With the New York Giants lacking depth in the secondary, there’s only a few options remaining in regard to bolstering the unit and making it serviceable this season.
1.) Try to sign a veteran corner with the remaining cap
2.) Hope for the best from the current roster
3.) Put young players in a position to start and rise to the occasion
Where do the New York Giants stand with the secondary? And what did we see in week 1 of the preseason?
All of the options listed above are, well, poor. None offer any sort of optimism or support from the fleeting quality in the secondary. In week one of the preseason, No.2 corner Eli Apple was torched by a backup receiver, showing a dismal display of man-coverage. Higgins simply allowed Apple to run step-for-step up the sideline until he put his arm under Apple’s and simply shrugged him toward the sideline as he bolted into a deep post-route.
If you haven’t already figured it out, the above play is very similar to what we’ve seen from Apple in the past, and if he can’t improve, we are looking at a very bad situation.
Rookie cornerback out of Penn State, Grant Haley, will likely play a key role in the pass-defense this year. His ability to stick with his man and move quickly will be utilized frequently on slot corners, if William Gay either succumbs to injury or struggles. Gay has already sustained an ailment in training camp, opening up an opportunity for Grant. In regard to corners, it’s better not to hear their name, as it means they aren’t making many mistakes. Haley has managed to keep his name off the criticism list for the most part.
Former Penn State cornerback Grant Haley checked in for the Giants this series. Good tackle against Cleveland's Nick Chubb for a 1-yard loss.
— Mark Wogenrich (@MarkWogenrich) August 10, 2018
Grant Haley doing a good job in coverage on the outside. Guessing Giants want to see how he holds up there with a pretty good feel of what he can do in the slot already.
— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) August 10, 2018
It’s possible Haley is thrown into the fire on the exterior, facing off against wide-outs rather than slot-receivers. The technique and physical abilities are on the opposite spectrum when it comes to corners – Haley seems to be more than capable of managing his assignment at either.
https://twitter.com/PSUvids/status/1027985574802714624
Moving forward in the preseason, Haley will need to continue his development quickly, as he will be needed sooner rather than later in 2018.