ESPN names Paulson Adebo as Giants' 2025 X-factor
ESPN's Ben Solak recently chose one X-factor from each team across the NFL.
As Solak stated in the introduction, "The performance of X factors have a disproportionate amount of leverage in their team's outcomes. If they're good, it might clarify an entire unit that needed just one more player. If they're bad, it might make a team one-dimensional and easily exploitable."
When it came to the Giants, the analyst went with veteran cornerback Paulson Adebo, who he believes will provide a boost for his fellow cornerbacks, including Deonte Banks and Dru Phillips.
"The Giants are going to pressure the quarterback," wrote Solak. "With a defensive line room of Dexter Lawrence II, Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Abdul Carter, you'd have to try not to. But we know pressure is not enough for a defense to succeed, as quarterbacks get rid of the ball faster than ever before...
"They need Adebo, whom they paid in free agency despite a major leg injury, to step up as a CB1. They can hide Banks from the toughest matchups and get safety help his way; they can get Phillips up onto the line of scrimmage, pressing across the board and buying time for that pass rush to arrive. The past 1½ seasons of Adebo were CB1-caliber -- seven picks and 28 passes defensed for only two touchdowns surrendered -- but he must be healthy."
The Giants did not wait long to address the defensive backfield in free agency, as they reportedly agreed to a deal with Adebo, one of the top cornerbacks on the market, just a few hours into the negotiating period.
Adebo has started 51 of 52 games over the last four seasons, and after recording a total of 10 interceptions and 43 passes defensed, the 25-year-old veteran has developed the reputation of being a ballhawk.
The 6-1, 192-pound corner has at least three interceptions in three of his four seasons, and in 22 games across his last two campaigns, he has seven picks to go with an impressive 28 passes defensed.
He was able to rack up three takeaways in just seven games last season before a broken leg cut his season short, while his 18 pass breakups in 2023 were the third-most in the league.
The veteran is fully healthy as he has been participating at practice since the start of the spring.
It's clear the Giants defense has put an emphasis on forcing turnovers. Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen introduced the turnover chest a few months ago as extra motivation for his players to create takeaways this season. The arrival of Adbeo should certainly help in this category.
"We've been doing a great job throughout camp, just kind of focusing on that, getting turnovers," Adebo said earlier this summer. "Obviously, turnovers are a big part of this game. And when you're able to take the ball away from the offense and flip the momentum of a game and the energy that that brings in, that's something that we've been definitely focusing on. And I feel like that coupled with getting fumbles and just being a tenacious, kind of nasty defense, getting after the ball, all those things are things that we've been looking at throughout this camp."
View photos of the New York Giants' 2025 roster as it currently stands.
CB Paulson Adebo
DL Darius Alexander
CB Deonte Banks
TE Daniel Bellinger
S Dane Belton
LB Chris Board
S Beau Brade
OLB Brian Burns
OLB Abdul Carter
WR Beaux Collins
QB Jaxson Dart
DL D.J. Davidson
OL Jermaine Eluemunor
TE Thomas Fidone II
LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
CB Cor'Dale Flott
K Graham Gano
P Jamie Gillan
DL Chauncey Golston
DB Art Green
S Jevón Holland
T James Hudson III
WR Jalin Hyatt
TE Theo Johnson
CB Nic Jones
LS Casey Kreiter
DL Dexter Lawrence II
TE Chris Manhertz
OL Marcus Mbow
ILB Micah McFadden
ILB Darius Muasau
WR Malik Nabers
OL Evan Neal
S Tyler Nubin
DL Rakeem Nuñez-Roches
ILB Bobby Okereke
CB Rico Payton
CB Dru Phillips
DT Roy Robertson-Harris
WR Wan'Dale Robinson
G Jon Runyan
OL Austin Schlottmann
C John Michael Schmitz Jr.
RB Devin Singletary
RB Cam Skattebo
WR Darius Slayton
G Aaron Stinnie
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux
T Andrew Thomas
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr.
G Greg Van Roten
QB Russell Wilson
QB Jameis Winston
See the best photos from Wednesday's practice at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.
