The downfall of the New York Giants defense this year has undoubtedly been at the linebacker position. Featuring David Mayo and Alec Ogletree for a majority of the season, Big Blue has struggled to find its identity in the middle of the field and considering Ogletree is taking up $11.75 million in cap space. It’s disappointing to see how ineffective he’s been.
The linebacker position will be a priority for the Giants next offseason, as it should be. The free-agent market is weak, though, with only Shaq Thompson standing out as a bonafide starter who can be relied on. Both Bobby Wagner and Deion Jones were re-signed to their respective teams before hitting the market, an unfortunate turn of events for Big Blue.
Despite having little to work with next offseason, aside from the draft, the Giants do have Ryan Connelly waiting in the wings, a player who showed immense potential in just three games this season. Before tearing his ACL, Connelly shot up the depth chart and claimed the top linebacker spot, replacing Ogletree in his rookie season with only three games of tape.
How did Ryan Connelly look for the New York Giants?
In those three games, Connelly logged 20 combined tackles, two tackles for a loss, one QB hit, two passes defended, and two interceptions. His influence was impressive as he was on his way to being a force in the middle of the defense. While a torn ACL undoubtedly put a road-block on his path, most players can return from the injury and continue developing.
Ryan Connelly. PICKED.
(via @Giants) pic.twitter.com/hEehFznWn5
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) September 29, 2019
Connelly has already found his way out of the knee brace and stated that he feels better every single day.
Some good news. Rookie LB Ryan Connelly no longer needs crutches to get around. He told me he's feeling stronger every day and is attacking is rehab. He looks forward to returning next year.
— Patricia Traina (@Patricia_Traina) November 12, 2019
With the Wisconsin product’s ability to cover tight end and running backs in the flat, the Giants can go out and sign a hard-hitting linebacker that focuses on the run game. Don’t limit Connelly to life in the secondary, though, he has incredible reactions and quickness close to the line of scrimmage, making him a threat in the run game as well. His ability to shoot gaps made him integral to the Giants’ run defense, which has fallen off since his injury.
As Connelly grows and alleviates any experiential mistakes, he has the potential to become a stape for the Giants on defense for years to come.