New York Giants: Top 10 players who need to step up in 2018
By Henry Buggy
#7 – William Gay
William Gay is the only new addition to Big Blue to make this list. The Giants will need many of their newly signed free agents to make an instant impact, including Solder, Martin, and Patrick Omameh.
The reason Gay cracks this list while others don’t is due to his play last season and New York’s desperate need for a slot cornerback. The former Steelers corner is coming off one of his worst seasons in his 11-year career. He’s also arguably the best option to fill Big Blue’s need in their nickel defense.
Gay has plenty of experience covering the slot. He’s played in 176 games, recording 89 passes defended and 13 interceptions.
Gay has shown in the past that he can be an impact player. But he lost the starting slot cornerback role to Mike Hilton in Pittsburgh last season, leading to his eventual release this past March.
Despite a down season in 2017, there is hope he can turn it around in the Big Apple. Gettleman likely wouldn’t have signed him if he didn’t think so.
Gay is just one year removed from a productive season. He started 10 games for the Steelers in 2016, including their playoff win at Kansas City. The biggest issue for Gay has been consistency.
If he plays like he did from 2013-16, the Giants will likely have a found a solution to their slot cornerback dilemma. But if Gay plays like he did last season, Donte Deayon, Aaron Davis, or Grant Haley could look to leapfrog him on the depth chart.