Former New York Giants defensive coordinator and polarizing football figure Wink Martindale knows John Harbaugh pretty well. Before Wink became the DC for Big Blue in 2022, he was Harby's right-hand man, leading the defense in Baltimore for four years from 2018 to 2021.
Things fell apart in Charm City in 2021, leading to a mutual decision to part ways. That's really just a polite way to say he was fired. The next year, the 62-year-old was in Giants blue, running the defense in New York under then-head coach Brian Daboll. For anyone wondering if Wink had any unsettled beef with Harbaugh after their "mutual parting," he doesn't. At least, he doesn't show it.
Recently, the former DC spoke with Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News and shared some insight into how Harbaugh thinks about the draft and the type of players he wants on his team. And if this quote is any indication, Giants fans are going to love it:
“The first question whenever you bring up a player is, ‘How is he gonna help us beat Philly? How is he gonna help us beat Dallas?’ That’s the way John and Ozzie (Newsome) did it for years.”
Wink Martindale reveals John Harbaugh’s simple Giants draft philosophy
If you’re telling me that as long as John Harbaugh is the head coach of the New York Football Giants he’s drafting players specifically to pummel the lights out of the Eagles and Cowboys, then I’ve never been more in on Giants football.
Draft all of them.
If you’re questioning the strategy, just remember that winning the division is an automatic playoff bid... with bragging rights. Once you’re in the dance, anything’s possible. And if Big Blue has a roster full of players who can beat the brakes off the NFC East, there’s a good chance it can make some playoff runs too.
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If Wink is onto something, Giants fans should start asking themselves a few simple questions. Who’s going to stop Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts’ ground game? What prospects can neutralize Jayden Daniels? And who’s going to give Jerry Jones the most headaches in the owner’s box?
The answers to those questions might just be the names the Giants call when they’re on the clock in April. And if that’s really the plan, Giants fans should be pretty fired up about it.