We aren’t even through two days of 2025 NFL free agency, and hot-seat Giants general manager Joe Schoen’s defensive focus is clear, as he enters his last-chance fourth season.
Schoen on Tuesday continued to throw big money at his secondary, which was a mess last season (27th in Pro Football Focus' coverage ratings). That and a terrible run defense (23rd) contributed to the Giants finishing 21st in PFF’s overall defensive ratings.
Everyone from Schoen to coach Brian Daboll to defensive coordinator Shane Bowen will be out the door after 2025 if this defense doesn’t improve. (The only thing it did well in 2024 — rush the quarterback, with a seventh-place finish in PFF’s pass rush ratings.)
So yeah, from that perspective, it made sense for Schoen to give cornerback Paulson Adebo $18 million per year (and $36 million guaranteed). Then, on Tuesday, he handed safety Jevon Holland $15.1 million per year (and $30.3 million guaranteed).
Holland was PFF’s top-rated free agent safety this offseason (and its No. 3 overall free agent). Adebo was 11th among corners and 86th overall.
It’s a three-year contract for Holland, which really means a two-year commitment. Last offseason, Schoen let safety Xavier McKinney walk to Green Bay, which committed $37.1 million to him over two years (and $16.8 million in average annual value). So Holland is a bit cheaper.
Will Holland deliver in 2025 like McKinney did in 2024, when he was a first-team All-Pro (the best season of his career)? Holland is entering Year 5, just like McKinney was in 2024. So we shall see.
Here’s what we know for now: Holland will replace the underwhelming Jason Pinnock (a free agent) at the safety spot next to Tyler Nubin, a 2024 second-round pick who was drafted to take over for McKinney.
So it’s Holland and Nubin at the safety spots, with Dru Phillips (a 2024 third-round pick who looks good) at slot corner. And Adebo — coming off a broken femur — is now the No. 1 corner, bumping the lackluster Deonte Banks to the No. 2 role, where he belongs.
It’s worth remembering that GMs often spend big in free agency to make up for past mistakes. And picking Banks 24th in 2023 was clearly a mistake by Schoen. Banks isn’t a No. 1 corner — and might not be a No. 2 corner either.
Yes, Phillips was a nice third-round pick. But Cor’Dale Flott — a third-rounder in 2022 — was not. Adebo will replace him in the starting lineup — for now, because there’s nothing that says the Giants can’t go with Adebo/Flott instead of Adebo/Banks, if Banks stinks again.
It’s clear that letting McKinney walk — based on how he played in 2024 — was a big mistake by Schoen, just like the Banks pick was. (Flott hasn’t been consistent, but it’s hard to call a less-than-stellar third-round pick a big mistake. Still, he’s not starter material.)
So Schoen is now spending — $36 million guaranteed to Adebo, $30.3 million for Holland — to (maybe) atone for picking Banks and letting McKinney leave. How will that work out?
Barring a significant injury, there is no way the Giants' secondary should struggle so badly again, in Year 2 under Bowen. Adebo should be an upgrade from Banks at No. 1 corner. Ditto for Holland replacing Pinnock. Meanwhile, Nubin and Phillips showed flashes of potential in 2024.
As for that other corner spot (Banks or Flott), well, that’s a shakier situation.
Of course, this big-money secondary won’t matter a whole lot if the Giants are brutal against the run yet again in 2025.
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Darryl Slater may be reached atdslater@njadvancemedia.com.