Marshall Newhouse gives his thoughts on facing Jason Pierre-Paul in Giants practice
When Marshall Newhouse lined up at right tackle with the Giants' offense in Thursday's practice, there was a surprise waiting for him across the line of scrimmage: Jason Pierre-Paul.
Newhouse was the first to face JPP in an offense vs. defense situation as the defensive end returned to the field to participate in drills for the first time with the scout team.
"He looked quick," Newhouse told Newsday. "He looked good. He looked eager. Obviously it's going to be a process for him and however he feels getting back on the field, but for his second day back [with the team] after all of the weeks being on his own, he looked quick."
Newhouse has gone up against Pierre-Paul in the past. In fact, he called two of the three games he was with the Packers against the Giants the worst of his career.
"I was definitely not the player I am now," Newhouse said, "but he's been formidable in the past."
Still, Newhouse didn't come into Thursday's practice with any expectations of what Pierre-Paul would be capable of doing.
"It's such a unique situation," he said.
Nor would he speculate on how far away Pierre-Paul is from the player he was when Newhouse blocked him for real in 2012 and 2013.
"That'd be irresponsible to speculate on that," he said. "It'll be his own process combined with the trainers and his conditioning level and all that stuff. I think him being out there looking like he looks is promising, but everything right now is speculative. He'll have to take the steps to get back on the field which are different for everyone."
For Pierre-Paul in these first two days, they seem to be bounds more than steps.