Giants’ Graham’s stock is rising
Defensive coordinator likely to draw interest
The way the New York Giants defense has played this season, coordinator Pat Graham is almost certainly going to be considered for some head coaching jobs at the end of the season.
The 41-year-old Graham has transformed a defense that gave up 451 points last season into one that is now ranked 10th in the league and fourth against the run heading into Sunday’s game against Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals (6-6).
The defense has been at the forefront of the four-game winning streak that has catapulted the Giants (5-7) into first place in the NFC East.
During the run, the defense has given up 20 or fewer points in all four wins, with the most impressive performance coming last weekend in the 17-12 win over Russell Wilson and the highscoring Seattle Seahawks. The point total was a season low for Pete Carroll’s team.
The easygoing Graham shrugged off suggestions he would be in the mix for a head coaching job next season.
“I’m not smart enough to think ahead of today,” the Yale graduate said Thursday. “I’m trying to get better today. I need to get ready for third down versus Arizona on Sunday. I can’t even think about it like that, to be honest with you.”
His players have nothing but praise for Graham.
Defensive back Logan Ryan said Graham is a great human being, who listens to players, outworks everyone and isn’t afraid to move players to different positions on the field on a weekly basis to confuse opposing teams.
“What we ran last week isn’t necessarily what we’re going to run this week because it might not give us the best chance to beat the Arizona Cardinals, which is all we care about,” said Ryan, who worked with Graham in New England.
Bills: Buffalo signed general manager Brandon Beane to a four-year contract extension, locking up the architect of a team in position to secure its third playoff berth in four years. The Bills announced the signing, and a person familiar with the deal provided The Associated Press the length of Beane’s new contract.
Jets: Rookie wide receiver Denzel Mims is dealing with a family matter and will miss the game Sunday at Seattle. Mims left the team Wednesday to travel home to Texas to handle the situation and was not yet back Thursday.
Broncos: Darian Stewart’s farewell to football came complete with one last gathering of the “No Fly Zone” members. The 32-year-old former safety announced his retirement from the NFL, saying he has turned his focus to his foundation in Charlotte, N.C.
49ers: Richard Sherman said it will likely take a “miracle” for him to return to the San Francisco 49ers next season because of the team’s tight salary cap situation. Sherman is in the final year of a three-year contract he negotiated by himself with the 49ers after being released by Seattle in 2018. Sherman is earning nearly $14 million this season.