The New York Giants’ secondary has been highlighted all summer long as a weak point on the roster. The defensive backfield is young and inexperienced, which has caused concern among fans. But the Giants’ young secondary is a talented unit with the potential to become a great one. The coaching staff is obviously bullish on the defensive backfield and has high expectations for its young players as they usher out the old and welcome in the new.
The Giants seem to like what they have at safety
The Giants’ recent release of veteran safety Jalen Mills highlights the confidence that the coaching staff has in its young safety room. The defensive back line is currently held down by returning starter Jason Pinnock and third-year safety Dane Belton.
Pinnock is a rising star who established himself as a foundational piece for Big Blue last season. He totaled 85 combined tackles, six tackles for loss, six pass defenses, and two interceptions (one of which he took back 102 yards for a touchdown) in 16 starts. Pinnock gives the Giants consistent coverage and reliable run support on the back end.
Meanwhile, Belton aims to earn an increase in playing time this season as he is finally in line for a starting opportunity. The 23-year-old has a knack for getting his hands on the football, totaling four interceptions, five pass defenses, and three fumble recoveries across only 686 career defensive snaps played in two seasons.
Belton is the projected starter for now, though, that could change if rookie second-round pick Tyler Nubin can turn in a couple more solid performances this preseason. Nubin holds the record for the most career interceptions at the University of Minnesota (13) and has plenty of hype and intrigue surrounding him entering his rookie season. He looked solid in the team’s first preseason game, demonstrating his prowess against the run while blowing up an offensive lineman en route to a tackle for loss:
In addition to Belton, Pinnock, and Nubin, the Giants have added a couple of other contributors this summer in Raheem Layne and Jonathan Sutherland. The safety position is the least of Big Blue’s concerns and could be viewed as a potential strength of the roster entering the 2024-25 season.
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Do the Giants need to add talent at cornerback?
Despite the team’s confidence in its safety room, the Giants still need to sort out what’s going on at cornerback. Deonte Banks is the team’s primary cover man entering his second season. Expectations are high for the former first-round pick after he flashed serious potential as a rookie. But opposite Banks is a massive question mark at CB2.
Cor’Dale Flott was the expected starter but has been dealing with an injury for the past couple of weeks. This has created an opportunity for other competitors to gun after the job, like Nick McCloud and Tre Hawkins III. However, each player made only three starts last season, once again highlighting the inexperience of the Giants’ secondary.
But this deep into the summer, it’s somewhat concerning that the Giants do not have an established starter at such an important position. They will need to see one of their young competitors for the job step up and perform well over the final two weeks of the preseason. If none of their rostered players can establish themselves as starting-caliber talents, the G-Men might have to consider bringing in a veteran through the waiver wire or free agency.
