Back in April, on the 2006 NFL Draft Day, Ernie Accorsi shocked the football world by taking a defensive end by the name of Mathias Kiwanuka of Boston College. Kiwanuka being selected in the First Round of the draft wasn't the shocker in this instance, but rather it was Accorsi selecting another defensive end when the Giants had other problems to address on the defensive side of the ball. If the first preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens is any indication of how this latest pick by the Giants will turn out, it seems to me that the Giants hit the jackpot with this guy. Ernie Accorsi said himself that "you can never have enough pass rushers", and he's right! Being able to rush the passer effectively, which forces the quarterback to throw the ball into coverage, will cover up some of the weaknesses of the secondary. The Giants' secondary doesn't exactly look to be its strength with an aging Sam Madison and second-year player Corey Webster as the defensive backs. Gibril Wilson is wildly inconsistent and Will Demps is a decent safety, but their secondary is a glaring weakness. Accorsi knew that would be the case so he selected a defensive end in Kiwanuka, which doesn't make sense to the average football fan. I mean, why should it? If your problem is in the secondary, then why not take a player that is a defensive back? Well, here's a few reasons why you shouldn't. In this year's draft, the defensive backs weren't all that strong. It wasn't worth it to draft a player of a poor caliber, when he isn't even going to have an impact on the team. If you strengthen one aspect of your defense, then your weak-side will be able to make up for the weakness. Let's say you have a weak pass rushers. If you had a good secondary, you would try to make your secondary great so that your pass rushers have more time to get to the quarterback. You wouldn't draft or sign a mediocre defensive end because he wouldn't have much of an impact on the field. In this instance, the Giants already had a strong pass rush, but with the addition of Kiwanuka, they will be able to rest Strahan and Umenyiora more often, and still be able to rush the quarterback while these guys are out of the game. Also, in this day and age in the NFL, more and more leverage is being given to the Wide Receivers. Cornerbacks can't get away with any sort of contact, especially after how the Patriots handled the Colts a few years back, but the WR's can pretty much do what they want to the DB's. The NFL wants to continue marketing its big name players and attractions, many of which happen to be Wide Receivers. More points, more spectacular catches, and more yards for the Terrell Owens and Chad Johnson's of the league means more bucks for the league and its affiliates. The Giants made the right move in selecting another player that will be able to pressure the passer. Strahan is getting older and will need more time off throughout the season. Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka will get significant playing time in the middle of games, while Strahan and Umenyiora gear up for the 4th Quarter. |
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