The New York Giants have signed veteran Pro Bowl safety Antoine Bethea, who will now play for his fourth-career team.
After deciding to not franchise tag Landon Collins, the New York Giants knew that the safety position was one of the top holes to fill. And on Tuesday, they began the efforts to do so.
Per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post, the Giants have agreed to terms with veteran Pro Bowl safety Antoine Bethea on a two-year deal. Bethea has been in the NFL since 2006; this will be his fourth-career team.
Bethea previously played for the Indianapolis Colts, the San Francisco 49ers, and most recently the Arizona Cardinals. In 2017, Bethea played under current Giants defensive coordinator James Bettcher in Arizona. He has 24 career interceptions and 74 career passes defended.
“Bethea can play strong safety and free safety, and his durability is impressive,” writes Schwartz. “He has appeared in 193 regular-season games (184 starts) and played in all 16 games in a season nine times in 13 years. He went seven consecutive seasons without missing a start.”
One day after Collins decided to sign with the Washington Redskins on a six-year deal, the Giants may have not made the best move. Bethea is going to be 35 in July, and may not be as reliable as one of the younger guys they could’ve signed via free agency. He is a three-time Pro Bowler, but his last appearance was back in 2014.
However, the fact that he can play both strong and free safety could be huge for the team’s versatility on defense. That could provide an interesting setup in different situations for this secondary that also includes cornerback Janoris Jenkins.
We’ll see how it goes. It’s only a two-year deal, so Bethea could be used as a placeholder for someone they may look to get in the NFL draft next year or maybe even this year.
