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The New York Giants fell to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, September 8, in an ugly-looking 28-6 loss. Now, Matt Holder of Bleacher Report’s Scouting Department is pointing out several areas where the Giants could use some help, and he’s suggesting the team sign one player right now.
Rudy Ford Could Be a ‘Good Pickup’ for the Giants
In a September 9 feature about prioritizing every roster’s biggest weaknesses before Week 2, Holder kept it real about the Giants and franchise quarterback Daniel Jones.
“In what is expected to be a pivotal year for Daniel Jones, Sunday’s season debut was about as bad of a performance as he could have had,” Holder stated. “The Giants quarterback tossed two interceptions with no touchdowns and didn’t even crack 200 yards despite attempting 42 passes. That played a big role in New York’s 22-point loss to Minnesota.”
Holder added that he thinks the Giants’ biggest weakness is in the quarterback position, followed by cornerback, defensive tackle, running back and safety.
Holder says he believes some help could come quickly in the form of the Giants immediately bringing safety Rudy Ford into the fold.
“The Giants are young in the secondary as a whole and could use some help at safety,” he stated. “Ford would be a good pickup since he’s been a solid player over the last two years, recording grades from Pro Football Focus of 74.6 and 69.9, respectively. He’s also been in the league for seven seasons to add some experience to New York’s defensive backfield.”
Ford entered the NFL in 2017 with the Arizona Cardinals and appeared in 10 games his rookie season as a core special teamer. He has also played with the Philadelphia Eagles, Jacksonville Jaguars, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers.
Ford was with the Packers from 2022 to 2023. In March 2024, Paul Bretl of USA Today wrote that re-signing Ford “makes a ton of sense for Packers.”
“When at his best defensively, Ford has proven to be a sound tackler, a willing run defender, and can be the communicator on the back end of the defense,” he stated. “Although it sounds simple, Ford’s ability to execute consistently on what his specific responsibility is has put him in fairly consistent positions to make plays on the ball.”
Following being released from the Packers, Ford signed with the Panthers on August 14, 2024, but he was released just a few weeks later.
Kansas City Chiefs’ Trey Smith Could Also Fit With the Giants
Also in the Bleacher Report feature, Holder suggests the Giants pick up guard Trey Smith of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2024 free agency. Smith has never recorded a PFF grade below 70 during his time in the NFL, and Holder sees him becoming “one of the most coveted guards on the open market.”
“Greg Van Roten is on a one-year deal, leaving the G-Men with a need for a starting right guard moving forward,” Holder noted. “Meanwhile, Smith will likely be a cap casualty in Kansas City this offseason, especially after Creed Humphrey got a massive contract extension before the start of the season.”
Holder added that “Joe Schoen should have plenty of cap space to make this pairing happen,” since the Giants are currently estimated to have $30.1 million available, via Over the Cap.
It’s not Ford or Smith, but in more Giants roster gymnastics, the team signed fullback Jakob Johnson to their active roster on Tuesday, September 10, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
