Big Blue View
Taj Siddiqi asks: I know that Reese is a rookie and we will learn about his performance as the season progresses. With regard to Edmunds, besides his size, what aspects of his skill sets made Giant’s think that he is an upgrade over Okereke. Of course we need to trust the decision coaching staff made but in your opinion as a knowledgeable and keen observer of the game, why did the Giants prefer Edmunds over Okereke?
Ed says: Taj, there are a number of factors that went into that decision. Size is one that cannot be understated. Edmunds is 6-foot-4⅝, 251 pounds with a 97th percentile wingspan. Okereke also has a 97th percentile wingspan, but he is 6-2, 235. The way John Harbaugh wants to play, that is important.
After a 2024 back injury cost him playing time, Okereke is looked at as a declining player. His 2025 Pro Football Focus grades were the second-lowest of his career, and his missed tackle rate of 13.0% was a career-worst. Using the Pro Football and Sports Network Impact Score, Okereke was the fifth-ranked linebacker in the NFL in 2023, 22nd-ranked in 2024, and 39th last season. So, on a downward trend.
Edmunds is coming off a season during which he posted a career-best 80.6 PFF run defense grade, and a 7.9% missed tackle rate. PFSN ranked him the sixth-best off-ball linebacker in the NFL last season.
Over the past three seasons, Okereke has four interceptions and 19 passes defensed. Edmunds has nine interceptions and 24 passes defensed.
The Giants see a better fit for what they want, and more play-making upside with Edmunds. As I write this, Okereke does not yet have a job in the NFL.
Richard Ward asks: World Cup teams that have played on the MetLife surface have universally complained, calling it hard, dry, and slow. They say it feels like “cement” underneath. NFL players, including Giants, have long criticized the MetLife artificial turf as dangerous. The NFL trots out statistics claiming that it is no more dangerous than the turf in other stadiums. Well, maybe the turf in those stadiums is dangerous to play on also. Management says the turf is necessary because it is a multi-use stadium. Interesting, though, that when the World Cup comes to town, one of the “multi-uses,” they go through the expense and complication of converting to grass, which, because of its temporary nature, is problematic. How about giving these incredible NFL athletes the respect and concern they deserve instead of obsessing about the bottom line and “convenience”? Fans, too, prefer a grass surface. Once again, it is the money and not the human being. Why not install a legit, player-friendly, grass surface and cover it for non-sporting events? If sections of the field are worn, replace them with sod.
Ed says: Richard, these grass surfaces installed at MetLife and other U.S. stadium that were built for turf fields will feel different to players because of what is underneath them. That is...
