giants news

New York Giants find their Dalvin Tomlinson replacement, sign DT Danny Shelton

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new york giants, danny shelton

Replacing Dalvin Tomlinson will be no easy feat for the New York Giants, as he commanded significant attention at nose tackle and was one of the most double-teamed interior defenders in football. The Giants re-signed Austin Johnson to a one-year, $3 million deal for the 2021 season, but they can’t expect him to be their bonafide starter at 0-tech.

Johnson was more of a rotational piece in 2020, accumulating 18 combined tackles and 1.0 sacks in 16 appearances. He only participated in 21% of defensive snaps, indicating he is a depth piece that can mitigate fatigue for the starters.

However, the Giants have found Tomlinson’s replacement, as they brought in former Detroit Lions DT Danny Shelton for a visit on Monday afternoon, agreeing to a one-year deal.

Shelton, it’s coming off a two-year, $8M deal with the Detroit Lions, but they released him due to a failed physical destination.

Shelton is a quality player who will fill a big need for the Giants in the interior. At 6’2” and 345 pounds, Shelton is nicknamed “feast mode,” collecting 37 combined tackles, four quarterback hits, and 1.0 sacks over 12 starts in 2020. Shelton spent time with the Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, and Lions, giving him a bit of familiarity with the Giants’ coaching staff.

Ultimately, replacing Tomlinson’s production is impossible, even with a player like Shelton, who takes up space in the interior and can command double teams. He played 44% of snaps in 2020, while Dalvin featured in 60%, primarily due to the former missing four games.

This will likely be a cheap signing for the Giants, as nose tackle is probably the most replaceable position on the interior, let alone the defense. There is a possibility the Giants address the position in the draft with a youth prospect as well, who can develop in their scheme. I expect general manager Dave Gettleman to allocate a mid-round pick on a big interior defender with upside, someone like North Carolina State defender Alim McNeil.

New York Giants 3-Round Mock Draft: Solving the OL, bolstering WR, and providing pass rush

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new york giants, terrace marshall

The New York Giants have many different avenues they can take in the 2021 NFL draft, especially with teams moving around them on Friday afternoon. With the Philadelphia Eagles moving out of the top 10 just behind the Giants at 12, there’s one less competitor for a premium non-quarterback. The Giants will have their shot at an instant playmaker, whether it be on the offensive line or a defender like MicahParsons.

Considering their adequate free agency, where they landed a WR1 in Kenny Golladay and a CB2 in Adoree Jackson, it could set them up to go best player available, but let’s take a look at how they can kill two birds with one stone.

Three-round New York Giants mock draft:

1.) Rashawn Slater

Many have predicted that Northwestern offensive tackle Rashawn Slater will end up with the Giants at 11. That would be a pretty decent snag since he’s an instant starter at either right tackle or right guard. Analysts have Slater projected as filling every position on the OL for a given team with his versatility and elite athleticism. Slater has a mean streak and is extremely flexible with where he can feature on an NFL OL. If the Giants want to bolster their OL and give Daniel Jones more time in the pocket to utilize his new playmakers, drafting Slater would be a great move.

He has the potential to become a perennial Pro Bowl and potential All-Pro player, and solving a weekend position with a player of his magnitude in the first round would be incredible. Some even have him ahead of Penei Sewell from Oregon.

2.) Terrace Marshall

One wide receiver who isn’t getting enough attention is LSU standout, Terrace Marshall. He was buried behind Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson over the past few years, but at 20 years old, Terrace has incredible fundamentals and size. At 6’3” and 200 pounds, Marshall is only 20 years old, two years younger than DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle. In just seven games last season, he averaged more than 100 yards per game and landed double-digit touchdown receptions.

Not only can he feature as an “X” receiver on the outside, but he has the technical refinement to move interior to slot as well. As a taller receiver, he’d be a fantastic option for Daniel Jones in the passing game and a long-term solution since the Giants have an out in Sterling Shepard’s deal after the 2021 season. Marshall has the potential to become a WR1 in the future, and at his age, he’s just barely scratching the surface.

