It is widely believed that the New York Giants are lacking a consistent pass rush and that their roster is currently devoid of game-changing talent along the edge, but might they have a gem hiding among that positional group?
Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report recently examined some of the NFL’s best-kept secrets and when it came to the Giants, it was edge rusher Oshane Ximines who got the nod.
The New York Giants don’t have an elite edge-rusher. But as Paul Schwartz of the New York Post reported, head coach Joe Judge doesn’t think the G-Men necessarily need one.
“I think you have to use what you have available to you,” Judge said. “Everybody really wants an elite guy. I think that’s a true statement. No one’s going to turn down a good football player. But you have to find ways, if you don’t have necessarily that one elite guy, of getting production out of maybe two to three other players that complement each other.”
The thing is, the Giants might still wind up with one—provided Oshane Ximines continues to improve.
A second-year pro out of Old Dominion, Ximines had just 25 tackles and 4.5 sacks as a rookie. But he showed signs of marked improvement down the stretch, including a two-sack effort against the Eagles in December.
Edge-rushers face a steep learning curve in the pros. That’s doubly true for one from a small program. But Ximines has the talent and ability to be a consistent thorn in the side of signal-callers.
Ximines is no secret to Giants fans, many of whom believe he should see a larger role and buy into his ability to develop into an above average edge rusher.
As Davenport alludes, Ximines flashed at times during his rookie season, but was limited to just 503 defensive snaps as part of the team’s rotation. Now in his second season, this one coming under defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, Ximines should see increased opportunities as the Giants adopt the New England Patriots’ and Baltimore Ravens’ method of rushing the passer.
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