Potential Giants Draft Options Following Initial Free Agency Wave

We're two weeks into the NFL free agency period, and so far, the New York Giants have been cautiously at work retooling their porous roster for the upcoming 2022 season.

Given the financial mess new general manager Joe Schoen inherited, and the cap casualties made to get into compliance, no follow-up moves were significant splashes. As Schoen revealed before the free-agent window opened, every commitment by the team was made with “calculation” and the interest of the team’s long-term future in mind.

One factor greatly hindering Schoen’s decisions in the free-agent window has been uncertainties with certain players on the roster, notably corner James Bradberry, the 2020 Pro Bowler for whom the Giants have been looking to trade to recoup $12.1 million in cap savings. Despite that situation and any others limiting the front office, they’ve still succeeded at finding cost-effective, valuable free agents to help fill holes and surround the youth they have.

At this stage of free agency, the Giants likely remain quiet within the market aside from a couple of minor contracts here and there. The focus now shifts towards April’s NFL Draft and continuing to scout prospects for their nine total picks (as of now), including two within the top 10.

The direction the Giants take in the draft may essentially hang off their free-agent acquisitions, so it’s worthwhile to weigh the impact of their new players on future decisions and the potential prospects selected. From the offensive linemen signed to emptying the tight end room, it’s time to reflect on the Giants' free-agent deals and chart how the team will continue moving forward with the draft coming up next month.

Offensive Line

The Giants’ offensive line has remained an unfixed part of their roster for several years since their Super Bowl championship stalwarts departed. Schoen has been charged with taking over the ropes after four failed years with predecessor Dave Gettleman.

If there’s one promising spot amongst the group, it’s left tackle Andrew Thomas. The fourth overall pick in the 2020 draft has been a positive development for the Giants among their recent draft choices, the former Georgia product becoming one of the most effective young pass blockers in the NFL. According to Pro Football Focus, at one point last season, Thomas had a period of 462 passing snaps with only one sack allowed.

Aside from left tackle, the remainder of the offensive line has been up for grabs. Center Billy Price, guards Will Hernandez and Matt Skura, and right tackle Nate Solder all had mediocre seasons in 2021 and are no longer with the team after becoming unrestricted free agents.

With eight linemen on the open market and the need as high as ever, Schoen wasted no time addressing the top priority on his list.

The first afternoon of the negotiating window, the Giants agreed to terms with former Colts’ right guard Mark Glowinski on a three-year deal worth $18.3 million with $11.4 million guaranteed. The biggest splash with limited money, Glowinski is an experienced veteran with durability (he played in 55 of 60 games with Indianapolis) and will immediately jump into either guard spot, his strength being his run-blocking prowess.

The Giants followed that transaction up with a deal for Bills’ cap casualty and “do it all” linemen Jon Feliciano, giving him a one-year contract to move to center. The value there is that Feliciano has knowledge of head coach Brian Daboll’s system from Buffalo and can shift among different positions across the front line. He joins a pair of signings in guard/tackle Matt Gono and guard Jamil Douglas, the latter another player with ties to the Bills.

At best, these veteran additions by the Giants likely fill three of the four remaining spots. The Giants will need to find another offensive lineman to cap off the starting rotation, and because they are thought to want to insert some youth between the veteran pieces, they could look towards the draft for that purpose.

With both the No. 5 and No. 7 (via Chicago) picks in the upcoming draft, the Giants are in prime position to land one of the top-ranked college tackles. Even if they decide to ship one of those picks away in a package to move down, there is still a favorable chance that one of Alabama's Evan Neal, North Carolina State's Ikem Ekwonu, or Mississippi State's Charles Cross falls into their lap.

Neal is the consensus No. 1 offensive linemen prospect in this year’s class, so he may go off the board before the Giants go on the clock. If Neal and Cross are gone, Ekwonu should be there for the pick.

