A'Shawn Robinson says he feels great in first practice with Giants

A’Shawn Robinson was ready to go to work. He was finally a Big Blue-collar guy.

“I’m a hard-hat guy,” the Giants defensive tackle said. “I’ve got my lunch pail and I got my hard hat.”

The 6-4, 330-pounder practiced at training camp with his new team on Monday after passing his physical and coming off the physically unable to perform list. Robinson suffered a torn meniscus last season and was sidelined for the final seven games with the Rams.

“I feel great,” he said.

The Giants, who need to improve their run defense, added him to the tackle mix in April with a one-year contract.

“You’ve got to love physicality,” Robinson said. “You’ve got to want that contact.”

Robinson has seven NFL seasons of contact behind him. He has started 61 of 93 games in four years with the Lions and the last three with the Rams.

“I’d say he has good experience,” coach Brian Daboll said. “He’s a big man. He’s got good length, does a nice job versus the running game and . . . [he’s] another good guy that we thought would fit into our system well.”

Off to Detroit

The Giants practiced Monday and then were Detroit-bound. They will participate in joint practices with the Lions on Tuesday and Wednesday, then open the preseason against them Friday night.

Daboll thinks the joint practices are beneficial. Nickel back Darnay Holmes also is enthused.

“At the end of the day . . . we’re all competitive, so going against a new face, a new team, it brings a different level of excitement,” Holmes said.

Extra points

Right tackle Evan Neal still is in concussion protocol after suffering the injury in a collision at practice on Friday . . . Offensive lineman Marcus McKethan (knee) also came off the physically unable to perform list.