New York Giants 2024 Training Camp Preview: OLB/DE Boogie Basham

The New York Giants hired former Tennessee Titans Defensive Coordinator Shane Bowen after Wink Martindale resigned his post. When Martindale walked out the door, so too did his blitzing, aggressive style of defense, including his 30-front defense. 

This means there will be some position adjustments for some of the players on the team, such as edge rusher Boogie Basham, a player the Giants acquired via trade last summer from the Buffalo Bills.

Of all the outside linebackers or “edge” guys from last season’s roster, Basham is probably the most physically suited to play a true defensive end position. At 6-3 and 274 pounds, he has the anchor you want at the position. 

Basham could be the perfect guy to spell Brian Burns on the strong side. This will allow Azeez Ojulari to back up Kayvon Thibodeaux and come in on pass rushing sub packages.

Basham does not possess the twitchiness and explosion of the other defensive ends or edge rushers on the team. Besides those mentioned, Tomon Fox is also another edge that showed a higher level of explosion when he was afforded more snaps in 2022. 

It would also be good if Basham could show that he can move inside on obvious passing downs as well since this can increase his value to the defense and help keep others fresh. 

Defensive line depth will be critical to the success of the Giants’ defense this season and for the foreseeable future. The only way that holds up is if the Basham and others play up to their natural abilities. 

It is safe to say he has not lived up to his full potential over his first three seasons in the league. The most disappointing thing about his performance is that he has not seen the 35.5 tackles for loss and 19.5 sacks that he amassed at Wake Forest follow him to the NFL. 

This is a pivotal season in Basham’s development and a change in scheme that should allow him to play a position that he’s better suited for. This also marks a significant season for Basham to prove that he can be a defensive line mainstay.

Height: 6-3
Weight: 274 lbs.
Exp: 4 years
School: Wake Forest
How Acquired: T-BUF-23 

Basham and a 2025 seventh-round pick were sent to the Giants in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round pick. The Giants’ likely thought process was that Basham would provide quality depth behind the starting edge rushers because of his size and athleticism, but that never seemed to materialize. 

Basham averaged around 25 percent of the defensive snaps in 2023. Between Weeks 12 and 16, he was a healthy scratch. 

His production and effectiveness were limited because he did not show the explosiveness necessary to be a threat off the edge. Instead, he was merely a space eater at a position that was expected to be dynamic and game-changing.  

His lack of effectiveness allowed Jihad Ward, a Martindale favorite, to get more opportunities on the defense. Basham only managed 11 tackles for the entire 2023 season. 

However, the more damning stats is that he ended the season with zero tackles for loss and no pass-rushing statistics (quarterback hits and sacks).

It was the worst season of an underwhelming three-year career, as he could not duplicate the pedestrian 19 tackles and 2.5 sacks that represented his career highs from his two years in Buffalo. 

Carlos “Boogie” Basham Jr. signed a 4-year, $5,624,943 contract with the Buffalo Bills as a second-round draft pick. His deal included a $1,450,868 signing bonus, $2,366,547 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $1,406,236 according to Spotrac. 

In 2024, Basham will earn a base salary of $1,352,037 and a workout bonus of $75,000, while carrying a cap hit of $1,427,037. This is the final year of Basham’s rookie contract, which the Giants inherited when they acquired him via trade.

Basham should come into training camp with optimism but also a sense of urgency. He can not afford to have a pedestrian training camp where he does not flash playmaking ability, especially in a defense that is expected to rely mostly on the front four to provide the quarterback pressure. 

Basham needs to show maturity in year four and provide a veteran presence off the bench. If he can do that he can be a valuable member of the front line in 2024 and possibly earn a second contract with the Giants or another 40-front team.