The New York Giants went out and got their guy, and it did not matter that they spent a bunch of money in doing so. With the departure of linebacker Bobby Okereke to the nearly identical Giants team in Tennessee, they looked to former Chicago Bears star linebacker Tremaine Edmunds to replace him.
At this point, without a single snap in a Big Blue uniform, Edmunds should be a clear upgrade. But there are some who believe that this signing was not as great as it might seem on paper, and it could turn around on the G-Men and dismantle their serious swing in momentum this offseason.
Pro Football Focus’ Zoltán Buday named Edmunds as his least favorite signing by New York this offseason. Let’s talk about why that might not be the case.
PFF calling Tremaine Edmunds a bad signing doesn’t add up
Edmunds has been a consistent player since joining the NFL in 2018. The former Virginia Tech product is a 250-pound tackling machine who has manned the middle of both the Buffalo Bills and the Chicago Bears teams he was part of. With 900 tackles in eight seasons, a career-high of 121 tackles, and a career-low of 102, you know what he can bring every single Sunday.
That is exactly what has been missing from this defense, which has continued to lose its way since being in the top 10 in 2020. These last five seasons have seen that group bottom out in the low-to-mid 20’s.
Since it looks like the offensive side of the ball is now secure with new head coach John Harbaugh running things, quarterback Jaxson Dart enters his sophomore season trying to avoid a slump. He has Isaiah Likely as a target, a returning Cam Skattebo and Malik Nabers, and a pleasant surprise signing in Darnell Mooney from Atlanta.
That makes this signing of Edmunds really stand out, as he is really the only big, new addition to this defense. He is the final missing link, holding together that ferocious defensive line and edge rushers, and the lockdown secondary. There is a very good chance that the soon-to-be 28-year-old can hit some new career-highs in New York in 2026.
Compared to the rest of the Giants’ moves this offseason, Edmunds might be one of the smaller signings in terms of flashiness. But its value to this team is immeasurable, and that will show on the field this upcoming September.