Kerry Rhodes to Help With 3-Safety Looks For New York Giants

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Giants will be trying out Kerry Rhodes, a brilliant move for the Perry Fewell-led defense. The Giants love to use three-safeties looks, but have had trouble doing it with so few trustworthy safeties.

The Giants started the year with three solid ones: Stevie Brown, Antrel Rolle and Ryan Mundy. Then Brown went down with an ACL tear. Since then, the Giants have had trouble at safety. Both Mundy and Rolle have played well, but the Giants have not gone to the three-safety sets at all.

If they sign Rhodes, the Giants will able to use three safeties a lot, something that has helped them mightily. The thinking behind it is really shrewd by Fewell. The Giants have Rolle, who is an incredible tackler, so they can often put him in the box as a psedo-linebacker. By playing him there, the Giants are a little weaker against the run, but much improved at covering tight ends, running backs and running zones. Mundy also has the ability to play near the line like Rolle does, but without a solid third safety, neither has gotten the chance. Rhodes could give the Giants that flexibility.

Will Hill, another safety, is set to return Week 5, so by then the Giants will have three safeties, but until that time, Rhodes could be useful. Not only that, but even when Hill returns, Rhodes might be the better player. Regardless, injuries are always occurring in the NFL and having an extra safety certainly shouldn’t hurt. Rhodes would definitely give the Giants some additional options in the secondary and that alone is enough to justify a signing.

Jay Cullen is a New York Giants writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter or add him on Google.

New York Giants to sign Kerry Rhodes?