When the New York Giants struck a deal with free-agent defensive back Logan Ryan earlier this week, head coach Joe Judge not only received a much-needed boost to his secondary, but also reunited with a familiar colleague.
Judge and Ryan enjoyed mounds of success working alongside one another with the New England Patriots from 2013 through 2016. Their four-year run equated to four divisional titles and two Super Bowl victories, a time in Judge’s career that the first-year head coach is clearly very fond of.
“I have a ton of memories with Logan,” Judge said. “It was only my second year in the league when we drafted Logan. We kind of learned a lot of stuff together, to be honest with you. As you get working, I was working with him as a gunner, a vice player and a core special teamer for us, and obviously, he was growing within his defensive role.”
Judge Heapes Praise on Ryan
A third-round pick out of Rutgers in the 2013 NFL Draft, Ryan entered his rookie season as the fourth cornerback on the Patriots depth chart. However, the Berlin, New Jersey native quickly catapulted himself up the ranks, going on to lead the team in interceptions that season, posting what remains a career-high in interceptions with five.
Ryan’s meteoric rise from mid-round draft pick to one of the league’s very best defensive backs doesn’t come as a shock to Judge, who enjoyed a front-row seat to Ryan’s world-class work ethic.
“I think the thing that stands out to me the most about Logan is the improvement I watched him make from year one to year two,” Judge said. “The thing you noticed was he was a guy when the season was over, he hung behind. He wasn’t in a hurry to get out of there. Him and Duron Harmon were actually two Rutgers teammates. They hung around the building the entire offseason and you could physically see the transformation in their bodies. You could see the work and evidence in how they changed how they looked, and it transferred over on to the field in how they played.”
“I think Logan’s a guy who comes to work every day with the right demeanor,” Judge proclaimed. “He’s a smart guy that plays tough on the field. He’s a player that I noticed through my time with him and then also my time away competing against him that he’s a guy that really improves from year to year. He really works on his craft. He’s not just a guy who’s out there kind of ‘this is what I am.’ He’s always looking to work on maybe something that hurt him the year before and he’s looking to always go ahead and improve on his strengths.”
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What Position Will Ryan Play in New York?
Ryan, who will take the field with his new team on Thursday due to COVID-19 protocol, has the versatility to help the Giants at a slew of different areas, which is why Judge doesn’t plan to pigeonhole his new defender to just one position.
“He’s going to play a variety of roles for us, so if I gave you one answer right there, I’d be lying,” Judge said. “Logan, one of his strengths really is versatility. We’re going to play him in different packages all over the field. Really, having a guy like that allows you to play other guys in fewer positions because he can handle a lot of the multiples while these guys are learning the system.”
Ryan notably pitched himself as a safety to suitors this offseason, this despite being designated as a cornerback throughout his seven-year NFL career. With that said, Ryan was used more as a puzzle piece rather than a prototypical cornerback during his time with the Tennessee Titans over the past three seasons.
With safety Xavier McKinney out until at least late-November, cornerback Sam Beal opted-out for the year and former first-rounder DeAndre Baker likely done in New York, it’s clear Ryan’s presence will be much welcomed on defense, no matter where he lines up.
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Giants’ New Addition Has Joe Judge Excited