Could the Giants' pursuit of A'Shawn Robinson impact Leonard Williams' future?
The New York Giants have had a strong offseason so far, and their roster could be strengthened further by signing defensive tackle A'Shawn Robinson, who visits the team on Monday.
Robinson, 27, was a second-round pick by Detroit in 2016 and won Super Bowl LVI with Los Angeles. He'd be a valuable addition to the Giants, but his potential arrival could threaten defensive lineman Leonard Williams' future with the team.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, GM Joe Schoen stressed the need for New York to add depth behind Williams and star DT Dexter Lawrence II. While Rakeem Nuñez-Roches' signing last week gives New York a quality rotational piece, Robinson isn't merely a reserve.
Robinson started 24 games for the Rams over the past two seasons, recording 55 solo tackles and two sacks. He's one of the better run defenders in the NFL, a plus for the Giants, who allowed the second-most yards per carry last season (5.2).
Could the meeting with Robinson be a sign that Williams may be on his way out? The contract of New York's team captain might influence a decision.
Williams earned a three-year $63M extension due to an 11.5-sack 2020 season, which seemed risky since he had only recorded a half-sack in 2019.
Although Williams didn't have a poor 2022 season (45 combined tackles, five for loss, and 2.5 sacks in 12 games), his performance didn't justify his high salary.
With a $32.3M cap hit for 2023, the second-highest of any non-quarterback, and 2020's sack totals appearing to be an outlier, Schoen may need to rework Williams' contract.
Following New York's playoff loss to Philadelphia, Williams suggested he'd consider taking a pay cut to continue playing with Lawrence, who should receive an extension this offseason. Despite his comments, there haven't been signs of restructuring Williams' contract during free agency.
A potential Robinson signing might not impact Williams immediately, as he's still a quality player that the Giants probably can't replace this offseason. However, it could be a wise insurance policy to allow Williams, a free agent after this season, to leave the team eventually.
If the Giants choose to release Williams, an unlikely scenario, they will save $18M with a post-June 1 cut, leaving a $14.3M dead cap hit, per OverTheCap.
As Schoen continues to make calculated decisions this offseason, signing Robinson and retaining Williams gives the 2023 Giants the best opportunity to succeed while providing flexibility for the future.
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