As the NFL’s legal tampering window opens, New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen will begin his hunt for roster upgrades.
Over the past several weeks, Schoen has been quite transparent when it comes to the team’s needs. He would like to add a top-end inside linebacker while also adding depth along the defensive line.
Those seem to be priorities even above wide receiver, which many would argue is the Giants’ most glaring need.
Schoen is likely to shop near the top-of-the-linebacker market, which will leave him a little less room when it comes to filling out defensive line depth. As a result, he’s likely to scour the mid-tiers for a diamond in the rough among interior linemen.
One potential option, who was highlighted in Jordan Raanan’s recent Breaking Big Blue podcast, is Poona Ford.
“Maybe (they) look into a guy like Poona Ford,” Raanan said. “I heard they might be interested.”
Raanan expects Ford to fall into the $4 million to $6 million range, which would certainly work for the Giants.
However, Pro Football Focus expects Ford to receive a deal at the high end of that range, similar to his previous contract which carried an AAV of $6.17 million.
Two years after signing an early extension, we have Ford effectively signing the same deal once again after a down 2022 season. The undersized interior defender earned his first sub-73.0 PFF grade but still displayed his improved pass-rush skill with 22 quarterback pressures. He also had his lowest missed tackle rate since his rookie season at 7.9%.
A team can bet on Ford bouncing back in 2023 and returning to form as a stout run defender with some minor pass-rush juice.
If Ford’s price falls somewhere in the middle, you can bet the Giants will be in the mix.
