The New York Giants signed veteran offensive lineman James Hudson III to a two-year, $12 million deal this offseason in hopes he would lock down the swing tackle role — a job he likened to an MLB closer.
While he has yet to secure that job officially, Hudson certainly has made his presence felt.
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During the team’s mandatory minicamp this spring, the 6-foot-5, 313-pound Hudson got into it with both Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux. That carried over into training camp, where tempers between the three continued to flare.
On Monday, Hudson and Thibodeaux nearly came to blows after the hulking tackle tossed the linebacker to the ground during 1-on-1 drills.
Although head coach Brian Daboll prefers to avoid summertime fights, he’s come away pleased with the edge and attitude Hudson provides the offensive line room.
“I love it, for an offensive lineman,” he said. “You’re always looking for offensive linemen that bring an edge. Again, we got to be smart, so what’s it going to be in the fourth quarter when things get tough and somebody shoves you and pushes you?
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“When you get tired, you don’t want to do dumb things that affect the team in a negative way, but his edge and his personality has been a welcomed addition to the room.”
Daboll admits Hudson is all business all the time, although he will occasionally try to make him crack a smile.
“He’s a very athletic guy, was able to play both sides of the ball, and he had a good play style, but now you get to know him at a different level. In the meetings, he’s a pretty serious guy. I try to get him to smile once a day, doesn’t always work,” Dabes said. “He’s had a good camp, playing there at left tackle every down, so we want that aggressive approach.”
Hudson brings the kind of grit that the offensive line, and the Giants as a whole, have been missing for years.
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This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants’ Brian Daboll: James Hudson brings welcomed personality, edge