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New York Giants rookie linebacker Cam Brown hasn’t taken a single defensive snap this season, but he’s showed up on special teams and he’s begun to carve out a role that way.
But with Oshane Ximines (shoulder) and Lorenzo Carter (Achilles) now both out, the Giants may have no other choice than to turn Brown from a rookie special teamer to a situational pass rusher — a job he did well at Penn State.
Should they call on him, special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey is more than confident Brown will answer the bell.
“Cam is smart, first of all. He’s 6-foot-5, he’s 235-240 pounds and he can run like a deer. He has great length and speed, he’s smart, he’s physical. He’s very physical,” McGaughey told reporters on Thursday. “He plays every snap full speed. He is wide open every single time down the field. He’s a high-energy kid, he loves football, and he wants to learn. Those things, those attributes, just having that size and length and being physical. Then couple it with being able to run like he can, that’s just God-given.”
McGaughey believes that Brown has so much potential that a $70 million contract awaits somewhere down the line so long as the 22-year-old keeps working hard.
“He’s a big, strong, physical kid who has a special skillset. I think the more plays he makes, the more confident he’ll get,” McGaughey said. “The game will slow down for him. Once the game starts to slow down for him, it’s already starting to slow down on special teams. Once it starts to slow down on defense, I think the sky is the limit for the kid. The kid has a big upside. He’s a good kid and he works his tail off. I tell him all the time, I think he has $70 million walking around inside of him. It’s up to him to tap it.”
Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham stopped short of sharing similar expectations, but acknowledged that Brown certainly stands out on special teams and has repeatedly displayed a unique athleticism.
“Cam stands out to me in terms of kickoff. We talk about all the time, kickoff, punt coverage, that’s really the first play of a defensive possession,” Graham said. “The contribution there, I’ve seen him split double teams making a tackle. You know that tackle counts for defense, alright thanks, you just saved us a first down.”
Whether or not Brown earns his first defensive snap in Week 6 against the Washington Football Team remains to be seen, but his trajectory is clear. He’s only going to be a special teamer for so long before Graham and others want to tap into that freakish athletic talent defensively.
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