Joe Judge was an unknown commodity when the Giants hired him, and still is in some ways. He had never been a head coach before, so how did he convince Giants ownership to pick him as Pat Shurmur’s replacement?
Talk to anyone who knows Judge — friends, coaches, players — and their answer starts with the same point.
The key phrases: Attention to detail. Detail-oriented. Over-prepared.
That’s Joe, they said.
So, for anyone wondering why Judge and the Giants haven’t decided what to do with their two players arrested recently, start there.
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Cornerback DeAndre Baker was arrested last month in Florida and charged with four counts of armed robbery and four counts of aggravated assault with a firearm. Kicker Aldrick Rosas was arrested in California earlier this week and was booked for a misdemeanor hit-and-run and driving on a suspended license.
Both remain on the roster.
Will they still be here when training camp starts at the end of July? Or for the season-opener against the Steelers on Sept. 14?
That’s a decision that won’t be coming just yet. Judge and the Giants still have work to do before any decisions are made. That’s what he’s doing — finding out all of the details before deciding what to do with these two players, both projected to be starters this season.
“The only thing I’m going to say about DeAndre at this point is he’s currently on our roster and I’m not gonna comment on any ongoing legal investigation or legal situation,” Judge told NJ Advance Media’s Matt Lombardo on Monday, before Rosas’ arrest came to light. “That’s going to be my standard answer for anyone in a similar situation.”
The details in the collision report from the scene of Rosas’ alleged hit-and-run don’t paint a pretty picture. Per the California Highway Patrol report, Rosas was driving erratically at 100 miles per hour when he sailed through a red light and T-boned a pickup truck. He attempted to flee the scene, per the report, when his car broke down, then he left on foot. Responding officers found him barefoot and bloody on his hands, leg and feet.
Alcohol impairment, per the report, was believed to be a “factor” in the incident.
The Giants have been in contact with authorities about Rosas’ alleged incident and are gathering all available information before making any decision, a person familiar with the team’s thinking told NJ Advance Media.
Rosas, 25, was arrested for a DUI in California in 2016, though that was before his NFL career had started. He’s due to make north of $3 million this season and the Giants wouldn’t lose any money by releasing him.
With the 22-year-old Baker, in the days after the troubling affidavit for his arrest was announced on May 14 — which involved him allegedly robbing multiple people at gunpoint of thousands of dollars and multiple expensive watches — other information came to light that cast doubt on some aspects of the case. Lawyers for both Baker and Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar, also charged, presented signed affidavits from alleged witnesses to the bail hearing judge. It worked, as Baker was released on a $200,000 bond.
Since, his legal team has publicly (and repeatedly) defended his innocence.
“This criminal case is going to eventually be dismissed,” Patrick Patel, a Jersey City-based attorney and Baker’s attorney on NFL matters, said last month.
That seems less likely the more time that passes, as it’s been more than 30 days since Baker was released from jail on May 17.
Baker’s lawyers had a motion approved to allow him to return to New Jersey for work-related purposes. That includes training camp, scheduled for the end of July.
After the arrest, the Giants told Baker to stay away from the team’s virtual meetings on Zoom — he had reportedly missed some meetings prior to the arrest — to focus on his legal situation.
The Giants finished team meetings for non-rookies last week.
In the meantime, Baker has been working out most mornings with a trainer in Miami.
“He’s handling it outstanding,” Patel told NJ Advance Media in May. “He wants to be Ray Lewis, not Ray Rice. That’s the key to this kid’s future. Asking for forgiveness and asking for an opportunity to prove himself. This is the first time he’s ever really done anything. He’s never been in trouble before, he has no history of anything like this.
“This kid is not the typical troubled person,” Patel continued. “I’ve seen a complete change in his attitude, facial expressions, exposure. The kid is scared straight as far as I’m concerned.”
Baker was drafted in the first round last year out of Georgia — before Judge was hired — and came into the league with questions about his maturity. Various reports, including from NJ Advance Media, about his first year indicated he struggled to pay attention in team meetings, and at one point even publicly admitted to his struggle for grasping the team’s playbook.
That ultimately might not factor into Judge’s decision.
When he arrived, Judge emphasized that everybody on the roster was starting with a clean slate. That includes Baker, though his arrest is a separate issue.
Judge spoke about discipline at his introductory press conference in January.
“I would say when we spoke about discipline on the team, that’s something very important to me,” Judge said. “I think you need to have the fundamental foundation of discipline on your team, that you hold players accountable …
“It’s a family business for our ownership and it’s a family business for myself. My children have all been born in this business. Knowing that your passion is football, that your desire to win is what you truly love and that benefits your family and you’re representing something bigger than yourself.‘’
How will the Giants hold Baker and Rosas accountable for their (alleged) actions?
That remains to be seen, especially as the legal process plays out for both players. Rosas’ court date is scheduled for early September. Baker’s situation is still being considered by Broward County (Fla.) prosecutors.
This ultimately will be the first time Judge will have to … be the judge. It’s an important decision for the culture he’s trying to establish, and one he’s not taking lightly.
“He’s kind of a no-nonsense person when he handles players,” Ellis Johnson, one of Judge’s coaching mentors, told NJ Advance Media in January. “He ain’t going to put up with a bunch of bull crap.”
Looking at how the Patriots did things in Judge’s eight years on Bill Belichick’s staff, perhaps that can provide a clue as to how he’ll approach this Giants situation. In that time, seven players were arrested, the first being Aaron Hernandez in 2013.
Of the other six players, three were released shortly after their arrests: Brandon Spikes (hit-and-run), J.J. Worton (assault) and Montee Ball (domestic violence).
The three others stuck around: Alfonzo Dennard (DUI, charge dropped), Duron Harmon (drugs) and Patrick Chung, who was indicted for a felony cocaine possession last year.
At minimum, both Baker and Rosas could be subjected to punishment by the NFL for violating of the league’s code of conduct policy.
Whether that will occur with either player still on the Giants roster remains to be seen, as Judge is takes his time to, well, judge.
“It’s important,” Judge said in January, “to have good people in your locker room.”
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