Q. Paulson, after you had agreed to terms, a report that said you wanted New York. What is it in your vision, what is it about New York that you wanted, and how do you see that?
PAULSON ADEBO: Just looking at the team, the program had a lot of good pieces on the team and on the roster. It was exciting for me to come in and be able to contribute at that. Looking up and down the roster I felt good about the level of talent that we had on the roster. That was big for me.
Q. Have anything to do with the city though?
PAULSON ADEBO: The city obviously brings so much to enjoy from the fans, the fan base. Obviously I played with Bobby in college and he's always said good things. It was just kind of a combination of all those things, the city and ultimately being excited about the team and the level of talent we have.
Q. Did you have anything to do with Jevon Holland? Like, after you agreed, do you know him, did you start to recruit him and say, hey, let's build a great secondary?
PAULSON ADEBO: I didn't have anything to do with that. I know of Jevon. Played against him in the Pac-12 when he was at Oregon. He' s a great player, followed him throughout his career.
That was exciting to see that he would be coming as well. We've always communicated on the phone and stuff, Instagram. That was cool that he was going to be here too?
Q. How about schematically? Everything I read about you in New Orleans was a lock-down, like, a man cover corner. The Giants played a lot of zone under Shane Bowen last year. How does that schematic fit?
PAULSON ADEBO: I can play man or zone. In New Orleans we did play a lot of man, bump-and-run coverage. But I feel comfortable playing in a zone scheme. Did that in college a lot. (Indiscernible).
Q. How are you doing? Where are you at in the recovery from the broken femur?
PAULSON ADEBO: Doing really good, been running, sprinting, change directions, doing everything and really practicing to be able to be ready when the activities start.
Q. You think you'll be ready for the spring?
PAULSON ADEBO: Pretty much. I've been doing everything, changing direction and stuff. Just kind of taking it day-by-day but feel really positive about that.
Q. What was it like going into free agency with that? Were you worried it would hurt your market? How were you able to convince teams I'll be fine because obviously they can't bring you for the physical until today?
PAULSON ADEBO: Just putting out videos and communicating between my training staff the different teams and stuff. But felt really comfortable. Obviously I feel like I'm in a good spot for the past couple of months really, so I wasn't really too worried about that causing disruptions.
Q. (Indiscernible) convinced the teams you were good?
PAULSON ADEBO: I feel that was a cherry on top for sure.
Q. Your numbers suggested you are a ball hawk. Would you agree with that description of you?
PAULSON ADEBO: Yeah, I think for me catching interceptions, making plays on the ball is very important. Being able to give the offense the ball back, that's something I definitely pride myself on, something I really practiced as far as getting my head around, even catching jugs in practice, trying to catch as many balls as possible. I just know how impactful that can be for a team to help the team with.
Q. You're coming to a team that was very poor, second-to-last in the league in interceptions. Was that a point of emphasis when they were talking to you about bringing that? And what is the key to being that? It's easy to say you're a ball hawk. What's the key to that?
PAULSON ADEBO: I think you just have to practice and visualize that, so you're not surprised when the ball's in the air. You try to turn it to receiver -- a lot of times it's easy to be shocked that the ball's coming to you.
First off just expecting the ball to come to you. And then having the opportunity to make a play just really capitalizing on it.
Q. Did they stress that? That's something they really wanted out of you?
PAULSON ADEBO: They kind of highlighted ball production and emphasize that's something that's good want on the defense.
Q. I wanted to go back, obviously -- I don't know if you want to go back -- but you get injured, off to a great start this year. You know how big of a season -- you probably looked at that -- you're a young guy, you're building towards that first big year. How much did you learn about yourself over the next couple of months mentally? Did you get any advice from guys that have been in the league? Just the idea of how do you reset and refocus to get an opportunity like this and to prove that you will get back to where you were as an ascending player?
PAULSON ADEBO: Definitely dealing with injuries, every player has to deal with it. Nobody wants to go through an injury. But the reality of the situation, you play a game and 100 percent injury risk playing football.
I think for everybody is just realizing the moment, realizing you will get back from it, and then shifting your focus whether you're prepared for a game and now your game is recovering your body. That's what I shifted my focus on.
