What Giants Need to Accomplish at Senior Bowl
Besides the annual league meetings and the scouting combine, no other event on the NFL off-season calendar brings together a collection of coaches, general managers, and scouts as the Senior Bowl.
But for the New York Giants, exchanging pleasantries with their colleagues around the league is only a small part of the start of a critical off-season of change to rebuild an underachieving roster that last year finished 6-11 and out of the playoffs. Let's take a look at some of the objectives New York needs to accomplish this week.
Finalize the Coaching Staff
Every year, coaches flock to the Senior Bowl, which has become sort of a "job fair" for some looking for work. The Giants still have a couple of openings on their staff they're looking to fill, most notably defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach.
While the Giants have already begun interviewing candidates for the defensive coordinator role--it's possible they might be waiting for that hire to fall into place before addressing the linebackers coach--typically certain coaching searches crystallize at the Senior Bowl since everyone is in town to scout talent. Beyond the search for assistants to fill openings, a head coach can often come across an up-and-coming coaching prospect to serve as either a summer intern or in a newly created, lower-level role (i.e., defensive assistant) on the staff.
Figure Out the Quarterback Plan
Giants general manager Joe Schoen has already said that the team will need to address the quarterback position, and although he's personally scouted some of the top quarterback prospects in this upcoming draft class during the fall games, this week should afford both he and head coach Bian Daboll even more insight as they sit together to watch practices.
Will Schoen and Daboll fall in love with a prospect that they have to have in the first round, regardless of what it takes to get him? Or will they stack their wish list in such a way that affords them to sit at No. 6 (or maybe even trade down) and get their guy at some point on Day 2 or by trading back into the bottom of the first round?
Whatever they decide will more than likely influence what they do or don't do in free agency at the position.
Find Offensive Linemen
Stop us if you've heard this before, but the Giants need offensive linemen. Badly. They currently have openings at both guard positions, right tackle Evan Neal is still a question mark given his lack of development last year before a season-ending ankle injury put him on the shelf, and they could use a swing tackle, what with Tyre Phillips having suffered a late-season injury that may or may not affect when he's ready.
New offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo is a busy man gathering his notes on the candidates he feels he can mold into solid linemen for the Giants. While it's unknown if the Giants plan to devote a premium pick on an offensive lineman, the unit is where constant replenishment is necessary, especially on a unit that last year gave up the second most sacks in league history.
Get Defensive
Not to be ignored, the defensive line can also use a little love. The Giants have cornerstone Dexter Lawrence on board. Still, with A'Shawn Robinson, who took over as a starter after the Leonard Williams trade, headed to free agency, the Giants are left with veteran Rakeem Nunez-Roches and youngsters Jordon Riley and D.J. Davidson.
That's not a horrible crop, mind you, but they could use more depth, especially if these defensive coordinators they've been interviewing speak of wanting to use more of a three-man front versus the two-man front former defensive coordinator Wink Martindale liked to use so often at the position.
Corner the Market
Another position where the Giants can use some additional depth is at cornerback. Adoree' Jackson, a starter last year, is headed to free agency and is unlikely to be back. Same with Darnay Holmes, who had been the slot cornerback for most of his four-year career with the team.
That leaves second-year men Deonte Banks, who likely will become the team's CB1, and Tre Hawkins, who hit some speed bumps last year when thrown into the starting lineup, as part of the position's foundation. New York might again lean on a committee approach at the clot, but they desperately need to find a CB2 to complement Banks.
The Need for Speed
The Giants' projected core receiver group of Darius Slayton, Wan'Dale Robinson, and Jalin Hyatt isn't that bad. But just think of how much better that unit would be if the Giants added a legitimate No. 1 receiver to help draw more double teams.
Fortunately for the Giants, this is a deep receiver class. Some believe that if the top three quarterbacks are gone by the time the Giants are on the clock, they could go receiver if they sit tight at No. 6.
While there is also a decent free agency crop of receivers set to hit the market that should help keep the prices from spiraling out of control, getting a No. 1 receiver on a rookie deal seems like the more attractive option as it would allow the Giants to spend its cap space on veterans to fill some offensive line and defensive positions.
Set the Edge
At outside linebacker, the Giants have KAyvon Thibodeaux and very little else that's proven. Azeez Ojulari has been in the trainer's room more than on the field since coming to the team. Jihad Ward is headed to free agency and likely won't be back, and the Giants didn't get a lot out of Boogie Basham, whom they traded after training camp ended last year.
Adding more firepower at outside linebackers should be a top priority, regardless of who the defensive coordinator is, because the depth is so paper-thin.
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