The New York Giants might’ve been the last to realize it, but there’s a growing sense Jevón Holland’s early Miami years weren’t what they seemed. After three seasons of strong play, Year 4 was unkind to the former Oregon standout, who found a new home in New York.
After three straight seasons with 63-plus Pro Football Focus coverage grades, Jevón Holland bottomed out with a career-worst 57.7 in Year 4, just in time for his rookie deal to expire and free agency to begin. That dip in play, combined with Miami’s cap constraints and their usual reluctance to pay defensive backs, made him available, and the G-Men pounced, signing the 25-year-old to a three-year, $45 million deal.
And early returns all but suggest Big Blue is suffering from instant buyer’s remorse. He’s been struggling this year, to say the least, which is a massive problem, only exacerbated by second-year safety Tyler Nubin, who isn’t taking the leap many thought he would in Year 2.
Jevón Holland’s $45M deal already looks like a mistake for Giants
Listen, I know it’s only been two weeks, but it’s hard not to overreact to this signing. He’s been nonexistent in coverage, contributing to the league’s worst defense. What makes it worse is that there was a better option in Xavier McKinney, literally staring at them last season, whom they opted to pass on due to a valuation disagreement.
It’s hard for fans not to look back at the Holland deal and wonder, “Why didn’t Joe Schoen just re-sign Xavier McKinney?” It plays into the growing narrative that the players Schoen lets walk end up thriving elsewhere. But in this case, Holland hasn’t just underwhelmed... he’s actually regressed since arriving in East Rutherford. Which is obviously not great.
It’s been a steady downhill slope for Holland. He was supposed to come in and be a steady veteran presence among the defensive backs, but two games in, and he’s been anything but. The signs of regression were there, but New York’s GM decided to look past them in the hope he’d bounce back to his 2023 form.
Operating in hindsight is always tricky, but it’s hard not to point the finger at Schoen. They let McKinney walk because they didn’t believe he was worth the four-year, $68 million deal he signed with the Packers. It’s ironic because Holland’s clearly not playing up to his $45 million deal, which is only $1.5 million less annually than McKinney’s, who just earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in his first season away from the G-Men.
Things aren’t going to get any easier for Holland. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs come to town for a primetime Sunday night showdown in Week 3, followed by Justin Herbert and the Chargers in Week 4. Those are two of the league’s better quarterbacks and teams.
If New York wants any chance at coming out of the next two weeks with a win, they’re going to need their splashy free agent signing to start playing like it. Like, yesterday.