New York Giants’ Bobby Okereke ranked a top 10 NFL linebacker

The New York Giants made their biggest free agent signing last offseason when they inked linebacker Bobby Okereke to a four-year deal.

Okereke came over from the Indianapolis Colts and was fresh off his best season as a pro. Coincidentally, one of Okerke’s final games in a Colts uniform and his best performance of the 2022 season came against the Giants where Okereke racked up 17 total tackles.

Clearly, the Giants saw something in Okereke to target him in free agency.

Okereke’s first season in a Giants uniform did not disappoint. While he fell just two tackles short of his career high, he did have career highs in sacks, forced fumbles, interceptions and pass deflections.

His impressive season landed him in the top 10 of PFF’s Linebacker rankings ahead of the 2024 season.

10. BOBBY OKEREKE, NEW YORK GIANTS

A career-high 78.9 PFF grade highlighted the best season of Okereke’s career, his first with the Giants. The 2019 third-round draft pick ranked ninth at the position with an 82.5 PFF coverage grade, and he was one of the surest tacklers in the league, missing just 7.7% of his attempts.

The defense will look a tad bit different than it did last season considering the departures of safety Xavier McKinney and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale. However, the acquisition of Brian Burns certainly improved the Giants’ front seven.

While it is hard to determine how Okereke will fit in Shane Bowen’s defensive scheme, given his versatility, he’s likely to have a big role in the defense.