The New York Giants conducted their roster crunch Tuesday as they finalized their 53-man active roster for the regular season. However, they still lack depth at the cornerback position, and while they can pursue a high-profile free agent to fill out the depth chart, it is more likely that the team will simply attempt to claim a corner on the waiver wire.
3 cornerbacks the Giants could potentially claim on the waiver wire this Wednesday:
1. Mike Ford
29-year-old Mike Ford is entering his seventh NFL season, spending last season with the Cleveland Browns. Ford has been mostly used as a backup for the majority of his career, starting in just 10 of 77 career games.
Despite that, Ford has shown he can make a strong impact on a defense. Last season, he recorded his first career interception and had 28 combined tackles, a new career-high. Ford also recorded two pass deflections and a fumble recovery.
He is not particularly outstanding in pass coverage, as he allowed a 114.8 passer rating last season with the Browns and an average of 10.6 yards per reception given up. Ford had a PFF pass coverage grade of 64.2, which is average at best.
However, given that the Giants have so little depth behind second-year standout Deonte Banks, Ford could serve as a solid option given that he is a veteran and is coming off of his best season as a pro.
2. Desmond King
Perhaps the best option available, veteran corner Desmond King could solve a lot of the Giants’ problems in the secondary.
The 29-year-old has been one of the league’s most versatile players at his position since coming into the league in 2017. He has plenty of experience at each cornerback position including the slot, an area of the secondary that was a massive hole for New York last season after Adoree Jackson struggled to make the transition.
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King played 10 games last season splitting time with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans. He had 46 combined tackles and was elite in pass coverage despite not recording an interception, allowing a passer rating of 92.6 good enough for a PFF pass coverage grade of 76.3.
Adding a versatile defensive back like King could make the Giants’ significantly more dynamic on that side of the ball, and would also give them a seasoned veteran who has a consistent track record of being a high-value cornerback.
3. Steven Gilmore
Steven Gilmore is the least experienced out of the others mentioned, as he has only played three NFL games, all with the Detroit Lions last season. Not much is known about the 24-year-old former Marshall University product, but he is the younger brother to All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gilmore.
Gilmore spent all five collegiate seasons at Marshall, and developed into a very solid defensive back as the years passed. In his senior year, he recorded three interceptions, 41 combined tackles (0.5 for a loss), and a staggering 10 pass deflections.
If the Giants scooped up Gilmore, it is unclear what kind of role he would be inserted into. It is unlikely that he would immediately become a starter given his lack of playing experience, but he would at least provide insurance in case a key piece in the secondary were to go down with injury.
His college numbers and family ties would indicate that there is a lot of upside with Gilmore, and New York could bring him in as a potential low-risk and high-reward addition.
