New York Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale was excited. It was near the beginning of training camp, Isaiah Simmons and Boogie Basham weren’t Giants yet and Tre Hawkins was a sixth-round pick expected to be a backup, but Martindale was imagining the possibilities with a defense that — on paper — looked deeper and faster than the Giants’ 2022 defense.
Martindale said he believes “every year” that he will run a top-tier defense. He clearly expected the 2023 Giants defense to be better than the 2022 unit that was 25th in yards, 17th in points and 31st in rushing yards per attempt allowed.