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Giants DB coach Jerome Henderson

Y28 : 5/18/2023 4:01 pm
Following last month's draft, I put up a thread declaring who was the real winner of the Giants draft (IMHO). And it was clear to me that 1 Giants coach-Jerome Henderson-really hit the lottery with 3 of the 7 players drafted being his new students.

And it got even better in the hours following the draft, as we learned that two of the UDFAs signed would also be joining Henderson's position room.

An important point regarding Henderson that I didn't mention in that earlier thread was that Henderson was retained by Daboll with the coaching transition and that Jerome Henderson has actually been coaching the Giants DBs since 2020.

Below is the current Giants roster as it stands today for all the 19 DBs:

Name POS When Acquired

Adoree Jackson CB 2021/UFA
Deonte Banks CB 2023/1
Nick McCloud CB 2022/Waivers
Darnay Holmes CB 2020/4
Cor’Dale Flott CB 2022/3
Aaron Robinson CB 2021/3
Rodarius Williams CB 2021/6
Amani Oruwariye CB 2023/UFA
Zyon Gilbert CB 2022/UDFA
Leonard Johnson CB 2023/UFA
Tre Hawkins III CB 2023/6
Gemon Green CB 2023/UDFA

Xavier McKinney S 2020/2
Jason Pinnock S 2022/Waivers
Bobby McCain S 2023/UFA
Dane Belton S 2022/4
Trenton Thompson S 2022/UDFA
Gervarrius Owens S 2023/7
Alex Cook S 2023/UDFA


Notice anything interesting? Every single current Giants DB came on board AFTER Henderson. Now we don't know the amount of input a position coach gives with player signings prior to Schoen, but it seems logical that no waiver pickup or free agent signing occurred without Henderson weighing in.

Some might say that players like Aaron Robinson, Darnay Holmes and Rodarius Williams were drafted by former administrations and have a lesser chance of sticking. That might be true with other positions, but Jerome Henderson was here back in 2020. Clearly he had some level of input on every single one of the 12 CBs and 7 Safeties that will be beginning OTAs on Monday.

Continuity is a large part of a teams success. Henderson is well regarded as a top DB coach across the NFL. The fact that every single player fighting for a roster spot in 2023 came onboard with Henderson already here, is another reason I am very optimistic about the Giants 2023 defense.

Paraphrasing as Bill Parcells might say "Henderson was allowed to do the food shopping. I look forward to seeing the meal he prepares"




Henderson appears to be an excellent coach  
Ben in Tampa : 5/18/2023 4:08 pm : link
and a secret weapon on the Giants staff
Wonder if Wink ever left, whether JH  
Big Blue '56 : 5/18/2023 4:16 pm : link
would become our DC?
Y28  
TY in CT : 5/18/2023 5:00 pm : link
"Continuity is a large part of a teams success. Henderson is well regarded as a top DB coach across the NFL. The fact that every single player fighting for a roster spot in 2023 came onboard with Henderson already here, is another reason I am very optimistic about the Giants 2023 defense.

Paraphrasing as Bill Parcells might say "Henderson was allowed to do the food shopping. I look forward to seeing the meal he prepares"

ABSOLUTELY! A full room to work with! Breeds optimism.
Out of the 19, how many do you think we'll keep?  
Del Shofner : 5/18/2023 5:12 pm : link
With 5 DBs in our base formation (as I understand it), perhaps 9 or even 10? (With Robinson possibly starting on PUP and one or two on the practice squad.)
Wink said  
Lines of Scrimmage : 5/18/2023 5:31 pm : link
he's the best secondary coach in the league. I like Jax but it would benefit the team imv if they can groom a replacement this year to give more roster flexibility next season.

Lots of quality competition is a good thing as is depth.

Let's hope they find a really good group.
Del  
Y28 : 5/18/2023 5:55 pm : link
Just my opinion, but there is only one hard and fast rule when it comes to how many players make a roster at a certain position.

You ALWAYS go with 9 OLs. It is just impossible to find quality OLs. Every team is searching. Joe Judge made the HUGE mistake of only keeping 8 OLs in each of his 2 years and we all saw the result.

So my answer is you only have a fixed number when it comes to OL-9.

All other number decisions by position should come based on player skills and versatility.

Again, just my opinion.
Y28. Another excellent post. Thank you.  
Marty in Albany : 5/19/2023 12:27 am : link
Is it fair to say that this year we have more depth at DB than last year, or are this year's rookies too much of an unknown to make an assessment?
Y28: One caveat to your 9 OL minimum.  
Big Blue Blogger : 5/19/2023 4:27 am : link
If your 9th offensive lineman is somebody you’re pretty sure would clear waivers, and you have a better use for the roster spot, the practice squad is a useful storage area - at least for a few weeks.

