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Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Giants Safety Dane Belton Earns Shane Bowen's Praise
Giants Safety Dane Belton Earns Shane Bowen's Praise originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The New York Giants underperformed on defense in 2024. Part of that blame falls on the offense for putting the unit behind the eight ball. Injuries to defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux didn't help, either. Advertisement But the Giants intercepted just five passes in 17 games, the second-worst mark in the NFL. The ball production simply wasn't there, and it was a point of emphasis during the offseason. Corner Paulson Adebo was signed to take on top receivers and force additional turnovers; he intercepted seven passes across 22 games since 2023. Safety Jevon Holland only emphasized that priority. However, they weren't alone in catching New York defensive coordinator Shane Bowen's praise on Thursday. The Giants' coach also made sure to shout out underrated safety Dane Belton at OTAs. 'Yeah, obviously adding Adebo helps,' Bowen said, via team transcript. 'Got a proven corner in this league. Obviously, he's coming off the leg, but he's been great in terms of that. Advertisement 'So just gives us another piece, right? So between him, between Tae (Banks), between (Cor'Dale) Flott, between Dru (Phillips), those other guys that are battling it out. Obviously, safety, Dane has been really good for us here early. Like he's had a really good spring. Finding ways to get him on the field, what he can do for us to help us. 'But really encouraged about that group. I think M (Marquand Manuel) and Jeff (Burris) have done a really good job with them, and Pops (Mike Adams). They've done a really good job working with those guys and I'm encouraged about where we are at right now.' Belton was New York's third safety in New York but flashed, both as a tackler and at the catch point. He has never played a full season as a starter, but in each of his three seasons, Belton has found at least one interception and fumble recovery. He remained consistent amid a crumbling defense, and did so from a variety of spots. Belton is primarily a box safety but can moonlight in the slot and over the top when the situation calls for it. Advertisement Notably, Belton is set up for continued success with the Giants, because he won't be asked to take on a bigger role. Deployed behind Tyler Nubin and Holland, Bowen can pick his spots for three-safety packages and allow him to make plays without being overexposed. With even more surrounding talent putting pressure on opposing offenses, Belton can continue to find opportunities for splash plays without the pressures of being overexposed as a starter. Look for him to make a similar impact in 2025, even if his upside is that of a high-level backup. Related: Star Safety Reveals First Impression of Giants' Quarterbacks Related: Giants Schedule Release: Game-By-Game Predictions This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Giants using a swashbuckling approach to turnovers: ‘Be a damn pirate'
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The New York Giants might have to walk the plank if they don't get better at taking possessions away from opponents. Sitting on the sideline during practice this offseason is a wooden chest – a 'turnover chest,' if you will – that contains no gold, silver or jewels. But to the Giants, what does go in there is even more valuable. When a defensive player gives the heave-ho to the offense by creating a turnover – an interception, a fumble recovery – he gets to place the football inside the chest while the entire unit celebrates. 'You'll hear our guys say it and I say it ad nauseum: 'Be a damn pirate,'' defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said Thursday before the Giants' heated practice session that ended after tempers flared. 'We've got to find ways to get the ball. And, again, you get what you emphasize. We're making it a priority this year to make sure we find ways to get the ball.' Last season, the Giants struggled to do so, finishing 28th in the NFL with only 15 takeaways. Their five total interceptions — no player had more than one — ranked 31st in the league, with only Cleveland having fewer with four. New York upgraded its secondary by signing cornerback Paulson Adebo and safety Jevon Holland during free agency. That should also help the Giants' defensive front, which added first-rounder Abdul Carter to a pass-rushing group that includes Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, and has Dexter Lawrence anchoring the line. Still, entering his second year running the Giants' defense, Bowen was searching this offseason for a creative way to focus on forcing turnovers. And he found his inspiration from his son's T-ball team — the Pirates, of course. 'Again, the main thing is emphasizing takeaways,' Bowen said. 'We've got to get better at takeaways. Somehow got the idea of piracy, violent, attacking to steal possessions or goods, right?' Aye, matey. ___ AP NFL:
USA Today
26-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Cowboys or Eagles? Who has best CB depth chart in NFC East?
