Giants’ Leonard Williams confident in young defenders, Wink Martindale’s system
The New York Giants will be revamping their entire defense this season under new defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.
After a disappointing defensive season in 2021, the Giants will be getting after the quarterback heavily this season after only posting a team total of 34 sacks a year ago.
The pass rush has been a big problem for the Giants in recent years as they have been among the league’s worst teams in pressuring the quarterback. However, with the development of their young members of the front seven and the hiring of Martindale, they will hope to turn this around.
Leonard Williams has called Martindale’s defense “one of the most aggressive defenses” he has ever played in.
“This is an aggressive defense. You know, we have so many blitz and pressure patterns that we’re definitely — not that we’re not relying on them (cornerbacks), too, but in that type of defense, no matter who you have, you’re relying on getting home no matter what type of players you have on the team,” Williams told reporters on Thursday.
Now having the right defenders off the edge will help Williams and the Giants put this plan into action. With young, highly-touted pass rushers like Azeez Ojulari and Kayvon Thibodeaux, the Giants should have a lot of speed and power off the edge to right the ship.
“I think it will help the defense a lot. Whenever you have top guys in any position it’s going to help out a lot. I definitely have a lot of confidence in [Thibodeaux] and Azeez,” Williams said.
With cornerback depth a lingering concern, it will be up to Williams & Co. to shoulder that pressure and take some of the onus off the secondary.
