NY Giants' Top Free-Agency Targets at Safety
The New York Giants are presumably wrapping up their evaluations of their existing roster. With free agency set to start on March 10, management no doubt has a good idea which of their free agents it wants to keep and which ones it wants to walk.
One of the biggest areas of need for New York is at safety. A quick look at the current situation shows that the Giants will have three players—Antrel Rolle, Stevie Brown and Quintin Demps—all in line for new contracts.
As for the players under contract, those include Nat Berhe, who will enter his second season in 2015, and Cooper Taylor, who spent each of his first two seasons on injured reserve.
Will the Giants pursue a safety in free agency? Regardless of how they feel about Berhe and Taylor as prospects, the team will almost certainly add a free agent to the mix just to provide some experience to the unit.
Will it be 32-year-old Rolle, who has been a staple of the defense since he signed as a free agent in 2010?
That would be an ideal scenario if the money is right; however, it needs to be remembered that Rolle was a part of a defense that allowed 17 big-play runs of 20 or more yards (second-most in the league), and 62 big-play passes of 20 or more yards, tied for third-most in the NFL.
Will it be Brown, who was in his first season back from ACL surgery? He would certainly make sense.
Will it be Demps? Unlikely considering he was originally brought in to be a kickoff returner, a role that he didn’t really fulfill as well.
So who will it be? Here is a look at five unrestricted free-agent safeties who could be available when the annual free agency sweeps opens.
Devin McCourty, New England
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Free safety Devin McCourty, who is just 28 years old, would be a perfect candidate for the Giants to sign if they’re looking to ink a veteran to a multiyear deal.
McCourty finished as the seventh-best safety in the league, according to Pro Football Focus’ list of safeties who took at least 75 percent of their team’s snaps.
In coverage, he was consistently solid, as outlined by PFF. McCourty allowed 57.1 percent of all pass targets thrown his way to be completed for just 193 yards, and he gave up just two touchdowns and picked off three passes for a 62.6 rating.
The question, though, is will the New England Patriots franchise McCourty to keep him from testing the market? Remember, cornerback Darrelle Revis cannot be franchised due to a clause in his contract.
The 2015 franchise tag for safeties figures to be just north of $8.4 million, according to Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA Today.
Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald seems to think that is the direction things might be headed for McCourty and the Patriots, at least as of last month:
"Still nothing happening on a contract extension w/ the Pats and McCourty, per source. Expect the franchise tag to be used as major leverage.
— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) December 14, 2014"
There is only one problem with that theory.
Per Over the Cap, the Patriots are projected to be $2.678 million over a projected 2015 cap of $140 million, which means they are not going to be able to keep everyone they want, and contracts are going to have to be reworked if that $140 million is indeed the new cap number.
It can be done, and certainly head coach Bill Belichick has shown he’s not afraid to use the franchise tag on his best players.
If McCourty isn’t tagged or re-signed, the Giants should without question place a call to the former Rutgers standout’s agent to arrange a meeting.
If the Giants are going to splurge on one key free-agent signing, McCourty would be a great choice to help plug a leaky pass defense that finished 17th in the NFL last season.
Da’Norris Searcy, Buffalo
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If the Giants want a solid box safety to replace Antrel Rolle, Buffalo’s Da’Norris Searcy, 26 years old, could very well be their man if new head coach Rex Ryan does not want him.
In 2014, Searcy finished with 65 tackles and had one forced fumble. In coverage, he broke up five passes, picked off three, and, per Pro Football Focus, allowed just 47.4 percent of the passes thrown against him to be completed for 89 yards and no touchdowns.
Want even better news? Searcy was a beast against the run. Per PFF's signature stats, he finished with a 13.2 run-stop percent on plays made within eight yards of the line of scrimmage—the best mark in the NFL.
Might Searcy hit the open market? According to Over the Cap, the Bills’ cap situation is very healthy-looking—they have an estimated $24.324 million of space with which to work.
