The pressure is on for the NY Giants’ defense to take a leap forward in 2021, especially the pass-rush, so where will the sacks come from in a young-front seven?
In his first season as NY Giants defensive coordinator, Patrick Graham was tasked with “manufacturing” sacks and pressure on the quarterback, as the organization has not invested significant resources in the position over the past several offseasons.
This spring, that changed — to a degree — when the NY Giants re-signed last season’s team-leading sack-artist, defensive end Leonard Williams, and chose outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari in the second-round of April’s NFL Draft.
Still, after sitting out the market for premier pass rushers such as Bud Dupree, Jadeveon Clowney, Yannick Ngakoue, and others, Graham might find himself in a similar situation in 2021 as he was last season.
“I think one guy they added this offseason,” an NFC personnel executive tells FanSided. “Who can be a real sleeper for them, is Ryan Anderson.”
Anderson has six career sacks, and could easily be a piece of Graham’s pass-rush puzzle.
The NY Giants finished 20th in the NFL with 40 sacks, which was third-most in the NFC East.
Pressuring the quarterback, though, is almost omnipotent to the success as a defense, as illustrated by six of the top-10 teams in sacks making the postseason and the Green Bay Packers finishing with one more sack than New York.
So, how will Graham generate pressure on the quarterback this upcoming season?
Here’s an in-depth look at the NY Giants’ top candidates to lead the team in sacks in 2021:
Edge – Ifeadi Odenigbo
Career stats: 59 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks
Odenigbo makes a compelling case to be among the NY Giants’ breakout stars this season.
“He has great quickness and is a really smart and productive player,” former Minnesota Vikings general manager and Executive of The Year Jeff Diamond recently told GmenHQ. “I was surprised the Vikings didn’t tender him after he had seven sacks as a part-time player in 2019, and led the team in quarterback pressures this past season.”
The NY Giants have done a nice job of pressuring the quarterback the past couple seasons, if at times struggling to actually get home. Odenigbo has the explosiveness to get a jump on opposing tackles and could wreak havoc in the backfield.
Given Odenigbo’s versatility to line up at defensive end, or stand up as an outside linebacker, look for him to figure a key role in the NY Giants’ pass-rush.