Exploring Giants' Options to Replace CB James Bradberry

Still concerned that the Giants haven't plugged the hole that opened when James Bradberry was released? Coach Gene Clemons took a look at who else is out there.

Author:
Gene Clemons
Publish date:
May 19, 2022 8:00 AM EDT

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New York Giants

The New York Giants' recent release of cornerback James Bradberry not only ignited conversations about whether they should or should not have kept him on the roster, but it also made people begin to ask, “Who will replace him?”

The recent signing of former Cowboys and Ravens cornerback Maurice Canady will be hard pressed to convince people that he is the answer to the team's depth issues in the secondary.

Canady, familiar with defensive coordinator Wink Martindale's system, has struggled to stay on the field. While he'll be among those who get a chance to compete, the Giants will likely keep a close eye on who's available or becomes available for other options in the coming weeks.

Who are some of the potential options to watch for? We give you a few, including those already on the team.

Potential Cornerback Stop-gap Options

Aaron Robinson

Age: 24
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 193 lbs.

The Giants drafted Robinson in the third round in 2021. He signed with Alabama out of high school and was one of the most sought-after cornerbacks in the country. He transferred to UCF, where he became an all-conference performer.

During the draft process, many believed his best fit in the NFL would be as a nickel since that was the position he mostly played in college. However, Robinson has a good combination of size, speed, and lateral quickness needed to be effective on the outside.

He appeared in nine games last season, starting two, and recorded 23 tackles after returning from the PUP list where he had been while recovering from a sports hernia procedure.

As he did in college, he managed to break up some passes in limited playing time.

It's probably fair to say that Robinson is the odds-on favorite to replace Bradberry in the starting lineup, but can he stay healthy? Moreover, can he provide the kind of coverage Bradberry gave the Giants over two seasons?

Kevin King

Age: 27
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 200 lbs.

King is a five-year veteran who has played all of his football in Green Bay. He is a bigger cornerback and uses his size to his advantage, especially on jump-balls.

King has been a consistent contributor for the Packers, starting 42 games over his career. The bulk of those starts came in 2019 when he started a career-high 14 games.

That season, with quarterbacks targeting King to stay away from Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander, King collected 66 tackles (56 solo and three tackles for loss), one sack, and five interceptions.

With Alexander recently signing a massive four-year extension with Green Bay, King looks to be the odd man out in the Packers defensive backfield. He can provide size, veteran savvy, and 27-year-old legs to whatever defense signs him.

Mackensie Alexander

Age: 28
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 192 lbs.

Alexander has been a solid rotational corner but probably not what Minnesota hoped when they took him 54th overall in the 2016 NFL Draft.

He spent his first four seasons with the Vikings receiving spot duty and starting ten games in his third and fourth seasons combined. He spent 2020 in Cincinnati, where he made ten starts, and returned to Minnesota in 2021 to start five games.

The Clemson University alum will still be shy of his 29th birthday when the season opens up, and he could be a good bridge to some of the young cornerback talents on the roster or a stop-gap if those younger guys struggle or get injured during the season.

The Giants could also benefit from a guy who is ready to break out and hopefully find a home for the next few seasons.

A.J. Bouye

Age: 30
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 191 lbs.

Bouye, previously with the Jaguars, Broncos, and Panthers, has dealt with some injuries over his career, but he still brings a wealth of experience.

He started 72 games over his nine-year career. Last season in Carolina, he started seven of the ten games in which he was active, and in his previous season in Denver, he started seven of the seven games for which he was active.

Bouye would bring a “been there, done that” attitude to the defensive back room. He has played on both sides of the field and has matched up with the who’s who of NFL receivers.

When healthy, he is still very effective, and if he is in shape, he can be a plug-and-play guy stop-gap while the young players continue to develop.

Jimmy Smith

Age: 33
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 210 lbs.

At 33 years old, Smith is on the final stretch of his career, and yes, he has expressed a desire not to play for any other organization. But what if the one-time Raven has an opportunity to reunite with Win Martindale, now the Giants' defensive coordinator? Would that change his mind?

If so, Smith would give the Giants a defensive back with extensive experience playing in a system he knows very well.

And while the same can be said about the Giants' recent cornerback free agent signee Maurice Canady, another one-time Raven, Smith has a lot more experience than the Canady, who has only made four starts in his entire career.

Smith would be a great mentor to the young cornerbacks room and could be a guy who comes in and fills a role until the younger class is ready to assume a more prominent role.