Call it whatever you want -- a do-over, a restart, a second chance at a first impression.

The truth lies somewhere in between for cornerback Prince Amukamara this year. Despite not having an offseason and missing the first 10 weeks with a foot injury as a rookie, the 2011 first-round pick wasn't exactly kept in a bubble. Rather, he was in meetings learning the system.

It showed when he returned in Week 11 and had five tackles and an interception.

So he's not exactly starting from scratch.

"I wouldn't say start over," Amukamara said at the conclusion of last week's minicamp. "I think just keep going. I still have a job to win and that's my mentality."

After his debut, Amukamara played in every game through the playoff run to the Super Bowl. Then it was time for offseason training with ring ceremonies and White House visits sprinkled in between before minicamp, where he worked his way into seven-on-seven and team drills.

"It was good to get back in the groove of that," he continued. "I was always told you can't coach effort. So I just make sure the effort of running to the ball and trying to get the ball and stuff is there."

You can coach from a playbook, however, and Amukamara is coming along in that subject as well.

"It doesn't look like a different language anymore," he said. "I understand the language really well, and I'm getting a good idea of what our defense is trying to get done.

"[Last year] I got a lot of learning in. I was never away from the meetings. I was always in every meeting, including special teams, and then just being on the field just helps that much more. I think people learn better when they're actually in the activity."

Next month we'll see how much activity he is slated for at training camp while packages and depth charts truly begin to take form.

In the meantime, Amukamara will be using these coming weeks to tune up.

"I felt comfortable, I feel like my old self," Amukamara said. "My burst isn't where I want it to be, but I'm glad that we have a couple weeks off just so I can get that down, which I'm going to do."

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