markus golden

New York Giants News, 9/14 – Rookie pass rusher expected to start against Bills

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New York Giants, Oshane Ximines

Good Morning, New York Giants Fans!

When the Giants began the preseason with only Markus Golden, Kareem Martin, Oshane Ximines, and Lorenzo Carter as their primary pass rushers, the expectations for the group were low. Golden hasn’t had a productive season in three years, Martin has never been a consistent pass rusher, Ximines is a mere rookie adapting to the NFL, and Carter was a hopeful sophomore blossom, and in week one against the Dallas Cowboys, they all lived up to those expectations.

After just one week, Martin is already on injured reserve, and the three remaining pass rushers are not only battling their deficiencies but will also face off against a mobile quarterback in Josh Allen on Sunday. Ximines, however, will likely earn the start against the Bills, or be the second man in the rotation due to the injury to Martin.

The Old Dominion product finished week one with just one total tackle. As he progresses and adapts to the speed and physicality of the NFL, we should temper our expectations. It will likely take several weeks for him to show signs of productive growth as a rookie, but he has the tangible skills to rack up his efficiency consistently.

Big Blue View interviewed Ximines, here’s what he had to say:

Q: Biggest adjustment from college to the NFL?

A: “Just getting acclimated with being a pro. Everything you do changes. It’s not like college, where you’re going to get babied through everything. You’ve got to kind of find your routine and make an adjustment quick.”

Nonetheless–

Your top news of the day:

Ed Valentine – Friday 5: Oshane Ximines answers five — hopefully — good questions

John Fennelly – Giants defense has the attitude and desire to succeed

Jordan Raanan – Giants’ season could take shape in Week 2, for better or worse

Tom Canavan – Saquon Barkley’s touches not an issue with New York Giants

Christian Morell – New York Giants: Should Pat Shurmur give up Play-Calling?

New York Giants: The key to beating the Buffalo Bills in week 2

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New York Giants, Dalvin Tomlinson

The New York Giants will face off against the Buffalo Bills in a week two match up that is a must-win game. After a severe loss against division rivals the Dallas Cowboys, Big Blue is in a position of adversity.

After allowing over 500 yards of offense, the Giants’ defense will look to bounce back in week two with better coverage in the secondary and a more efficient pass-rush. Meeting the Bills will be difficult, though, considering they have one of the league’s more tantalizing mobile quarterbacks in Josh Allen. Last week against the New York Jets, he did turn the ball over four times. However, he rushed for 38 yards on ten carries and a touchdown. He also threw for 254 yards and a touchdown.

In favor of the Giants, the Bills don’t have any electrifying pass catchers. They featured John Brown, Cole Beasley, Tommy Sweeney, and Devin Singletary, their young running back.

Despite having lackluster pass options, the Bills have one primary strength, and the Giants must stop him at all costs.

New York Giants: the key to beating the Buffalo Bills

Again, the key to victory in week two will be the Giants pass rush. The Giants had a total of five tackles on their defensive front, putting out a fat zero in the sack column. After claiming former Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker to Tuzar Skipper this week, the team will receive an extra boost from a player that is highly touted. However, relying on him to pick up the slack from last weeks, performance is hugely optimistic.

Rookie interior defender Dexter Lawrence will be the catalyst once again in pushing the pile forward. His massive frame often draws double teams, which should give B.J. Hil and Dalvin Tomlinson extra room to work with. Also, pass rushers Oshane Ximines and Markus Golden must have better performances in week two. Golden, who played a significant portion of the game, finished with just one assist and zero tackles. Both Lawrence and Golden finished as the bottom two producers on the defensive side of the ball, something that cannot be repeated if the Giants wish to earn a win this week.

The ultimate key will be putting pressure on Allen, who will make mistakes consistently if startled. Containing him in the pocket and utilizing unique blitz packages is what defensive coordinator James Bettcher will look to do.

New York Giants: 2 monster pass rushers that could be available in 2020

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Should the New York Giants look into Von Miler next offseason?

After the New York Giants were entirely overwhelmed by the Dallas Cowboys in week one, one of their significant weaknesses was exposed. A lack of pass rush talent was clearly on display, as second-year player Lorenzo Carter was nowhere to be found. Also, Veteran Markus Golden wasn’t able to make an impact either.

