The New York Giants have been relatively busy this offseason as they’ve added some key free agents. What their activity did not include was a new deal for Markus Golden as he’s still a free agent.
It seems the main deterrent for the Giants was the price tag that Golden would have commanded to retain. He was seeking an average of $10 million per season early in free agency.
“Somehow, that production still hasn’t benefited Golden in free agency, and the $10 million-per-year ship has sailed,” ESPN’s Jordan Raanan wrote. “That is believed to have been Golden’s asking price, a source told ESPN. Golden has attracted interest from other NFL teams, but that price was more than any of the pass-rush-needy teams were willing to pay.”
The expectation for the Giants is they don’t end up re-signing Golden and they go with cheaper options, even though it makes sense to bring him back. That opens up an opportunity for teams that still have cap space and are seeking a boost in the pass rush department.
Golden appeared in all 16 games during the 2019 season. He recorded 72 combined tackles (13 for loss) and 10 sacks. It was a productive first season with the Giants after previously playing for the Arizona Cardinals since the 2015 season.
With that being said, there are three teams that stand out as potential landings spots for Markus Golden.
