Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Sports
Perspectives on How the Giants Coaching Staff is Taking Shape
New Giants head coach Joe Judge promised that he would take his time in filling out his staff, and after almost two weeks on the job, he's stuck to that promise.
Judge, who with the rest of whatever staff he does have, heads to the Senior Bowl this week, an event where often new head coaches can find staff members.
As such, it wouldn't be surprising if, by the end of the week, the remaining openings on Judge's staff are filled.
Based on what we know so far about the coaching staff, here are a few thoughts.
1. There was a bit of snark over the Jason Garrett hire in response to my tweet about loving the move. So I’d like to expand on my initial sentiment.
First, we’ll probably never know just how much Garrett was interfered with by Jerry Jones, the owner/general manager of the Cowboys. If the true working nature between the two me ever comes out, I wouldn’t be surprised if given all that Garrett has been able to accomplish was in spite of Jones, not because of him.
Second, as a former NFL quarterback—and a cerebral one at that—Garrett is going to bring something to the offensive coordinator role that I can’t remember this team having: Actual NFL experience. Now that’s not to say that prior coaches who have held the role weren’t good at it, but I’ve often had players tell me there’s something extra a coach who has played the game brings to the classroom and the field that one who hasn’t can’t.
If you don’t think for a moment that Garrett’s experience at the position and the tips he might be able to share with Jones won’t be valuable in helping him elevate his game, then I don’t know what to tell you.
2. There’s another critical benefit to bringing Garrett on board. His prior head coaching experience is likely going to be invaluable to Judge, who is in his first year as a head coach.
Garrett can act as a sounding board for those little things that pop up—those brush fires that maybe Judge didn’t have to deal with as a coordinator but that he’ll have to handle as a head coach.
In what little time and exposure I've had to Judge, I think it's probably safe to say that he seems smart enough to admit what he doesn’t know.
While some might find that scary, I find it refreshing because it would indicate that he won't be stubborn. Despite holding the top job on the football team, he is still open to other ideas and a collaborative teamwork approach--the same kind of teamwork you expect on the football field, to help turn this program into a winner.
3. One last point regarding the hiring Garrett. Judge spoke about wanting people who were ready to leave whatever agendas and egos they have at the door and come prepared to work.
That he is bringing in Garrett tells me that Judge is confident in his skin and is practicing what he preached in his introductory press conference: leave your ego and issues at the door and come ready to work to turn the Giants into a winner.
4. There are four critical positions that, as of this writing, have yet to be filled or have any reports of being filled. These are offensive line, defensive backs, linebackers, and tight ends.
I mention these four spots because if you look at what has held the team back the last few years, it’s been the lack of development of players at these positions.
The most glaring is the offensive line. People will point to the personnel that Dave Gettleman assembled, and how the Giants don’t have the “right” combination of starters in there. But a question that needs to be asked is how much of the blame regarding the failure of the unit lies at the feet of the coaching, especially when the veteran group had trouble with stunts nearly all season?
It was much of the same thing with the linebackers and defensive backs, both of whom didn't show much growth as a group as the season went on.
You can blame Gettleman all you want for the issues this team had in those areas, but the coaching must also share in the blame--maybe even more so in some areas than the personnel itself.
And without saying as much, Judge, by taking his time to make sure he puts the right people in place to help those units improve, likely knows that this was a significant problem in the past.
5. I know a lot of people are still scratching their heads about the hiring of Patrick Graham as defensive coordinator after his one season in Miami yielded a defensive unit that was worse than what the Giant fielded.
As I noted in point four, some have been quick to slam Gettleman's personnel decisions when it comes to certain units on this team (hello offensive line!) and not pay as much attention to the coaching--or lack thereof--as a reason for why some of the units struggled.
As I continue to do my homework on Graham, I think the opposite is true. In Miami, he didn't have ideal personnel to run what he wanted, thanks to a combination of injuries and the team unloading talent.
I'm still in the process of getting more information regarding some of Graham's coaching/schematic philosophies--I have a LockedOn Giants podcast planned to cover that plus I'm doing some film work--but let's say that I feel a lot better about the hire than I first did when it came to light.
6. Right now, my favorite hire has to be Burton Burns, the new running backs coach. The research I've done on Burns shows a man who has taught young running backs the proper habits and techniques while not necessarily trying to change their running style. He's also helped develop several success stories, including three Heisman finalists during his career.
This is important because for as good as Saquon Barkley has been, there are things--and I'm sure he'd be the first to agree with this--that he can do better, such as pass blocking and improving angles on his inside runs.
I'm very much looking forward to seeing what effect Burns has on Barkley as well as whomever the Giants decide will be the No. 2 guy behind him, whether that's Wayne Gallman, Buck Allen, or a player to be named later.