The current outside linebackers for the Giants are underwhelming, and while one week of poor play shouldn’t tell the entire story, it is hard to imagine any of them will emerge as prolific starters.

So, while this list is far too early and things could certainly change throughout the season, I couldn’t help myself but begin to research other options.

The Giants will have plenty of cap space to go out and sign premium players next offseason, and these two pass rushers could fit the bill.

1.) Von Miller

Denver Broncos top defensive player, Von Miller, has a potential out in his contract after this season. If he elects to take his talents to another team, he can do so.

The Giants could be a destination for Miller, who has amassed no fewer than ten sacks since 2013. He would be an immediate upgrade at the position for the Giants and would bolster the defense considerably. We can also assume the Giants will utilize their first-round pick on the defensive line, rebuilding what was once an intimidating pass rush.

However, Miller will earn $17 million in base salary next season, and he will likely want that if not more in a new contract. The Giants have plenty of cap to work with, but his price tag could be too expensive. Then again, his abilities and experience would immediately upgrade the unit and help the team succeed at an accelerated rate.

2.) Jadeveon Clowney

Alternatively, the Giants could pursue Jadeveon Clowney in a deal. He’s currently signed up for one year with the Seattle Seahawks — recently traded. The issue with Clowney is that he isn’t an extremely productive player. However, he can play multiple positions, and he has the physical traits to be an elite outside linebacker in the league.

In his first game this season, he racked up two tackles and one sack. He hasn’t recorded a season with ten sacks or more so far in his career, but his skill set is undeniable. He would likely cost the Giants somewhere in the $15 million per season range.

New York Giants News, 9/11 – Giants pick up promising outside linebacker

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New York Giants, Tuzar Skipper

Good Morning, New York Giants Fans!

The Giants are in dire need of pass rush support after their abysmal performance against the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday. Outside linebackers Oshane Ximines, Markus Golden, Kareem Martin, and Lorenzo Carter finished with a total three tackles on the day. They were all disappointing against the Cowboys, one of the few teams in the league with a top offensive line.

Clearly, they need support before their week two matchup against the Buffalo Bills, a team that leans on mobile quarterback, Josh Allen. Without a solid push from the Giants’ defensive front, Allen will run circles around the unit with ease. He’s a powerful runner that can take off in the blink of an eye. Without a solid pass rush, he will be challenging to stop.

The Giants looked to supplement their deficiency by picking up former Pittsburgh Steeler, Tuzar Skipper, a developmental OLB that looked sharp during preseason play. He racked up a solid five sacks and two forced fumbles. It was a surprise for Skipper to be cut after such a productive preseason, but Steelers coach Mike Tomlin tried to sneak him onto their practice squad.

Luckily, other teams can sign players off opposing practice squads, and Tuzar was readily available to be picked up. He could feature during the regular season as soon as next Sunday against the Bills, as the Giants cannot wait much longer to inject support into the unit.

Nonetheless–

Your top news of the day:

Charles Vitolo – New York Giants pillage Tuzar Skipper from the Steelers

John Fennelly – Giants may have gotten this offensive line rebuild right
Alexander Wilson – New York Giants top receiver could be out with concussion for week 2
Dan Benton – Report: Giants working out RB Josh Ferguson, DE Carroll Phillips
Ed Valentine – PFF rookie grades for Giants’ first-round picks

The New York Giants Pass-Rush Has A Lot To Prove In Week One

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New York Giants defensive lineman, Dexter Lawrence.

The New York Giants have not had a player record double-digit sacks since 2014. The hope is that this changes in 2019, but it does not seem likely. The Giants do not look to have a strong pass rush heading into the new season.

Last season, the Giants struggled to get after the passer. The team recorded only 30 sacks and allowed 371.4 yards per game. The Giants’ defense needs to improve in 2019, and that obviously starts in week one against the Cowboys.

Why The Pass Rush Might Struggle

In week one, the Giants pass rusher needs to prove the doubters wrong. Unfortunately, they have an extremely tough matchup to start the season. The Giants will be traveling to Dallas in week one to face off with the division rival Cowboys.