Cowboys or Eagles? Who has best CB depth chart in NFC East? The division has a lot of young talent at the cornerback position, which team boasts the best group? The tour through the NFC East now focuses its gaze on the cornerback position. Thus far, three different teams have coe out atop the rankings. While the Dallas Cowboys took the WR crown, the linebacker rankings went to the Washington Commanders, and the running backs to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles' championship was possible thanks to a quick turnaround at the corner spot, led by two excellent rookies. However this offseason they lost their veteran leader of the room. Now Washington and New York are trying to replicate the turnaround Philadelphia had; one by drafting someone in the top 50 and the other by relying on the development of previously drafted corners making a giant leap. Dallas already has two All-Pro players, but they must find improved health to be their best. The future of the position is second-year corner, Andru Phillips. He played 14 games as a rookie with six starts and had the best Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades of any cornerback on the Giants. He was graded 77.5 overall, 75.8 in coverage, and 78.1 against the run. Occasionally, he was used as a blitzer and added a sack and a few pressures. He will likely pair with free agent signing Paulson Adebo as the two starting corners, even though Phillips will slide inside to the slot corner spot as necessary. Adebo only played in seven games last year due to injuries. His PFF grades were in the low 60s overall and in coverage, but he did have 10 pass breakups, and he held opposing quarterbacks to a 60% completion percentage and 71.9 QB rating allowed. Deonte Banks hasn't been very good in his first two seasons, and the Giants need him to take a big leap. or he might lose his starting spot. He allowed over 70% completion percentage when targeted and a QB rating 124. His coverage grade was 50.3, and his overall grade was 50.9. If he isn't better immediately, New York could look to Cor'Dale Flott to start for them. Flott started 10 games last season, playing 666 snaps to 788 for Banks. When targeted, he allowed a lower completion percentage and a 35-point lower QB rating. One of these two will be the second outside corner, and teams will look to attack them in their game plans. 3. Washington Commanders Trey Amos is the type of corner Dan Quinn loves. He is tall, nearly 200 pounds, has excellent length, isn't afraid to play the run, and causes turnovers. He will have his ups and downs as a rookie, but he is likely the future of the unit in Washington. He is a Cover 1 and Cover 3 corner who will be the future replacement for Marshawn Lattimore. Lattimore was once a great corner, but injuries the past three seasons have sapped him of his great play. He still had a coverage grade and overall grade over 70, but he allowed a QB rating over 105 in his six games for the Commanders. Mike Sainristil was made a starter as a rookie and did many promising things. He had 93 tackles as a corner and a low missed tackle percentage of 7%. He allowed a 60% completion percentage against, had 14 pass breakups, and two interceptions. His PFF grades were 66.1 overall, 64.1 in coverage, and 69.5 against the run. If Sainristil can take a leap in his second season, he could become a good nickel corner for them to pair with Amos and Lattimore on the outside this season. It's not an elite trio, but two high-potential young guys in the future with a good veteran leader to show them the ropes. Noah Igbinoghene followed Quinn from Dallas, where he didn't get many defensive snaps, but he did something to get Quinn to bring him in and start him last season. He isn't likely to be the starter in 2025, but he will be Washington's top depth piece. He had poor PFF grades of 49.3 overall, 55.8 in coverage, and 33 against the run, which doesn't offer a good case for Igbinoghene to be a significant contributor. The Dallas cornerback room would easily top the division if they were healthy. Trevon Diggs was an All-Pro in 2021 and played better as a coverage corner in 2022. He tore his ACL in 2023 and wasn't the same in 2024 before injuring himself again. Diggs can't be counted on to be who he was pre-injuries if he plays in 2025. Josh Butler played well in limited starts before tearing his ACL. He was on pace for 71 tackles, 17 pass breakups, and 3.5 sacks if he played 17 games, but he could miss all of 2025. Shavon Revel Jr. was considered one of the top corner prospects in the draft, but an ACL injury forced him to drop to the third round. He should be ready for training camp, but he is a rookie coming off a significant injury, so his abilities are unknown, too. Caelen Carson was a promising rookie who looked lost playing through a shoulder injury, Israel Mukuamu played well in a playoff game a few years ago, but hasn't been trusted with many defensive snaps since then, and Kaiir Elam is a former first-round pick, but the Buffalo Bills traded him away for a Day 3 pick swap. Elam will likely be the starter outside until Revel Jr. or Diggs are ready. He had PFF grades over 70 in every area except coverage, where he scored a 67. The potential is nice in the cornerback room, but DaRon Bland is the only known commodity. He has played well in the slot and was an All-Pro outside the 2023 season, in which he broke the record for interceptions returned for a touchdown. He started the season