With their season looking lost about a month ago, the New York Giants have breathed some life into their 2023 campaign. A lot of that focus has been on quarterback Tommy DeVito, the undrafted rookie who has won three games in a row and become an online sensation.
A lot of it has certainly been warranted as he is playing some great football. As head coach Brian Daboll said, he is improving every week and the Giants have strung together wins as a result.
But, DeVito isn’t the only reason that the team is riding a three-game winning streak. A big reason for their recent success has been the performance of the defense, which has come alive in recent weeks under Wink Martindale.
NFL News & Rumors: Xavier McKinney & New York Giants Updates
2022 first-round pick Kayvon Thibodeaux has been living in the opponent’s backfield and leads the team with 11.5 sacks on the season. Free agent signing, linebacker Bobby Okereke, has been one of the best players in the NFL at his position this season.
A lot of credit also should go to safety Xavier McKinney. A second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, McKinney has come under fire at times, especially this season for some of the comments he has made. But, on the field, he has been a steady producer for the team.
Since Week 11, he has been a difference-maker in the passing game. According to PFF NY Giants on X, formerly Twitter, McKinney has earned a 90.9 coverage grade since that point. That is No. 1 among safeties in the NFL over that span.
On the season, McKinney’s coverage grade is 87.0, which is stellar and good enough for fourth place among safeties. Per PFF, his 82.0 overall grade is 10th among players at the position as McKinney is developing into quite the player in the Giants; secondary.
In 13 games this season, McKinney has totaled 90 tackles to go along with eight passes defended, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries as he always seems to be around the ball. Most importantly, he is always on the field.
NFL News & Rumors: Xavier McKinney & New York Giants Updates
McKinney has not missed a defensive snap this season, playing all 864 plays the Giants have been on the field this season. The best ability is availability, as McKinney is an invaluable player to the team’s defensive scheme.
Playing out the final year of his rookie contract, it will be interesting to see how the Giants handle things with him this offseason. They were in a similar situation with another Alabama safety selected in the second round with Landon Collins in 2015.
The general manager at the time, Dave Gettleman, allowed him to leave in free agency, signing a deal with the Washington Commanders. Will McKinney follow the same path, or will Joe Schoen be able to lock him into a long-term deal to keep him in New York? Only time will tell as McKinney’s price tag is going up with every passing game.
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