The Cowboys possess one of the NFL’s best offensive lines. The line features three All-Pros: Tyron Smith at left tackle, Travis Frederick at center, and Zack Martin at right guard. This creates a difficult matchup for the Giants’ young and inexperienced pass rush.

Last year, Zack Martin allowed only three sacks and only committed one penalty. Tyron Smith allowed zero sacks and committed ten penalties. If that is any indicator, Lorenzo Carter probably will not be getting his first sack of 2019 in week one.

Why The Pass Rush Has A Chance To Surprise

It also means it will be arduous for Dexter Lawrence to get a sack in his first career game. The Giants’ 17th overall pick in the 2019 Draft is an underrated pass-rusher. In 2018, Dexter Lawrence totaled an impressive 33 pressures (Pro Football Focus). Dexter was often in the face of opposing quarterbacks. He also added 10 sacks in three collegiate seasons.

Lorenzo Carter is the Giants’ lead pass rusher this year. Unfortunately, he was disappointing in the 2019 preseason, recording not a single sack after tons of hype in training camp. But he is still the team’s best pass rusher and it is never good practice to read far into preseason play.

The Giants do not have one single standout pass-rusher, but they do have multiple solid rushers. Markus Golden is only two years and one injury removed from a twelve sack season. Oshane Ximines was the Giants’ third round pick and he was impressive in the preseason.

Most importantly for the Giants’ pass-rush in week one is defensive coordinator James Bettcher. The Giants’ defense has holes all over, but a great coach can cover up those holes. It will be up to Bettcher to scheme pressure against the Cowboys. If the Giants fail to pressure Dak Prescott, they will lose. It is crucial for the Giants to get after the quarterback and get off to a strong start in week one.

New York Giants: Three Observations From First Unofficial Depth Chart

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New York Giants, Cody Latimer

We’re finally close enough to the preseason that we can get an idea of what the New York Giants will be running with for their starting lineup, and a couple of weeks into training camp, we have our first unofficial depth chart. You can find it on the team website, and of course, there’s some interesting things to note from what’s listed on it.

Developments in the battle at right tackle

Mike Remmers came out on top at right tackle, even if this is only the first depth chart and is still subject to change. That’s the expected outcome – second string right tackle Chad Wheeler was better than Ereck Flowers but still not good enough to be called impressive last season, after all. However, Remmers being the starter at the position wasn’t guaranteed.

The staff reiterated multiple times earlier in the offseason that the position has an open competition, even going as far as to say that it was Wheeler’s job to lose. In the end, however, it looks like Remmers is winning that competition despite coming off of injury.

Peculiarly, seventh round draft pick George Asafo-Adjei is in dead last behind Brian Mihalik despite some believing the Giants drafted him for below his worth earlier in the year. Is finishing last at the position behind a journeyman who joined the team last year the worst outcome in the world for a seventh round draft pick? No, but it does show that Asafo-Adjei has some more work to do before becoming a legitimate option for the rotation.

No surprises in receiver battle

Golden Tate and Sterling Shepard are both listed as top receivers – although Tate is likely going to face a four game suspension for violating the league’s substance policy – but the battle for the other receiver spots is about what was expected. Bennie Fowler, Russell Shepard, and Cody Latimer are shown to be in the mix and it looks like Shepard and Latimer are the frontrunners to become receivers two and three for this season’s lineup.

Don’t count Fowler out completely, however. As a former teammate of Cody Latimer, Fowler is already pretty familiar with competing with one of the players in the mix in this competition.

Markus Golden doesn’t enter first team immediately

Markus Golden should be a big addition to a pass rush that desperately needs it – if the Giants can get him back to his 2016 form. Golden had the third most sacks in the league that year but only had 2.5 in 2018 following an injury the year prior which ended his season.

Golden has big expectations this season but at this point the pass rusher is listed as the second SAM linebacker on the defense behind Kareem Martin, who took the top spot. Martin, of course, has a bit more experience with the Giants after joining them in 2018, which leaves one to wonder if Golden is behind Martin due to inexperience with the Giants or because of a failure to step up his play back to previous levels.

Another possible explanation, of course, is that the Giants are intending to use Golden mainly as a pass rusher who is more effective coming off the bench than playing in the starting lineup.

