Getty FA Cornerback Logan Ryan
The New York Giants and free-agent defensive back Logan Ryan have been connected since well before Big Blue’s secondary seemingly feel apart this offseason. Ryan was perceived by many as the potential final piece to a rebuilt backend on New York’s defense. One which included the likes of big-ticket free-agent addition James Bradberry and second-round draft steal Xavier McKinney.
Then, in the blink of an eye, with DeAndre Baker’s playing career heavily in doubt and Sam Beal opting out of the 2020 season, Ryan went from potential luxury signing to near necessity in many Giants fans’ eyes.
However, to this point the G-Men have remained reluctant about bringing Ryan on board, leaving many around the league puzzled. That is, until now.
Logan Ryan Eyeing Position Change
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Ryan’s agent has reached out to all 32 NFL GMs to inform them that his clients, who’s played the entirety of his seven-year pro career as a cornerback, no longer views himself as such. Instead, Ryan is now pitching himself as a safety to potential suitors.
Free agent Logan Ryan views himself as a safety, rather than the cornerback he’s generally listed as. To that end, his agent emailed all 32 GMs these top safety stats and asked them to compare his production. An interesting discussion to be sure as one of the top FAs looms.
It’s certainly an interesting play by Ryan. The 29-year-old is clearly looking to get ahead of father time as a way to extend his playing career with a switch to safety. In reality, it’s not all that farfetched.
His production, as noted in the stats that Ryan’s agent emailed to NFL GMs, is not only very much safety-like, but nearly elite for the position. Ryan is fresh off a 2019 campaign in which he recorded a career-high 113 tackles and 4.5 sacks, numbers typically unheard of by a cornerback. He’s now gone back-to-back seasons with at least four sacks and has two 92-plus tackle seasons to his name since 2016.
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Ryan No Longer a Fit in New York?
If we’re being completely honest with ourselves, the signing of Ross Cockrell over the weekend likely eliminated any potential marriage between the Giants and Ryan. Yet, his planned position switch may have had plenty to do with why New York opted for Cockrell in the first place.
It’s evident the Giants are in desperate need of bodies at the cornerback position, the fact that they’ve claimed two corners off of waivers within the last week, as well as signed Cockrell, only furthers that sentiment. However, while corner remains a glaring question mark in Big Blue’s secondary, their safety group is on the polar opposite spectrum.
In reality, New York’s slew of safeties may be the best positional group on their roster aside from their defensive line. Their current top three players at the position, Jabrill Peppers, Julian Love and the aforementioned Xavier McKinney are all extremely versatile and interchangeable pieces that unleash limitless potential in terms of defensive schematics.
Peppers, a former first-rounder, is the best of the group at the moment. However, Love is certainly on his coattail, finishing 2019 as Pro Football Focus’ 13th-best ranked rookie. While McKinney’s upside may be as good as any young safety in football.
Would Ryan still be a welcomed addition to the Giants’ secondary? Undoubtedly. If you have a chance to snag a player of Ryan’s caliber you should typically do it. With that said, if he remains adamant about his switch to safety, there’s likely a number of better landing spots for the former Titans standout out there.