by Craig J.Santucci @NYGiantsRush
There is no doubt about it…the Giants need to go shopping. The cabinets are bare when it comes to the vital needs of the Giants defense. While drafting an Offensive Tackle in the 2020 NFL would be a great upgrade to the offensive, the Giants need to revamp 80% of the defense and it can not be done entirely through draft aline.
The draft and free agency will jump-start the resurgence of the Giants defense but whether they run a 4/3 or 3/4 the Giants need linebackers, both outside and inside backers.
Earlier this month the Browns beat writers announced that Linebacker, Joe Schobert will not be retained by the Cleveland Browns. As much as that is a head-scratcher, the Giants can be the benefactor.
Price Tag:
Schobert price tag ($8MM to $10MM) will be affordable and any defense with him in the fold would immediately feel his impact. Just think at one time Jerry Reese and the Giants paid Vernon $80MM for 3 tackles a game and 6 to 8 sacks a year.
Skill Set:
The 4th round pick from Wisconson is a three-down linebacker led the league in tackles in 2017 and had three straight years of 100+ tackles a year. He is very good in space and can cover Tight Ends and backs out of the backfield. The consensus from people who know Schobert says he was snubbed from the Pro Bowl in 2020. You tell me. Those are some damn good numbers.
133 Tackles | 4 INT’s | 9 Pass Defended | 2 FF | 7 tackles for a loss
– 2019 Joe Schobert Stats
If Schobert isn’t on Dave Gettleman’s shortlist, I would question what he thinks is the “true need” on this team .
Badger Brothers:
Why does this seem like a match made in football heaven? It’s because the Giants stand out the linebacker, Ryan Connelly, was also a Wisconsin Badger. Connelly showed great progress in 2019 and was on his way to becoming the primary signal-caller before tearing an ACL.
Schobert and Connelly would be a nice surprise in the middle of the field playing side by side.