New York Giants Training Camp Profile: OLB Cam Brown

Will there be a place on the Giants' roster for Cam Brown, last year's sixth-round draft pick, after the team added so many pass rushers?

Author:
Patricia Traina
Publish date:
May 27, 2021 10:00 AM EDT

When it came to stocking outside linebackers on the roster, the New York Giants, for whatever the reason, seemed more willing to take their chances in free agency than the draft.

Before 2019, the last time the Giants drafted an outside linebacker was in 2014, when they selected Devon Kennard in the fifth round. While they did add a couple of inside linebackers via the draft in 2016 (B.J. Goodson) and 2019 (Ryan Connelly), New York changed its philosophy in 2020 when three out of their four linebackers drafted were considered versatile enough to play on the outside.

One of those players is former Penn State defender Cam Brown, chosen in the sixth round of the draft. Brown is a player who, at 6'5" and 255 pounds, is of similar size and weight to first-rounders Patrick Queen of LSU, who went to Baltimore, and Isaiah Simmons of Clemson, who Arizona picked.

What does he bring to the table, and what are his chances of remaining with the team? Read on.

Background

Brown played four seasons for the Nittany Lions. He racked up 198 total tackles, 14.5 tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks, and 11 pass breakups as a sort of Swiss Army knife type of linebacker.

According to Pro Football Focus, in his first season for the Giants, Brown appeared in just 94 defensive snaps, the breakdown being 18 against the run, 70 as a pass rusher, and six in coverage.

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Brown generated seven pressures, 12 tackles, and one forced fumble in his defensive snaps (played over 15 games). He also had three missed tackles versus four stops for zero or negative yardage.

In his limited coverage snaps, he was targeted twice, allowing both to be completed for 22 yards, 21 of which came after the catch.

Coming in, he was considered a raw prospect who would likely make his initial living on special teams, and that's exactly what happened as he would finish with six total tackles on special teams (three solo) and a forced fumble.

What He Brings

Sixth-round draft choices with Brown’s physical abilities don’t come along very often. At 6'5" and 233 pounds, and with 4.7 speed, Brown has a bendable frame that should make him as good in coverage as he's shown in short spurts as an edge rusher.

He can drop into zone coverage and running with tight ends, running backs, and bigger receivers on underneath and intermediate routes.

While Brown might not be a candidate to transition to a full-time “EDGE” role, he does offer some upside as an occasional Blitzer. He displayed a handful of intriguing inside spin moves on the pass rush, but otherwise, his edge rushes were of the madcap speed variety. He also played a couple of power contains against the run as well.

All that said, Brown's biggest objectives for the coming training camp competition include playing faster (something that should hopefully happen now that he's a year into this defensive system) and improving his play strength to better fend off blockers and tight ends.

His Contract

Brown is on Year 2 of his four-year rookie deal and will count for $829,591 against this year's cap. If he doesn't make the 53-man roster, the Giants would save $780,000 on the cap and be hit with a $49,591 dead money charge this year.

In 2022, they'd be hit with a $99,182 dead money cap charge since the rest of the prorated signing bonus would accelerate into next year's cap.

Roster Projection/Expectations

Despite the Giants having added to their pass-rushing cache, there is still a role for Brown on the 53-man roster beyond special teams.

Based on what he showed last year, his most ideal fit is that of an off-ball linebacker in the nickel package, where he can use his athleticism to make plays.