The New York Giants invested heavily in their secondary last offseason. New York drafted three defensive backs in the 2019 NFL Draft (four if counting Sam Beal). The Giants drafted DeAndre Baker in the first round, Julian Love in the fourth round, and Corey Ballentine in the sixth round. Sam Beal was selected in the third round of the supplemental draft.
In their rookie seasons, there were some ups, but there were also many downs. It was a particularly rocky season for both Ballentine and Beal. Granted, Ballentine was a sixth-round pick that probably was not meant to be a starter as a rookie. But he did not precisely show promise in that role during the 2019 NFL season.
Sam Beal’s young career has been off to an even shakier start. Beal missed his entire 2018 rookie season with an injury and struggled to get on the field in 2019 too. Once he finally did make his way onto the field, Beal’s performance was disappointing.
Both of these young players will be on the Giants’ roster in 2020. But, after inconsistent starts to their careers, it is hard to determine what their roles might be.
Corey Ballentine’s Role
Corey Ballentine was a surprising standout player in the 2019 preseason. He had some impressive plays in training camp and preseason, including an interception against the New York Jets. While Ballentine’s strong summer provided Giants fans with optimism, his performance did not exactly translate in the regular season.
Ballentine was targeted in coverage 42 times in 2019. He allowed 27 completions or 64.3%. Opposing offenses gained 393 yards against Ballentine and scored 4 touchdowns with a rating of 126.4. He clearly was not prepared for an expanded role as a rookie.Â
In 2020, it is highly unlikely Corey Ballentine starts for the Giants. He started in 2 games in 2019, but he will likely be a depth piece for the Giants next season. The team has much money to spend in free agency and is likely to sign a cornerback at some point, diminishing Ballentine’s role further than his performance has.
Corey Ballentine should see the field in some capacity, however. On special teams, Ballentine should see some playing time. In 2019, Corey Ballentine was an effective kick returner. He returned 10 kickoffs for 256 yards, an average of 25.6, which is greater than a touchback. His longest return of the season was an impressive 52 yards. Corey Ballentine should have the chance to return more kicks in 2020.
Sam Beal’s Role
Sam Beal was expected to have a significant role with the Giants in 2019. New York drafted him in the third round of the 2018 Supplemental Draft, which is pretty high for a prospect in the Supplemental Draft. Unfortunately, Beal’s career has been plagued with injuries so far.
Sam Beal suffered a shoulder injury during training camp in 2018 that left him sidelined for the entire season. Beal then injured his hamstring in 2019, which got him placed on injured reserve again. Sam did not make his regular-season debut until November of 2019.
It was good to see Beal finally get on the field, but it was disappointing to see him perform at such a weak level. Sam Beal was targeted in coverage 21 times in the 6 games he played, and 16 of those passes were completed or 76.2%. The opposition gained 171 yards on Beal and scored 1 touchdown.Â
Beal is another player whose role is likely to diminish in 2020. His unfortunate injury history and underwhelming performance in 2019 could lead the Giants to replace the young defensive back ahead of the 2020 NFL season.