On Monday, the New York Giants agreed to terms with linebacker Bobby Okereke on a four-year deal not long after the NFL’s legal tampering window opened.
General manager Joe Schoen was expected to focus on the middle of his defense early in free agency and that proved to be true. The Giants had not addressed their situation at inside linebacker dating back to the Antonio Pierce days, so Okereke is a welcomed addition among Giants Nation.
But not everyone liked the signing or the deal.
Here’s a look at grades from around the league:
ESPN: C-
Those at ESPN, including Seth Walder, were not at all impressed with Okereke’s contract.
It makes sense for the Giants to add a linebacker … but his deal is clearly above the market. Long is likely a better player, and he received a contract with just over half the average per year Okereke got and with a total value that is half the guarantee Okereke received. The grade wouldn’t be quite as harsh if this had come earlier in the day, but now that it’s clear where the off-ball linebacker market is, this looks like an error.
Sporting News: A
Okereke providing the Giants an upgrade in coverage at linebacker was enough to earn a high grade from The Sporting News.
The Giants needed to be more active in the second level to clean up better against the run and also upgrade coverage. Okereke is a perfect addition for those ends.
Pro Football Focus: A/B
Pro Football Focus was split on their grade of Okereke’s signing, giving it an “A” for fit but just a “B” for value.
Okereke burst onto the scene with an impressive rookie 2019 season that saw him stand out in coverage, allowing just 28 receptions from 34 targets on 219 snaps in coverage. He somewhat struggled in 2020 and 2021, with sub-60.0 PFF grades in both seasons, before a bounce-back year in 2022. This past season, his 53 tackles resulting in a defensive stop were tied for 12th among all players at the position.
The Athletic: B
Like PFF before them, The Athletic wasn’t overly impressed with the overall value of Okereke’s addition but acknowledge it will improve the Giants’ defense.
Okereke obviously made an impression on the Giants by earning 17 tackles against them in Week 17. He finished the season with 151 tackles (10th-most in the NFL) and also ranks among the best in pass coverage. He should help the Giants continue their climb.
Bleacher Report: A
Bleacher Report views Okereke as a huge upgrade for the Giants but unlike other analysts, they are concerned with his coverage ability.
The 26-year-old Okereke isn’t without his flaws. He left the field in passing situations at times in Indianapolis and has allowed over 70 percent of the passes thrown in his direction to be completed in all four seasons.
But Okereke has better range than anyone currently on New York’s roster, and he is a ferocious run-stuffer. In each of the last two years, Okereke has topped 130 tackles, including a career-high 151 last season.
Walter Football: B
Like ESPN, Walter Football believes Okereke fits an area of need for the Giants but sees the contract as an over-pay.
The Giants have needed help at linebacker for eons. Perhaps that is coming to an end in the wake of this signing. They’ve added Bobby Okereke, who is coming off the best season in his career.
This is a bit of an overpay for Okereke, but it’s not too bad. Okereke is a soild, but unspectacular linebacker who excels more against the run. He’ll be an upgrade for the team in the middle of the field, though I would have given him a bit less.
Sports Illustrated: B+
In a running theme, Sports Illustrated feels the Giants overpaid a bit for Okereke but like the fit.
Okereke was a tackling machine with the Colts, recording more than 130 total tackles in back-to-back seasons. The Colts probably wanted to keep Okereke, but they already committed to Shaquille Leonard, and most teams tend not to invest in multiple off-ball linebackers—unless it’s the Bears (see below Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards grade details).
The Giants didn’t have to break the bank for a rising playmaker and Okereke gets a nice payday.
The 33rd Team: B+
The 33rd Team view the addition as a positive one, even more so because Okereke has improved in coverage.
Bobby Okereke had great production the past two years as a Colts starting linebacker. He’s a 26-year-old former third-round pick. Okereke had 151 tackles last season, is a smart player with good instincts and can play different linebacker spots. He has been better against the run than the pass in his Colts years but his coverage skills have improved. He should help the Giants at a need position.