However, defensive end Jerry Hughes is set to be a free agent, so if the Bills have to franchise Hughes, that could wipe out a good chunk of space pending any restructurings or terminated contracts.
Jay Skurski of The Buffalo News opines that there is an 80 percent chance that Searcy, whom he notes has been mostly durable, re-signs with the Bills.
Ryan loves his defensive players so it wouldn’t be surprising if he makes a strong push for management to bring Searcy back.
If not, he would also be worth a long look by the Giants, especially if they are unable to reach a new deal with Rolle, and they don’t feel that Nat Berhe or Cooper Taylor are ready for full-time duty as a box safety.
Jeromy Miles, Baltimore
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Some Giants fans might be longing for a reunion with the Baltimore Ravens “other” safety—Will Hill, who will be a restricted free agent. Unfortunately, that ship seems to have sailed.
While perhaps not in the same talent class as Hill, 28-year-old Jeromy Miles is no slouch. He can play both safety positions, which right off the bat might make him a valuable commodity if the Giants are looking to promote either Berhe or Taylor to the box and perhaps plug a draft pick (Landon Collins anyone?) into the lineup at some point.
Miles, who is from Voorhees, New Jersey, was an undrafted free agent originally signed by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2010.
If the Giants are looking to ultimately insert a young player into the lineup at safety, a two- or three-year deal for Miles, who per Pro Football Focus was the 23rd-best safety in the NFL last season.
Per PFF’s signature stats, Miles posted a 12.5 run-stop percentage on plays made within eight yards of the line of scrimmage. He also missed just two tackles (out of 82 running-play snaps).
In coverage, Miles, a player whom new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is very familiar with, took 224 snaps, allowing three of nine pass targets to be completed for 31 yards, according to PFF.
He could serve as a third safety and a stopgap solution who would likely be affordable to New York’s salary cap.
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Ron Parker, Kansas City
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Veteran Ron Parker of the Kansas City Chiefs is another versatile type who last year played both cornerback and free safety.
The former Newberry College star—the same school that brought Giants fans receiver Corey Washington—had a respectable 93.0 NFL rating in coverage in 2014, according to Pro Football Focus.
He allowed 61.9 percent of the passes thrown against him to be completed for 572 yards, allowed four touchdowns, picked off one pass and broke up nine passes.
Parker initially began his career as an undrafted free agent with the Oakland Raiders, for whom he played three games in 2011. He later joined the Seattle Seahawks that season, playing in two games.
In 2012, Parker split time with Carolina and Seattle, playing in just five games. In 2013, he took part in all 16 games, starting one before being elevated to the starting lineup in 2014, where he made 15 starts.
At 6’0”, 206 pounds, Parker has 114 career tackles, 2.0 sacks, 15 passes defensed and three interceptions. He has also forced two fumbles.
If the Giants are looking for a stopgap solution at safety until the younger less experienced prospects such as Cooper Taylor and/or Nat Berhe are ready for an increased role. Parker, like Jeromy Miles, might make for a decent addition.
Sergio Brown, Indianapolis
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Sergio Brown is another former undrafted free agent, a player who began his career in 2010 as a member of the New England Patriots, for whom he played two seasons before moving over to the Indianapolis Colts in 2012.
Brown has played in 71 career games with 11 starts. Playing both free and strong safety for the Colts in 2014, Brown finished with a 1.3 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus, and a 64.9 NFL rating in coverage after allowing 56 percent of the pass targets against him to be completed for 97 yards (6.9 yards per completion) and zero touchdowns.
Brown also has special teams experience that could certainly help the NFL’s 25th-ranked special teams unit, per a study done by Rick Gosselin of The Dallas Morning News.
All player rankings and stats via Pro Football Focus unless otherwise noted. All salary information via Over the Cap.
Patricia Traina covers the Giants for Inside Football, the Journal Inquirer and Sports Xchange. All quotes and information obtained firsthand unless otherwise sourced. Follow me on Twitter @Patricia_Traina.
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