Jaydon Mickens has juice if Giants consider a specialist

Tom Brady used to thank Jaydon Mickens all the time for his good field position during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Super Bowl run in 2020.

Kick returners have to decide when is best to down the ball, let it go, field it or return it based on game situations. Brady liked when Mickens hit the jets.

“He’d tell me, ‘Bring it out! Get it started,’” Mickens, 29, said Tuesday with a grin.

That’s what Mickens did for 10 regular season games that season and what he did in all four playoff games on the Bucs’ championship run.

In a 31-26 NFC Championship win in Green Bay, Mickens brought back five kick returns for 121 yards. That included a 29-yard return to the Tampa 34 to set up an opening-game TD drive and a 43-yard scamper late in the third quarter with the Bucs clinging to a five-point lead.

He then brought three out for 75 yards in a Super Bowl win.

Could popping a big return in Saturday’s preseason finale against the Jets show the Giants the value of having an experienced and explosive returner on their 53-man roster?

“Personally, everything that I do out there — even when it comes to stretching and walking around this locker room — is the reason why they should know I should be on the 53,” Mickens said after Tuesday’s practice. “But ultimately that’s totally up to them.

“What I do is control what I control, enjoy these teammates around me, and every time I go out there, you know, I gotta make a big play,” he said. “That’s in my mind. But I gotta take the approach of being hungry and working for it at the start of the week, get into the game and whatever happens, hopefully my preparation translates over.”

The writing is on the wall, of course, that rookie running back Eric Gray is going to be the Giants’ return man on both punts and kicks. At least he’s getting the first opportunity to win both jobs.

Running back Jashaun Corbin isn’t in the rotation, even though he’s been the most impressive backup running back this camp and has shown return ability in the past.

“We understand that there’s already guys here that are on the team, drafted guys that are gonna make the team and guys that they’re getting ready and prepped for,” Mickens said. “Eight years in, I know what it looks like. So for me it’s just appreciating my opportunity, the vantage points of the guys and getting better. Because I feel like I haven’t reached my full potential yet and every day I come out here just like I’m a rookie willing to learn.”

That said, Gray still looks like a work in progress receiving kicks and punts. He’s seeing lots of things for the first time. Meanwhile, Mickens’ 30-yard kick return against the Carolina Panthers last week showed some burst.

It was a reminder what experience maybe could do for the Giants’ return game and team, especially since Mickens has value as a wide receiver, too. The Giants know that, having signed him to their practice squad last season, brought him back this spring and seen him have a solid camp.

“Experience takes a lot of the uncertainty out of things: whether you’re going to catch the ball, let it hit, make a good decision at all times,” Mickens said. “It helps a lot. I’ve seen mostly every punter, seen every kick, know the different environments, the way the wind blows — pretty much all the inner workings of punt returns and how they should be. It’s a huge advantage.”

That said, Mickens is doing everything he can to help Gray grow into his role, too — even though it might mean losing a job.

It was evident Tuesday: Gray had to strain to reach and field a punt that was tailing away to Gray’s right. Mickens walked over and explained to the rookie how it’s important to face up his body behind the trajectory of the ball to ensure he has more control.

Does he mind giving advice to someone who might nudge him out for a roster spot when cut day rolls around early next week?

“Nah, not at all,” Mickens said. “I had Jaelon Darden with Tampa, and he was already a natural catcher, but it was just a couple little things he needed to know when it came to punts and how to eyeball a punt and judge the spin and trajectory of the ball and where the wind’s going.

“For me it’s really easy because everybody that comes out here, they’re my guys,” Mickens added. “These relationships go way farther than just football. When the bright lights turn on and that whistle blows and the Star Spangled Banner is complete, that’s when we compete. Right now we’re helping each other get better. I want [Gray] to take his career to the next level, and whatever my career has in store, I’m always ready for it and eager and ready to go.”

When the ball gets kicked on Saturday, it won’t be a Super Bowl, but it’ll still be a huge game for Mickens. It has to be strange to channel the same competitive level for such drastically different stages. But not for Mickens, he said.

“The stage is never different,” Mickens said. “We know [one] is the Super Bowl, [one is] the preseason finale, and we know the stakes of both situations. But at the end of the day it’s football. And for me it’s having the opportunity to keep doing this at a high level and knowing I’ve already done it and I can keep doing it at a high level.

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“So really it comes down to if they feel I’ll be a good fit to be on this roster and help this football team, in whatever areas I can,” Mickens added. “Even if it’s running down on kickoff or as a gunner and going to tackle the punt returner, maybe playing a little receiver. Whatever they need me to do, I’m always willing and eager to do it.”

Leonard Williams and Sterling Shepard both received rest days Tuesday after both had strong practices on a hot and humid Monday. Williams had struggled to get up from the turf at the end of Monday’s practice and went inside early with trainers, but Daboll said he was OK … Wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson (ACL), who remains on the physically unable to perform list, ran full speed routes on the side for the first time in front of reporters, indicating he’s closer … Cole Beasley had some athletic bracing tape on his left knee but also looked pretty good cutting and running routes with Robinson. Daboll assured Beasley’s injury is not long-term … The only other injury or participation change was OL Tyre Phillips (leg) returning in a limited role … Undrafted rookie safety Alex Cook saw a handful of second-team snaps and will continue to be a player to watch in Saturday’s preseason finale.