3.) Joseph Ossai

Joseph Ossai is the definition of clutch.

Making several game-winning plays in 2020, Ossai would be a solid pick up for the Giants at 76. I don’t believe he will fall that far, but he did earn 5.5 sacks, 15.5 tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles in 2020. His story is inspiring, moving from Nigeria at a young age in a lottery pick and taking up football, eventually landing himself a big gig with Texas. I believe he would be a fantastic fit for the Giants at OLB — another 3rd round pick spend on the position. The Giants need as much competition as they can get with the return of Lorenzo Carter and Oshane Ximines from season-ending injuries.

Relying on them is a bit optimistic, and adding a player of Ossai’s talent would be fantastic. At 6’4” and 253 pounds, Joseph has functional strength and great athleticism, something coordinator Patrick Graham can work with in terms of versatility.

New York Giants 2 round mock draft: Best player available always a safe move

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new york giants, micah parsons

The New York Giants have done a phenomenal job this free agency period, solving several holes on the roster. Finding a true and tried wide receiver one in Kenny Golladay and a premium corner in Adoree’ Jackson will ultimately fuel improvements across the board, especially on solid contracts that will prove to be minimal once the salary cap expands exponentially in 2022.

Free agency is best utilized when trying to solve specific holes, and since the cap decreased significantly this season, teams were forced to release quality players that otherwise wouldn’t hit the market in a normal off-season.

Looking ahead to the NFL draft in a month, the New York Giants are in a great position to find a fantastic player in the first round and add high upside talent in a second. Let’s take a look at an interesting mock draft that could end up taking their defense to the next level and providing a bit of support on offense.

Two round New York Giants mock draft:

Round 1 (11): LB Micah Parsons

While there are a few red flags surrounding Micah Parsons, including an investigation that is ongoing with Parsons being mentioned by name in a harassment lawsuit, his draft stock doesn’t seem to be dropping because of it.

Parsons is an elite defense of talent, bringing elite speed and strength to the linebacker position. During his Pro Day, he ran a 4.35, indicating impressive agility and speed. The Giants like to have connections with players, especially with COVID-19 limiting their interactions. His connection with defensive line coach Spence Chaos could be an indication that the Giants will consider him if he falls to 11. Parsons has stated his relationship with Chaos as positive, indicating that he helped him through the transition process to the NFL. With that being the case, the Giants could be looking at him with keen eyes, especially with head coach Joe Judge attending Penn State’s Pro Day.

Parsons did opt out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns, but his addition to the defense would be extravagant. Adding a player who can rush the passer as an outside linebacker but also play middle linebacker at a high-level is exciting. If he is there at 11, you could argue he’s the best player available and one the Giants shouldn’t think twice about. However, the team will do their due diligence and look into his background, which could raise some concerns. If all checks out clean, I can’t imagine him being low on the Giants’ draft board.

Round 2 (42): OG Wyatt Davis

The Giants did very little to add offensive line talent this off-season, but drafting Ohio state guard Wyatt Davis in the second round might cover up some concerns. Davis is a plug-and-play right guard on day one, and he would immediately provide some competition alongside Shana Lemeiux and newly signed C/OG Zack Fulton. As a bully in the trenches, Davis is a sound pass blocker and solid run blocker in power schemes. Leading the charge in front of Saquon Barkley would be fantastic, and while he might need a few months to adapt to the Giants’ game, he could be a long-term solution at RG post-Kevin Zeitler.

Why the New York Giants could have a top-5 secondary in 2021

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New York Giants, James Bradberry

If you’ve been watching the New York Giants the past few weeks, you can probably assume they will have a better 2021 season compared to their lackluster performance in 2020. The Giants over-performed on defense last year but struggled on offense, ranking 32nd in points per game at 17.5.

