Will Giants regret not extending Xavier McKinney? 28 thoughts on 28 defensive players

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - JANUARY 07: Xavier McKinney #29 of the New York Giants walks off of the field after an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium on January 7, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
By Dan Duggan
Jan 26, 2024

Earlier this week, I shared a thought on every player on the New York Giants offense. Now it’s the defense’s turn:

Defensive linemen

Dexter Lawrence

Lawrence didn’t stuff the stat sheet as much in 2023 (53 tackles, 4.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss) as he did in 2022 (68 tackles, 7.5 sacks, seven TFL), but the impact of nose tackles can’t be fully measured in the box score. Lawrence remained a monster in the middle of the defense, ranking fourth among interior defensive linemen in pressures with 65 (two more than in 2022). Lawrence’s performance was recognized by another Pro Bowl selection and second-team All-Pro nod. The 26-year-old is positioned to be the heart of the Giants defense for years.

A’Shawn Robinson

Robinson is an example of a successful prove-it deal. The 28-year-old was forced to settle for a one-year, $5 million deal from the Giants as he recovered from a torn meniscus last offseason. It took Robinson time to ramp up, but he became a strong complement to Lawrence after Leonard Williams was traded midway through the season. Robinson has positioned himself for a bigger payday this offseason.

Advertisement

Rakeem Nunez-Roches

Nunez-Roches was signed to a three-year, $12 million contract last offseason to be a veteran run stopper. It’s hard to evaluate that type of role, but the run defense didn’t improve much, and Nunez-Roches rarely stood out. The Giants figure to cut Nunez-Roches after next season when they can recoup $3.6 million in cap savings.

Jordon Riley

There was a lot of buzz about Riley in the preseason, and defensive line coach Andre Patterson sang the rookie’s praises late in the season. But Riley’s playing time was limited, even after the Williams trade. Still, there were enough encouraging signs from a seventh-round pick to believe Riley could develop under the tutelage of Patterson.

go-deeper

GO DEEPER

Giants 2023 rookie recap: How did GM Joe Schoen's second draft class fare?

D.J. Davidson

Like Riley, Davidson is a young player whose path to playing time was blocked by veteran defensive linemen ahead of him on the depth chart. A 2022 fifth-round pick, Davidson showed flashes of potential this season, but he doesn’t project as more than a backup nose tackle.

Timmy Horne

Horne was signed in Week 16 because the defensive line was dealing with injuries. He played seven snaps in Week 16 and was a healthy scratch for the final two games. He is signed through 2024, so he’ll get a chance to compete for a roster spot this offseason.

Outside linebackers

Kayvon Thibodeaux

After only recording four sacks as a rookie, Thibodeaux broke out with 11.5 sacks this season. But the advanced metrics don’t show the same type of Year 2 leap for the fifth pick in the 2022 draft. Thibodeaux had a 5.6 pass rush productivity rating from PFF this season, which was in line with his 5.5 rating last season. He produced an 8.8 percent pressure rate this season compared with 10.3 percent last season. The numbers support the eye test. Thibodeaux has the potential to be a dominant pass rusher, but he needs to become much more consistent.

Azeez Ojulari

Ojulari’s career is on a troubling trajectory. The 2021 second-round pick had a promising rookie season with eight sacks. Injuries ravaged his second season, but he still managed 5.5 sacks in seven games. Injuries once again plagued Ojulari this season, as he missed six games, but he was nowhere near as productive when on the field. He finished with 2.5 sacks, and his pressure rate plummeted from 14.8 percent last season to 9.8 percent this season. Ojulari is still cheap ($2.2 million cap hit) in the final year of his rookie contract, but the Giants can’t count on him as their No. 2 edge rusher again.

Advertisement

Jihad Ward

Ward had a career-high five sacks in his eighth season, but he’s another Giants edge rusher with a poor pressure rate. Ward was most effective when he shifted inside to defensive tackle on passing downs. The 29-year-old was closely linked to defensive coordinator Wink Martindale. With Martindale gone, it’s hard to imagine the Giants re-signing Ward.

Boogie Basham

The Giants acquired Basham before cut day in a pick swap with the Buffalo Bills, sending a 2025 sixth-round pick to Buffalo in return for a 2025 seventh-round pick. The stakes couldn’t have been lower, and Basham’s play showed why he came so cheap. Basham didn’t make any impact, getting benched in favor of practice squad players late in the season. Basham has another year remaining on this contract, but the Giants surely will aim to upgrade their depth this offseason.

