Giants lure defensive back from NFC East rival

A full-time starter for Washington the past campaigns, McCain is headed to New York on a one-year deal. The Giants just lost Julian Love to the Seahawks, and although they still roster Xavier McKinney, McCain has extensive experience as a back-line defender.

The former Miami Dolphins starter has also spent time as a slot defender, logging reps in that role as recently as last season. Going into his age-30 season, McCain will offer versatility to a Giants team that exited last season somewhat thin at cornerback. Love’s exit created a Big Blue need at safety as well.

Picked up after the Dolphins made him a cap casualty in 2021, McCain intercepted four passes with Washington that season. The team then gave him a two-year deal worth $11M. Former fifth-round pick Darrick Forrest‘s emergence at safety moved McCain into the slot during the 2022 season, and the Commanders opted to move on from the eight-year veteran to create some cap space.

The Giants used Love across the formation as well, but they’ll return slot options Darnay Holmes and Cor’Dale Flott. They have a greater need at safety, considering Love logged 1,000-plus snaps last season. McKinney has missed chunks of both the 2020 and 2022 seasons as well. McCain has proven durable, starting 32 Washington games since 2021 and having not missed a game since 2019. Other than that 2019 campaign, McCain has only missed two career games.

It should not be expected McCain did as well on this Giants pact compared to his second Washington contract, but the Giants’ decision-makers are certainly familiar with him given Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll‘s AFC East ties and McCain being a Commander when the current New York power structure arrived. McCain could become a cheap solution to the Love defection.