New York Giants quarterback Tyrod Taylor has been around the block a few times. He’s currently with his sixth NFL team and is taking part in his 12th training camp.
Over that span, Taylor has played in five different offensive systems, so learning a new language has become second nature to him. It’s also proven incredibly valuable to Daniel Jones and the quarterbacks room.
“I think we’ve taken a step in the right direction each day,” Taylor told reporters. “Throwing a lot of information in the spring. We were together, what? Nine weeks. I got a chance to get familiar with the offense so once we were able to get into training camp, it wasn’t necessarily zero. We were already leaving on a high note, so we wanted to keep that energy rolling.
“I think coach (Brian Daboll) has done a great job of mixing different concepts but also allowing guys to do what they are most comfortable with. That’s going out there and making plays.”
Although Taylor was signed to back up Jones, that hasn’t capped his competitive juices. He’s still preparing each day to start so that if and when the time comes, he’ll be ready.
“My job is to come in and prepare like a starter each and every day,” Taylor said. “I think that’s just the mindset, that’s not everybody but it’s the mindset for me and I know it keeps me in a competitive state of mind. Also, it builds trust within your teammates. If there is no drop-off from the first, second and third group, the better our team is.”
And to Taylor’s credit, there has been no drop-off behind Jones. He’s looked every bit as sharp as his counterpoint throughout training camp and that’s a breath of fresh air for the Giants. It’s also precisely why general manager Joe Schoen made it a point to go out and sign Taylor after the disaster the team experienced a year ago.
“I came in here ready to compete and that’s what the nature of this game is. There is only one quarterback that can play, and you have to be ready at any time when that opportunity presents itself. I’m working each and every day just trying to get better and ready for the opportunity that presents itself,” Taylor said.
Thus far, Taylor is pleased with the decision he made this offseason. Signing with the Giants on a two-year deal gave him stability, but he’s ended up with more than that under head coach Brian Daboll & Co.
“Each day he impresses me,” Taylor said of Daboll. “The way he commands the locker room, the meeting rooms, and the respect that he has amongst the guys on the team, he does a great job of keeping everyone involved but also not withholding information. He’s straightforward with us.
“One of the things that I like, just in our meetings — like today was a first and second down day, yesterday was third-and-10 — we talked about situations. Sometimes, you don’t get to those conversations until the season but it’s good to keep everybody abreast and keep everybody on the same page and understand where the focus of the team is for that day rather than just putting it on the table and talking about it later.
“I think he does a good job of communicating to each position group and to a man, I would say he has all the respect in the world.”
