Giants Get No Love in New NFC Team Ranking Analysis

The Giants were ranked last in the NFC after the first wave of free agency, but is the ranking justified?

Oct 13, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo (29) celebrates an interception during the second quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Caesars Superdome. | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

As we move past the first big free agency push, the New York Giants, in a new analysis by Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports, came in last among the 16 NFC teams ranked after the initial wave of free agency signings.

Kerr’s rankings, done before the Giants signed Russell Wilson, obviously pointed to the unsettled quarterback situation. 

He added, “There have been some good signings on defense, but the Giants aren't good enough to score consistently. It could be another long season in New York.” 

At first blush, many might agree with Kerr’s reasoning, but I do not. It is easy and low-hanging fruit to bang on the Giants right now, but there are positive moves that likely get overlooked because it is New York, where the fan base's expectations can sometimes be extreme. 

Let’s review the Giants free agency highlights and how they can positively affect the team in 2025, then discuss the teams that the Giants should be ranked ahead of in the NFC right now. 

Re-signing WR Darius Slayton

Dec 29, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton (86) celebrates after scoring a touchdown reception during the first half against the Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

This was not a sexy signing, but when you combine age, talent, familiarity, and a price tag, what other receiver made more sense to sign than Slayton? 

He is a bonafide deep threat who can operate outside or in the slot. Expect a more significant role for Slayton in 2025, as you can assume from the fact that they re-signed him, as he was underutilized last year.

Offensive Line Continuity and Improved Depth

Aug 28, 2021; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle Stone Forsythe (78) waits for a snap against the Los Angeles Chargers during the third quarter at Lumen Field. | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

The team re-signed guard/center Greg Van Roten and guard Aaron Stinnie. They also signed two offensive tackles: former Seattle Seahawk Stone Forsyth and former Cleveland Brown James Hudson III. 

Both guys provide the team with quality depth at the position they did not possess last season when Andrew Thomas went down, the wheels falling off the offense. 

In 2025, the Giants are projected to open the offseason with their starting offensive line intact from an improved 2024 unit, and they have pieces where there can be competition to make it even better.

Defensive Line Versatility and Depth

Dec 24, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive end Chauncey Golston (99) reaches for Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane (28) during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. | Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

The Giants had issues stopping the run in 2024. They also needed to add more interior pass-rushing to complement and take some weight off Dexter Lawrence II, so they signed three people to improve their defensive line. 

They brought in Jeremiah Ledbetter to help bolster their interior. He is coming off the best season of his career, having played for the Jaguars. He had two sacks and 38 tackles, including 20 solo tackles and eight tackles for loss. 

Former Cowboys defensive lineman Chauncey Golston should provide versatility as a legitimate defensive end who can play on the interior in pass-rushing situations. 

Former Seahawks defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris is a defensive tackle who can play on the edge and be another effective run-stopper. 

This should help everyone improve because they will log fewer snaps and be fresher as the season wears on.

Secondary Improvements

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) pushes his way into the endzone for a touchdown against Miami Dolphins safety Jevon Holland (8) during their football game Thursday, November 28, 2024, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. | Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The defense will also be improved by adding the two new Giant defensive backs.

Those additions are former Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo, a physical corner who has experience playing zone and aggressively attacks passes in the air, and former Dolphins rangy safety Jevon Holland, who has the speed and aggressiveness to attack the football in the air from anywhere on the field. 

Their presence means that guys like Tyler Nubin can play more on the second level, where his talent is best utilized, and Cordell Flott becomes a high-quality CB3 on the team. 

This bolsters the depth at cornerback and mitigates the loss of former safety Jason Pinnock.

Giants Ranking

The Giants were ranked last in the NFC, which seems low. Nobody will argue that they should be at the top of the NFC, but they did have several games that were decided by a touchdown or less. 

If the ball had bounced differently or someone made one more play, the score could have swung in New York’s favor. 

All of these off-season improvements solidify their units and improve the depth. When you add improved performance from the quarterback, how can they still be ranked last? 

The Saints are a mess, and the Giants took their best defensive back. They added a safety and a defensive tackle but lost a corner and an edge. 

The Panthers definitely improved during the 2024 season, but this offseason, they focused on improving the worst defense in the NFL with guys who will need to prove they can step into prominent roles. On offense, they have not made any additions.

At worst, the Giants should be 14th in this ranking, but they can climb higher because the Cardinals, Cowboys, and Falcons all have significant issues to overcome.

At worst the Giants should be 14th in this ranking and they have a chance to climb higher because the Cardinals, Cowboys, and Falcons all have significant issues to overcome. 

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