 

New York Giants: Pass Rusher Markus Golden Talks Numbers

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Can Markus Golden be a great player for the New York Giants?

The New York Giants need a step up in pass rushing this season if they want to be a competitive team. Their defense couldn’t hold in several close games and one of the big factors in that was the team finishing 31st in sacks – in a passing focused league, getting sacks can be the difference to winning and losing, and the Giants were one of the absolute worst when it came to achieving them.

The team responded to the problem partly by moving on from outside linebacker Olivier Vernon, a highly paid player who definitely didn’t live up to the expectations during his time with the Giants, not quite performing up to the expected standard during the last couple of years and also struggling with injuries… Injuries that Vernon came back to a little too slowly for the tastes of many, leaving a lot of fans dissatisfied with the player for reasons outside of just his play.

It looks like the Giants might be replacing the production of Vernon with Markus Golden, a 28 year old former Arizona Cardinal who before injury was regarded as a rising pass rusher.

After finishing third in the league in sacks in 2016 with 12.5, Golden suffered an ACL tear in 2017 and was only able to manage 2.5 sacks last year. That was enough to get the Cardinals to lose faith in him, but with few others around the team with his specific skillset, it looks like Golden is going to see significant time on the field with the Giants.

Golden, however, told reporters on Saturday that he isn’t out to prove something.

“To say, ‘prove-it,’ I would look at it as a person who hasn’t done anything yet in the league, who hasn’t made plays, who hasn’t showed themselves that they can do it. But I’ve done that. I’ve had double-digit sacks, I’ve had big games, big moments… I would just say [I’m] getting out there, getting back started up, and getting back to where I was.”

And Golden also claims that he isn’t hunting for numbers this season, either. “I wouldn’t do that. That has never been me to come out and put numbers on stuff, because it’s bigger than that. Pass rush work, up front and back — you need your teammates to do all of that.”

“You always want to get better and work harder every year. I wouldn’t dare put a number on that. I just want to come out, hit the quarterback, whether it’s a hit or whether I’m sacking them, I’m just looking forward to finally being able to hit a quarterback,” Golden added.

It looks like Golden has a very calm and measured approach to this season which might be useful while playing in the infamous New York market, known for being demanding – it’s the same market that Olivier Vernon couldn’t catch a break in while playing at the same position, after all. How will Golden do this season?

We’ll see… He has competition from Oshane Ximines and Lorenzo Carter, the last of whom has the most experience under the current system. But one thing is for sure, and that’s the fact that the Giants have a chance to start fresh at the position after being uncompetitive in the sack department for multiple years in the recent past.

New York Giants: Markus Golden Joins Other Players In Injury Scare

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Can Markus Golden be a great player for the New York Giants?

The New York Giants are not off to a good start in training camp. That’s not because of player performances but because it seems that something is wrong with the team’s conditioning – there’s no other way to explain it when a number of players immediately go home with injuries in the first couple days of training camp. Corey Coleman took the spotlight in that regard with an ACL tear that should throw a serious wrench into his season, but he wasn’t the only player to have to leave the field.

The Giants also had a pass rusher leave the field on Friday, particularly Markus Golden, who joins the team this season from the Arizona Cardinals.

Cramps might not sound like the most serious issue but it did result in Golden being carted off the field, which means it was a big enough problem to keep Golden from playing at the least. Golden signed for the team in March with a one year contract worth $3.75M, and the outside linebacker is expected to help fill in the hole left by the trade of Olivier Vernon to the Browns.

Golden isn’t the only player to receive an early injury – outside of the aforementioned Coleman, Grant Haley and Brittan Golden also left the field, the former also suffering from a possible cramp. This all comes after Sterling Shepard, who is likely the top receiver on the team following Odell Beckham Jr. being traded to the Browns, fractured his thumb, placing him out of commission for the time being during a time period that should be crucial for the Giants and their preparations for the 2019 season.

The source of the injuries could just be bad luck but it seems that with so many injuries in a short span, the Giants should really take a look at their conditioning program going forward… The last thing the team needs is injuries on the defensive line, an area that’s already dangerously thin.

New York Giants News, 7/17 – Where’s the Giants’ primary weakness?

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New York Giants rookie, Oshane Ximines.

