The New York Giants have experienced a whirlwind few days.
The team lost starting quarterback Jaxson Dart for the season, traded for quarterback J.J. McCarthy, watched veteran wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. get released and then learned that one of its defensive leaders, Brian Burns, will be sidelined.
For a team preparing for another important week, there is plenty that could become a distraction.
But inside the Giants’ locker room, the message from tight end Isaiah Likely and outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux is remarkably consistent:
Control what you can control.
For Likely, that means continuing to build chemistry with Jameis Winston while simultaneously helping newly acquired McCarthy understand the offense.
For Thibodeaux, it means accepting a larger responsibility with Burns out and focusing on becoming the best version of himself.
Neither player is ignoring the changes around them.
They’re simply refusing to allow them to dictate the team’s mindset.
Likely: Building Chemistry Takes Work
Likely has already experienced what it takes to develop chemistry with a quarterback.
His connection with Dart appeared to develop quickly, but Likely made it clear Tuesday that the relationship didn’t simply happen.
There were early mornings.
There were late nights.
There was work behind the scenes that eventually translated onto the field.
Now, he is doing the same thing with Winston.
“I mean, I’d say the starting points with me and Jaxson wasn’t there as well,” Likely explained. “But obviously things took time.”
That perspective is particularly important for the Giants as they transition at quarterback.
Winston is now responsible for leading the offense, while McCarthy has arrived through a trade and will have to learn the system before potentially seeing the field.
Likely understands that his role extends beyond simply running routes and catching passes.
He wants to make sure that whoever is taking the snaps understands what he is seeing.
“Really just trying to reiterate the things that I’m talking about with Jameis to him, whether it’s on the field, in the film room, or just walking around in the hallway,” Likely said.
That includes McCarthy.
The tight end admitted he didn’t know much about the former Michigan quarterback before the trade, other than knowing McCarthy was a highly drafted, winning quarterback who can make plays with his legs.
Now the process of getting to know him begins.
The Work Behind the Connection
Likely’s description of his relationship with Winston may be even more revealing.
When asked what he meant by “fighting like heck” to get on the same page, he didn’t hesitate.
It’s repetition.
It’s film.
It’s practice.
It’s going over the same route repeatedly.
It’s making sure that when a critical situation arrives on Sunday, both players see the same thing.
“Whether it’s at practice, harping on a rep over and over, whether it’s a crucial route that we’re going to have to hit with the game on the line,” Likely said.
That’s the kind of work that doesn’t necessarily show up on a stat sheet.
But it can determine whether an offense converts a third down, extends a drive or finds the end zone.
Likely acknowledged that there were plays against Tennessee that he and Winston would both like to have back.
But he also understands that chemistry isn’t built overnight.
“That’s just growing pains in the offense,” he said. “At the end of the day, we got the W.”
For Likely, the objective is simple: make sure those growing pains become progress.
A “Chess Piece” in a Changing Offense
The Giants currently have only three wide receivers on the roster, although that could change.
That potentially puts even more importance on players capable of moving around the formation.
Likely embraces that role.
“I love being called a chess piece,” he said.
Whether he’s lined up in the slot, in the backfield or split out wide, Likely wants to be wherever the offensive design requires him.
That versatility could become particularly valuable as the Giants continue navigating injuries and roster changes.
Rather than looking at the circumstances as additional pressure, Likely sees them as an opportunity to contribute wherever he is needed.
His focus is preparation.
Know the playbook.
Know where he’s supposed to be.
Know what each play is asking him to do.
Then take advantage of the opportunities that come his way.
Thibodeaux: Bigger Role, Same Approach
On the other side of the ball, Thibodeaux is facing a significant change of his own.
With Burns sidelined, Thibodeaux is expected to take on an increased role.
And while Burns’ absence hurts, Thibodeaux sees an opportunity to return to a position where he can focus on doing what comes naturally.
“I’ve just got to play my game,” Thibodeaux said. “I’ve got to command, and I’ve got to make my presence known.”
For Thibodeaux, that doesn’t mean trying to become Burns.
It means being Kayvon Thibodeaux.
Playing hard.
Making plays.
Being there for his teammates.
He also acknowledged that returning primarily to the edge could allow him to focus more directly on one responsibility after spending considerable time playing inside.
“I would say definitely, just being able to kind of focus on one job and be out there and be able to deliver for the team,” he said.
Another Veteran Departure
Like Likely, Thibodeaux was also asked about Beckham’s release.
His response was filled with respect for a player whose career has included significant highs and difficult setbacks.
“He’s a legend in the game and he’s fought so hard to make his way back in this league,” Thibodeaux said.
Thibodeaux believes Beckham can still make an impact somewhere else.
Likely echoed that sentiment, expressing appreciation for having played alongside Beckham in both Baltimore and New York.
Both players recognize that the NFL is a business where change can happen quickly.
And over the past week, the Giants have experienced plenty of it.
“A Stabilization Period”
Perhaps the most revealing portion of Thibodeaux’s conversation came when he was asked whether the injuries and roster moves could create panic within the organization.
His answer was straightforward.
He called it a “stabilization period.”
The Giants aren’t pretending the situation is insignificant.
But Thibodeaux believes the team has to resist looking too far ahead.
“We’ve just got to keep taking every week one by one and just realize that it’s still football at the end of the day,” he said.
That philosophy extends to the quarterback situation.
Dart is out.
Winston is now leading the offense.
McCarthy has arrived.
But Thibodeaux doesn’t believe players on defense should spend their time worrying about someone else’s responsibilities.
In his words, players have to focus on their “one of 11.”
“When things start getting cloudy, just go back to doing the fundamentals and basics,” Thibodeaux said.
For a defense dealing with the loss of Burns, that means everyone doing his assignment.
For the offense, it means Winston and Likely continuing to develop their connection.
For the entire team, it means refusing to allow the circumstances surrounding them to become an excuse.
The Giants’ New Reality
There is no denying that the Giants’ circumstances have changed dramatically over the past week.
The loss of Dart altered the quarterback picture.
The acquisition of McCarthy gives the organization another young quarterback to develop.
The loss of Burns changes the responsibilities along the defensive front.
And Beckham’s release closes another chapter.
Yet the message coming from inside the locker room isn’t one of panic.
It’s preparation.
It’s repetition.
It’s accountability.
It’s next man up.
Likely is staying late and getting extra work with Winston.
Thibodeaux is preparing to take on more responsibility.
Both understand that the Giants don’t have the luxury of waiting for everything to settle down.
They have a game to play Sunday against Arizona.
And Thibodeaux’s message might best summarize the Giants’ approach to everything that has happened:
“Controlling what we can control.”
For the Giants, that means putting the distractions aside, sharpening their fundamentals and moving forward one week at a time.
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