Post by plax on May 1, 2014 11:59:59 GMT -5
New York Giants' Positional Review -- LINEBACKER
Can Jon Beason lift the team up in 2014 as he did in 2013?
Today we shift to the guys behind the defensive line as we discuss the linebacker core for the Giants.
2013 Overview
The 2013 season was not a bad one for the Giants linebacker core. They are certainly not game-changers, but they get the job done and do what they need to do. The team signed Dan Connor in the off-season to be their man in the middle, but injuries kept him sidelined, forcing the Giants to go elsewhere. Enter Jon Beason, a former pro bowl linebacker for the Carolina Panthers, who was traded to the team for a seventh round draft pick. Beason instantly became the best linebacker that wore a Giants uniform since Antonio Pierce. The 2013 season also saw the rise of Spencer Paysinger, who went under-the-radar for the 16th highest PFF grade for linebackers. Jacquian Williams will never be an every-down starting linebacker, but he has one thing that makes him valuable: speed, and in today's passing league, Williams is a bit of a luxury that the Giants can use in nickel packages. The backup linebackers (Mark Herzlich and Keith Rivers) were not terrible, but both have underwhelmed for Big Blue.
Assessing each player at the position
Jon Beason -- The "savior" of last year, Jon Beason entered the fold in a Big Blue uniform when he was traded from Carolina early in the 2013 season. By the time he played his first game, the Giants were 0-5 and struggling on both sides of the ball. In his first game as a Giant, Beason recorded 11 tackles against the Chicago Bears and almost picked off opposing quarterback Jay Cutler The Giants lost that game in a heart-breaker, but the culture changed from that point forward. In the 11 games Beason played with the Giants, the team went 7-4 and were one of the more underrated defenses in the league during that span. He was re-signed to the team on a three-year deal worth over $19,000,000 and hopes to be a leader for the team for many years.
Jameel McClain -- The Giants made free agent signings to each area of the defense, and Jameel McClain was the pick-up for the linebacker core. Formerly of Baltimore, McClain is not a flashy guy, but a very productive player. The Ravens have been a linebacker factory as of late, having guys such as Paul Kruger and Danelle Ellerbe play on a very productive level and getting nice contracts with another team. McClain never had the chance that those two had to really show what he could do, but when he hit the field, he was a solid guy at linebacker. In Baltimore, McClain played 3-4 ILB, and is currently penciled in as a 4-3 strong-side linebacker, most likely as a starter barring a draft choice in the 2014 Draft that is only a week away.
Spencer Paysinger -- Paysinger was definitely one of the biggest surprises for the Giants in 2013. He was mostly a key piece on special teams for previous years, but nothing more, so seeing him excel as the starting weak-side linebacker was great to see for the team and its fans. If he needs to start next season, the Giants should be okay, but if they can find a way to pick up a better linebacker in the draft, which would relegate Paysinger to the bench as a key back-up, that may be the best possible choice for the team.
Jacquian Williams -- One of the quicker linebackers in the league, Jacquian Williams is very quick and is the prototype linebacker for today's pass-first league. Williams is personally one of my favorite players on defense and I think if he can progress as a tackler and a run-defender, he can be a valuable piece to the Giants defense for years to come.
Mark Herzlich -- Herzlich has a great story and is an inspiration to many people for overcoming cancer and then playing football once again. When he signed with the Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2011 (with Herzlich being possibly the biggest name guy on the undrafted FA list), Giants fans were ecstatic knowing the kind of player Herzlich could be. Three years later, and he has been a disappointment. Don't get me wrong, he is a solid special teams player, but for a guy who had a chance to be the long-term answer for the Giants at middle linebacker, the Herzlich project has been a bad one. He was re-signed this off-season for linebacker depth and special teams help. He will not make much of an impact on defense.
NOTE: There are a few other linebackers currently on the roster. However, they are not expected to make the team, so they will not be discussed
2014 NFL Draft
Every year, the media states that one of the biggest needs for the Giants is the linebacker position. They are not particularly wrong, as the Giants should definitely upgrade at the position. Look at the teams with a top-tier linebacker corps - San Francisco, Seattle, Arizona - and how successful they are as a defense. A pass rush is crucial, but so is having good linebackers. There are a few good linebackers in this class. The best is Khalil Mack, who is almost assuredly a top five selection so he is out of the question for the Giants. Anthony Barr is the name most linked to the Giants at linebacker. The Giants need linebacker help and pass rush help. and Barr could help in both of those areas. He is a bit raw, but the potential Barr possesses is great. For anyone still mocking CJ Mosley to the Giants at 12, please stop, it won't happen. Other names beyond the first round who could intrigue the Giants include Kyle Van Noy of BYU, Jeremiah Attaochu of Georgia Tech, Christian Jones of Florida State, and Jordan Tripp of Montana. There are many more names, but those are simply a few who can bring a lot to the table. The Giants have more pressing needs in offensive line help and offensive weapon help, but if there is a linebacker that has good value at the Giants pick, they should not hesitate to take a closer look.
Conclusion
The Giants linebacker core was underrated last season, which is understandable due to a team that struggled a lot on offense - something that grabbed most of the headlines for the team. The Jon Beason acquisition was the best addition to the team last season (which many thought Brandon Myers, Louis Murphy Jr., and Dan Connor would fight for that honor - which we all now know that they fizzled out miserably). If the Giants can upgrade their pass rush up front and if the secondary (which will be discussed tomorrow) can play the way the team and its fans think they can, the production of the linebacker core will not need to be as crucial, but having one certainly would not hurt.
