'Earn trust by the drop, lose it by the bucket': Why Giants rookies have won over this team

EAST RUTHERFORD - In the middle of a post-game media scrum at his locker following the most difficult moment of his NFL career so far, New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers apologized to his veteran teammates.

A fourth-down drop by Nabers cost the Giants a chance to win late two weeks ago against Washington, but given his performance from the start in that game - not to mention how he has handled himself since joining the team in May - there was no shade needed from anyone in that locker room.

"I told him after I saw that [interview after the Washington game], he didn't let anyone down," Giants star defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence said Sunday. "It's gonna happen. We're pros. We're gonna make some plays, we're gonna miss some plays. All the greats do. So, it's just about responding.”

That's exactly what Nabers did in helping deliver Big Blue its first victory a week later.

And Nabers is not alone.

The Giants' rookie class is playing more than any other in the NFL, and make no mistake: veterans in this league know the difference in whether that's forced or earned.

The Giants have the highest percentage of rookies on the field so far this season, led by Nabers, the No. 6 overall pick who is preparing for his first taste of prime time in the NFL on Thursday night against the Cowboys.

But this goes beyond just snap count. It's about earning respect and building relationships, and being willing to live with mistakes for the greater good - as long as the work ethic is there. The talent matters as well, of course - the higher the skill set, the longer the proverbial leash, the greater the patience and understanding.

"It's consistency, bro," Giants safety Jason Pinnock told NorthJersey.com. "I live by the quote, 'You earn trust by the drop, but you lose it by the bucket,' and that's the biggest thing - stay consistent and work."

Life as an NFL rookie comes with immense pressure. High draft picks, such as Nabers and second-round safety Tyler Nubin, set out to justify the draft capital spent on them from the moment they step inside the building.

There are those such as third-round nickel corner Dru Phillips, fourth-round tight end Theo Johnson and fifth-round running back Tyrone Tracy Jr., whose talent earns them opportunities that are bound to come with growing pains.

Then there are rookies such as sixth-round linebacker Darius Muasau and undrafted free agent tryout Elijah Chatman, both of whom carry the anxiety of being one organizational decision away from either hitting the waiver wire, heading to the practice squad or out of the league for good.

The Giants have the two highest-graded rookies so far this season (Nabers and Phillips), according to Pro Football Focus. Nubin has played every defensive snap, joining linebacker Bobby Okereke, who has not missed one in 20 games since signing with the Giants.

Acclimating to the NFL is not easy, and that goes for the players and the coaches.

On a roster whose foundation was decimated by years of drafting and free agent missteps in three previous failed regimes, the Giants needed to get contributions from their rookies in each of coach Brian Daboll's first three seasons to be competitive.

There have been mixed results in roster building over three offseasons for general manager Joe Schoen and Daboll, and for a franchise that has lost as much as the Giants have for more than a decade through the lack of continuity, inconsistency and mistakes in personnel (and personal) evaluation.

If the Giants are going to turn the corner, they must strike the proper balance between youth and experience.

"You have to know the player, understand what makes them tick, and what doesn't," Daboll said. "For young players, they're going to make mistakes. Everybody's going to make mistakes. But young players, that's why you play them, because you think they have good talent. They're going to go through some growing pains here and there. But you can learn from them, learning from the things that show up. And then as the season goes on, you see improvement from those young players."

The learning curve for tight end Theo Johnson was bound to be sharper, considering the position he plays and how much Daboll has thrown on his plate. There have been ups and downs, some questions as to whether potential misreads on choice routes led to miscommunication with Daniel Jones.

The Giants feel as though Johnson's potential rewards within this offense outweigh the risks, and while they will obviously look to minimize those, Daboll believes his development in real time is necessary to speed up the process.

"It's a difficult position to play," Daboll said, pointing out that the tight ends share responsibilities with the offensive line, the passing game in its entirety, all protections and then their own individual roles in the game plan. "Protection meeting here, run game meeting here, pass game meeting here, and then you're like, I've got 10 minutes of individual time. They do a good job. [Johnson and tight ends coach Tim Kelly] meet early. He's a smart young man. He's done a nice job."

When Chatman registered his first sack in Cleveland, Lawrence was the first teammate to congratulate him. The All-Pro defensive tackle believes this rookie class has proven it belongs as a significant part of the team because they continue to prove it.

"I've told them, they have got to earn it every week - they've got to earn that respect every day," Lawrence told NorthJersey.com. "You can be happy for that moment and enjoy it, but you can't let that hinder your growth. I think that's the biggest thing as a rookie you've got to understand. One bad play isn't who you are. One good play isn't who you are. Consistency is how you become great and I'm excited about the rookies we have. They play really hard and that's all you can really ask."

The signs are there if rookies are not ready for prime time. You can't convince veterans in this league that players deserve to be in the lineup solely due to draft status and financial commitment.

In other words, teams can't sell false hope - that's how locker rooms are lost - and Pinnock promises the Giants are embracing the gains made by their Class of 2024 already and what is yet to come.

"It's pre-snap communication, calm feet. It's about being comfortable," he said. "Because we're all human - we've got these subconscious, non-verbal mannerisms, and it's like, 'Oh, he's uncomfortable, he's not ready or he is.' You can't hide it at this level. You can just tell if rookies have it or they don't. Our guys have it, from what we've seen so far, and it's a great feeling not just for the future of this team, but for what we're trying to do right now."

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: 'Earn trust by the drop, lose it by the bucket': Why Giants rookies have won over this team