New York Giants Reader Mailbag: The "Wishful Thinking" Edition

Let's see what's on the Giants fans' minds this week.

Author:
Patricia Traina
Publish date:
Jan 22, 2022 8:00 AM EST

In this story:

If you'd like to submit a question for the mailbag, please send it to nygiantsmaven@gmail.com or post it in our new forum (free registration required) under Reader Mailbag Questions. We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity and conciseness.

From Ralph H. - I feel the only way to get back to any respectability is to trade down and acquire some additional picks and hopeful talent. I cannot see keeping Jones for a fifth-year option, especially when it is possible his injury is worst than being revealed.

I like the QB from Pittsburgh and feel with additional O-line help, he seemingly has the talent to help by virtue of a run/pass ability, and is seemingly also not injury prone. I want your opinion on this possibility ever happening.

Ralph, thank you for the letter. I think you have to let Daniel Jones play out this year (I agree not to pick up his option). Put a good system in place and a good offensive line in front of him and see what you have.

If he crushes it, the quarterback problem is solved. If he doesn't, chances are you're going to have a high draft pick again in 2023, so if you play your cards right, then maybe you go get your next quarterback.

From Henry J.- In my limited capacity, my ideal 2022 draft includes the following "GETS:"

#5 O.T. Ikem Ekwonu, 6.4" 325
#7 O.C. Tyler Linderbaum, 6.2" 289
#36 EDG. Jermaine Johnson II, 6.4" 262
#67 O.G. Jamaree Salyer, 6.4" 325
#81 L.B. Leo Chenal, 6.2" 260
#108 T.E. Jeremy Ruckert, 6.5" 250
or switch out Chenal / Ruckert for Ferguson / Clark

Kindly critique my choices.

Henry, thanks for sharing your mock draft. With all due respect, I'm going to pass on critiquing it for a few reasons. One, it's much too early to do a full mock draft right now--we don't know who the coaching staff will be, so to speculate on who might be drafted is premature.

Also, I haven't gotten that deep yet into studying the prospects to where even if I wanted to comment, I could do so with an informed opinion, and besides not having a strong enough grasp on the prospects, I have no idea why you made the picks you did, so without that information, I couldn't possibly render an informed opinion.

That said, if anyone reading this wants to weigh in, feel free to drop a comment on our message boards.

From Alan B. - So last week, I watched OBJ "go off" as a LA Ram and wondered why I'm stuck watching Kenny Golladay play while OBJ demonstrates his talent for someone else. Is this what I have to look forward to with Saquon? Thoughts?

You got me, Alan. Not sure what exactly you're expecting considering I think it's widely known tht the offensive system was NOT a good fit for this team and the offensive line was not consistent nor reliable. If I were you, I'd wait to see what the new coaching staff brings before I start yearning for yesteryear.

From Don L. - The Giants need more talent, more depth, and more cap space. Given a creative and aggressive new management team, what is the maximal cap space that might be obtained by trades and extensions, and what positions would that mean have to be replaced through the draft?

If the Eagles fell in love with a player available at 5, would the giants consider a swap for (at least) 2 of their first-round picks?

Don, I promise I'm going to do something on the salary cap as I did last year when I focused on cuts and restructures (I'm not going to make trades, but I'll look at restructures/extensions). Let's let things settle down with the coaching staff search so I can at least get an idea of what type of system they might be planning to run on each side of the ball.

That said, I can only give you what I think might happen--that doesn't mean that Joe Schoen is going to agree with my plan (but hey, if he wants to use it, he's welcome to it!)

Would the Giants swap with the Eagles? I suppose you never say never, but I can't imagine that ever happening.

From Matt L. - My son and I just re-watched Super Bowl XLII. Are my eyes deceiving me, or was that Giants team a bunch of really big guys?! They sure did seem a lot bigger across the board than our current players.

Anyway – I sure was impressed with the relentlessness of the defense. It was so nice to see an attacking D. What direction do you want the Giants defense to follow this next year? Sit back and let the offense dictate what happens, or have the D take control and put it to the offense?

What's up, Matt? The Giants did have some big boys back in those days, and boy, did they play as such. That was a physical group of hombres on the field (but a bunch of sweethearts off it).

I always prefer my football team to be aggressive. I'm not a fan of the "bend don't break defensive concept at all, though I understand the purpose of it. But that's just me. I have become more proactive as I've aged.

From Andrew G. - How far would you be willing to trade back from 7 to guarantee you get a 1st for 2023?

Hi Andrew. That's a tough question since I don't know how the board is going to fall or what, if anything, I can do in free agency. But I would say I probably wouldn't want to trade further back than No. 16 -- and that's a preliminary feeling as I'd have to run a few mock simulations to see how the boards might fall. (Too soon to do all that just yet, what with the college all-star games still on deck.)