After months of waiting, Logan Ryan has finally found a home with the New York Giants for the 2020 season:
Logan Ryan will be returning home to New Jersey as he has signed with the New York Giants. The seventh-year veteran cornerback recently signed a new agent who lowered his asking price making many teams interested in Ryan. One of these teams was Big Blue allowing for a New Jersey reunion for Ryan and his family.
The Rutgers product started all 16 games for the Titans last year, where he played phenomenally. Ryan recorded 113 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, four interceptions, and 18 pass breakups. The 29-year-old essentially did everything for Tennessee, and it showed on the stat sheet as he was in the top 15% of cornerbacks in all of these categories. Ryan’s 4.5 sacks, 113 tackles, and nine tackles for loss were all first among cornerbacks. The defensive back also started three playoff games where he recorded two pass deflections, two tackles for loss, 25 tackles, and one interception, which he returned for a touchdown, ending Tom Brady’s time in New England.
Ryan was a swiss army knife for the Titans as he rushed the quarterback at times while also being one of their best coverage men. This offered Tennessee something many teams did not have, a true tackler and capable pass rusher in the slot. Ryan’s ability to do it all in Nashville showed out in the run game as he helped the team allow a mere 104.5 rushing yards per game.
The two time Super Bowl champion will bring this versatility to New York as he will pursue a starting defensive back role in Big Blue’s new-look defense. It is to be determined if he will play in the slot, outside, or even safety, but it appears as the Giants signed Ryan to be a day one starter and potential mentor to the young secondary.
The secondary currently has several players age 25 or younger (Jabrill Peppers, Julian Love, Corey Ballentine, Darnay Holmes, Grant Haley, etc.). Ryan’s thorough experience as a successful defensive back should help mentor and develop these young talents, which the Giants will need to rely on in the future. However, for this year, Ryan should be the day one starter at some secondary position, and if it were up to him, it would be free safety.
Free agent Logan Ryan views himself as a safety, rather than the cornerback he’s generally listed as. To that end, his agent emailed all 32 GMs these top safety stats and asked them to compare his production. An interesting discussion to be sure as one of the top FAs looms. pic.twitter.com/NZni6BYmND
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 10, 2020
With Giants’ rookie safety Xavier McKinney suffering a foot injury, a transition to free safety seems logical for Logan Ryan. As shown by the graphic, Ryan’s numbers last year were at par with or better than the league’s best, and as a full-time free safety, he could look to do even better. At free safety, Ryan would likely continue to get work in the slot and be active in the run and pass rush game in which he excels.
The Giants’ current free safety is second-year Notre Dame alum, Julian Love. The 2019 fourth-round selection played solid for New York, recording 37 tackles, three pass deflections, and one interception in five starts at the end of last season. While the contrary may be believed, the signing of Ryan should actually help Love’s performance as he will now be able to play more in the slot and will receive a great mentor at free safety. Patrick Graham, New York’s new defensive coordinator, likes to use three safety schemes, so it will also not be uncommon to see both Love and Ryan on the field together.
This signing of Ryan also reunites him with former coach Joe Judge as they worked phenomenally together in New England. The two will attempt to bring their pass defense expertise learned from defensive expert Bill Belichick and help a Giants secondary that ranked in the bottom fourth of the league. Ryan will try to recreate some of this work that led to two super bowls under Judge and Belichick as a member of the New York Giants.