After losing fourth-round rookie Dane Belton to a broken collarbone on Monday, the New York Giants have acquired a free-agent safety with plenty of experience as a starter.
The Giants signed veteran safety Jarrod Wilson, who was a full-time starter for the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2019-2020. To make room for Wilson on the roster, Dan Duggan of The Athletic notes that the Giants waived fellow safety Jarren Williams.
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Wilson, 28, entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Michigan in 2016. He was an immediate contributor as a rookie for the Jaguars, appearing in all 16 games and playing 66 percent of the team’s special teams snaps. The following season, he played 18 games (including playoffs) for a Jaguars team that made it all the way to the AFC Championship.
By 2019, Wilson had secured a starting role on defense. He played 100 percent of the team’s defensive snaps that season and recorded a career-high 79 tackles (57 solo), while also picking off two passes. Below, you’ll see an incredible hustle play he made that season to strip the football and save a touchdown.
Hell of a play by Jarrod Wilson
Wilson left the Jaguars in 2021 and split last season between the New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers. He started three of the five games in which he appeared with the Jets and even recorded his first career sack on Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
Here’s a look at that sack on Allen:
JARROD WILSON BURIES JOSH ALLEN! 💪
🎥 @nyjets
Wilson played five games with the 49ers (including the playoffs) but did not make any starts. He should be a quality addition to the secondary, at least until Belton returns from his collarbone injury.
Brian Daboll Sheds Positive Light on Dane Belton Injury
When Dane Belton’s broken collarbone was first reported on Monday, it was unclear how much time he would miss. We still don’t have an exact timeline for his return, but Giants head coach Brian Daboll said on Tuesday morning that Belton will not need surgery.
“Belton is not expected to need surgery, per Brian Daboll,” Raanan reported on Twitter. “So this is why the Giants expect him to be back around the start of the season. Daboll concedes it’s tough for a rookie to miss training camp. But Belton has been impressive and is quite diligent and mature.”
Belton was serving as the third safety, behind starters Xavier McKinney and Julian Love, before getting injured. Even if he does make a speedy recovery, Belton will have to hit the ground running upon his return. The Giants open the regular season on Sep. 11 against the Tennessee Titans.
Xavier McKinney Wearing Green Dot at Training Camp
After taking a massive step forward last season, former second-round draft pick Xavier McKinney appears to be taking on a leadership role in Year 3. Lance Medow of the Giants Radio Network notes that McKinney is wearing the green helmet dot at training camp practices, making him the on-field communicator for defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.
a notable change for the #NYG D this season is a secondary player (S Xavier McKinney) wearing the green dot helmet to communicate w/ DC Wink Martindale & relay the calls to the rest of the unit
Wink is simply continuing what he did in Baltimore
Typically, a linebacker wears the green dot, but as Medow points out deeper in that Twitter thread, Martindale has a history of giving it to defensive backs. McKinney played in all 17 games (16 starts) last season and was on the field for 97 percent of the team’s defensive snaps, so he’s a prime candidate to call the plays and lead the defense this season.
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Giants Sign Safety With Starting Experience, Provide Dane Belton Update