New York Giants: The Giants’ pending UFA’s – Part one, defense
By Ed Stein
The floodgates open on NFL free agency in three weeks and New York Giants management has to decide which of their players without a contract for next year they want to bring back. Today we look at defensive UFA’s.
Before the New York Giants draft anyone or sign any free agents from outside the organization, they need to look inward first. From top to bottom, they must review roster the team ended last season with. General manager Dave Gettleman, head coach Pat Shurmur, their assistants, and all the scouts have to answer one question first. Which of their players from 2018 who will be unrestricted free agents do they want to bring back?
As we’ve seen recently the NFC East is a toss-up division. Success in one season does not guarantee success the next. It doesn’t have to be a worst-to-first scenario, but the Big Blue faithful needs to see their team is getting better.
Improvement this year is paramount. Sure, there was some goodwill when ownership brought in a new GM and coach, but the fans need to see the Giants are headed in the right direction. After suffering through double-digit losing seasons in four of the previous five seasons, improvement, at a minimum will keep the torches and pitchforks in their sheds.
Let’s start with the premise that Big Blue was not a good football team in 2018. They went 5-11 which tied for the fifth worst record in the league. If the Giants lost with a player on their roster last season, they can certainly lose without him just as well. No one is irreplaceable in the NFL.
That said, talent is still talent. There are players to build around as well as complimentary pieces every team needs. All things even, sometimes the best choice is the player your team already knows and he knows you.