Benton Whitley

The Giants signed Whitley off of the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad in Week 12 in an attempt to upgrade the edge depth. Whitley played a handful of snaps in three games before being a healthy scratch for the final three games of the season.

Inside linebackers

 Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke lived up to the big contract he signed this offseason. (Al Bello / Getty Images)

Bobby Okereke

It’s remarkable how similar Okereke’s debut season with the Giants was to Blake Martinez’s first season with the team in 2020. Okereke tallied 149 tackles, 11 tackles for a loss, 2.5 sacks, two interceptions and four forced fumbles. Martinez had 151 tackles, nine tackles for a loss, three sacks, one interception, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 2020. The Giants have to hope that is where the comparisons end, however, as Martinez tore his ACL in Week 3 of the 2021 season and never played for the team again.

Micah McFadden

McFadden’s development curve needs to become more prevalent for Giants draft picks. A fifth-round pick in 2022, McFadden got playing time as a rookie, but he had clear weaknesses. He showed great improvement in his second season, teaming up with Okereke to create a playmaking inside linebacker duo. McFadden will likely never be a star, but having Day 3 picks develop into quality starters is imperative for contenders.

Isaiah Simmons

The Giants took a flier on Simmons, trading a seventh-round pick to the Cardinals in August for the No. 8 pick in the 2020 draft. Simmons confirmed his reputation as a better athlete than a football player. But he carved out a role at inside linebacker on passing downs, with his athleticism best suited for man coverage and blitzing. The free agent might not be a fit in the new defensive coordinator’s scheme.

Carter Coughlin

Coughlin was a special teams stalwart for four seasons after being picked in the seventh round of the 2020 draft. With special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey gone, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Coughlin seeks a new opportunity elsewhere.

Cam Brown

The Coughlin entry can be copy-and-pasted for Brown, who was a sixth-round pick in the 2020 draft. Both players appear ready to move on after four seasons as special teams aces.

Advertisement

Darrian Beavers

Beavers spent the entire season on the practice squad before getting promoted to the active roster in Week 17 to play on special teams in the final two games. It took the 2022 sixth-round pick a long time to fully recover from the torn ACL he suffered in the preseason of his rookie year. It’s hard to expect much from Beavers, but perhaps he can regain his pre-injury promise after having an offseason to train rather than rehab.

Jarrad Davis

Davis was penciled into the starting inside linebacker spot next to Okereke in the spring before suffering a knee injury that required season-ending surgery. With McFadden’s emergence, it’s hard to imagine the Giants having much interest in re-signing the 29-year-old.

Cornerbacks

 Can Giants cornerback Deonte Banks develop into a true No. 1 on the outside? (Dustin Satloff / Getty Images)

Deonte Banks

Banks’ rookie season met expectations. He demonstrated the physical ability that made him a first-round pick while encountering rough patches that are common for rookie corners. The Giants can feel confident Banks will be a quality No. 2 corner. The next step is determining whether he can develop into a true No. 1.

Adoree’ Jackson

Jackson selflessly accepted a shift into the slot during training camp when rookie Tre Hawkins III emerged. But Jackson shifted back outside full time after Hawkins was benched three games into the season. It was a rough season for Jackson, who missed three games to continue an injury-plagued trend. The 28-year-old Jackson still has the athletic ability to be a quality cover corner, but his aversion to tackling was alarming at times. Jackson will become a free agent after finishing the three-year, $39 million contract he signed with the Giants in 2021.

Cor’Dale Flott

Flott failed to win the slot corner job in training camp, but he took over after Hawkins was benched in Week 4. Flott represented an upgrade on Darnay Holmes in coverage, but the 2022 third-round pick’s slight frame makes him a liability against the run. Flott is only 22, so there’s still room for growth, but he hasn’t shown enough in his first two seasons to dissuade the Giants from adding another slot corner.

go-deeper

GO DEEPER

Duggan: Joe Schoen erred in 'expediting' Giants' rebuild. Will he learn from his mistake?

