The New York Giants have yet to sign Markus Golden to a new contract. But according to a report, he’s willing to remain patient.
One of the bigger tasks for the New York Giants heading into the free agency period was to sign a dominant pass rusher. Whether that was acquiring someone new or just re-signing Markus Golden, Big Blue needed someone to help them improve in that department.
But in spite of the fact that the front office has made a number of moves, they’ve yet to come to an agreement with a big-name edge rusher. Their best bet at this point may be to bring back Golden, who led the team with 10 sacks in 2019. So is it concerning that they haven’t agreed to terms yet?
Not necessarily, and according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN, Golden is “willing to be patient.”
The interest in Markus Golden is there. Price hasn’t been right to this point. But he’s willing to be patient. Giants among teams monitoring. After all, this is a player who had double-digit sacks. Was sixth in NFL w/27 QB hits + T-14th with 13 TFLs. Quality player on market.
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) March 20, 2020
Free-agent veteran Jadeveon Clowney has definitely undergone a better career than Golden. Nonetheless, Markus seems to be the better option for the Giants.
For one, Clowney is seeking around $22-23 million annually in a new deal, according to Ralph Vacchiano of SNY. To put this into perspective, Khalil Mack is the highest-paid edge rusher in the league with a $23.5 million average annual value, per Over The Cap.
Mack recorded 8.5 sacks last year and has hit the double-digit sack mark in four of his six NFL seasons. Clowney racked up three sacks last year and his single-season career-high is 9.5.
Golden will likely be a cheaper option than Clowney and has shown he can significantly produce on the field. His 10 sacks last year marked the first time a Giant hit the double-digit sack mark since Jason Pierre-Paul had 12.5 in 2014. He was also the first Giants linebacker to achieve the very same feat since Lawrence Taylor recorded 10.5 sacks in 1990.
He also possesses familiarity with the organization. Yes, he’ll be playing with a new defensive coordinator in Patrick Graham. But Golden will already have chemistry with a number of players around him in order to maximize his talent and potential.
All in all, the Giants absolutely need to finalize a deal with Golden at this point. If they don’t, it’s a huge loss that would harm this pass rush for 2020 and beyond.
