New York Giants, James Bradyberry, Darnay Holmes, Julian Love, Xavier McKinney
The New York Giants made a significant move on Monday afternoon to bolster their weakened secondary. When safety Xavier McKinney went down with a fractured fifth metatarsal last week, it was apparent that a free agent signing was in their future. General manager Dave Gettleman struck a deal with former New England Patriots and Tennessee Titan, Logan Ryan.
While the Giants will be without McKinney for at least 10 weeks of the regular season, the secondary improved this week. They were preparing to head into the 2020 season with a bevy of undrafted free agents, and late-round draft picks competing for the starting cornerback spot that DeAndre Baker left behind. Now, they have a bit more flexibility with Ryan entering the fold.
With Janoris Jenkins joining the New Orleans Saints last season, the Giants were forced to allocate salary cap toward a new No. 1 cornerback. James Bradberry was the second-best option on the market, and they locked him into a three-year deal.
Bradberry had a successful 2019 campaign, playing in 15 games and racking up 65 combined tackles. He also logged 12 passes defended, three interceptions, and allowed just one touchdown. He is the clear-cut top corner for the Giants and should actually provide an upgrade over Jenkins moving forward.
Ryan had an interesting 2019 campaign, posting incredible stats across the board. He was targeted 103 times in coverage, allowing 68 completions (a bit problematic). He allowed five touchdowns and a 66% completion rate against. However, from a slot position, he posted 113 combined tackles, 18 passes defended, four forced fumbles, and four interceptions. He is a valuable asset for the Giants on a one year, $7.5 million deal.
With McKinney going down, he can fill the safety spot and play CB. His adaptability should help defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.
When the New York Giants drafted Darnay Holmes in the fourth round, nobody knew what they were getting in the young UCLA corner. Most NFL analysts projected him as a nickel corner in the NFL, and he has played there since his drafting.
Holmes is a young and hungry corner with great physical attributes. He is quick and athletic, which attests to his perfect fit in the slot. Behind him, the Giants have Grant Haley and Chris Williamson, but I believe Holmes is the more talented option and will start the season at nickel.
Former 2019 4th round pick Julian Love will be forced into a starting role in the absence of Xavier McKinney. Love had a solid rookie campaign, posting 37 combined tackles, three passes defended, and one interception. He allowed one touchdown over a 65.5% completion rate against. Overall, he showed plenty of promise and potential, and a year of experience under his belt should help him exponentially going into his sophomore year.
Peppers has developed into one of the more influential pieces on defense for the Giants. He has developed well into a strong safety role and will be the starter to open the regular season. Peppers has worked tirelessly to shed some fat and gain muscle mass this offseason, returning to camp in impeccable shape. After a career-year last season, he will be looking to build off his previous success.
This post was published on 2020-09-01 07:45
