NFL Free Agency 2020: 5 Teams Everson Griffen could sign with
4. New York Giants
Over the past few offseasons, we’ve seen the New York Giants put cornerstones in place on offense. In the 2018 NFL Draft, they landed Saquon Barkley with the second overall pick. The following year, they found a replacement for the now-retired Eli Manning by taking Daniel Jones with the No. 6 overall pick. But the defense, though addressed to some degree, is lacking still.
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Despite a trade for Leonard Williams last offseason while also signing a veteran in Markus Golden, the Giants front seven has been sorely lacking over the past few years. 2018 third-round pick Lorenzo Carter has not come along as quickly as they’d hoped and Kareem Martin is hardly a needle-mover for the Giants. They could stand to add pass-rush help in the draft and in NFL free agency.
While Everson Griffen certainly fits the physical mold of a base defensive end in a 4-3 system, there’s no reason to believe, given his athletic profile, that he couldn’t be a movable piece who can rush from a stand-up outside linebacker spot and put his hand down on the end of a three-man front.
Though there are glaring holes to fill, the Giants are not far away from being competitive in the NFC East, a division that’s wide-open given some uncertainty at the top with the Eagles and Cowboys. If general manager Dave Gettleman wants to get aggressive, he could make a play for Griffen and try to really fortify the defense moving forward around youngsters Dexter Lawrence and Dalvin Tomlinson up front.