New York Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke struggled in his first season under defensive coordinator Shane Bowen after posting career-best numbers a year earlier under Wink Martindale.

Adding injury to insult, Okereke missed the final five games of the season due to a herniated disc.

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“Pretty scary disc injury. I was feeling some nerve pain. Couldn’t really sit for a couple of weeks,” he told reporters in May. “It’s the type of injury you need to come back better or worse from. So I just feel fortunate with the medical staff, training staff here took real good care of me, and I feel back and better than ever.”

Then came reports that Okereke had fallen out of favor with members of the Giants’ organization, with some questioning his value to the roster.

Okereke skrited all of that during his media session this spring, instead expressing optimism about his second year under Bowen.

“Yeah, Year 2 in the same system. I don’t think I’ve had that since my second year in the league, so I’m excited. I’ve been studying a lot this offseason, feel like I’m on a good mental page with Shane of how he wants to call the plays and everybody’s communication out there. So, it is fun. Less thinking, more playing,” he said.

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Despite the happy face, Dan Duggan of The Athletic says there was an “odd vibe” surrounding Okereke this offseason that was eerily reminiscent of the Blake Martinez situation in 2022.

There’s been an odd vibe around Okereke this offseason, beginning with reports that he had fallen out of favor with some in the organization and continuing with his unexplained disappearance from practices this spring. Okereke was brimming with optimism when he spoke to reporters after the team’s first OTA practice, but then he wasn’t in attendance at any of the next four open practices of the spring. Coach Brian Daboll doesn’t provide injury updates during the spring, so it’s not clear if Okereke suffered a setback with the back injury that sidelined him for the final five games of last season.

There are some parallels to linebacker Blake Martinez’s unexpected release before the 2022 season, but the main difference is Okereke was brought in by this regime. There would be no financial benefit to cutting Okereke, and he’s still superior to the alternatives on the roster despite a down 2024 season. When the dust settles, the Giants need Okereke to return to the disruptive form he displayed in 2023.

It’s entirely possible Okereke was absent as he recovers from the aforementioned herniated disc, but that doesn’t explain away the reports of underlying friction. If he and the Giants have issues, the two sides need to see them squashed before the regular season begins.

Okereke is a team captain, a locker room leader, and one of the best players on what could be a very talented defense.

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: NFL insider: ‘Odd vibe’ around Giants’ Bobby Okereke this offseason