Recently-added New York Giants guard Kevin Zeitler is savoring the joyous opportunity to block for one of the most innovative running backs in the game, Saquon Barkley.
The Giants traded linebacker Olivier Vernon to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for Zeitler earlier this month.
Zeitler, 29, was arguably the most shatterproof lineman for Cleveland since his arrival in 2017, playing every down the past two seasons. He also spent copious amounts of time under the wing of Joe Thomas shortly before his retirement last year.
“The biggest thing with Joe Thomas is he broke down everything from the way he took care of his body, Zeitler told Ryan Dunleavy of NJ Advance Media. To how he broke down his day, how he took care of himself and how he takes care of the football aspect.”
“There is always something he could be doing with his time at the facility that could help him or the guys around him get better. Just watching him do that, it was good to learn from that.”
The Browns finished the past two seasons with a combined record of 7-24-1, so it is likely that a change of scenery has been overdue for Zeitler. Based on what he has already overcome in his career, creating running lanes and supplementing open space for Saquon Barkley should be nothing short of a cakewalk.
“I mean, obviously, the first thought that popped in my head is like, ‘All right, we got Saquon!',” Zeitler admitted to reporters. “I know he's a heck of a player so that can only make life more fun for me.”
Kevin Zeitler will enter his eighth NFL campaign in the 2019 season.
Follow Us
Subscribe