Former Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons. Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Giants should sign two-time Pro Bowl safety to boost defense

Originally posted on Gridiron Heroics | By Matt Lombardo | Last updated 3/29/24

After losing Xavier McKinney to the Green Bay Packers in free agency, the New York Giants have a major need at safety.

McKinney, one of the ascending talents at the position across the league, leaves behind a void in a secondary that was wildly inconsistent during a disappointing 2023 season for the New York Giants.

Fortunately for Giants general manager Joe Schoen, there are several marquee veterans available to upgrade what is presently a glaring weakness on the roster.

“The Giants might feel good about Jake Pinnock’s future, and Dane Belton showed his promise with a three-takeaway game late in the season,” ESPN’s Bill Barnwell writes. “But, I would be surprised if they didn’t take advantage of the market and add at least one veteran safety.”

New York Giants’ Best Options at Safety

The safety market, outside of McKinney’s deal with the Packers, seems to have cratered in 2024 similar to the plight of marquee running backs in 2023.

For the New York Giants, there’s plenty of talent available at the position.

“Justin Simmons, Quandre Diggs, Marcus Maye, Tashaun Gipson, and Julian Blackmon are all free agents,” Barnwell points out. “And the Giants have arguably the weakest pair of starting safeties on paper. Adding one of those guys on a one-year deal would bring a veteran into the defensive backs room and help a team that is otherwise set to run out a young secondary.”

Is Justin Simmons to the Giants a Fit?

Schoen and the Giants currently have roughly $8.8 million in cap space, which could allow them to go shopping near the top of the market on a veteran player, such as Simmons, on a one-year “prove it” type deal.

For the Giants brass, though, it could be a tough sell to a player such as Simmons to sign with a team like New York who appear far away from contending for a championship.

After all, as Pro Football Focus points out, Simmons held opposing quarterbacks to a meager 85.9 passer rating when targeting him last season and finishing 2023 with 67 total tackles and three interceptions.

Likewise, Schoen, Daboll and the Giants would be wise to prioritize adding a safety in the early-rounds of the NFL Draft to solidify a critical position that is in dire need of an overhaul.

This article first appeared on Gridiron Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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