injured, but played well in his seven starts with a PFF coverage and overall grade over 70. If Diggs and Bland play at their All-Pro level, it leaves multiple players as the third option. Revel Jr., Butler, Elam, Carson, or Mukuamu will all get a chance, and it would only require one to break out, but with those unknowns, plus Diggs's health, Dallas falls second in the division. The Eagles are in a weird spot because they are very young, and their top corner was a cap casualty, but they have the fewest question marks from their starters at cornerback. Quinyon Mitchell was a good cover guy in his rookie season. He was in the top 10 in both passer rating allowed and pass breakups. He was 11th in completion percentage allowed and first in yards after the catch allowed. He isn't a playmaking corner, adding no interceptions or tackles for a loss, but he did enough to be second in the defensive rookie of the year award rankings. Mitchell takes over for Darius Slay Jr. as the top corner on the team. Cooper DeJean is the second corner and will play mainly in the slot. He had an underrated rookie season and was fourth in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. He adds a playmaking element to their defensive back room. DeJean forced two fumbles and recovered three of them. He's their best versus the run, with a PFF grade over 90, but his coverage and overall grades were also better than Mitchell's. He missed more tackles though and allowed a slightly higher completion percentage. Still, he will be tasked with replacing the playmaking ability of the starting safety from 2024, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, even though they don't play the same position. Adoree Jackson isn't the same player he was for the Tennessee Titans or his first few years in New York, but he is still a solid starting option. According to PFF, he was the 57th-rated corner out of 2022, but that was based on his run defense more than coverage. He ranked in the top 10 against the run, but 79th in coverage. He can be the mentor the team lost with Slay Jr. while adding adequate starting snaps on defense. Kelee Ringo played just over 100 snaps for Philadelphia in 2024, but is likely the top reserve. He is another promising young player from Georgia that the Eagles hope will break out, like Nakobe Dean did last year. The Philadelphia corner unit is young, but they're the best mix of known ability without availability question marks. You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or Bluesky @
USA Today
22-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
NFL analyst: New York Giants' secondary among NFL's most improved units
NFL analyst: New York Giants' secondary among NFL's most improved units The New York Giants' secondary has undergone a full makeover over the past few seasons. In 2023, they selected Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks in the first round of the draft and followed that up last year by taking safety Tyler Nubin and slot corner Dru Phillips on Day 2 of the draft. This offseason, they fortified the group with the free agency signings of cornerback Paulson Adebo and safety Jevon Holland. Max Chadwick of Pro Football Focus lists the Giants' secondary as one of the five most improved units so far after the first several waves of free agency. The Giants had the sixth-worst coverage grade in the NFL last year and emphasized fixing that through free agency, signing safety Jevon Holland and cornerback Paulson Adebo to deals totaling nearly $100 million. Holland is the perfect replacement for Xavier McKinney, who departed last year for the Green Bay Packers. Since entering the NFL in 2021, Holland's 91.3 coverage grade ranks tied for fifth among all safeties. Adebo is coming off a bit of a down season but in 2023, he was one of the 15 highest-graded and most valuable cornerbacks according to PFF's wins-above-replacement metric. The Giants now have one of the best young secondaries in the NFL and will be guided by a pair of new position coaches in Marquand Manuel (pass game coordinator) and Jeff Burris (cornerbacks). The team hopes the new faces can gel quickly and become a factor in the NFC East, where they will be tasked with some of the league's most explosive passing games in Dallas, Philadelphia, and Washington.
USA Today
15-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
25 best free agents available for the New Orleans Saints
25 best free agents available for the New Orleans Saints The big waves of free agency have passed us by -- but are the New Orleans Saints a better team for it? They've lost free agents like starting cornerback Paulson Adebo (to the New York Giants), veteran safety Will Harris (to the Washington Commanders), and playmaking wideout Marquez Valdes-Scantling (to the Seattle Seahawks) while bringing in new faces including two-time Super Bowl champion safety Justin Reid, defensive tackle Davon Godchaux (in a trade with the New England Patriots), and cornerback Isaac Yiadom, who they've gotten good reps from before. Defensive lineman Chase Young and tight end Juwan Johnson are back, too. But the Saints missed out on guys like cornerback Chardarius Ward and wide receiver Cooper Kupp. So what's next for them in free agency? A good starting point is evaluating the players who are still available. Here are 25 potential Saints signings at positions of need along with their projected market value from Spotrac. Best available free agents for the New Orleans Saints
