The New York Giants have had a lack of consistency at cornerback in recent years. Deonte Banks, the team's top option at the position in 2023 and 2024, has two career interceptions in 29 games started. So, general manager Joe Schoen decided to go out into the veteran market and bring in some reinforcements. That came in the form of former Saints CB Paulson Adebo, who signed a three-year, $54 million deal in March.
With $38.5 million guaranteed and an $18 million average value, Adebo is the 18th-highest-paid cornerback in the league. His 10 career interceptions, seven of them in the last two seasons alone, earned him that deal but that doesn't mean Schoen and the Giants won't be regretting the expenditure.
Giants signing Paulson Adebo could become a financial headache sooner than later
The last time New York made an investment at cornerback in free agency, Adoree Jackson signed a three-year, $39 million deal in 2021. What resulted was a grand total of two interceptions and three forced fumbles over four seasons (he signed a one-year extension in 2023).
Adebo, seemingly, is a better option than Jackson and Banks but that doesn't mean he's guaranteed to thrive in defensive coordinator Shane Bowen's system. He could be just as susceptible to the false security of a new deal and big bag.
Furthermore, Adebo has been highly inconsistent throughout his career, the first four years of which were spent with the New Orleans Saints, the team that drafted him in the third round out of Stanford back in 2021. According to PFF's grading ($), Adebo has graded out as high as the 22nd best qualified corner (2023 season) but as low as the 196th-best cornerback to play the minimum number of snaps (2022). He was 97th out of 222 qualified players at hte position last season.
The Giants allowed the 12th-most points in the league last season under Bowen's leadership, with the majority coming via the air. New York allowed 210.6 passing yards per game, which was, surprisingly, the eighth-best in the league. Adebo will be looking to lower that number substantially more in 2025.
If he can't deliver, Schoen could be staring down the barrel of another bad front office decision. After taking serious gambles in the 2025 NFL Draft, it could prove to be his last in the position of general manager. And his replacement could be looking for how to get out of Adebo's deal.