NFL: Three free agents the New York Giants might sign at cornerback
Heading into the 2019 offseason, it seemed like the New York Giants could be in deep trouble at the cornerback position. They finished in the bottom five in multiple defensive categories, including passing yards allowed. Since the NFL emphasizes the passing game more ever, New York's struggles seemed fairly ominous.
But to general manager Dave Gettleman’s credit, the team patched up a unit that was a liability in 2019. The Giants' secondary was one of the team's strengths in 2020. New York signed one of the best cover corners in the league in James Bradberry, and the team also brought in Logan Ryan. These additions helped the Giants field one of the league's best defenses.
At the moment, it looks like the Giants are fairly set in the secondary. They might only need to add some additional depth at cornerback. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the team's potential targets.
The Giants could target Troy Hill
Troy Hill is going to be an attractive name in the cornerback market. He offers teams a player who can cover opposing wide receivers and take away the football. He set a career high in interceptions in 2020 with three passes picked off. Hill returned two of those interceptions for touchdowns.
Hill has been given more responsibility each of the last four seasons with the Rams, and he has stepped up every single year. He has held his own across the field from Jalen Ramsey. With the Giants, Hill could similarly benefit from playing with Bradberry.
The Giants could sign breakout star Darious Williams
If kicking the tires on one Los Angeles Rams cornerback wasn’t enough, New York could also take a look at Darious Williams. He's younger than Hill, and his teammate might be more appealing due to his elevated play in recent years. But Williams burst onto the scene in 2020 with four interceptions and 14 passes defensed.
Although Williams didn’t have any pick sixes in the regular season, he scored a crucial touchdown in the Wild Card Round against Seattle. The shocking play helped set the tone for the Rams' impressive victory. If many other teams enter the market for Williams, the Giants might have trouble signing him. Still, he could be an appealing option for Big Blue, no matter how expensive he is.
Jason McCourty could be a great addition for the Giants
Given the Giants' rivalry with the New England Patriots, many fans expect Big Blue to target a former member of Bill Belichick's empire. Jason McCourty would be a great addition to the Giants secondary because he would bring his veteran experience to a team that needs it.
One major obstacle might be standing in the Giants' way. McCourty’s brother Devin still has one year left on his contract with the Patriots. Jason may want to ink a one-year deal in New England so he could play another season with his brother. But the Giants could still try to make a play for Jason's services.
These three cornerbacks each bring different skills to the table, and each one of them could augment the Giants' talented secondary. Likewise, all three players could be hot commodities on the open market, so the Giants shoud have some contingency plans, too.