Last year, Ray-Ray Armstrong went from being one of the best players on the San Francisco 49ers defense to being cut, an odd stretch of events that eventually brought him to the New York Giants. Now in his first full year with the Giants, Armstrong looks likely to be one of the team’s starting inside linebackers.
A potential impact player in the prime of his career who might be a tremendous fit in their revamped defense.
Last November when the 49ers shockingly cut Armstrong, he was playing well, second on the team with 54 tackles. And while he didn’t produce as much after being claimed by the Giants, with just 10 tackles in the final five games of what would be a 3-13 season for his new team, Armstrong hasn’t let the adversities of last year slow him down this preseason.
He has impressed at middle linebacker and stands a good chance to be one of the team’s starters as they transition to defensive coordinator James Bettcher’s new 3-4 defense.
“It’s something that will always be in the back of your mind. You thought you were doing well for someone, and then all of the sudden you’re not there anymore,” Armstrong said. “When I came here I had to erase that and put it in the back of my head and keep moving forward.”
He calls this year with the Giants “a complete 180” under head coach Pat Shurmur, in his first year with the team. It is also a different base defense as the Giants seemingly have been tied to the 4-3 since the Nixon administration.
In Armstrong, there is an ideal fit at inside linebacker. He is solid in run support, can get to the quarterback, handles his assignments well and is outstanding in pass coverage.
That he is so good against the pass shouldn’t be a surprise since he played safety in college at Miami.
“It’s something that will always be in the back of your mind. You thought you were doing well for someone, and then all of the sudden you’re not there anymore,” Armstrong said. “When I came here I had to erase that and put it in the back of my head and keep moving forward.”