Don’t forget the Giants could also reinsert Shane Lemieux into the mix, who’s played at left guard when healthy, but missed most of the 2021 season with a knee injury. They could also add more depth to the line in later draft rounds. Either way, their moves on the offensive line don’t stop with free agency concluding.

Running Back

One of the biggest storylines consuming the Giants’ offseason thus far has been the future of Saquon Barkley and the rumors of his availability on the trade market. Schoen has repeatedly fielded questions about Barkley, including at the NFL Combine. He told reporters he was “open for business.”

Schoen also noted that his amiability to hear offers didn’t necessarily translate to a desire to trade Barkley, but that’s honestly a moot point. Even if the Giants were looking to part ways with Barkley, they’re unlikely to receive substantial value for the 2018 Offensive Rookie of the Year given his recent injury history. Barkley suffered an ACL injury early in the 2020 season followed by an ankle ailment this past season, and both injuries have his projected trade value as low as a handful of mid- or late-round picks.

Schoen and Daboll have indicated the Giants’ desire to implement plays around Barkley into the offense. Thus, all signs point to the team retaining him through the 2022 season.

Unlike Barkley, the Giants did not retain Devontae Booker, who was one of the cap casualties. They did replace him with Matt Breida, signed to a one-year contract as part of the second wave of free agency. The former undrafted running back who began his career with the 49ers in 2017 also has ties to Buffalo, where he was last season. He will pair up with Barkley, offering experience, speed, and a resume of performances totaling over 3,000 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Even with Breida as a supplement to the backfield, the Giants should still consider taking a running back with one of their picks in the second or third round. There is always a debate about taking a running back with a high or mid-round pick because of the value of those types of selections, but that hasn’t stopped running back prospects being pulled in those rounds.

It doesn't seem like a horrible strategy if the Giants attack the position in the third round once they fill their holes at a mix of offensive line, defensive line, and the secondary. The only other running backs they have on the roster with experience are Gary Brightwell and Antonio Williams. Fullback Eli Penny, who gave the Giants snaps at running back throughout his time here, isn't being re-signed as the offense is moving away from a fullback.

Looking at the top available prospects, Georgia running back James Cook is a solid option who could fall into the second or third round. He could add another layer of versatility, size (5-foot-11, 200 pounds), and athleticism to the Giants backfield.

He doesn’t have much experience as an RB1, but he’s proven he can make the most of his opportunities. Cook averaged 6.5 yards per carry with 728 rushing yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games at Georgia last season.

If Cook, the brother of Vikings running back Dalvin Cook, isn’t available when the Giants are looking for a ball carrier, there should be numerous other options waiting in the mid-rounds.

Cornerback

The Giants haven’t signed any free-agent cornerbacks through the first two waves of free agency, but the position has been in the news thanks to James Bradberry's high cap number.

Schoen has been diligently searching for a trade partner for the Pro-Bowl veteran so that the Giants can reap the benefits of $12.1 million in cap savings plus obtain some additional draft picks. Still, no team around the league has come out of the bunker as of the end of the second week of free agency to make a deal. Instead, teams are waiting to see if Schoen cuts Bradberry, who can then be had without the acquiring team needing to sacrifice draft capital.

Letting Bradberry loose into the free-agent market is the less favorable option, but eventually, Schoen will have to do something with Bradberry's cap number. It’s hard to see the Giants retaining Bradberry under his current salary cap of $21.9 million, and Schoen has said he doesn't want to kick the can down the road with restructuring many contracts.

If the Giants release Bradberry before June 1, they will be hit with $9.7 million in dead money.

Once the Bradberry dilemma is resolved and if he's not on the roster, it’s very likely the Giants will pursue a cornerback early in the draft. A selection could come with the No. 7 pick, assuming they don't trade it away. Some names to watch include Derek Stingley Jr (LSU), Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner (Cincinnati), and Trent McDuffie (Washington).

All these players bring unique intangibles, but as expressed in our latest mock draft, Gardner has the size, length, and athleticism similar to Bradberry, plus he's a solid cover cornerback, which defensive coordinator Don Martindale told the team's website he would like for his defense.

