The New York Giants made their first outside splash of free agency on Tuesday, agreeing to terms with veteran safety Antoine Bethea on a two-year deal.
While Bethea brings veteran experience and leadership, he’s not exactly the ideal replacement for Landon Collins, who will sign a massive six-year deal with the Washington Redskins on Wednesday afternoon.
However, Bethea does provide depth, a good football IQ and, perhaps above all else, an ability to remain healthy.
Here are five things Giants fans should know about their newest safety.
Bethea is a former sixth-round pick
Bethea was a sixth-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts in the 2006 NFL Draft. He would remain in Indy for eight years before joining the San Francisco 49ers in 2014.
In 2017, after three years with the 49ers, Bethea made his way to Arizona where he remained until agreeing to terms with the Giants on Tuesday.
Not only has Bethea climbed the ranks as a late-round pick, but he did so after coming out of Howard college.
Durability is the name of Bethea’s game
Despite playing at the age of 35, Bethea remains as durable as they come.
Bethea has appeared in 193 games over his 13-year career, missing just 15 games over that span with nine of those coming in 2015 when he suffered a torn pectoral muscle.
In 2018, Bethea appeared in all 16 games, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. He also played 99.64 percent of the Cardinals defensive snaps, which was the most on the team and among the most in the league.
He’s a guy who rarely leaves the field.
Bethea set career highs under James Bettcher
In 2017 under then-defensive coordinator James Bettcher, Bethea had arguably his best season to date, recording 86 tackles, one sack, a career-high 10 passes defensed and a career-high four interceptions.
Bethea set several other career highs that year as well, including his first and only touchdown.
That’s significant for the Giants given that Bethea will again be playing under Bettcher in New York, and because he’s only two years removed from those numbers, indicating he’s still got a lot of gas left in the tank.
Super Bowl and Pro Bowl pedigree
Bethea bring more than just experience to the Giants — he brings a history of success and a much-needed championship pedigree.
In 2007, 2009 and 2014, Bethea was voted into the Pro Bowl. That alone is significant, but that he managed to make it to the Pro Bowl several times over a near-decade span with two different teams is impressive.
It doesn’t stop there, however. Bethea also knows what it takes to win the big one, having earned a Super Bowl ring with the Indianapolis Colts in 2006.
Pro Football Focus scores are mixed
Bethea ended the 2018 season with a 64.6 grade courtesy of Pro Football Focus, which falls into their “average” category.
By comparison, Landon Collins finished last season with a 70.4 grade (above average), while Curtis Riley finished with a 58.0 (also considered average).
But where Bethea really beats out other safeties is when he’s called upon to blitz or rush the passer. PFF had him leading all league safeties with a 17.9 pass-rush productivity rating, which included 12 pressures, six hurries, three hits, three sacks on 42 pass-rush snaps.
