Giants Preseason Grades - Defense and Special Teams: Who Cemented Their Roster Spots?

Here are our grades for the New York Giants linebackers, edge players, defensive backs, and special teams.

Outside Linebackers

Caleb Murphy

Murphy got caught inside on an early run that bounced outside for too-easy yards. Murphy needs to be stronger on his edge. He was also invisible on the pass rush, not only little flash around the edge but zero power in his push.

Khalid Kareem

Kareem was the much more physical of the outside linebackers this week, as he’s been all pre-season. He made several solid edge plays, including a sack when he did not fall for a naked bootleg and was able to finish.

He also just missed on a near-sack. If it’s down to Murphy or Kareem as a backup edge, we’re choosing the more physical Kareem.

Trace Ford

Leading the defense in practically every category this week, Ford’s five tackles were achieved in various ways, but most of his big plays (including his one sack and the handful of pressures) all seemed to come off inside pressures.

Ford was constantly beating the offense to the inside and then using his fine closing speed to finish off plays in the backfield. Three of his tackles came in the backfield besides the sack. He also got his hands on two other passes and made one of his tackles in drop-back coverage and closed on a short completion.

We’re not sure what else Ford could have done to make this team, but he sure got the coaches' attention with his overall play.

In fact, Ford has improved his game and become a more aware player who plays contain when it’s called for; he’s not just a gap shooter.

We liked his game last preseason, and we like it even more this summer. The lack of length will always be a problem, but he sure plays this game fast.

Inside Linebackers

Micah McFadden

In his two series with the defense, McFadden ended up leading the defense with 6 total tackles, as he seemed to be the only starter tonight who played with any fire right out of the chute.

The problem with McFadden’s tackles is that they’re rarely physical. He’s usually dragged or falls off of them, and this lack of physicality makes him rather problematic.

His quick-reading skills will keep him on this team, but for how long?

Jack Kelly

Though the rookie made a nice tackle to stop an early touchdown, on the very next play he failed to get a piece of the back on a short touchdown run that he had a chance to stuff.

Unlike McFadden, Kelly is very slow to read and just isn’t ready to play regularly. He did have several productive blitzes and just missed a sack.

He also blew the coverage on an uncovered back out of the backfield that went for 20 untouched yards. Kelly has shown enough to make this team, but he’s a defensive liability right now.

Zaire Barnes

We’re really intrigued by Barnes’ play at inside linebacker. His nice leaping interception came off a great drop and reaction to two receivers in his zone. Barnes adjusted his angle to cover both the short and intermediate receivers, then reacted to the intermediate throw with a leap and catch in front of the receiver.

Barnes also reacted well in his pass coverages, getting his hand on one ball and moving very smoothly in space.

He also made several run game tackles by closing down hard on his gap; he’s got enough physicality and some experience now to know the position and be where he’s supposed to be. We think he’s making this team, at the very least as an enforcer on special teams.

Darius Muasau

This young veteran barely got any snaps on defense this week, as he was relegated to special teams where he shined. Alas, he didn’t seem to do enough to make this team.

Anfernee Orji

This youngster really flashed on special teams, but he also contributed in the second half with two tackles, one in coverage.

Chandler Martin

Getting some snaps at ILB tonight, Martin looked smallish for the position, but he ran very well, racking up two pursuit tackles in limited snaps.

Cornerbacks

Paulson Adebo

Getting one of the starts, Adebo only played a handful of snaps and never saw the ball come his way.

Deonte Banks

Getting the other start at corner tonight, Banks was not challenged in coverage, but he was quick and active out there and finished off his lone tackle opportunity in limited snaps.

Colton Hood

Getting just a handful of snaps in the second half, Hood was challenged on a back shoulder go route, had tight coverage, and drew an offensive pass interference penalty on the play.

Nic Jones

We spotted enough solid slot coverages from Jones to be impressed. He also flashed well as a gunner on specials. We think Jones has a chance to make this team.

Art Green

Green did not flash out there tonight and suffered an injury to boot.

Korie Black

Getting plenty of action while playing his press responsibilities, we thought Black looked sharp throughout his boundary coverage, despite the pass interference flag he drew, which was a really iffy call.

Black got credit for two defensed passes thanks to his tight coverage. His lone tackle came on a third-down throw in the flat on a bigger tight end, Black going down low to protect himself and making a shoulder tackle.

It wasn’t the most physical play you’d ever see, but Black is not out there for his physicality; he’s out for his coverage skills, which could be enough to make this team.

Ugo Amadi

This veteran defensive back got some second-half snaps and contributed with two tackles.

