The New York Giants didn’t put the franchise tag on Xavier McKinney, and they could replace him with a safety who played in the NFC East last season, Kevin Byard or Kamren Curl. Byard was released by the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday, March 1, but he and Washington Commanders’ seventh-round draft pick Curl are on the Giants’ radar, according to the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy.
McKinney could still return to MetLife Stadium, despite being eligible to test the 2024 NFL free-agency market. Yet, if the four-year pro can’t come to terms, “the Giants are thought to be interested in adding an NFC East rival via free agency — either Kevin Byard, who played under Bowen with the Titans before he was traded to the Eagles, or four-year Commanders starter Kamren Curl.”
Byard looks like the better fit based on both his ready availability, as well as his familiarity with Giants’ defensive coordinator Shane Bowen. Their working relationship helped Byard enjoy some of the more productive years of his career.
Quickly snapping up Byard on a team-friendly deal would give the Giants a signal-caller with a complete knowledge of Bowen’s system for the secondary. Byard’s presence would also soften the blow of the Giants letting a rising star like McKinney find a new home.
Giants Taking Xavier McKinney Risk
There’s definitely a risk to the Giants opting against using the franchise or transition tags on McKinney before the deadline on Tuesday, March 5. The decision was confirmed by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, prompting Dan Duggan of The Athletic to reveal he’s “heard a wide range of valuations from people around the league.”
Duggan’s note about McKinney still being “a priority for the Giants to re-sign”is telling. Especially since Duggan also reported “the Giants still have an exclusive negotiating window until Monday.”
It would make sense for general manager Joe Schoen to use every available minute between now and Monday, March 11 to test McKinney’s resolve. The latter has earned a lucrative new contract after he logged a career-high 116 tackles and snatched three interceptions last season.
McKinney was solid in coverage, allowing just 41 completions from 65 targets, per Pro Football Reference. Although he made plays on the back end, McKinney also proved a force closer to the line of scrimmage by blitzing 42 times.
Allowing a 24-year-old with this versatile a skill-set to pursue other offers is a gamble by the Giants. Even though retaining McKinney would be costly, with ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reporting “Estimates from league sources at combine had him in $14M+ range.”
Raanan thinks McKinney is “going to get PAID,” not least because of agent David Mulugheta, who “has three of the top four paid safeties in the NFL in annual per year salary as his clients. He got Landon Collins paid.”
The Giants are projected by Spotrac.com to have $41,001,620 to work with under the salary cap, but are obviously still reluctant to get close to McKinney’s market value.
Better to take a proven veteran like Byard at a discount.
Giants Would Get Kevin Byard Back on Track
Byard earned his second Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods on Bowen’s watch with the Tennessee Titans in 2021. Playing two-deep coverage suited Byard’s instincts for the ball and ability to read the eyes of quarterbacks.
Those qualities helped Byard pick off nine passes during two seasons playing for Bowen. One of those interceptions was a pick-six against Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams.
Bowen treated Byard like a true free safety by trusting him to see the whole field and be a ball-hawk. The same freedom would bolster a Giants’ pass defense that allowed 7.1 yards per attempt and 21 touchdowns through the air in 2023.
Curl would offer something different. Notably, the ability to play closer to the line of scrimmage. He’s often operated at the linebacker level for the Commanders.
That’s where No. 31 began the play when he took on Giants’ right tackle Evan Neal and wrapped up quarterback Daniel Jones in 2022, highlighted by The Podfather.
Curl would replace the attack-first mentality McKinney had in the schemes called by Bowen’s predecessor, Don ‘Wink’ Martindale. Yet, with the Giants now running a less aggressive and more opponent-specific system, signing Byard seems like the smarter move.
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