NY Giants: 5 potential upgrades over Corey Ballentine
By Matt Clark
4. Damarious Randall
Perhaps the other half of a safety tandem for the 2018 Cleveland Browns that included current NY Giants Jabrill Peppers is the answer to help the team upgrade from Corey Ballentine. Damarious Randall played strong safety, with Peppers manning the free safety position for the Browns in 2018.
A former first-round draft pick in 2015 by the Green Bay Packers, the 28-year-old Randall is a player with talent. In five seasons, he has 14 interceptions, two fumble recoveries, two and a half sacks, two defensive touchdowns, and 290 total tackles.
However, there are questions about his character, as he was reportedly a distraction in Cleveland that was believed to be a cancer in the locker room. He signed a fully guaranteed one-year contract for $1.5 million with the Las Vegas Raiders in the offseason. However, the Raiders decided to go with a youth movement and cut Randall prior to the start of the season.
Perhaps, being cut has humbled and motivated the talented Randall and the NY Giants could get themselves a potential steal by signing him. He is familiar with playing beside Peppers, which is a plus.
Additionally, Randall began his career playing cornerback with the Packers before playing both safety positions with the Browns the past two seasons.
Damarious Randall would present yet another versatile defensive back that would allow the Giants to adjust the defensive unit based on which player strengths best suit the opposing offense each week.
They could decide to move Love or Ryan to cornerback while placing Randall at safety or put Randall at cornerback and keep Love and Ryan at safety. Either way, his talent is a massive upgrade over the likes of Ballentine.