The Giants did plenty to upgrade their offense this off-season, including signing WR1 Kenny Golladay, John Ross, and Kyle Rudolph. In addition, they have the flexibility of using premium draft selections to upgrade the OL or add more playmakers like Jaylen Waddle/DeVonta Smith.

However, Big Blue didn’t forget about their defense, which was a top 10 unit in points allowed per game last season. They retained star pass rusher Leonard Williams and signed a premium corner in Adoree’ Jackson.

Some might argue that the Giants have one of the best secondaries in football, especially with Xavier McKinney experiencing solid development in the second half of 2020 and a phenomenal performance by James Bradberry, who they signed last season to a three-year deal.

Let’s take a look at the projected starters for 2021 and why they could be one of the best units in football.

New York Giants’ starting secondary:

CB1: James Bradberry

CB2: Adoree’ Jackson

Slot Corner: Darnay Holmes

S: Logan Ryan

S: Xavier McKinney

S: Jabrill Peppers

Starting with Bradberry, who had himself an elite season last year — he allowed 454 yards and three touchdowns in coverage. Two of his three scores came in week one against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and teams quickly figured out they should not target him in the red zone. He allowed a 70.1 passer rating against, showing he is one of the best corners in football. In addition, he tallied three interceptions and two forced fumbles.

The Giants went out and signed one of the best corners on the market recently in Jackson, who is only 25 years old and is considered one of the most athletic players at the position in the NFL. During Jackson‘s best season in 2019, he allowed 479 yards and two touchdowns over 11 performances. He earned an 82.5 overall coverage grade, making him a top 15 player in the category, per PFF.

Since 2018, he’s considered one of the top coverage corners in football, ranking alongside players like Richard Sherman, Jaire  Alexander, and Stephon Gilmore.

If he can remain healthy, the Giants will have arguably the best cornerback duo in football, as Jackson is capable of being a high-end CB1, and pairing him with Bradberry is simply unfair.

Slot corner Darnay Holmes struggled during his rookie season, but he has the tenacity and work ethic to become a fantastic interior coverage-defender. With his willingness to stop the run and elite athleticism, most of his issues are mental (experience) and simply need more adaptation.

Coming off an injury-riddled season at UCLA in 2019, Holmes took a bit more time to get his footing in the NFL but had a few standout performances. As a fourth-round pick, Darnay was always a project but had arguably his best game against the Seattle Seahawks in week 13 last season. He recorded an interception and limited Seattle receivers to a measly 38 yards. He did have a few penalty issues late in the year, but I believe a season of experience will ultimately spur astronomical development.

The safety trio of Xavier McKinney, Jabrill Peppers, and Logan Ryan is arguably the best in football. Another pairing that has unlimited potential.

McKinney suffered a fractured foot during training camp last year but made a significant impression in his final game of the season against Dallas in week 17. He picked up an interception and shut down the deeper portions of the field, giving the Giants a major positive heading into the off-season.

As we’ve seen recently, Ryan and peppers played a significant part in recruiting big names to the Giants this off-season. Peppers went to dinner with Kenny Golladay in Hoboken, which helped convince him the Giants were building something special. Ryan flew up from Florida to meet with Adoree Jackson during his visit, and he never even made it to Philadelphia, a team that was heavily interested in her services.

As we can see, this unit is composed of highly motivated individuals with fantastic work ethic. They are all capable of playing at an elite level, and if the Giants can unlock their potential, which coordinator Patrick Graham has proven he can do, this secondary could be a top-five unit if not the best in football.

New York Giants: Free Agency rumors, updates, news

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New York Giants, Kenny Golladay

With free agency rumors swirling, the New York Giants are caught in purgatory. With minimal cap space and teams quickly scooping up the top players on the market, the Giants have to move quickly, or they are going to lose out on some of their targeted players.

With resources needed to be allocated toward the wide receiver and pass rush positions, free agency offers a plethora of players who could fit the bill. Monday afternoon was a storm, with a ton of players being unofficially signed. The New England Patriots were the most active, landing big players coming off careers years, which could end up biting them in the butt.

