Just because free agency hasn't officially started yet doesn't mean John Harbaugh and the New York Giants can't add players to the roster. Teams can sign players to reserve/future contracts before the new league year to lock up talent from their own or other teams' practice squads to ensure they don't hit free agency come March.
Big Blue has already thrown some of these around earlier this offseason, but their most recent signing is the most noteworthy solely because it marks the first under the Harbaugh regime.
For those expecting someone familiar with the Baltimore area, think again. The 63-year-old did not throw his first futures contract at a Ravens P-squad player. Shocking, considering he's planning on replacing all the coaches with his former Ravens staff -- but we'll save that for another time. No, this signing came via the Ravens' biggest rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Per multiple sources, the G-Men have signed 2022 third-round pick DeMarvin Leal to a futures deal, giving the 84th overall pick another crack at the big leagues.
John Harbaugh kicks off Giants era with unexciting DeMarvin Leal signing
Who says draft pedigree doesn't buy you time? I'm asking for a friend. But seriously, it feels like these early Day 1 and 2 draft picks catch massive amounts of flak for their lack of production, but because they were once a valuable pick, their talents can still be found -- it just takes the right situation.
But that's rarely the case. Typically, these picks fail because they just aren't cut out for the NFL, which happens.
With that said, underwhelming might be too strong a word to describe the signing, but it certainly isn't fireworks. Heck, it's not even one of those handheld sparklers. But context is key. It's not actual free agency yet, so this is about as exciting a move as it's going to get, but still... it feels very... meh.
Leal is an interesting player. His tape at Texas A&M suggested he'd be an impact player in the NFL, but four years later, his career has been anything but. In 32 games with the Steelers, the 6-foot-4, 290-pound too-big-to-play defensive end or too-small-to-play defensive tackle accrued a whopping three tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, and one sack.
So much for that electric 8.5-sack, 12.5 TFL 2021 season in College Station that inflated his draft stock,
The 25-year-old is listed as an edge, which isn't exactly a position Big Blue needs, especially right now. If Harbs and the front office are looking to add potential impact pieces to the defensive line, there's a massive void next to Dexter Lawrence, who could use some help in the interior.
Because of his tweener size, it’s hard to see a clear, natural fit for the fifth-year defender. He’s a bit too slow to thrive as a pure pass-rusher, and not quite big enough to hold up consistently inside. Maybe Harby thinks he can be the one to crack the code.
In the meantime, Giants fans will have to wait for the real moves once free agency opens, but at least they're getting a taste of what's to come. Fingers crossed that Harbaugh gets the most out of everyone he signs, and this team finally turns this thing around. We can only hope.