The Giants came out of Week 1 with a little shine on their secondary after knocking off the Dallas Cowboys in convincing fashion. That momentum didn’t last long.
Against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 2, New York’s defensive backfield got exposed in a 28-6 loss. The group was already short-handed with Deonte Banks inactive because of a calf injury and Paulson Adebo on injured reserve with a knee issue. Even so, the Rams were missing Puka Nacua because of a hip injury, which gave the Giants a real opening if they could hold up on the back end.
They didn’t.
Davante Adams carved them up for eight catches, 195 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Beyond that, the coverage busts were impossible to ignore.
Rams receivers found too much space downfield and in the back of the end zone, and the Giants looked overmatched from start to finish. For a defense that had already raised questions heading into the season, it was a harsh reminder of why.
That’s the kind of performance that gets Giants fans talking about Joey Porter Jr.
The buzz around the Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback makes even more sense after a game like this. New York added pieces elsewhere when John Harbaugh was named head coach, but the secondary was left largely alone. That means a major move could come later, either in free agency next March or through the draft.
Porter has become a name to watch because there’s growing chatter in Pittsburgh that he wants out. It’s a surprising turn for a player who was drafted in the second round in 2023 and seemed destined for a storybook fit: staying in Pennsylvania after playing at Penn State and joining the same franchise where his father, Joey Porter Sr., starred as a linebacker.
Instead, the contract situation has pushed things in a different direction. Porter is in a contract year, and the Steelers are known for not negotiating during the season.
Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette reported that Porter turned down a $27 million per year offer from the Steelers. He also dealt with a back injury that has since been cleared.
At the same time, CBS Sports’ Tracy Wolfson reported that the Steelers have not shopped Porter and have not received trade calls. That said, things can change quickly as the deadline gets closer and teams start sorting themselves into buyers and sellers.
For the Giants, the bigger point is hard to miss: if they want any real shot at contending, they need help at corner. Porter would fit the bill whether that happens at the trade deadline or in free agency next summer.
Last season, he allowed just 32 receptions for 333 yards and zero touchdowns on 66 targets, according to Pro Football Reference. In his career, he has allowed only one touchdown in coverage.
That’s the kind of production New York needs on the outside. And with the Giants projected to have over $50 million in cap space in 2027, a deal of that size would be manageable if they decide to go that route.
After the Rams put the secondary through the wringer, the message should be obvious for Harbaugh and general manager Joe Schoen: they need a proven difference-maker at corner if they want to avoid nights like this again.
In Other News...
Brian Burns Just Became A Much Bigger Giants Money Question
Brian Burns has quickly turned into more than just one of the Giants most important pass rushers - he is now part of a bigger salary-cap puzzle that Joe Schoen has been pushing into the future. The GM has already reworked Burns deal twice to create room in the 2025 and 2026 cap years, a move that helped the club in the short term but also stacked heavier charges farther down the road.
Burns is signed through 2028, which gives New York some control, but it also leaves the Giants weighing whether an extension makes more sense than simply absorbing those rising numbers later. With Andrew Thomas and Kayvon Thibodeaux also looming as major cap considerations, the teams flexibility will be tested by a handful of core players at once, and Burns may be the clearest example of how todays relief can become tomorrows problem. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Fans Immediately Had One Big Fear After Jaxson Dart Went Down
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Jameis Winston stepped in at quarterback after Dart exited, giving New York a veteran option under center while the bigger concern hung over the sideline. For Giants fans, the reaction was instant and obvious, since any injury to a young quarterback always raises the same uneasy question about how long the team might have to manage without him. [Read more 🡒]
Giants-Rams Betting Twist Could Change Monday Night Touchdown Picks
A late-week injury note around Puka Nacua has already started to reshape the conversation around Monday nights Giants-Rams matchup, and not just for the Rams. With the Los Angeles star trending in the wrong direction because of a groin injury, the betting board suddenly looks a little different, opening the door for other anytime touchdown options to move into view as the game gets closer.
For a Giants team that has leaned into the uncertainty of these prime-time spots, the ripple effect matters because touchdown picks often hinge on opportunity as much as talent. Isaiah Likely, Davante Adams and Jaxson Dart have all surfaced as alternative names to watch, but the matchup still calls for caution with certain players because of workload splits and defensive matchups that could limit the appeal of the more obvious choices. [Read more 🡒]