How Free Agency has Effected the Giants Draft Strategy

After signing superstar wide out Brandon Marshall, the Giants have been rather quiet in the free agency market.
Now, it’s not definite that General Manager Jerry Reese isn’t going to make another move, but it seems as though he has some sort of strategy heading into the 2017 NFL Draft. Reese has expressed his faith in tackle Ereck Flowers, but fans have expressed the exact opposite.
Avid Giants fans were hoping that Reese would go out and sign the likes of Andrew Whitworth, but when the All-Pro tackle got signed by the Los Angeles Rams, it left most Giants fans scratching their heads.
The Giants didn’t even make a push for Whitworth, and now it seems as though Reese is putting all of his eggs in one basket with Flowers to protect Eli Manning’s blindside.
It’s understandable that Reese still believes in Flowers, but how does this effect the Big Blue big board?
Reese’s track record of drafting offensive linemen is abysmal, and it doesn’t seem like it’s getting any better. He is probably going to try and draft a linebacker with the team’s first round pick, but that wouldn’t be in the team’s best interest.
The Giants will now look to draft a defensive playmaker like Zach Cunningham from Vanderbilt, or Hasson Reddick from Temple. Either way, Reese clearly isn’t ready to ditch Flowers on the outside just yet.
Personally, that is banana land. Flowers doesn’t have the footwork to make it on the outside in this league. Realistically Reese should be looking to draft Garett Bolles from Utah, or Ryan Ramczyk from Wisconsin.
Giants fans shouldn’t be upset if Reese takes a linebacker in the first round, but that being said, Big Blue is a good offensive lineman away from a Super Bowl, not a linebacker. This year’s draft has more linebacker depth than offensive line depth. Reese should be willing to take a shot in the later rounds on a linebacker, and use his first round pick on high-end offensive line talent.
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