NFC Notes: Giants, Jadeveon Clowney, Panthers

Giants

The Giants made adjustments to their defensive backfield with CB Paulson Adebo and S Jevon Holland. Giants GM Joe Schoen considers both players to be ballhawk defenders, while second-year CB Tyler Nubin is also showing potential. 

“Both of them, instincts and ball skills. The ability to take the ball away is something we struggled with last year in terms of creating turnovers. Both of those guys have a history of taking the ball away, and they both have instincts,” Schoen said, via GiantsWire. “Obviously, [Tyler] Nubin had 13 interceptions at Minnesota. You’ve got guys back there now who have really good ball skills. I have a lot of faith in our defensive line that if we can create some leads during the season, those guys can pin their ears back.”

Schoen also points out that cornerbacks like Deonte Banks and Andru Phillips are also under contract, giving their defense potential stability for multiple years. 

“Then have guys on the back end that can take the ball away, are instinctive, route-savvy, and also good tacklers. The other part of that is Adebo and Holland, Tae Banks, Dru Phillips, Nubin, all those guys are under contract. They will be with each other for the next three years. Tae, as well, if we do his fifth-year option.”

Giants HC Brian Daboll praised CBs coach Jeff Burris and secondary coach Marquand Manuel. 

“I think Marquand (Manuel) has done a nice job,” Daboll said. “Jeff Burris is a former first-round pick who I think can help in certain areas with some of the players. Tae Banks was a first-round pick. It’ll be a good experience.”

Jadeveon Clowney

The Panthers released former first overall pick from 2014, LB Jadeveon Clowney, who, after a career played with the Texans, Seahawks, Titans, Browns, Ravens, and now Panthers, intends to resume playing.

“I’m definitely gonna play well,” Clowney told Joseph Person of TheAthletic.com. “You can mark my word on that. I don’t care where I end up playing at, I’m gonna play extremely well. I think I played well for Carolina [last] year, considering the circumstances that unfolded for me. I played with a bunch of guys that was hurt this past year. And I ended up playing extremely well for them. So it is what it is. I can play the game. I can play football. There are 31 other teams. I just hope another team gives me that opportunity so I can prove myself again. I feel like I can do that.”

“I got a sense that they wanted me out of the building,” Clowney added. “I was just like, ‘Y’all could’ve told me this back when I was coming in here during the offseason.’ I kind of had a sense, though. I’ve been around the game long enough to know, so I was OK. [W]e was behind the 8-ball a lot, getting scored on and couldn’t score. It was like, you can’t rush, you can’t stop the run, you’re in a bad situation. That’s just football. I got more in the tank than people think. I just keep bringing it, and they’re gonna keep counting me out.”

Panthers

Panthers GM Dan Morgan admitted that the team was still scouring free agency for reinforcements, particularly in the defensive backfield.

“Yeah, we’re definitely gonna explore some guys that are still out there,” he said, via Panthers Wire. “But drafting a guy like Lathan, I just think he brings that demeanor and that mentality that we’re looking for—that physical presence out there, that tone-setter-type mentality. And I think a lot of people think that Tre’von [Moehrig] is just really a box guy. But he actually is a really good deep player too and a guy that we feel like can play center field, half field and do a lot of things from the backend as well. So, I think that we have a lot of versatility back there, a lot of guys that are smart and can do a lot of things. But that won’t exclude us from trying to add somebody else.“