Collins now at home as Blue leader

LANDON COLLINS may be recovering from an injury, but it is not stopping him from emerging as a leader on and off the field for the Giants.

The Pro Bowl safety, who is recovering from a second surgery on his forearm he had in April, participated in Monday’s Organized Team Activities in a limited fashion for the second straight week, wearing a red non-contact jersey as he continues to familiarize himself with the team’s new defense under coordinator James Bettcher.

Collins said he is right on schedule with his rehab and close to 100% but will continue to be cautious going forward into minicamp next week.

“For myself, it was very important mentally because I’ve got to learn a new defense,” he said. “We’ve got new guys here, new faces, we’ve got new personalities. So, we’ve all got to get together and understand each other and be on one page.”

While his presence on the field is important for the Giants and their defense, what Collins is doing off the field may demonstrate his biggest step forward in leadership.

The 24-year-old was among five Giants who traveled to Puerto Rico in May to help provide relief for the people affected by Hurricane Maria.

“The trip to Puerto Rico was eye-opening,” he said. “What I took from that is people are still out there grieving and … people need help as much as they can.”

It was something that also hit close to home for Collins, who was impacted by Hurricane Katrina when the deadly storm hit New Orleans in 2005 when the Giants safety was 11 years old.

“I knew what those people are going through,” he said.

The Giants need a new defensive captain to replace Jonathan Casillas, and Collins’ dedication to the team and community certainly help his case to fulfill that role, yet he also has some things to overcome that could work against him.

Collins has a habit of going off the cuff about his teammates while talking to the media, calling Eli Apple a “cancer” after last season and revealing Ereck Flowers was unhappy with the team for signing Nate Solder.

Coach Pat Shurmur recently voiced his displeasure with the latter and Collins seems to recognize he has something to prove.

“Yeah, definitely,” Collins said, who echoed the “clean slate” mantra the Giants have been beating all offseason.