With free agency set underway, several teams may be on the lookout for a cornerback if they are unable to sign one. The New York Giants have the perfect player available to be traded.
There has been speculation regarding what the New York Giants may do with veteran cornerback James Bradberry since the start of the off-season. At just 28 years old, Bradberry is still a valuable player with years of play left in the tank.
There are multiple paths the Giants could possibly take regarding Bradberry. Cutting him, trading him, or restructuring his contract are all realistic options for a team that is trying to free up as much cap space as they can.
With several veteran cornerbacks currently on the market in free agency, the Giants may be waiting for them to be signed so they can see which teams missed out. Whoever wasn’t able to sign a corner in free agency may be willing to give the Giants what they would like in a trade centered around Bradberry.
The Case to Keep Bradberry
Bradberry is just 28 years old and one year removed from a season where he was arguably a top-five cornerback. In 2020, he recorded a 79.8 grade according to PFF, one of the highest in the NFL. He was highly effective in both coverage and run-defense and was dominant nearly every time he was targeted.
He recorded three interceptions, 48 tackles, and 18 defended passes in 2020 while being targeted 78 times. A return to this form could help this Giants defense stay relevant.
By keeping Bradberry on the roster, they will have two solid corners on their roster. While Bradberry struggled last season, a pairing of Bradberry and Adoree’ Jackson is better than what most teams can offer, especially when considering how pass-heavy the league currently is.
The choice to keep Bradberry would also allow for the New York Giants to address other needs in the draft. By moving him, one of their picks within the first two rounds would more than likely be put towards a cornerback. With significant needs along both the offensive line and defensive line, they may prefer to use those picks to address those areas.
While the case to keep Bradberry isn’t as strong compared to what will happen if the New York Giants choose to move on, his talent is undeniable. He has all the makings of a top-corner and has already proven that he can play at that level. Keeping him, even with the money that he is owed, would help this defense stay afloat and allow for them to go after other areas that may need more attention.
The Case to Move Bradberry
James Bradberry is a solid cornerback who can hold his own against the game’s best receivers. While he struggled somewhat in 2021, he was among the game’s best in 2020. There’s no reason that he can’t return to that form, especially if put into a new system.
A team such as the Las Vegas Raiders could be the perfect landing spot for Bradberry and they have the draft capital that the New York Giants will be looking for in return.
During last season Bradberry recorded four interceptions, defended 17 passes, and totaled 47 tackles. While still producing, he struggled in areas that he hadn’t in the past. He finished the season as the 58th ranked cornerback according to PFF.
With the recent hiring of defensive coordinator Don Martindale, the New York Giants will be expected to transition to a heavy-man coverage defense. Bradberry struggled in man coverage last season but was still effective in zone. A team that has a preference towards zone would benefit from having Bradberry at one of their corner spots.
The biggest case to move Bradberry is the cap space that would come along with it.
The Giants New York would be freeing up more than $12 million in space if they can find a team willing to make a trade. The cap space they free up could be used to add veteran players who would be willing to take smaller contracts. With holes throughout the roster, they will need to find depth but currently lack the space to do such.
Bradberry has just one year remaining on his contract and it would make sense for the Giants to move on now before he potentially walks in free agency next off-season.
With many thinking that Bradberry is worth a third or fourth-round selection, the New York Giants could immediately address their need at cornerback in the draft. The cornerback group in this year’s draft is deep and full of playmakers. The position could be addressed with any of the Giants’ top picks.
Players such as Ahmad Gardner, Derek Stingley Jr, Kaiir Elam, or Jalen Pitre could all be obtainable in the draft. Each one could be an immediate playmaker on this Giants defense and would be marginally cheaper than Bradberry and would be under contract for the foreseeable future.
The flexibility that comes with moving Bradberry could just be too much for the Giants to pass up on, especially when considering how they have claimed to want to free up nearly $40 million in cap space.