New York Giants Training Camp Preview - ILB Reggie Ragland
The Giants are on the watch for a solid No. 2 inside linebacker that they can pair with Blake Martinez in the base defense and who could potentially step in for Martinez if he’s injured.
Reggie Ragland, who played his college ball at Alabama, is a strong candidate for this role and other roles in sub-packages where an enforcer is needed on defense.
Ragland joins the Giants after spending a year in Detroit primarily as an inside linebacker.
Ragland also showed some limited pass-rushing ability as an outside linebacker, his versatility likely drawing the Giants' attention as they look to upgrade the inside linebacker spot alongside Martinez.
What He Brings
Although he's listed as an inside linebacker, Ragland is versatile enough to play both inside and outside who does just enough good things but doesn't appear to possess any one dominating trait.
Ragland owns a prototype build for the position and plays the game with the old-school linebacker mentality. A thumper by nature, Ragland is somewhat limited as a pass rusher, though last year for the Lions was his most productive in that he recorded 21 total pressures in 162 pass-rush snaps.
Ragland offers average speed and range but doesn't have ideal explosiveness. That said, he's an intelligent player with solid diagnosing skills who seems at his best when sent on stunts and delayed blitzes where he can use his strength to catch blockers off guard.
As a run defender, Ragland can struggle to disengage from blocks, this appearing to be due to poor hand usage. He seems to excel when he can work through the trash to close in on a ball carrier.
While he can be an every-down linebacker, he's probably not someone you'll want on the field in obvious passing downs, as there will likely be better options available.
You also probably don't want to have him drop in coverage, where he has just two interceptions and zero pass breakups in 701 coverage snaps.
His Contract
Ragland signed a one-year, $1,127,500 contract that includes a $137,500 signing bonus. As it's a Veteran Salary Benefit deal, he'll only count for $987,500 against the salary cap.
Roster Projection/Expectations
Ragland is an enforcer who plays with a good motor and the old-school nasty linebacker disposition you like to see in a linebacker. He's also smart enough to where he could get the job done if he had to step in for starter Blake Martinez to call the defense.
Ragland might not do any one thing in remarkably well, but he does offer just enough in various areas to where he should be able to contribute here and there in sub-packages.
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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