New York Giants’ newly signed linebacker Bobby Okereke was previously on the opposite side of the field from Daniel Jones when the Giants faced the Indianapolis Colts last year in Week 17.
During that game, Okereke was flagged for a hit on Jones, resulting in a 15-yard penalty.
From that play alone, Okereke expects some fun trash talk with his new team, and he’s already “laughed it up” with Jones.
“There will probably be some fun trash talk. But me and Daniel dapped it up after the game. I told him it wasn’t intentional. He’s a competitive guy. I’m a competitive guy,” Okereke told reporters on Thursday. “He’s trying to run, and I’m trying to stop him from running. Obviously, not intentionally trying to hit him in the head or anything. But we dapped it up and cleared the air. We should be good. Red jersey — he’s safe. I’m hands-off.”
Okereke also said that he really found his groove last year when the Colts and Giants faced off, and that signing with the team now has been “surreal.”
“For that to be my best game of the year, for this to come full circle, and for me to be a New York Giant in this moment, it’s just really surreal. I’m very grateful,” he said.
Okereke was a third-round draft pick by the Colts in 2019. Over his four seasons with the team, he recorded 420 tackles (293 solo), 2 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries, 3 interceptions for 27 yards, and 17 passes defended.
While the Giants received mixed grades for the signing, their defense was incredibly thin last year and needed some help. Adding a linebacker with Okereke’s athleticism is a huge help and should prove to be a good decision once he settles in.
