Giants Country

Why Bobby Okereke is a Throwback to Old School Giants Defense

The Giants struck gold with their free-agent signing of linebacker Bobby Okereke.

Patricia Traina

Why Bobby Okereke is a Throwback to Old School Giants Defense
Why Bobby Okereke is a Throwback to Old School Giants Defense /
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There are several reasons why most NFL general managers try to avoid making huge splashes in free agency, one of which is that often, you never really get what you pay for.

That, fortunately, hasn't been the case for the New York Giants, whose investment in veteran linebacker Bobby Okereke has been paying dividends like crazy. 

The 27-year-old signed with the Giants this past off-season after spending the first four years of his career with the Colts and gave the Giants an up-close preview of just what a disruptive force he can be on defense last season when in the Week 17 game against the Giants, Okereke led all the defensive players on both teams with 17 tackles, including two for a loss.

With the Colts not re-signing the former Stanford defender, the Giants were right there with a four-year, $40 million offer, their biggest and longest free agent contract given out last year, to secure Okereke's talents.

He hasn't disappointed. Okereke, a team co-captain, currently leads the Giants' defense with 113 tackles, ninth overall in the league ahead of Week 14's games. 

He's third in tackles for a loss (9) and is tied with safety Xavier McKinney for second on the team in pass breakups (8).  

"It’s a lot of fun," Okereke said of playing for Martindale. "I think Wink does a good job of handing me the keys and letting me lead through my leadership and play. 

"I kind of work hand and hand, or side by side with him, whether it’s during the week or even in-game, just kind of what calls we’re seeing, what scheme the offense is running, what are our checks and balances that can be, so it’s been a lot of fun, and I think Wink’s done a really good job of promoting my growth."

Okereke, who per Pro Football Focus has 44 STOPS, the third most of his career, said he knew from his first meeting with Martindale and the rest of the staff that the Giants would be the place to take his talents to the next level. If he continues at his current pace, his tackle total could hit 160, which would be a new career high.

He's also done an outstanding job in coverage this season. Currently, he boasts a 94.9 NFL coverage rating, the lowest of his career.

A Well Respected Voice

Okereke's relentlessness and attention to detail have made his teammates take notice.

"I see why he went to Stanford," cornerback Adoree' Jackson said when asked what his initial thoughts about Okereke's joining the team were. "Just how he acts, the way he talks. But what I learned about him most is just what a good genuine dude he is.  

"Knowing about him and getting to meet him and talk with him, and obviously, now he’s my locker mate, just seeing how good of a person he is and how genuine he is, and just being able to talk to him, and the conversations flow easily. So, besides being a great athlete, him being a person is one of the things that I take away about being able to get to know Bobby."

Receiver Darius Slayton shared a cheeky story in which he had a playful bone to pick with Okereke when the linebacker first arrived in East Rutherford. 

"When he first got here, I kind of said to him, 'You know, you're trying to get me fired,' because he caused my lone fumble last offseason," Slayton recalled. "So I'm very happy to have his ball-punching prowess on my side now.

"He's played at a really high level for us. He’s made a lot of tackles and caused a lot of turnovers. At the end of the day, as football players, we all can respect somebody playing at a high level."

How Giants LB Bobby Okereke's Growth as a Leader Took Shape

The Iron Man

Besides his leadership and play-making ability, the hard-nosed Okereke is also in the midst of a season in which he's doing something that very few players have been able to do, given the rigors of an NFL campaign.

Okereke has played every snap for the Giants, including snaps played with a cracked rib, a broken finger, and a hip ailment.

"Yeah, I still believe I haven’t missed a snap," Okereke said proudly. "Ribs feeling better. I mean, I just love this team; I love this defense. I want to do everything I can to be out there for the guys and just help put this team in the best position to win.

Okereke's diligence in maintaining his body is appreciated by defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, who depends on Okereke to quarterback the defense.

"I think that's a tribute to his skillset, leadership, and knowledge of the defense," Martindale said.

Okereke wants to keep that streak going and would have liked to have kept his practice streak going as well, except in the case of the latter, he had to miss some reps a couple of weeks ago to do a little extra physical maintenance.

"Our linebacker room has done an incredible job stepping up, (safety/inside linebacker) Isaiah Simmons is playing very good ball, (inside linebacker) Micah McFadden is playing very good ball.

"We saw (inside linebacker) Carter Coughlin and (inside linebacker) Cam Brown come in and make explosive plays on special teams, so in the event I wasn’t able to play, I know those guys would step up and do a phenomenal job," he said. 

Darren Waller, Bobby Okereke Reflect on New Captainship with Giants

A Catalyst 

This season, Okereke's presence has not only given the Giants a significant upgrade at inside linebacker that's been missing for some time but also the catalyst behind second-year linebacker Micah McFadden's growth.

"So much," McFadden told Giants Country last month when asked what Okereke's presence has done for his game. "He's always given me little pointers and tips to think about throughout the week. Now, it's fine-tuning our communication, making sure we're always talking so we're always on the same page.

"And when he's understanding what I'm thinking, what I have in the play, and I'm understanding where he's at. We can just play off each other and play fast."

Helping McFadden and the rest of his teammates is what drives Okereke during the week to make sure he takes in as many reps as possible.

"The opportunities in practice where I’m in the training room or doing other stuff because I’m healing and I’m not out there, I miss it wholeheartedly," he said. "Every opportunity I can to be out there with my guys, I’m going to take advantage of it." 

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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