ALBANY, N.Y. -- Several assistant coaches spoke today to the media and here are just some tidbits from various assistants on different subjects.

BUILDING BLOCK: Tight end Travis Beckum has to become a better blocker if he is going to get on the field.

Tight ends coach Michael Pope said the team wants to get the pass-catching tight end out there but not at the risk of defenses strictly playing against the pass when he is on the field.

“We did a lot of work in the spring, trying to place him in the offense,” Pope said. “He has to be (in there) with his skill, his pass-receiving ability, and his speed, a little bit more out in space. But you can’t do that totally with him. You have to put him in. Otherwise they’re going to play pass when he’s in and play run when he’s out. So we have to develop him, which he’s never really done because he’s only played in a two-point stance.”

“He has to be able to grow into being able to block someone at the end of the line of scrimmage or block as a fullback around the edges. He knows that has to be the case in order for him to help the team.”

DOWN WITH JPP: Defensive line coach Robert Nunn knows how raw first-round pick Jason Pierre-Paul is. But that doesn’t necessarily mean JPP won’t be a factor at all this season.

“Oh, I think he will be able to contribute,” Nunn said. “At the end of minicamp, the last week or so, he did a lot of good things, a lot of promising things. We’re going to see how it goes, go snap by snap. Try to get as fundamentally sound as we can be and if he continues to do that, I certainly see him contributing.”

Nunn said Pierre-Paul, who signed a five-year deal worth $20,050,000 with $11,629,807 guaranteed, has shown his ability and a good motor. He just has to concentrate on what needs to be done daily sometimes.

But the ability has Nunn and other coaches smiling.

“Everything that he showed and watching him in South Florida, you see that showing up a lot,” Nunn said. “Outstanding talent.”

SAFETY DANCE: Safeties coach Dave Merritt talked a lot about Kenny Phillips on Sunday. But he also raved about newly-signed safety John Busing, the former Texans safety.

“We had him here in the spring and he’s a veteran,” Merritt said. “He’s going to compete for a spot. Mark my words on that. He is a guy that is a special teams player and he knows his role. There are some guys that you have to try to cater to and make sure you keep them mentally into it, but a guy like John Busing, he understands his role and I am very excited to have him back.”