New York Giants Training Camp Preview - Edge Ifeadi Odenigbo
When it has come to making the most of second chances, New York Giants defensive end/outside linebacker Ifeadi Odenigbo is a walking example of how fate can be a little kinder the second time around.
The New Jersey-born Odenigbo completed a four-year stint at Northwestern University in which he appeared in 37 games and recorded 61 total tackles, 26.5 tackles for a loss, and 23.5 sacks. That production was good enough to get him drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the seventh round of the 2017 draft.
However, Odenigbo, who had excelled as an edge rusher in college, was asked to take on more interior responsibilities during his first summer with the Vikings. Sadly, the role didn't fit the 6'3", 258-pounder, and he ended up failing to make the cut for the 53-man roster, instead landing on the Vikings practice squad.
Odenigbo tried to catch on with the Vikings the following season, but again, there was no room for him on the 53-man roster. This time, teams around the NFL developed an interest in the young pass rusher after seeing more of his tape, and Odenigbo was claimed off waivers by the Browns, who beat the Giants (who also put in a claim for Odenigbo) to the punch.
Odenigbo's stay in Cleveland was short-lived, so his next stop ended up being Arizona, where he played in one game and recorded one tackle. But that stint was also short-lived.
Here's where fate started to treat Odenigbo better. The Vikings re-signed him, and this time, instead of insisting he pick up where he left off as an interior defensive lineman, Odenigbo was moved to his more natural spot on the outside.
Lo and behold, the production the Vikings had been waiting to see from him finally started to come. In the last two seasons, both with the Vikings, Odenigbo appeared in 21 games with 15 starts and recorded 10.5 sacks, 58 tackles, and 23 quarterback hits.
Despite showing promise, Odenigbo wasn't retained by the Vikings this past off-season. But in 2021, he will get yet another second chance to make it big with the Giants as a part of their pass-rush rotation, something that the 27-year-old veteran is looking forward to delivering.
What He Brings
The Giants decided not to re-sign edge Kyler Fackrell, and in Odenigbo, they might have gotten themselves a more productive upgrade with a lot more upside.
Like Fackrell, Odenigbo isn't an every-down player, but as a situational pass rusher, he’s an intriguing pickup who looks comfortable in the 5-tech and 9-wide positions coming off the edge.
Odenigbo, per Pro Football Focus, has played in 1,106 defensive snaps, but only 306 of those have come in run defense.
A reason for that likely has to do with the Vikings having played him on the defensive line on 1,101 of his snaps where he went against a much bigger offensive lineman.
That said, Odenigbo is better suited to facing tight ends in run defense, that position being one he's better equipped to handle physically.
What will be interesting regarding Odenigbo is how much he plays outside linebacker. He admitted in an earlier interview that it wasn't a position he played many snaps at--and if we go by PFF's snap counts, we can see Odenigbo only played five career snaps in the box.
There will undoubtedly need to be an adjustment on his part, one that he has been working to learn to be functional in that role if asked.
But let's get back to the pass-rushing aspect, which is his bread and butter. Odenigbo plays with good leverage and play strength, but as a still-developing pass rusher, he seems to over-rely sometimes on the bull rush, which, as more and more opponents learn about him on tape, that will work against him.
Developing a multi-tiered pass rush plan will be vital in helping him survive out there and helping him potentially earn more snaps.
- RELATED: Ifeadi Odenigbo: Behind the Helmet
His Contract
Odenigbo signed a one-year deal worth $2.5 million, including a $1 million roster bonus already paid out and a $1.5 million base salary.
Roster Projection/Expectations
Odenigbo projects as a situational pass rusher who, based on history, averages about 22-25 snaps per game, which is about what Fackrell received in his one season with the Giants.
Find all our training camp player previews in one spot. New profiles are added daily until we get to the end of the roster.
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