Over the past several years, there’s been increased speculation that the New York Giants could move on from veteran cornerback Janoris Jenkins. However, the Jackrabbit has somehow survived a mass exodus that’s featured players such as Jason Pierre-Paul, Olivier Vernon, Damon Harrison, Eli Apple and Landon Collins.
Over the course of the 2019 NFL Draft, that speculation returned as the the Giants called the names of three additional defensive backs to go along with Sam Beal, who was selected in the third round of the 2018 NFL Supplemental Draft.
But immediately after the conclusion of the draft, Giants general manager Dave Gettleman and head coach Pat Shurmur put the kibosh on any notion that Jenkins will be released or traded.
Rather, the duo said, Jenkins will be relied upon heavily as both a mentor and team leader in 2019 and potentially beyond.
“Janoris has a bunch of puppies he’s got to train,” Gettleman said, adding that there’s no doubt Jenkins remains on the 53-man roster.
“He’ll become a good teacher. I admire Janoris. He’s tough. He’s competitive,” Shurmur added. “He always answers the bell, and I’ve gained a huge appreciation for him coaching him over the last year or so, and so just keep — put all these young guys in a room with him, and I think Janoris will be Janoris, and if these young guys are smart enough to listen, then they’re going to learn a lot of really good stuff.”
For Jenkins’ part, he welcomed these new puppies and his new role with open arms.
Jenkins is the definition of a team player, and while he occasionally flies off the handle on social media, there’s little doubt he has a wealth of knowledge that can only benefit the team’s incoming rookies. It’s a win-win for all.
