5 biggest areas New York Giants must address this offseason
By Erik Slater
Edge Rusher
Building an effective pass rush should be at the top of Dave Gettleman’s offseason priorities.
Once a staple of the Giants’ Super Bowl-winning teams, the lack of a pass rush has been the downfall of New York’s defense over the last few seasons. The G-Men ranked 31st in the league with just 30 sacks in 2018.
With Olivier Vernon sidelined for the first five games of the season, the New York Giants struggled to pressure the quarterback without blitzing.
Vernon posted seven sacks, 2.5 of which came against a backup tackle in the final game of the season, in 11 games last season. The 28-year-old was surprisingly selected to the Pro Bowl as an alternate for Khalil Mack.
While Vernon’s stats look solid, the edge rusher failed to get pressure in key moments down the stretch of games and struggled when defending the run.
The Giants recently interviewed former Jets defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers, who spent three years as Vernon’s defensive line coach from 2012 to 2015, for a senior defensive staff position. Rodgers spent the last four seasons as the Jets defensive coordinator under Todd Bowles.
“He taught me everything I know now about the game of football. I owe a lot to him.,’ Vernon said of Rodgers shortly after signing with the Giants per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.
There has been speculation that the Giants could cut Vernon to save cap space. Vernon is set to make $15.2 million in salary and count $19.5 million toward the 2019 salary cap. If New York were to cut him, they would save $11.5 million toward the cap while eating $8 million in dead money.
While the move would save significant money toward the cap, it may be tough for the Giants to part ways with their only proven pass rusher.
Rookie Lorenzo Carter was New York’s second most reliable edge rusher, posting 4 sacks opposite Vernon. The third-round pick out of Georgia showed promise in his first season, showing explosive speed, active hands, and a good motor off the edge.
Carter proved to be the New York Giants most promising building block on the edge, outplaying fellow acquisitions Kareem Martin and veteran Connor Barwin.
If the Giants were to move on from Vernon, it would likely come with a plan via free agency or the draft to bring in a young pass rusher opposite Carter.
The draft is stacked with talented pass rushers that would offer immediate help next season. Nick Bosa, Josh Allen, Clelin Ferrell, Rashan Gary, and Jachai Polite are among the talented edge rushers in this year’s class.
Rookie defensive tackle B.J. Hill impressed in his rookie season. The third-round pick out of N.C. State finished second on the team with 5.5 sacks. Ed Oliver and Quinnen Williams are top tier interior pass rushers that the Giants could target in the draft to play alongside Hill on passing downs.
If Gettleman decides to address a different area with the first-round pick, he could still land a star pass rusher in free agency. Demarcus Lawrence is an interesting option who could potentially hit the market. Lawrence is coming off a monster season in which he racked up 10.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
The Cowboys placed the franchise tag on Lawrence last season. However, Dallas has decisions to make regarding extensions for Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper. If they choose not to place the tag on Lawrence again, the Giants should make him a priority. Although he would come with a hefty price, landing a star 26-year-old edge rusher within the division is an enticing option.
Jadeveon Clowney is also set to hit free agency as an option at outside linebacker. Clowney posted 9 sacks and 16 TFLs last season for Houston. Seattle’s Frank Clark, Philadelphia’s Brandon Graham and Kansas City’s Dee Ford will also hit the market as experienced pass rushers.
A relentless pass rush was the identity of the Giants’ 2008 and 2012 Superbowl teams. It’s about time Big Blue reestablishes that identity.