New York Giants: Grading all the free agent signings
By Matt Clark
EDGE Kyler Fackrell
Last season the New York Giants benefitted from signing pass-rushing linebacker Markus Golden to a one-year “show me” deal. Golden who was coming off two injury-shortened seasons with the Arizona Cardinals went on to record 72 total tackles and ten sacks for the Giants.
The Giants hope that they can get lightning to strike twice when they signed former Green Bay Packers pass-rushing linebacker Kyler Fackrell to a one-year $4.6 million deal. Fackrell had 10.5 sacks in 2018 for the Packers, when Graham was the linebackers coach but had a significantly reduced role last season due to the team signing Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith prior to the start of the 2019 season.
Fackrell is coming off of his rookie deal with the Green Bay Packers after they selected him in the third round of the 2016 draft out of Utah State. At only 28-years old, he is likely to be highly motivated to prove that he can perform up to the levels that he produced in Green Bay in 2018.
At 6’5″ and 245-pounds, Fackrell is a tall and athletic linebacker who uses his long wingspan to disrupt the quarterback. He will likely be in a rotation with fellow outside edge-rushing linebackers Lorenzo Carter and Oshane Ximines next season.
While the deal is eerily similar to the one that the Giants gave to Markus Golden last season, it will also likely be the reason that the Giants don’t end up resigning the free agent Golden this offseason. While Golden currently remains unsigned, he is almost certain to garner far more than the $4.6 million that the Giants just signed Fackrell for. If Fackrell can produce to the levels that Golden did last year or revert back to his 2018 self, then the Giants were able to steal Fackrell for that price.