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New York Giants: Kenrick Ellis an Intriguing Addition to D-line

By Nafisa H

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The New York Giants continue to work on rebuilding their defense during free agency.

As Fox Sports’ Mike Garafolo first reported, the Giants have come to terms with former New York Jets defensive tackle/nose tackle Kenrick Ellis. The team signed him to a one-year contract worth $1.65 million, with $500,000 of that amount guaranteed. 

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Ellis spent his first four seasons in the NFL with the New York Jets after they drafted him in the third round of the 2011 draft. He played in 47 games (5 games of which he started) and recorded 66 tackles (40 solo tackles), one sack, and one forced fumble. In his last year with the Jets, Ellis played part-time in 14 games and recorded nine tackles (7 solo) and one sack.

The year before, Ellis played in all 16 games (one start) and recorded 27 tackles (17 solo). While those numbers aren’t that impressive, Ellis had a limited amount of snaps during his time with the Jets and is expected to see an increased number of snaps with the New York Giants this season if he does well in training camp.

Perhaps the most significant number when it comes to Kenrick Ellis is his weight. At 6’4, 346 pounds, Ellis is massive and fills up a lot of room in the center of the defensive line. This gives him the ability to stifle the run which is something the Giants need to improve on.

”I am a run stopper and I like doing it,” Ellis said, via the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz. ”That is the strength of my game. I look forward to helping the Giants get back to their glory.”

Last season, the New York Giants finished 30th in the league in run-defense, giving up an average of 135.1 yards per game to opposing ball carriers.  The New York Jets, with Ellis on their defensive line, allowed an average of 93.1 yards last season, ranking 5th best in the league in run-defense.

This latest signing of Kenrick Ellis is a very intriguing one. The Giants have been looking for another tackle to fill the hole in their defensive line previously occupied by last year’s starter Mike Patterson.  While his numbers haven’t been amazing during his four years with the New York Jets, Ellis has had success in stopping the run while seeing limited snaps and being 27 years old, has a lot of room to grow.

A fresh start with the New York Giants could be just what Kenrick Ellis needs to explode and become a starter.

One thing’s certain and that’s Ellis’ eagerness to contribute to the New York Giants’ defense as much as possible to bolster their run-defense. He’s a young, hungry, two-down run-stuffer that fits perfectly in the Giants’ four-man defensive line.

”I’m a journeyman. I come in and do my job,” Ellis said, via the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz. ”You don’t get much recognition for it, but you get the job done and it helps out the team. I’ll take on the double-teams and take on the work no one else wants to do. It’s just who I am. I take pride in what I do, which is being a big man in the middle, and try to make sure no one runs the ball.”

Next: Can the New York Giants Fill Hole at Safety during Draft?

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