The New York Giants are thin in the secondary but must find a way to make that work in 2022. Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale is known for his aggressiveness, which will put added pressure on the young group of cornerbacks and safeties.
Luckily, Martindale is more than confident in the team’s defensive backs coach, Jerome Henderson.
“I think we’ve got the best secondary coach in the league, Jerome Henderson. I’m excited for that room,” Martindale told reporters point-blank on Thursday.
Henderson, a former second-round pick of the New England Patriots who played eight NFL seasons, is now in his 15th year as a coach. He joined the Giants in 2020 under Joe Judge and was retained under the new regime of Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll.
“For us, we feel great it, Rome and Mike (Treier) actually stayed. We’re happy about that. They definitely give us the confidence to go out there and just play. They help us a lot on the field of just seeing different things,” safety Xavier McKinney said. “Obviously when I came in, Rome is who I had. It’s been great just being able to stay with him.”
After Judge was fired, Henderson was unsure if he’d reunite with his players. He said it was like “pins and needles,” but everything worked itself out in the end.
“Very honored that did retain me to be back here as a Giant. Excited again about the direction and where we’re headed. Honored to work for him and for Coach Martindale,” Henderson told reporters this week.
“Working with Wink has been awesome. High energy. Aggressive mindset with the defense, the guys like it, they’re taking to it, and you can really see the guys following his direction.”
Henderson certainly has his work cut out for him this year, but he remains undeterred. He’s confident in the group he has, especially second-year cornerback Aaron Robinson, who the veteran coach specifically went to bat for.
“You like his length, his competitiveness, his toughness,” Henderson said of Robinson. “I think putting him outside will simplify his world and let him play fast. I’m excited to see what he does out there.”
Robinson’s play and Henderson’s coaching will go a long way in determining the Giants’ fate this year, but there is a whole lot of confidence to go around. Wink in Henderson, Henderson in Robinson and so on down the line.
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