New York Giants best offseason acquisition is Brandon Marshall

The best acquisition for the New York Giants this offseason is wide receiver, Brandon Marshall.

The New York Giants had a strong offseason. They did not have as much money to spend in 2017 as 2016, but they were still able to get it done. The Giants were able to fill a number of needs, beginning early in free agency.

The Giants came into the offseason with specific needs. Upgrading linebacker, offensive line, running back, and wide receiver were the biggest needs. Continuity is what the Giants are hoping improves the offensive line, but former first-round pick, D.J. Fluker, was added as depth. At linebacker the Giants are hoping second-year player, B.J. Goodson, takes the reins in the middle.

The Giants passed on multiple linebacker prospects in the 2017 NFL Draft, so there is some confidence in Goodson. They did address running back in the draft. Wayne Gallman was selected in the fourth round and will help replace Rashad Jennings, who was released earlier in the offseason.

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Gallman will combine with Paul Perkins for early down work. Shane Vereen should handle passing downs, with Shaun Draughn as his backup.

In the first round of the draft, the Giants upgraded their receiving corps. With their first round pick, the Giants selected Ole Miss tight end, Evan Engram. He was the second addition the Giants made at tight end, as they also signed blocking tight end, Rhett Ellison. Both should help improve what was the worst tight end production in the NFL in 2016.

The other big addition in the receiving corps, figuratively and literally, was Brandon Marshall. The Giants added the mercurial wide receiver to a two-year deal after the New York Jets released him.

Marshall brings a lot to the Giants that they were missing last season. That is why ESPN New York’s Jordan Raanan selected Marshall as the best offseason acquisition for the Giants. New York added some solid players, but we would agree that Marshall is the best and most important one.

Here is what Raanan said about the Marshall signing.

"Marshall will make the biggest impact of all the Giants’ newcomers this season, specifically with his red zone presence. The only wide receiver with more red zone touchdowns than Marshall’s 19 the past three seasons is Antonio Brown. That will open things up for Odell Beckham Jr. and for the running game, where Marshall will also be an asset as a high-end blocker from the receiver position. Marshall will lead to more points for the Giants; they ranked 26th in the NFL last season at just 19.4 points per game. — Jordan Raanan"

Marshall’s size will add a dimension to the Giants offense they were missing last season. Both Odell Beckham Jr. and Sterling Shepard are talented, but both are under six-feet tall. Victor Cruz wasn’t over six-feet tall either.

Marshall stands 6-feet-4 inches and gives Eli Manning the big target he thrives with. Manning had some excellent production with bigger receivers such as Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress. Marshall will bring a lot of similarities to the table as they had.

Where Marshall could really help is as a mentor. The Giants have stressed to Beckham Jr. that he needs to control his emotions. Marshall has been scrutinized previously in his career for his actions. He could fill the mentor role for Beckham Jr. and help him handle the spotlight and control outbursts.

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The Giants have the makings of an explosive offense. Their red zone efficiency should improve with Marshall and open things up for other receivers on the team. Marshall was a perfect fit for the Giants and will make their offense that much more dangerous in 2017.

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