Giants’ biggest free agent signing already being dragged before his first snap

The Giants signed free agent cornerback Paulson Adebo to a three-year, $54 million deal this offseason to improve their secondary. Even though he is viewed as an upgrade, the deal drew criticism from one analyst.

ESPN sports analytics writer Seth Walder released his offseason grades for every NFL team Thursday. Although he liked the Giants signing safety Jevon Holland and quarterback Jameis Winston, he had reservations about Adebo.

“I was not a fan of the move,” Walder said. “Adebo, who suffered a broken femur in Week 7 last season, had strong on-ball numbers over the previous two seasons combined, with minus-49 EPA allowed as the nearest defender, per NFL Next Gen Stats. But on-ball production isn’t stable from year to year, and metrics that I would consider more important — such as target rate and yards per coverage snap — are more worrying. In his limited sample last season, Adebo was targeted 21% of the time (most by any outside corner with at least 250 coverage snaps) and had a high 1.6 yards per coverage snap allowed.”

Adebo will be critical not only to the Giants’ secondary, but to their defense as a whole. The defensive line will be among the best in the league, with Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and rookie Darius Alexander getting a push up the middle and 2025 third-overall selection Abdul Carter joining the edge rotation that already includes linebackers Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux.

If the pass rush lives up to its potential, Adebo should be able to hold his own in coverage. He is already experienced in playing man coverage, with former Saints head coach Dennis Allen’s scheme putting the corner in one-on-one matchups on the outside frequently.