“I’m not taking nothing from nobody.”
Nine practices into New York Giants training camp, there has yet to be a fight. Saturday, with WWE SummerSlam being held across the parking lot at MetLife Stadium in the evening, seemed like the perfect time to expect some extra-curricular activities. Yet, a two-hour practice passed peacefully.
It has become common for some of us who watch practices regularly to speculate not only on when there will be a camp fight, but who will be involved in it.
If you have been following the Giants throughout the offseason workout program and into training camp, you should be able to guess that the odds-on favorite to be in the middle of the first melee of camp is offensive tackle James Hudson.
When I told Hudson that after Saturday’s practice, the big man laughed heartily.
“It wouldn’t surprise me at all,” Hudson said. “I haven’t had a fight in camp yet this year. I mean, in OTAs, we [Hudson and Brian Burns] had the little, you know, the little back and forth, but it was very hot that day. Heat got to us. Things happened. But, you know, man, like I said, we’re just out there competing. That’s all it is.”
Hudson, a 26-year-old who spent the first four seasons of his career with the Cleveland Browns plays with a palpable energy that endears him to his offensive teammates and can aggravate defenders.
Head coach Brian Daboll likes Hudson’s style.
“I love it, for an offensive lineman. You’re always looking for offensive linemen that bring an edge,” Daboll said. “Again, we got to be smart so what’s it going to be in the fourth quarter when things get tough and somebody shoves you and pushes you? Are you able to have the emotional maturity to go ahead and focus on the next play and not get involved in that? That’s some of the stuff we evaluate out here as well. Can these guys – we’ve all done training camp for a long time, so emotions are going to happen. Competitive juices are – there’s going to be stuff that happens. There is every year. There hasn’t been a year since I’ve done it where there hasn’t been, usually multiple times. That’s stuff you coach off of, you teach off of, but you want offensive linemen that have edges, that like to finish, that like contact, that enjoy the physical nature of what that position requires, but you also have to be smart in how you practice.
“His edge and his personality has been a welcomed addition to the room.”
Former Giants great Carl Banks is also a fan of the personality the 6-foot-5, 313-pound Hudson brings to the Giants.
On a recent episode of the Bleav in Giants podcast with Bob Papa, Banks called Hudson “the right kind of a—- to have on your offensive line … he’s the right kind of jerk. You need that type of energy on your offensive line … he’s going to make everybody upset that plays against him. It’s just the right attitude. Every offensive line needs one of those guys.”
Hudson had another good laugh when I asked him for his reaction to Banks’ comments.
“I think it’s a great compliment,” Hudson said. “I feel like every offensive line does need that one guy, that one or two guys that, they’re going to bring that energy whenever they’re on the field. And they’re not going to take, excuse my language, they’re not going to take s—- from anybody. And that’s who I am. I’m not taking nothing from nobody.
“I’m not going to let our group take anything from anybody. That’s just how I approach it.”
After two years of dithering around without a real backup plan at offensive tackle, and paying dearly for it as they went 3-15 in 18 games missed over those two seasons by star left tackle Andrew Thomas, the Giants signed the Browns’ 2021 fourth-round pick in free agency to be their swing tackle.
Thomas remains on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list after surgery for the Lisfranc injury that ended his 2024 season after six games. In his stead, Hudson is clearly the first-team left tackle.
The Giants, and Giants fans, hope that if he has to play Hudson will give them functional play that the Giants have not gotten without Thomas on the field. Whatever Hudson can give the Giants, everyone would still rather see Thomas play.
Hudson doesn’t think about that.
“That’s not my job to worry about,” Hudson said. “I ignore the outside noise. All I can do is just come into work every day and get better.
“That’s all I can worry about. I don’t worry about the outside noise. Who’s going to be playing, any of that. Like I said, I prepare as if I’m going to be the one that’s on the field regardless of the situation.”
Hudson played 49 games with 17 starts for Cleveland.
“Going to a new place, I feel like you always have to restart, prove yourself all over again,” Hudson said. “But the player that I am, I feel like I have to prove myself every time I step on the field.”
Hudson said energy and emotion have always defined his game.
“If I can think back to a play in my career that anybody could define the type of player that I am, it would be our [Cleveland’s] second game against Baltimore in 2023,” Hudson said. “We had a play at the end of that game where it just represented, represents the guy that I am. Our running back, Jerome Ford, got in the middle of a pile. And all I can remember is just pushing and just pushing and us turning a four-yard gain into an 11-yard gain.
“And after that play, all my emotions just came out. And I would say that that’s the, that’s who I am. You know, the moment that I stop, that you don’t see me out there bouncing around celebrating after a good play, celebrating with my guys, I’ll be done.
“That’s just the player that I am. That’s what makes the game fun for me.”
After the last couple of years, the Giants could certainly benefit from having a little fun.