The Giants didn’t bring Tremaine Edmunds in for noise. They brought him in to stop the bleeding in the run game, and three weeks into the season, that investment is already showing up where it matters.
New York signed Edmunds to a three-year, $36 million deal in March, betting $12 million per year on a linebacker who could clean up the middle of a defense that had been a problem for years. So far, the fit has been right on schedule. The Giants are giving up 104.3 rushing yards per game, tied for 12th in the NFL, and Edmunds is leading the team with 23 total tackles while helping stabilize a defense that has the Giants at 2-1 despite a bottom-five offense.
His presence has been obvious in the box score and on the field. Edmunds piled up eight combined tackles in the Week 1 win over Dallas, then added ten more in the Week 3 win over Tennessee. That kind of volume is exactly why New York made him the centerpiece of its offseason plan.
The Giants spent the offseason reworking their front seven around new money and youth. They traded nose tackle Dexter Lawrence to Cincinnati for the No. 10 overall pick last offseason, then leaned on Edmunds as the off-ball linebacker who could cover ground and finish plays. At 6-foot-5, he was supposed to bring size, range and reliability to a defense that had spent recent seasons getting pushed around at the point of attack.
The early returns go beyond just the run numbers. New York’s defense is allowing 18.3 points per game, good for ninth in the league, even as the offense continues to sputter.
The unit is also giving up 329.0 total yards per game, which ranks 18th, and 224.7 passing yards per game, also 18th. That leaves some work to do through the air, especially with the front missing Brian Burns, but the run defense is no longer the glaring issue it once was.
That’s the part the Giants were trying to fix, and Edmunds has been the face of it. He hasn’t delivered a splash play yet - no sacks, no tackles for loss and no takeaways through three games - but the tackle production and the improved run defense are the exact returns New York paid for.
For now, that’s enough to say the plan is working.
In Other News...
Giants Add A Receiver With Ties Fans Definitely Did Not Expect
The Giants are adding another wide receiver to the mix, signing Dontae Fleming to the practice squad after bringing him in for a visit. Fleming has spent time with the Vikings, and his path to New York comes with some unusual familiar faces, including ties to Giants players Dalen Cambre and J.J. McCarthy.
The move also adds another layer to a transaction cycle that has linked the two teams in recent days, with Minnesota signing recently released Giants player Odell Beckham Jr. to its practice squad. For New York, Fleming is a low-risk depth addition, but the connections around him make this a little more interesting than your typical roster shuffle. [Read more 🡒]
Odell Beckham Jr. Just Landed Another NFL Chance After Giants Exit
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What happens next is still up in the air, including whether Beckham will be available for the upcoming game against the New Orleans Saints. For a player trying to re-establish himself after leaving New York, Minnesota offers a path back into the conversation, but first he has to get through the week and show he can be more than a short-term depth answer. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Keep Sending The Same Frustrating Message About Jalin Hyatt
Braxton Berrios landing on injured reserve after the foot injury he suffered in Week 4 changes the Giants special teams picture in a hurry, with Charlie Jones expected to step in as the teams primary punt and kick returner. It is another one of those early-season roster shifts that usually creates an opening somewhere else, especially for a receiver trying to climb into the mix.
Jalin Hyatt, though, still does not appear close to being that guy. Even with Berrios out and Odell Beckham Jr. gone, the Giants remain reluctant to promote Hyatt to the active roster, a sign that his limited production since entering the league is still weighing on his standing. For a team that could use more juice on offense, the message has been frustratingly consistent. [Read more 🡒]