When you look at all of the successful teams in New York Giants’ history, they all had one thing in common: great linebacker play. In recent years, that (among other things) have been absent at the Giants’ facility, but in 2019 the linebackers group may finally live up to the fans’ expectations.
In 2018, the Giants switched from a 4-3 to a 3-4 base alignment under incoming defensive coordinator James Bettcher. Unfortunately for them, they did not have the players to execute than plan properly as the roster general manager Dave Gettleman inherited from his predecessor, Jerry Reese, was not stocked with prime talent at linebacker, especially ones that could shift to a 3-4 scheme.
In his two offseasons as GM, Gettleman has begun to replenish the linebacking corps with players that fit Bettcher’s scheme. Here’s a quick look at what the group looks like as the Giants prepare to head into training camp next week.
Inside Linebacker
The current starters are holdovers from last season — Alec Ogletree and B.J. Goodson. Ogletree was acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams before the 2018 season to call the defensive signals and get everyone lined up.
He had been a productive run stopper for the Rams and the Giants hoped he would do the same for them. Ogletree amassed 93 tackles (58 solo) last year in 13 games, which was not quite the force the Giants were expecting, but he did intercept five passes, two which were returned for touchdowns.
Goodson is entering his fourth and perhaps final season with the Giants, and although he’s shown promise, he’s never really moved the needle on his career in his first three seasons. That has led to the Giants seeking better options this year and last to take him out.
Tae Davis, an undrafted free agent last season, played in 14 games last year, starting four, spelled both Ogletree and Goodson last season. In minicamp, he lined up with the starters in several packages. Many connecting the dots saw this as the Giants opening up the inside linebacker position to a competition.
Also in camp this summer is fifth-round draft choice Ryan Connelly, a walk-on at Wisconsin who elevated his game to All-Big 10 heights. Connelly opened some eyes with his pass-coverage prowess in the spring and along with his ability to get to the ball carrier in the run game, could find himself playing quite a bit as a rookie.
Other players currently on the depth chart are special teams specialist Nate Stupar and former Steelers’ draft pick Keion Adams.
Outside Linebacker
The Giants have had some of the greatest outside linebackers ever to play in the NFL. It’s a position that is integral in any defense, especially the 3-4 and Gettleman knows that.
Last year’s starters were Olivier Vernon and Kareem Martin. Vernon played in just 11 games due to injuries, but led the team in sacks nonetheless with 7.0. Martin, who played under Bettcher in Arizona, was basically brought in as a player to assist in the team’s acclimation to Bettcher’s scheme. Vernon, of course, is now in Cleveland and Martin has been relegated to a rotational role player at both linebacker and defensive end.
This year, the Giants plan on starting Lorenzo Carter, a third-round selection out of Georgia last year, and another free agent from the Cardinals, Markus Golden. Carter had four sacks last year, but has bulked up and is expected to have a breakout season in 2019.
Golden was once one of the NFL’s most productive pass rushers, racking up 12.5 back in 2016, and now that he’s healthy and reunited with Bettcher, the Giants are banking that he will return to form.
Other players
There are four rookies that are piquing the interest of Giant fans. The first one is, of course, third-round pick Oshane Ximines of Old Dominion. The Giants are projecting Ximines as a linebacker, but he may find himself lining up as a defensive end as well. The issue is how to get him on the field with Carter, Golden and Martin in front of him.
The other three are on the roster bubble: UTSA’s Josiah Tauaefa, Long Island native Jake Carlock and Mark McLaurin of Mississippi State.
Tauaefa was very productive in the same defense that produced Marcus Davenport. Carlock is a jack-of-all-trades that can double as a long snapper. McLaurin is being eyed as a candidate for Bettcher’s “moneybacker,” a safety that morphs into a linebacker.
Zak DeOssie is still also technically a linebacker, but the only way he’ll see the field is in a truly dire situation.
The group has the potential to be a formidable one, but given the Giants’ recent performance at linebacker, this is a wait-and-see situation.
