The New York Giants are lacking true depth at the cornerback position, a spot that will likely be addressed in the 2019 NFL Draft. However, opposite Janoris Jenkins in the No. 2 role, there is also a need.
The Giants brought in form Cowboy and Jets corner, Morris Claiborne, for a visit. With the attention hovering around the offense and the upgrading of the quarterback position, the corners have been lost in the smoke and mirrors. Finding a solid No. 2 to compliment Jenkins should be a priority.
General manager Dave Gettleman has not allocated the necessary resources to produce a quality secondary in the past – with the Carolina Panthers. I anticipate him taking a similar approach this season as he continues to rebuild the defensive line and pass rushing efficiency.
It’s possible the Giants grab Claiborne on a team-friendly deal. The former Jet had a bit of a resurgence after struggling with the Cowboys in the earlier portion of his NFL career. Morris has had a difficult time establishing his presence as a former top-10 pick, but there’s plenty of potential and value to be extracted with the right coaching.
What would Morris Claiborne bring to the New York Giants?
While the former Jet did not grade particularly well in his two seasons with the Jets (62.9 in 2017 and 62.7 in 2018), he was consistent in regards to health and dependability. He started in 30 of 32 games. The Giants have had issues with health in recent years and having a resilient player that you can count on to be available every game is a huge plus. However, if they lack the talent to cover skilled wide receivers, their reliability becomes redundant.
Claiborne allows anywhere from 55-60% completions when the ball is thrown his way. Additionally, he’s also one of the more penalized corners in the league.
The bottom line, the Giants would be getting decent value from the veteran corner, but he’s by no means a top player at his position. He would theoretically be a stop-gap while the team develops a young option or switches over to Sam Beal later on in the year.