PFF names the Giants’ back seven as their biggest weakness
Pro Football Focus recently listed the “strengths, weaknesses, rookies to what and more” for each of the 32 NFL teams heading into the 2023 season.
When it came to the New York Giants, PFF didn’t reveal anything new to Giants fans who basically know where their team stands right now.
The rushing attack was listed as the strength, tight end Darren Waller the “X-factor,” first-round pick Deonte Banks the rookie to watch and the defensive back seven as their biggest weakness.
The Giants have a talented defensive line, but their back seven leaves a lot to be desired. Their linebackers finished as the fourth-lowest-graded group in the NFL, while their safeties were second worst. The cornerbacks were a little better at 22nd, with Adoree’ Jackson being a bright spot. New York’s end result masked the low-grading profile of this unit, so the team will need to be better on the back end to avoid regression to the mean in close games.
It’s no secret the back seven needed work and general manager Joe Schoen addressed his off-ball linebacker void by signing former Indianapolis Colts stud Bobby Okereke in free agency and taking Banks, a top corner out of Maryland, in the first round of this year’s NFL draft.
The Giants also have a more substantial outside linebacker group than PFF seems to want to admit with Kayvon Thibodeaux, Azeez Ojulari, Jihad Ward and Oshane Ximines.
They also feel strongly about their inside backers with Micah McFadden and Jarrad Davis both in their second seasons here. And let’s not forget Darrian Beavers, who missed all of his rookie season last year with a knee injury. The Giants are hoping to see big things from him.
At cornerback, Banks will be expected to step in immediately across from Adoree’ Jackson with a slew of unprovens and rookies filling in behind them.
The safety positions will be manned by Xavier McKinney, Bobby McCain, Jason Pinnock, Dane Belton and rookie Gevarraius Owens. It will be interesting to see how they mesh this summer in camp.
All in all, PFF doesn’t see the Giants returning to the playoffs in Year 2 of head coach Brian Daboll’s tenure, predicting a sub-.500 season.
The Giants are due for some regression to the mean. They finished 9-7-1 despite being the fourth-lowest-graded team in the NFL overall. They’re heavily reliant on the running game, and their back seven on defense has major question marks. A last-place finish in the NFC East wouldn’t be that shocking.
Giant fans would disagree. They believe things are trending up, not down, for their club.
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