There has been little to get excited about when it comes to the New York Giants in the 2023 season. After surprising everyone and making the playoffs last season, even winning a game on the road, the Giants could not recreate that magic.
New York got off to a brutal start, going 1-5 out of the gate and falling as far as six games under the .500 mark. A three-game winning streak led by Tommy DeVito breathed a little life into the season, but the team has since lost three games in a row and head into Week 18 against the Philadelphia Eagles at 5-11 and having been eliminated from playoff contention.
Despite the difficult season overall, one player who has stood out is linebacker Bobby Okereke. The team’s biggest free agent signing of the offseason, the Giants signed him away from the Indianapolis Colts on a four-year, $40 million deal.
It was a contract some people panned, believing the Giants overpaid for a position that isn’t considered a premium one. But, the production in which Okereke has provided the team has been extremely valuable. He has lived up to the contract and even gone beyond.
Unfortunately, Okereke’s value to the team was not seen by everyone. Somehow, he was a snub for the Pro Bowl this season despite having statistics worthy of being selected. He should have been on the team over Bobby Wagner of the Seattle Seahawks, who received a massive boost from fan voting.
Through 16 games, Okereke has 142 total tackles with 10 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. He is a sideline-to-sideline defender, cleaning up everything in between in the run game but has also excelled in pass coverage this season.
Okereke was first in the NFL, amongst linebackers, with 171 man coverage snaps played. He received a coverage grade of 89, which is second among players in his position. A 45.8 passer rating was allowed on those targets, which was fourth, with two pass breakups and nine passes defended. The cherry on top was one interception while allowing only eight receptions for 45 yards.
Not only are those numbers Pro Bowl worthy, but it would not be surprising to see Okereke earn an All-Pro spot. The Giants were hoping for an impact defender when they signed him in free agency and he has not disappointed.
The most important thing Okereke has brought to the table is availability. Despite battling through some injuries all season, he didn’t miss a single snap. He has played all 1,063 for the Giants this season, an achievement very few players accomplish in the NFL nowadays.
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