NY Giants Rumors: Jason Pierre-Paul, Antrel Rolle, Walter Thurmond Top Free Agent Targets After Steve Spagnuolo Hired At Coordinator?

Jan 16, 2015 09:34 AM EST
Antrel Rolle #26 of the New York Giants
Antrel Rolle #26 of the New York Giants breaks of a touchdown attempt in the second quarter intended for Jordan Reed #86 of the Washington Redskins during their game at MetLife Stadium on December 14, 2014 in East Rutherford, New Jersey."

The NY Giants have hired Steve Spagnuolo as their new defensive coordinator to replace Perry Fewell and now Tom Coughlin and Jerry Reese can look towards the draft and free agents, as the team has a top 10 pick and names like Jason Pierre-Paul, Antrel Rolle, Walter Thurmond and Jerrel Jernigan hitting the free agency market.

The Giants let go of Fewell after the season at defensive coordinator and they opted to bring back Steve Spagnuolo over hiring Dennis Allen. According to ESPN.com, the team picked Spagnuolo to take over the defense he helped lead to Super Bowl XLII and he was selected over Allen, Raheem Morris and Pepper Johnson, who also interviewed with the Giants. Tom Coughlin said that there were a number of good candidates for the job, but the team felt most comfortable giving Spagnuolo the chance to return.

Fewell helped the Giants win the Super Bowl, but the defense was ranked near the bottom of the league this season in yards allowed per game. The team was 29th in total defense and while they improved down the stretch, it was not enough for Fewell to keep his job. Spagnuolo previously was head coach of the St. Louis Rams and also served as defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints under Sean Payton. Spagnuolo had great success with the Giants, but his team in New Orleans set a record for yards allowed in a season.

Spagnuolo has been with the Baltimore Ravens for the past two seasons as an assistant and he served as the secondary coach last year. The Giants ranked 30th in the league last season in rushing yards allowed per game and they allowed 240 yards through the air per contest. The team has a number of free agents in 2015 and many are from the defensive side of the ball, including JPP, Antrel Rolle and Walter Thurmond. Pierre-Paul is the top player hitting the market, while Rolle and Thurmond are key parts of the secondary.

Pierre-Paul comes in after a bounce back season in 2014, as he had 12.5 sacks this season after putting up just eight in the previous two years. JPP is just 26 and the Giants are looking to bring him back, but if his price tag gets too high they could use the franchise tag on him. Pierre-Paul had 16.5 sacks in 2011 when the Giants won the Super Bowl and if they sign him back they are hoping he is more like that player rather than what happened the next two seasons. Rolle said he wants to return, but he likely will have to take a pay cut to do it. Thurmond signed a one year deal last year and was injured early in the season and he has also expressed interest in returning.

The Giants have a top 10 pick in the draft this year and there have been a number of names that have come up in early mock drafts, including Landon Collins, Vic Beasley, Shaq Thompson and Brandon Scherff as potential selections. Jerry Reese often goes for the best player on the board over need and that clearly worked out last season with Odell Beckham Jr. Mel Kiper Jr. thinks that the team should take  Iowa tackle Brandon Scherff, as they need help on the offensive line, but if Devante Parker or Beasley are on the board, Reese could go that way as well.

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