Giants Training Camp Player Preview: CB Paulson Adebo

Free-agent acquisition Paulson Adebo has been penciled in as the Giants’ CB1 for the coming season.

Former New Orleans Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo is set to begin his first season with the New York Giants. | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

The New York Giants needed help at cornerback, as they likely did not feel as if their draft picks at the position were developing fast enough to feel comfortable going into the season with only them. 

So they moved to get a veteran starter to come in and take the pressure off Deonte Banks to be the CB1 on the defense. That person was former New Orleans Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo. 

Adebo burst onto the scene in 2021 as a third-round pick for the Saints out of Stanford. Adebo immediately received comparisons to fellow Cardinal alum and former Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman. 

As a rookie, he started all 17 games in New Orleans. He was an immediate standout as a physical cornerback who was not afraid to get physical and bring ball carriers down. Fifty-five of his 66 tackles were solo, four of which were for loss. He also excelled in coverage, recording eight pass defenses and three interceptions. 

Two years later, he recorded his best statistical season as a professional despite missing two games due to injury. He had 76 tackles, 60 of which were solo, forced two fumbles, and recovered two fumbles. 

In coverage, he was sticky. He has 18 pass defenses and four interceptions. While his physical brand of coverage would draw the occasional flag, the pros far outweigh the cons of his game. 

He comes to the Giants as a guy who can match up with the bigger, more physical receivers in the division and around the league. He can play man defense, but he is also savvy enough to excel in zone coverage. 

That versatility made him such a sought-after free-agent cornerback this offseason. He is coming off a leg injury that may have scared off some of his free agency suitors, but their hesitation was the Giant's fortune as they were able to ink him to a contract. 

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PAULSON ADEBO, CB

• Height: 6-1
• Weight: 192  lbs.
• Exp.: 5 Years
• School: Stanford
• How Acquired: FA-25 

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2024 in Review

Adebo seemed on track to have his best season as a pro in 2024. Being in the final year of his rookie deal is all a player could ask for. Through the first six games of the season, even though the team was struggling, Adebo was having a standout start. 

He had three weeks of double-digit tackles, including back-to-back weeks where he made 10 solo tackles. He had already intercepted three passes and defended 10 others. His name was ringing off around the league as a player to watch. 

In their seventh game of the season, tragedy struck. Adebo broke his femur, and his season was over. He finished with 52 tackles in less than seven full games, including 43 solo tackles. 

Contract/Cap Info

This offseason, Adebo signed a three-year $54 million contract with the Giants, which included a $15 million signing bonus and $38.5 million guaranteed. That’s an average of $18 million APY. 

He has a $11.7 million cap hit in 2025 and a dead cap hit of $34.75 million. The contract could be out of the money after two seasons. 

2025 Preview

The Giants needed more sticky, reliable coverage in the secondary, so this offseason, they brought in stickier, more reliable coverage. 

All indications point to Adebo's fully recovering from his freak injury, but we will not know his true state until he begins dealing with legitimate physical contact. 

He seems as if he will be ready, and the mood around him has not felt like one where they are worried about signing another player who is coming off an injury before signing with the team. 

Expect Adebo to draw the top receiver on the opposing team, as that is what they are paying him to do. The Giants want him to be an irritating nuisance for all the high-target receivers they’ll face in 2025. 

They should also expect him to be an aid against the run as a more sure tackling option. Training camp will quiet any noise about his athleticism and ability to match up against elite receivers since he will battle Malik Nabers all summer. 

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