The New York Giants’ biggest splash in free agency this offseason was signing linebacker Bobby Okereke. Okereke left the Indianapolis Colts to sign a four-year, $40 million deal with New York, providing them with a massive upgrade at the second level of their defense.
Last season, the Giants struggled to get consistent production from their linebackers. They struggled in virtually every facet of the game, struggling in pass coverage and against the run. Okereke will help turn that around instantly, as he is all over the field.
In the last two seasons, Okereke has 283 combined tackles and nine tackles for a loss. The Giants are certainly happy about adding him to the mix defensively, but they may not be done adding to the position.
According to Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network, the Giants are one of the teams that are showing heavy interest in Florida linebacker Ventrell Miller. He met with New York and the Baltimore Ravens brass virtually earlier this week.
The linebackers coaches of the Los Angeles Chargers and Seattle Seahawks met with him last week along with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ front office. Next week, Miller will take a visit to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The progress that Miller is making from the Jones fracture in his foot is certainly encouraging. There are a lot of intangibles that he brings to the field that will be appealing to teams, such as his vast experience and high football IQ.
The biggest knock against Miller is his athleticism, or lack thereof, which limits him in pass coverage. We have seen plenty of players struggle to find consistent playing time in the NFL if they cannot cut it in pass coverage, so that is an area he certainly needs to continue working on.
Miller can make an impact as a run defender in the box, profiling as a two-down linebacker at the next level. The leadership qualities that he showcases are also appealing to teams at the next level. At the very least, Miller should be able to contribute on special teams even if he is unable to improve in pass coverage.
The Giants have had plenty of success drafting late-round linebackers in recent years and turning them into contributors. Whether it is on defense or as special teams aces, Big Blue has an eye for immediate contributors even late in the draft, where Miller is projected to be selected.
