Giants Remaining Roster Holes and How to Fill Them

In the journey between the end of one NFL season and the start of the next, the road ahead is pretty long and uneventful once free agency and the NFL Draft is in the rear-view mirror. The New York Giants, along with every other NFL team, have done the lion’s share of their offseason work already. But as the cliche goes, the NFL’s roster-building season never truly ends. Outside of the looming contract negotiations with running back Saquon Barkley, Giants general manager Joe Schoen still has cracks to fill and rough patches to buff on Big Blue’s not-yet-completed roster.

So, let’s go over the remaining holes on the Giants’ roster, and suggest a few ways Joe Schoen can fill them.

Inside Linebacker

New York’s first and most prominent move this free agency was to sign Bobby Okereke from the Indianapolis Colts, addressing a linebacking corps that was unquestionably the worst in the NFL last season. But the Giants’ linebacking situation wasn’t just one player away from being fixed. With Schoen not spending any draft picks on linebackers, Okereke stands as the only starting-caliber linebacker on the roster. Veteran retread Jarrad Davis and second-year day-three picks Micah McFadden and Darrian Beavers currently fill out the depth chart, but none of them are good candidates to be the second starting off-ball linebacker in New York’s 3-4 base defense.

The most likely option to fill the Giants’ linebacker need is veteran Deion Jones, who visited the team about a month ago and is still available as a free agent. Jones spent 11 games with the Cleveland Browns last year after a mid-season trade. He spent all six of his previous NFL seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. Jones made a Pro Bowl in 2017 and was a good all around linebacker for his first five seasons. His play dropped off the last couple years, which is why he’s still available in May. At only 28-years old, Jones could bounce back and have good football ahead of him. Other still-available veteran free-agent linebackers include Zach Cunningham, Myles Jack, and Kwon Alexander.

Safety

While free agency improved the Giants linebacking corps with the addition of Okereke, it weakened their safety corps. Julian Love signed with the Seattle Seahawks, leaving Xavier McKinney as the only surefire starting safety on the Giants’ roster. New York did sign veteran Bobby McCain to a one-year, $1.3 million deal to help compensate for Love’s absence. The eight-year veteran started 32 games over the last two seasons for the Washington Commanders. They also have second-year fourth-round pick Dane Belton, third-year fifth-round pick Jason Pinnock, and rookie seventh-round pick Gervarrius Owens to round out the depth chart. McCain is a possible but not ideal starter (he earned a 61.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus last season), while the others have little to no experience.

A still-available safety to keep an eye on for the Giants is Adrian Amos. Amos has spent his entire eight-year NFL career in the NFC North, divided in equal parts between the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears. Amos had a down-year last season in Green Bay.  Before that, though, he was a well-regarded player with the versatility to play deep or in the box. If he rediscovers his form, a player like Amos could allow McKinney to play closer to the line of scrimmage or match up against tight ends more often. Other veteran safeties still available include John Johnson III, LaMarcus Joyner, and Kareem Jackson.

EDGE Depth

Unlike at linebacker and safety, the Giants have their two starters at outside linebacker with Kayvon Thibodeaux and Azeez Ojulari. The depth behind them, however, especially in the pass-rushing department, is lacking. New York re-signed Jihad Ward, who provides good veteran leadership and solid run defense. They also re-signed 2019 third-round pick Oshane Ximines, who was at least servicable for them last year. 2021 fourth-round pick Elerson Smith is still around, but he was considered a project when drafted and has yet to show much development due to injuries. The Giants could use another player that can bring some juice off the edge. Plus, Ojulari has yet to demonstrate he can stay healthy for a whole season.

An interesting edge defender that’s still available is Leonard Floyd, who the Giants have a history of showing interest towards, albeit under a different regime. The seven-year veteran would be a good fit in New York’s 3-4 defense, and provide the pass-rushing ability Schoen should be looking for (he’s had over nine sacks in each of the last three seasons). He’s not a great run defender, but could provide value on passing downs and start if called upon. Other intriguing EDGE players available are Yannick Ngakoue, Robert Quinn, and Jadeveon Clowney.

– Ryan Cuneo is the Managing Editor of Full Press Giants. He covers the New York Giants. Like and follow on Follow @ryan_cuneo Follow @FullPressGiants and Facebook.