Can Jon Beason lift the team up in 2014 as he did in 2013?
Today we shift to the guys behind the defensive line as we discuss the linebacker core for the Giants.
2013 Overview
The 2013 season was not a bad one for the Giants linebacker core. They are certainly not game-changers, but they get the job done and do what they need to do. The team signed Dan Connor in the off-season to be their man in the middle, but injuries kept him sidelined, forcing the Giants to go elsewhere. Enter Jon Beason, a former pro bowl linebacker for the Carolina Panthers, who was traded to the team for a seventh round draft pick. Beason instantly became the best linebacker that wore a Giants uniform since Antonio Pierce. The 2013 season also saw the rise of Spencer Paysinger, who went under-the-radar for the 16th highest PFF grade for linebackers. Jacquian Williams will never be an every-down starting linebacker, but he has one thing that makes him valuable: speed, and in today's passing league, Williams is a bit of a luxury that the Giants can use in nickel packages. The backup linebackers (Mark Herzlich and Keith Rivers) were not terrible, but both have underwhelmed for Big Blue.
Assessing each player at the position
Jon Beason -- The "savior" of last year, Jon Beason entered the fold in a Big Blue uniform when he was traded from Carolina early in the 2013 season. By the time he played his first game, the Giants were 0-5 and struggling on both sides of the ball. In his first game as a Giant, Beason recorded 11 tackles against the Chicago Bears and almost picked off opposing quarterback Jay Cutler The Giants lost that game in a heart-breaker, but the culture changed from that point forward. In the 11 games Beason played with the Giants, the team went 7-4 and were one of the more underrated defenses in the league during that span. He was re-signed to the team on a three-year deal worth over $19,000,000 and hopes to be a leader for the team for many years.
Jameel McClain -- The Giants made free agent signings to each area of the defense, and Jameel McClain was the pick-up for the linebacker core. Formerly of Baltimore, McClain is not a flashy guy, but a very productive player. The Ravens have been a linebacker factory as of late, having guys such as Paul Kruger and Danelle Ellerbe play on a very productive level and getting nice contracts with another team. McClain never had the chance that those two had to really show what he could do, but when he hit the field, he was a solid guy at linebacker. In Baltimore, McClain played 3-4 ILB, and is currently penciled in as a 4-3 strong-side linebacker, most likely as a starter barring a draft choice in the 2014 Draft that is only a week away.
Spencer Paysinger -- Paysinger was definitely one of the biggest surprises for the Giants in 2013. He was mostly a key piece on special teams for previous years, but nothing more, so seeing him excel as the starting weak-side linebacker was great to see for the team and its fans. If he needs to start next season, the Giants should be okay, but if they can find a way to pick up a better linebacker in the draft, which would relegate Paysinger to the bench as a key back-up, that may be the best possible choice for the team.
Jacquian Williams -- One of the quicker linebackers in the league, Jacquian Williams is very quick and is the prototype linebacker for today's pass-first league. Williams is personally one of my favorite players on defense and I think if he can progress as a tackler and a run-defender, he can be a valuable piece to the Giants defense for years to come.
Mark Herzlich -- Herzlich has a great story and is an inspiration to many people for overcoming cancer and then playing football once again. When he signed with the Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2011 (with Herzlich being possibly the biggest name guy on the undrafted FA list), Giants fans were ecstatic knowing the kind of player Herzlich could be. Three years later, and he has been a disappointment. Don't get me wrong, he is a solid special teams player, but for a guy who had a chance to be the long-term answer for the Giants at middle linebacker, the Herzlich project has been a bad one. He was re-signed this off-season for linebacker depth and special teams help. He will not make much of an impact on defense.
NOTE: There are a few other linebackers currently on the roster. However, they are not expected to make the team, so they will not be discussed
2014 NFL Draft
Every year, the media states that one of the biggest needs for the Giants is the linebacker position. They are not particularly wrong, as the Giants should definitely upgrade at the position. Look at the teams with a top-tier linebacker corps - San Francisco, Seattle, Arizona - and how successful they are as a defense. A pass rush is crucial, but so is having good linebackers. There are a few good linebackers in this class. The best is Khalil Mack, who is almost assuredly a top five selection so he is out of the question for the Giants. Anthony Barr is the name most linked to the Giants at linebacker. The Giants need linebacker help and pass rush help. and Barr could help in both of those areas. He is a bit raw, but the potential Barr possesses is great. For anyone still mocking CJ Mosley to the Giants at 12, please stop, it won't happen. Other names beyond the first round who could intrigue the Giants include Kyle Van Noy of BYU, Jeremiah Attaochu of Georgia Tech, Christian Jones of Florida State, and Jordan Tripp of Montana. There are many more names, but those are simply a few who can bring a lot to the table. The Giants have more pressing needs in offensive line help and offensive weapon help, but if there is a linebacker that has good value at the Giants pick, they should not hesitate to take a closer look.
Conclusion
The Giants linebacker core was underrated last season, which is understandable due to a team that struggled a lot on offense - something that grabbed most of the headlines for the team. The Jon Beason acquisition was the best addition to the team last season (which many thought Brandon Myers, Louis Murphy Jr., and Dan Connor would fight for that honor - which we all now know that they fizzled out miserably). If the Giants can upgrade their pass rush up front and if the secondary (which will be discussed tomorrow) can play the way the team and its fans think they can, the production of the linebacker core will not need to be as crucial, but having one certainly would not hurt.