Sad News: check out the names of the New York Giants who died in a car crash today after…
The New York Giants significantly improved their linebacker group last season after signing Bobby Okereke. The veteran stabilized the biggest vulnerability on the Giants’ defense from the previous year, albeit the improvement failed to yield more wins.
In the first episode of Hard Knocks, defensive coordinator Shane Bowen mentioned the importance of the linebackers in his system. Bowen said his base defense is three down linemen, two edge defenders, two linebackers, and four defensive backs. Head coach Daboll seemed eager to show GM Joe Schoen Bowen’s impressive run defense statistics.
If the linebacker position is the fulcrum of Bowen’s defense, the Giants are in solid hands with Okereke and Micah McFadden. Okereke recorded 149 tackles, which ranked him ninth in the NFL, according to ESPN, and he also had 11 tackles for a loss and 10 passes defended.
McFadden significantly improved in his second season. He must, however, clean up his missed tackle rate, which was at a ridiculously high 20.7% in 2023, ranking fourth highest in the NFL. The retention of Isaiah Simmons was a quality move, but his skills won’t be maximized unless he can operate in sub-packages throughout the entirety of a game; unfortunately, the Giants’ offensive struggles last year rendered the Giants’ defense to defending the run in the latter half of games. Simmons operating outside the box on rushing downs and in a niche — yet important — role is likely the best way to employ his diverse skill set.
