Should Giants target Marcus Peters in free agency?

The New York Giants are entering the 2023 offseason with a ton of optimism. They shocked everyone by going 9-7-1 during the 2022 season, earning a playoff spot and even winning a game in the postseason. 

The culture that general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll were able to instill in Year 1 was quite impressive. Heading into Year 2, they will look to build upon that impressive start.

While the Giants found a lot of success on the field, they were at a talent deficiency nearly every week. A few star foundational pieces are present, but depth was a concern throughout the roster and there are multiple holes as well. Schoen will look to fill those holes this offseason as he has some money to spend in free agency.

New York currently has the fourth-most projected cap space in the NFL. A majority of that could end up going to quarterback Daniel Jones or running back Saquon Barkley. Both are free agents and engaged in negotiations with the team.

Retaining their own will be the focus at the onset of free agency and shortly after that, the focus will turn to upgrading the team. One position that Schoen will hone in on is cornerback. The Giants received excellent production from Adoree’ Jackson; but behind him, things got shaky.

Fabian Moreau started the season strongly, but when he was thrust into a larger role, he struggled. Darnay Holmes, Nick McCloud, Cordale Flott and Rodarius Williams round out the depth chart currently. Adding another talented veteran to the mix certainly would be helpful.

Could veteran Marcus Peters be a potential target this offseason? He is projected by one NFL news site to sign with Big Blue and his fit is a natural one. He has been with the Baltimore Ravens since October 2019, when he was traded there by the Los Angeles Rams. That means his time there overlapped with current Giants defensive coordinator, Wink Martindale.

Peters is a perfect fit in that aggressive man-heavy scheme that Martindale runs. It isn’t a system that everyone can thrive in, but Peters proved to be very successful in a similar scheme. One of the best playmakers at the cornerback position and another year removed from his torn ACL, the Washington product would be worth taking a shot on to upgrade the secondary.

In 2022, the Giants registered only six interceptions as a team. A playmaker the caliber of Peters, who has 32 interceptions in seven seasons, would be a nice addition to the backend of their defense.