Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Giants Free Agency Preview: Major Decisions Await General Manager Dave Gettleman
At the start of the 2019 season, Giants team president John Mara was asked how he would define progress for his team.
Mara refused to specify how many wins would equate to "progress," but he did say that by the end of the 2019 season, he hoped to walk off the field feeling good about the club's direction.
So much for that expectation.
The Giants finished the 2019 season 4-12, one game worse record-wise than 2018. While there is enough blame to go around for that step backward, Gettleman's overestimating the readiness of the roster to compete was a significant factor.
By season's end, head coach Pat Shurmur and most of his staff were shown the door, and for a while there, it looked as though Gettleman would follow.
However, Mara and his business partner Steve Tisch decided to keep the 69-year-old Gettleman for at least another season to continue seeing the behind-the-scenes overhaul of the Giants' scouting practices and to replenish the team's talent that had been bled dry after consecutive years of poor drafting.
With that said, the onus is on Gettleman, who in his 2019 season-ending press conference, admitted to not doing a good enough job with building the roster, to ensure that this next crop of players--draft picks and free agents-- move the needle in the right direction.
2020 Unrestricted Free Agents
- DL Leonard Williams
- OLB Markus Golden
- OT Mike Remmers
- S Michael Thomas
- WR Cody Latimer
- WR Russell Shepard
- LS Zak DeOssie
- CB Antonio Hamilton
- ILB David Mayo
- RB Javorius Allen
- ILB Deone Bucannon
- TE Scott Simonson
- WR Corey Coleman
- WR Cody Core
2020 Restricted Free Agents
- C Jon Halapio
- K Aldrick Rosas
Salary Cap Space
According to Over the Cap, the Giants are projected to have an estimated $78.481 million in cap space (this based on a projected $200 million league-wide salary cap). However, the Giants' projected cap space isn't a true $78.481 million.
Gettleman noted in his 2019 season-ending press conference that he would try to keep aside approximately $20 million for in-season transactions, including contract extensions.
The amount also doesn't take into consideration the probability of the Giants needing to use the transition tag on defensive lineman Leonard Williams, which OTC estimates would be $12.321 million if Williams were tagged as a defensive tackle.
Lastly, the amount doesn't take into consideration the rookie pool allocation, which is estimated at $13,100,434, though after calculating the functional cap space needed (since every rookie signed will bump a player from the Top 51 out of the list, is $8 million.
When all's said and done, the Giants could begin free agency with approximately $38.48 million to spend, a number that is expected to fluctuate.
If the team decides to trim safety Antoine Bethea from its books, they would add another $2.75 million to their pot.
Free Agent Game Plan
The Giants addressed one of their pending restricted free agents, fullback Eli Penny, who signed a new two-year deal (financial terms not announced).
Beyond Penny, kicker Aldrick Rosas figures to be the only other restricted free agent who could be in line for a tender.
Rosas, who failed to build on his Pro Bowl season from 2018, will likely draw an original round tender if he doesn't agree to a one-year "prove it" deal at a lower rate. And if Rosas is re-signed, expect him to have some competition this year.
In terms of their unrestricted free agents, Leonard Williams will likely be the top priority given the draft capital that was surrendered to acquire him. As of Monday, the NFL Network reported that Williams and the Giants were not close on a new deal. If the two sides don't resolve their differences, Williams is expected to be tagged.
Another unrestricted free agent whose status is in the air is edge Markus Golden. Golden rewarded the Giants, who gave him a one-year "prove it" deal by recording 10 sacks, the first Giants defender to record double-digit sacks since defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul recorded 12.5 sacks in 2014.
Golden, who flourished in defensive coordinator James Bettcher's scheme in Arizona, did so again with the Giants. But with Bettcher gone and Lorenzo Carter equally suited to play the 9-tech role that Golden played, the Giants might decide to move on from the 29-year-old edge rusher, whom Spotrac projects an average market value of $13.5 million per season.
As for the rest of the Giants' unrestricted free agents, they'll probably try to re-sign safety Michael Thomas, their special teams captain who has been a solid player for them; inside linebacker David Mayo, who can provide depth in the middle of their defense; and receiver Cody Core, who was their best special teams player last season.
All three players shouldn't come with high price tags and offer depth at their respective positions.
Free Agent Targets
Don't expect the Giants to go on a wild spending spree in free agency despite having the cap space to do so. Instead, their more likely plan is to drop some serious coin on a couple of glaring needs and use the draft and second and third phases of free agency to restock depth.
In trying to keep within the estimated $40 million I've estimated the Giants will actually have to spend in free agency, here is a list of potential targets from other teams that could be on their radar.
RT Jack Conklin, Tennessee
The Giants aren't expected to offer Mike Remmers a contract to return. That means their already paper-thin depth at offensive tackle is going to take a significant hit. Conklin, a 25-year-old, is still young enough to have several years of good football before him and would address a glaring need.
His arrival would also likely enable the Giants to wait until the second round to address offensive tackle in the draft as incumbent left tackle Nate Solder probably has one more year left with the team before he ends up a salary-cap cut.
Conklin, according to Spotrac, has an estimated per-year market value of $15 million.
SCB Bradley Roby, Texans
The Giants have a lot of promising young talent at cornerback, but two things they don't currently have is someone who can play the nickel cornerback role or a young veteran to continue showing the youngsters the way.
Bradley Roby, who is coming off a one-year, $10 million contract, checks both boxes. A multiyear deal for the 28-year-old shouldn't break the bank, and it would ensure the Giants have someone who's "been there, done that" when it comes to the all-important slot cornerback position.
ILB Nick Kwiatkoski, Bears
The Giants have shown a lot of interest in Wisconsin inside linebacker Zack Baun. Still, there's no guarantee they'll be able to get him in the second round of the draft to pair with his one-time college teammate Ryan Connelly, who is recovering from a torn ACL suffered last fall.
Nick Kwiatkoski of the Bears is just beginning to enter his prime. The 26-year-old recorded career-highs in tackles (76), sacks (3.0), passes defensed (4) and interceptions (1) for the Bears last season while finishing with an impressive 85.8 passer rating allowed in coverage.
If the Giants are going to plunk down premium free agent dollars, they're likely going to do that on young, productive players with relatively clean injury histories. Kwiatkoski, who played his college ball at West Virginia, checks all those boxes and then some.
Edge Matthew Judon, Ravens
Despite reports linking Jadeveon Clowney to the Giants, if the $22 million per year price tag that Spotrac estimates is anywhere near what Clowney is seeking, the Giants might want to pass on Clowney, a young player who has an injury history.
And for those potentially hoping for a tag and trade deal with Jacksonville for Yannick Ngakoue, that probably won't happen either given that the Giants already devoted trade assets to the Jets for Leonard Williams.
Update: The Ravens have announced they are using the franchise tag on Judon.
But if the Giants are looking for someone who is likely a little more "affordable" and just as productive as Ngakoue, Ravens outside linebacker Matthew Judon is worth a look-see. Judon omes with a relatively clean injury history--he's missed only two games in his four-year NFL career.
He's also recorded 24.5 sacks in the last three seasons, an average of just over 8.0 sacks per year, about 1.3 sacks less per season than Ngakoue.
And for those concerned about Judon in run defense, he's held his own, finishing third among the Raen's edge rushers (out of five) with an 8.5 run stop percentage, a mark that's a half percentage better than Markus Golden's 8.0 percentage (which led the Giants edge rushers last season).
According to Spotrac, Judon's market value comes to approximately $16.3 million per season based on a four-year, $65,253,032 contract. That's not bad for an edge rusher who can play the run and generate a pass rush.
