The New York Giants add veteran presence to defensive backfield in safety Logan Ryan.
Entering training camp, the New York Giants‘ secondary was an obvious weakness on the squad. First, cornerback DeAndre Baker was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list for troubling off-field charges.
Then, the Giants’ safety position took a hit after rookie Xavier McKinney was diagnosed with a fractured foot last week. Things looked grim for the Giants, but they received quite the gift on Monday.
According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, the Giants signed former Tennessee Titans defensive back Logan Ryan to a one-year, $7.5 million contract. It was a move that made too much sense for the Giants.
Ryan returning to New Jersey
Ryan is reacquainted with head coach Joe Judge, whom was his special teams coordinator during their time together with the New England Patriots.
There was reported interest between both parties this offseason, per NJ Advance Media, but the Giants were unwilling to cave in to Ryan’s lucrative demands. New York thought they were better off following the NFL Draft, but the rug was pulled out from under them.
Baker appears to be done in the NFL, McKinney is set to miss at least two months after undergoing foot surgery, and corner Sam Beal opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns. With Ryan switching agents and the Cleveland Browns expressing interest in Ryan, the Giants worked quickly to secure him on a one-year deal.
While many would think Ryan is going to be penciled in at cornerback alongside James Bradberry, putting him at safety is a wiser move. Fourth-round rookie Darnay Holmes has been impressive throughout Giants training camp, and the team does have a do-it-all defensive back in Julian Love.
With those two likely seeing time at corner, that allows Ryan to play the role of ballhawk at free safety next to Jabrill Peppers. Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham now has more flexibility in his secondary, something he didn’t have 24 hours ago.
In his final year with the Titans, Ryan recorded 113 combined tackles, 18 pass defensed, 4.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and four interceptions.
The former Rutgers Scarlet Knight is coming home to the Garden State for the 2020 season. It was a move the Giants should have been done long ago, but it’s better late than never.