The New York Giants stole Jevón Holland from the Miami Dolphins this offseason, hoping the 25-year-old safety would return to fringe-Pro Bowl form after a lackluster fourth and final season in teal.
The G-Men didn’t just pay for Holland’s playmaking ability — they threw him $45 million over three years for what they viewed as Xavier McKinney’s official replacement. As Week 1 wraps up, it’s fair to wonder if Big Blue would like a refund on their expensive addition.
Holland, once the presumed future cornerstone of the Dolphins’ defense, was exposed early and often in his first appearance in Giants blue. Miami let the former 36th-overall pick walk in free agency after a down season in a contract year. Rumor had it he was looking for upwards of $18 million per season, but after posting a 63.0 Pro Football Focus grade in 2024 (after a 90.4 in 2023), his fate was all but sealed in Miami. After Deebo Samuel had his way with Holland in Week 1, there are definitely some feelings of buyer’s remorse.
Jevón Holland’s rough Week 1 performance will give Giants instant regret
Firstly, approximately nothing went right for Big Blue on Sunday. The blame game list ran grocery-store-receipt long. So while Holland’s performance wasn’t the best, he wasn’t the singular reason for the 21-6 epic collapse. But he played an expensive part.
Commanders quarterback and reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels exploited Holland’s matchup with Samuel all day. While he never found the end zone, he led Washington with seven receptions for 77 yards, consistently burning the safety in coverage. Apparently, Miami was well aware of the struggles and failed to share them with Joe Schoen when he signed the former Oregon product to a multi-year deal.
Holland’s versatility used to be his calling card. He was viewed as a guy who could play deep while also playing man-to-man. Known as a ball-hawk, New York brought him in to help with their severe lack of turnovers problem. However, his inability to make a play on the ball or tackle reared its ugly head, calling into question whether committing long-term to Holland was the best use of resources.
Look no further than how the offensive line played — they were terrible. With limited cap space, Schoen could have used some of Holland’s money to upgrade the line, which desperately needs it.
This is a team that’s still reeling from the Xavier McKinney loss from last season. It’s clear that McKinney is not going to walk through the door, leaving Holland as their only option.
With the Giants looking to climb out of the basement, this team will need all the help it can get… including its expensive investments. Some gambles pay off, some don’t. This is already looking more like the latter.