Nick McCloud

McCloud has been a glue guy during his two seasons with the Giants, reminiscent of Julian Love’s ability to fill holes all over the secondary. McCloud didn’t play as much defensively this season, but he performed well in two starts at corner in place of an injured Banks to finish the season. McCloud’s stellar special teams play adds value, but the Giants have a decision to make on the restricted free agent. The Giants might not deem McCloud worthy of a $2.8 million RFA tender, but they should try to keep the versatile backup.

Tre Hawkins III

Hawkins was the surprise of training camp, earning a starting corner spot in the nickel package as a rookie. But he looked like a sixth-round pick out of Old Dominion once the regular season started, and he was benched after struggling in the first three games. Hawkins got a few cameos later in the season, but he continued to look overmatched in coverage. The 6-foot-3, 195-pounder still has the size that made him such an intriguing player during training camp, but he needs a lot of development before he can be viewed as a potential starter.

Advertisement

Darnay Holmes

Holmes took a $1.7 million pay cut to remain with the Giants before the season, then saw his defensive role disappear. Holmes admirably performed well in the first extended special teams role of his career, but it’s clear the 2020 fourth-round pick doesn’t have a future with this regime.

Safeties

Xavier McKinney

Giants general manager Joe Schoen elected not to negotiate with McKinney on an extension before or during the season. That could turn into a costly decision since McKinney’s value is at its peak after he performed at a high level while playing every defensive snap this season. Re-signing a 24-year-old two-time captain should be a priority. But McKinney, who switched representation last year to super-agent David Mulugheta, is going to be seeking top dollar. The safety franchise tag is projected to land between $16.3 million and $17.2 million, which would take a huge bite out of the Giants’ cap space.

Jason Pinnock

The Giants showed faith that Pinnock could be a full-time starter after he flashed his elite athleticism in limited action in 2022. Pinnock proved he was up for the enhanced role, playing nearly every defensive snap before missing the finale with a toe injury. Pinnock’s explosiveness made him a good fit as a blitzer in Martindale’s aggressive scheme. Pinnock needs to cut back on missed tackles, but he gives the Giants some stability at safety as McKinney hits free agency.

Dane Belton

Belton has demonstrated a remarkable nose for the ball in limited action during his first two seasons. He had two interceptions and a fumble recovery after replacing an injured Pinnock in Week 17. The question that needs to be answered is whether Belton can be an effective player beyond the big plays in an expanded role. The Giants’ feelings about Belton could dictate how aggressively they try to retain McKinney.

Gervarrius Owens

Owens’ rookie season was essentially a redshirt year, as he was a healthy scratch for 14 games. With the veteran safeties ahead of him on the depth chart staying healthy, there wasn’t an avenue to playing time for the seventh-round rookie. Owens figures to at least progress to a special teams role next season.

Specialists

K Graham Gano

This season was so bad for the Giants that even the ultra-reliable Gano wasn’t immune from calamity. Gano made just 64.7 percent of his field-goal attempts this season after connecting on 91.8 percent in his first three seasons with the Giants. A knee injury contributed to the 36-year-old’s struggles, and he underwent season-ending surgery after missing two kicks in a Week 8 loss to the Jets. The Giants gave Gano a three-year, $16.5 million extension in September, so they’ll be counting on him to rebound next season.

go-deeper

GO DEEPER

Eli Manning still believes in Giants QB Jones: 'He has the mindset'

K Randy Bullock

Bullock was signed to the practice squad to replace Gano, getting elevated for three games before signing to the active roster in Week 12. The 34-year-old Bullock was a steadying presence, making 5 of 6 field goals before suffering a season-ending hamstring injury in Week 15.

P Jamie Gillan

Gillan was much better this season after a rocky 2022. He increased his net yards per punt average (39.7 to 42.2), reduced his touchback percentage (12.2 percent to 4.2 percent) and increased his percentage of punts inside opponents’ 20-yard line (35.1 percent to 36.8 percent). Gillan found success using a rugby-style punt, so that’s something new special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial would be advised to continue.

LS Casey Kreiter

Kreiter has signed four consecutive one-year deals with the Giants. The 33-year-old has shown no signs of decline, so the only reason to end that streak is if Ghobrial wants a different long snapper.

(Top photo: Cooper Neill / Getty Images)

Get all-access to exclusive stories.

Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Try a week on us.

Dan Duggan

Dan Duggan is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the New York Giants. He previously covered the Giants for two years for The Star-Ledger. He has also worked for the Boston Herald. Follow Dan on Twitter @DDuggan21