Friday 5: New York Giants Roster Rebuild Edition
Up for a little fun?
Yeah, why not.
I came up with five questions about the Giants' upcoming off-season, so let's have a little fun with the Friday Five.
And if you'd like to weigh in with your answers, head on over to the Giants Country Facebook page, where I also have a link to this article posted. Drop your comments there, and let's compare notes.
The one unrestricted free agent from another team that the Giants MUST sign is...
WR Curtis Samuel. Okay, I know what you're thinking. "Curtis Samuel? No, go with Allen Robinson/Kenny Golladay!"
But does anyone remember last year when the popular consensus was that the Giants needed to sign free-agent cornerback Byron Jones, and instead they "settled" for James Bradberry?
Golladay and Robinson are two premier players who will make whoever signs them very happy, of that I have no doubt. But I'm not sure how wise it would be for the Giants to go for broke on a wide receiver--a position of need--when they might be able to get Samuel (whom general manager Dave Gettleman scouted and drafted during his time in Carolina), for potentially less.
Giants head coach Joe Judge has made it a point not to emphasize any one player on offense in successive weeks consistently. Instead, he's played matchup football, which seemed to work well in that opponents weren't able to zero in on a given player like they were years ago when Odell Beckham Jr was the offense.
While I'm not saying that Golladay and Robinson couldn't be productive in the Giants offense, is the value--per Spotrac, Golladay projects at $17 million per season and Robinson at $20 million per season--worth the investment when a guy like Samuel projects at a more "reasonable" $12.4 million per year and stands to potentially be just as productive.
Here's one other thought to consider. Just because the Giants sign a receiver in free agency (assuming they do so) doesn't mean they won't invest in one someplace in the first three rounds in the draft. This team has a few holes that need to be filled and who may have limited resources to where they'll have to be prudent with their spending.
The one unrestricted free agent the Giants MUST re-sign is...
Leonard Williams. I've made this case before and will make it again. You sign the pass rusher over the run stopper (Dalvin Tomlinson) because runs toppers are usually easier to find in the draft, and more importantly, if you let Leonard Williams walk away, now you've created a significant hole on your defense.
Remember, the Giants only have Lorenzo Carter and Oshane Ximines under contract. Carter showed signs of being a potential pass0rushing threat before his Achilles injury ended his season early, but if you want to bring the pressure with your defensive front, you need Williams on your team.
If the Giants did this, I would pass out in shock...
Re-sign running back Wayne Gallman. Look, I'm all for Gallman being re-signed as I think his running style complements Saquon Barkley's rather nicely, and I could see the two of them forming a one-two punch that's almost reminiscent of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw back in the day.
But with limited salary cap resources and a deep class for running backs, my guess is the Giants look to sign a veteran for a one-year deal and draft a young running back for the future. I suspect Gallman might end up being a luxury the Giants won't be able to afford given their other needs.
READ: New York Giants' 2018 Draft: Where Each Picks Stand After 3-Year Mark
If the Giants don't do this, I will pass out in shock...
Extend safety Jabrill Peppers. Peppers and tight end Evan Engram are set to play out the option years in their respective rookie deals, Peppers estimated to cost $6.7 million against the cap and Engram $6.01 million. If I'm the Giants, I look to lower one of those numbers, and the one I look to lower is Peppers'.
Peppers had one of his best seasons as a pro last year, and his versatility both on defense and on special teams makes him a value type of investment.
What might Peppers be worth? If we use that $6.7 million figure as a starting point, a four-year $24 million deal ($6 million APY) with about $18 million guaranteed might get things done.
The move the Giants make that no one sees coming...
The chances of the Giants re-signing both Leonard Williams and Dalvin Tomlinson don't appear to be promising. Still, if there's one thing that never ceases to amaze, it's the magic that assistant general manager and team capologist Kevin Abrams works every year.
I still don't think the Giants can afford both Tomlinson and Williams. Still, given the anticipated reduction in this year's cap (projected to be between $175 and $180 million by most accounts), it's possible that this becomes more of a buyer's market and that somehow the Giants do manage to make it work with Williams and Tomlinson while also addressing their other needs.
What's next for the Giants this off-season? Sign up for our FREE newsletter for all the latest, and be sure to follow and like us on Facebook. Submit your questions for our mailbag. And don't forget to check out the daily LockedOn Giants podcast, also available for subscription wherever you find podcasts.
