It didn’t take long for tempers to flare at Giants training camp.
In only the third practice of camp, cornerback Janoris Jenkins and safety Eric Pinkins got into a physical altercation at the end of Sunday’s practice at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford.
The two were doings sprints with the rest of the defense as the day was coming to a close when Pinkins finished his way out in front of the pack.
Jenkins sprinted up behind and ran right into Pinkins, pushing him backwards before delivering a punch or two.
The players had to be separated by teammates, but Giants head coach Ben McAdoo wouldn’t read too much into it.
“You know how it is with families. Sometimes you have some dustups but some of the best dust- ups you’re ever in is with family,” McAdoo said. “You learn from it and move on.”
The “dustup” comes on the eve of an off-day for players and two days before they get the chance to put some pads on.
The intensity level is starting to ramp up, but without pads there isn’t much the Giants can do to match that level of enthusiasm.
“When you put the pads on the intensity goes to a different level,” McAdoo said. “We’re going to be smart about how long we’re on the field … make sure we teach the fundamentals the right way before we just roll the ball out there and start hitting on each other.”
The temptation and desire to increase the physicality is definitely there, and it’s not just Jenkins and Pinkins who have made that evident.
“I know ‘Snacks’ (Damon Harrison) has been wanting to get after some guys but you can’t do too much until you get those pads on,” said linebacker Jonathan Casillas, who didn’t see the altercation at the end of practice. “I’ve been wanting to see him, he’s one of the better players in the league.”
Getting the pads on will also help the Giants get a better grasp on where guys stand in position battles, especially the one for who gets to play alongside Snacks Harrison on the interior defensive line.
The battle is one of the more intriguing ones at camp and includes Jay Bromley, Robert Thomas, Corbin Bryant and second-round pick Dalvin Tomlinson competing for that spot.
There’s plenty of excitement about Tomlinson, an Alabama product, but Casillas says it’s been hard to judge him after three days.
“Dalvin, he’s a young guy, but can’t really say he’s done too much because he hasn’t done anything too much interior-wise,” Casillas said. “But now we’re going to see how good Dalvin is.”
