Comparing the Redskins to the Giants ahead of the 2020 season

Defense

Both teams will rely on their defensive lines to control games in 2020. In Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams (for a full season), the Giants boast one of the strongest defensive interiors in the league. B.J. Hill was not great playing on the edge last year, and he and Markus Golden will have to step up in 2020. The Redskins have no obvious weakness along the front, with depth and eye-popping talent across the board. They have invested massive draft capital in this area, so they had better be dominant. Without the addition of Chase Young, the Redskins and the Giants may have had comparable lines. Young (like Saquon Barkley, the second overall pick in his draft year) looks to be a true game-changer who can elevate this position for the Redskins by leaps and bounds. Major edge to the Redskins.

Neither linebacking corps is dynamic. The Giants seem pleased with the addition of Blake Martinez to replace the departed Alex Ogletree in the middle. I remain unconvinced. Martinez has always impressed me as a competent player, but nothing more. In that, he resembles the likely Redskins opening day starter Jon Bostic. No one else on either squad, be it Lorenzo Carter, David Mayo, or Oshane Ximines for the Giants, or Thomas Davis, Sr., Cole Holcomb, or Shaun Dion Hamilton for the Redskins, is sure to be a major factor this year. But with Davis’ maturity and the physical talents of Holcomb and Hamilton, I’ll give a slight edge to the Redskins.

Both teams are in the middle of a major overhaul of their secondaries. Three quarters of the Redskins’ opening day starters from 2019 are gone. Only former Giant Landon Collins remains. I like what the Redskins have done in adding quality young corners Kendall Fuller and Ronald Darby, along with a good complement to Collins in Sean Davis at safety. The Giants are excited by the addition of top free agent corner James Bradberry (reportedly a Redskins’ target this offseason) to step in for Janoris Jenkins (now in New Orleans). Bradberry was slated to pair up with Deandre Baker to form a solid cornerback duo, but Baker’s current legal trouble (stemming from an incident involving former Redskin Quinton Dunbar) puts that in doubt.

They also seemed very happy to select Alabama’s Xavier McKinney in the second round to replace Antoine Bethea. McKinney is slated to pair with Jabrill Peppers on the back end. But I have my doubts. McKinney was indeed a dynamic player for Alabama, especially when it came to playing near the line and blitzing. This is exactly what Peppers’ strength is. Whereas Sean Davis’ speed should allow Landon Collins to play closer to the line where he is most effective, McKinney fell into the second round because of a surprisingly slow 40 time at the combine.

This is a common question for players from Alabama – one that the Redskins are currently asking about linebacker Ryan Anderson. If they start for Alabama, they clearly have talent. But how much is that talent embellished by playing alongside the best defenders in the college game? If McKinney does not show the speed to be an effective deep safety, it could cause major problems for a defense that already struggles against the pass. Again, slight edge to the Redskins.