There was palpable excitement surrounding the New York Giants' revamped secondary ahead of the 2025 NFL campaign. Much of the anticipation stemmed from the team's offseason free-agent acquisitions, namely cornerback Paulson Adebo, though that optimism has proven more aspirational than anticipated.
Not only has Adebo's inaugural campaign with the Giants been marred by a knee injury, but he's also been ineffective when on the field. His contributions (or lack thereof) have not aligned with the three-year, $54 million contract the club signed him to this past March.
It's too early to press the panic button -- yet. However, the Giants' decision to pay Adebo a bunch of money, including $38.5 million in guarantees, hasn't aged well thus far.
Giants might already regret paying CB Paulson Adebo
Opponents have picked on Adebo this season. He's one of just 11 corners targeted at least 50 times through Week 10. For further context, the 26-year-old is notably the only one of the bunch to appear in fewer than nine games.
To be fair to the Giants' foes, actively seeking out Adebo hasn't come without good reason; it's been an effective strategy. He's allowed the seventh-most receptions (32) and 17th-most receiving yards (352) among players at his position. Again, this is with him three contests and change, meaning these numbers could be much higher.
Attacking Adebo hasn't just been fruitful, but it's also come with minimal repercussions. He's yet to record an interception and only has three pass breakups. For several reasons, like health and defensive coordinator Shane Bowen's well-chronicled shortcomings, his ball-hawking skills with the New Orleans Saints haven't translated to New York.
Many will look to Adebo leading all cornerbacks in tackles as a bright spot. Yet, part of why he's wrapping players up is because teams are willingly and successfully throwing the ball at him. In other words, a stat like this can serve as a double-edged sword.
Adebo's 52.2 overall Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade ranks 89th out of 108 qualified options, while his 51.1 mark in coverage comes in at 93rd. He's been slightly better against the run, albeit still at a below-average clip. No matter how you look at it, the Giants need more to justify making him the 13th-highest-paid corner by average annual value.
Note: Metrics courtesy of PFF's premium stats ($).