Defensive Back Logan Ryan
August 31, 2021
Q: Happy Anniversary.
A: Tomorrow, isn’t it? Or is it today? It probably was the 31st. I had a trip to go to Universal – I’m a big Harry Potter fan, so I was going to Harry Potter World – and got that call from (Head Coach) Joe (Judge). I tried to hold out an extra day or two. My wife still went without me, so she enjoyed it.
Q: Are you saying last year you had a trip planned for Universal until Joe Judge called you?
A: Yeah. I was like, ‘Man, I’m in shape, but I’m still going to live life.’ I had it planned I think on the (September) first, had to fly up here for the first, so I missed it.
Q: It worked out okay though, right?
A: Yeah, it worked out okay. I made a little more money than I would’ve spent in Harry Potter World (laughs).
Q: You’ve gone through this many years, but what’s it like when you go from one day having 90 people here and the next day it’s down to 53?
A: It sucks. It’s always a really, really tough day. A lot of good guys. It’s the hardest part of the year. I’m fortunate every year I make the team, I don’t take it for granted. There might be a day when they call me or I’ll call them first, who knows? But it’s really hard because a lot of guys gave it their all and sometimes you give it your all in life and it doesn’t work out. I think a lot of guys showed well for themselves, so hopefully they catch jobs elsewhere. It’s a small league, you run across these guys again. That’s why the fraternity of the league is, you’re shaking hands after games with guys you played with and you never take it for granted. It’s a tough day for me, as well. Never fun.
Q: You guys drawing straws to see who gets to pop (Running Back) Saquon (Barkley) once he gets out there?
A: He’s itching at the bit. I think (Linebacker) Blake (Martinez) has first dibs. Unfortunately, I haven’t played with Say a lot, but I just love him as a teammate. He brings a certain energy to him and he’s a really hard worker. He just has so much confidence in himself and I think it rubs off on people. I just think he’s a guy that’s a force multiplier. I think he makes the players around him better and the guys block a little better trying to spring him. He’s just an energy bunny for our team. Whatever he needs, extra hits, extra routes, whatever it is, I’m free to give him that to get him ready to go when it’s his time to go.
Q: You’re a veteran, Blake’s a veteran, you guys know what you can do and can’t do, but Joe said Saquon’s got to prove he can take a hit before they can put him on the field. In the next few days of practice can you guys do that? Can you be physical enough with him so he can prove that he’s ready to play?
A: If the coach asks, if the CBA allows it – I don’t know what the rules are – but if it’s a padded practice or whatever, I’m sure. I remember one time (Patriots Safety) Devin McCourty was coming back from a shoulder injury and he was All-Pro and (Patriots Head Coach) Bill (Belichick) had him after practice doing live tackling drills with scout team running backs. I’m like, ‘I think he knows how to tackle,’ but he did the same thing with Junior Seau, and Junior Seau is the all-time leader in tackles, so I wouldn’t be surprised if me or Blake had to take some shots with Saquon just to get him ready if that was asked. It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve seen them make good players (be) like, ‘Wait, you want me to do what?’ If Junior Seau did it or Devin McCourty did it, then I wouldn’t be surprised if Saquon has to do it.
Q: You’d give him a good shot, but not a really good shot.
A: Well, he better not give me a good shot either, you know? We’re grown men, we’ll just do a nice form tackle, keep our head up. It’s football, we all like a little bit of contact, some of us do.
Q: Traditionally, this is the time of year where it’s obviously a difficult day today, but now you guys can focus on the first game. Does it ramp up? Has it ramped up already in terms of mentally getting ready for the Broncos or do you think it takes a couple days?
A: For sure. To me, I break a football season down into seasons. I think OTAs is its own season, I think camp is its own season. I think camp’s about improving your fundamentals, proving your worth on the team, earning respect in the locker room, showing how competitive you are and really staying healthy. Thankfully, I stayed healthy through camp and now I’m ready to focus on the next part, which is the regular season. Obviously, I think December football and playoffs is another season we’ll get to a little bit later. But, got on my iPad today, I saw the Denver film got loaded up, their last 32 games. I’ve got to watch (Broncos Quarterback) Teddy Bridgewater back when he was in Carolina, maybe Minnesota and then what he throws well and what he does, and all of Denver. It’s tough because we just haven’t seen him play in that offense other than some preseason, so it’s going to be tough to study, but I’m sure I’ll watch it all. This is what I do, this is what I’m here to do is situational football, game plan against the opponent, learn their strengths and weaknesses, getting our defense in the right checks, being an extension of (Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator) Pat Graham out there and trying to win the game versus my opponent. Training camp is like, you don’t know what plays you’re going to run each day, we’re just out there trying to get better. But a game has situations, down-and-distance, score, and I think we have a lot of smart football players that dictate how we play each snap.
Q: With all the injuries and rehabs you’ve had as a team in training camp, is it important for you to see (Wide Receiver) Kenny (Golladay) and (Wide Receiver Darius) Slayton and (Tight End) Kyle (Rudolph) out there today doing what they could?
A: I’m not going to speak on anybody’s injuries, but for sure, that’s always a great sign. And we have a great, well-documented sports and medicine staff here. (Senior Vice President of Medical Services/Head Athletic Trainer) Ronnie Barnes is like the Godfather, so we’re in good hands in that case. I trust the trainers, I trust those guys to be working hard and when they’re ready to play, they’ll be ready to play.
Q: One of the things that Rudolph said last week, and I think you’ve said in the past too, is that a program has to learn not to lose before it can win. Are you at that point yet? Are the Giants at that point yet?
A: You’ve got to keep from losing before you can start winning. We’re all 0-0, so we haven’t had an opportunity to lose or win, but we’re going to see. I think we’re a lot smarter. I honestly feel like – speaking on my behalf and the defense and just as a team – I think we’re a lot smarter than we were at this point last year. At this point last year, I was learning names and trying to figure out what position I was going to play. I’m just so much farther ahead in this system with this team and my teammates understanding their strengths and weaknesses. That’s what these next two weeks are about, or 10 days or whatever is it until Denver, it’s about getting a good game plan and learning it so we can execute it to win the game.
