Training camp hasn't even started yet, and the injuries have started in New York. The NY Giants were dealt some troubling news on Tuesday, as Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reported veteran inside linebacker Jarrad Davis would be out for the "long-term" after he had surgery for an undisclosed injury. It has since been revealed that it was knee surgery.
This offseason, the Giants addressed their four biggest needs: interior offensive line, receiver, cornerback, and inside linebacker. However, the depth at ILB continues to be a concern and things were only made worse with the Davis update.
Joe Schoen could still opt to sign a veteran ILB off the street to replace the veteran Davis, who had been receiving the majority of the first team reps at ILB aside Bobby Okereke this spring, but it's likely the Giants will look internally for his replacement. Here are three Giants who must step up in Davis' absence.
3. LB Micah McFadden
Micah McFadden, a 2022 fifth-round pick out of Indiana, will likely receive the first crack at replacing Davis. In 2022, McFadden racked up 59 tackles, 36 of which were solo tackles, two sacks, and one forced fumble.
It would be fair to say it was a rocky rookie campaign for McFadden. PFF gave McFadden a dreadful 38.7 grade, 77th out of 81 qualified inside linebackers. McFadden was behind Jaylon Smith and Tae Crowder on the depth chart early in the season, limiting him to 435 snaps.
The most positive aspect of McFadden's 2022 season was his pass-rushing. McFadden received an adequate 66.3 pass-rush grade from PFF. McFadden has a track record of success rushing the passer, as he did rack up 14 sacks and 37 tackles for loss in his college career. Rushing the passer is integral in Wink Martindale's blitz-heavy system
McFadden struggled in pass coverage last season, but the Giants can somewhat cover that up by playing McFadden as the SAM or strongside linebacker with Okereke. McFadden will surely need to step his game up.
2. LB Darrian Beavers
Darrian Beavers, a 2022 sixth round-pick out of Cincinnati, was the star of Giants training camp last summer. Bevears climbed up to number two on the Giants ILB depth chart and was in line to start the season opener alongside Crowder, but unfortunately he tore his ACL in the Giants second preseason game against the Bengals.
Beavers worked mostly on the side with the trainers during the Giants minicamp, so it's hard to tell where he is in the recovery process. McFadden has more experience, which puts him ahead of Beavers for now, but it's clear Beavers has a higher ceiling, which could push him onto the field very quickly.
Beavers played five college seasons, the first two at Connecticut and the final three at Cincinnati. The talented linebacker racked up 230 tackles, 27.5 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks, three interceptions, and three forced fumbles.
During the 2021 college football season, Beavers' Cincinnati team reached the College Football Playoff and squared off against Alabama. In that game, Beavers sacked Bryce Young once, with four tackles against a great Alabama offensive line featuring current New York Giant right tackle Evan Neal.
Beavers is 6-4, 255 pounds, and ran a 4.70 40-yard dash at the 2022 NFL Combine. He is a freak athlete who could prove to be a diamond in the rough. With the injury to Davis, the Giants are going to need him to be that diamond, as he is now in line to receive a ton of meaningful reps.
1. Wink Martindale
The injury to Davis puts a lot of pressure on Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale. Martindale's options to play alongside Okereke, whom the Giants signed to a four-year, $40 million contract this offseason, are McFadden (rookie year struggles), Beavers (coming off an ACL tear and has never played an NFL snap), or potentially a free agent Schoen signs in the coming days/weeks.
Martindale is going to need to hide the second Giants linebacker, regardless of who it is and not put them in unfavorable positions. Last season, the Giants had zero inside linebackers on the roster who should have been seeing snaps on an NFL field (the blame for that goes to Dave Gettleman for leaving the Giants in a terrible salary cap position), but thankfully this season, they will at least have Okereke, who is an above average inside linebacker.
Martindale will need to find creative ways to cover up that hole on the Giants defense. Wink could opt to blitz even more, switch to a 4-3 at times, or even play with three on the defensive line, three at linebacker, and five in the secondary.
Wink is one of the best defensive minds in football and has been a football coach since 1986 (also the year of the last Mets World Series title), so it's safe to say he knows how to cover up a hole in his defense.
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