Paulson Adebo is finally on the verge of giving the Giants what they’ve been missing at cornerback: a live body with real experience. The $54 million defender has been out since Week 1, when he injured his knee in the win over the Dallas Cowboys and was placed on injured reserve. This week brought the first encouraging sign of his comeback, with Adebo cleared to practice and listed as a limited participant on Wednesday.
If he’s able to suit up for the Giants’ Week 7 game against the Houston Texans, New York would get a much-needed boost in a secondary that has been stretched thin. Adebo’s return would also give the Giants a chance to move beyond the uneven setup they’ve been forced to use so far this season.
That’s a notable shift for a player who entered the year in a shaky spot. Adebo’s 2025 production before the injury was underwhelming: he allowed completions on two-thirds of the passes thrown at him and intercepted only one ball.
That kind of output didn’t match his $18 million annual salary. And the offseason didn’t make things any easier for him, either.
He slipped behind Deonte Banks and Greg Newsome II on the depth chart and opened the season as a backup.
Even so, the Giants can use him now. Banks and Newsome II have both had their moments, with Banks doing the heavier lifting of the two, but the cornerback group still needs help.
Rookie Colton Hood has looked like a rookie, getting left behind by more polished receivers. Putting Adebo back in the mix would give New York a real rotation at corner for the first time all year.
That matters against Houston. The Texans don’t bring the most explosive receiving group, even with Nico Collins standing out as a threat, but C.J.
Stroud has been rolling. Since Week 5, he ranks fourth in EPA per play, second in success rate, and second in completion rate.
He’s averaging 8.43 yards per attempt, and Houston has looked much more like a team that can keep climbing after its 0-4 start.
The Giants need the win on Sunday if they want to keep their cushion in the NFC East, and the path to that starts with slowing Houston through the air. Adebo won’t solve everything by himself, but his return gives New York’s secondary a better chance to hold up.
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The list of possible suitors also includes the Seahawks and Vikings, which only adds to the sense that any move for Taylor would come with real competition and a steep price. For now, though, it remains an exercise in fit and speculation rather than a confirmed deal, with the conversation around New York focused on whether a swing that big would even be realistic if the Colts decide to entertain offers. [Read more 🡒]
J.J. McCarthy's First Giants Start May Hinge On One Connection
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Giants Secondary Just Took Another Hit At The Worst Time
The Giants secondary keeps getting thinned out just as the schedule asks for more of it, and the latest update only adds to the urgency. Jevon Holland has been downgraded to out for the upcoming game against Houston because he is still in the concussion protocol, leaving New York to keep reshuffling a defensive backfield that already has been stretched by injuries.
Paulson Adebo was activated from injured reserve, which gives the group a needed boost, but there is still plenty of uncertainty around the back end. Greg Newsome II remains out with a concussion, and the Giants also moved Tremaine Edmunds to injured reserve while elevating safety Raheem Layne from the practice squad, another sign that the team is trying to patch together enough reliable bodies for the week ahead. [Read more 🡒]