New York Giants use free agency to fill major needs

With NFL free agency officially underway, the New York Giants went out and filled two major voids on defense and added some depth to the roster.

In 2019, the New York Giants defense was abysmal, to say the least. Under defensive coordinator James Bettcher, the Giants defense ranked 25th in yards per game against (377.31), 28th in passing yards per game against (264.06), 30th in points allowed per game (28.19). To top it off, they ranked dead last in turnover differential (-17), although quarterback Daniel Jones’ fumble issues played a big part in their poor showing.

Going into the offseason everyone in the New Giants organization knew that three huge needs needed to be addressed. They were, improving the offensive line, adding a pass rusher, and bolstering secondary by finding a true number one cornerback to cover the opposition’s top receiver. The last item was paramount after the team released Janoris Jenkins last December.

When the doors to free agency opened, Big Blue General Manager Dave Gettleman immediately went to work, The G-Men started off by signing free agent cornerback James Bradberry from the Carolina Panthers. When Gettleman was Carolina’s GM, he drafted Bradberry in 2016’s second-round. That signing was followed by the addition of Green Bay Packers inside linebacker Blake Martinez.

All transactions whether they are via free agency, draft or trade, come with inherent risks, that’s part of the game. As former New York Giants GM George Young used to say, there is a reason why players are available in free agency. If the player was truly indispensable then he would still be with his original team.

It’s only natural to wonder if the Giants will get enough bang for their buck. Gettleman’s record is spotty in this area. After multiple misses in free agency over his first two seasons at the helm, any signing GMDG makes will come under well-deserved scrutiny from both the media as well as Big Blue Nation.