Isaiah Wilson’s off-field history, commitment to football and fitness all were major concerns when he signed with the Giants’ practice squad on Sept. 30.
So it was encouraging on Wednesday to hear Andrew Thomas, Wilson’s Georgia teammate, endorse the practice squad lineman’s start with the team.
“I think Isaiah definitely has his head on straight,” Thomas said Wednesday. “He’s trying to learn. He’s trying to get the playbook. We’ve sat down and had a couple talks because a lot of our scheme at Georgia was pretty similar. So just translating the terms was the biggest thing for him, and he’s learning pretty well.”
Thomas also said Wilson, who played right tackle at Georgia, is adjusting to his move inside to guard with the Giants.
“Moving him inside, playing a little bit more guard, he played tackle in college, so we’ll see how he does with that,” Thomas said.
Wilson, 22, is a developmental project for the Giants. He is working on losing weight and getting in football shape, which will take time. He is not expected to be a factor this season, although coach Joe Judge didn’t rule that out last week.
“I think we have long term plans for this guy in terms of where we see this guy being able to help in the future,” Judge said after a developmental bye week practice. “However, in terms of this year, he’s made a lot of progress and if the situation arises and the opportunity comes up, we’re getting him ready to go ahead and help us.”
The Giants have not made Wilson available to the media since he signed. He has missed practices in two different weeks for what the team referred to as an illness.
Offensive line coach Rob Sale’s early review of Wilson was that he had to get in shape first before they could properly evaluate him.
Wilson is listed as 330 pounds on the Giants’ team roster, which is not believed to be accurate. This third NFL stop is viewed as his last opportunity to turn his career around.
The Tennessee Titans picked him late in the 2020 first-round and cut him due to a variety of incidents and issues. One was a January arrest at gunpoint after he wrecked his car at the end of a high-speed chase with police that uncovered acid, marijuana and paraphernalia.
The Miami Dolphins tried to help him and he lasted only three days there after skipping workouts and showing late to meetings. A league source told the Daily News when he signed that Wilson simply “doesn’t love football.”
The Giants have gone to great lengths to keep Wilson off the media’s grid, so there is no first-hand information on how well Wilson is doing, and little second-hand information, too.
But Thomas’ early review is at least encouraging, because Thomas is honest and has a good head on his shoulders, and he wouldn’t have said that if he didn’t believe it.
BOOKER STARTS WEEK ON THE SIDE
Running back Devontae Booker (hip), the Giants’ top offensive option this season, worked on the side with trainers at Wednesday’s practice.
Booker, 29, a free agent signing in the spring, leads all Giants skill players with 105 offensive touches and 476 yards from scrimmage. His three TDs are tied with Saquon Barkley for the team lead, too.
Barkley looks like he will play on Monday night at Tampa for the first time in five games, but it’s possible Booker’s sore hip will keep him out, if not sidelined and limited.
Including the Week 4 loss at Dallas, when Barkley turned his left ankle, Booker has 95 touches for 440 yards (4.6 yards per touch) and three TDs as the top weapon in Jason Garrett’s attack.
Otherwise at Wednesday’s one-hour walkthrough practice, TE Kaden Smith (knee) and special teamer Nate Ebner (ankle) were not on the field. Kicker Graham Gano and edge rusher Lorenzo Carter also were kept away due to a stomach bug, Judge said. WR Sterling Shepard (quad) worked with trainers.
Booker, Gano and RB Eli Penny were both back with the team after being absent on Monday due to personal matters. Carter has missed the Giants’ last two games with an ankle injury.
This post first appeared on ocregister.com
ncG1vNJzZmhqZGy7psPSmqmorZ6Zwamx1qippZxemLyue82erqxnkaOxs7HWZquhp52WwG6%2FwLKqZp%2BZlru1v4yiqpqhkZ16uLXLrKanZaCnrqTAyJygp59dlsFus9SaqZ1llJqzqrrIrZylsV2drrR5x6KqZqCVlrFuu81mqq2qkZ60qcCO