The New York Giants cap situation remains detrimental to the Big Blues’ goal of a roster change for the 2022 free agent cycle. In the second part of our free agent review, we’ll explore low-cost defensive options that can help change the Giants’ roster. In Part 1, we looked at inexpensive offensive options.
Patrick Graham joined Josh McDaniels in Las Vegas to take on Justin Herbert, Patrick Mahomes and now Russell Wilson six times a year. New York signed Don “Wink” Martindale from the Ravens to fill his spot as defensive coordinator. The defense may be left without several key players of the 2021 season. All of the following players are free agents:
DT Austin Johnson
DT Danny Shelton
EDGE Lorenzo Carter
LB Reggie Ragland
LB Bendrik McKinney
LB Jalon Smith
CB Jarren Williams
CB Keyon Crossen
With Jabrill Peppers
The Peppers and Carter are two big names, but losses like Johnson will be felt if the Giants can’t find a suitable replacement in free agency or possibly in the draft. Here is a list of a few cheap free agent defenses that New York might be interested in.
[NOTE: Calais Campbell makes a lot of sense; Pro Football Focus projects him at one year, $8-million, so he isn’t not exactly cheap. I’ve expressed my interest in Campbell at a lower price in other articles.]
Sheldon Richardson, DL
Richardson’s talent was undeniable as a young player, but his colorful past didn’t help him unlock the potential he showed when the Jets selected him in the first round of the 2013 draft. Despite problems off the field, Richardson was still very productive. He finishes the season with 37 pressings and four sacks with the Vikings, and in 2020 he had a season with 51 pressings and six sacks with the Browns.
Richardson has a close relationship with Giants defensive line coach Andre Patterson. Richardson spent 2018 with Patterson in Minnesota before returning in 2021. Here is what Patterson had to say about Richardson’s abilities in an article written by Lindsey Young on Vikings.com:
“Even though he is a big man, he is athletic enough to push the limits and not feel out of place. I think he did a great job last Sunday,” Patterson said. “Tal had a tough time going from speed to power. He’s a 300-pound guy who’s been running and going down on him, so it’s hard for some big guys to be in that kind of space, but Sheldon was comfortable doing it.
“The difference for him is the brute force and the power he can come with – use him to the edge and gain momentum when he makes contact with the guy to his advantage,” Patterson later added. “Whereas when we’re inside, it happens a lot faster, so he was able to use his size, strength and speed to his advantage during his pass last week.”
Pro Football Focus predicts Richardson will earn $3 million on a one-year deal. If it’s that cheap and his past behind him, the Giants should consider putting him in the rotation if he’s interested in joining a team like New York.
Brandon Williams, DL
Williams is a 33-year veteran who has spent four seasons in the Martindale system. He is an agile player who plays with a lot of leverage. He’s having a sub-optimal season with Baltimore. He played 447 snaps for the Ravens with 10 pressing, 16 stops and 20 tackles.
Williams has always been one of the best defensemen in the league. In a lean year, he might be cheap, not in much demand, and might want to reconnect with Martindale. In a situational role – replacing Danny Shelton – Williams could be an available upgrade.
Dorans Armstrong, EDGE
The former Cowboys pass rusher was very raw from Kansas. He was selected in the fourth round with explosive characteristics and excellent length: 83-inch wingspan (89th percentile) and 34¾-inch arms (88th percentile). He played for Dallas under Rod Marinelli, Mike Nolan and Dan Quinn.
Armstrong performed well in Quinn’s system. Last season, he played 535 snaps, recording 36 pressures and six sacks. Quinn’s and Martindale’s systems are not similar, but Armstrong’s athletic qualities suggest he could be an OLB pass rusher with some coverage advantage. If available at the right price, he could be an interesting option at 6ft 4in and 255lbs.
Ogbonnya Okoronkwo, EDGE
The former Oklahoma Sooner is only 26 years old. He is 6’1⅝ (4th percentile), 253 pounds; he is not very tall, but he has an 80¼” wingspan (52nd percentile) and 33¾” arms (57th percentile). He plays with exceptional flex, good burst and satisfying movement at the top of the pass-rush arc. Last season, he played 314 snaps for the Super Bowl-winning Los Angeles Rams. He had two consecutive 21 pressing seasons as an occasional pass rusher; he also has four sacks in the last two seasons.
Okoronquo is expected to earn a one-year, $2.25 million contract. He quickly leans inward and can act as a good looper who can also go into cover when needed. He would be a deep signing with a pass rush advantage at a low cost.
Josh Bynes, LB
Pro Football Focus predicts Bynes will sign a one-year, $1.13 million contract as a free agent. He played 537 snaps in Martindale defense in 2021 and 428 in 2019 — he played 2020 with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Bynes had 58 tackles, 35 STOPS, six presses, two sacks and three passes defended. He allowed 24 catches on 32 targets for 226 yards. Bynes is an adequate all-round defender who could start. This 32-year-old is 6’1″ and weighs 235 pounds and is a cheap familiar option for the coaching staff.