Good Morning, New York Giants Fans!

Expecting the Giants to be a playoff team in 2019 might be a stretch. Why? Because they have injected a ton of youth at important positions and are unproven in live-action.

While players like DeAndre Baker, Julian Love, Dexter Lawrence and more are primed to be influential rookies, knowing if they will succeed or not is simply impossible at this time. The secondary is completely rebuilt and will likely be filled with holes and inexperience.

The defensive line is good in some facets, but if we look at the outside linebacker unit specifically, you can see that there’s a ton of uncertainty. Relying on Markus Golden, a player who hasn’t had a productive season in three years and is coming off a major injury, is ludicrous. Expecting Oshane Ximines to blossom into a star coming out of a bottom-tier division one school also doesn’t make much sense.

This is certainly a negative viewpoint, but some might call this realistic. In a perfect world, the Giants will get some sort of production out of Ximines and Golden will revert back to his past self where he racked up 12.5 sacks in a single season and forced four fumbles.

It will be interesting to see how they develop and if they can be as good Dave Gettleman seems to think they are.

Nonetheless–

Your top news of the day!

Paul Schwartz (New York Post) – Corey Coleman brings intrigue to Giants’ new-look receiving group

Chris Pflum (Big Blue View) – Giants’ Pat Shurmur ranked 26th among head coaches by NFL.com

Ethan Sears (New York Post) – When Phil Simms thinks the Giants will turn to Daniel Jones

John Fennelly (Giants Wire) – 2019 Giants training camp preview: Offensive line

Alexander Wilson (Empire Sports Media) – New York Giants: BJ Hill Preparing to take major leap in 2019

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Check out yesterday’s news!

New York Giants News, 7/16 – Saquon Barkley earns an unfair Madden rating

New York Giants: 3 biggest position battles of 2019

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New York Giants, JJ Watt

As the New York Giants progress through the OTA period, position battles are starting to catch fire and some unexpected ones have taken shape. The defense will be one of the more prominent units full of competition and opportunity, as the amount of rookies and younger players has increased exponentially this offseason.

Adding players like DeAndre Baker, Julian Love, Jabrill Peppers, Corey Ballentine and more, have made the outcome of the starting team a bit more murky, which is a positive thing.

Nonetheless–

New York Giants top 3 position battles:

1.) No. 2 cornerback spot

The assumed No. 1 corner for the Giants is Janoris Jenkins, but the second spot opposite the veteran is the position up for grabs. Heading into pre-season it was expected the DeAndre Baker has the starting job all but locked up, however, 2019 Supplemental Draft pick Sam Beal has shown he can compete at a high level.

Beal has shown his range and ability in coverage thus far in OTAs, tipping a pass with his recently surgically repaired shoulder that resulted in an interception by Peppers. This will be one of the more exciting battles of the early summer, as the two are fierce competitors with solid attributes.

2.) Pass rusher

Some might have Lorenzo Carter and Markus Golden penciled on the defensive line, but I’m not so quick to give them the starting jobs. The Giants recently drafted pass-rusher Oshane Ximines out of Old Dominion. Coming from a small school certainly doesn’t present the best chances in terms of an immediate impact for Ximines, but he has proved to be quick and active so far in camp.

Oshane has advanced moves for a product of a smaller school – GM Dave Gettleman was especially impressed with his counter-punch. I expect Carter to earn a starting role, but Golden is three years removed from his best season, a 12.5 sack effort in 2016. He’s coming off a significant knee injury and shouldn’t be considered a starter just yet, Ximines could steal the job with a bit of development.

3.) Right tackle

Mike Remmers was recently signed to a one-year deal to solidify the right tackle position for the Giants. I do not consider him the legitimate starter until he has proven that his surgically repaired back isn’t a hindrance to his abilities. Chad Wheeler was the starter at RT last year and will fight for his right to stay put.

I expect both Wheeler and Remmers to battle it out over the course of the summer. “Big George” out of Kentucky could also be in the mix, but I believe he will need a bit more development before he can withstand premium NFL edge-rushers.

It’s fair to remember, though, that Remmers was forced to play out of position with the Minnesota Vikings, so returning to his natural spot at right tackle should help him find his normal self.