© Rich Barnes/GettyImages
New York Giants DB Jalen Mills: The Good, the Great, and the Ugly
Coach Gene Clemons has a look at New York Giants safety Jalen Mills's film.
After deciding to let Xavier McKinney walk away in free agency, the New York Giants signed veteran free-agent safety Jalen Mills for depth.
The eight-year veteran, who has played for the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots, will bring Super Bowl savvy and versatility to the Giants defensive secondary. Mills spent most of his career as a cornerback, but last season, he showed he had the range to play all across the defensive secondary. That will likely be his role with the Giants, given the relatively young depth they currently have.
Let's look at the good, the great, and the ugly of the newest defensive back in New York.
The Good: Tackling
It does not always have to look the most impressive, but the results are the results. Mills gets the ball carrier on the ground. Whether on defense or special teams, he had never been afraid to stick his nose in the fight.
It does not matter if he is the force player charged with keeping the ball carrier from getting outside or if he is one-on-one in the open field; he does a great job of taking the ball carrier down.
Last season, he amassed 45 tackles, and he started less than half the games this season and received more than 50 percent of the snaps three times this season.
In this clip, you see him attacking ball carriers from everywhere on the field.
The Great: Versatility
As a rookie seventh-round draft pick by the Eagles, Mills did whatever he could to make the roster and get on the field. In the next three seasons, he made 32 starts, primarily as a left cornerback. He then started 15 games in 2020 as a free safety for Philly.
He started at the right corner for the Patriots in the next two seasons before playing safety last season. That level of versatility in a defense helps to handle injuries in the secondary because he can play at a high level anywhere in the back end.
With so many question marks in the secondary for the Giants, who truly knows where Mills will be used? That is what makes the signing so valuable.
This series of clips gives you an idea of the different positions he's played.
The Ugly: Surrenders Big Plays
Mills has been aggressive, tough, and gritty throughout his career, but he is not the most naturally gifted. He does not have high-end, long speed, or premiere size, so if he is not perfect or too aggressive, he can be beaten, and that has been his undoing throughout his early career.
This is likely the reason he was moved to safety in Philly and New England. Safety allows him to be back further, diagnose plays, and advance to the ball, but if he gets caught-footed, he can still be beaten deep.
He will be 30 years old when the season begins, and nobody is naturally getting more athletic at 30, so do not expect him to be the first to break this trend.
In this clip, you see a younger, aggressive Mills getting beat with double moves and drawing pass interferences. Again, his maturity and move to safety have helped him.
Coach’s Counsel
Mills was a good free-agent acquisition, but the only problem he truly solves is one of depth. He should be considered a safety because that is where his ceiling is the highest.
His coverage abilities make him valuable in nickel and dime packages covering slots, and his toughness allows him to fight tight ends and H-backs. He can spell corners in a pinch, and based on the Giants injury history, he could be needed any week.
New York should draft a safety to infuse into the locker room for the future if one appears at a good value.
(Photo by Rich Barnes/GettyImages)
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