The New York Giants added a boost to their depleted secondary Monday by signing cornerback Logan Ryan to a one-year, $7.5 million deal.
The signing makes sense for a team that has witnessed the depletion of their secondary over the past couple of months. DeAndre Baker was placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List in July. Sam Beal opted out of the season due to COVID-19, and then rookie safety Xavier McKinney had surgery on a broken foot on August 26th.
The biggest thing Ryan brings to the Giants is his versatility. The Giants will decide whether Ryan lines up across James Bradberry as a boundary corner, plays in the slot, or lines up with Jabrill Peppers as a safety.
Ryan’s production did slip last year. He allowed the most completions, yards, and targets among all cornerbacks last year, according to PFF. However, Ryan did finish top-10 in interceptions and passes defended last season, showing his ability to track the ball through the air. Ryan has graded well in PFF’s system during his career, posting grades of at least 70 in four out of his seven seasons.
Slotting Ryan as the No. 2 cornerback should benefit Ryan’s playstyle and reduce the amount of passes thrown his way.
Although Ryan spent the first seven years of his career playing cornerback, he has expressed interest in playing safety. Ryan led cornerbacks in tackles (112), sacks (5), and tackles for loss (9), showing his willingness to get into the backfield and make plays. Adding a dynamic safety that can play in the box gives Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham another opportunity to generate pressure for a team that ranked 22nd in total sacks last season.
Allowing Ryan to play multiple positions will give younger members of the secondary time to learn Graham’s new scheme.
Ryan now reunites with Giants’ Head Coach Joe Judge, who was New England’s special team coordinator when the Patriots drafted Ryan in 2013.
