Giants Free Agent Tipped for Reunion With Patrick Graham
If the New York Giants change their defensive strategy, they risk losing important free agent Xavier McKinney. particularly if the safety is lured to reunite with Patrick Graham, the former defensive coordinator of the Giants who currently plays for the Las Vegas Raiders.
The suggestion that McKinney collaborate with Graham once more comes from Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report. Reuniting “could be mutually beneficial,” in his opinion.
Ballentine pointed out that McKinney “played for two very different defensive coordinators in Patrick Graham and Wink Martindale,” demonstrating his versatility. Graham usually relied on a
four-man rush to generate pressure in front of man coverage, whereas
Martindale was more interested in blitzing.
In both systems, McKinney was unique because he “thrives as the deep safety.” But he can still work as a moonlighter in
the box. Although McKinney clearly seems like he’s dedicated to testing the
free agency market and figuring out his worth away from the Giants, that degree
of flexibility is priceless in the modern NFL.
Patrick Graham Reunion Could Tempt Xavier McKinney
For the Giants’ defense in 2020 and 21 seasons, Graham called plays. It was the latter season that McKinney produced the most.
During Graham’s watch in 2021, he intercepted five passes and grabbed five interceptions. This touchdown was also scored by McKinney against the Raiders.
Such plays demonstrated McKinney’s skill with the Graham playbook. Graham had called a revamped system with the Miami Dolphins in 2019.
John Schmeelk of Giants.com claims that the plan involved “blitzing and man to man coverage.” In order to disclose Graham’s “Dolphins played man to man coverage more than 50% of the time,” Schmeelk referenced Pro Football Focus. They played the second-most often in the NFL (tied with New England at 43%), which is cover one, which consists of man-to-man defensive and one safety deep.
Graham eased up on the pressure against the Giants, but the man-heavy covering strategy remained the same. According to Pro Football Reference, his unit blitzed 26.9 percent of the time in 2020, far below than the Baltimore Ravens’ league-best 44.1 percent. One season later, as McKinney was starting to emerge as a weapon in the back end, the Giants blitzed on 25% of snaps.
The way Martindale described Graham’s approach and how McKinney was employed closer to the line of scrimmage best illustrates the differences between the two. In two seasons, the 24-year-old blitzed ten times under Graham, but Martindale placed him on the rush seventy times.
If McKinney is ready to move on, he knows he’ll be used effectively in Graham’s gameplans.
Xavier McKinney Wants Fair Value
McKinney took to X on Friday, February 16 to make it clear he wants “to be appreciated in every way for what I do and bring to the table. As a player and as a leader.”
For the Giants, acknowledging McKinney’s worth may prove difficult. According to OverTheCap.com, using the franchise tag for a safety will cost $17.22 million.
According to Spotrac.com, the Giants should have $26,016,449 in salary cap room. However, general manager Joe Schoen has other demands, including as deciding what will happen to running back Saquon Barkley.
Strangely, Barkley has already pushed for McKinney to stay with the Giants. What the talented defensive back feels of Shane Bowen taking over as coordinator in place of Martindale might determine a lot.
Bowen’s strategy will probably be more passive, akin to what Graham previously suggested. That may persuade McKinney to stay put, if the Giants are willing to pay his market value, which is expected to be $10.4 million a year for the next five years.
Get related article>>>https://trisportsnews.com/?p=69&preview=true
