It's safe to say Landon Collins is arguably the best safety hitting this season's free agency market and the New York Giants are going to have their hands full replacing him.
It doesn't appear the Giants are looking to spend their money on the safety position this offseason. There are several players that will cost substantially less than Collins if the Giants are looking to spend their money elsewhere.
Considering Collins is regarded as the best safety hitting the free agent market and the Giants are letting him walk, it's clear they aren't going to break the bank on his replacement. Players including Adrian Amos, Lamarcus Joyner, Earl Thomas, and Tyrann Mathieu are all hitting the free agent market, but will be desiring a paycheck the Giants' front office is not willing to offer.
Here are a few candidates to take over at the strong safety position for the G-Men next season.
3. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
Clinton-Dix is the epitome of reliability and possesses great playmaking ability as well. The former Pro Bowler and second team All-Pro safety entered the league back in 2014 in a big way, similar to Landon Collins.
The Redskins likely won't retain the talented safety so this gives him a great opportunity to hit the free agent market for the first time in his career. It will be interesting to see the offers Clinton-Dix receives and one of them could be from the Giants.
The former first round pick likely won't come at a huge discount compared to Collins' asking price, but would be a bit more affordable. Clinton-Dix has played in every game of his career and considering his relentless play style, it's a very impressive feat. The Giants would be swapping one Alabama safety for another and luckily both play at an incredible level.
2. Tre Boston
Boston is one of the more underrated safeties in the league and while he's not likely the first player that comes up in conversation regarding the safety position, he's still a very solid player.
The Giants could likely get Boston on a fair deal and he could fill in admirably. The former fourth round pick was has shown great strides since his first few seasons with the Carolina Panthers, but can't seem to find a team that will commit to him.
Boston is coming off of a fantastic season in which he accounted for 79 total tackles, nine pass deflections, and three interceptions. These were all career bests for Boston and he may finally be coming into his own and establishing himself as a true threat in the secondary.
1. George Iloka
Perhaps the best all-around option for the Giants if they are hoping to find a safety at a bargain is former long-time Cincinnati Bengals safety George Iloka. Iloka's short stint with the Minnesota Vikings clearly did not work out and he only started in three games as well as only accounted for 16 tackles.
It's safe to assume Iloka will be with a new team in 2019 and with Collins' departure, the former Bengals safety could be a solid fit with the Giants.
The Giants could likely could land Iloka on a contract that could be somewhere along the lines of the veteran minimum or just above it. Iloka would likely be a short-term fix for the team, and the direction they are going in regards to their defense appears to be a mystery thus far.
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