The New York Giants were forced to let veteran Pro Bowl cornerback James Bradberry go this offseason due to salary cap constraints. That pushed the onus of the No. 1 cornerback duties to another young veteran, Adoree’ Jackson.
Jackson is the dean of the Giants’ cornerback room, which is all new to him as he is still just 26 years old this summer.
“That’s the strangest thing,” Jackson told reporters this week. “I mean I came in and they thought I was super young and now that the roles reversed, I’m not old but in the middle, and they are super young like 20, 21. It’s crazy just to see the difference in the age gap.”
Jackson will be flanked by second-year player Aaron Robinson and Darnay Holmes, who is entering his third NFL season with the Giants.
The Giants traded up in last year’s draft to select Robinson in the third round. He missed the first two month of his rookie season with a core muscle injury. When he finally hit the field in November, Robinson quickly distinguished himself. That hasn’t didn’t get past Jackson, who was in his first year with Big Blue.
“I have been liking A-Rob since I met him. I know when I came and signed here, then we drafted him, I just looked up his highlight tapes,” Jackson said. “I liked what I had seen from him and been liking him ever since. He works hard, he’s a guy that just goes out there and does what he has to do. I just appreciate A-Rob and his competitiveness.”
Holmes has served mainly as a slot and package corner in his first two seasons. This summer he is forcing the Giants’ hand to get him more involved.
Jackson has known Holmes for about a decade, going back to their days in Southern California. He likes what he’s seeing from Holmes this summer.
“I mean you all see it. He is out there doing his thing. Like I said, every day it’s not like he is worried about the past or the present. He is just trying to focus on the day by day and getting better,” Jackson said. “That’s what we preach. If you ever hear him talk or ever hear him speak, you know how he carries himself you can tell that’s a smart intelligent man. He goes out there and carries it the right way on the field and off.”
The Giants’ secondary is on trial this season. They need to come up big, almost surprise, if Big Blue’s defense is to flourish.
