Giants 90-Man Roster: What Does DT Corbin Bryant Add?

The New York Giants added 6’4, 300-pound six-year veteran defensive tackle Corbin Bryant to their defensive line mix, signing the 29-year-old to a reported one-year contract as a free agent. What does Bryant, who spent the last five seasons with the Buffalo Bills, bring to the Giants?

Let’s take a closer look as we continue our player-by-profiles of the Giants’ 90-man roster.

2016 Season In Review

Corbin played in eight games with six starts before landing on injured reserve due to a shoulder injury. Overall, Bryant has played in 56 regular-season games with 18 starts.

For whatever you believe it’s worth, Corbin had a 43.8 Pro Football Focus grade last season. Had he played enough snaps, that would have tied him for 9th out of the 127 interior defenders who did qualify.

Here’s an interesting nugget about Corbin from PFF:

2017 Season Outlook

Here is Chris Trapasso of SB Nation’s Bills’ web site, Buffalo Rumblings, talking about Bryant:

“Bryant can be a decent rotational DT. He didn't have a good 2016, but he was hurt and was put on IR in November. The season before, he was Buffalo's top backup DT, who's probably best-suited to be a one-gapping interior defender in a 4-3 defense... therefore the Giants decision to sign him was logical. If he's healthy -- he can be a reliable all-around DT who doesn't excel in any are but won't be a huge liability anywhere either. With the Bills, he was as steady as a run defender as he was getting after the passer. You also won't see him taking off any plays. He was a consummate professional in Buffalo, and New York would get the most value out of him if he plays 20-30 snaps per game.”

The idea that the Giants might want to add an experienced tackle to compete for a spot on their defensive line isn’t surprising. After Damon Harrison, the Giants really had not established defensive tackles. Jay Bromley and Robert Thomas have experience, but not much success. Dalvin Tomlinson has yet to play an NFL snap.

Bryant could make the team and be a useful player. He could end up not making the team at all. He does, however, provide some competition heading into training camp.