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New York Giants: Will They Re-Sign Johnathan Hankins

By Kenneth Teape

Aug 20, 2016; Orchard Park, NY, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins (95) during the game against the Buffalo Bills at New Era Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 20, 2016; Orchard Park, NY, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins (95) during the game against the Buffalo Bills at New Era Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports /
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The top remaining free agent for the New York Giants is Johnathan Hankins. Will they retain him? ESPN NFL Nation’s Jordan Raanan believes that he will.

The New York Giants have an important offseason ahead of them. They are on the cusp of contending with a defense that took major steps forward in 2016. After being one of the worst units in 2015, the Giants defense became one of the best in 2016.

A big reason for that was the dominance of their defensive line. The Giants signed Olivier Vernon and Damon Harrison to join holdovers Jason Pierre-Paul and Johnathan Hankins. Now the Giants have decisions to make in regards to Pierre-Paul and Hankins, who are both free agents.

The Giants elected to use the franchise tag on Pierre-Paul, giving him the exclusive tag. That means that the Giants will have a chance to match any offer that he signs. The Giants will also receive two first-round picks from whichever team, if any, signs him.

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With the tag on Pierre-Paul, the Giants are set to pay him $17 million this upcoming season. That cripples their salary cap spending for this season, taking up almost half of their available money. That will make it difficult for the Giants to add any new high-priced players or to retain Hankins.

Hankins is a very good defensive tackle. He can rush the passer and is a load in the running game. He also has age on his side, as he is only 25 years old. Hankins will be sought after on the free agent market as he is one of the top overall free agents available this offseason.

What chances do the Giants have in retaining him? According to ESPN NFL Nation Giants correspondent Jordan Raanan, the Giants will retain Hankins. Each NFL Nation correspondent provided their opinion on whether or not each team’s top free agent will return to their respective teams.

Hankins was selected as the top Giants free agent with Pierre-Paul receiving the franchise tag. Raanan believes Hankins will return; here is what he had to say.

"The Giants want Hankins back. It’s going to be tough, however, with Jason Pierre-Paul occupying almost $17 million of cap space on the franchise tag. The Giants will get to work and find a solution to keep their defense together. It’s what they are trying to accomplish this offseason. Prediction: JPP gets a long-term deal, and Hankins gets re-signed, making the New York defensive line a force now and into the future."

It will probably be pricey to keep Pierre-Paul and Hankins. But, if they are able to do it, the Giants would have an advantage in the trenches virtually every week of the season. The quartet of Pierre-Paul, Hankins, Harrison, and Vernon would be a lot for even the strongest offensive lines to contain and arguably the best defensive line in the NFL.

The Giants have other needs on their roster, specifically the offensive line. They will have to gauge the market to see if they will be able to add an impact player there. If not, bringing back Hankins to make the defensive line elite makes sense.

Next: New York Giants: 5 Players To Target In Free Agency

Jerry Reese will have to figure things out in the coming weeks. He did well last season with a boatload of cap space. Can he have the same impact on a tighter budget when he has to get creative with how he spends the money?

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