A new issue has risen for the New York Giants, as they lack serious depth at the cornerback position less than three weeks before the start of the regular season. Deonte Banks and Cor’Dale Flott are projected to start on the outside with rookie Dru Phillips in the nickel position, but Flott is now dealing with a quad injury that may put him behind in his preparation for the season.
While those players have the potential to provide strong results on the defense, the group’s overall lack of experience defending the league’s top receivers could be a difficult issue to manage for the Giants. Therefore, they may surf the open market to see if they can secure any free agents that are still available and have the experience and talent level to fit well with the team.
New York opened up over $3 million in cap space Monday night by restructuring All-Pro left tackle Andrew Thomas’ contract, so the team will likely use the extra money to address the areas of need in the coming weeks. They now have over $18 million to work with to sign players. Here are three cornerbacks that could be potential Giants targets leading up to Week 1:
1. Xavien Howard
31-year-old former All-Pro cornerback Xavien Howard had spent the first seven years of his NFL career with the Miami Dolphins. During his time there, he made the Pro Bowl four times, was named First Team All-Pro in 2020, Second Team All-Pro in 2018, and led the NFL in interceptions in both All-Pro seasons.
His interception numbers have plummeted in recent years, however, as he has just two interceptions over the last two seasons combined. Injuries have played a part, as he played through a groin issue in 2022 and dealt with various lower body injuries last season. Despite that, he was still effective in games he played last season, as he had 12 pass deflections in coverage and was solid in run defense, posting a 63.9 PFF grade in that department in 2023.
Adding him to the Giants would give them a proven veteran with ball-hawking skills to play alongside Banks on the outside, which could be a strong duo in the secondary. While Howard is past his best days as an NFL corner, he can still be effective under defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, who has emphasized that he wants to make his defense more dynamic.
Earlier this summer, a lawsuit was filed against Howard for allegedly sending a male teenager an inappropriate photograph of that teen’s mother after she was against having an abortion, per ESPN. Reasonably so, that could affect the Giants’ willingness to sign him given the severity of that situation, but it should be noted that it is not why the Dolphins released him this offseason, as that was strictly a financial reason.
2. Adoree Jackson
Former Giant Adoree Jackson is now a free agent, and given the team’s depth issue at the position, it is possible that they could bring him back in a backup role.
Jackson was one of the Giants’ better defensive players up until 2023 when he was moved into the slot corner position in favor of Deonte Banks on the outside. The 28-year-old struggled mightily in coverage, allowing an opponent passer rating of 98.9, 54 total receptions, and a career-worst 13.9 yards per reception. His PFF grade in coverage is further indicative of his misfortunes last season, as it was a putrid 45.9.
As a result of his struggles, the Giants were pretty quick to move on from him, so it is unlikely that they bring him back unless Flott’s injury forces him to miss a significant amount of time. An opening at one of the outside spots would present a reasonable opportunity for Jackson to be impactful, as that was his strongest spot in the secondary. However, unless a spot does open, it seems like it would be in New York’s best interest to view Jackson as a last-resort option.
3. Ahkello Witherspoon
Ahkello Witherspoon is a little more under the radar in terms of Giants’ options that stand out, but he could be one of the better players for them to pursue. The 29-year-old is a seven-year veteran who spent the majority of his career with the San Francisco 49ers. In 2023, he was with the Los Angeles Rams and had his best season as a pro.
Witherspoon started in all 17 games for the first time in his career last season. In those games, he recorded three interceptions and a career-high 52 combined tackles. He was solid in coverage by allowing an opponent passer rating of 76.7 and a 48.5% completion rate, but he was exceptional in run defense, earning a strong 71.6 PFF grade in that area.
The Giants have the guys up front who can stop the run and also get to the quarterback, but it would be a nice luxury to have a guy in the secondary who can do that while also being good in pass coverage. Witherspoon shouldn’t cost New York too much to bring him in either, making him a top target for a team looking for upgrades at the cornerback position.