Markus Golden is now New York's favorite son. According to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport, the New York Giants will sign Golden to a one-year deal to replace Olivier Vernon, who was traded earlier this offseason.

UPDATE: The contract terms have been released. Golden will play the 2019 season on a team-friendly prove-it contract. The Giants signed Golden to a one-year contract worth up to $4.75 million in incentives, per source. It has $2.225 million guaranteed.

According to Raiders beat reporter Vic Tafur of The Athletic, four NFL teams were in the running to sign the Arizona Cardinals pass rusher. The Giants, Oakland Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers all were in pursuit of Golden, but the Giants ultimately were victorious.

In the end, the Giants had the advantage over the field because Golden enjoyed a breakout season in 2016 with current Giants defensive coordinator James Bettcher who was then with the Cardinals. During his breakout 2016 season, the 6-foot-3 and 260-pound 2015 second-round draft pick racked up 12 1/2 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, 4 forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and, a pass defensed. Golden's breakout season came in just his second NFL season -- the early breakout could be an indicator of future success.

During the 2017 season, Bettcher's final run where he fielded yet another top-6 defense (three consecutive years doing so in Arizona), Golden tore his ACL just four games into the season. When he returned from the ACL injury in 2018, the Cardinals defense had completely changed. Bettcher was gone and head coach Steve Wilks introduced a defensive scheme that was completely different than the one Golden once thrived in. Playing as a misfit in the Cardinals scheme, Golden didn't replicate his 2016 breakout in his comeback 2018 season.

Golden played in 15 games as a rookie, starting six, and totaled 21 tackles and four sacks before breaking out in 2016 for 51 tackles, 12.5 sacks and four forced fumbles.

Golden provided an update on his health status during an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio in February, saying he's putting the injury behind him and has been doing some quality work this offseason.

“I’m basically a hundred percent, I feel good,” Golden said. “I’ve been working hard, I’ve been training and everything. And I’ve actually been able to actually get this offseason and been able to work this offseason. Because the last offseason, of course, I was hurt from my ACL injury.

“From playing in the NFL, I love being that outside linebacker in the 3-4,” Golden told SiriusXM NFL Radio. “I feel like it frees you up a little more and you can help a lot during the game.”

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The Giants entered the new league year needing to fill a massive hole on the defense, but now they have achieved this feat. The 28-year-old pass rusher, Golden, will be an excellent fit for the scheme and he has the potential to be a much-needed upgrade for the Giants pass rush if he can return to his 2016 form under Bettcher's tutelage.