NY Giants re-sign Devante Downs, continue adding special teams depth
The NY Giants re-signed linebacker and special teams contributor Devante Downs, the team announced Wednesday.
Downs primarily played special teams last season, playing 62 percent of the NY Giants’ snaps on teams.
But when injuries rocked the linebacking corps, Downs made eight starts and appeared in 21 percent of New York’s defensive snaps.
A four-year veteran, Downs produced a career-high 33 total tackles and logged one quarterback hit in 2020.
Bringing back Downs seems to reinforce the NY Giants’ efforts to upgrade special teams this offseason. Downs’ re-signing comes one day after the NY Giants signed former Washington Football Team linebacker Ryan Anderson.
Originally, the Giants chose not to tender Downs, who was originally a seventh-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings back in 2018, which allowed him to become a free agent. Clearly, at a lower price-point and without needing to apply a tender, the Giants felt the price was right for a reunion.
Adding Anderson and Downs to the mix on special teams should improve those units, and will also create stiff competition at the bottom of the linebacker depth chart between the veterans and last year’s draft picks; Cam Brown, Carter Coughlin, and Tae Crowder both for roster spots, as well as playing time.
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Matt Lombardo is the site expert for GMenHQ, and writes Between The Hash Marks each Wednesday for FanSided. Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattLombardoNFL.