Debate the New York Giants offseason possibilities in The Football Fan Forum
2010 Preview:
The bread and butter of this team since they won the Super Bowl in 2008 has been the pass rush. That’s why it was so surprising for football fans that this team had just 32 sacks last year. That was a big part of why they missed the playoffs last year. However, you look at the names on this defensive line, Justin Tuck, Mathias Kiwanuka, Osi Umenyiora, Jason Pierre Paul, they have to be able to bounce back this year. Tuck, Kiwanuka, and Osi were a great pass rushing trio just 2 years ago and the addition of a talented, albeit raw, rookie in JPP only helps. I think they’ll bounce back and have 40-50 sacks this year once again.
Another reason for them missing the playoffs last year was the inability of their secondary to tackle, having up huge plays. They added Antrel Rolle, Chad Jones, and Deon Grant into the mix, and they’ll also likely get Kenny Phillips back from injury. That will shore up their tackling, as well as their coverage, and lead to fewer big plays.
Their running game was also a big reason for them missing the playoffs last year and that’s the one area that I think is still a big question mark for them. If Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw rebound from injury plagued season, there running game should be fine. If not, that’s still an issue for them, unless someone else can step up and I don’t really see a step up type player behind Jacobs and Bradshaw on the depth chart. My guess is that the still young Bradshaw rebounds and Jacobs, getting up there in age, does not, and since Bradshaw is not a guy I see being able to carry the load because of his size, that’s not a good thing for this team.
The book on Eli Manning is pretty simple. He always will be slightly better than his supporting cast. If he has a good supporting cast, he can make them great, but he’s not the type of player who can lead a team all by himself. He needs help. He showed that last year. I think their defense will be better this year and their running game should be slightly better. Eli will also continue to build more chemistry with his young receivers, Mario Manningham, Steve Smith, and Hakeem Nicks, all three of whom were either first time starters or rookies last year. Another year with those three will only help him and this team.
Projection: 10-6 2nd in NFC East
Power Ranking: 11
Last season: 8-8
Draft:
#15 DE Jason Pierre Paul (South Florida)
JPP has a ton of upside and could be an excellent player here, but he could just as easily be a complete bust. He never dominated on the Division I level and while it’s easy to imagine a freak like this being a great player someday, that may not be what happens. I don’t know a ton about his work ethic, but high upside defensive linemen have a bad history over the best decade or so. Defensive linemen have to wrestle with 300 pound men and hit people so it’s understandable why, as soon as they get 15-25 million guarantee, they stop putting in as much work as you would like. If JPP does that, it’ll be very bad because he needs a lot of work.
Grade: C+
#46 DT Linval Joseph (East Carolina)
After taking one boom or bust defensive lineman, you’d think the Giants would go with a natural fit for middle linebacker in their scheme with a guy like Daryl Washington, but instead they went with another boom or bust defensive lineman. Joseph has the nice measureables, but he’s a bit of a one year wonder and he needs a lot of work. He would have been a better fit for a 3-4, but the Giants don’t run a 3-4.
Grade: C
#76 S Chad Jones (LSU)
The Giants gave up a ton of big plays last year because their safeties couldn’t cover or tackle. This offseason, they have signed Antrel Rolle and Deon Grant, drafted Chad Jones, and have Kenny Phillips, presumably, coming back from injury. That aught to fix it, in fact some might even say it was overkill, though I won’t call it that because Jones was one of the best players available and you never know about Kenny Phillips’ health or whether or not Deon Grant will remember how to cover.
Grade: B+
#115 MLB Phillip Dilliard (Nebraska)
Positionally, he fills a need, but I don’t think he’s a great fit for their scheme, at least not as good as Sean Weatherspoon (who they could have drafted at 15) or Daryl Washington (who they could have drafted at 46). In fact, I don’t think he’s much different than a poor man’s version of Antonio Pierce, who was cut because he didn’t fit the scheme. It also puzzles me as to why they waited this long to address a position where they really had nothing.
Grade: B-
#147 G Mitch Petrus (Arkansas)
This looks more like a classic Jerry Reese pick, taking best available. Petrus is a 4th round prospect, but they get him in the 5th and he’ll help to turn around the Giants’ running game, which really struggled last year.
Grade: A-
#184 DE Adrian Tracy (William & Mary)
Actions speak louder than words. They say they don’t want to trade Osi, but they drafted two defensive ends. Tracy is a good value, but he’s undersized and doesn’t really fill a need. He could play some linebacker though which saves this pick’s grade.
Grade: B
#221 P Matt Dodge (East Carolina)
Leave it to Jerry Reese to take clearly the best punter in the draft class as the 3rd punter off the board. However, what about Jeff Feagles. He’s old, but he’s still a good punter and this whole idea of a punter of the future doesn’t really appeal to me for some reason.
Grade: C+
Overall:
This draft was not as strong as we have come to expect from the Giants, but they did some interesting things and took two players who have a ton of upside. However, they didn’t really address the running game, with the exception of drafting a guard, so they are counting on Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw to be healthy next year, which could be a bit risky. They also passed up on too many middle linebackers who fit the scheme for a middle linebacker in the 4th who doesn’t. So add the boom or bust start and some questionable mid-late picks, and this was not as strong of a draft, as they would have liked it to be.
