NY Giants roster: Examining 3 options in the slot for 2021
The NY Giants have various options to choose from to play in the slot. Will Darnay Holmes maintain his position? Will Aaron Robinson see a big role?
The NY Giants appear to have a surplus of talent in the defensive backfield, and the nickel cornerback position is a significant part of that.
From Darnay Holmes to Aaron Robinson, to Xavier McKinney and more, the Giants have options at who will start and play in the slot.
Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has plenty of quality players in his arsenal, which is a good problem to have, but he has his work cut out for him getting them all onto the field with the 2021 NFL season just around the corner.
However, safety Jabrill Peppers shared in a June press conference that he trusts Graham to properly deploy the squad:
"That’s the beauty of Patrick Graham, baby. He makes it make sense. I’m a big fan of as many DBs on the field as you can, but certain situations don’t allow that. [I’m] not too worried about it, but like I said, it’s [a] competition at every spot. But PG definitely knows how to get the best out of his guys and put them in positions to excel, so I’m excited."
Here is a ranking of the top three players who have a chance at winning the slot cornerback job in 2021 for the G-Men.
NY Giants Slot Option No. 3: Xavier McKinney
McKinney missed the first 10 games of his NFL career due to a foot fracture he suffered in training camp just before the start of last season.
When he returned, the Giants defense had established itself as the calling card of the team, and veteran defensive back Logan Ryan had locked up the free safety position, while Peppers was starting at strong safety.
A safety in college, McKinney needed to find other avenues to get on the field, thus, he found time in the nickel. Per Ed Valentine of Big Blue View, McKinney finished the season with 210 snaps played. Of those 210 snaps, 82 came in the slot, 79 came as a free safety and 47 came playing in the box.
Clearly, McKinney is a gifted athlete who can move all over the secondary. While he comes in at third on this list, there’s a significant chance the second-year pro will find himself wearing many hats for the defense in 2021, including spending some time in the slot.