New York Giants: Analyzing re-signing of Jason Pierre-Paul
By Ryan Disdier
After a unique 2015, the New York Giants opted to re-sign defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul. It’s not flashy, but the move makes sense.
The New York Giants first step in improving the pass rush was staying in-house, as the team re-signed Jason Pierre-Paul to a one-year deal, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport.
The #Giants are expected to keep Jason Pierre-Paul, source said. It's a 1-year deal. He turned down more money elsewhere.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 8, 2016
The deal is worth up to $10.5 million, and the deal is likely an incentive-laden one.
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Of course, Pierre-Paul missed the first portion of the season because of a Fourth of July fireworks incident that required the amputation of part of his right hand. Admirably, JPP returned in week 9, playing with a large club on his hand.
Pierre-Paul reportedly chose the Giants over more money from other teams. The Arizona Cardinals reportedly made a last-minute push to sign JPP, but the former All-Pro opted to stay with the G-Men.
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Although the deal may seem anti-climatic for those who were expecting the team to sign Mario Williams or Malik Jackson, bringing back Pierre-Paul on an incentive-heavy deal makes sense for a lot of reasons.
For starters, Pierre-Paul was the team’s best pass-rusher last year, despite only recording one sack. The pass rush was absolutely dead before Pierre-Paul returned, and while Robert Ayers Jr. did finish with 9.5 sacks, he only recorded one before No. 90 returned to the field. He didn’t rack up the sacks, and he had trouble wrapping up ball carriers and finishing plays. But he did show flashes of his old, terrorizing self. He looked significantly faster than he did in 2014, and above all else, he looked motivated.
Pierre-Paul was one of the best 4-3 defensive ends at pressuring the quarterback when he returned to the field, and his presence was axiomatically made the Giants better on defense.
Pierre-Paul made every one else on the defense better. He now has the familiarity in defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s that he lacked last year when he returned from his injury.
Bringing back Pierre-Paul ensures the Giants will have some stability on the defensive line. Out of every team in the league, the Giants certainly best know what type of player Pierre-Paul is.
Despite being lampooned for his accident, Pierre-Paul developed into a leader on the Giants defense last year, and he’ll likely be named a team captain for 2016.
It’s not a flashy, blockbuster move, but it makes a lot of sense for both parties. JPP obviously wanted to return to the team that drafted him, and the Giants clearly wanted to keep the talented end. The way the Giants stuck by Pierre-Paul during the summer likely helped make his decision easier. He showed his appreciation for the Giants’ loyalty to him by remaining loyal and taking a hometown discount.
Pierre-Paul seems truly happy to be back, posting an Instagram photo, in which he claimed he has ‘unfinished business’ in New York.
With all that being said, I don’t think the Giants are quite finished spending money on the defensive line. New York has a lot of money to spend, and it’s safe to assume a big portion of that will be allocated to improving the defensive line. According to NJ.com’s Jordan Ranaan, the Giants are interested in Jets defensive tackle Damon “Snacks” Harrison.
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The Giants making an offer for Miami’s Olivier Vernon also isn’t out of the question either.
More moves are sure to come, but the Giants have started the free agency period by making a smart one.