The New York Giants need to make a massive upgrade at cornerback this offseason. They entered the year with Deonte Banks as their primary cover man, however, his regression this season has only intensified the team’s need to add talent to the position.
The Giants need to upgrade at cornerback
Targeting a cornerback in free agency rather than the draft would give the Giants a veteran presence in their secondary, which is something they currently lack. The team is young in their defensive backfield and that inexperience has gotten the better of them on many occasions this season.
The Giants will target cornerbacks and free agency. The question is, how much would they be willing to pay up? One “top-dollar” option in the 2025 free agency class could be the piece to fix their secondary.
Could the Giants target Jets CB D.J. Reed in free agency?
New York Jets veteran cornerback D.J. Reed has had a career year this season, further establishing himself is one of the better cornerbacks in the entire NFL. The 28-year-old will be a free agent this upcoming offseason and could be a priority target for the G-Men.
Reed has been in the NFL for seven seasons now and has earned a PFF Grade of 72.5 or higher in every season of his career other than his rookie year. He’s amassed 50 pass defenses and six interceptions in his career.
This season, Reed has been indispensable for the Jets, totaling 10 pass defenses across 11 starts with 50 combined tackles and one sack. His strong performance this season has likely priced him outside of the Jets’ budget.
Reed would be an expensive pick for the Giants
Dan Duggan of The Athletic projects that Reed will be a “top-dollar option” in free agency this offseason. If the Giants are truly desperate to upgrade their cornerback position, they could pay up to acquire Reed and solidify him as the No. 1 cornerback in their lineup.
Signing Reed would also allow Banks to settle down in a No. 2 cornerback role and hopefully develop into a quality starter. However, Reed won’t come cheap. But if there’s one position for the Giants to spend on, it might just be cornerback.
