Getty Tight end Maxx Williams #87 of the Arizona Cardinals lunges for the goal line but is stopped short by linebacker Blake Martinez #54 and cornerback Logan Ryan #23 of the New York Giants.
Logan Ryan’s Christmas just got a whole lot merrier.
The New York Giants defensive back may have been snubbed from the 2021 NFL Pro Bowl, however, the team is well aware of his worth and has rewarded the 29-year-old with a contract to best portray that worth.
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Ryan to Sign 3-Year Contract Extension With Giants
Ryan took to Twitter on Christmas morning to announce that he is signing a three-year contract extension. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the deal is for $31 million with $20 million guaranteed.
“A Christmas Morning we’ll never forget” Ryan tweeted. “The Giants and I just agreed to a new 3 year deal. IM HERE TO STAY.” `
Ryan was a bargain find for the Giants, who inked the stud defender to a mere one-year, $7.5 million contract just two weeks prior to the start of the regular season. Ryan would go on to make his first official start of the year in Week 2 and since Week 3 has logged at least 97% of the team’s defensive snaps in every game, including 100% in six consecutive contests.
Ryan’s Seamless Transition to Safety
Despite coming off his best statistical season to date, the free agency market was extremely dry for Ryan this past offseason. The former Rutgers standout enjoyed a terrific 2019 campaign with the Tennessee Titans in which he posted new career-highs in passes defended (18), sacks (4.5) and tackles (113), while his four interceptions were tied for his highest single-season output since his rookie season back in 2013.
Regardless, many teams opted to pigeonhole Ryan as a slot-only cornerback. A sentiment that certainly didn’t align with Ryan’s train of thought. After being used as a puzzle piece during his time in Tennessee, Ryan felt his versatility would not be served justice if he were plugged in simply as a “tradition corner,” but rather as a safety/jack of all trades.
“Look at the numbers — 100 tackles, four sacks, four forced fumbles, the pass break-ups, the INTs,” Ryan said on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football back in August. “I just feel like that’s not really possible too much at just playing corner, so could a team move me around a lot? … I was a versatile player, a matchup guy, similar to a Tyrann Mathieu, maybe a Justin Simmons. I feel like that was more the position I was playing last year for Dean Pees, as opposed to a true traditional corner, so it’s hard to compare me to that.”
“I’ve matched up with running backs, I’ve matched up the top tight ends, and I’ve matched with some of the receivers. So how could you say he plays this one position?” Ryan questioned.
“That’s what Charles Woodson, when he won Defensive Player of the Year, I think he opened my eyes to that, like this dude can make an impact covering the (Alvin) Kamaras and the (Christian) McCaffreys, covering the (Travis) Kelces and the (Darren) Wallers and also covering the Michael Thomases and the top receivers. So, they moved that guy around. I don’t know what he labeled himself as. I don’t think labels really help Charles Woodson. I don’t think labels really tell the true story of Logan Ryan,” he said. “I think Dean Pees, a Hall of Fame defensive coordinator in my opinion, moved me around from week to week in order to make an impact in order to get the guy with the ball, tackle it, go punch it out or go intercept it. How can we put you in a position to make plays? And that’s what I was able to do.”
In 14 games (13 starts) with Big Blue this year, Ryan has flexed his immense versatility and put himself in the discussion with the Tyrann Mathieus and Justin Simmons of the world as the league’s most prominent talents at the safety position. With two more regular seasons to go, Ryan has already amassed 83 tackles, one tackle for loss, four QB hits, one sack, three forced fumbles, nine passes defended and one interception.
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