The Giants sign Leon Hall
By jonfox
Why did the Giants shell out for Leon Hall when they gave Janoris Jenkins a ton of cash and drafted Eli Apple in the top 10?
Despite a plethora of resources directed at improving the secondary from last season’s disasterious group of defensive backs, the Giants decided that they weren’t quite done and signed free agent Leon Hall to a short incentive laden contract.
If healthy, Hall is instantly the best pure cover corner on that roster but it begs a question: why bother? The Giants invested a top 10 pick and big free agent dollars in their new starting cornerbacks Eli Apple and Janoris Jenkins. And they invested a mid round pick in Darian Thompson to play safety next to Landon Collins.
They also kept past starter Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. so the Giants can rival any secondary in talent in their conference. But there might be too many bodies to keep everyone happy with their snaps.
Rodgers-Cromartie’s contract is moveable in a trade, the Giants would save 2 million against the cap if someone wanted to invest in an inconsistent but occasionally effect cornerback. it’s very plausible to me that the Carolina Panthers would have the cap room and interest in him considering the style of their defense.
If the Giants are stuck with him, then they aren’t expecting Eli Apple to be a Day 1 starter for them and their plan is to slowly work him into the rotation as to not destroy his confidence. The scouting report on Apple was that he has amazing physical attributes but is very raw in his technique and skills. Perhaps this would be the best plan for his development.
The problem that the Giants have with this situation is that with the drafting of Darius Thompson and with their stable of corners not named Janoris Jenkins, they can’t exactly move a vet corner to free safety like the Redskins have done with DeAngelo Hall. Rodgers-Cromartie and Leon Hall aren’t good fit for that role and Eli Apple needs to be learning the corner spot not safety.
Even if Rodgers-Cromartie or Hall could play free safety for them, they wouldn’t be getting a full time role there. The Giants clearly see Thompson and Collins as the safeties of the future for them.
If I had to bet, I’d bet that they deal Rodgers-Cromartie to a corner-needy team and sign a vet free safety/slot corner tweener. If Hall is healthy, then he and Jenkins start at corner with Eli Apple as the nickleback.