The New York Giants focused on upgrading their secondary through free agency this offseason, signing former Dolphins S Jevón Holland and former Saints CB Paulson Adebo. The two experienced veterans will aim to step in and stabilize a unit that has struggled for several years.
Giants’ signing of CB Paulson Adebo named one of the NFL’s best offseason moves
The Giants’ signing of Adebo, in particular, has received praise. Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports recently ranked the top 10 best moves of the 2025 NFL offseason, ranking the Giants’ Adebo signing No. 4 in the league:
“New York has big issues still unsolved, but credit where credit is due: Adebo may have been the most underrated cover man in free agency, and his knack for finding the ball should help offset some of the secondary sizzle that left with Xavier McKinney in 2024,” Benjamin explained. “Despite missing 10 games in his final season with the New Orleans Saints, Adebo has totaled seven picks and 28 pass breakups since 2023 alone. Ranked 16th among all cornerbacks in forced incompletions since 2021, per PFF, he could be a lockdown No. 1.”
Adebo signed a three-year, $54 million deal with the G-Men. The 25-year-old will bring with him to the Big Apple four years of experience, including 51 starts under his belt. He should serve as a massive upgrade in Big Blue’s secondary.
- Giants Post-Russell Wilson Signing 3-Round Mock Draft: Addressing Major Needs
- Giants wide receiver expresses excitement to play with new quarterback: ‘Let’s ride’
- The Giants now have a clear path to take the best player in the 2025 NFL Draft
Adebo gives the G-Men a CB1 in his prime
In 2024, the Giants’ secondary struggled with Deonte Banks serving as their No. 1 cornerback. He flashed promise in a CB2 role as a rookie in 2023 but misstepped while elevating into the more prominent role as a sophomore. The Giants are hoping that Banks will break out of his sophomore slump and take a major step forward in year three as he transitions back into a CB2 role with Adebo taking over as the team’s CB1.
Adebo has been a ballhawk throughout his career, totaling 43 pass defenses and 10 interceptions in just four seasons. But, despite his proven track record in coverage and experience as a starter, Adebo is still only 25, just entering his prime with room to grow into becoming one of the league’s elite shutdown cornerbacks.
Last season, the Giants struggled to force turnovers. Adebo’s ball-hawking abilities should help them fix that weakness. In just 22 games over the last two seasons, Adebo has 29 forced incompletions (ranking first among all cornerbacks) and seven interceptions (ranking tied-fourth).
In a competitive NFC East featuring elite wide receivers such as the Eagles’ A.J. Brown-Devonta Smith pairing, CeeDee Lamb of the Cowboys, and Terry McLaurin of the Commanders, adding a sticky, ball-playing cornerback was a necessity. The Giants found that in Adebo, a budding playmaker on the defensive end, who should upgrade their secondary immensely.
