The 2020 off-season will be filled with free-agent signings and draft rumors for the New York Giants. However, the one player that should be retained is, Markus Golden, as he posted impressive numbers in 2019.
Having spent the last few years injured and unproductive, Golden bounced back with a 10.0 sack performance last season, playing in all 16 games and racking up 72 combine tackles. Don’t forget about his 27 quarterback hits and fumble recovery taken for a touchdown. His 7.7% missed tackle rate is another reliable statistical output that should be considered in his retention by the Giants.
According to Josina Anderson of ESPN, Golden is interested in returning to Big Blue, but he will test free agency in the meantime before the new league year begins in the coming weeks.
The New York Giants will be proactive in FA:
The Giants are expected to be aggressive and free agency, especially with several Premier pass rushers on the market. Jadeveon Clowney and Dante Fowler Jr. present two options that general manager Dave Gettleman was undoubtedly be looking at in the coming weeks.
While Golden is a quality pass rusher, he is not considered elite, and the Giants need a premium player to pair with him if they want to have a successful pass rush 2020. Given the reality that Chase Young will likely be off the board in the first three picks of the draft, they will have to look to free agency to fill the position.
With approximately $80 million in cap space, Gettleman has the resources to allocate if he wishes on the defensive line. However, hiring Patrick Graham to take over defensive coordinator duties will force the Giants to evaluate their positions and who is worth investing in this off-season. Golden is familiar with the Giants’ mentality and what they are out to achieve, which makes him a probable retention candidate.
ESPN’s Jordan Raanan also stated that the Giants are looking to bring back Golden:
The Giants like Golden and want to bring him back, according to a source. Several people around the league estimated the prices for Golden and Van Noy in the $10 million range, sort of a two-for-one instead of Clowney.