After sitting out 2022, Giants second-year LB could snatch starting role
The New York Giants addressed one of their biggest needs in free agency this offseason, signing LB Bobby Okereke to a four-year, $40M contract. Okereke will be the defense's starting inside linebacker, but who will play alongside him in Wink Martindale's 3-4 system?
Second-year player Darrian Beavers has his eyes set on the second starting inside LB job. In an edgy tweet, he recently shared insight into his mindset as he prepares for the season:
In 2022, the Giants drafted Beavers in the sixth round out of Cincinnati. He played well in training camp but lost his rookie season to an ACL injury suffered in a preseason game.
New York has a crowded linebacker room, with Beavers competing for the No. 2 ILB spot with fellow 2022 draft pick Micah McFadden and veteran Jarrad Davis. After missing the 2022 season, Beavers has catching up to do.
At 6-foot-4 and 237 pounds, Beavers has the ideal size to play LB. He demonstrated excellent play recognition and run-stopping prowess in the team's first preseason game last season against the New England Patriots.
Beavers finished that game with three tackles and a tackle for loss. The Giants' coaching staff demonstrated confidence in Beavers, giving him the green dot on his helmet signifying the play caller role in the huddle. The staff entrusted him to make calls for the defense during the preseason opener.
“I like that challenge where I have to tell everybody else the call,” Beavers told the New York Post last summer. “It keeps me locked in throughout the practice where I’m not just daydreaming. Even when I’m on the sidelines, people are asking me, ‘What’s the call?’ I think that’s good for me.”
Entering 2023, Beavers has a chip on his shoulder and an opportunity to claim the starting job alongside Okereke. If he can maintain his health, Beavers has a legitimate chance of being a starter in Week 1.
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