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New York Giants Starter Could Lose His Job to Oft-Injured Sleeper
- Story by
- New York Giants Starter Could Lose His Job to Oft-Injured Sleeper
When the New York Giants hired John Harbaugh to be their next head coach, you could already feel the culture shift.
Harbaugh is the first accomplished leader the Giants have had since Tom Coughlin, and immediate results are expected.
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That's a big reason why some have New York tabbed as a potential playoff contender heading into the 2026 NFL campaign.
Harbaugh also made it a point to bring in some of his former Baltimore Ravens players, adding pieces like tight end Isaiah Likely and fullback Patrick Ricard in free agency.
And in the midst of those bigger signings, Harbaugh made another under-the-radar acquisition that could ultimately come to the forefront soon: safety Ar'Darius Washington.
Washington spent five years playing for Harbaugh in Baltimore from 2021 through 2025, but injuries derailed much of his Ravens tenure. Last May, for example, the 26-year-old suffered a torn Achilles, resulting in him missing most of last season.
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But now, Washington is healthy, and he could be a major sleeper for the Giants in camp, especially considering how thin New York is at safety.
Ar'Darius Washington. Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images.
Yes, the Giants signed Jevon Holland last March, so he is locked in at one of the two starting safety spots. But then there is Tyler Nubin , who has been a major disappointment over his first couple of NFL seasons.
Nubin is absolutely not guaranteed to keep his starting job next fall, and Washington could be coming for it.
After all, two years ago, Washington registered 64 tackles, a sack, a couple of interceptions and eight passes defended in a crucial role with Baltimore.
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Washington was good that season, in fact, that he posted an 84.2 coverage grade at Pro Football Focus, which ranked fifth among all qualifying safeties.
The TCU product went undrafted back in 2021, but when he has been on the field, he has shown that he can be an impactful player.
As for Nubin? Not so much.
The 24-year-old was a second-round pick of Big Blue in 2024 and has yet to log a single interception in 26 games. He has also totaled just three passes defended.
Nubin was a major weak spot in the Giants' secondary last season, and you have to expect opponents will target him again in 2026.
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That is, of course, unless the oft-injured Washington — who has played a grand total of 29 games in five seasons — can beat him out for the starting job, which is absolutely a possibility.
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