Hey, Vernon
Giants expect to get indispensable LB back for 1st time this season
If a list was put together before the season documenting the most indispensable players on the Giants roster, Olivier Vernon probably would not have been first. But he would have been close to the top.
This was a defense that traded away Jason Pierre-Paul — its top pass rusher — and did not add anyone in his prime as a replacement. There is 31-year old Connor Barwin and 22-year old rookie Lorenzo Carter as new pressure players to a team that in 2017 finished 29th in the NFL with a paltry 27 sacks. The one and only guy the Giants could count on to approach or exceed double-digit sacks and be a constant force up-front: Vernon.
“Big-time playmaker and we all feed off of him,’’ defensive lineman Kerry Wynn said. There was no feeding off Vernon the first month of the season. He went down during practice Aug. 26 with a high ankle sprain, the sort of debilitating injury that always takes weeks to heal. Last week Vernon returned to practice on a limited basis. The buildup was set up for this week. Vernon was limited Wednesday, but he is expected to start at outside linebacker Sunday when the Giants, at 1-3, look to contain Cam Newton and the Panthers in Charlotte, N.C.
“I’m stoked for him,’’ Barwin said. “I know what he can do. I’ve watched him from afar. I saw what he can do in training camp. He’ll make a big difference.’’
Barwin, a 10-year vete ra n, replaced Vernon in the starting lineup, but there was really no way for the Giants to replicate what Vernon brings to the field. It is not that Vernon is ever among the leagueleaders in sacks — he has 15 in 28 games for the Giants and before that had 29 in 64 games for the Dolphins. He is, though, by far the Giants’ most accomplished and talented front-seven defender, which is why he was given a five-year, $85 million contract.
Vernon stops the run and plays the pass, and the Giants knew they had to lean on him more than ever after trading Pierre-Paul to the Buccaneers back in May. PierrePaul has four sacks in his first four games for the Bucs. The Giants as a team have five sacks.
“He adds a lot to this defense,’’ safety Landon Collins said. “He’s a big part of it, we need him. He makes game-changing plays. Get some sacks on the quarterback definitely some [tackles for loss]. Definitely a big part of the defense.”
It is doubtful Vernon can outrun Newton, but he will at least help slow and contain the Panthers pass-run weapon. A defense that not been close to dominant but has been competitive, allowing 23.8 points a game, deserves better than three losses in four games. If the Giants’ offense is not going to carry its weight, the defense will have to be even more unyielding. The return of Vernon, plus getting back cornerback Eli Apple — who missed the past two games with a strained groin and practiced on a limited basis Wednesday — should be an immediate boon.
“It’s only gonna help,’’ Apple said. “Important pieces to the defense. We just can’t wait to get back and make our impact. OV, that’s a great run stopper, a great pass rusher, a great football player so it’s gonna be great to have him back out there.’’
Asked what the defense missed most without Vernon, linebacker B.J. Goodson said, “His ability, man. Speed to power, power to speed is like no other. Just his presence out there brings another element. He’s a great player and great athlete so he obviously brings a plus to our team.”
Barwin started three of the first four games and will see his snaps decrease with Vernon back in action. He has five tackles and three of the 19 quarterback hits produced by the defense. He also has three passes defensed, using his smarts and timing to bat away passes at the line of scrimmage.
Vernon’s arrival might allow Barwin to become the pass-rush specialist he was signed to be.
“Yeah, I think when you have a fresh body that has the talent, the skill, and abilities of a pass-rusher, it helps your defense,’’ coach Pat Shurmur said. “Certainly adding him back to the mix will help. Having him out there … a better player on the field is a good thing.’’