The Giants may have uncovered another useful piece in John Harbaugh’s Ravens-to-New York pipeline, and this time the attention is landing on Ar'Darius Washington.
Washington hasn’t drawn nearly as much buzz as some of the other former Baltimore connections on the roster, which makes sense on the surface. He played only 29 games across five seasons with the Ravens, and 17 of those came in 2024.
Injuries kept interrupting his run in Baltimore, including a torn Achilles last spring. But both Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson clearly see more than the injury history.
ESPN’s Jordan Raanan said Washington “looks natural” in Wilson’s defense, and he also reported that Washington could line up both at slot cornerback and safety.
That kind of versatility is exactly why New York took the shot.
Washington arrived at TCU as a freshman All-American and a standout safety, then somehow went undrafted in 2021. The size concerns were obvious at the combine, where he measured 5-foot-8 and 176 pounds.
That’s a tough frame for an NFL defensive back trying to hold up near the box or play over the top, and one AFC scout put it bluntly before the draft: “He’s a good football player, but he’s too short to play over the top and you see him struggle against length when he’s near the box,” an AFC scout told NFL Media ahead of the 2021 draft. “I love the player, but how do you play him?”
Still, Washington showed enough in 2024 when he was finally given a starting role. The bigger question has always been whether his body would hold up.
That’s a big reason the Giants kept the commitment modest, guaranteeing him $1.5 million on his prove-it deal. Even by NFL standards, that’s a relatively low-risk bet on a player who has flashed enough to make people wonder what he could look like with a cleaner bill of health.
There’s also the age factor. Washington doesn’t turn 27 until November, so he’s not exactly a finished product.
And with Harbaugh and Wilson already familiar with him, the fit makes sense. They wouldn’t have brought him in unless they believed there was real value there, and the move by Harbaugh and Joe Schoen looks like a smart one.
Now comes the part that matters: Saturday’s preseason opener against the Vikings. It’s a chance for Washington to show that the optimism is real.
For any player in August, staying healthy is the priority, but for Washington that challenge is even sharper. He can’t afford a setback that would cut into the opening weeks of the season.
If he gets through the exhibition slate intact, the Giants may have found another keeper.
In Other News...
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For a defense that wants to make quarterbacks think twice before snapping the ball, the appeal is obvious. The idea is to use both players to create uncertainty by blending pass-rush and coverage responsibilities, giving the Giants more flexibility in how they line up and attack. If the pairing develops the way the team hopes, it could become one of the more useful adjustments in the defenses mix this season. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Just Made A Risky Bet On Their Passing Game
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What remains less clear is how quickly Austin can settle into a role that matters and whether he can give New York the kind of impact WanDale Robinson provided before leaving for Tennessee. The Giants are betting on speed and flexibility, but this is still the sort of signing that asks for patience before it offers proof. [Read more 🡒]