Five Still-Unsigned Free Agents Who Could Fill a Giants Need
With just around $77 million in cap space heading into free agency, Giants general manager Dave Gettleman opened up the checkbook for nearly a dozen veteran free agents from other teams.
With $17,181,509 currently left in cap space, the Giants still have some coin left should, if the draft doesn't yield the answers they seek, they want to reinforce additional positions.
Here is a look at five potential veteran free agents, still unsigned as of this writing, who could fill a Giants need if the draft and current roster don't provide for an answer.
Center Ryan Kalil
If the Giants can't come up with a center in the draft and they're unwilling to roll with Spencer Pulley, Ryan Kalil might be with a look.
Kalil, who was with Gettleman in Carolina for several years, spent last season with the Jets. The 35-year-old only started seven games in 2019 before being placed on injured reserve, but his pedigree--he's a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro--makes him worthy of a look.
Defensive end Ezekiel Ansah
On paper, the Giants' signing of outside linebacker Kyler Fackrell looks to be this year's version of Markus Golden, an inexpensive "prove it" deal for a veteran who at one point hit double-digit sacks but whose production fell off due to circumstances.
If the Giants can't find another pass rusher in the draft to go along with Fackrell and youngsters Oshane Ximines and Lorenzo Carter, Ansah could be worth a look.
Like Fackrell, Ansah showed a decline in production the last two seasons after recording 12 sacks for the Lions in 2017. Since then, he's recorded 4.0 sacks in 2018, his final year with the Lions, and 2.5 sacks with the Seahawks last year.
At 31 years of age, Ansah might not have much to offer as far as high sack total promises, and there might be some question as to whether he'd be a fit for what the Giants defense could look like, but if some of those multiple look fronts are going to include classic 4-3 alignments, Ansah could be an affordable pass-rushing option.
Safety Tony Jefferson
Jefferson, the one-time Arizona Cardinal who has been with the Ravens since 2017, is coming off a torn ACL. But he was praised for his leadership, toughness and team-first mentality with Baltimore amid his departure.
Those traits appear to fit the character mold of what the Giants are looking for to build their locker room culture.
With the Giants in need of a free safety following the lackluster showing by now-former Giant Antoine Bethea, Jefferson, if healthy, could be worth a look as a potential starter to play alongside Jabrill Peppers if the Giants don't find a better option in the draft.
Cornerback Prince Amukamara
Amukamara, a Giants' first-round pick in 2011, was very popular among fans during his five-year stint with the Giants from 2011-2015.
If he were to return to the Giants on a discounted deal in 2020, he would emerge as the sole relic from the Giants' last Super Bowl championship in 2011.
The 30-year-old has been with the Bears since 2017 but was cut by Chicago last month in a cost-savings move. Despite being 30, Amukamara was still playing at a decent enough level, allowing a reception per every 14.5 coverage snaps per Pro Football Focus, fifth among cornerbacks with at least 500 coverage snaps.
The Giants did sing James Bradberry as their new veteran leader among a young cornerback group, leaving the chances of them signing Amukamara slim to none. But if Gettleman believes that there's no such thing as too many corners, Amukamara might be worth a look.
Tackle Cordy Glenn
While the Giants are likely to add an offensive tackle in the early rounds of the draft, if they trade down and miss out on the big-four prospects many draft analysts forecast to be Day 1 starters, they could add Cordy Glenn to join a growing veteran group that most recently welcomed in Cam Fleming.
Glenn has played the majority of his career at left tackle for Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. If the Giants go defense early in the draft with an eye toward Fleming starting at right tackle, Glenn might be available at an affordable rate to give them some veteran depth.
The drawback, however, is that the 30-year-old Glenn has missed 28 games combined since 2016, which would give any team some pause in committing premium dollars to him.
But when Glenn is healthy, he's proven to be a disciplined tackle and dependable blindside protector.
Check out Albert Breer’s MMQB column for his thoughts on the NFL's remaining free agents and more.
