There is little question that the New York Giants' longstanding issues at inside linebacker have improved since Joe Schoen became general manager in 2022.
The signing of Bobby Okereke to a four-year, $40 million free agent contract before the 2023 season was thought by many to be an overpay. Okereke, though, had a terrific 2023 season and is the quarterback of what Schoen on Tuesday made sure to remind everyone is the youngest defense in the NFL.
In the draft, Schoen has not used premium resources. He has used a fifth-round pick (No. 146) on Micah McFadden, and sixth-round picks on Darrian Beavers and Darius Muasau. McFadden, while his pass coverage sometimes leaves something to be desired, has been a two-year starter after an up-and-down rookie season and has far outplayed his draft slot. Arguably, the only 2022 fifth-round picks who have exceeded McFadden's contributions to the Giants are running back Tyler Allgier (Atlanta Falcons, No. 151), cornerback Riq Woolen (Seattle Seahawks, No. 153), DaRon Bland (Dallas Cowboys, No. 167), and offensive tackle Braxton Jones (Chicago Bears, No. 168).
Current roster: Bobby Okereke, Micah McFadden, Isaiah Simmons, Darius Muasau, Matthew Adams
Injured reserve: Diontae Johnson
Players drafted since 2022: McFadden (Round 5, No. 147, 2022); Darrian Beavers (Round 6, No. 182, 2022); Darius Muasau (Round 6, No. 183, 2024)
As I said at the beginning of this post, the Giants are clearly better at off-ball linebacker than they were when Schoen became GM.
It might be nice to find a more dynamic player who was better in space and coverage than McFadden, but he is a good player.
Muasau looks like good depth, perhaps more than that eventually. Simmons is a sparingly used situational sub-package player I would guess the Giants move on from after the season.
The real question for this group, to me, is figuring out why Okereke has not been as impactful this season as he was last year. Is it the paucity of defensive line talent, other than Dexter Lawrence, in front of him? Is it the change in scheme from a Wink Martindale defense to one coordinated by Shane Bowen? Is it something else?
Okereke had 149 tackles (37 solo) in 2023. He is on pace for 127.5 this season -- a nice number, but it would be the lowest 17-game total of his career. He is on pace for 63 solo tackles, which would also be his lowest 17-game total.
Okereke's Pro Football Focus grade is down from 74.4 to an OK but not special 63.0. His missed tackle rate up from 7.7% to 10.8%. His STOPs are down slightly. After a career-high 56 last season he is on pace for 49 this year.
Okereke was a Wink Martindale devotee. Last season, he called Martindale "legendary" and said he was "a great, elite coach."
"Wink is a phenomenal leader," said Okereke at the time. "Even above a football coach, he's a great human being. He really knows how to bring a group of guys together. And, we talk about competitive spirit all the time, but it really starts with Wink. He has that fire, he has that passion that makes an elite football coach. So every day in practice, every game we're all excited and fired up to go to war for him. So we love him as a coach. We love him as a person, and I really just feel blessed to come here and be, be under him."
Martindale is gone after last season's riff with head coach Brian Daboll. Bowen runs a different scheme.
During the summer, Okereke explained the difference in the two schemes this way:
"Wink kind of wanted you to play hard and fast. You know, just play physical, downhill, figure it out. Here it's a process of elimination. If this guy goes vertical, you check two; if two does this, you check three. You kind of put it in buckets, and that's the process of decision-making I was talking about."
For whatever reason, Bowen isn't getting the best version of Okereke this season. Why is probably the biggest thing the Giants need to figure out at this position.