Free agency is kicking off next week and the New York Giants are going to have money to spend. The Giants currently have the fifth-most cap space in the NFL with over $78 million dollars available (via Over The Cap).
New York is expected to be shopping near the top of the market. Big-name free agents such as Jadeveon Clowney and Byron Jones have been linked to the Giants in various rumors. But another, lesser-known free agent has also been linked to the Giants recently. According to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, the Giants consider Panthers’ free-agent cornerback James Bradberry to be a “coveted option.”
Overpaying Average Talent
James Bradberry is expected to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Bradberry is seeking a contract worth approximately $15 million per year. This might be a bit expensive for a 27-year-old cornerback that has never been to a Pro Bowl.
He is seeking that high annual salary and he might not get it, but if the Giants are going to be throwing big money at a cornerback in free agency, Byron Jones is a better option. Jones would cost more, around $16-18 million per year according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com. However, Byron Jones is an elite talent and is worth being paid elite money. James Bradberry is not worth paying such a large sum.
Elite Payment For Average Performance
In 2019, James Bradberry struggled to make tackles. He totaled a combined 65 tackles this season, however, he also missed 9 tackles. That is a missed tackle percentage of 12.2%, which is a little high.
James Bradberry was not reliable in coverage either. The Panthers’ cornerback was targeted in coverage 97 times in 2019. He allowed 58 completions, a 59.8% completion percentage. The opposition gained 644 yards against Bradberry, but they only scored 1 touchdown.
Bradberry would provide the Giants with average to above-average talent in the secondary. For this reason, he would be an upgrade. However, he is not an upgrade worth nearly $15 million.