With NFL free agency just a little over two weeks away, the New York Giants have a lot of decisions to make, especially when it comes to their pass rush.
There are several players who could potentially bolster that pass rush set to become free agents come March 18 and one interesting name has surfaced — San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Arik Armstead.
ESPN lists Armstead as a perfect free agent for the Giants. That is, if he isn’t assigned the franchise tag by 49ers general manager John Lynch:
New York Giants: Edge Arik Armstead
2019 team: 49ers | Age: 26The Giants’ only reliable edge rusher last season (Markus Golden) is set to be a free agent, and he didn’t have anything close to the success rushing the passer in 2019 as his double-digit sacks would suggest. Instead of dumping resources into re-signing Golden, New York could move up a level to target a player such as Armstead, who has seen his career progress tremendously over the past three seasons to the point that he was a top-10 player at the position by PFF grade and wins above replacement during the 2019 season. There’s always a risk when going after a player coming off a career year in a contract season, but the upside with getting a 26-year-old who is growing as a pass-rusher and already dominant against the run helps offset that.
No question the Giants should target Armstead in free agency, should he get there. They are, however, still pondering signing Golden and have to deal with the Leonard Williams situation, which makes dedicating all this money to the defensive front impractical.
If the Giants can get Armstead, do they back off signing Williams or Golden?
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