New York Giants to Sign Free Agent Damon Harrison
By Neal Lynch
NFL Media’s Kimberly Jones reported Wednesday that former New York Jets nose tackle Damon Harrison will sign a free-agent contract with the New York Giants.
NYG now have deal w/Damon Harrison, as Jordan predicted. RT @JordanRaanan: #Giants are on verge of landing former #Jets DT Harrison.
— Kim Jones (@KimJonesSports) March 9, 2016
NFL Media’s Rand Getlin reports that Harrison’s deal is worth $9.25 million per year with $24 million guaranteed and $30 million over the first three years. Harrison’s deal is worth $9.25M per year with $24M guaranteed and $30M over the first three years.
Harrison’s deal is worth $9.25M per year with $24M guaranteed and $30M over the first three years. Fantastic deal for a fantastic player.
— Rand Getlin (@RandGetlin) March 9, 2016
The 6-foot-4, 350-pound Harrison hasn’t missed a game over the past three seasons and has averaged 55 combined tackles or more with an approximate value of 8 or 9 during that time. Harrison should benefit from lining up alongside “Big Hank” Johnathan Hankins and vice versa. Pro Football Focus ranked Harrison as the top-graded run defender among interior linemen in 2015 and also the best defender against the run, earning the “Ted Washington” award.
In Damon Harrison the Giants have added PFF's top-graded run defender among interior linemen last year pic.twitter.com/OobqWpkd4y
— PFF (@PFF) March 9, 2016
"“[Harrison] had the highest PFF grade against the run among all interior defenders, with a 97.3 mark, and almost matched Aaron Donald’s raw grade, despite playing significantly less, even against the run. Harrison made a defensive stop on 18.1 percent of all running plays he was on the field for, which is the best rate PFF has ever seen among defensive tackles, and over 150 percent of the best mark we had seen heading into this season. He made 54 tackles; 49 of them were defensive stops in the run game, a mark that led all DTs this season. He missed just two tackles all year.Harrison ended the season with nine straight games of green grading (above +1.0) against the run, and only failed to grade positively in the run game twice over the season.”"
PFF also placed Harrison on their 2nd team All-NFL squad.
Earlier Wednesday, the Giants agreed to terms with coveted cornerback Janoris Jenkins. The team also re-signed defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul to a new one-year deal.
Giants guard Justin Pugh approves of the move to pick up “Snacks”.
Welcome. Played against this wall for past few years. Will definitely help https://t.co/VwnLeHP9cs
— Justin Pugh (@JustinPugh) March 9, 2016
With the Giants taking care of the corner and the interior d-line, now it’s time to go get a pass rusher. Could defensive end Olivier Vernon be next to sign with Big Blue?