Recent reports indicated that interior defensive tackle for the New York Giants, Leonard Williams, was seeking at least $15 million in free agency. However, Williams himself de-bunked those reports, stating that he would never place a price-tag on his head, as it would be bad negotiating.
Good thing Williams assured us of this fact since $15 million is way above his value. He’ll be lucky to earn $13 million max in free agency. GM Dave Gettleman is facing his pride, though, after giving up a third and fourth-round pick for Williams’ services. The former Jet saw an up-tick in quarterbacks pressure after the transition, not to mention the 0.5 sacks he logged while in blue.
Retaining Leo on a multi-year deal would be foolish, especially with defensive coordinator Patrick Graham preparing to install a hybrid defense that will likely rotate between two and three interior tackles. This makes Williams a rotational piece along with Dalvin Tomlinson and Dexter Lawrence. Dropping over $10 million for a player who wouldn’t see the field on every snap is unacceptable. That’s my logic for passing on Williams.
However, his run-stopping grades were fantastic in 2019, and the Giants cannot afford to falter in that category moving forward. One option that could make sense for Big Blue is newly cut defender, Damon “Snacks” Harrison.
Harrison featured on the Giants during the 2016-18 seasons, earning a playoff appearance in his first season with Ben McAdoo and Odell Beckham Jr. running the show.
Snacks was traded to the Detroit Lions for a fifth-round pick two years ago, and the Giants’ run-defense struggled because of it. His contemplation for retirement has been lurking for months now, but a return to New York might motivate him once more to give it his all. The Giants have an opportunity to add talent on both sides of the ball via the draft and free agency, and Harrison could identify this as an opportunity.
Should the New York Giants even consider their former player?
With Williams essentially acting as a primary run-stopper, Harrison offers those services for half the price. We know Leo isn’t proficient in rushing the passer, and the Giants are better off snagging a run-stopper and investing the remainder of their money in a premium pass-rusher. We are also anticipating a big jump for Dexter Lawrence in year two.
This is an interesting idea to consider, but it’s important to note that Harrison’s production has fallen off a bit in recent years. I wouldn’t mind invested $3-4 million in his services once more.