Brian Daboll’s plan to repair Deonte Banks and the Giants’ secondary proceeded Wednesday with the hiring of Jets safeties coach Marquand Manuel.
Manuel, 45, a former Falcons defensive coordinator (2017-18), is changing former Atlanta colleague Jerome Henderson because the Giants’ new defensive backs coach, in response to ESPN.
His major activity might be to get by to Banks, 23, Joe Schoen’s’ 2023 first-round choose whose effort and effectiveness tailed off dramatically in coordinator Shane Bowen’s first season operating a heavier zone scheme.
Henderson held Banks accountable and coached him arduous, however Daboll didn’t.
Manuel’s influence on Giants second-year security Tyler Nubin, nevertheless, might be simply as crucial as his work with Banks. Manuel performed security throughout his eight seasons within the NFL (2002-2009), and Nubin didn’t have a powerful rookie season.
The second-round select of Minnesota made 98 tackles with a compelled fumble and fumble restoration, however he didn’t file a single interception and infrequently took unhealthy angles to the ball and obtained misplaced in area.
The Giants fired each Henderson and safeties coach Mike Treier after the season, however there have been different voices across the secondary, together with assistant secondary coach Mike Adams and former Northwestern affiliate head coach Matt MacPherson.
The staff says MacPherson, whom the Giants by no means introduced as an addition on their employees, was an unpaid guide who reported to the constructing three days every week and solely charted performs.
However MacPherson — a former DePauw school teammate of Schoen’s who was fired by Northwestern after allegedly witnessing participant hazing — was on the follow discipline steadily after becoming a member of the Giants in coaching camp as one other cook dinner in a crowded kitchen.
So Manuel will want some high quality management on who’s round his gamers.
Schoen’s job is so as to add a No. 1 nook to the roster as Banks hopefully blossoms into at the least a powerful No. 2, which he confirmed indicators of being throughout his 2023 rookie season beneath former coordinator Wink Martindale.
The staff can also be quick on security expertise after Schoen let first-team All-Professional Xavier McKinney stroll to the Inexperienced Bay Packers final offseason.
Giants starter Jason Pinnock was lower whereas enjoying beneath Manuel for the Jets in 2021. He’s now a free agent and isn’t anticipated to return to New York.
The Jets’ protection solely recorded seven interceptions final season to the Giants’ measly 5. But when Schoen can provide Manuel extra gamers and the coach can influence the staff’s current younger expertise, possibly the Giants protection can get again to playmaking on the again finish.
Like after they tied for the NFL lead in takeaways (31) and tied for second within the league in interceptions (18) in 2023 beneath Martindale.
Manuel’s connection to some former Jets DBs may influence the Giants’ free company intentions, though he could be competing with former Jets interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich, who simply took the Falcons’ defensive coordinator job.
Jets corners D.J. Reed, Isaiah Oliver and Brandin Echols, and safeties Chuck Clark and Ashtyn Davis, are all unrestricted free brokers. And Tony Adams is a restricted free agent.
Oliver, 28, performed for Manuel in Atlanta after which joined him final season with the Jets. So there’s a sturdy connection there.
Manuel’s connections to his gamers, although, will solely matter as a lot as the standard of them.
BOOGIE DOWN
Giants defensive lineman Boogie Basham, acquired by Schoen in an Aug. 2023 commerce from the Buffalo Payments, has signed a futures contract with the Carolina Panthers. Basham, 27, finishes his Giants profession with 20 tackles and no sacks in 280 defensive snaps throughout 17 common season video games. His impartial zone infraction on an Eagles 4th and three in Week 18 led to a Philly discipline objective and helped seal a 20-13 Giants loss that dropped them to 3-14 on the season and secured the No. 3 general choose.
HODGINS UPGRADES
Giants broad receiver Isaiah Hodgins signed a futures contract instantly after the season ended with the San Francisco 49ers. Hodgins, 26, regardless of being a seemingly profitable Schoen declare in 2022, is one in every of a number of Giants gamers whose contributions to that season’s playoff berth and Wild Card victory went underappreciated in New York. Hodgins caught 5 landing passes from Daniel Jones in a six-game span down the stretch of that season, together with eight receptions for 105 yards and a landing of their street playoff win at Minnesota. That victory nonetheless marks the Giants’ solely postseason win since 2011. However Hodgins began fading out of the sport plan through the 2023 season after which was shoved off the grid to the follow squad for the majority of this previous yr.