QB Russell Wilson (3)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
RB Cam Skattebo (44)
CB Paulson Adebo (21)
WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)
CB Deonte Banks (2)
QB Russell Wilson (3)
OLB Abdul Carter (51)
ILB Bobby Okereke (58)
CB Dee Williams (33)
ILB Micah McFadden (41)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
RB Cam Skattebo (44)
WR Beaux Collins (8)
ILB Micah McFadden (41)
WR Beaux Collins (8)
RB Cam Skattebo (44)
WR Jalin Hyatt (13)
S Dane Belton (24)
RB Cam Skattebo (44)
CB Deonte Banks (2)
CB Nic Jones (31)
RB Dante Miller (25)
CB Nic Jones (31)
CB Nic Jones (31)
CB Deonte Banks (2)
CB Nic Jones (31)
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29)
CB Deonte Banks (2)
S Dane Belton (24)
WR Darius Slayton (18)
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29)
CB Deonte Banks (2)
RB Cam Skattebo (44)
WR Darius Slayton (18)
QB Jameis Winston (19)
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29)
QB Russell Wilson (3)
RB Cam Skattebo (44)
S Jevón Holland (8)
RB Cam Skattebo (44)
QB Russell Wilson (3)
RB Devin Singletary (26)
CB Cor'Dale Flott (28)
RB Dante Miller (25)
S Tyler Nubin (27)
RB Cam Skattebo (44)
CB Cor'Dale Flott (28)
RB Cam Skattebo (44)
RB Devin Singletary (26)
QB Russell Wilson (3)
RB Dante Miller (25)
Around the NFL
View every move made by the New York Giants during the 2025 cycle.
S Beau Brade - Claimed off Waivers from BAL (August 27)
CB Rico Payton - Claimed off Waivers from NOR (August 27)
CB Korie Black - Waived, No Recall (August 27)
WR Gunner Olszewski - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 27)
WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette - Practice Squad Veteran (August 27)
WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey - Practice Squad Veteran (August 27)
K Jude McAtamney - International Practice Player Signing (August 27)
OLB Trace Ford, DL Elijah Garcia, OL Bryan Hudson, G Jake Kubas, S Raheem Layne, RB Dante Miller - Practice Squad (August 27)
DL Elijah Chatman, OLB Tomon Fox, DL Jordon Riley, CB Dee Williams - Practice Squad Exception (August 27)
OL Joshua Ezeudu - Reserve/Injured / Designated for Return (August 26)
RB Eric Gray - Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform (August 26)
OLB Victor Dimukeje - Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform (August 26)
WR Da'Quan Felton, CB Tre Hawkins, TE Jermaine Terry - Waived, Injured (August 26)
T Stone Forsythe, WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey, DL Jeremiah Ledbetter, WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette, RB Jonathan Ward - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 26)
WR Dalen Cambre, DL Elijah Chatman, QB Tommy DeVito, TE Greg Dulcich, DL Cory Durden, OLB Trace Ford, OLB Tomon Fox, DL Elijah Garcia, OL Bryan Hudson, G Jake Kubas, S Raheem Layne, K Jude McAtamney, RB Dante Miller, S Makari Paige, DL Jordon Riley, WR Antwane Wells, DB Dee Williams - Waived, No Recall (August 26)
CB TJ Moore - Reserve/Injured (August 24)
S K'Von Wallace - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 24)
WR Zach Pascal - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 22)
WR Jordan Bly, ILB K.J. Cloyd, CB O'Donnell Fortune, ILB Dyontae Johnson, C Jimmy Morrissey, WR Montrell Washington, OL Jaison Williams - Waived, No Recall (August 22)
T Andrew Thomas - Passed Physical (August 19)
LB K.J. Cloyd - Free Agent Signing (August 4)
RB Jonathan Ward - Free Agent Signing (August 4)
LB Ty Summers - Reserve/Injured (August 4)
RB Rushawn Baker - Waived, Injured (August 4)
WR Gunner Olszewski - Free Agent Signing (July 28)
WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton - Reserve/Injured (July 28)
S K'Von Wallace - Free Agent Signing (July 22)
DB Anthony Johnson - Waived, Injured (July 22)
T Andrew Thomas - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 22)
RB Eric Gray - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 22)
OLB Victor Dimukeje - Declared Non-Football Injury (July 22)