Let’s take a look at some of the most prevalent rumors for the New York Giants:

1.) Kenny Golladay still on the Giants’ radar

The Giants would prefer to walk away from free agency with the top receiver on the market, Kenny Golladay. The only big receiver to be signed on Monday was Nelson Agholor, who landed with the Patriots.

His contract is worth $13 million per season, which could easily affect Kenny Golladay’s future deal. Reports have indicated that the Giants are interested in Golladay, having only played five games last year but earned Pro Bowl selection in 2019 with nearly 1200 yards and 11 touchdowns. The likelihood is that the Giants will have to pay upwards of $17 million per year for his services, but he would immediately upgrade the wide receiver corps and offer Daniel Jones a big body target in the passing game.

2.) Pass rusher if not wide receiver?

If the Giants lose out on a receiver of their choice, it’s possible they look to the pass rush market to shore up their defense. With Matt Judon, Carl Lawson, Bud Dupree, Yannick Ngakoue, Shaq Barrett, and Leonard Floyd already off the market, the Giants still have a few solid options to target, including Haason Redick and even Jadeveon Clowney.

Something about Reddick stands out to me, and considering he tallied 12.5 sacks last season, with five of them coming against the Giants, I am under the impression he would be a stellar addition and likely wouldn’t break the bank.

3.) Giants priced out of top-tier pass rushers

The Giants are in a tough spot when it comes to signing premium pass rushers, and their best bet is likely to hold onto Leonard Williams and roll into the season with Lorenzo Carter and Oshane Ximines as their starters. However, they did inquire about Los Angeles Rams OLB Leonard Floyd. Floyd finished the 2020 season with 10.5 sacks but elected to sign with his current team instead of taking his talents to the East Coast.

Ultimately, the Rams overpaid for Floyd, giving him $16 million per season. With that being said, the Giants aren’t willing to overspend on a pass rusher at this time, especially with Williams sitting on the franchise tag waiting to be extended.

The priority should be wide receiver before pass rusher, and if Daniel Jones is watching his team in free agency, he’s likely praying for that reality.

Report: New York Giants ‘interested’ in WR Kenny Golladay

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New York Giants, Kenny Golladay

It is no secret that the New York Giants desperately need to allocate resources toward an offensive playmaker. While the 2021 NFL draft offers an extremely deep receiver class, free agency also has its benefits.

The Giants have been linked to Detroit Lions WR1 Kenny Golladay for quite some time, inquiring about him prior to the trade deadline in 2020. It is no surprise that they are once again keeping tabs on him as free agency starts on March 17. However, legal tampering for players begins on Monday, so the Giants could already be in contact with him at the start of the week, gauging his price tag and health coming off an injury-riddled 2020 season.

On ESPN’s Breaking Big Blue podcast, beat reporter Jordan Raanan states that the Giants are very clearly interested in Kenny Golladay and will likely place a bid on him in free agency.

“There’s some concerns about Kenny Golladay, but this is a player the Giants are interested in,” Raanan said. “This isn’t just me making a grand assumption; this isn’t just me connecting the dots. I am telling you, the Giants are interested in Kenny Golladay. There’s a reason they called the Lions last year around the trade deadline. A deal wasn’t going to happen, but it’s a player that’s interesting to them — that they like.

“Now, there are some concerns. He’s been injured, he’s played one 16-game season in his four years and there’s a reason the Lions didn’t really want to sign him long-term. They obviously did not feel totally comfortable giving him that money.”

What would Kenny Golladay bring to the New York Giants?

Golladay played in just five games last season, totaling 338 yards and two scores. His best season came in 2019 when he earned a Pro Bowl nod for his performance. Playing an entire 16 game season, Golladay posted 1190 yards and 11 touchdowns, establishing himself as one of the best receivers in the NFL when healthy.

