Will The Giants Look To Two Super Bowl Champions For Help?
By Daniel Federico
Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson and Carl Banks were dominating the
opposition? You don’t even have to look back that far; it wasn’t too
long ago when Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck were
constantly in the face of quarterbacks.Unfortunately for the organization, the days of great defenses are
long behind them.
Although the Giants won a Super Bowl under the tutelage of Perry
Fewell, he lost the organization’s faith in running a strong defense.
Despite finishing sixth, second and fourth in total yards per game in
three of his five seasons, the Mara and Tisch regime tried to reignite
the flame that was lit during the 2007 season – you know, the season
when the Giants knocked off the undefeated New England Patriots in
Super Bowl 42. The return of Steve Spagnolo was supposed to be the
answer.
It ended up being the wrong one.
There were too many times last season where the Giants defense looked
completely lost – and they were a main reason why the team collapsed
in the final minutes of eight separate games. Sure, a case could be
made that the roster was undermanned and poorly constructed; but the
fact that the team finished in dead last in total defense has
something to do with the scheme as well.
Fortunately, there are brighter days ahead. With nearly $50 million in
cap space and a plethora of quality free agents available, there’s a
good chance that Jerry Reese retools the defense by signing new talent
to lucrative deals – and he shouldn’t look passed two players who were
integral pieces to the Denver Broncos Super Bowl 50 victory.
No, I don’t mean Von Miller. While he is truly a game changing talent
and will be the highest paid defensive player in NFL history, there is
no chance John Elway and company let him leave the Mile High City.
There’s also Brandon Marshall. While he would be a great choice, his
restricted free agency tag means the Broncos can match any offer given
to him; and due to his strong play, he, too, will likely stay put.
However, the two Super Bowl champions who could make their way across
the country this offseason are linebacker Danny Trevathan and
defensive linemen Malik Jackson.
Trevathan, a former sixth round pick back in 2012, is a 25-year old
who has experience in all linebacker spots. After having a strong 2013
season, Trevathan fractured his left knee cap, missing a chunk of
2014. However, once he returned, he looked better than ever.
In 2015, Trevathan registered 109 total tackles, which led the Broncos
star-studded defense. His hands aren’t bad either, as he has five
career interceptions as well. His combination of size and speed is
impressive, and his versatility will be valuable to a team like the
Giants, who haven’t been lucky in terms of linebackers staying healthy
in recent years.
Then there’s Jackson. Despite the Broncos having a different defensive
system than the Giants, his ability as a pass rusher and run stopper
make him a fit as a defensive tackle and defensive end. And you can’t
forget about his recent comments, where he said playing for the Giants
would be “cool.”
Jackson, 26, had his best overall season in 2015. His 45 combined
tackles were a career high, while his five sacks were just one behind
his best number. If Jackson were to pair with Jonathan Hankins on the
interior line, they would arguably be the best young tandem in
football. If he lined up at end, Jackson would be the perfect mix of
rushing the passer and stopping the run.
Both Trevathan and Jackson are both young and have a championship
pedigree, so their price tags will be high. However. the Giants are in
need of an infusion of young talent – and the two newest Super Bowl
winners certainly fit the bill.
Daniel Federico is a writer for Outside Pitch MLB and About.com. You
can follow and interact him on Twitter (@DanFederico_), and you can
email him at dfed023@gmail.com
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