Chris Board, LB
Bord is another former Baltimore Ravens linebacker who has only had one coordinator since turning pro in 2018 – Wink Martindale. The 26-year-old played 337 snaps in 2021. He is still struggling with his running bouts but is a solid athlete with covering potential, although his lighting instincts need work. Board is a reliable player with good pursuit; he could be a linebacker option WILL
LJ Fort, LB
The 32-year-old has spent the past two years with the Ravens. Last season, he played 421 snaps with 24 stops, 43 tackles, nine pressures and 211 reps with coverage. The fort is not tall at 6 feet 0, but he is fat at 232 pounds. He is a good quarterback who was in a deep rotation that included Bord, Bynes and Patrick Quinn, who was drafted in the 2020 first round.
The fort doesn’t have to require big bucks, and he’s used to playing in the odd defense of the front; Prior to signing with the Baltimores, Fort was a rotational player for the Pittsburgh Steelers. All three of the Ravens listed would be considered rotational linebackers as Martindale frequently changes its staff, including the inexperienced Queen.
Anthony Walker, LB
The coaching staff usually add players they are familiar with. However, I had to include a midfielder on this list who was not a previous Raven. Walker spent 2021 with Cleveland on a one-year contract. He was drafted by the Colts in the fifth round of the 2017 draft.
Walker was a good short (6ft 1in) sportsman from the Northwest. He had 74 tackles, 37 STOPs, five presses, a sack and excellent coverage. He weighs 242 pounds and has had 3,166 snaps taken to his name. If the price is low, his lighting skills and athletic ability are interesting in a crowded system (which he played little in Indianapolis).
Bryce Callahan, CB
After signing Adori Jackson last year, I don’t expect the Giants to put a lot of money into the quarterback position. However, if they did, Callahan wouldn’t be a terrible option. He will be cheap after a bad year at age 30; he is short, brash and was very good in 2017-2020, especially in 2020 with Denver.
It remains to be seen what the Giants will do with James Bradbury. If released in the coming days, there might be more focus on adding depth through free will. If not, Bradbury, Jackson and Aaron Robinson make a good CB trio, while Darnay Holmes makes a solid 4. If Bradbury is traded, New York could add a slot-type defender like Callahan and then field Robinson if the money allows. The Giants could also choose Cincinnati’s Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner as one of the top two picks or Florida’s Cayir Elam in the second round.
Anthony Averett, CB
The undersized Anthony Averett can be added at a very low cost. Averett has spent his entire career in the Martindale system; he played a solid role in 2020 and started in 2021 due to injuries to Marcus Peters, Jimmy Smith and occasionally Marlon Humphrey. He may have to fight for a place in the line-up, but he may well get into the team.
Averett allowed 52 catches on 93 targets (55.9% completion rate) for 739 yards and allowed three touchdowns. He also had three interceptions and eight passes defended. He can play outside and in the slot.
Jaron Kears, S
Kears is the perfect size – he’s 6ft 4in, 215lbs – with solid overall athletic ability. Last year, he excelled in the Dan Quinn system, doubling his snap record with 1,073 points. He was also effective – it could take Kears out of the Giants’ range. PFF projects its salary of $5 million a year; it’s hard in the situation of giants.
However, adding Kears to the secondary would have helped mitigate the loss to the Peppers. He could be the third Giants defenseman with a big nickel to play alongside Logan Ryan and Xavier McKinney. Julian Love could be used in a few other packs, but Kears could focus on playing human cover against top-notch tight ends – which he does well.
Martindale places its players in situations where they can especially thrive; he is not going to put square pegs into round holes. Kears and Love will co-exist on the roster and will play solid roles in the defense of Martindale. The addition of Kearse should be at the right price, but it’s not such a bad idea.
DeSean Elliott, S.
Elliott is 6’1″, 210 pounds, and was drafted by the Ravens in the late round in 2018. He made few field appearances until 2020, when he played over 1,000 snaps. It was used everywhere; in pressurized packs, single and double height hulls, man cover over tight ends, etc. Elliott will be reunited with Martindale, who has put his versatility to good use.
Elliot tore his biceps and pecs against the Vikings in week 9 of last season. The injury will lower his value and possibly force him to sign a one-year “prove it” contract, making him the player the Giants may be looking for. The Giants could have put a realistic hit on Elliott and he could have earned his spot as the fourth quarterback on a rotation-loving team.
Final Thoughts
As stated earlier, the Giants are not in a position to invest a lot of money in free agency. This does not mean that they cannot find value—familiar or unfamiliar—in the marketplace; a value that can help cultivate the image and enthusiasm that Joe Shawn and Brian Daball are trying to achieve in the early stages of the lofty task of fixing this New York Giants list.