Chase Blackburn has been with the Giants for his entire eight-year NFL career, but he never had a bigger impact than he did last year, when he started 15 games at middle linebacker and had career highs in tackles, sacks, passes defensed and forced fumbles. So it’s no surprise that the Giants are hoping to keep Blackburn around.
Blackburn is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on March 12, but Richard Katz, Blackburn’s agent, told the New York Post that the Giants are trying to get a new deal worked out with him before free agency starts.
“The Giants have expressed a desire to re-sign Chase,’’ Katz said. “We believe Chase has been very valuable to the club, both on and off the field. Right now we are assessing his dollar value to the Giants and reviewing all possible alternatives including the Giants.”
The Giants are trying to get younger on defense and have already released two veterans who were starters in the front seven for most of last season, Michael Boley and Chris Canty. But the soon-to-be 30-year-old Blackburn is a veteran they’d like to keep. At least if the price is right.