Louisville Football: Former Cards in the pros on the move this offseason
By Jacob Lane
William Gay – CB
Offseason move: Released by Pittsburgh Steelers; Signed by New York Giants
2016-17 statistics: 16 tackles, 3 pass deflections, 2 forced fumbles, 1 interception
Since being drafted in the fifth round by the Steelers back in 2007, Gay has been a mainstay on the tough and rugged Pittsburgh defense.
Though his numbers aren’t great by any means, it’s not always about that when it comes to the impact Gay had on his former team.
In a cap saving move and in effort to get younger in the secondary, the Pittsburgh Steelers released the veteran cornerback (played free safety in 16-17). However, Gay wasn’t on the market for long, opting to sign with New York Giants.
The Giants secondary was a mess last season, both on and off the field. Janoris “Jack Rabbit” Jenkins, Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, and Eli Apple were all suspended at one point last season by head coach Ben McAdoo for off-the-field reasons. The Giants gave up big play after big play, and a lot of that could be blamed on their secondary, even though their defense was horrid as a unit.
Bringing in Gay won’t make them a lot better on the field, although he’s still a solid player at 33 years old. Instead it’ll be his veteran presence and leadership in the locker room that will be most valuable to a Giants team looking to rebound in 2018.