Young linemen set to finally get their shot
It was not much of a look for those interested in seeing how the very young defensive line is shaping up for the Giants. Rookie Dexter Lawrence and third-year Dalvin Tomlinson were on the field for only six snaps in the preseason opener and B.J. Hill, entering his second NFL season, played only nine snaps.
That trio figures to clock in more time in Friday night’s preseason meeting with the Bears at MetLife Stadium.
The newest kid on the block is Lawrence, who was taken with the No. 17 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. The 342-pounder from Clemson has wowed his teammates in training camp with his uncommon blend of size and quickness.
“Definitely a great pick,’’ left guard Will Hernandez said. “He came out there from Day 1, he came out and worked hard and showed exactly why he was picked where he was picked, and I’m excited to have him on our team. He gets the offensive line better, he’s getting his fellow D-linemen better and I feel he’s really going to be a problem for teams this season.’’
In a strange scheduling quirk, the Bears are one of three teams the Giants face in the preseason that they will also play in the regular season (the Jets and Patriots are the other two). Expect the offensive and defensive plans to be even more vanilla than usual.
Bears coach Matt Nagy put his team through an unusual “mock game’’ scrimmage Wednesday, with his front-line players going 60 plays. That would seem to indicate Bears starters will not get much work against the Giants.
Signed July 27 after Corey Coleman went down with a season-ending knee injury, T.J. Jones has made the most of his opportunity to stick as a wide receiver, despite missing time with a hamstring issue. Jones regularly makes plays in practice and came up big in the first preseason game, catching six passes for 72 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown from Kyle Lauletta.
“I think that the opportunity, when it’s presented, you make it what you want it to,” Jones said. “If you come in here [as] just a camp body, then that’s what you put out on film. You won’t believe you have a shot, so you won’t put your best foot forward. But if you come in with the mindset that I’m here to earn a spot, to earn a job whether it’s here to put out good film or if I were let go for someone else to see good film, that’s on you.’’
Jones, 27, caught 64 passes in 42 games in his four seasons with the Lions.
LB Alec Ogletree (calf), CB DeAndre Baker (knee) and CB Sam Beal (hamstring) will not play. Given that WR Sterling Shepard continues to wear a noncontact yellow pinnie in practice, he is unlikely to suit up.