This correlates extremely well to Allen Robinson’s time in Jacksonville, having posted just one season with over 1000 yards and double-digit scores, but spent the 2017 season injured and then signed a big contract with the Chicago Bears anyway.

Golladay has two seasons with over 1000 yards under his belt, so you could make the argument he was better than Robinson when he left Jacksonville.

At 27 years old, Kenny likely has another three years left of elite play left in him, maybe more. The Giants have tried to stick with three-year contracts as of late, and I think that would be a perfect amount of time for the big-body receiver unless an alternative team is willing to offer more years and more money.

Nonetheless, he would be a perfect scheme thing with the Giants, offering them a big body to utilize against man-coverage and in the red-zone. When at the top of his game, Golladay is an unstoppable receiver with an extraordinary wingspan. He would offer Daniel Jones a great security blanket and a bonafide WR1.

New York Giants: Ranking the 3 positions that need upgrades this offseason

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New York Giants, Daniel Jones

The New York Giants only have a specific amount of resources they can allocate this off-season, and they will have to be strategic with how they manipulate the money available. They are currently $3 million over the cap, which means they don’t currently have the cash and flexibility to extend Leonard Williams on a multi-year deal. They will have to shed dead weight and find ways to open up money, but that is what professional financial experts are expected to do, like Kevin Abrams.

However, it is quite disappointing that the Giants don’t have much cap space despite the fact that they have a quarterback on a rookie deal. They have too much money tied up in players who aren’t making an impact, like Nate Solder and Golden Tate. The expectation is that they will move on from these two this off-season unless they can find efficient ways to reconstruct their current deals.

Nonetheless, multiple positions need upgrades badly, and the Giants have a few ways they can maneuver their cap situation and utilize their draft picks.

Ranking the three weakest positions for the New York Giants:

1.) WR

Finding an offensive playmaker this off-season is essential, as the Giants ranked last in yards of separation among their receivers in 2020, forcing quarterback Daniel Jones to carry the load. Jones only threw 11 touchdown passes this past season, a steep drop off from the 24 he threw his rookie year.

Ultimately, the expectation is that Big Blue will find a receiver in free agency, whether it be Corey Davis or Curtis Samuel, and utilize either the 11th or 43rd overall pick on a playmaker. This is a unit that desperately needs help, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be a WR, they could also target a player like TE Kyle Pitts in the draft.

The Giants can explore many different avenues, but we won’t forget co-owner John Mara guaranteeing they will allocate resources toward the position’s upgrade.

2.) RT

Right tackle has also been a tumultuous position, as the Giants utilized a rotation of Cameron Fleming and Matt Peart in 2020. Fleming was decent as a run blocker but a liability in pass protection. He played a key role in the Giants’ OL being the worst-ranked pass-blocking unit in the NFL. He is currently a free agent, so the Giants have to make another decision at RT, whether it be drafting a player in the first two rounds or signing a free agent. They could always stick with Peart, who is going into his second season but missed a good chunk of the 2020 campaign due to COVID-19.

Dave Gettleman has been guaranteeing the solution for the OL for years now, and we are still right where we started in 2018.

3.) OLB

The New York Giants posted only 40 sacks in 2020, and after both starters went down with the season-ending injuries, the Giants did their best to supplement.

Ultimately, a majority of their pressure came from the interior defensive line, but they desperately need an upgrade at OLB, as relying on Lorenzo Carter and Oshane Cimines is becoming redundant. Neither has proven to be productive pass rushers, despite Carter showing a bit more development prior to tearing his Achilles against Dallas last season. There are a few options in the draft that could fall to the Giants at 43, including Joseph Ossai and Jayson Owen from Penn State.

New York Giants should target TE Kyle Pitts for these 3 reasons

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New York Giants, Kyle Pitts

The New York Giants desperately need an offensive playmaker in the 2021 NFL draft, and Florida TE Kyle Pitts could fit the bill perfectly. As a dominant threat in man coverage, Pitts has the ability to overpower corners and align in several different spots.

