut in a salary cap move. If the Giants aren’t going to make a play for Turner they probably aren’t making a big play for any veteran offensive lineman.

Instead of looking outside for answers the Giants are trusting their own talent evaluation and their revamped offensive line coaching group to make it work.

I have said this many times, but I think — no, I know — I’m OK with that.

How will coaches adapt to 17-game season?

Something I have been thinking about with the advent of the 17-game season is how it might force NFL coaches to adapt.

Watch NFL games and week after week you see star players on the field playing unnecessary snaps, and putting their bodies at unnecessary risk, long after games have been decided. NFL coaches are loathe to admit defeat, and get their front-line players out of games. They also hate to claim victory and pull their best players.

I wonder if coaches will change much with the season getting longer. I have my doubts.

Giants helmets

Beginning in 2022, the NFL will allow teams to use a second, alternate color, helmet. The Giants have been wearing blue helmets since 1935, so a second color is out. If they are allowed to wear a second style, I’m pretty partial to the one below, with “GIANTS” written across it. I would love to see the team go back to that full time. I think it would not only look better, but would actually be appropriate since the Giants play in New Jersey. Most of you seem to like that helmet, as well.

I’m saying no to this one. I don’t want to see that again.

Photo by Robert Riger/Getty Images

Ode to Indy

The NFL is ruining perfection in their never-ending search for profit.

As had been anticipated for the last couple of years, the league will seek bids from cities other than Indianapolis to host the Scouting Combine beginning in 2023.

I don’t “think” I hate this. I know I hate this.

Indianapolis is the perfect place for the NFL’s annual job fair.

• It is centrally located in the U.S., making it fairly easy for players, scouts, media and everyone involved to get there no matter which coast they live or work on.
• The city has everything needed to run the event without a hitch. A huge convention center where players can stay and where all of the daily events can be held, with an indoor walkway leading across the street to Lucas Oil Stadium for on-field drills.
• Indianapolis is an easy city not only to get to, but to navigate. Anything and everything players, teams, media and even fans who get to watch the bench press could want or need is within walking distance of Lucas Oil and the convention center. They have the event down to a science, which the city should after hosting it since 1987.

All of those things should matter if the league truly saw the event for what it is supposed to be — the most important part of the draft process for both the young men looking for NFL careers and for teams with critical decisions to make.

What the league see, though, are dollar signs. Of course.

The Combine is now an event. More and more, is is being modified to benefit television, regardless of whether that is good for players or teams. Now, the league will inevitably move the event around the country in search of more revenue, a bigger buzz, better entertainment.

Whether or not that will be good for players and teams — which it almost certainly won’t — doesn’t matter.

Social stuff

Leonard Williams is living his best life.

I don’t even know what to say about this, other than it is really, really cool.

Speaking of Saquon Barkley ...

Former Giants scout Marc Ross has some bad news for the Giants regarding what awaits them twice this season.

---

BBV mailbag

Have a Giants-related question? E-mail it to bigblueview@gmail.com and it might be featured in our weekly mailbag.