The countdown for training camp keeps getting lower, and NY Giants fans are still concerned about the cornerback depth for this team. With the release of James Bradberry, the unit has little-to-no experience, which is of course a major problem for new defensive coordinator Don ‘Wink’ Martindale.
Having said that, there’s still some veterans out there, including Kevin King, A.J. Bouye and others, for the Giants to try and bring in before Week 1 vs. the Tennessee Titans arrives. In a piece for NFL.com, insider Kevin Patra released his 10 biggest remaining roster holes heading into training camp, and NY was understandably featured.
NY Giants need to sign a veteran cornerback sooner than later
"“The release of corner James Bradberry after no trade materialized leaves Big Blue incredibly young on the outside,” Patra said. “Adoree’ Jackson is the only vet with vast starting experience. Currently, the Giants are counting on Aaron Robinson (Year 2), Darnay Holmes(Year 3), Rodarius Williams (Year 2), and rookie third-rounder Cordale Flott in their corner group. Don Martindale’s defense relies heavily on being able to match up on the outside. Adding a vet to the crew at either corner or a safety on the cheap would go a long way to solidifying a young group.”"
There are certainly plenty of question marks for the secondary, but cornerback is where the majority of the fanbase is quite nervous. Cutting Bradberry was a no-brainer because of his high cap hit, but the fact that Schoen hasn’t brought in anyone else to replace him has people even more upset. The longer he waits, the more anxious folks will become.
As a whole, this roster looks totally different for the Giants, with the offensive line making the biggest improvement. On the flip side of things, the secondary took the biggest hit, with Bradberry, Logan Ryan and Jabrill Peppers landing with new teams this offseason. That’s quite the hit.
Patra brings up some great points, as the youth for the Giants defense really is head-turning. Yes, these are some young and exciting players, but they don’t have the kind of experience that someone like Martindale would be hoping for in Year 1 implementing his defense with a new team. While someone like King or Bouye wouldn’t all of a sudden turn NY into a playoff team, they’d be able to make a significant difference. Schoen needs to make something happen.