Giants hiring Don 'Wink' Martindale as defensive coordinator

Don “Wink” Martindale wasn’t unemployed for long.

The Giants are planning to hire Martindale as their defensive coordinator, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per sources informed of the situation.

Martindale was New York’s first external choice, per Rapoport, and after Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham left for Las Vegas, New York turned to Martindale. The former Ravens defensive coordinator parted ways with Baltimore after 10 seasons with the team in late January, leaving him free to seek employment elsewhere.

He’ll resume his coaching career with a Giants squad that finished 21st in total defense in 2021 and is taking its first steps in a new era under head coach Brian Daboll. New York’s defense was the better part of its team in the last two seasons, finishing 12th in 2020 before taking a step backward in 2021, and it promises to be more aggressive under Martindale in 2022.

The defensive coordinator has developed a reputation for being unafraid to send the blitz in his time in Baltimore, leading to frequent positive outcomes over the last decade, but injuries hampered the Ravens’ chances in 2021. Baltimore lost both of its starting corners and struggled to field a full-strength lineup for much of 2021, falling from a top-seven unit in 2019 and 2020 to 25th this season.

The decline likely contributed to Martindale’s departure, though it clearly didn’t hurt his reputation. News of Martindale’s parting with the Ravens was a surprise, but his hiring in New York is not.

The Giants return most of their primary defensive contributors in 2022, including Leonard Williams, James Bradberry and Xavier McKinney. They’ll have some holes to fill in their front seven (linebacker, nose tackle) but will expect to improve upon their 2021 performance with Martindale in charge.

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