Grade: C+
Key undrafted free agents:
MLB Lee Campbell (Minnesota)
DT Nate Collins (Virginia)
S Michael Greco (Central Florida)
Positions of need:
Safety:
The Giants gave up the 13th fewest yards in the league, but also the 3rd most points. That means they gave up a ton of big plays for touchdowns, whether on the ground or through the air, and they couldn’t stop anyone in the red zone. Both of those show poor safety play, which means sense because they are starting Michael Johnson and Aaron Rouse at safety after losing James Butler to free agency and Kenny Phillips to injury. Even if Phillips does return from his injury, which is not a guarantee at this point, they need a good safety to pair with him. Look for them to target a safety in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft, either Earl Thomas in the first or someone like Nate Allen or Chad Jones in the 2nd.
Signed Antrel Rolle, Signed Deon Grant, Drafted Chad Jones (#76)
Defensive Tackle:
The Giants got only 4.5 sacks from defensive tackles last year and they ranked towards the middle of the packs in all run defense categories, except for run touchdowns where they ranked close to dead last. Barry Cofield and Fred Robbins were the two starters for most of last year, and accounted for 3 of those 4.5 sacks, but both are free agents this offseason and Robbins will be 32 when next season starts anyway. Given how much the Giants like to upgrade inside, they could target Brian Price in the first.
Drafted Linval Joseph (#46)
Running Back:
Remember when the Giants had Earth, Wind, and Fire going for them in the backfield. Well last season, Wind blew out of town, Earth turned to stone, and Fire played most of the season with two bad ankles. Jacobs averaged 3.7 YPC last year and only had 5 touchdowns so they may target a power back replacement like Jonathan Dwyer in the 2nd and cut him and his large contract. If they don’t, they at least need to grab some depth in the mid rounds.
Defensive End:
For all the money the Giants spent on the defensive line, they only had 32 sacks last year. Now Osi Umenyiora, who was converted from a starter to a nickel rusher late in the season, wants out unless he’s given his starting job back. He was their team leader with 7 sacks last year, but is weak against the run. If Derrick Morgan falls to them at 15, they will gladly take him and try to trade Osi. I wouldn’t be surprised if they traded to trade Osi either way. The Rams may have interest as they need a pass rusher and Osi, having already won a ring, may want to go to St. Louis to reunite with his former coordinator, now Rams Head Coach Steve Spagnuolo. He would also get to mentor young guys and try to rebuild a once proud franchise.
Drafted Jason Pierre Paul (#15), Drafted Adrian Tracy (#184)
Middle Linebacker:
Antonio Pierce was just cut so they need to target a young middle linebacker in rounds 3-5 to come in and compete with Jonathan Goff for the middle linebacker job. This position is fairly deep towards the middle rounds.
Drafted Phillip Dillard (#115), signed Keith Bulluck
Outside Linebacker:
Danny Clark is a free agent and he could have been upgraded anyway. Plus, on the other side of the linebacking corps, Michael Boley is often injured so some depth at the position would be needed even if the 32 year old Clark was retained.
Offensive Tackle:
There has been talk of moving Kareem McKenzie to guard. They would need to draft a right tackle replacement if they were the case because Williams Beatty, their top reserve tackle, is not a right tackle. Even if McKenzie doesn’t move to guard, they could still use some more depth at the position.
Cornerback:
Aaron Ross and Corey Webster are good, but they have very little depth behind them and if Aaron Ross gets hurt like he did this year, they could have some major troubles against the pass.
Free agents:
QB David Carr- signed with 49ers 2 years 6.25 million
RB Danny Ware (exclusive rights)- resigned 1 year
WR Domenik Hixon- resigned 1 year 1.7 million
WR Derek Hagan (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.1 million
WR Sinorice Moss (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.1 million
TE Darcy Johnson (exclusive rights)
OT Guy Whimper (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.1 million
G Kevin Boothe (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.1 million
DE David Tollefson (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.6 million
DT Barry Cofield (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.7 million
DT Fred Robbins- signed with Rams 3 years 12 million
OLB Danny Clark- signed with Texans
OLB Gerris Wilkinson (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.1 million
MLB Antonio Pierce- retired
MLB Chase Blackburn (restricted)
CB Kevin Dockery (restricted)
S CC Brown (restricted)- signed with Lions
S Aaron Rouse
S Chad Jones
P Jeff Feagles- resigned
Offseason moves:
Giants announce retirement of WR Ike Hilliard
Giants sign MLB Keith Bulluck
Giants waive S Chad Jones
Giants claim DE Alex Hall
Giants announce retirement of MLB Antonio Pierce
Giants re-sign DT Barry Cofield
Giants re-sign WR Derek Hagan
Giants re-sign OLB Gerris Wilkinson
Giants announce retirement of P Jeff Feagles
Giants re-sign WR Domenik Hixon
Giants re-sign WR Sinorice Moss
Giants re-sign OT Guy Whimper
Giants sign S Deon Grant
Giants withdraw tender to S C.C. Brown
Giants re-sign G Kevin Boothe
Giants re-sign P Jeff Feagles
Giants re-sign DE Dave Tollefson
Giants re-sign RB D.J. Ware
Giants sign QB Jim Sorgi
Giants cut S Aaron Rouse
Giants tender RB D.J. Ware
Giants tender WR Derek Hagan
Giants tender G Kevin Boothe
Giants tender S C.C. Brown
Giants tender DT Barry Cofield
Giants tender OT Guy Whimper
Giants tender OLB Gerris Wilkinson
Giants tender DE Dave Tollefson
Giants cut MLB Antonio Pierce
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