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New York Giants Address Ailing Secondary

By Maurice Moton

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The injury bug ravaged the New York Giants secondary in their preseason opener against the Cincinnati Bengals.

According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, rookie safeties Mykkele Thompson and Landon Collins both suffered injuries, and Thompson’s Achilles injury will cost him the entire 2015 season.

Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Collins’ MCL sprain will likely end his preseason campaign leaving a ton of reps for the next man up at safety. As a second-round pick, Collins was expected to take over the reigns at the position after the departure of safety Antrel Rolle.

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Thompson’s injury eliminates the youthful depth behind Collins, which puts the Giants in scramble mode for some able bodies.

NFL.com’s Kevin Patra confirmed the signing of veteran safety Brandon Meriweather, a free agent who last played with the Washington Redskins and is known for laying the hammer down with his tackles.

Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

The former two-time Pro Bowler steps into the Giants secondary with confidence, proclaiming himself as one of the best safeties in the league, per NJ.com reporter James Kratch.

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It takes a confident 31-year-old safety to make such a bold statement as he’s coming off the NFL’s free-agent market one week into preseason. But the Giants need his type of swagger after Rolle, a three-time Pro Bowler, signed with the Chicago Bears in the offseason.

On the flipside, Meriweather has a history of missing games due to injuries and suspensions for his helmet-to-helmet hits, explained in detail by Washington Post writer Mike Jones:

"The eighth-year veteran originally signed with Washington in 2012, but missed all but one game because of knee injuries. Meriweather missed time both to injury and suspension in 2013, playing 13 games. He missed the first two games of this season because of another illegal helmet-to-helmet hit and had played 10 straight games before leaving the first half of the Colts’ game because of the toe injury."

Meriweather hasn’t played a full season since his glory days with the New England Patriots dating back to the 2009 and 2010 seasons when he performed on a Pro-Bowl level.

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo better start with cleaning up Meriweather’s tackling technique. There’s nothing worse than paying a guy in desperation, who removes himself from the game with avoidable penalties.

Head coach Tom Coughlin’s face would turn as red as a ripe strawberry watching Meriweather’s senseless penalties pile up. Hopefully, the veteran took time away from the game to examine his shortcomings. He must wrap up instead of crashing head on, literally.

The remaining three preseason games will serve as a crucial period to piece together the Giants’ crumbling secondary. It’s not a definite that Collins returns in time for the regular-season opener against the Dallas Cowboys with that MCL sprain. Cornerbacks Prince Amukamara and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie are both nursing injuries as well, but hope to return to the field sooner than later.

Don’t rule out another signing within the week to ensure enough talent within the secondary, particularly at safety. Former fifth-round pick, safety Nat Berhe also struggled with a calf injury, but there’s hope he’ll return soon as well.

Meriweather won’t step in as the savior, but the cupboard has been stripped bare at safety. The Giants couldn’t find comfort with the combination of Bennett Jackson, Jeromy Miles and Cooper Taylor, who combine for just three starts among them, running the show between their cornerbacks.

All statistics are provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.

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