With nose tackle Dexter Lawrence on injured reserve (IR) and likely out for the season, the New York Giants are down to just two team captains — linebacker Bobby Okereke and long-snapper Casey Kreiter.
Who steps up to lead over the final five weeks is anyone’s guess but edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux has some theories on how things will shake out.
Specifically, Thibodeaux says, people who don’t make plays need to button their lips and allow the productive players to speak instead.
“Well, if you ask me from a real standpoint, in my personal opinion, this is a not for long league. So, telling guys that you have to wait until after a certain amount of time to be a leader is kind of like, it’s smoke and mirrors because the average is only three years. So, it’s like how long do you expect a great player to come in and not say anything? That’s kind of not realistic,” he told reporters on Monday.
“Obviously, we hope that the speaking up and everything else is uplifting and for the greater good of the team. But for me, when I came in, I kind of faced the same questions as (Malik) Nabers did a couple weeks ago. But I’m a guy that believes this is a meritocracy. So, if you make plays, you have a voice. If you don’t make plays, you don’t have a voice. That’s the name of the business. So, I would say for young guys coming in, continue to make plays first, and then be an impact in leadership.”
So, will it be Thibodeaux who steps into the light as a locker room leader? It’s not something he’s given much consideration.
“I don’t think about it. I just continue to live in my light. And if there are people that I can help on a personal basis or if there’s a way, I can uplift my teammates, I try to do it,” he said.
Linebacker Micah McFadden subscribes to Thibodeaux’s theory of a locker room meritocracy, echoing his comments.
“There’s definitely a balance there. The more you produce, the bigger your voice is. Guys listen to the leaders and the people who are leading from the front and doing their job and executing at a high level,” McFadden said. “I think, especially these last couple of years with the more experience I’ve gotten and more play time, I think I have a bigger voice, especially in our linebacker room. And in the defensive room, as well. Just pointing things out and when there’s younger guys, I can help them along the way.”
But veteran wide receiver Darius Slayton sees things slightly differently, leaving the door open for anyone to come in and lead in the absence of the team’s top captains.
“We try to have the same mentality you do when you play. You have a ‘next man up’ mentality and obviously nobody is ineligible from leading. If you’re going to do the right thing and set the right example and encourage guys and bring guys along, then anybody can lead,” he said.
The Giants don’t seem to be on the same page about anything these days, but in the absence of Lawrence, left tackle Andrew Thomas, and the recently released Daniel Jones, they’ll have to come together and figure something out. They can’t go rudderless over the final five weeks of the season.
