Latest news with #ShaneBowen
USA Today
11 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Shane Bowen explains Giants defense's mantra for 2025: 'Be a damn pirate'
Shane Bowen explains Giants defense's mantra for 2025: 'Be a damn pirate' Show Caption Hide Caption Greg Olsen expresses excitement for upcoming Olympic flag football Former TE Greg Olsen is excited for some NFL players to showcase their skills in the upcoming 2028 Summer Olympics and the debut of flag football. Sports Seriously New York Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen introduced a new turnover celebration during the team's OTAs for 2025. Any time a defender forces a turnover, the ball is deposited into a treasure chest the team keeps on the sidelines. The second-year Giants defensive coordinator explained the origins of the turnover chest after practice Thursday. It came to him while watching his son play tee-ball for the Pirates, which got him thinking about "the idea of piracy, violent, attacking to steal possessions or goods." That led Bowen to adopt a new mantra for the 2025 NFL season. "You'll hear our guys say it. I say it ad nauseum: 'Be a damn pirate,'" Bowen told reporters. "We got to find ways to get the ball. And, again, you get what you emphasize. We're making it a priority this year to make sure we find ways to get the ball." AARON RODGERS: Winners and losers of QB's deal with Steelers? The Giants produced just 15 total takeaways during the 2024 NFL season, good for the fifth-fewest in the NFL. Their turnover differential of negative-8 ranked seventh-worst in the league. Bowen believes improving in that area could be key in helping New York improve significantly after a 3-14 season. "Twelve of the 14 playoff teams were in the top half of the league taking the ball away," Bowen explained. "We got to do a better job of that, making sure we don't miss opportunities to catch them when they're there, don't miss opportunities to try to attack the ball when they're there, matching the hand, whatever that might be." Bowen also made it clear he's trying not to focus too much on the pressure the Giants coaching staff is facing in 2025, even after owner John Mara admitted he had "just about run out of patience" with his team and was critical of New York's defense. "I'm driven by the guys," Bowen said. "My job is to get these guys ready to go out there to execute at the highest level, to maximize their potential, and to perform and ultimately win." If playing like pirates helps Bowen to achieve that goal, few will complain about the coordinator's unorthodox approach to getting the most out of his players.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Giants Safety Dane Belton Earns Shane Bowen's Praise
Giants Safety Dane Belton Earns Shane Bowen's Praise originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The New York Giants underperformed on defense in 2024. Part of that blame falls on the offense for putting the unit behind the eight ball. Injuries to defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux didn't help, either. Advertisement But the Giants intercepted just five passes in 17 games, the second-worst mark in the NFL. The ball production simply wasn't there, and it was a point of emphasis during the offseason. Corner Paulson Adebo was signed to take on top receivers and force additional turnovers; he intercepted seven passes across 22 games since 2023. Safety Jevon Holland only emphasized that priority. However, they weren't alone in catching New York defensive coordinator Shane Bowen's praise on Thursday. The Giants' coach also made sure to shout out underrated safety Dane Belton at OTAs. 'Yeah, obviously adding Adebo helps,' Bowen said, via team transcript. 'Got a proven corner in this league. Obviously, he's coming off the leg, but he's been great in terms of that. Advertisement 'So just gives us another piece, right? So between him, between Tae (Banks), between (Cor'Dale) Flott, between Dru (Phillips), those other guys that are battling it out. Obviously, safety, Dane has been really good for us here early. Like he's had a really good spring. Finding ways to get him on the field, what he can do for us to help us. 'But really encouraged about that group. I think M (Marquand Manuel) and Jeff (Burris) have done a really good job with them, and Pops (Mike Adams). They've done a really good job working with those guys and I'm encouraged about where we are at right now.' Belton was New York's third safety in New York but flashed, both as a tackler and at the catch point. He has never played a full season as a starter, but in each of his three seasons, Belton has found at least one interception and fumble recovery. He remained consistent amid a crumbling defense, and did so from a variety of spots. Belton is primarily a box safety but can moonlight in the slot and over the top when the situation calls for it. Advertisement Notably, Belton is set up for continued success with the Giants, because he won't be asked to take on a bigger role. Deployed behind Tyler Nubin and Holland, Bowen can pick his spots for three-safety packages and allow him to make plays without being overexposed. With even more surrounding talent putting pressure on opposing offenses, Belton can continue to find opportunities for splash plays without the pressures of being overexposed as a starter. Look for him to make a similar impact in 2025, even if his upside is that of a high-level backup. Related: Star Safety Reveals First Impression of Giants' Quarterbacks Related: Giants Schedule Release: Game-By-Game Predictions This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Giants using a swashbuckling approach to turnovers: ‘Be a damn pirate'
