Ecstatic Bobby Okereke not only Colt to agree with Giants
Colts linebacker Bobby Okereke during an NFL game on Nov. 6, 2022, in Foxborough, Mass. Credit: AP/Charles Krupa
As free agency approached, Bobby Okereke said there were “a couple of teams who were interested throughout the process.”
Turns out, Okereke was interested in one.
“I told my agent from Day 1, I want to play in New York City,” Okereke said. “NYC’s been one of my favorite cities my whole life, and this franchise is on the rise.”
Done deal.
The Giants agreed to terms with Okereke on a reported four-year, $40 million contract on Monday. The linebacker was introduced to the media Thursday via a Zoom call.
It was a busy day for the Giants, who added Okereke’s former teammate in Indianapolis, receiver Parris Campbell, as well as bringing back their own wideout, Darius Slayton.
Okereke clearly made an impression on Giants decision-makers with his play as a member of the Colts in Week 17 at MetLife Stadium.
He made 17 tackles in the game, two for loss, and forced a fumble.
“I was very fortunate to play behind DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart, very elite defensive tackles,” Okereke, 26, said of his time in Indianapolis, “and to be able to replicate that, if not improve on that here, with Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams, it’s just a very fortunate opportunity for me as a linebacker. I’m excited. I’m excited to meet the leaders of this team and I’m excited to be a part of this defense and this franchise.”
A two-year starter, Okereke racked up a whopping 283 tackles over the last two seasons. In 2022, he ranked 10th in the NFL with a career-high 151 tackles (six for loss), five pass deflections, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 17 games (16 starts).
Originally a third-round pick in 2019, Okereke has played 64 regular-season games and has started 49. He has missed only two games in four seasons.
“I’m just happy to be part of this franchise and want people to understand what they’re getting from me — a smart guy, a humble guy, a sideline-to-sideline, fast, physical linebacker,’’ he said. “I’m ready to rock.”
The Giants started the new year by punching their playoff ticket with a 38-10 win over the Colts on Jan. 1. Clearly the Giants’ talent evaluators were watching closely; they have signed Okereke and Campbell in free agency.
Colts wide receiver Parris Campbell celebrates a catch during an NFL game against the Texans on Jan. 8 in Indianapolis.
Credit: AP/Zach Bolinger
The 6-foot, 208-pound Campbell was a second-round draft pick by the Colts in 2019. He played only 15 games in his first three seasons because of various injuries. In 2022, the 25-year-old stayed healthy, playing in all 17 games and starting 16. He had 63 receptions for 623 yards and three touchdowns. Against the Giants, he caught three passes for 52 yards.
Campbell’s deal is for one year and $3 million. Among the incentives is a $100,000 bonus for each game in which he is active.
Of Campbell, Okereke said the Giants are getting “a great leader, competitive as hell, a great guy all-around. He’s always had elite speed.”
As for Slayton, a fifth-round pick of the Giants in 2019 who made a comeback in 2022, he agreed to a two-year deal reportedly worth $12 million. Slayton had 46 catches for 724 yards and two touchdowns. He also is highly thought of within the locker room.
While the Giants will find out what Campbell can do, and if he can stay healthy, Okereke will be a key to Wink Martindale’s defense. Okereke sounds like a guy who is embracing the responsibility.
“This is a team I had my eye on,” he said. “There was a lot of mutual interest, and then when things lined up, I told my agent I was ready to pull the trigger. This, honestly, is the perfect situation for me . . . I love to run and hit and I’m really a team-first guy. I don’t have a big ego, humble guy. I just want to win games.”
Kimberly Jones covers the Giants for Newsday, a beat she first worked in the early 2000s before joining the YES Network to cover the Yankees. She worked for the NFL Network for more than a decade and has been heard semi-regularly on WFAN.
