8/02 NY Giants Training Camp Quotes from Justin Tuck

Quotes from New York Giants defensive end Justin Tuck via the Giants Communications Office.

Justin Tuck on Giants rookie defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul: "Another pass rusher. Obviously he's developing and what's important now is that we're going to take it slow with him, and he's picking up things day to day. I'm excited to see what he's going to be able to do when we get the pads and we really start throwing things at him...he's going to go a long way. I think he's going to continue to get a lot better."

Tuck on the Giants defensive line: "Everyone knows Mathias [Kiwanuka], Osi [Umenyiora], Dave [Tolefson], myself and now you throw (Pierre-Paul) in the mix, and it's a good problem to have, I'll say that. There's a lot of dogs on the football field and not enough bones but that's actually a good problem to have so we'll figure it out.

Tuck on training camp: "It's very important. I'll be the first one to tell you that I'm not excited to be at training camp but we understand that especially these first couple of days will be important, especially that everyone's been running and everyone has to be in great shape but there's a difference between running and putting the pads on and pushing around 300 pounders."

Tuck on being in shape: "We're not going to really be in game shape until I think the last pre-season game. Every level you go to there's a different intensity. The first practice there's a certain intensity, the first day of pads there's a different intensity, and the first pre-season game there's a certain intensity, so you can't really judge how things are going to be yet."

Tuck on "talent" on the Giants: "The one thing we have to be careful about is locking into that word "talent." We had the same talent last year, and we all know what happened last year, so I only focus on working and taking that talent and getting some production behind it. The healthier we can stay this year, the more we can stay on the football field, take reps and the better we'll be."

Very interesting to hear Tuck cautiously put over the skills of rookie Jason Pierre-Paul. Hopefully, the "a lot of dogs on the football field and not enough bones" quote rings true with everybody on the Giants defensive line. Otherwise, the same ugly problem regarding playing time could haunt the Giants in 2010.

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