:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/28295891/20140206_jla_al2_602.0.jpg)
The New York Giants have loads of needs on the offensive side of the ball heading into 2014, and much of their offseason will be devoted to trying to fix them. The Giants, however, can't forget about their defense, where there are also holes to fill.
One of those holes is at cornerback. The Giants have Prince Amukamara, who began to come into his own as a quality player in 2013, but beyond him are only question marks.
Corey Webster is gone, and Aaron Ross also seems unlikely to be brought back. Terrell Thomas had a terrific comeback season in 2013, but he is a free agent and with a thrice-torn ACL in his left knee counting on him is a huge risk. Trumaine McBride had a good 2013 season, but he is also a free agent and is really a journeyman. Jayron Hosley has yet to show he can handle regular playing time, either in the slot or on the outside.
One free-agent cornerback who might intrigue the Giants is Walter Thurmond III of the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. Coming off a Super Bowl title, the Seahawks will have to find ways to pay players looking to cash in on the team's success. Could Thurmond wind up being a player Seattle ends up unable to keep? NFL.com thinks Thurmond might be one of the players who gets away from the Seahawks.
The 26-year-old Thurmond is ranked No. 23 on the NFL.com list of the top 25 available free agents. Thurmond was a fourth-round pick by Seattle in 2010. He missed significant time in 2011 and 2012 after suffering a broken leg. In 2013 he played 12 games, starting three, largely as a slot corner. He received a +4.8 grade from Pro Football Focus, +4.0 in pass coverage. Quarterbacks had a passer rating of 67.5 when targeting him.
At least one writer for SB Nation's Seahawks blog, Field Gulls, believes Thurmond's future is "somewhere outside of Seattle."
Could that future be with the Giants? Thurmond is on the small side at 5-foot-11, 186-pounds but might be a player whose career could be on the upswing. It is worth noting that Thurmond was suspended for four games in 2013 for violating the league's substance abuse policy.
Your thoughts, Giants' fans?