Ereck Flowers, negotiating his own contract, doesn't see a holdout in his Giants future

EAST RUTHERFORD ‐ First-round pick Ereck Flowers says he's getting close with the Giants on his rookie contract. He should know. Flowers is serving as his own agent.

There is no real rush (and really very little room to negotiate), but the No. 9 overall selection is the highest-drafted player still without a rookie deal. Last week he told NJ Advance Media negotiations were "going good." This week he added that he doesn't believe a training camp holdout is in his future.

"I don't really see it getting to that point," Flowers said on Wednesday after practicing on Day 2 of minicamp.

Rookies without contracts can participate in the spring because they signed waivers that guarantee teams will negotiate in good faith in case of injury. It held up in the case of Jaguars defensive end Dante Fowler, the No. 3 overall pick who tore his ACL earlier this spring.

These past few months have been important for Flowers and the Giants. They are trying to get him up to speed to be their left tackle after Will Beatty tore his pectoral muscle in the weight room last month.

Flowers has even been double-shifting with the first and second-team offenses. He believes the extra reps are paying off.

"I'm leaving here better and trying to come back even better than when I left," Flowers said. "I think I've gotten a lot better since I'm here."

Organized team activities and minicamp can only show so much about a linemen (offensive and defensive). As defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo explained Tuesday, you really evaluate the players' ability to learn in the spring.

Coach Tom Coughlin knows the real evaluation will come this summer during training camp.

"It is not easy," Coughlin said last week about evaluating linemen without pads. "You look at every tape and try to be as technical as you can, but there are obvious restrictions for both defense and offense without the pads."

Flowers believes he's making the most of the situation. He was considered raw coming out of the University of Miami, but blessed with tremendous physical skills.
"What I've really learned is technique," he said. "You have to use more technique without pads."

The power and nastiness that comes with the aircraft carrier has been temporarily tempered by the rules.

"You can't finish right now," Flowers said. "You'll get someone hurt."

Eventually, though, Flowers will be under contract and able to show what he can really do.


(nj.com)