Do the Giants have a glaring issue in the secondary?
The New York Giants still have some holes to fill on their roster but none may be more glaring than in the secondary.
This offseason, they lost their most reliable player — safety Xavier McKinney — to the Green Bay Packers in free agency. It was the second year in a row they let a solid safety walk. Last spring, Julian Love signed on with the Seattle Seahawks.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell believes the Giants, while they may have made some splashes in other areas, are now devoid of top talent in their secondary.
The Giants wanted to trade for edge rusher Brian Burns and pay him more than $28 million per year, which means they have to make cutbacks somewhere. For general manager Joe Schoen, those cutbacks appear to be in the secondary. New York let its two most prominent defensive backs hit the open market. McKinney immediately signed a four-year, $68 million deal with the Packers, becoming one of the few safeties in a loaded market to get paid. (Cornerback Adoree’) Jackson remains unsigned.
The Giants signed veteran safety Jalen Mills in free agency and fans are hoping they are not done adding. Mills will be joined by Jason Pinnock at safety, a duo Barnwell says is “arguably the weakest pair of starting safeties on paper.”
At cornerback, last year’s first-round pick, Deonte Banks will be one starter while Jackson’s role is up for grabs. Right now, the Giants will choose from a group that includes Tre Hawkins III and Nick McCloud. Ouch.
Barnwell points out there are still many defensive backs still on the market, including Adoree’ Jackson, and the Giants can still bolster the group with a signing or two.
“I would be surprised if they didn’t take advantage of the market and add at least one veteran safety,” writes Barnwell. “Justin Simmons, Quandre Diggs, Marcus Maye, Tashaun Gipson and Julian Blackmon are all free agents. . . Adding one of those guys on a one-year deal would bring a veteran into the defensive backs room and help a team that is otherwise set to run out a young secondary.”
Big Blue also has six selections in the 2024 NFL draft and will most likely use a pick or two on the secondary.
