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The 2020 NFL Draft is approaching its end, and while the New York Giants have addressed numerous needs across their roster, they’ve still yet to add to what many would deem their weakest position group.
Big Blue ranked 22nd in the NFL a season ago with 36-combined sacks. They are now set to enter 2020 with their most feared sack-artist being Kyler Fackrell, who is coming off a season in which he compiled a whopping one sack…or are they?
Sources close to free agent Markus Golden have informed NY Post’s Pat Ragazzo that the Giants are one of two teams that have been in “recent dialogue” with the edge-defender, the other team being the Detroit Lions.
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Lions’ Draft Results Could Affect Interest in Golden
The Lions are certainly an intriguing option for Golden and a team that could benefit greatly from his services. While New York had their struggles getting to the quarterback a season ago, the Lions pass-rush was nearly non-existent.
Detroit accumulated 28 sacks as a team in 2019, second-to-last in all of football. The Lions did, however, go out and draft Notre Dame edge defender Julian Okwara in the third-round. The move for Okwara could alter Detroit’s interest in Golden.
Interestingly enough, Okwara joins his older brother Romeo Okwara in the Motor City, who began his NFL career with the Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2016.
Golden Not Out of NY’s Plans After All?
By now, we’re all very much aware of what Markus Golden brought to the table for the Giants in his lone season with the organization. Brought in as a low-risk free agent signing ahead of the 2019 season, Golden went on to enjoy the best season by a New York pass-rusher since Jason Pierre-Paul back in 2014.
Golden led the Giants in sacks with 10, while also ranking within the top 15 league-wide in both QB hits and tackles for loss.
That type of production was projected to garner Golden big money on the open market. However, that has yet to materialize, as the former second-round draft pick has found it difficult to find suitors.
Golden appeared to have previously priced himself out of the Giants’ plans. However, if they are once again poking around the possibility of bringing the defender back on board, chances are he’s brought down his asking price.
Days before the NFL Draft, Giants GM Dave Gettleman addressed the cardinal sin of overpaying for a pass-rush, something that appeared to be directed towards Golden personally.
A lot of people were raised with the 2007 and 2011 Super Bowl teams where we could consistently apply pressure with four. That is the goal, that’s what you want. You can’t manufacture (pass rush), and you can’t overpay for it. So, what it really comes down to is it’s not about who gets the sacks, it’s about how many sacks we get. Really, how much pressure you apply. Some of this is going to have to come through scheme. Obviously we haven’t gone to the draft yet. I feel with where we’re at, would I want two guys to have a 25-sack year? Who doesn’t? But we’re not in that position right now so we’ll just keep building it.
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