Q. In terms of a mentality or a mindset, have you always been a guy who wants to get up there, press and say you can't beat me at the line of scrimmage?
PAULSON ADEBO: Yeah, just pressing, making it hard on receivers, if you can disrupt their timing, disrupt the timing of the routes. I've always just kind of been in that mode a little bit.
But at the same time I've played in so many schemes. I've played in all different types of schemes. I don't think I'm one dimensional. But I definitely do like to press.
Q. You looked at this Giants team, obviously they're a young defense. They've had a lot of young pieces obviously. You and Jevon are both young guys too. Is that something that attracted you, a young defense that can possibly grow under a second-year defensive coordinator?
PAULSON ADEBO: Yeah, looking at a defense as a whole there's a lot of talent up and down the roster and a lot of youth as well. It was exciting to come into and be able to add to that.
Q. Obviously you went to college with Bobby. What is that relationship like with you and him?
PAULSON ADEBO: It's really good. Bobby is like -- he was like my OG when I came in at Stanford. We've got a real good relationship. We hang out. We talk football. Talk how to better ourselves on the field. That was a good relationship for me to have coming into this organization.
Q. When you were talking about signing here and now that you're a Giant, what have you learned about -- or what would you like to see them do at quarterback, because obviously interesting signing with a team that's still chasing its starting QB. So whether it's Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, I know you're on the other side of the ball, but you had to be interested in what was going to happen. What do you think is going to happen? What would you like to see happen?
PAULSON ADEBO: For me I just kind of focus on getting myself acquainted with the team. Just got here, figuring out how I can help the team. And then I let whoever has to make those decisions handle those. But I'm excited and confident that we'll make a good decision.
Q. Playing off the previous question about the youth in the room, you're probably more experienced or the most experienced guy coming in. Can you talk about the idea of being a leader in that group even though you're a newcomer?
PAULSON ADEBO: Yeah, absolutely. I think any time you can come in and bring experience, that's great. So I have some experience. And so if there's something that I know and I'll be very willing to be able to share that knowledge and share that wisdom and at the same time being willing to learn. Coming into a new organization, seeing how things are done and adapt accordingly.
Q. You mentioned you played in various schemes. But every scheme has little tweaks and differences and nuances. What is it about the Giants scheme that you think complements what you do well?
PAULSON ADEBO: I think just being able to find the ball in the air, having eyes on the quarterback. Challenging receivers. I think it all will be able to complement my game, and I also think my game can translate to multiple different schemes. I think that was really good for me.
Q. How familiar are you with Te Banks, and what do you know about his game?
PAULSON ADEBO: Real fast, strong, physical corner. I like a lot of things that he does. Very explosive. Very athletic. So I'm happy to be able to come in and work with him.
Q. Have you talked to him? Has he reached out to you yet?
PAULSON ADEBO: Yeah, as soon as I reached out to him, got his number, got in contact with him. I'm excited to be able to play with him.
Q. You guys have a new secondary kind of coaching staff, new CB coach. How familiar are you with them and what appeals to them about you?
PAULSON ADEBO: I just met them -- in fact, two days ago. I'm excited to work with them. I know they've got a lot of good history and a lot of experience coming from the two of them.
Q. Obviously with a big contract comes a lot of expectations and responsibility. I'm curious what you think of basically being looked at now as a number one cornerback, hey, your job is to be the shutdown guy.
PAULSON ADEBO: Absolutely I embrace it. That's why they brought me in here. That's how I view myself since I got into the league. It's cool people view you that way, but at the end of the day it's about how you view yourself and at the end of the day it's about producing. And I'm ready to come in and get to work with them.
Q. Is that kind of the thing that maybe was tough last year, like when Marshon was gone, that was your opportunity to, hey, show that you're that guy and that kind of injury kind of happened there?
PAULSON ADEBO: Honestly, I feel like there's two corners on the field, obviously. We get into the CB-1 role but it's just really winning your match-up. You know what I mean? I feel like I've always had that mentality to win the match-up regardless who I'm lined up against.
We didn't travel, necessarily, all the time in New Orleans. So a lot of times you do end up on the number one guy. You just have to produce. In different stadiums, it's like there's always one person (indiscernible), probably bigger than that. But myself, I view myself as being able to go up against anybody.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports