Pat Shurmur put the welcome mat out in front of the Giants' facility for Ereck Flowers on Saturday. Now it's just a matter of when the tackle and former first-round pick will decide to use it.
Flowers has been absent from the voluntary workouts so far this spring, but Shurmur said the organization has been in contact with him.
"It's our understanding that he's in a good shape," Shurmur said at Saturday's rookie minicamp. "I have nothing against (him). I can't wait for him to be here. I've mentioned it in the past, there were some things he did last year that were really good. I look forward to him getting here at some point and working with him."
Shurmur, who spoke sternly about Flowers' absence at the start of the offseason program, appeared to soften his message. He even drew a parallel between Flowers and the best player on the team.
"There have been times when Odell hasn't been here and we've communicated with him," Shurmur said. "We're looking forward to him being here and we feel we're a better team with him here than without him."
This despite the strong signal that Flowers is not in the team's long-term plans when they declined to pick up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract earlier this month.
Shurmur would not say why Flowers has not been with the team. Earlier this week Giants safety Landon Collins said in a radio interview that Flowers had told Collins' cousin that he is upset over the team signing free agent Nate Solder, a move that requires Flowers to slide from left tackle to right tackle.
"That's not for Landon to talk about," Shurmur said. "The important thing is let's let Ereck talk for Ereck when he gets here and we'll worry about that later. I don't think our players should be talking about another player's situation."
