Jason Pinnock no longer plays for the New York Giants, and although he was a solid piece and a feel-good story after being released from the Jets, that might actually be to the benefit of the G-Men. It’s not that Pinnock was objectively bad — he wasn’t — but his on-field impact rarely matched the amount of time he spent on it.
Big Blue trusted him with 95% of their defensive snaps in back-to-back seasons. That kind of usage usually means a player is locked in as a foundational piece. But in this case, it just meant he was very good at staying on the field, but not particularly great at playing on it.
So when CBS Sports' Jared Dubin named Pinnock the Giants’ most significant offseason loss, it felt a little off. Not only because the bar should be higher, but because this was more of a quiet addition-by-subtraction type deal than an actual blow to the roster.
Jevon Holland brings upside that Jason Pinnock just didn't offer
Let’s just call it what it is: the Giants needed more from the safety spot. Pinnock had his moments — the 102-yard pick-six in 2023 comes to mind — but those moments grew fewer as the new defensive scheme took hold.
As Dubin put it: “Pinnock played 95% of New York’s defensive snaps in each of the last two seasons. He was seemingly less effective the more he got on the field, though, so the Giants replaced him with the more versatile Jevon Holland, and that should help improve [defensive coordinator] Shane Bowen’s defense.”
After Xavier McKinney left for Green Bay, Pinnock had the opportunity to lock down a long-term starting role. He struggled in coverage and didn't fair much better against the run. Bowen's system clearly wasn't a good fit. The Giants moved on and signed Jevon Holland.
The move was about improving the position. Holland, in theory, fits Bowen’s system, brings more range, and offers the versatility Pinnock couldn't. The contract was expensive — the Giants gave him a three-year, $45 million deal with over $30 million guaranteed — but it reflects the team’s intent to raise the ceiling on the defense.
Pinnock landing with the San Fransisco 49ers on a one-year, $2.2 million deal speaks volumes. He’ll compete for playing time in The Bay, but even early OTA reports have been mixed. He was never going to be the guy who took the Giants’ defense to the next level, and now they’re banking on someone who might.
If Pinnock is considered the biggest offseason loss, it speaks more to the state of the roster than the impact of his departure. The Giants filled the spot with a more capable player and took a step forward in the process.