The New York Giants will be playing in their first Sunday Night game since the 2018 season. The Cleveland Browns will travel to East Rutherford this week in hopes of earning their 10th win of the season. This is not the first time the Browns and Giants have been linked together, especially since the infamous Odell Beckham Jr trade. Lots of players on both sides will be facing their former team come Sunday night. The Giants are hopeful that these former Browns can help keep their season alive.
Current New York Giants Players Who Will Face Their Former Team on Sunday, the Cleveland Browns
Jabrill Peppers
Jabrill Peppers was the one player sent to the Giants in a blockbuster deal that saw star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr start his new chapter in Cleveland. Peppers, 25, was one of the three first-round picks by the Browns in the 2017 draft, sharing the spotlight with Myles Garrett and David Njoku.
Peppers gained media attention in college for his pure, raw athleticism. His ability to move around and play on both sides of the ball hadn’t been seen in a long time at that point. And, of course, his personality shined whenever the cameras were on him.
The young safety recorded 137 tackles, two interceptions, and eight passes defended in 29 games for the Browns. Fast forward to 2020, and Peppers is one of the best players on this Giants defense. This year alone, Peppers has a career-high in passes defended, tackles for loss, and sacks. His 74 tackles are on pace to also become a career-high as well.
Jabrill Peppers in two years with New York has become a key piece on defense. He enjoys being the hometown kid, and it’s likely he stays long-term if his high level of play continues.
Colt McCoy
Colt McCoy may have to step in and start yet again for the injured Daniel Jones. This time, it could be against the team that drafted him back in 2010. McCoy coming out of college was widely regarded as one of the best quarterbacks college football had ever seen.
His NFL career had not gone that way, unfortunately. McCoy spent three years in Cleveland before being shipped to San Francisco in 2013. He threw for 4,317 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions in his time with the Browns.
This game between New York and Cleveland has a chance of getting even more interesting if McCoy steps in as the starter against his former squad.
Kevin Zeitler
Kevin Zeitler had a two-year stint with the Browns from 2017-2018. In those two years, Zeitler never missed a snap, playing in all 16 games in each season. The now 30-year-old guard was traded to the Giants before the 2019 season for Olivier Vernon.
The trade had been beneficial for New York, who has and still is trying to figure out their offensive line situation. This year, Zeitler is the veteran leader of this offensive line which features three rookies in some instances, due to the rotation that head coach Joe Judge has implemented.
Zeitler had his name brought up around the trade deadline earlier in the season. However, the Giants did not move him, and he continues to be a solid piece on this developing line. Only allowing just one sack this year, Zeitler has proven to be a great addition and will look to stop Cleveland’s defensive front Sunday night.
Jabaal Sheard
Jabaal Sheard was a second-round pick by Cleveland back in 2011. Sheard had looked to be a solid find by Cleveland during his four years there, totaling 23 sacks, 27 tackles for loss, and seven forced fumbles. Since leaving Cleveland, Sheard has been with four different teams, including the Giants. His sack numbers had stayed fairly consistent since leaving Cleveland, his highest being 8.0 in 2015.
Sheard was a mid-season pickup by New York. He added much-needed pass-rushing help after the team lost Lorenzo Carter and Oshane Ximines for the season and traded away Markus Golden. Sheard has not disappointed in his role within Patrick Graham’s defense totaling 1.5 sacks and one game-winning forced fumble against Cincinnati.
Sheard will try to get into Cleveland’s backfield and disrupt their high-scoring offense.
Dion Lewis
Dion Lewis was traded from the Philadelphia Eagles to the Browns in 2013. He never played a single snap for Cleveland, after being put on injured reserve the same year he was traded there. He was then released by the Browns the following year. No history really for Lewis and the Browns, but he will look to try to help get the Giants’ offense rolling against a tough Cleveland defense.
Former Browns Head Coach Freddie Kitchens Will Call the Shots Sunday Night
It was reported early Thursday morning that offensive coordinator Jason Garrett had been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list and will miss Sunday’s game, and that tight end coach Freddie Kitchens will call the plays this week.
Kitchens was the offensive coordinator for Cleveland in 2018, before attaining the head coaching job in 2019. Kitchens went 6-10 in his only year as the Browns head coach and was fired after the season.
However, Kitchens landed a role on Joe Judge’s staff as the tight end coach, and will now have the job of calling the offensive plays against the franchise that fired him.
Final Word
There are a lot of Giants that will face their former team in the Cleveland Browns come Sunday night. Back to the reality of this matchup, it is not looking so good for New York. Shutdown cornerback James Bradberry has been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list and will miss Sunday’s game. On top of that, Daniel Jones has a sprained left ankle and could miss the game as well.
If the Giants want any chance of winning, they will need to score, and also figure out how to fill Bradberry’s position. New York is hoping to somehow come up with another win during this crazy season.
