Fewell: Not a fan of the rotation system

For the last few years, the Giants have tried to settle any bruised egos or uncertain feelings on the crowded defensive line by telling the players and the media that there are plenty of snaps for everybody. Last year they rotated their defensive linemen fairly regularly, allowing many people to get into the game. Same this year?

Not quite. Perry Fewell, the Giants’ new defensive coordinator, said today that he won’t have any scheduled rotations of defensive linemen like, well, like some previous, unsuccessful defensive coordinators around here might have.

“I like for our defensive linemen to play until they fall out,” Fewell said. “If they’re in there playing and they give me 100 percent effort and they can still give me 100 percent effort on first and second and third down, hey, I have no problem with that. If they need a blow, we’ll get them out. But I like our best players to be on the field at all times.”

That could be an issue with Osi Umenyiora and Mathias Kiwanuka already stating their desire to be the starter. Under the old system, the backup might have wound up playing just as many snaps as the guy who just happened to be out there for the first play of the game. Now, it sounds like that won’t be the case.

Does Fewell see that as a possible problem?

“All those guys have an opinion of what they’d like to do,” he said when Umenyiora and Kiwanuka were mentioned. “I would like for their dreams to come true, so if they want to start, hey, prove it. We’re going to have a lot of football, a lot of practice, so let’s just prove it and that will take care of itself.”

“The opportunity to have competition is great for our football team, especially at that defensive line position,” Fewell also said. “I think that should be the strength of our football team.”
 

PHOTOS: Giants rookie minicamp