Giants Should Avoid Signing These UFAs
The New York Giants need help on the interior offensive line and at receiver. But as with anything, they must be reasonable in how they staff these and other needs on their roster.
In filling some of their most pressing needs, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report put together some advice for general manager Joe Schoen regarding some pending unrestricted free agents that, on the surface, might be smart moves for the Giants to make but which aren't.
The first name Knox suggests the Giants avoid is guard Connor Williams of the Miami Dolphins, of whom he noted, "With a projected market value of $13.5 million annually, Williams won't come at a bargain. Williams has been a great player when healthy, but the Giants simply can't afford to hand out that sort of contract to a player who isn't a sure thing.”
Williams will be one of the top- guard options on the market this offseason. He was drafted by the Cowboys in 2018 and played primarily left guard until 2021. He’s been with the Dolphins since, playing in 100% of offensive snaps last season, but unfortunately, he tore his ACL in December, impacting his availability for Week 1. He’s a solid player, allowing just three sacks and two quarterback hits in 2022 and only one sack in 2023 before getting injured.
Williams's recent medical history, combined with the Giants being more in need of a guard/tackle and his projected cost, is more than enough reason for New York to steer clear of the one-time Dallas Cowboys.
A second player Knox recommends the Giants avoid is someone Giants fans have often inquired about adding: receiver Mike Evans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Knox noted, “While the Giants might be able to sign Evans on a back-loaded contract, they would likely have to overpay. At this stage in his career, Evans likely wants no part of an uncertain quarterback situation like New York's.”
Evans has been one of the most consistent wideouts, if not the most consistent, since entering the league in 2014. He’s had 1,000 receiving yards each year that he’s played and missed only nine regular season games in his 10-year career. He’s also a champion, helping the Buccaneers defeat the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV. Evans is well on his way to a Hall of Fame nod when the time comes.
However, the Giants don’t make sense as a destination for the future Hall of Famer. Do the Giants need a number-one wide receiver? Yes. They don’t need to overpay for Evans and potentially strap themselves to a bad contract for years to come, especially with them having a good chance of getting a No. 1 receiver on a cheaper rookie deal in the draft.
Evans can still help a team, but allocating over $20 million annually to a receiver who will be 31 when the season begins doesn’t make sense for the rebuilding Giants at all.
