Friday Reader Mailbag: The Draft, the Future of the Season, Daniel Jones and Much More
From Jon S.
Let's say the first three picks go the way we're expecting them to go, Burrows, Young, and Okudah, respectively. What's to keep the Giants from calling Miami, the Chargers and the Raiders and telling them "We're taking Tua; the highest bidder gets him," similar to what the Chargers did when they took Manning?
Hi Jon. I hope you and yours are holding up as well. There is one significant difference you are overlooking in your scenario. Back in 2004, both the Giants and Chargers needed a quarterback, so any "threats" by San Diego (as they were known at the time) to draft Eli Manning, whom the Giants wanted, were undoubtedly legitimate.
Fast forward to the present. The Giants have their franchise quarterback in Daniel Jones. Despite the endorsements from Dave Gettleman and Joe Judge at the combine, I don't think they're fooling anyone if they try to give the impression they're going to go in a different direction (especially after Gettleman has made it a point to draft more judiciously).
So if you're Miami or Los Angeles, would you really believe the Giants if they called up and said they were thinking of drafting Tua, especially knowing how through the Giants like to be about checking injured players? The Giants would have a better chance at selling the rights to the Brooklyn Bridge than I think they would convincing anyone that they're drafting Tua.
I think the scenario the Giants need to create is to convince Miami that the Chargers want Tua and convince the Chargers that Miami wants Justin Hebert and see if either team bites.
From Bruce F.:
Right now, nobody knows what, where, or for how long the virus will disrupt our lives. Concerning football and the NFL, can you envision a point at which it will be impossible for the players, teams, and owners to proceed with the 2020 season. I'm sure that the owners have discussed the subject, and that there must be a timeline in which it would not be feasible to go ahead with the season given the amount of preparation required.
Thanks for the question, Bruce. I agree that I'm sure the league has discussed some different scenarios, but those haven't been made public.
If I were to take a guess based on the scenarios that were floated around during the 2011 lockout, I would say that the latest the NFL would probably need to start the season is in October. That would push everything back a month (while also probably pushing back the combine, free agency and the draft for next year).
I think if we continue down this road that we're currently on to where the season can't get started by October, then I could see it being shelved.
Hi Oscar. I'm not sure what you mean "lack of training time with the tabs," but I'm guessing you're asking about lack of training time for the players in general, which is a good question. I haven't given that much thought, but I would hope that things such as yoga and stretching, which can be done anywhere, are being done.
My biggest concern would be the quality of football we see- (if we see it at all). Will guys be in optimal condition to run around for the full 60 minutes the game requires (which in real time an stretch to over three hours)? And will the basic techniques like tackling and blocking be crisp or sloppy? That's what I'm curious to see.
I'm sorry, but I didn't buy that rumor at the combine, and I'm not buying it right now. The Giants need an offensive tackle, and anyone with two eyes and a functioning understanding of the game can see that.
I suspect that the reports of the Giants liking Brown might have been to get another team who likes Brown to move up, but we'll see. A few years ago, I didn't think the Giants would draft OBJ ahead of an offensive lineman, and I was wrong then. (But then again, so were they in retrospect.)
I'm guessing at this point those odds have evaporated mostly due to the price tag involved. Plus, with Clowney, I suspect that his injury history is making the Giants wary of investing in him. If you've noticed, the Giants have mostly moved away from going after guys who, despite having talent, also have injury histories.
Regarding Golden, we've noted this before in our film study of how Lorenzo Carter was used in the defense. I think it's fair to wonder if the Giants coaching staff is planning to adjust Carter's role on defense to scheme him open in getting more pass-rushing opportunities.
Anyway, at this point, I think they're going to see what they come out with in the draft and then maybe see if there's anything left in free agency when players generally come way down in price.
From Marcus L.
Hi Pat. Do you think if the Giants don't reach at least .500 this year that Dave Gettleman will be let go?
Hi Marcus. On the surface, the answer is yes, but it's also fair to wonder how much the effects on the season from the COVID-19 pandemic will be considered.
I know this isn't the same thing, but I go back to a question that Giants co-owner John Mara was asked last year about why he retained Gettleman but not head coach Pat Shurmur. To paraphrase, Mara spoke about how in Gettleman's first year, he was fighting for his life and that they as an organization wanted to give him the time needed to implement all the changes that were being made behind the scenes.
Now let's jump to the present. Presumably, all those changes have been put into place, but again we have a situation that's beyond anyone's control. Will the players be in optimal condition? Will injuries be an issue again? There are just too many unknown variables, and it's not only with the Giants, but it's league-wide.
