NFL Week 1 Free Agency Winners and Losers

Whether the Giants struck gold in free agency or remain stuck in neutral is something we won't know for a while. No one outside of the Giants' team headquarters has any insight regarding what the coaching staff plans to run on offense or defense. Likewise, we can only speculate as to the appeal of linebackers Blake Martinez and Kyler Fackrell, cornerback James Bradberry, special teamer Nate Ebner, offensive tackle Cam Fleming, tight end Levine Toilolo and quarterback Colt McCoy.

SI.com's league-wide Free Agent Winners and Losers column takes a good look at the league-wide events that took place in the first week of free agency. In looking through that column, there are some takeaways that, while not directly related to the Giants, can probably be applied.

MMQB's Jenny Vrentas offered a very strong take on the NFL for forging ahead with free agency, despite the coronavirus pandemic that has stripped society of normalcy.

Free agency has provided a welcome distraction for sports fans who are being smart about social distancing, but deprived sporting events to pass the time. However, there is a bigger picture to consider. That is the modifications that teams have had to make to accommodate mandates for social distancing necessary to help flatten the COVID-19 outbreak curve.

These are teams that are investing millions of dollars in players and who typically prefer to have their own in-house people do the player physicals, and prefer face-to-face meetings with free agents to get a feel for who they're bringing into the building.

While some have argued that video conferencing can suffice, those same people forget that as recently as last year, free-agent visits involving big-ticket signees were often multi-day affairs. This makes sense given that owners, before writing big-money checks, might be reluctant to hire guys based on reputation alone.

That could very well be why the Giants, who in the first two off-seasons of general manager Dave Gettleman's tenure, brought in mostly veterans with whom either Gettleman or the coaches had familiarity. Having yielded just nine wins over those two years, the Giants went back to that approach again this year.

Another eye-opening development involves the running back position. The Giants have been pleased with running back Saquon Barkley (although whether they've been happy with the deployment of his talents in his first two NFL seasons is another story).

But Barkley, the second-overall pick in the 2018 draft who has delivered some electrifying runs and down-to-earth modesty to Giants fans, is still creating a divide. It's a divide perpetuated by those who think Gettleman blew the pick on a less-important position.

ESPN Stats and Info gave those who disagreed with Gettleman's thinking even more ammunition against the decision, with the following data compiled after the Los Angeles Rams released running back Todd Gurley:

22 running backs were taken in the 2015 NFL Draft.

After Todd Gurley was released by the Rams today, not a single one of them is still with the team that selected them. pic.twitter.com/VkfR8Z945P
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 19, 2020

Barkley is in no danger of being released this year. The hope is that with Jason Garrett on board, who managed to get solid production out of Ezekiel Elliott in Dallas, Barkley will finally be able to deliver both as a runner and in space, something that he's yet to do in the two years he's been here.

The timing and the results of this year are critical. Barkley can, if he wishes, pursue a new contract after the 2020 season. Even if he doesn't, the Giants will one day have to decide whether to devote significant resources to Barkley, be they in the form of a new contract or the option year of his rookie deal.

With the days of the Arian Petersons and Emmitt Smiths long gone, and with the evidence mounting against extending running backs to record-setting deals, it's fair to wonder what the Giants might do with Barkley.

Will they ignore the data that is warning teams to think twice about investing significant financial resources in a position that is more of a complementary piece to the offense? Or will they extend Barkley in such a way that they can get out of the contract if need be down the line?

The answer, whenever it comes, will be interesting.