Pitts could be the next big thing in the NFL, considering his revolutionary style of play, and most consider him the epitome of the modern-day tight end. For Florida last year, Kyle hauled in 770 yards and 12 touchdowns over eight games. He’s dominant in the red zone and would offer a quarterback Daniel Jones an outlet not only as a security blanket but as an every-play receiver.

Here are three reasons the New York Giants should consider drafting the stand out TE:

1.) Kyle Pitts is only 20 years old

Looking at Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith out of Alabama, both receivers are 22 years old. Pitts, who has the ability to play X, Z, and in the slot, is only 20 years old and hasn’t even scratched the surface of his potential. Not to say that the receivers won’t do the same, but Pitts has two additional years to find his underlying potential and maximize his physical traits.

At 6’6” and 246 pounds, not only is he a big body with the route running of a receiver, but he can line up as a traditional tight end and block in the running game. He needs to add a bit more muscle mass and refine his technique in that category, but if he develops properly, he has top-3 potential at the position in the NFL.

2.) Kyle Pitts didn’t drop a SINGLE pass in 2020

One of the biggest liabilities for the Giants currently is Evan Engram, who dropped a significant number of passes which ended up being significant to the Giants’ playoffs helps in 2020. Some might look at Pitts and compare them to Engram as a primary receiving option of the position, but there’s a simple difference, he doesn’t drop the football.

In fact, Pitts didn’t have a drop on 65 targets, as he was the only receiver in college football to have zero drops when commanding at least 65 targets. His reliable hands make him a fantastic threat in all facets, especially with a quarterback like Jones that spreads the ball around the field.

3.) Kyle Pitts is a dominant man-coverage receiver

Not only can Pitts dominate in the short/intermediate ranges of the field, but he is also capable of thriving as a vertical threat. He lead all TEs last year in catches and yards on targets when being thrown the ball 20+ yards from the line of scrimmage.

Considering Giants’ offensive coordinator Jason Garrett loves to utilize man coverage matchups, Pitts would be an absolute perfect scheme fit, especially when lined up outside against undersize corners. He’s a mismatch nightmare, and in 12 personnel with Engram, if they don’t trade the former first-round pick, the pair would simply be unguardable.

Should the New York Giants target Corey Davis in free agency?

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New York Giants, Corey Davis

Promises, promises, promises. That is all New York Giants management feels necessary to provide fans these days. Whether it be guaranteeing the solution to fixing the offensive line or that they will allocate resources toward offensive playmakers, nothing has seemed to come to fruition.

Of course, this off-season could be telling, simply based on the fact that head coach Joe Judge has changed the narrative surrounding the team the last few years. The culture has taken a massive shift, the Giants have one a few games to prove they are on an upward trend, and the coaching has been superior compared to the recent past.

However, drafting must improve significantly if the Giants wish to be an adequate team moving forward. They rank among the worst in the league when it comes to the number of wins produced by spending in free agency, which also indicates poor draft selections.

Last season we saw a bit of a shift, as even late-round picks were contributing toward the Giants’ production. Whether it be in an injury-riddled outside linebacker unit or in the secondary, we finally witnessed youth performing well.

This off-season, though, the Giants don’t have much money to work with and don’t have a fifth-round pick, which they sent to the New York Jets in exchange for Leonard Williams in 2019.

General manager Dave Gettleman believes that the Giants do you have money to spend this off-season, and he’s depending on Kevin Abrams to find it.

“We’ve got cap space, we’ve got room,” Gettleman said during his post-season press conference. “You never have as much room as you want to have. We’ve got cap space, we’ve got room to do the things we feel like we need to do initially. A lot of it is going to be about the drop it’s going to take. How far of a plunge is it going to take? We don’t know. They’re talking 175, who knows. We’ll plan and then once we know the number, we’ll get moving.”

