Ranking the New York Giants Coaching Staff: Ben McAdoo’s First Crew
By Mike Luca
15. Tim Walton (Cornerbacks)
14. David Merritt (Safeties)
From the Giants’ first fourth-quarter collapse versus the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2 to the team finishing last in pass defense (299 YPG allowed), the woeful secondary accepts much responsibility for the 2015 defense’s hardships.
Still, it’s encouraging to witness Merritt and Walton each coming back to expectedly elevate safety and cornerback development, respectively.
More from NY Giants News
- Ranking Dave Gettleman’s 5 worst Giants moves after the Kenny Golladay release
- Workout clip of Evan Neal training with former All-Pro OT has Giants fans excited
- NFL Draft Schedule of Events: How to Navigate Draft Weekend
- 4 NY Giants who must step their game up in 2023
- This SEC CB at No. 25 overall for the Giants is gaining steam
After garnering interest from the Indianapolis Colts, Merritt’s “holdover” particularly indicates how the state of New York’s safeties isn’t in as much duress as one may believe. Sophomore Landon Collins’ growing pains will dissipate and the likes of Bennett Jackson and Co. re-add depth after injury, so some sort of stability and confidence are being preserved in that facet.
Walton’s standing is a tad more suspect even through similar circumstances. The Prince Amukamara situation continues to look bleak, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie merely made the Pro Bowl as an umpteenth understudy, but otherwise there were minimal abled bodies to work with at corner as well.
A year after being hired, Walton’s resume insists on boasting connections to LSU (in welcoming receivers coach Adam Henry), the former St. Louis Rams (in recruiting free agency targets Trumaine Johnson and Janoris Jenkins, among others) and collegiately coaching Giants alums Antrel Rolle, Kenny Phillips and Corey Webster. The ties shall stay bound for at least another campaign.
The back four remains a work in progress, but with Spags coming back, Merritt and Walton benefit from watching how changes to front seven pan out first.
Next: Toe the Line