4 NY Giants Players on defense who must rise to the occassion in Week 1
By Reese Nasser
2. LB Tae Crowder
The Giants shocked many around the NFL when they chose to release veteran linebacker Blake Martinez right before the start of the campaign. The release of Martinez, paired alongside the loss of rookie Darrian Beavers, quickly puts this linebacker core at a real disadvantage. And it will put Tae Crowder in a much bigger position than many think he should have.
During the 2021 season, Crowder’s second year with the Giants, he recorded 130 total tackles, three tackles for loss, two interceptions, six defended passes and one forced fumble. But this doesn’t tell the whole story of Crowder’s season.
While he stuffed the stat sheet, he still struggled in a big way. He finished the season with a PFF defensive grade of 29.1. This was the worst of any linebacker in the NFL.
Crowder will be playing the biggest role of his short career this season. He will be in a position that, just two weeks ago, many thought he wouldn’t be in. And if he struggles, it is guaranteed that people will begin to worry.
On several occasions, Crowder has shown that he is still a solid linebacker. Gaining 130 total tackles in a season is no easy feat. But he will need to steadily turn in solid performances to prove that he should be locked in as a starting linebacker.