I’ve been thinking about this for the last few days...I think we all agree that CB #2 is a gaping hole on this defense, but could the solution already be on the roster?
5’11” 195 pounds. Drafted in the 4th round in 2019.
At Notre Dame, he started at 8 games at CB as a freshman, and played in all 12. His sophomore year, he started all 13 games at CB. His junior year, he was a consensus All-American CB. After his junior year, he declared for the draft.
At Notre Dame, opposing offenses rarely even tried his side of the field.
There were questions about his long speed (4.54 40 at the combine) which likely caused his fall to the 4th round, but slower players have had solid careers at CB.
In his time with the Giants, he has rarely played CB. He was primarily used as a FS his rookie year, and this season, he played the 3rd safety spot behind Peppers and Ryan while McKinney was hurt.
McKinney was drafted in the early 2nd round, and seems to be the plan of the future at FS.
This season, there was a massive void at CB #2. The likes of Yiadom, Harper, R. Lewis, J. Williams, and Holmes all had their turn to play opposite Bradberry, with mixed results. Yes, players like Yiadom and Holmes improved, but there were certainly bumps in the road.
Love was forced into action at CB during the must win week 17 game a against Dallas, and played rather well against a strong WR trio of Cooper, Gallup, and Lamb. No, he wasn’t shutdown, but he certainly played just as well as any of the others that manned that spot throughout the season.
I understand that versatility is his strength, but moving forward, how is he going to see the field? He is behind Peppers, Ryan, and McKinney.
What is Love’s role? Why hasn’t he been considered as an option at CB #2? He never played S at any point in his career before his time in the NFL, so why is there an assumption that he can’t play CB at this level?
Where is the love for Love?
That said, Peppers will probably see a lot of time in the box. The other two safeties also have a lot of versatility so I do think he will see the field regularly due to certain defensive packages.
Bradberry, DB2, Holmes, Love
Ryan, Peppers, McKinney, Love
He's a tweener... not really physical enough for safety and probably not fast enough to be a starting CB in this league. There is a good article on him at Giants.com (I'll link below).
If you recall, he began the season as the starting free safety but the team began to give Logan Ryan more time. Love's playing time really fluctuated if you look at his snap counts on a game to game basis. Some games he played a ton, some not at all. He ended up playing in 66 percent of all defensive snaps.
He started at CB against Cleveland and then the Cowboys and did a nice job, particularly in the finale.
Best influence on him right now is Ryan, which he admits himself.
Giants find role(s) for Julian Love in secondary - ( New Window )
Bradberry, DB2, Holmes, Love
Ryan, Peppers, McKinney, Love
Well put, Good enough to want to keep with his versatility. Really not good enough to want to start because he has flaws and QBs do indeed target him as a CB.
Career back-up at best.
71% completion against | 16.2 YPC | 128 Rating against
22/31 | 357 YDS | 3TDs | 1 INT | 3 PDs
Love is a mid round, depth player, who is a tweener.
Guys like him are on the bottom of the roster of good teams.
If he can be a poor man's Logan Ryan, then that's not a bad thing. Is he more than that? TBD.
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Role player that can step in at Safety and CB when needed. Guys like him are need on a good teams.
Guys like him are on the bottom of the roster of good teams.
That makes him a good player. He is much better than bottom of the roster material, yet that is where he is on the Giants. So the Giants are good team?
That makes no sense. Even the good teams have fringe players at the very bottom of their depth chart. On a good team he’d be at the very bottom or on the practice squad.
He gets playing time on the Giants because they are bereft of talent at corner, and they lost two corners and a safety before the season started. He’s a 5th corner, 4th safety type.
He’s dismal in coverage.
Might be a great zone CB on a defense that features tremendous pass rush. Terrific ball awareness when playing off and reading QB.
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That makes him a good player. He is much better than bottom of the roster material, yet that is where he is on the Giants. So the Giants are good team?
That makes no sense. Even the good teams have fringe players at the very bottom of their depth chart. On a good team he’d be at the very bottom or on the practice squad.
He gets playing time on the Giants because they are bereft of talent at corner, and they lost two corners and a safety before the season started. He’s a 5th corner, 4th safety type.
He’s dismal in coverage.
They need another starting CB. They have one good starter and a good nickelback.
They have a couple decent backups at corner including Love. Not starters, but backups as good as most teams backup corners.
They need another starter and they have a damn good stable of CBs
Only on BBI would this be considered "bereft" of talent.
If these guys had stars on their helmets many around here would be singing their praises
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That makes him a good player. He is much better than bottom of the roster material, yet that is where he is on the Giants. So the Giants are good team?
That makes no sense. Even the good teams have fringe players at the very bottom of their depth chart. On a good team he’d be at the very bottom or on the practice squad.
He gets playing time on the Giants because they are bereft of talent at corner, and they lost two corners and a safety before the season started. He’s a 5th corner, 4th safety type.
He’s dismal in coverage.
Your opinion and I disagree. I think he is better than Yiadom and at worst equal.
Yiadom and Love are both quantifiably bad in coverage. Yiadom had a 120 QB rating against, and gave up 6 TDs on 60 targets. Really think about that. One out of ten times the ball was thrown his way, the opponent scored.
The only reason he got so much burn at CB is because of Love. Want to call them equal? That’s cool.
If the Baker, Beal, and McKinney situations don’t develop, Yiadom and Love don’t play meaningful snaps last year.
What last 2 games did he look good?
Love did a nice job at CB week 17 vs. the Cowboys. But I do not see him being part of the plans at outside CB opposite Bradberry. They'd probably love to get Surtain, but I would not be shocked w/another big name UFA either. Maybe JC Jackson?
There is no way you can throw Love out there as the 2nd CB. He’s only good when he can play 8 yards off the ball. You can’t be a starting corner in the NFL when you can never come up to the line.
He does have value though, he’s like a poor mans Logan Ryan and if he develops the mental stuff at safety he can develop to be just like him.
Bradberry, DB2, Holmes, Love
Ryan, Peppers, McKinney, Love
Agree. His versatility will keep him on the roster.
(I'm a total Notre Dame homer so...Haha.)
He's a generalist in a time of specialization - (which has been defined as "knowing more and more about less and less".).