The Sports Xchange

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants have some lofty goals for 2015, including becoming a top-10 offense.

For that to happen, it is imperative that the Giants get their offensive line settled as quickly as possible.

So far so good. Despite having lost left tackle Will Beatty for the bulk of the upcoming season due to a pectoral tear, the seven-year veteran’s replacement, rookie Ereck Flowers, has been progressing nicely in terms of the fundamentals and his technique.

“I’m just trying to contribute as much as I can and as fast as I can,” Flowers said. “I just want to try to help to make the team better and do my part.”

To do that, Flowers said he has been spending as much time as possible with offensive line coach Pat Flaherty to pick his brain about technique issues, and other little tidbits such as how to break down film and better understand his assignments.

“Well, you know, it’s a different system and I’m trying to learn it as fast as I can and get more comfortable,” he said of the extra work he’s been doing.

Flowers has also been leaning on his veteran teammates — all of them, he said — in order to expedite his understanding behind the various plays and the little nuances that come with each, as well as understanding different methods to play defenders in certain situations.

“All the guys try to help each other and do everything we can to get better,” he said. “That’s what they teach around here; that you have to try to get better.”

Although the spring practices are conducted sans full pads, the differences in Flowers’ technique are starting to become noticeable as his comfort level with the offense grows by the day.

He has looked much quicker off the snap, and has kept his pad level lower. What’s more, when he has been approached by Flaherty with instruction, the 21-year-old rookie has taken it all in with the gusto of a man downing a jug of water after spending a hot day in the sun.

“I’m just more comfortable and I actually know what I’m doing,” he said when asked what the biggest difference was in his play now versus when he first took the field as a Giant. “I know the calls, know where I’m going. So I’m a lot more comfortable, but I’m still getting better and trying to get to where I want to go.”

Where he wants to go is to the top of his profession, something that won’t happen overnight, but something that he hopes that by chipping away at his deficiencies, he can expedite the process.

While he works on that, the man of few words also is working to finalize his rookie contract.

Flowers, who doesn’t retain a NFLPA certified contract advisor, did say that his contract was “close” to being done and that the thought of being a training camp holdout simply hasn’t crossed his mind.

Instead he is squarely focused on closing out the mandatory minicamp strong, and then continuing the following week when the rookies hang around for a few more days, to show that he’s one more step closer to being a player that the coaches don’t have to worry about by opening day.

“I’m trying to still learn more, to keep going,” he said. “I plan to study, work at my craft and make sure that I can hit the ground running when we start (training) camp.”