The New York Giants defense is taking on some elevated expectations coming off a busy offseason that included adding some new parts.
Chiefly among the positions that general manager Joe Schoen targeted throughout the offseason was the secondary, a group that desperately needed some upgrades after the Giants posted a 3-14 campaign and earned the No. 3 overall pick.
The two biggest additions to the unit came via free agency, where the Giants signed cornerback Paulson Adebo to a $54 million deal and safety Jevon Holland to a $45 million deal.
Despite these additions, Pro Football Focus ranked the Giants as the No. 24 secondary in the entire NFL.
The Giants’ two highest-graded secondary players in 2024 were rookies: cornerback Andru Phillips and safety Tyler Nubin. To bolster a secondary that has struggled for several years, the team signed safety Jevon Holland and cornerback Paulson Adebo this offseason. If the young players continue to develop and the new additions maintain their strong play, this unit could emerge as a surprise in 2025.
The Giants have an intriguing young core of talent, even with the additions of Adebo and Holland, both of whom are still entering the prime of their careers.
With Holland and Tyler Nubin manning the safety positions, the cornerback room will feature Adebo at one of the outside spots with Andru Phillips working mostly in the slot.
The biggest X-factor for the entire unit will come at the other boundary cornerback position, where former first-round pick Deonte Banks and former third-round pick Cor’Dale Flott are battling for the starting role.
If the young players continue to develop, and the Giants can get a breakout campaign from either Banks or Flott, then the unit should be in solid shape for the 2025 season.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Where does New York Giants’ secondary rank among NFL’s 32 teams?
Reporting by Kevin Hickey, Giants Wire / Giants Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
