Among the many negative turns that contributed to a miserable 2017 for the Giants was the one taken by cornerback Eli Apple.
The 2016 first-round pick didn’t play well and his off-field behavior caused problems throughout the year before Apple was suspended by the team for the final game of the regular season. That led some to wonder if the Giants would part ways with Apple before the 2018 season, but the message from the new regime has been about a fresh start.
General Manager Dave Gettleman said in January that Apple is getting a clean slate and head coach Pat Shurmur used the same phrase on Wednesday.
“Eli was in the building, so I had a chance to visit with him and this is a clean slate deal,” Shurmur said, via NJ.com. “So I think we all know that we need to get better. We had a great conversation. He’s eager to get started when we do get started and we’re going to put the ball out there and let it rip. As I get to know him better and we start to develop those relationships that are necessary for a player and a coach and an organization, we’re sort of starting at ground zero with that. So I’m looking forward to that.”
If the Giants do decide to move on from Apple, they’d surely prefer trading him to releasing him. That gives them no reason to do anything but talk up his chances of remaining with the team as long as he’s still a member of the team.