Giants receive 2026 sixth-round draft pick from Dolphins in exchange for conditional 2027 seventh-round selection and TE Darren Waller (July 7)
RB Cam Skattebo - Selection List Signing (June 18)
DL Darius Alexander - Selection List Signing (June 2)
QB Jaxson Dart - Selection List Signing (May 30)
OLB Abdul Carter - Selection List Signing (May 22)
WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey - Free Agent Signing (May 12)
CB T.J. Moore - Free Agent Signing (May 12)
DB R.J. Delancy III - Waived, No Recall (May 12)
DB Tommy McCormick - Waived, No Recall (May 12)
OL Marcus Mbow - Selection List Signing (May 9)
TE Thomas Fidone II - Selection List Signing (May 9)
CB Korie Black - Selection List Signing (May 9)
RB Rushawn Baker, WR Jordan Bly, WR Dalen Cambre, WR Beaux Collins, DB R.J. Delancey, WR Da'Quan Felton, OLB Trace Ford, DB O'Donnell Fortune, DB Tommy McCormick, DB Makari Paige, TE Jermaine Terry, WR Antwane Wells, OL Jaison Williams - Free Agent Signing (May 9)
WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (May 9)
DL Casey Rogers - Waived, No Recall (May 8)
CB Korie Black - Selected in the 7th Round of 2025 NFL Draft (No. 246 overall) (April 26)
TE Thomas Fidone II - Selected in the 7th Round of 2025 NFL Draft (No. 219 overall) (April 26)
OL Marcus Mbow - Selected in the 5th Round of 2025 NFL Draft (No. 154 overall) (April 26)
RB Cam Skattebo - Selected in the 4th Round of 2025 NFL Draft (No. 105 overall) (April 26)
DL Darius Alexander - Selected in the 3rd Round of 2025 NFL Draft (No. 65 overall) (April 25)
QB Jaxson Dart - Selected in the 1st Round of 2025 NFL Draft (No. 25 overall) (April 24)
LB Abdul Carter - Selected in the 1st Round of 2025 NFL Draft (No. 3 overall) (April 24)
DT Ross Blacklock - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (April 15)
QB Jameis Winston - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 31)
LB Ty Summers - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 31)
QB Russell Wilson - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 26)
ILB Dyontae Johnson - Exclusive Rights Signing (March 26)
WR Zach Pascal - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 25)
OL Aaron Stinnie - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 25)
OLB Victor Dimukeje - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 21)
WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 21)
OL Greg Van Roten - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 19)
DL Jeremiah Ledbetter - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 18)
LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles - Free Agent Signing (March 17)
CB Paulson Adebo - Free Agent Signing (March 13)
S Jevón Holland - Free Agent Signing (March 13)
WR Darius Slayton - Free Agent Signing (March 13)
DL Chauncey Golston - Free Agent Signing (March 13)
OL James Hudson III - Free Agent Signing (March 13)
LB Chris Board - Free Agent Signing (March 13)
OL Stone Forsythe - Free Agent Signing (March 13)
WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette - Re-signed (March 12)
DT Roy Robertson-Harris - Free Agent Signing (March 10)
P Jamie Gillan - Re-signed (March 8)
TE Chris Manhertz - Re-signed (March 8)
QB Tommy DeVito - Re-signed (March 8)
OLB Tomon Fox - Re-signed (March 7)
LS Casey Kreiter - Re-signed (March 5)
WR Montrell Washington - Free Agent Signing (February 14)
CB Nic Jones - Free Agent Signing (February 14)
DT Ross Blacklock - Reserve/Future (January 6)
C Bryan Hudson - Reserve/Future (January 6)
K Jude McAtamney - Reserve/Future (January 6)
C Jimmy Morrissey - Reserve/Future (January 6)
DT Casey Rogers - Reserve/Future (January 6)
Tickets available for the Giants Women's Tailgate
Join us Sunday, Sept 28 -10am to 12pm at the Ultimate New York Giants Women's Tailgate, an event designed to celebrate and unite the team's loyal fan base.
Enjoy a curated custom merchandise shop, exclusive Kendra Scott activation, tailgate games, giveaways, photo opportunities, live DJ entertainment, and more!