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The New York Giants might have to walk the plank if they don't get better at taking possessions away from opponents. Sitting on the sideline during practice this offseason is a wooden chest – a 'turnover chest,' if you will – that contains no gold, silver or jewels. But to the Giants, what does go in there is even more valuable. When a defensive player gives the heave-ho to the offense by creating a turnover – an interception, a fumble recovery – he gets to place the football inside the chest while the entire unit celebrates. 'You'll hear our guys say it and I say it ad nauseum: 'Be a damn pirate,'' defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said Thursday before the Giants' heated practice session that ended after tempers flared. 'We've got to find ways to get the ball. And, again, you get what you emphasize. We're making it a priority this year to make sure we find ways to get the ball.' Last season, the Giants struggled to do so, finishing 28th in the NFL with only 15 takeaways. Their five total interceptions — no player had more than one — ranked 31st in the league, with only Cleveland having fewer with four. New York upgraded its secondary by signing cornerback Paulson Adebo and safety Jevon Holland during free agency. That should also help the Giants' defensive front, which added first-rounder Abdul Carter to a pass-rushing group that includes Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, and has Dexter Lawrence anchoring the line. Still, entering his second year running the Giants' defense, Bowen was searching this offseason for a creative way to focus on forcing turnovers. And he found his inspiration from his son's T-ball team — the Pirates, of course. 'Again, the main thing is emphasizing takeaways,' Bowen said. 'We've got to get better at takeaways. Somehow got the idea of piracy, violent, attacking to steal possessions or goods, right?' Aye, matey. ___ AP NFL:
New York Times
06-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Giants offseason winners and losers: Do Kayvon Thibodeaux, Evan Neal have futures in NY?
The New York Giants hope every player added to the roster this offseason will help turn the team into a winner. But when it comes to individual outlooks, some transactions are beneficial, while others are detrimental. So with free agency and the draft completed, here's a review of the Giants' biggest winners and losers from the offseason: Winners DC Shane Bowen Bowen was placed in the crosshairs at the start of the offseason by criticisms levied at the defense by co-owner John Mara. 'Quite frankly, I didn't think our defense played very well this year at all,' Mara said. 'I'm tired of watching teams go up and down the field on us.' Mara also stated that he'd leave the decision to coach Brian Daboll on whether 'he wants to make replacements in the staff.' Daboll chose not to change to a third defensive coordinator in three seasons, so Bowen was spared, and defensive backs coaches Jerome Henderson and Mike Treier took the fall for poor performance from a woefully undermanned secondary. Bowen returns with a new lease on life after general manager Joe Schoen invested heavily in upgrading the defensive personnel. The Giants' biggest free-agent splashes were cornerback Paulson Adebo and safety Jevon Holland, while they used the No. 3 pick in the draft on outside linebacker Abdul Carter and filled a hole with defensive tackle Darius Alexander in the third round. The unit looks strong on paper. There will be pressure on Bowen to maximize the talent. But that's preferable to the pressure of last season when he had to lead a defense devoid of talent at crucial spots. K Graham Gano Gano's $5.7 million salary cap hit could have put him on the chopping block, especially when factoring his age and injury history. But the 38-year-old survived the typical salary cap casualty portion of the offseason, and then his job security was strengthened by the Giants electing not to draft a kicker despite making two picks in the seventh round. The Giants didn't add any kickers in undrafted free agency either, so that leaves international exemption Jude McAtamney as the only other kicker on the roster. Gano's hold on the kicking job appears as secure as ever. WR Jalin Hyatt The Giants didn't sign any notable wide receivers in free agency. They also didn't draft any receivers. That leaves Hyatt's position on the roster as strong as it was last year despite an eight-catch, 62-yard season. The biggest win for Hyatt was the signing of quarterback Russell Wilson, who should accentuate the speedster's strength of catching deep balls. Even if the pre-draft criticisms of Hyatt as a one-trick pony prove accurate, Wilson gives him a chance to maximize that skill more than any other quarterback available this offseason. OL Greg Van Roten Van Roten had to wait until July to sign a one-year, $3 million contract with the Giants last year. That worked out well for both sides, as the 35-year-old played every offensive snap — 15 starts at right