Giants to use Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie as top corner

The New York Giants have had a busy offseason, with a focus clearly on rebuilding their secondary. The Giants re-signed cornerback Trumaine McBride and added Walter Thurmond in free agency. However, the biggest addition was former Denver Bronco Dominique Rodgers-Cromarite.

With a loaded defensive backfield that also includes Prince Amukamara, the Giants could have decided to limit matchups and let their corners lock down a particular part of the field, much like the approach used by the Seattle Seahawks, the reigning Super Bowl champions.

But, that's not the plan for 2014. Instead, Rodgers-Cromartie will be used exclusively to shut down the opposition's biggest threat.

"Are you the best receiver on the team? [He's] following you then," Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said, via NJ.com.

"He's physical enough. When you watch him closely, he doesn't shy away," Coughlin said. "He's got great big long arms, he's tall, he's fast, he can match up."

After two subpar seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, Rodgers-Cromarite was great for the Broncos in 2013 and earned himself a five-year, $35-million contract with the Giants. He'll be joining his fourth team in five years, but according to Coughlin that long-term deal was a big reason for Rodgers-Cromartie committing to New York.  

"He was looking for it. To be honest, he was looking for a place to stick his roots and become a guy who represents a team, stayed there and worked his way through things rather than be a guy who was one year here, one year there," Coughlin said. "He responded to that. He jumped on that. He wanted to be a guy who associated with a team, be recognized."

Rodgers-Cromartie should have ample opportunity to prove his ability next season. He will be matched up with some of the NFL's best wide receivers when the Cowboys face Detroit (Calvin Johnson), Dallas (Dez Bryant), Philadelphia (DeSean Jackson), Atlanta (Julio Jones), Houston (Andre Johnson) and Arizona (Larry Fitzgerald).