The New York Giants are coming off their worst season in franchise history, setting a team record with 14 losses in 2024, including a franchise-worst 10-game losing streak from Week 6 to Week 17.
The season was a complete failure for Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen, who helped Big Blue return to the playoffs two years ago in their first season at the helm. However, the team has only gotten worse each year.
The Giants are back to square one in this rebuild, needing to repair several areas of their roster ahead of 2025. This offseason will be crucial, as expectations will be high for Daboll and Schoen to nail their moves and bring in the necessary players via the NFL Draft and free agency.
The Giants’ top priority will be bringing in a veteran quarterback while drafting their franchise signal-caller with the third overall pick. However, one of their biggest needs is at cornerback.
With former first-rounder Deonte Banks not panning out the way New York had hoped after a frustrating sophomore campaign, the Giants will likely dip into their salary cap to sign a talented defensive back in free agency. Marcus Mosher of the 33rd Team has one name to watch: Minnesota Vikings' cornerback Byron Murphy.
The Giants should look to bring in Byron Murphy this offseason
Murphy is coming off his best season, excelling both on the outside and in the slot. The veteran defensive back finished with 81 combined tackles, a career-high 14 pass deflections, and a career-best six interceptions while starting all 17 games for the Vikings, earning his first Pro Bowl honors.
Although Murphy has an injury history, he has made 79 starts in six NFL seasons with both the Vikings and Arizona Cardinals. He also just turned 27, making him the perfect candidate for Schoen to target as a key addition to New York’s secondary.
On Tuesday, the Vikings and Murphy agreed to push back the void date on his contract. This means Minnesota can no longer use the franchise tag on him, but it also gives both sides more time to negotiate a long-term deal. If the Vikings and Murphy fail to reach an agreement, the Giants should take advantage and pursue him aggressively.
Per a league source, the Vikings and CB Byron Murphy have agreed to push back the void date on his contract. Originally, the deal voided 23 days prior to the start of the league year (either today or tomorrow). Now, it’s the day before the start of the league year, which means…
— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) February 18, 2025
Don’t expect Murphy to command a record-breaking deal, but he could land a contract worth up to $50 million. The Giants should offer Murphy between $15–$17 million per season for about three years. Adding a player of Murphy’s caliber would make a significant impact on New York’s secondary and help improve the Giants’ struggling cornerback room next season.