Moving DRC to Slot Cornerback Would Be Giants’ Mistake
By Curt Macysyn
Much has already been about Ben McAdoo taking over for Tom Coughlin, despite the fact that New York Giants’ new leader has not yet been head coach for even a preseason game. So when the differences between the two are being explained by those who cover the team on a regular basis, at this point, those differences are merely “observations” and nothing to hang your hat on.
One of the narratives spreading around Giants’ Camp these days, came in response to the notion that young players will have more of an opportunity to start under the youthful McAdoo, than they did while the crusty veteran coach was in charge.
“We won’t be afraid to play young players,” McAdoo said when asked about playing rookies.
But that narrative ignores the obvious, mainly that players like Justin Pugh, Weston Richburg, Landon Collins, Ereck Flowers and of course, Odell Beckham, Jr., all started as rookies, with varying degrees of success under Coughlin.
So with holdover cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and newly signed Janoris Jenkins in the fold, what is the likelihood of this year’s first-round draft pick, Eli Apple, getting on the field?
In the old NFL, his potential for playing time would likely be negligible, since there were two cornerbacks and three linebackers on the field at all times. But times have changed, and the new normal is that a team’s slot cornerback plays as much, if not more, than the SAM linebacker. During OTAs, the Giants utilized Apple as that slot cornerback, but according to NJ.com in a report dated July 30, 2016, Big Blue shifted incumbent starter Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie over to the slot at times on Saturday, while Apple only saw time on the outside.
“There was a frequent rotation at cornerback with the first team. Rookie Eli Apple only played on the outside, as did Janoris Jenkins. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie lined up on the outside and also bumped into the slot during a walk-through period. Trevin Wade also saw time with the first team at slot cornerback.”
It is not difficult to argue with the thought process as to who should start, especially when it comes to DRC and Jenkins, but Apple has yet to play an NFL down. Should the rookie corner be in the driver’s seat when it comes to garnering an outside starting position?
Taking a look at a similar situation last season, safety Landon Collins was named the starter at safety, and he ended up the campaign with the 78th grade of 89 full-time safeties that were graded by the website, Pro Football Focus with a 56.2 grade. In fact, favored whipping post of Giants’ fans, Brandon Meriweather, graded out higher (60.2) at safety than highly touted second-round draft pick.
Giving the benefit of the doubt, as well as understanding that Tom Coughlin started Collins, the rookie, for all 16 games; last year’s safety position on the Giants lacked talent, making it easier to slot the underwhelming Collins as the starter from day one. The current dynamic at cornerback is 180 degrees different heading into the 2016 season, where Rodgers-Cromartie was given an 82.7 overall grade by PFF, the highest grade for a cornerback in the division last season, and Jenkins was also graded relatively high (80.7).
In addition to logic, past history should play into the equation, and clearly defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo should tread lightly before he rushes to get one of Jerry Reese’s draft picks on the field. Surely Giants’ fans remember the clamor to get running back David Wilson in a starting role, a role that Wilson fumbled away in the season opener against Dallas in 2013.
More recently, another one of Reese’s “finds”, Jayron Hosley, muddled around for four seasons in East Rutherford and is now looking for work in a cornerback friendly market.
As far as the mindset of Rodgers-Cromartie approving of the move, Newsday reported on July 30, 2016 that DRC is fine with the move, but then again, ignoring history will not make it go away.
“Anyone who saw Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie play in the slot during his tenure with the Eagles – and saw him struggle at the position – would have trepidation about him possibly filling that role for the Giants this season. Rodgers-Cromartie is a tall, speedy cornerback who ideally is suited to play on the outside, which is where he said he is most comfortable and where he has played most of his career. But if he is asked to slide to the inside this season – and it appears he may be – DRC said it will be very different from his experience with the role in Philadelphia.”
The simple solution is to have Apple and Trevin Wade compete for the slot cornerback position, and let the chips fall where they may, instead of worrying about draft status.