3 most important NY Giants players who aren’t starters
By Reese Nasser
1. LB Jihad Ward
The signing of edge rusher Jihad Ward has seemingly fallen under the radar. With the addition of Kayvon Thibodeaux, much of the attention on the defensive front has gone to him. But, Ward has quickly made his presence felt on this team, and he could end up providing a lot of help to this defensive front, even if he just serves as a rotational player.
Since entering the NFL in 2016, Ward has played 68 career games for four teams. In that time, he has recorded 91 total tackles, 10 sacks and 12 tackles for loss. He has also generated 98 total quarterback pressures. With players such as Thibodeaux, Leonard Williams and Azeez Ojulari ahead of him on the depth chart, Ward may not be an every down player for this defense.
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With that said, he can still make his impact felt through what he does off the field, which would in turn help elevate this entire group. This defensive front, outside of Williams, is still fairly young. A majority of the key pass-rushers are still in the early years of their NFL careers. Having the veteran presence that comes with Ward could be just what this group needs.