No. 3 best: Logan Ryan, 2020
It may have taken all summer, but the Logan Ryan free-agency saga ended with him signing a one-year, $7.5 million deal with the Giants. It was a move that gave the team much needed depth in their secondary, as well as re-uniting Ryan with a coach he was familiar with in Joe Judge.
When you’re trying to rebuild a culture, you need players who fit the head coaches vision. Perhaps no player knew what Judge was trying to implement better than Ryan – another reason why the signing paid dividends.
Ryan certainly contributed on the field, his interception, three forced fumbles, nine passes defensed and a sack attest to that – but his biggest contribution was his abilities to lead and teach. He brought everything that was instilled in him in New England and Tennessee to New York, helping his hometown team improve in the process.
He was so important to the team that Gettleman gave Giants’ fans a present on Christmas Day – news breaking that Ryan signed a three-year, $31 million contract extension as families sat around their tree.
After signing the extension, Ryan said “I wouldn’t sign a deal two weeks before free agency if I didn’t believe in this organization. I believe in the culture set. I believe in the work ethic we put in each and every day.”
Ryan’s impact on the Giants was immense – and if Judge and Gettleman lead the team into an era of new grandeur, he’ll be a big reason why.