The NY Giants are the ultimate underdogs heading into the 2020 season
The Defense
Playing any sport under the New York lights is adifferent environment, but the youth of this Giants team may be their greatest strength up against their more experienced rivals; especially when it comes to their new and improved defense.
This year, after an impact draft class and active free agency, Big Blue enters as the ultimate underdogs. And no area on the field was more targeted than the Giants’ depleted defense.
Back in May, I went through each and every reason the Giants revamped defense was going to seem leagues better this season due to the amount of youth and competition currently ranking their depth charts. So to reiterate those points, their defense is the ultimate underdog on this team, considering nearly all of their players are unproven.
For example, taking the amount of LBs where they did in this draft basically adds versatility to the entire roster. Although the Giants mostly targeted their offensive line, using two of their first three picks on the position, they spent their final 5 picks (Rounds 6-7) shoring up their defensive back positions while bolstering those picks with a couple of key signings like MLB Blake Martinez and CB James Bradberry.
Plus, with DeAndre Baker’s recent off-the-field legal issues, rookie players CB Darnay Holmes and S Xavier McKinney will each become that much more important to the defensive game plan.
Xavier McKinney was the only Safety in the NCAA to force 4 fumbles last season. pic.twitter.com/G02bsjmeSm
— PFF NY Giants (@PFF_Giants) July 26, 2020
However, perhaps the biggest news for the Giants this offseason was gaining exclusive rights to sign their sack leader, Markus Golden this past July 22nd and officially closing a one-year deal this past August 4th.
#Giants OLB Markus Golden has officially signed his 1-year, roughly $5.1M contract, source said. With the UFA tender, his salary was set, as was his eventual destination. After 10 sacks in 2019, he’s back with NYG on another prove-it deal.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 4, 2020
This tremendous add-on for the team will provide a great influence and extra competition as they introduce several young players (each fighting for a spot on the 53-man roster this season) to their defense while bolstering their linebacker unit with another bonafide pass rusher.
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For a team in the latter stages of rebuilding like the Giants, it is very unlikely 2020 will feature a postseason berth (if a season is played at all due to the global pandemic). However, I have no doubt that the Giants will surprise fans by their discipline, talent level, and versatility this season.
At the very least, 2020 should be a year of good football for Big Blue supporters, which is something fans haven’t seen in years.