As I write this, the Giants still have a large question mark at the middle linebacker position. Will Jonathan Goff be healthy enough for full-time status? Did Greg Jones underwhelm enough in 2011 to relegate himself to special teams or a spot off the roster? Will Chase Blackburn return?
I can't answer any of those questions, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't want Greg Jones to have a chance to develop since I pimped him hard here last year. But the reality is that the Giants could benefit from a savvy veteran at the MLB position. And Stephen Tulloch would fill that spot nicely and immediately.
Tulloch began his career with the Titans before signing with the Lions in 2011 to play for Jim Schwartz, who was his coordinator in Nashville. I saw him play when I lived in Music CIty and loved how hard the guy played every down.
Tulloch maybe reached the pinnacle of his career stat-wise in 2010 with 160 tackles (111 solo), a sack, an interception, 6 passes deflected and a fumble recovery. Last season with Detroit, Tulloch had 111 tackles (84 solo), 3 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, two picks and 5 passes deflected)--but while his overall tackles were down, consider that Ndamukong Suh played in front of Tulloch all season. The guy is a hard-hitting linebacker who plays every down like he means it, and that's something the Giants could surely benefit from in 2012. And Pro Football Weekly ranks Tulloch 48th among available free agents.
None of this takes into account how much money Jerry Reese has to spend, or how much roster maneuvering it would take to sign a Stephen Tulloch. But if you've seen him play, you know why he's worth pursuing.