The resurgent NY Giants defense has powered New York’s run at the NFC East championship in recent weeks, but three key contributors are set to be free agents at season’s end
Three of the NY Giants’ most dominant defensive players are set to be free agents at season’s end, and the decision over whether to keep them in 2021 or beyond have massive implications for the future trajectory of the franchise.
Sitting at 4-7 atop the NFC East standings, the NY Giants have won three consecutive games, largely on the back of a defense that has improved in recent weeks. That defense has been powered by consistently dominant performances from defensive linemen Dalvin Tomlinson, Leonard Williams, and in recent weeks safety Logan Ryan.
All three are set to be free agents.
Williams might be the most difficult decision that general manager Dave Gettleman — or who ever is GM this offseason — must make, especially because he is in the midst of the most productive, disruptive, and dominant season of his career.
“The Giants really need to ‘untangle the Christmas lights’ when it comes to Williams,” a league source tells GMenHQ. “Is he shining brighter because all the other bulbs on defense are playing better? Or is he finally shining at the level that he was always expected to and is bringing others up with him? That determination will determine whether he’s going to command a contract in the top-3 at his position, or the top-5.”
While Williams might be the most difficult decision the Giants must make, Tomlinson and Ryan also make compelling cases for long-term deals, and both have played exceptionally well this season.
GMenHQ surveyed several agents on what kind of contracts Tomlinson, Logan Ryan, and Leonard Williams can expect this offseason. Each agent was granted anonymity to speak freely about what they expected each player to command on an extension from the Giants:
DL – Dalvin Tomlinson
Tomlinson, a home grown talent and one of the Giants’ most dominant defenders, is certainly the type of player the organization should want to commit to and build around long-term.
So far this season, Tomlinson has produced 26 34 total tackles, two sacks, and according to Pro Football Focus has 16 total pressures. Along with Williams and Dexter Lawrence, Tomlinson’s consistently strong play up front has powered the Giants’ defense’s resurgence over the second half of this season.
The Giants’ second-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Tomlinson has 194 total tackles, six sacks, 18 tackles for loss, and one forced fumble in 59 career games. Tomlinson has also never missed a game so far in his career.
As the Giants aim to build around players that were drafted into the program, re-signing Tomlinson will likely be a top organization priority.
Agent’s take:
“He’s definitely the type of player I’d think they would want to commit to. He’d probably wind up commanding something like a five-year deal worth between $60-$63 million with an APY somewhere in the $10-$12 million per season range.”
DL Leonard Williams
As patently absurd as it was for the Giants to trade a third-round and fifth-round pick to the Jets last season for Williams, at 2-6 just eight weeks before he was set to become a free agent, it would be a mistake not to at least try to sign the suddenly dominant defensive lineman long-term.
Williams is in the midst of his most productive season, and has been one of the Giants’ best defenders through the first 11 games.
Playing in defensive coordinator Patrick Graham’s system and under the tutelage of first-year defensive line coach Sean Spencer, Williams looks every bit the first-round pedigreed talent the Jets thought they were selecting and the Giants traded for.
Williams currently has six sacks, 36 total tackles, and has generated 36 total quarterback pressures, including 18 hurries.
Team sources tell GMenHQ that the Giants’ plan all along was to use the franchise tag on Williams, so long as he didn’t disappoint down the stretch last season, and make every effort to re-sign him if he played at a high level in 2020. Williams has certainly held up his end, the question now becomes whether the Giants will commit to him long-term this offseason …
Agent’s take:
“Williams and his camp will certainly want to reset the defensive end market, but in reality wants top-three defensive end money and best case is that he gets top-five money at the position. If he negotiates as a defensive end, and continues to produce at this level, he’ll push for and probably command a four-year deal in the $20-$25 million annual range.”
DB Logan Ryan
Signed just before training camp back in August, Logan Ryan has steadily improved as this season has gone along and been the Giants’ best defensive back not named James Bradberry.
Ryan, at age 29, has 65 total tackles with one interception and three forced fumbles, while producing a 69 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus, and holding opposing wide receivers to 10.2 yards per reception.
However, Ryan is playing under a one-year contract worth $7.5 million and will likely be looking for much more this offseason.
The Giants hope to at some point work safety Xavier McKinney into some packages at safety, but Ryan has been as good as advertised as an ideal complement to defensive back Jabrill Peppers and been instrumental in the secondary’s improvement in recent weeks.
Short of handing Ryan and his agent a blank check, the Giants should do everything possible to re-sign Ryan to this ascending defense in 2021 and beyond.
Agent’s take:
“It’s Joe Judge’s world, so who knows how much they’ll pay to keep him around. I think he’s maybe somewhere in Jimmie Ward’s ballpark, but most likely he’s looking at three years maxing out somewhere between $10-$11 million annually.”
Matt Lombardo is the site expert for GMenHQ, and writes Between The Hash Marks each Wednesday for FanSided. Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattLombardoNFL.