The Giants already have Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Janoris Jenkins in the secondary, and new cornerback Leon Hall knows what he brings to the table.
“For one, I bring experience,” Hall said. “I think DRC and Jenkins have played awhile. I think that sometimes you can’t replace experience. It’s different when you play a 100 games and if you play 10 games. Just the feel and your knowledge of the game in general. With that being said, even last year when I was in Cincinnati talking to some of the younger guys that were there, sometimes I would learn stuff from them. I’m coming into it with an open mind and I’m going to learn from them and hopefully they’ll learn from me and we’ll get this thing going.”
Hall, who intercepted 26 passes in nine seasons for the Bengals, likes what he sees from the Giants so far.
“Talent is definitely there,” Hall said. “I know that they expect better and I think that they will be better. This is the first practice I’ve seen and they looked pretty good and I know the talent is there. As far as the defense, literally, I’m still trying to wrap my mind around it. I still haven’t been in a meeting, but that will come with time. This defense already looks good today, and they’ll keep looking better.”
Hall said it was partially an instinctive move to sign with the Giants. The Bengals drafted him out of Michigan in 2007 and he played for the Bengals for the next nine seasons. Now the former Wolverine leaves the only pro team he has ever known and will need to get adjusted to a new setting after leaving Cincinnati.
“It’s bitter-sweet. It was a tough decision to make,” Hall said. “Obviously, my family is back there, so that’s number one. Like I said, I felt comfortable here and I felt good about where this team is going. I like coach McAdoo and really what he’s been doing since he got here. Like I said, I just went off my gut instincts and I feel comfortable here.”
The cornerback had back surgery in January but he says he’s been at full strength since April or May.
The one-day-at-a-time mantra is often used in sports, but Hall admitted that he’s aware of the schedule that has the Giants and Bengals will play on Monday Night Football on November 14.
“Well, I looked at it after one of my friends texted me about a game in Novenber,” Hall said. “Definitely something I’ll be looking forward to.”