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On the same day the Giants got back one key edge rusher on their defense, they wound up cutting ties with veteran linebacker Ryan Anderson.
According to the Giants’ transaction report, the team released Anderson following practice on Monday. The Giants signed Anderson to a one-year deal in the offseason, after he spent the first four seasons of his career with their NFC East division rivals in the Washington Football Team.
Anderson was a standout in college, playing for the Alabama Crimson Tide. And as a result, Washington spent a second-round pick on him back in 2017 at No. 49 overall in the NFL draft.
However, this investment did not pay off, as Anderson recorded a mere six sacks in four seasons in 52 games (four starts).
While the 26-year-old was expected to come in and compete for a starting edge rusher job on the Giants’ defense, he was never able to make it onto the field, having missed the first two weeks of training camp with a back injury, prior to his release.
Unfortunately, Anderson, who has shown promise in his young career, has been hampered by a slew of injuries since entering the NFL. He dealt with knee issues in Washington, before the back injury ultimately lost him a spot on the Giants’ roster.
Last season, Anderson was limited to just nine games and was placed on Injured Reserve in December with a knee injury. His best campaign came in 2019, where he recorded a career-high four sacks, nine quarterback hits, 44 total tackles and four tackles for a loss. He also had five forced fumbles during that season, which was the fifth best mark in the NFL.
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Thin On Pass Rushers
After getting rid of Anderson, Lorenzo Carter is now the Giants’ most experienced edge rusher in the room, going into his fourth season in the league.
This leaves New York with Carter and Oshane Ximines, as the favorites to start on the edge, along with this year’s second-round draft choice Ozeez Ojulari out of Georgia, who should also be fighting for one of these two jobs.
However, both Carter (torn achilles) and Ximines (shoulder surgery, hamstring) are coming off major injuries, which automatically makes them question marks. Losing Anderson certainly does not help the Giants in the depth department, given the uncertainty surrounding their current edge rusher group.
The Rivalry Heats Up
The Giants’ rivalry with Washington turns 89-years-old this season, and during this period, it is New York who has the upper hand. Since these two teams played each other for the first time in 1932, the Giants are 105-69-4 against them.
The Giants are currently on a five-game winning streak versus Washington, and have won 12 of their last 16 meetings.
Despite sweeping Washington in 2020, the Giants lost out on the NFC East division title to them last year. This was due to former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson pulling Jalen Hurts in favor of backup Nate Sudfeld, which handed Washington an easy Week 17 victory.
And it’s safe to say the Giants haven’t forgotten about it, which means the rivalry should only continue to heat up in 2021.
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