Once they are done bouncing the rubble by Week 2, the groupings will probably look something like this:
QB 2
RB/FB/TE/HB 7
WR 6
OL 9
IDL 5
EDGE 5
ILB 5
DB 10
ST 3
Spare 1 (the one they aren’t using on a third QB)

There’s room to keep a lot of DB talent, especially if McCaughey likes them too for specials.
RE: Y28: One caveat to your 9 OL minimum.  
section125 : 5/19/2023 5:32 am : link
In comment 16119462 Big Blue Blogger said:
Quote:
If your 9th offensive lineman is somebody you’re pretty sure would clear waivers, and you have a better use for the roster spot, the practice squad is a useful storage area - at least for a few weeks.

Once they are done bouncing the rubble by Week 2, the groupings will probably look something like this:
QB 2
RB/FB/TE/HB 7
WR 6
OL 9
IDL 5
EDGE 5
ILB 5
DB 10
ST 3
Spare 1 (the one they aren’t using on a third QB)

There’s room to keep a lot of DB talent, especially if McCaughey likes them too for specials.


FWIW, if your 9th OL is good enough that you want to keep him, you can bet that one of the other 31 teams will want him too. The 10th guy you put on the PS and hope he stays(IMHO).
Are 5 ILBs necessary? Probably only need 4 unless the 5th is a special teams demon.
But yeah, you keep the 53 best players, no matter the position.
Section125: Yes, I was factoring in STs at ILB.  
Big Blue Blogger : 5/19/2023 6:18 am : link
I don’t know whether Cam Brown and Carter Coughlin can survive another year, but the backup ILBs seem to be core special teamers, whether it’s those two or new arrivals. So a total of ten ILB/EDGE types is probably in the ballpark. Big safeties could fill that niche too.

As for other teams wanting our bottom-of-roster players, I guess that possibility is reviving as the team rises from the cellar. After ten years, I’m used to a cycle where we fret that the Corbins and Cunninghams won’t clear waivers, and they invariably do. Other teams might like some of our practice squad guys, but they like their top 53 (and other waiver wire options) more than a marginal Giant who hasn’t been through camp and preseason with them.
RE: Out of the 19, how many do you think we'll keep?  
5BowlsSoon : 5/19/2023 7:29 am : link
In comment 16119312 Del Shofner said:
Quote:
With 5 DBs in our base formation (as I understand it), perhaps 9 or even 10? (With Robinson possibly starting on PUP and one or two on the practice squad.)


You have to figure about 5 will go down with an ACL injury so that will make Henderson’s job a bit “easier.”
In the Giants Life draft video...  
Klaatu : 5/19/2023 7:50 am : link
Wink asks Deonte Banks how many times he met with "Rome," like six times or something. Seems like Henderson was all-in on Banks just as much as Wink was, maybe more.
RE: In the Giants Life draft video...  
Big Blue Blogger : 5/19/2023 8:04 am : link
Klaatu said:
Quote:
Wink asks Deonte Banks how many times he met with "Rome," like six times or something. Seems like Henderson was all-in on Banks just as much as Wink was, maybe more.

I wonder how that compares to his contact with the other top corners. Can't imagine he spent that much time with all of them.

Revisiting the roster allocation: with two of the top three TEs being converted WRs, that boundary blurs too. The offensive "skill" positions other than QB will probably occupy thirteen or fourteen roster spots. How those spots are allocated among positions gets fuzzy at the margins. Waller and Cager (or Miller) might allow the team to go light at WR, at least until Robinson is cleared to play. Conversely, Sweeney or Myarick might bump the fourth running back to the waiver wire.

Jeff Smith is something of a wild card. He might make the roster largely for special teams (not to mention his frugal kitchen skills). That makes him a threat not only to the other WRs, but also to the ST candidates at other positions.
RE: RE: In the Giants Life draft video...  
AcesUp : 5/19/2023 9:18 am : link
In comment 16119483 Big Blue Blogger said:
Quote:


Jeff Smith is something of a wild card. He might make the roster largely for special teams (not to mention his frugal kitchen skills). That makes him a threat not only to the other WRs, but also to the ST candidates at other positions.


He also has utility as an emergency game day QB if we're only carrying 2 on the active roster. He's got a better chance of making the team than people think because of how can contribute in multiple ways. Injuries are unavoidable, some guys may start on PUP and guys like BFW, Colin Johnson and even vets Crowder/Shep could be candidates you try to get through to the PS.
RE: RE: RE: In the Giants Life draft video...  
Del Shofner : 5/19/2023 10:21 am : link
In comment 16119528 AcesUp said:
Quote:
In comment 16119483 Big Blue Blogger said:


Quote:




Jeff Smith is something of a wild card. He might make the roster largely for special teams (not to mention his frugal kitchen skills). That makes him a threat not only to the other WRs, but also to the ST candidates at other positions.



He also has utility as an emergency game day QB if we're only carrying 2 on the active roster. He's got a better chance of making the team than people think because of how can contribute in multiple ways. Injuries are unavoidable, some guys may start on PUP and guys like BFW, Colin Johnson and even vets Crowder/Shep could be candidates you try to get through to the PS.


... and he went to BC, so there's that.
winks comment that he had visited banks like 6 or 7 times  
Eric on Li : 5/19/2023 10:27 am : link
was interesting and notable. getting those types of evaluations and relationships right when is the key to success. this year should be a really interesting development year in the DB room.
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