New York Giants surprisingly among favorites to sign former All-Pro
One of the many areas of concern for the New York Giants entering training camp is the cornerback position.
Though they have a potential star in 2023 first-rounder Deonte Banks, the rest of the room is filled with question marks and a lack of experience.
Even with those concerns, it seems unlikely the Giants will make a splash in free agency to bring in a veteran cornerback, especially with just $11.5 million in cap space remaining.
Still, the Giants are viewed as one of the favorites to sign former All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gilmore, according to BetOnline.
While the Jacksonville Jaguars (+400) and Chicago Bears (+600) are listed ahead, the Giants (+700) aren’t too far behind in the odds.
The Giants also are listed as the favorites to sign free-agent safety Justin Simmons.
Adding a talent like Gilmore would be a strong move for the Giants on paper. It would add more depth to the cornerback room, allowing current projected starter Cor’Dale Flott to transition to the outside in a depth role.
While Gilmore may not be the elite, shutdown corner he was earlier in his career, he’s still a viable No. 2 option. He posted a solid 82.3 passer rating on 68 targets in zone coverage last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Considering the Giants are shifting to more of a zone-heavy scheme under Shane Bowen, that’s a solid number to work off.
The issue for the Giants is the money. They don’t have that much salary-cap space to work with and even though they could rework some deals to get there, it doesn’t appear Joe Schoen is in the market to do so.
It may not be a likely move, but adding a veteran like Gilmore could go a long way in addressing one of the major concerns on the defensive side of the ball.