Tight End

The Giants conducted a much-needed spring cleaning to their tight end room after a very underwhelming 2021 campaign for the group. The team entered the 2021 season with Evan Engram, Kyle Rudolph, and Kaden Smith as their primary tight ends, but they had under 700 yards of production combined.

Engram and Rudolph were the biggest disappointments, totaling only four touchdowns amid finishing one of the worst individual seasons of their careers. The two are no longer on the roster–Engram gone through free agency and Rudolph a cap casualty (Smith was cut after failing his physical), and the Giants are starting from scratch with this position.

Schoen did sign one bridge player to join Chris Myarick and Rysen John in the room, that being former Washington tight end Ricky Seals-Jones. A five-year veteran, Seal-Jones recently served as a depth player for the Commanders and filled in for starter Logan Thomas when he was injured. Seals-Jones recorded 30 receptions for 271 yards and two touchdowns in thirteen games.

Seals-Jones was identified as a potential fit for the Giants before free agency commenced. He turned 27 on the day before free agency and has the size (6-foot-5 and 243 pounds) and ability to contribute in the passing game. There’s also the connection to new offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, whom Seal-Jones spent time with in Kansas City during the 2020 season.

Questions persist about whether the Giants will need or use many tight ends given Brian Daboll’s history of favoring 11-personnel (one back, one tight end) on a league-high 71 percent of the offensive plays run last season with the Bills.

Still, it might behoove the team to draft a tight end to serve as the TE1 given Seals-Jones is signed to a one-year deal.

Defensive Line

The Giants' defensive line lost some of its depth in free agency, the biggest name being Austin Johnson, who signed with the Chargers. Johnson's departure, plus the team's decision to move on from Danny Shelton, leaves the Giants with a need for a pure nose tackle.

The Giants have Leonard Williams and Dexter Lawrence II, two players that combined for 135 tackles, nine sacks, and three forced fumbles. However, there has been some question about whether the Giants will continue to carry Williams beyond 2022, while Lawerence's option year is unlikely to be exercised by the May 2 deadline.

Free agents Sheldon Richardson and Brandon Williams were notable names available at the start of free agency, but the cap-strapped Giants couldn't afford to wade in at the expensive end of the pool. As they've done with other positions, they have turned to stop-gap solutions while focusing on the long-term via the draft.

The Giants brought in was Jaguars defensive end Jihad Ward. A 2016 fourth-round pick by the Raiders (formerly in Oakland), Ward was the first defensive player to sign with the Giants in free agency. He reunites with Don Martindale, for whom he played in Baltimore in 2019 and 2020.

Last year, Ward played in all 17 games for Jacksonville last season and tallied 32 tackles and two sacks. He has started 15 games of 68 in his seven-year career, and his resume includes playing in numerous roles along the defensive line.

In his rookie season with the Raiders, Ward shuffled between defensive end and nose tackle while collecting a former career-high 30 tackles (which he matched with the Jaguars), one fumble recovery, and ten quarterback hits.

The Giants also signed a stop-gap nose tackle in Justin Ellis, another former player on Martindale's Ravens defense. A 2014 Raiders draft pick, Ellis has played in 100 games (50 starts) as a true nose tackle and has recorded 148 tackles, four quarterback hits, and six tackles for a loss.

In the five seasons he's spent with the Ravens, his production has been mainly as a run stopper.

The Giants will undoubtedly add to this unit via the draft, perhaps as soon as the second round. UConn’s Travis Jones is a name to watch. Other top-ranked prospects include a pair of Georgia players in Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt; DeMarvin Leal (Texas A&M); and Perrion Winfrey (Oklahoma).

Join the Giants Country Community

Sign up for our FREE digest newsletter
Follow and like us on Facebook
Submit your questions for our mailbag
Listen and subscribe to the daily LockedOn Giants podcast.
Subscribe and like the new LockedOn Giants YouTube Channel
Sign up for our FREE message board forums

Add us as a preferred source on Google