The New York Giants are undoubtedly going to be very active in the upcoming free agency period. The team desperately needs to improve its pass rush from last year, and one position New York must address is defensive end, where Jason Pierre-Paul and Robert Ayers are free agents.
One name fans will hear plenty is Olivier Vernon, assuming the Miami Dolphins don’t use a franchise tag on him. Vernon is coming off of a strong season that saw him record 7.5 sacks and 30 quarterback hits. After Cameron Wake got hurt, Vernon stepped up his game, with 70 percent of his quarterback pressures coming over the final eight weeks of the season.
Vernon would be a perfect fit for the Giants, especially if they also bring back Ayers, who led the team in sacks, pressures and knockdowns last season. The wildcard in all of this is Pierre-Paul. What kind of money will he demand? Is he worth a significant investment given his injury history and lack of consistent production? There is no doubting that Pierre-Paul is a formidable pass rusher, though it’s unclear if he will ever be able to regain that form. He did bring a notable pass rush presence to the Giants last season, even if it only resulted in one sack for him.
All things considered, the Giants need to bring back Ayers and should probably invest in Vernon, who has never missed a game since entering the NFL in 2012 and could be poised for a breakout year after the second half of last season. There will definitely be a lot of competition for his services, and the Giants can’t afford to miss out.
