Ereck Flowers was in the weight room that day in May when he heard the screams that changed his NFL career before it even started. He was there when Will Beatty, the Giants’ starting left tackle, tore his pectoral muscle, an injury that will keep him out until late October, at least.
A few days later, offensive line coach Pat Flaherty approached Flowers, the Giants’ left tackle of the future, and told him the future was suddenly, unexpectedly now.
“All right,” he told his coach. “I’m ready.”
He better be, because nobody expected him to have to be ready this soon.