Getty New Giants DB Logan Ryan
In the news of worst kept secrets, the New York Giants are aching for help at the cornerback position. DeAndre Baker’s future with the organization appears to dissipate day-by-day while Sam Beal’s decision to opt-out for the 2020 season has left Big Blue scraping for answers in their secondary just one week into training camp.
The good news? Help may soon be on its way.
Giants on the Verge of Signing CB Logan Ryan?
It certainly appears to be trending that way. However, don’t take my word for it, take ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
Shortly after news of Beal’s opt-out broke, the Giants insider took to Twitter on Wednesday to respond to MLB Pitcher Rob Whalen, who simply asked whether Logan Ryan was still available for the taking.
Raanan’s response? To warn the ex-New York Mets draft pick and fellow Big Blue faithful not to be surprised to see a Ryan-Giants marriage in the near future.
Don’t be surprised to see this happen. It was an option even before Beal opted out. #Giants
The Ryan, Giants talks are nothing new, as Raanan noted in the Tweet above. The New Jersey native has been discussed as a potential fit with the Giants for quite some time now, prior to Beal’s opt-out and even before Baker’s legal issues arose.
Many will point towards Ryan’s connection to New York’s coaching staff, mainly head coach Joe Judge, as the logical reason why the Giants would pursue the veteran defensive back. As a refresher, Ryan spent four seasons with the New England Patriots from 2013 through 2016. Over that span, Ryan captured two Lombardi trophies alongside Judge, who served as New England’s special teams coordinator at the time.
While that will certainly play into a potential deal being struck, the fact of the matter is, GM Dave Gettleman and company have made it a priority to overhaul New York’s secondary over the past two seasons. Signing Ryan would simply follow suit with their desire to improve upon the NFL’s 5th-worst pass defense in football a season ago, as he offers the most upside of any corner currently on the open market.
Is Ryan a Slot-Only Defender?
The one gripe Giants fans have had about signing Ryan this offseason has been the growing assumption that he is only a slot corner. While it’s true that Ryan excels on the inside, he has also performed more than admirably as an outside corner in the past, most recently with the Tennessee Titans, where he started on the boundary in their base defense for the past two seasons.
Also, whether Ryan mans the slot role or the outside corner role in New York is irrelevant. Defenses nowadays trot out five to seven defensive backs nearly every play. Ultimately, the Giants will be pressed into playing a number of their young cornerbacks this season at a number of different alignments. Adding Ryan will simply improve the group as a whole.
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Logan Ranked as 60th-Best Player in the NFL Top-100
When you have a chance to acquire the 60th-best player in football, you go out and get him, simple as that. The fact that Ryan would also happen to fill arguably the biggest void on your roster is simply an added bonus.
Ryan has been uber-productive over his seven-year playing career, spanning from New England to Tennessee, recording four-plus interceptions on three separate occasions.
However, just like fine wine, Ryan appears to be getting better with age. The 29-year-old is coming off his best statistical season to date, posting career highs in tackles (113), sacks (4.5) and passes defended (18), adding in four interceptions for good measure. In return, Ryan earned his first-ever nod on the NFL Top-100 Player Rankings back in July.
Logan certainly won’t come cheap, as the wily veteran is well aware of his worth, evident by his reaction to his Top-100 debut shown below. However, the Giants may not have a choice but to dole out the cash if they hope to shore up their ailing secondary.