New York Giants defensive end Damontre Moore (98) against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
New York Giants rookie defensive end Damontre Moore was given a first-round draft grade by some analysts, but he fell to the third round and into the laps of the Giants. They are hoping that he can be a crucial role player on defense, and his versatility as either a 3-4 OLB or 4-3 DE will help in that regard. Moore recorded just 11 tackles in limited playing time last season, but he’s always been one for the future. If the Giants cannot keep veteran leader Justin Tuck aboard, then Moore is going to be one to watch even more closely next season. I expect Tuck to hit the free agent market and test his value (he’s looking for one final, big payday), but I ultimately expect him to return to the Giants in 2014.
Moore told the Newark Star-Ledger’s Conor Orr that his shoulder surgery was “horrible” and that he had issues going to sleep, even though the surgery was termed as minor. The Texas A&M product, like Victor Cruz, seems determined to have a huge offseason, and he’ll want to use it as a springboard for a breakout 2014 season. He is one of the most intriguing players on the Giants, because he could be a high-impact player or bust into an afterthought. His ability to play the run is also worth watching next year, as the Giants DE duo of Jason Pierre-Paul and Tuck was arguably the best starting 4-3 DE duo against the run in the NFL.
He also stated that his biggest goal this offseason is to add more muscle, “I want to get back as healthy as possible and pick up like 15 pounds of muscle.”
Right now, the 21-year-old is listed as 6’5″, 250 pounds, so he could definitely afford to put on an extra 15 pounds of muscle and bulk up to aid his pass rushing and run defense. This is definitely going to be a big offseason for him, and we’ll see if he can make a big impact next season with more playing time on tap.
The move isn’t the problem, but the timing is more than just alarming.