Robert Ayers signs with New York Giants
Robert Ayers (91) grabs New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) in the 4th quarter during the game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
The New York Giants always love to have a stable of talented defensive ends, as their defense has largely been predicated on their ability to rush the passer quickly and consistently. After losing Justin Tuck to the Oakland Raiders earlier this offseason, the Giants had “DE” circled as a position to address. It’s been an incredibly aggressive and successful offseason for the Giants organization, as they are clearly determined to avoid something resembling last season’s horrific start to the year. They made huge upgrades in the secondary by signing Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Walter Thurmond, and they also made needed upgrades on the offensive line, with Geoff Schwartz being the most significant addition to a unit that struggled mightily last season.
Robert Ayers, another former Bronco like DRC, is the latest piece to the puzzle, as the Giants have announced the official signing of the defensive end. A talented player, Ayers deal is for two years and an undisclosed amount of money, per a source close to FOX Sports’s Mike Garafolo.
I’m sure Ayers’s deal is quite affordable for the Giants, and I really like this move overall. Even though he doesn’t record many sacks, Ayers did a solid job of rushing the passer last season by consistently getting pressure. More importantly, he was a beast in run defense as a 4-3 defensive end, and he does a very nice job of setting the edge. Ayers was an underrated, solid part of the Broncos defense last season and was one of the few bright spots on the D after injuries. He constitutes another solid signing for the Giants this offseason, and the only people who will criticize that deal (of course, this analysis is pending on financial details, which will likely be favorable for the organization) are those who only look at sacks when evaluating players. Ayers isn’t a great player, but he’s a solid one.