guard, two starts at center. Van Roten had a much shorter wait this offseason, signing a one-year contract worth up to $4 million in the first week of free agency in March. Things could have broken differently for Van Roten if the Giants' pursuit of top free agent guard Will Fries had been successful. But when Fries signed a five-year, $87.7 million contract with the Vikings, the Giants pivoted to re-signing Van Roten rather than spending on another guard. Van Roten is in good position to retain his starting job since the Giants didn't make any additions at guard. Fifth-round pick Marcus Mbow will start out at tackle, so Van Roten's main competition figures to come from Evan Neal, who is transitioning to guard after flopping at tackle. S Dane Belton The Giants signed Holland to replace Jason Pinnock in the starting lineup, but otherwise made no additions at safety aside from two undrafted free agent signings. That has Belton positioned to maintain the No. 3 safety job. He could have been in jeopardy if the Giants had spread money to two veteran free agents or drafted a safety in addition to Holland. This is a spot that could still see a veteran signing before the season, but Belton's special teams value puts him in good position to maintain his role. Losers OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux Something has to give with the team's trio of edge rushers. The Giants traded for Brian Burns and gave him a $141 million contract last offseason. They took Carter with the No. 3 pick this offseason. That figures to leave Thibodeaux, the No. 5 pick in the 2022 draft, as the odd man out eventually. There will be no major changes immediately. The Giants exercised Thibodeaux's $14.8 million fifth-year option for the 2026 season, but they'll likely reassess next offseason after seeing how the three edge rushers blend. It's hard to envision the Giants giving Thibodeaux the type of payday he'll be seeking with so much invested in Burns and Carter. In the short term, someone's playing time is going to be reduced to create opportunities for Carter. The Giants will likely lighten the load of both veterans, but Thibodeaux's days of playing 80 percent of the snaps are surely over. OL Evan Neal The writing was on the wall for Neal when Schoen emphasized how important swing tackle was in the team's offseason plans. The Giants have Andrew Thomas and Jermaine Eluemunor as their starting tackles, so Neal conceivably could have been slotted in as the swing tackle. That he wasn't even a consideration for that role — the Giants signed James Hudson and Stone Forsythe — showed that Neal has no future at tackle despite team brass' reluctance to confirm he'd be moving to guard. Neal is set to enter a crowded competition at a position he hasn't played since his freshman year at Alabama in 2019. It makes sense to see if the 6-foot-7, 340-pounder can be more effective inside, but there's no guarantee Neal will successfully make the transition. With Hudson and Mbow assured backup spots, Neal could land on the roster bubble if he struggles during training camp. QB Tommy DeVito DeVito would have been assured of another season as the Giants' third quarterback if they had passed on the position in the draft. Instead, the selection of Jaxson Dart in the first round sealed DeVito's fate, since Wilson and Jameis Winston are already locked into roster spots. DeVito should consider requesting his release since there's no path to a spot on the Giants' active roster. It will be much harder for him to find a viable opportunity to make another team at cut day than it would be now in the early stages of the offseason program. The Giants likely wouldn't grant that request, however, since he has value as the only quarterback on the roster with experience in the system as they go through the offseason program. DeVito also provides an experienced insurance policy if a QB gets injured. The Giants will likely want to carry DeVito on the practice squad. We'll find out if he has any value around the league when he hits waivers after cut day. If DeVito has to decide between practice squad offers, the Giants may be the most appealing option based on the off-field opportunities afforded in New York that wouldn't be available in any other market. RB Devin Singletary Singletary lost the starting job to rookie Tyrone Tracy while sidelined by injury for two games early last season. Singletary was a complete non-factor after returning in Week 7, averaging 3.8 yards per carry while getting just five carries per game. Singletary's role should be reduced even more by the Giants' selection of Cam Skattebo in the fourth round. The three-year, $16.5 million contract Singletary signed last offseason contains an out after the second year. It surely will be utilized after this season if the young backs develop as expected. RB Eric Gray The Skattebo pick should eventually cost Singletary his roster spot. The blow figures to be more immediate for Gray, who has failed to make an impact in two seasons since being a fifth-round pick in the 2023 draft. Gray has just 31 carries in two seasons, and he has failed to impress as a returner. The Giants carried three running backs last season, so Gray's fate is likely sealed with Tracy, Skattebo and Singletary ahead of him on the depth chart. (Photos of Evan Neal and Kayvon Thibodeaux: Luke Hales and Mitchell Leff / Getty Images)
