Giants unexpectedly reunite with former starter in secondary shakeup

New head coach John Harbaugh has made it clear that just because a player didn’t fit with the previous regime doesn’t mean he won’t fit with the New York Giants now. Look no further than his decision to bring back offensive lineman Evan Neal.

Jason Pinnock had a much better run with the G-Men than Neal, but the team still let him head to the 49ers last offseason and replaced him with Jevón Holland. But sometimes bygones be bygones. In another interesting roster decision, New York has agreed to bring the 26-year-old back on a one-year deal to help shore up the defensive back room:

Before leaving for San Fran, Pinnock spent three seasons with the Giants from 2022 to 2024 after being claimed off waivers from the New York Jets. I'll specify that this is all pending a physical because you never know what could happen after the Maxx Crosby trade disaster.

Giants run it back with former starting safety Jason Pinnock

The former Pitt Panther had his best seasons in Giants blue, starting 37 games while piling up 211 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and the only two interceptions of his career (one returned for a touchdown, going for the third-longest INT return [100 yards] in team history).

The vet’s homecoming is a welcome addition. I can’t overstate how big the loss of Dane Belton was. Yes, New York already brought in Ar’Darius Washington to bolster the Jevón Holland–Tyler Nubin group, but Giants fans know better than anyone the value of quality depth, especially in the secondary.

Pinnock might not be the most physically imposing player on the roster -- 6-foot, 200 pounds -- but defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson (and clearly Harbaugh) will love his downhill style of play. The guy has never seen a tackle he didn’t like.

This is a relatively minor move overall, but it's a sneaky good signing by the Giants.