With the cap expected to be no less than $180 million, the Giants have a bit more leeway than previously expected. They still need to allocate resources toward a wide receiver, and with Allen Robinson and Kenny Golladay projected to be franchise tagged by their respective teams, only Corey Davis of the Tennessee Titans and Curtis Samuel of the Carolina Panthers makes sense.

Should the New York Giants target Davis in free agency?

This leads us to our main topic, is Davis worth signing to be the Giants WR1? Davis had his best season in 2020 opposite AJ Brown, recording 984 yards and five touchdowns. He averaged 15.1 yards per reception and a catch rate of 70.7%, both being career highs.

However, you could make the argument that the attention Brown demanded allowed Davis to realize his potential. That argument would lead us down a path that justifies him being a high-end WR2 and not a premium WR1.

Nonetheless, the Giants don’t have a plethora of options to choose from, so Davis could be a solid option to add to the receiving corps. At 6’3” and 209 pounds, Davis is capable of being a solid possession receiver with above-average route running abilities. He can high point catches well and use his strength to muscle balls away from corners.

Realistically, any upgrade at the WR position will help Daniel Jones excel in 2021. To be quite honest, I would be ecstatic if the Giants fulfill that promise and allocate resources toward the position, one that desperately needs help.

3 New York Giants players primed to make big jumps in 2021

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New York Giants, Dexter Lawrence

The New York Giants’ defense surprised everybody in 2020, ranking ninth in points allowed per game with 22.3. In rushing yards allowed, they were a top 10 unit but struggled in defending the pass until the second half of the year, ending up average, allowing 237.9 yards.

The injection of essential free agents completely overhauled the unit, along with Leonard Williams, who produced 11.5 sacks. Cornerback James Bradberry, formerly of the Carolina Panthers, had his best season to date, allowing 50+ yards just twice over the course of the entire season. He allowed three touchdowns, two of which came in week one against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

However, it was some of the rookies and youngsters that played a significant part, and some fresh faces are primed to take a significant jump in 2021.

Three New York Giants players primed to take big jumps in 2021:

1.) Dexter Lawrence

Lawrence is going into his third season in the NFL, and he took a big jump last year with the Giants. Alongside Williams and Dalvin Tomlinson, who both had career seasons, Lawrence nearly doubled his sack totals from 2.5 to 4.0. He also totaled 10 QB hits and six tackles for loss. His combined tackles number went up from 38 to 53 over just 60% of defensive snaps, a decrease of 3%.

Lawrence was double-teamed more than either of his counterparts and ranked near the top of the league in the category as well. He recorded 33 stops, 19 hurries, and just two missed tackles all season long.

With his growth, I expect him to take a nice jump in 2021, especially if the Giants retain both of their interior lineman who are hitting free agency. If all goes well, Dexter is in line to become a staple in the trenches.

2.) Xavier McKinney

Xavier McKinney missed a majority of his rookie season with a fractured foot which occurred during training camp. However, he returned in the second half of the year to post some quality numbers to finish the season.

In week 17 against Dallas, he recorded eight combined tackles, one tackle for a loss, one pass defended, and one interception. He was all over the field making plays, at one point bursting through a TE to take down CeeDee Lamb in the backfield. With that impressive performance, the Giants must feel confident he can take a step forward in 2021.

Based on the fact that McKinney came from a pro-style defense with Alabama, his transition to the NFL was never expected to take long. It seemed as if he finally settled down against Dallas to finish the campaign, so I expect that to translate over to next year.

3.) Darnay Holmes

While rookie slot corner Darnay Holmes suffered through m injuries as well, he didn’t allow a touchdown the entire season, the only starting rookie corner to do so.

In addition, he allowed 30 yards or less in six appearances but did have some struggles toward the end of the campaign. A lingering injury hurt his efficiency, posting four penalties in his last four starts. With a superior mentality and NFL genetics, Holmes has the ability to become a stellar corner in the NFL, but he must remain healthy moving forward.