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New York Giants' Secondary May Have an Unsung Savior
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- New York Giants' Secondary May Have an Unsung Savior
The New York Giants ' secondary has been a hot topic of discussion this offseason, and that continued into the first day of practice in training camp when the unit was absolutely torched by Jaxson Dart and the Giants' passing game.
But the last two practices told a bit of a different story.
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Yes, the pass rush won both days, with Brian Burns , Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux all making a significant impact. That certainly made the secondary's job easier.
However, we cannot ignore one particular defensive back who has made his presence felt on Days 2 and 3 of practice: Ar'Darius Washington.
A former Baltimore Ravens nickelback/safety, the Giants signed Washington to a one-year contract in free agency back in March. It was a deal that flew under the radar at the time, especially considering that Washington missed most of last year with a torn Achilles.
But anyone who has watched Washington — who certainly isn't a household name — when healthy knows just how good he can be.
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That was on full display Thursday and Friday, when Washington put together back-to-back strong performances. That included an eye-opening blitz that forced a spike from Dart on the former day and a key pass breakup on Malachi Fields on the latter.
Ar'Darius Washington. Credit: Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports.
Back in 2024, Washington finished with 64 tackles, a sack, a couple of interceptions and eight passes defended. He also posted an 84.2 coverage grade at Pro Football Focus that season, so maybe we shouldn't be surprised that he is already making an impact.
New York 's defensive backfield is a massive question mark going into 2026. Paulson Adebo was a major disappointment in Year 1 of his three-year, $54 million deal with the club. The same goes for Jevon Holland in his debut after inking a three-year, $45 million pact.
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The Giants lost top cornerback Cor'Dale Flott in free agency and replaced him with Greg Newsome II , an underwhelming former first-round pick. Deonte Banks — a former first-round bust himself — is challenging for a starting spot. So is second-round pick Colton Hood, who is just a rookie.
Safety Tyler Nubin might not be a legitimate NFL starter, and while New York reunited with Jason Pinnock in free agency, it also lost an important depth piece in Dane Belton .
This is why Mansoor Delane may have made more sense than Arvell Reese at No. 5, but what's done is done.
Washington, though, could potentially be the stir that straws the drink in Big Blue's defensive back room. His versatility is paramount, and he could absolutely threaten the starting jobs of both Nubin and nickelback Dru Phillips .
