It’s no secret that the New York Giants‘ cornerback position is a glaring question mark on a defense that otherwise appears to be trending in the right direction.
Big Blue has done it’s best this offseason to help improve the backend of their defense, one that allowed the 5th-most passing yards in football a season ago. Transactions such as big-ticket free-agent signing James Bradberry, and draft picks cornerback Darnay Holmes and safety Xavier McKinney should certainly help.
However, DeAndre Baker’s legal issues have stripped the team of one of their more promising defenders, as well as a starter on the outside opposite Bradberry, potentially for good.
The Giants have attempted to counteract Baker’s absence by strategically working the waiver wire and free-agency market. The team claimed ex-Indianapolis Colts corner, Shakial Taylor, off of waivers last week. Unfortunately, his time in New York was ultimately short-lived, as he was part of an eight-man dump to trim the G-Men’s roster down to 80 over the weekend.
Taylor’s release did, however, free up space for Big Blue to ink ex-Cardinals cornerback Jarren Williams to a contract. With that said, had the Giants had their way, Williams would have been joined by yet another new addition to their cornerback room in New York.
Giants Attempted to Claim CB Ryan Lewis
Cornerback Ryan Lewis was claimed off of waivers by an NFC East team late last week, unfortunately for the Giants sake, they weren’t that team. Although that doesn’t mean they didn’t try.
According to ESPN’s Field Yates, the Giants, as well as the Carolina Panthers, both put in claims in hopes of acquiring Lewis off waivers, only to ultimately be beaten out by The Washington Football Team.
CB Ryan Lewis, claimed by Washington yesterday, was a popular player on waivers as both the Giants and Panthers tried to claim him as well.
FB John Lovett, claimed by the Packers, was also on the 49ers’ radar as they attempted to claim the former Chief.
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Lewis Has a History with Coaches Joe Judge, Patrick Graham
Lewis, like the aforementioned Williams, got his start in the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Arizona Cardinals. He’s since bounced around the league over the past three seasons, appearing in 20 games with six starts, and stops in five different NFL cities. Yet it’s his year spent in New England which likely drew the Giants’ interest.
Lewis was signed to the Patriots’ practice squad in early September of the 2017 season, on the heels of being released by the Cardinals just one day prior. While he failed to appear in a single game with the Pats over his tenure in New England, the cornerback did stick around town for the entirety of the year. He remained on the team’s practice squad throughout New England’s run to Super Bowl 52, which they ultimately lost to the Philadelphia Eagles.
During that time, current Giants head coach, Joe Judge, was working under the tutelage of coach Bill Belichick as the Patriots’ special teams coordinator.
Lewis was signed to a reserve/future contract with New England following the year, but was waived before the start of the 2018 regular season began.
From there, Lewis went on to make stops with the Buffalo Bills, Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles and most recently, the Miami Dolphins. Lewis appeared in eight games with the Dolphins in 2019, starting three for a defense headed by now-Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.
The 26-year-old Pennsylvania native has recorded 43 total tackles, two forced fumbles, eight passes defended and one interception over his NFL career. He will now battle for a roster spot in Washington D.C.
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Giants Attempted to Acquire Ex-Dolphins CB, Lose Out to Division Rival