Remember,r this is a team that has a brand new coaching staff, and while they'll be using teleconferencing to teach the installs, at some point, you have to get on the field and practice it. So the bottom line is I don't think this is a simple yes or no question given all the uncertainties that the COVID-19 pandemic is creating for the league.
I think the fairest way to judge if Gettleman is genuinely on the hot seat is if the season can start on time after the teams getting in some training camp. If they are not competitive to where they don't belong on the same field as the opponent, then I think team ownership's decision becomes easy.
Hi Rob. Simmons is so versatile that I could see him lining up as a starter at different spots every week, including safety, slot, etc. So that's a tough question to answer right now because there are so many variables at play here.
What I can tell you is that I doubt that the No. 4 overall pick, whoever he is, is going to sit on the bench. I don't see that happening.
What's up, 55? I do think the Giants will look to address the center position, but I can't say for sure that it will be in the second round.
I've spoken to numerous draft analysts, and they are split regarding whether there is a "can't miss" prospect at center in this draft. I have raised the point before that I don't think it's wise to put a rookie center in the lineup on day 1 when you have a second-year quarterback who last year had a few issues with reading certain defenses.
I still think the likely scenario is they'll roll with Spencer Pulley's experience at center this year and either look to upgrade the position in 2021 or if they manage to get a prospect on Day 2 or Day 3 of the draft, develop him.
Hi Steve. That's a tough question because it's a case of "beauty is in the eye of the beholder." Do you want a classic left tackle to replace Nate Solder? Then Andrew Thomas of Georgia is your man. Can you live with the fact that Mekhi Becton hasn't had much experience with pro-style sets?
If we're talking total package, I'd lean toward Jedrick Wills, whom I believed played right tackle at Alabama. He's not a finished product by any means--none of the prospects are--but I think he's as close to being the total package, though to be fair to the others, they're not that far off.
Hi Stephanie. I think creativity is a necessary trait that all coordinator--offense, defense, and special teams--need to have regardless of the talent they have on the roster. You get a coordinator with imagination, and suddenly you'll see him taking pedestrian talent and winning ten or more games.
Do the Giants have a creative defensive coordinator? I don't know the answer to that, as we haven't had a chance to hear from him yet, and there is some question as to whether the Dolphins defense that he ran last year was all his schemes or mixed in with head coach Brian Flores' philosophies.
Here's what I can tell you about Patrick Graham. He has a good reputation as a teacher, which is something that I think we can safely say the Giants didn't have across the board on defense, given all the breakdowns and issues we saw still happening late in the season. I also think he has a solid staff he's working with who will do a better job with putting guys in the right positions instead of trying to satisfy system needs.
Sorry Jim, but I don't think that's a realistic scenario.
That's an excellent question. I don't think Gettleman has been perfect--no general manager has been. I think one of his biggest mistakes was overestimating what he had on the roster, and I suspect that was just a by-product of him trying to be optimistic rather than realistic.
I do agree that when he was first hired, he had some gaping holes on the roster the size of the Grand Canyon as a result of the previous regime's malpractice. And I think to fill some of those holes, he had to overspend on guys like Nate Solder.
But in retrospect, I don't know how much everyone was on the same page in the beginning. For example, although Eli Manning still had football left in him, he wasn't an ideal fit for what Shurmur wanted to run, as evidenced by Shurmur's quickly pulling the plug on Manning.
The Jonathan Stewart signing remains a headscratcher, and where was his self-control in pointing out to James Bettcher that all those former Cardinals players he wanted weren't going to be reunited with Honey Badger, Chandler Jones, etc.?
And let's not forget the Leonard Williams trade, which is stranger by the day. With all that cap room they had, you mean to tell me they couldn't have signed Williams for less than $16 million per year while keeping a premium draft pick (third round this year)?
So no, Gettleman hasn't been perfect, but he also hasn't been afraid to take some gambles, perhaps figuring that hey, it can't get any worse. The problem, though, is that if it doesn't start to get better, then you have to go back and evaluate what you're doing.
From Dave P.
How concerned are you over Colt McCoy's comments about loosing his 2nd-year offseason doing more to hurt his development than anything else. When it comes to Daniel Jones' development and looking like he is going to miss the offseason this year? Giants can't afford for him not to develop.
Hi Dave. I have zero concerns because everyone is different, first of all. And in having spoken with people in the know, Daniel Jones put in quite a lot of work starting no long after the end of the season.
At some point, you have to get out there and physically do it, but I'm not as concerned as you seem to be. If Jones were sitting on his couch playing video games, then I'd be more concerned.
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