NY Giants Top 10 2020 free agent targets
3. FS Justin Simmons
It could be argued that no player upped their free agency value in 2019 than Denver Broncos free safety Justin Simmons. After coming into the league as a third-round pick out of Boston College and having solid yet not spectacular results in his first three years, Simmons dominated the competition in 2019.
Simmons’ Pro Football Focus grade was jaw-dropping in 2019, as the fourth-year pro graded out to a 90.8 overall with a 91.1 coverage grade. He allowed just 53% of passes thrown his way to be completed while being a consistent presence all over the football field. He’s rangy, instinctive and when he gets his hands on the ball he’ll come down with it (4 interceptions in 2019).
His terrific play landed him a spot on the 2019 Al-Pro team and he’s the exact type of player the NY Giants should be targeting; coming off of a rookie deal, gotten better every year while still possessing untapped potential. While Julian Love was solid in his limited time as a free safety in 2019, he could easily kick back to slot cornerback which is another huge need for Big Blue.
His potential value has been all over the place depending on who you talk to, but you can expect the 26-year-old to command top-end safety money. Luckily for the NY Giants, that’s really not all that much, especially considering how important the position is these days. Only five safeties in the NFL make over $10M annually, with the Titans’ Kevin Byard leading the way at $14M per.
Simmons can expect to land somewhere in between those two numbers, and his presence would give the NY Giants defense an immediate facelift.
Chance it happens: Moderate
How much could it cost: 4 years/$48M