‘FREE’-N-NOT EASY

Intriguing battle is shaping up in Giants secondary

The road to playing in the NFL has never been a straight line for Curtis Riley, so he didn’t come to the Giants expecting anything to be gift-wrapped for him.

But Riley did see opportunity in East Rutherford, and he’s never been afraid to chase it.

The converted cornerback knew there was a spot up for grabs at free safety with the Giants, and that pushed him to sign with them in March after two seasons as a backup with the Titans. And so far, he’s done nothing to take himself out of that competition with training camp underway.

“It wasn’t going to just get handed to me, you have to compete for it,” Riley said Saturday. “It was a good opportunity for me leaving Tennessee from my situation there coming here.”

Riley is in a battle with incumbent Darian Thompson to be the starting free safety and line up next to Pro Bowler Landon Collins. Both have gotten reps with the first team, though Saturday it was another contender, Andrew Adams, getting the spotlight at the position.

Coach Pat Shurmur said whoever wins the job will need to be a strong com- municator first and foremost, but he likes what he’s seen from Riley so far.

“Riley’s done a really good job,” Shurmur said. “He’s back there, he’s moving around, he understands the calls he’s gotta make. He’s done a nice job.”

A former cornerback who signed with the Titans in 2015 as an undrafted free agent, Riley spent his rookie year on injured reserve before putting on some good weight and moving to free safety. He had played there in high school and his first year at Division II Mars Hill College, but believes his cornerback experience still pays dividends at his new position.

“I still got a little corner in me, so I can move,” said Riley, who was born in White Plains but considers himself “a Florida boy.”

Thompson, meanwhile, is looking to make a positive out of his 2017. It was his first year as a full-time starter, and while it came with its bumps as part of a secondary that largely underperformed, the thirdyear pro is hoping it pays dividends this year.

“Just being more comfortable in the game, not being too anxious, not being too nervous,” Thompson said.

Anthony J Causi MANO A MANO: Incumbent Giants free safety Darian Thompson (right) is facing competition for his job during training camp, as newly signed Curtis Riley (left) has so far impressed coach Pat Shurmur.