FRONT & CENTER
Halapio is man in the middle after pal Jones dealt to Vikes
If it wasn’t obvious before, it is now.
Jon Halapio will be the Giants’ opening-day center, when he will play the position for the first time in the regular season.
While that was the likely scenario for much of training camp, it became a near certainty Sunday, when his backup, Brett Jones, was dealt to the Vikings for a 2019 seventh-round draft pick and yanked off the f ield in the middle of practice.
“We like what Halapio has been doing,” coach Pat Shurmur said following the workout. “We just like the way he’s played.”
The deal clears $2.9 million of cap space, potentially making room for the Giants to add a veteran of note at a position of need, such as in the secondary. When asked if the move was made with f inancial reasons in mind, Shurmur said: “I’m not worried about that.”
It’s also the latest example of how the current regime differs from the previous one, which started Jones for 12 games last year at center when Weston Richburg was hurt. The 6-foot-3, 317-pound Halapio, meanwhile, started six games at guard and appeared in 10 contests.
The Giants are com- fortable with John Greco, who has regular season experience as a center with the Browns, backing up Halapio, and the Vikings were in need of a center with starter Pat Elflein out and his status uncertain. Shurmur’s background as Minnesota’s offensive coordi- nator last year helped broker the deal as well.
“I think the trade was good for both [the Vikings and us]. We got a pick in return for Brett Jones,” Shurmur said. “He’s one of my favorite guys and he’s going to a really good place. With their situation in the of- fensive line, he’s going to have a chance to compete to maybe be their starter.
“We feel like we’re going to make decisions based on what’s best for our team. We just felt like this was part of doing business.”
The 6-foot-2, 312- pound Jones, a restricted free agent re-signed by new general manager Dave Gettleman in April, was the player Halapio credited with the strides he’s made at center, a position he’s learned to play since coming to the Giants in 2016. It was Jones, his close friend, who had worked with Halapio on snapping and the intricacies of the position. Many expected Jones to be the starter before Halapio replaced him with the f irst team in spring workouts.
“Hats off to Brett and I always thank him,” Halapio said. “If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be in this position. ... I’m happy for him. It sucks to see my friend go. That’s the tough part about this business, you build relationships like this, but you know that sometimes it doesn’t go that way for us to be together forever. It’s not a marriage.”
Halapio, 27, wasn’t ready to celebrate anything quite yet, however. He insisted he’s still in training camp mode, like he’s competing for a roster spot, though it is apparent the center job is now his.
“I’m just excited to keep playing, with the road I have taken to get here,” Halapio said. “In that aspect of me, just continuing playing, that’s what I’m happy for, that I’m still able to play.
“I feel like it won’t hit me until Week 1.”