Leonard Floyd has been a Bear, a Ram and a white whale.
The Giants twice have set their sights on Floyd and each instances he has imitated Moby Dick evading Captain Ahab. Just like the whale, Floyd acquired the final giggle contemplating the Giants are beginning their third rebuild of his six-year profession, whereas the 29-year-old move rusher is about to play in Tremendous Bowl LVI as perhaps probably the most underappreciated star on a Rams protection that includes 4 future Corridor of Famers.
“I can’t actually image myself on one other crew proper now as a result of I’m so devoted and dedicated to the Rams,” mentioned Floyd, who spurned a proposal from the Giants to return to the Rams in free company final yr. “A part of my cause in coming again was due to the coaches, and all of it felt obligatory for me to assist the crew get that a lot nearer to a hoop. And we’re nearly right here now.”
However in 2016, Floyd appeared destined to hitch the Giants with the No. 10 decide of the draft. He was purported to be their first linebacker taken within the first spherical since Carl Banks in 1984 till the Bears traded as much as No. 9 and stole him away. The Giants’ first-round linebacker drought stays ongoing.
“I’m not going to lie: I had a exercise with New York and I crushed it,” Floyd mentioned Thursday evening. “I used to be dropping again, catching the ball. I felt like I used to be going to go to New York. However I keep in mind Coach [Clint] Hurtt from my go to to Chicago and he actually needed me. They got here and acquired me.”
A frenzied struggle room in East Rutherford pivoted at decide No. 10 to cornerback Eli Apple, who, satirically sufficient, can be on the opposite beginning protection in Tremendous Bowl LVI. Apple has salvaged a profession that started with three tumultuous seasons by making large performs throughout the Bengals’ playoff run.
It’s been an analogous better-late-than-never journey for Floyd, whose sack totals decreased in every of his 4 seasons with the Bears.
“My first 4 years, I gave all of them I had,” Floyd mentioned. “I actually don’t have any regrets for Chicago. I’m all in regards to the future.”
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Floyd signed a one-year prove-it cope with the Rams in 2020 after which rested his case with a career-best 10.5 sacks. That manufacturing drew the Giants again into the Floyd sweepstakes after too many wasted draft picks and free-agent misses on the sting early in former common supervisor Dave Gettleman’s tenure. However the stakes acquired too wealthy, and Floyd in the end re-signed on a four-year, $46 million contract.
The Giants’ loss is an enormous achieve for Aaron Donald, Von Miller and the opposite Rams’ move rushers.
“Each time you deliver Von’s identify up, you need to deliver Flo’s identify up due to the kind of participant he's,” Donald mentioned. “He’s an enormous, sturdy man, however on the identical time he has method. He’s been enjoying nice. One other man who performed an enormous half in why we’re right here at present.”
Certain, 9.5 sacks may very well be known as a “large half.” The Giants’ sacks chief was rookie Azeez Ojulari (eight), forward of defensive sort out Leonard Williams, who completed with 6.5 after re-signing a three-year, $63 million extension simply earlier than the pursuit of Floyd started.
“The Rams impacted my evolution just by letting me exit and play and never having me assume an excessive amount of,” Floyd mentioned. “A part of me coming again was simply to proceed to construct off what I did final yr.”
Whereas some gamers on the perimeter of incomes Professional Bowl alternatives and different types of recognition is likely to be jealous of the shadow solid by teammates, Floyd appears to get pleasure from his place out of the highlight. Perhaps greatest away from New York then.
“It provides me peace,” Floyd mentioned. “I don’t must do something however play soccer, and that’s all I wish to do. I simply wish to line up and play.”
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