2020 NFL Free Agency Rumors: Devin McCourty linked to the Giants

The New York Giants need a free safety. The position has largely been a persistent hole in their defense since Kenny Phillips first noticed knee swelling on the flight back from Dallas in week 3 of the 2009 season. Since then the Giants have had sporadic production — Phillips’ return in 2011, Stevie Brown in 2012, Will Hill whenever he wasn’t suspended — but they have not been able to find a consistent answer.

Could soon-to-be unrestricted free agent Devin McCourty provide some stability on the back end of the Giants’ defense?

ESPN is reporting that New England Patriots long-time veteran safety, and unrestricted free agent, Devin McCourty is not yet done with football. Despite being 32 years old and a 10-year veteran of the NFL, McCourty is not ready to retire.

“He wants to play. Retirement is not an option,” said agent Andy Simms of Young Money APAA Sports.

However, it is not clear whether or not the Patriots are interested in bringing him back for an 11th season. And despite being one of the pillars of New England’s locker room culture, McCourty himself doesn’t know what comes next.

“No one really knows what’s going to happen”, McCourty said on the “Double Coverage” podcast. “I would say most teams really don’t even think about free agency for a couple weeks; I would say the beginning of March ... So you think where you could go, will you be on your team again? But there’s really nothing [definitive] to think about.”

Both Pro Football Talk and ESPN raise the Giants as a potential destination for McCourty if he does wind up leaving New England, noting the number of former Patriots’ assistants on the Giants’ new coaching staff. It’s worth noting that there are several teams around the league with former Patriots’ assistants on their coaching staffs, and the Giants could have competition for McCourty’s services should he become available.

ESPN points out that the Giants are sixth in cap space with roughly $61.89 million per OverTheCap, while Miami dolphins have roughly $90 million to spend.

OverTheCap values McCourty as a roughly $10.4 million player, and his work on the field showed that he was still an impact player in 2019. He was the first player since 2003 to start the season with an interception in the first four games and allowed completion percentage 54.3 when in coverage. Whether he is able to maintain that level of play in his age 33 season is a question to be answered.

So, should McCourty hit the free agent market should the Giants pursue him?