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Giants' Vernon not changing his style after big payday

Joe Robbins / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Money may change some people, but not Olivier Vernon.

Vernon signed a five-year, $85-million contract with the New York Giants in free agency as part of the team's major defensive makeover, but he insists that he's doing things the same way he has his whole career.

"It might sound crazy, but I’m moving at my own pace," Vernon told MMQB's Albert Breer before heading off for Europe last week. "It’s how I’ve always been, never letting anything on the outside pressure me. I’m true to myself, and being the player that I am. I’m not gonna start doing things I haven’t done before, step outside the box or anything like that."

Vernon joins Janoris Jenkins and Damon Harrison as part of the Giants' free agency class after producing seven and a half sacks for the Miami Dolphins last year.

Dealing with the unforgiving New York media could be an issue for Vernon, according to one of his ex-coaches, but he isn't expected to change his impassive nature.

"He’s not very talkative, he marches to the beat of his own drum, and that could be taken the wrong way in New York. He doesn’t show emotion, and the media may spin that," said an unnamed Dolphins coach. "But as far as the money going to his head, that won’t happen at all. He’ll want to prove they did the right thing. That’ll be a motivator for him."

Vernon says he's honored that the Giants included him in rebuilding their historically "prestigious" defense. Vernon built a tremendous work ethic playing with the likes of Cameron Wake and Ndamukong Suh that he plans to bring to Big Blue's pass rush.

"I’ve never changed anything about my work ethic," said Vernon. "The last four years, I always had my foot on the gas pedal. I strive for greatness, to put my name in the books. That’s what I want to establish. All I have is my last name. People see you, they go by your last name. I take a lot of pride in what that’ll stand for.

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