#Sterling Shepard, Leonard Williams are suddenly Giants’ elder statesmen

An entire locker room knew him as “Young Shep” just a few months ago.

Now? “Dean Shep” is a more appropriate nickname for Sterling Shepard … if Leonard Williams will allow it.

This NFL offseason marked a thorough passing of the old guard in New York, leaving Shepard — entering his fifth season at age 27 — as not only the longest-tenured member of the Giants, but also one of the few remaining fixtures across this premium market. No player on the Giants or Jets joined their respective teams prior to 2016.

“I might have to shake the ‘Young Shep’ off,” Shepard joked. “I did not know that about the whole New York with the Jets and everything. [It means] just set a good example for the young guys, and kind of teach them about some of the different rivalries that we have and how important those games are to the New York Giants as an organization.”

The overhaul was bookended by the retirements of a pair of two-time Super Bowl champions from the Giants: Eli Manning in January and Zak DeOssie on Friday. In between, the Jets didn’t re-sign Bilal Powell and cut Brian Winters and Quincy Enunwa, leaving Jordan Jenkins and Steve McLendon as the deans in their locker room.

Then there is Williams, who arrived as the Jets’ top draft pick in 2015 and was traded to the Giants last year. If changing uniforms is negligible, then all his former teammates left the torch to him on the way out the door.

“It’s crazy to think, first of all, that I’ve been here the longest,” Williams said. “I’m only 26 years old. That makes me feel really old.”

Williams was denied a chance to leave town via free agency this offseason, when the Giants used their franchise tag to keep him on a one-year contract. A solid run-stuffer who was criticized with the Jets for not living up to elite draft status, Williams enters this season under intense pressure to make good on his Giants-high $16.1 million salary.

Does he ever wonder what it is like to be free of the New York scrutiny?

“No, I love it,” Williams said. “It’s a great media market, it’s a great city, great teams in this area historically. It’s great to be in a city like this — and you can take advantage of it, if you can.”

If, indeed. Take the words from DeOssie’s retirement statement, as he begins a career in Private Wealth Management at Goldman Sachs, reunited with former Giants teammate Justin Tuck.

“The big wins on big stages, the tiny victories behind the scenes, and the challenges that have taught me so much,” DeOssie wrote. “Eli said it best: Once a Giant, always a Giant, only a Giant. What an honor.

“To the best fans in the league, thank you for your fierce loyalty and passionate support, and for always demanding the best. This is New York — you deserve the best.”

Shepard is the only player left on either roster to play in a Giants or Jets playoff game — there’s only been one of those in the eight NFL seasons.

The last two seasons he was part of the same receiving corps as veteran Russell Shepard, who was nicknamed “Old Shep” for the sake of distinction. But Sterling’s ascension is in overdrive and could lead to him replacing one of six vacated co-captain spots.

Giants coaches held Kahoot! trivia challenges during offseason Zoom meetings to help familiarize players with the 95-year history of the Giants.

“We’ve already begun to teach some of these newcomers and guys that really don’t know much about the history of the Giants, a way to get them caught up,” Shepard said. “I think it’s very important to know the history. You have to know what the guys before you have done and how they played football, and to continue to play that way because that’s what this organization was built on, and that’s what it’s used to.”

The Giants are expected to sign two undrafted rookies, if they pass the COVID-19 testing entry protocol for training camp: Offensive tackle Jackson Dennis (Holy Cross) and wide receiver Cody White (Michigan State). White was waived by the Chiefs and Dennis was waived by the Cardinals. Both players passed physicals Saturday, per the NFL transaction wire, but two roster spots will need to be freed.