New York Giants: Five possible salary cap casualties
By Ed Stein
As the NFL heads toward the opening of free agency on March 18 teams are clearing cap space. That includes the New York Giants. Here are five Giants players who could be cut next month.
The New York Giants are projected to be well below next season’s cap threshold. According to sportrac.com, Big Blue’s payroll should come in just shy of $140M. Considering the 2020 cap is expected to be between $196.8 and $201.2M, they have a hefty amount of money available. There are certainly a few prime free agent candidates available for the Giants to seriously consider.
The G-Men need to improve in several areas. Offensive tackle, pass rusher, cornerback, and linebacker are among the positions where upgrades are desperately needed. New York Giants General Manager Dave Gettleman seems driven to resign defensive end Leonard Williams, who should at least double the $3.5M he made last season. Not a bad raise for someone who had 0.5 more sacks than the GM trying to sign him. As crazy as it may sound, the $56M-$61M New York has available might not be enough to upgrade in all the areas where they need improvement.
There are plenty of other factors that will go into adding free agents in the offseason. Among them are finding ways to help and protect quarterback Daniel Jones. He has shown that with time in the pocket and reliable weapons at his disposal that he can play at the NFL level. Another thing Gettleman needs to remember when giving out the big bucks is that the 2021 free agent class is going to be strong as well.
If the G-Men need more money to fill holes, the best way to do it is cutting ties with players who are already under contract. Here are some current New York Giants who may be cap casualties when the league calendar turns over next month.