Is Chris Conte The Answer For The New York Giants At Free Safety?

The New York Giants aren’t done in free agency, but they certainly spent their fair share on day one. However, with their spending spree, there’s only so much money to spend making other necessary upgrades. Russell Okung visited the Giants on Friday and left without a contract, but Jerry Reese also needs safety help.

Landon Collins struggled in his rookie season, but Reese believes he has the potential to start at safety. There’s certainly room for improvement on the other side, however. According to Jordan Raanan on NJ.com, the Giants are interested in former Buccaneers and Bears safety Chris Conte.

Conte started 13 games in 2015 finishing the season with two interceptions. He was a 3rd-round pick by the Bears in 2011 and played for 4 seasons in Chicago before signing with Tampa Bay.

Conte’s 27, so he’s got some football left in him, but more importantly for the Giants, he comes cheap. He made just $1.5 million last year and would be an upgrade on what they had at free safety last year.

What’s becoming evident though is that the Giants are not targeting big-name, big-money safeties. Giants fans want Reese to go after Eric Berry or Eric Weddle in free agency, but they’d likely come at too big a price to fill the other holes on the roster.

If the Giants do sign Conte, it provides a veteran presence in the backfield. A more likely scenario is that Reese wants one of their three young players, Mykelle Thompson, Nat Berhe or Bennett Jackson, to assume that role. Conte could be valuable however as none of them are proven NFL assets.