Better depth, health, understanding could all lead to increased success
As we continue our position-by-position “better or worse in 2025?” series, we have arrived at inside linebacker. It is, perhaps, a position that can sometimes be overlooked. Today, we give it some proper attention
Key additions: Chris Board, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
Key losses: Matthew Adams
The roster
Micah McFadden, Bobby Okereke, Dyontae Johnson, Chris Board, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, Darius Muasau, Ty Summers
The wildcard: Abdul Carter
Why they could be better
Let’s start with Okereke, the quarterback of the defense.
In 2023, playing fast and free in Wink Martindale’s ultra-aggressive defensive scheme, Okereke had the best year of his career after signing a four-year, $40 million free agent contract with New York. He had 149 tackles, two off his career-high. He tied a career-high with 2 interceptions. He set career highs in forced fumbles (4), sacks (2.5) while blitzing a career-high 69 times, quarterback hits (6), STOPs (56) and tackles for loss (11), and Pro Football Focus overall grade (79.0).
In 2024, playing in Shane Bowen’s more traditional scheme, Okereke was sometimes uncertain. He also dealt with a herniated disc in his back that sidelined him for the final five games of the season.
Okereke was still good, but his production dropped from 8.76 tackles per game to 7.75, 3.3 STOPs per game to 2.9, .65 tackles loss per game to .5, and his missed tackle rate jumped from 7.7% to 10.7%.
Those seem like small differences, but NFL games can be won and lost in the margins on just a couple of plays. Getting 2023-level play from Okereke would be a huge boost to a defense that seems to have better personnel all around the off-ball linebackers.
Okereke said after Wednesday’s OTA that he is healthy and excited about the upcoming season.
“Year two in the same system. I don’t think I’ve had that since my second year in the league, so I’m excited,” Okereke said. “I’ve been studying a lot this off season, feel like I’m on a good mental page with Shane [Bowen] of how he wants to call the plays and everybody’s communication out there. So, it is fun. Less thinking, more playing.”
McFadden, the starter alongside Okereke, enters his fourth season and has improved every year.
McFadden’s playing time, though, could be impacted by the presence of Abdul Carter, the No. 3 overall pick in the draft. Carter, of course, was drafted because of his dominance as an edge defender at Penn State. He does, though, have significant collegiate experience as an off-ball linebacker and could find himself aligned there at times to get him on the field with Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux.
The overall depth should also be better.
- Dyontae Johnson showed promise last summer before an ankle injury sidelined him for much of the season.
- Darius Muasau was better than expected in 2024 as a rookie sixth-round pick.
- The Giants replaced one quality special-teamer/emergency linebacker (Matthew Adams) with two (Chris Board, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles) who may be more useful on defense.
- Ty Summers, another core special-teamer who was better than expected in a late-season defensive opportunity, also returns.
More coverage
- Better or worse in 2025? New York Giants defensive line
- Better or worse in 2025? New York Giants quarterbacks
- Better or worse in 2025? New York Giants wide receivers
- Better or worse in 2025? New York Giants running backs
- Better or worse in 2025? New York Giants tight ends
- Better or worse? New York Giants offensive line
Why they could be worse
Let’s play Devil’s Advocate for a minute.
- What if Okereke and Bowen can’t get on the same page?
- What if McFadden, who can sometimes struggle in space, regresses toward the 20.7% missed tackle rate he had in 2023?
- What if Carter looks like a square peg trying to be shoved into a round hole whenever he is asked to line up off the ball?
- What if injuries mean guys like Board, Flannigan-Fowles and Summers end up playing more snaps than anyone envisions possible right now?
Final thoughts
This is yet another position group where I think there is potential for the Giants to be more productive and dynamic in 2025.
