APPLE SEEDS
Yes, there are problems. Everyone can sense it, see it. The second NFL season has gone terribly wrong for Eli Apple, on the field and off it. He is a first-round pick who cannot get back on the field, cannot steer clear of controversy and seemingly does not understand what it takes to be a professional football player.
In Year 2, Apple is following a precarious path.
“Me personally, he’s cool with me, because I understand, I used to be that guy,’’ Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie said Monday. “When you’re going through stuff, sometimes you don’t know really how to act out, so you act a certain way and I get that. It just takes for somebody to hone in and make you feel love.
“My other point is, it’s a profession and you have guys in here who are professional and strictly about their business and so if it seems like a guy’s not doing what he’s asked to do it kinda rubs them the wrong way.’’
Apple, 22, has rubbed more than a few in the Giants organization the wrong way, and if he was not the 10th-overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, perhaps by now he would have been jettisoned, to send a message during this sorry season.
The Giants are 2-11 and Apple has not been activated in four consecutive games. He was benched — no matter what the Giants called the move — for the first three defensive series against the Chargers and afterward complained about the “culture’’ of the team as the real problem.
The Post learned Apple twice nearly walked out of the team facility after he was heavily criticized in a film session for two plays in particular in the loss to the 49ers. He missed the next two days of practice leading up to the Chiefs game, as his mother was about to undergo brain surgery, and was inactive not only for that game but also the Thanksgiving night game in Washington.
Apple came up with hip and back issues and was not activated in Oakland. He said he was fine and ready to play, but was again not in uniform for the 30-10 loss to the Cowboys. Instead, he posted tweets during the game, a violation of NFL rules. He retweeted an Ohio State fan site praising his former Buckeyes teammate, Rod Smith, for an 81-yard touchdown reception against the team that employs him.
“He tweeted during the game?’’ Rodgers-Cromartie said. “What he say?’’
When informed Apple lauded a highlight made against the Giants, DRC said, “Whew, that’s a tough one. They probably have that kind of connection but to do it during the game, that’s probably bad timing.’’
Steve Spagnuolo, the interim head coach, spoke with Apple on Monday to inform him his actions were not acceptable. “I told him I was disappointed,’’ Spagnuolo said. “We’ll decide exactly what we’ll do with it, but it was disappointing. He apologized and we’ll move on.’’
The plan, Spagnuolo said, is to get Apple going in practice this week and to play him Sunday against the Eagles. The Giants have been going with Ross Cockrell, Brandon Dixon and Darryl Morris at cornerback — three players not in the rotation or on the roster at the start of the season.
“He’s struggling,’’ Spagnuolo said. “We all know that he went through a struggle personally. Sometimes it takes a little while to recover from that. I’m not saying that that’s an excuse, but he’s got to step up, show his teammates, his coaches that he’s ready.
“I’m hopeful and optimistic we can get him going. I’m disappointed in the tweeting thing, but hopefully we can get over these hurdles.’’
Rodgers-Cromartie, 31, is nearly 10 years older than Apple and has tried to serve as a mentor, in his own unusual way. Rodgers-Cromartie admits he did not always toe the line during a 10-year career with stops in Arizona, Philadelphia and Denver.
“That’s why I always try to talk to him and let him know, ‘I’ve been there where you’ve been,’ ’’ Rodgers-Cromartie said. “Trust me. I don’t want to see him go down that path so I try to stay on him.’’
Does he worry about Apple?
“No, no, no, no, no, no no … sometimes,’’ DRC said.
In his fourth year with the Giants, this is the longest Rodgers-Cromartie has been with any team. He tries to convince Apple of the significance of stability.
“Coming from a guy that’s been on a bunch of teams, you don’t want to try to go to different teams, start over, try to prove yourself again,’’ RodgersCromartie said. “You get drafted somewhere, you really want to stay there.’’ Apple’s reaction? “He don’t want to leave here,’’ DRC said. “It’s been hard, but for the most part, I know he loves being a Giant. I know that for a fact.’’