Ideal Offseason for the New York Giants

The Giants are coming off another losing season in which they finished 6-10 and barely missed the NFL playoffs. Going into this offseason, they have a bunch of questionable moves to make and ones that many fans will love, and some will hate. Dave Gettleman has a huge offseason upon him, and it’s make-or-break time for him as the General Manager. 

The numbers don’t look good for the Giants cap space as of right now as it comes in at around $3.3M ($3,373,297 to be exact.) They will have to start off with moving some players to make the cap space more flexible. Here is my ideal offseason for the New York Giants.

Trade TE Evan Engram

The Giants have dealt with his ups and downs ever since he was drafted. Safe to say he doesn’t fit this offense and is bound to be on his way out of New York sooner than later. In this scenario, the Giants save $6M. In this scenario, the Jacksonville Jaguars get a playmaker and upgrade for Trevor Lawrence and the Giants get the 144th pick. It is a move that works for both sides and allows the Giants to upgrade at tight end. 

Release OG Kevin Zeitler

You can’t afford to lose your best offensive linemen, but in this case, you cut ties and save $12M, then prioritize Interior Offensive Line sometime this offseason to help the interior offensive line room with Shane Lemieux and Will Hernandez. 

Reconstruct OT Nate Solder

Nate Solder was signed to a 4 year, $62M contract in 2018, and it just hasn’t panned out. Yet again another player everyone wants to be released, but the dead cap wouldn’t be worth it. I’d see if he would be up to taking a pay cut and hopefully get that $16M down to around $10M which would save $6M which is the amount we’d free up if we were to release him.

Release WR Golden Tate

This move makes complete sense, so the Giants part ways with Tate and free up approximately $6.1M. There were rumors of him getting traded at the midseason trade deadline after mishaps inside the organization, and getting suspended one game by the team.

Release veterans LB David Mayo, TE Levine Toilolo, and P Riley Dixon

Two veterans who simply just don’t have a spot on this team with LB Tae Crowder and TE Kaden Smith emerging. These moves together would free up $7.92M and should be easy moves to make.

These moves would get the Giants to approximately $38M, with this amount the Giants could definitely help the Giants resign some players. But after a lengthy list of moves, they now need to resign some of their own. 

DE Leonard Williams: 4-years/$74M 

You can’t afford to lose a player like Leonard Williams who was snubbed of a Pro Bowl vote and an All-Pro selection. He finished the year with 11.5 sacks, 14 Tackles for loss, and 30 QB hits.

I have the Giants doing another back-loaded contract in this situation just like Blake Martinez and James Bradberry’s contract. He gets paid $10M this year in this back-loaded contract to allow the Giants to go get a playmaker.

DT Austin Johnson: 2-years/$3.8M 

He stays in New York to take place for Dalvin Tomlinson, who in this situation, hits the open market. 

LS Casey Kreiter: 1-year/$1.3M

Kreiter played well in 2020. The Giants should give him a little pay raise from last season and keep him in New York.

WR Austin Mack: 2-years/$4M

Mack is a Joe Judge guy and produced when given the opportunities. No reason to not bring him back.

WR David Sills: 1 year, $1M

Sills was expected to have a good season but got wiped out by an injury during training camp. 

These moves only cost the Giants to take a $16M chunk out of my projected $38M which gives the Giants $22M to work with heading into my Ideal Off-season free agency.

Free Agency

Free Agency is huge for the Giants this offseason, looking to build off the fantastic one last offseason with Bradberry and Martinez. In this case, the Giants get Daniel Jones a playmaker

WR Curtis Samuel: 4-years/$48M  

The Giants get Daniel Jones a weapon and look to add more in the 2021 NFL Draft. Samuel is a dynamic playmaker who was drafted by Gettleman in Carolina. He can line up at WR or RB for the Giants. He has a total of 257 total touches in his career for a total of 2,565 yards which is around 9.9 yards per touch.

CB Mackensie Alexander: 2-year/$16M

The Giants desperately need to fill in that CB2 spot alongside James Bradberry and nickel-CB Darnay Holmes and have Issac Yiadom for extra defensive back sets. Another deal where it’s back loaded. He gets paid $6M this year and $10 next year.

EDGE Tanoh Kpassagnon: 3-years/$9M

Another raw EDGE player with insane physical attributes that Patrick Graham could make work for $3M a year. He could be a good sub-package player for the Giants as they decide to roll with Oshane Ximines and Lorenzo Carter with Kpassgnon getting some reps in 2021.

2021 NFL Draft

Great. The bulk of the offseason is over with, but the most important one remains. The 2021 NFL Draft looms large in the Giant’s front office. Here is my ideal draft (after the projected moves I have the Giants making):

11th overall selection: TE Kyle Pitts, Florida

The Giants move on from Evan Engram and draft a future NFL superstar in Pitts. He can attack you vertically at an elite rate, catch at an elite rate, run block when needed, and is just a stud.

43rd overall selection: WR Nico Collins, Michigan

The Giants added WR Curtis Samuel in free agency but don’t really have the big target. Nico Collins can be that big target with his 6”4 frames and is a great deep threat with his top-level ball skills. 

75th overall selection: OT Jackson Carman, Clemson

After moving on from Kevin Zeitler, the Giants could use another big body in the interior offensive line room and Jackson Carman could help contribute. He has played OT at Clemson, but projects to be a guard at the NFL level. A good power/gap run blocker and can fight it out with Will Hernandez and Shane Lemieux for the starting spot.

115th overall selection: LB Ventrell Miller, Florida

The Giants could use a third linebacker with the release of David Mayo. Miller is fast that has sideline to sideline range, and is an effective tackler.

144th overall pick: EDGE Shaka Toney, Penn State

The Giants keep adding on to the EDGE group that needs to step up this year. Another young player that fights for a roll in the Giants system.

192nd overall pick: RB Rakeem Boyd, Arkansas

Former Last Chance-U star gets a chance with the New York Giants to be a suppressor RB for Saquon Barkley. He is a tough runner and can be used all over the field.

197th overall pick: CB Dicaprio Bootle, Nebraska

Bootle is a tough, steady defensive back who is willing to risk his body to make a play and can play scrappy if needed. He can be used at multiple spots as a rotational defensive back or a developmental player.

Overview

The Giants come out of this ideal offseason with a different looking team, while also having significant cap space in the 2022 Offseason ready to build off the 2021 season. I think with a team like this and the coaching staff stepping up and doing their own part, could contend for the playoffs with ease.