J.T. Woods

Woods executed a solid back shoulder knockaway and had another deflection off another good coverage. He also delivered the defense’s biggest hit of the game when he closed on a receiver in the flat and clobbered him.

Woods also executed a well-timed blitz and was smart not to over-hit the quarterback when he arrived.

Alas, Woods whiffed on two late-game tackles in space, which were big red flags that he’s not making this team, though his conversion from safety to corner seems to have been something of a success.

Look for him to re-surface on the practice squad.

Safeties

Jason Pinnock

Getting a start, Pinnock was quick to close on several early running plays but did not receive credit on the stat sheet. He only played limited snaps.

Tyler Nubin

Also starting, Nubin played limited snaps and did not flash. Nubin has solidified his hold on a starting job.

Ar’Darius Washington

This defensive back’s nose for the football flashed early with 3 tackles on the Jets’ opening drive, each of them coming against the run. Washington has made this team, likely as a jack-of-all-trades.

Elijah Campbell

Getting just a smattering of snaps on defense, Campbell came up with one hit and also was active on specials. Does he get caught up in the roster numbers crunch?

Beau Brade

Though Brade had a healthy 5 tackles this week, we don’t see a path for him to make this team as his play lacks any dynamic qualities.

Raheem Layne

This player has some dynamic qualities, his hitting specifically, but he also misses too many tackles. He did finish three tackles on defense, however.

Special Teams

Jordan Stout

Stout had punts of 81 and 58 yards, and had a 66-yarder negated by a Giants penalty. He had to re-punt that one, which turned into the 81-yarder and should have been downed on the 1-yard line, except a Giants cover man failed to make the proper play at the goal line.

On that punt, Stout boomed it so high and far that the Jets’ returner refused even to attempt to catch it, letting it bounce, and Stout left it bouncing around inside the 5-yard line while the cover team was late getting downfield.

Stout got credit for a gross average of 69.5 on his two punts. It goes without saying that the Jets had zero punt return yardage on the day, as a penalty (partially caused by Stout’s great punt) negated an 18-yard return.

Dominic Zvada

Finishing off his great preseason, this rookie UDFA won the job with stress-free field goals of 23, 53, and 46 yards, plus two stress-free extra points.

All but one of Zvada’s kickoffs were solid. What a rookie find!

Ben Sauls

Though he didn’t get a chance to show his wares this week, the Giants played against a team tonight whose placekicker position is a mess. We suspect that Sauls will land on his feet with the Jets or possibly the Ravens, whose kicker, Tyler Loop, has been up and down this preseason.

Ben Mann

The team’s rookie deep snapper also completed his rookie preseason on the upswing with trouble-free deep-snapping and solid punt coverage.

Braxton Berrios

Getting tonight’s punt return start, Berrios has won the job. He tracked and smoothly secured all three of his opportunities—two fair catches, plus an 11-yard return.

Xavier Gipson

Gipson produced the team’s best kickoff return of the day on the opener, returning it to the 39-yard line.

Gipson also produced 9 yards on 2 returns, plus securing a third as a fair catch.

His decision-making and ball security have been the biggest challenges in his 3-year career. This preseason, he’s done well to make smarter decisions and hold onto the ball.

Gipson might not make this team due to the numbers crunch, but he’s going to be playing for somebody this season.

Tyrone Tracy Jr.

Before he left the game to be evaluated for a concussion (he passed the check), Tracy was Gipson’s lead blocker on his big kickoff return.

Art Green

Green made a terrible mental error by running out of bounds as a gunner, which is a penalty, and which negated a 66-yard punt and a great open-field tackle.

He was immediately benched but returned to play special teams later and did not flash. We’re not sure Green, who also had an injury, is making this team.

Dalen Cambre

Cambre replaced Green at gunner and played well there, also flashing into several kickoff coverages.

Darius Muasau

This young vet did well to get in on three kickoff return tackles. He was also unlucky when he failed to down a Giants punt near the goal line, allowing it to hit the end line for a touchback and costing him a chance to make a big play.

Give Muasau credit for being the first one down, but a failing grade on keeping the ball in play.

Nic Jones

Jones not only made several nice kickoff closes from his contain position, but he was also one of this week’s starting gunners.

Raheem Layne

The special teams play of the night (other than each of Stout’s punts) was Layne’s great open field tackle on Stout’s first punt.

Layne never got credit for the tackle—he sprinted all the way across the field and, with the proper angle, finished off this play. The Jets took a penalty and had the Giants re-punt.

Anfernee Orji

One of this week’s special teams stars was Orji’s vicious middle dominance on kickoff coverage, getting credit for two solo tackles while being in the middle of a couple more.

The Giants’ second-half kickoff coverage was dominant, and we thought Orji was this wave’s leader.

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