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After returning to the New York Giants on the rarely-used unrestricted free agent tender, many believed linebacker Markus Golden was in store for a major role defensively.
Through the first five weeks of the season however, that has not been the case.
In Week 1, Golden took just 22 defensive snaps (34%) and that dropped to 15 defensive snaps (23%) in Week 2. The inconsistency continued in Weeks 3 and 4 when Golden took 23 (30%) and 7 (12%) defensive snaps, respectively.
Things changed drastically in Week 5 after Lorenzo Carter went down with a ruptured Achilles tendon. With Oshane Ximines (shoulder) also out, Golden saw his defensive snap count increase to 57 (86%).
Despite the roller coaster changes for Golden, he insists he’s not frustrated by his role or the uncertain nature of it.
“Not frustrated at all. I’ve been in the league for awhile, so I know some weeks you can get a lot of plays, other weeks you can’t get lot of plays,” Golden told reporters on Thursday. “My focus every week is the same no matter what. Whether I’m starting, whether I’m backing up. It’s go hard in practice, learn the game plan and prepare like I’m starting. I don’t allow that stuff to get me frustrated. I just try to focus and take it one day at a time and be ready when my name is called.”
Golden will certainly see an increased role now that the Giants are suffering at outside linebacker. Even with some of the team’s rookies beginning to make noise, the onus will fall on he and fellow veteran, Kyler Fackrell, to carry the load.
Like Fackrell, Golden is ready for the challenge because, well… he’s always ready.
“I prepare every week no matter what because you never know what could happen in this league. You have to be prepared. I never want to be somebody that goes to a game, ‘Oh, I might not play this week.’ Then all of a sudden, I have to play and I’m not ready, I don’t know what’s going on out there.” Golden said.
“I’m expected to know what I have to do on the field, and like I said, I have to be able to do my job to help this team win. I would say my mindset is the same whether I feel like I’m not playing or I feel like I’m going to get a lot of plays. I’m going to come out ready and prepared.”
Golden brings that same mindset to every aspect of the game and every aspect of his position.
“Each week you’re asked to do different stuff. That’s how it’s been for me since I have been in the league,” he added. “You might see me rushing a lot since I am able to get after the passer. That might make people think that’s all I do is rush the passer. I’ve played Sam linebacker since I have been in the league. I did a lot of dropping, a lot of different things in the NFL.
“Football is still football to me, no matter what. It might be a little different with coverage and everything. Once you lock in and understand what you have to do, football is still football at the end of the day.”
Whatever his role may be and however it may change in the coming weeks, Golden is ready to take things on full steam ahead. And that’s good news for the Giants because they certainly need him to step up now.
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