Carlos "Boogie" Basham: The Good, the Great and the Ugly

Coach Gene Clemons breaks down the newest Giant's film.

Author:
Gene Clemons
Publish date:
Sep 1, 2023 2:00 PM EDT

In this story:

The New York Giants made another deal to bring on a player from the Bills, who are quickly becoming New York's favorite place to pull players from. The latest former Bill to move from upstate to the Big City is third-year defensive end Carlos "Boogie" Basham Jr.

Basham comes in as another guy along the defensive line that can be plugged in at different positions. Basham seems to be a similar player with a build that looks like current outside linebacker Jihad Ward. Basham will likely fill a similar role in this Giants defense and give defensive coordinator Wink Martindale a heavier four-down linemen package without moving Dexter Lawrence or Leonard Williams outside.

Now in his third season, Basham is still only getting his feet wet in this league. However, patience may wear out at just 25 years old and now on his second team if he does not find a significant role.

Let's look at the good, the great, and the ugly of Basham's game tape.

The Good: Versatility

Basham is a big-bodied, dense defensive end who has technique and athleticism. He could be used on the edge and the interior in the Giants' defense.

Last season, in the Week 14 game against the New York Jets, Basham lined up in almost every gap a defensive lineman could line up in. That type of versatility in a Wink Martindale defense means he could be used as a stand-up edge rusher, a four-technique tackle, an interior three-tech, or even a nose guard.

The more a player can do, the better for the player and the defensive coordinator in designing different personnel packages.

The Great: Physicality and Motor

Basham is not afraid of the fight. He is forceful with his hands and brings his full body to an engagement.

One of the best things about him is his physicality. He brings powerful hands and a strong push with his legs. That allows him to hold his position against the run when teams go directly at him.

He does a great job controlling offensive linemen on 1v1 blocks and anchors down well against double teams. He keeps leverage on reach blocks and knows how to maneuver kick-out blocks.

In addition to his physical disposition, he has a great motor. His ability to pursue the ball is on par with those linemen who make a living chasing down rushers. He has a good change of direction for a big defensive end, which allows him to keep chasing.

His build-up speed allows him to walk down offensive players who don't believe he can catch them. It is one of the building blocks that gives him the potential to be a great run defender.

The Ugly: Pass Rushing

If people believe that Basham was brought in to bolster the pass rush, they are likely setting themselves up for disappointment. Basham has not been afforded the same reps as starting linemen, but his lack of numbers does not point to an elite or consistent pass rusher.

There is likely one big reason for this: Basham does not possess the suddenness off the line to explode past offensive linemen consistently and get to the quarterback. He seems to be the bridesmaid and not the bride regarding sacks.

He pressures the quarterback but does not get the quarterback to the ground. When rushing, because he does not explode off the line, he engages with linemen head up instead of taking on half a man. There are many plays when he is around the quarterback but has been unable to bring the quarterback down.

Final Thoughts

This is another solid addition by Giants GM Joe Schoen. He has been hard at work trying to get the right combination across the front seven that brings the defense stability.

Basham can be a very nice complimentary piece of the defense. As long as the fans understand his best usage, they won't feel like the lack of a pass rush issue is his fault.

He can be a tremendous asset this season just by embracing whatever role Martindale has in mind for him.