Everyone, apparently, has an opinion about Leonard Williams.
Why is he still with the Giants? Why do they trade for him? Why didn’t he develop into a rusher graduating with the Jets? Why why why?
Well, what about the new Giants teammates? Do they not have rights in this matter?
“I love Leonard, he’s a great person,” Dalvin Tomlinson defended Tackling recently. “I feel like we clicked on the field because we both like animated video games. We became instant friends, I guess you could say that. I like playing next to him, he is a great guy. He brings great energy. We have great chemistry. I’m looking forward to playing with him next season. ‘
This comment in many ways is the reason why general manager Dave Gettleman sent a draft round of third and fifth rounds to the Jets in the middle of the season for Williams, even though Williams headed for a free agent and the Giants could have tried to sign him out of the open market without releasing anything, other than money . Gettleman believes Williams will make a very positive impression and it will create a useful atmosphere for completing long-term transactions.
That hasn’t happened, and Williams is guaranteed to be on the list with a franchise tag, which will pay him $ 16.1 million in 2020. The goal of the two parties is to find a common ground on contract extension before the July 15 deadline.
Dalvin Tomlinson (front) and B.J. Hill celebrates after sack.Getty Images
That Tomlinson is very comfortable with Williams leads to a greater factor in the Giants defense which, around the league, is routinely criticized and projected to be a terrible unit. The figures of Williams, Tomlinson, and Dexter Lawrence will be the starter in 3-4 new defensive front coordinator Patrick Graham will be used as his defense base – although there will be many permutations on the field, dictated on a week-by-week basis by the strengths and weaknesses of offensive opponents.
Selection of the latest B.J. draft Giants Hill, R.J. McIntosh and Chris Slayton were also on the list, with a newcomer to veteran Austin Johnson on the free agency. So, there is familiarity along the lines of defense unlike anything that other groups of positions can mobilize.
“We are all trying to build our brotherhood stronger than ever,” Tomlinson said. “Just keep increasing as one unit so we can feed each other.”
When other units try to get together and learn about each other in this unusual remote offseason, the defensive midfielder can concentrate on dissecting the ins and outs of the new system without also having to get to know their teammates.
“I feel like that gives us the advantage of learning systems more easily because we know how each other learns things and picks up things every day,” Tomlinson said.
Tomlinson said any difficulties inherent in bonding through Zoom meetings were not a big problem, given the way he usually interacts with teammates and the hobbies and interests he shares with them.
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“Some of us face each other,” Tomlinson said. “Many of us play video games together in a group. We have all been on Call of Duty lately, bound by that. Nothing strange, I guess you can say. ‘
In the order of power of Call of Duty, Tomlinson places himself in the top three among the Giants players. He heard great things about the playing skills of Blake Martinez, the inner midfielder contracted from the Packers.
“I haven’t played with Blake Martinez, but I’m looking forward to it,” Tomlinson said. “He might be No. 1. ‘
This is an accusation against the Giants’ continuity that Tomlinson, 26, enters his fourth NFL season, is the longest-standing defender on the list. He did not miss a match in his three-year career and entered the final year of his contact. As a useful tackle stop-nose, the second round pick 2017 from Alabama now has an impressive new training regime.
“I am not really focused on the contract because all I can do is try to get better and prepare as much as possible when we return to the training camp and return to the facility as soon as possible,” Tomlinson said. “I have focused on getting better and improving with my teammates as much as possible, that’s my biggest goal at the moment.”
