NFC East: Giants add safety Demps to rebuilt secondary
By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.dom
Continuing their offseason emphasis on adding both quality and quantity to the secondary, the New York Giants have reached contract agreement with unrestricted free agent safety Will Demps, a four-year veteran who had played his entire career with the Baltimore Ravens.
Demps will sign a five-year contract believed to be worth $10 million-$12 million.
He becomes the sixth defensive back, and second starter, added by the Giants in less than a week.
Assuming he is healthy, following a knee injury that sidelined him for the final month of the 2005 season, Demps will start at free safety and team with strong safety Gibril Wilson to give the Giants one of the best young interior secondary tandems in the league. The other new starter acquired in free agency is nine-year veteran cornerback Sam Madison, a four-time Pro Bowl performer.
New York also has added cornerbacks R.W. McQuarters, Jason Bell and Brandon Williams, and safety Quentin Harris in the past week. Last year, general manager Ernie Accorsi concentrated on improving the depth of his team's offensive line, and the approach paid huge dividends as the Giants won the NFC East crown. This offseason, Accorsi clearly targeted the secondary as an area that required an upgrade.
The Giants on Tuesday lost former first-round safety Shaun Williams, who no longer figured into their plans, in free agency, as he signed with Carolina. Starting cornerback Will Allen is expected to leave in free agency and the future of the Giants' other starting corner, Will Peterson, remains uncertain because of a back injury.
Overshadowed in the Ravens' secondary by fellow safety Ed Reed for much of his Baltimore tenure, Demps is an excellent player in his own right, and probably would have been more highly touted in the free agent market were it not for the partially torn left anterior cruciate ligament he suffered in the second half of the 2005 season. Demps missed the final five games of the year, but still finished with 70 tackles, three passes defensed and two fumble recoveries.
A former undrafted free agent from San Diego State, where he also began his career as a walk-on, Demps worked his way into the Ravens' lineup as a rookie. He is a solid competitor with good range and football awareness. In 57 appearances, 46 of them as a starter, Demps has registered 239 tackles, four interceptions, four forced fumbles and four recoveries. The prognosis is that Demps will begin running sometime in May and should be fully rehabilitated by the start of training camp.
The Giants also re-signed veteran offensive tackle Bob Whitfield, a key backup for them in 2005, and No. 2 quarterback Tim Hasselbeck.
ESPN.dom
Continuing their offseason emphasis on adding both quality and quantity to the secondary, the New York Giants have reached contract agreement with unrestricted free agent safety Will Demps, a four-year veteran who had played his entire career with the Baltimore Ravens.
Demps will sign a five-year contract believed to be worth $10 million-$12 million.
He becomes the sixth defensive back, and second starter, added by the Giants in less than a week.
Assuming he is healthy, following a knee injury that sidelined him for the final month of the 2005 season, Demps will start at free safety and team with strong safety Gibril Wilson to give the Giants one of the best young interior secondary tandems in the league. The other new starter acquired in free agency is nine-year veteran cornerback Sam Madison, a four-time Pro Bowl performer.
New York also has added cornerbacks R.W. McQuarters, Jason Bell and Brandon Williams, and safety Quentin Harris in the past week. Last year, general manager Ernie Accorsi concentrated on improving the depth of his team's offensive line, and the approach paid huge dividends as the Giants won the NFC East crown. This offseason, Accorsi clearly targeted the secondary as an area that required an upgrade.
The Giants on Tuesday lost former first-round safety Shaun Williams, who no longer figured into their plans, in free agency, as he signed with Carolina. Starting cornerback Will Allen is expected to leave in free agency and the future of the Giants' other starting corner, Will Peterson, remains uncertain because of a back injury.
Overshadowed in the Ravens' secondary by fellow safety Ed Reed for much of his Baltimore tenure, Demps is an excellent player in his own right, and probably would have been more highly touted in the free agent market were it not for the partially torn left anterior cruciate ligament he suffered in the second half of the 2005 season. Demps missed the final five games of the year, but still finished with 70 tackles, three passes defensed and two fumble recoveries.
A former undrafted free agent from San Diego State, where he also began his career as a walk-on, Demps worked his way into the Ravens' lineup as a rookie. He is a solid competitor with good range and football awareness. In 57 appearances, 46 of them as a starter, Demps has registered 239 tackles, four interceptions, four forced fumbles and four recoveries. The prognosis is that Demps will begin running sometime in May and should be fully rehabilitated by the start of training camp.
The Giants also re-signed veteran offensive tackle Bob Whitfield, a key backup for them in 2005, and No. 2 quarterback Tim Hasselbeck.
posted by The Gryphon at 12:11 PM
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