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Sep 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; New Orleans Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo (29) intercepts a ball intended for Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Brooks (not pictured) during the first half at AT&T Stadium. Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Two Giants Make NFL.com's All-Offseason Team

Originally posted on New York Giants on SI
By Alex House | Last updated Mar 28, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The New York Giants entered free agency with plenty of money to spend and several holes to fill. They understandably acted like a team desperate to win games and catapult itself back into national relevance.

While many fans anticipated that ownership would allocate a decent chunk of cap space toward a quarterback, Big Blue heavily invested in the defense. The team prioritized the secondary, signing cornerback Paulson Adebo and safety Jevon Holland to lucrative contracts.

Those deals were so sizable that they made NFL.com’s 2025 NFL All-Offseason First Team, which lists the players who secured the highest average per year (APY) salaries at each position this offseason.

Adebo inked a three-year, $54 million deal with $38.5 million in guarantees. Holland signed for three years, $45.3 million, and will make $30.3 million guaranteed.

Their APY salaries are each the second-highest among their position groups, with only Panthers cornerbacks Jaycee Horn ($25 million) and Tre'von Moehrig ($17 million) coming in ahead of them.

Based on those figures, the Carolina Panthers are the only team more committed to fortifying its secondary. But the Giants are not too far behind. A stable secondary is essential, as illustrated by the huge impact of the Philadelphia Eagles' revamped unit during the franchise's last Super Bowl campaign.

But did New York put too steep a price on that particular area of need?

Coming off a historically dreadful 3-14 record, the Giants must make notable additions at a good value. While throwing money around can buy a few more wins, exercising financial prudence is necessary to build a sustainable contender.

Given the information currently available, let's see if we can determine whether the Giants made sensible investments in Paulson Adebo and Jevon Holland.

Were there better financial alternatives the Giants could have explored?

Established veteran cornerbacks like D.J. Reed, Byron Murphy, and Carlton Davis stood out as possible options, but Giants general manager Joe Schoen decided to bypass those candidates.

Adebo will be 26 when the 2025 season kicks off. The former New Orleans Saints talent has battled injuries in his career and suffered a broken femur last October, forcing him to miss more than half the 2024-25 campaign.

There is a definite risk of shelling out an $18 million APY contract to a corner who is coming off a serious lower-body injury. However, one cannot ignore Adebo's upside to the Meadowlands.

The No. 76 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft recorded three interceptions, 43 solo tackles, and 10 pass breakups in just seven games last season. Adebo's productivity and versatility are scintillating and ostensibly worth what the Giants have agreed to pay him. However, health concerns and a bad habit of committing penalties must be pondered.

If Adebo does not work out for the Giants, fans will recall the three-year, $48 million contract veteran D.J. Reed signed with the Detroit Lions. Byron Murphy's three-year, $66 million deal with the Minnesota Vikings could also have served as a worthwhile alternative for New York, considering $12 million of that total is comprised of incentives.

Overall, however, it is easy to see why the Giants are enamored with Adebo. His ability to flourish as a defensive playmaker is what they were lacking in the secondary. Hopefully, he can pick up where he left off with the Saints.

Did the Giants pick the wrong time to go all in on a safety?

One year after watching Xavier McKinney join the Green Bay Packers in free agency, Schoen decided to dole out large sums of money to a safety. Needless to say, some fans were surprised, confused and annoyed. But make no mistake, Holland could greatly elevate the defense.

Although he took a step back last year with the Miami Dolphins and was far from being the All-Pro that McKinney was last season, the former second-round pick has displayed impressive instincts and coverage skills in the past.

The 25-year-old can provide stalwart assistance on run defense, something the Giants earnestly require, and is potentially equipped to carry a variety of responsibilities.

One might argue that Camryn Bynum would have been an interesting alternative at four years, $62 million, with $32 million guaranteed. Holland is more than a year and a half younger and remains one of the most talented safeties in the league.

Schoen's awarding of this contract now does not look great. However, when evaluating the move at market value and in a vacuum, it has the power to pay considerable dividends for the Giants. We will see how the big stacks of green translate on the field next season and beyond.

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