Post by plax on Apr 2, 2014 11:06:18 GMT -5
What have we seen this offseason from the Giants:
The Giants have quietly signed FOUR offensive lineman
~ The Giants had one glaring hole heading into the offseason; the offensive line. Franchise LT Will Beatty had a terrible year, OG David Diehl could not play anymore on a competitive level. OG Chris Snee and C David Baas both dealt with injuries and struggled when playing. 1st round rookie OT Justin Pugh was the highlight of the Giants offensive line in 2013. Entering the offseason, they were staring down an injured LT who struggled the year prior and a C and OG who were making way too much money; not to mention the lack of depth that the Giants had on the line. So what did they do to fix that? First, they rid themselves of the players who could not play well in David Diehl [who retired] and David Baas, who was a big disappointment during his tenure in New York. Then came free agency, and they quietly gave themselves versatility and depth. Their first OL signing was the best, snagging OG Geoff Schwartz, formerly of KC, to a 4-year deal worth just about 16 million (which was a bargain compared to some of the other deals guards got on the market). Schwartz was one of the best guards last year, per PFF and his best attribute is that he can play almost all over the line. They then addressed the center position by taking a flier on JD Walton, a former Denver Bronco and Washington Redskin. Walton was a very good center when he was healthy towards the beginning of his career. He as dealt with injuries since and has not played in a long time, but it is a move that can pay dividends for the Giants. The Giants were not done yet, however, as they sign very talented players in OG John Jerry and OT Charles Brown. John Jerry started many many games for the Dolphins during his tenure in Miami, but had a fallout in Miami with the Bully-Gate scandal. The Giants interviewed the troubled guard extensively and are confident they can right his ship. Charles Brown, formerly of the Saints, was a 2nd round pick in the 2010 (I believe) draft. Very talented player who struggled for one year. If Beatty can't go in the beginning of the year, the Giants have a very good back-up in Brown to hold the fort down.
The Giants have found out that some of their guys love playing for Big Blue
~ The Giants had the most money to spend in FA in a long time, but with 25 free agents to sign, it would be difficult. Three players on the Giants took pay-cuts this offseason; not a restructured deal that would hinder the CAP situation in the coming years, but a pay-cut. The most notable was OG Chris Snee, who was one of the Giants best players for many years while being a top offensive guard in the league. He lowered his salary by 5 million, something he did not HAVE to do. Shortly after, punter Steve Weatherford, one of the best class acts on the team, also took a pay-cut. It was not as much as Snee, not close to it, but him willingly lowering the money he makes was a great move for the team. Lastly, Mathias Kiwanuka took a pay-cut. He is a respected man in the locker room was a good situational pass-rusher for the team. He was making too much money, and he decided that he too would lower his salary to help the team make more moves. Yes, two of these guys had to take a pay-cut to stay on the team, but not too many players are willing to do that, and having 3 guys do it shows that they want to be here helping the team, and they did just that.
The Giants bolster their Special Teams unit
~ While the offensive line was the biggest need to fix heading into the 2014 season, one underrated hole was the ST unit. Many people would tell you that there are three phases of the game; offense, defense, and special teams, and that if you can win in two of those three areas, more times than not you will win the game. The Giants lost in the special teams department almost every single time last season (if they even won one ST battle at all). So what did the Giants do? They went out and signed some premier ST players in Trindon Holliday and Quintin Demps. Both of those guys are top flight returners and will be able to help the field position dramatically. Not only did doing this help the ST, but it will also help the offense, as Rueben Randle no longer as to take on PR duties, allowing him to focus on his bigger role on offense. Jerry Reese also re-signed Mark Herzlich, who should be a staple on special teams once again.
The Giants also bolster their Secondary, big time
~ No one is sure if it is a shift in defensive philosophy or what, but the most notable change on the Giants team heading into the 2014 season is the secondary. The team was always able to mask the problems of their secondary with a powerful and dynamic pass-rush up front, but when the pressure was non-existent in 2013, the flaws of the secondary shined bright. It was not as much that the talent was not there, but it was more a testament to the lack of depth. Antrel Rolle was once again forced to play some slot CB, and CB Trumaine McBride was forced to step into a starting role. So what did the Giants do? They went crazy on upgrading the secondary. Trumaine McBride was re-signed, as was safety Stevie Brown, who was great in 2012 but was out with a major injury in 2013. On top of re-signing two guys in the secondary, the Giants also signed four NEW guys to help the depth (and starting rotation). The biggest name the Giants signed all off-season was CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who is one of the fastest CBs in the league and will be shadowing the #1 WRs next year (which also helps Prince Amukamara, who should have the upper hand on almost any #2 WR next year). Walter Thurmond III, fresh of a SB win with Seattle, also inked a deal with Big Blue, and is one of the best slot CBs in the league. And with the passing game becoming a bigger part of an NFL offense every year, having 3 great CBs is a luxury. The Giants were not done at CB, as they recently signed CB Zack Bowman, who pulled in 3 interceptions of his own last year, and will be a strict depth guy for the Giants. And as mentioned earlier, Quintin Demps was signed by the Giants. Not only is he an electric returner, but he is also an underrated defender, giving the Giants 4 solid safeties. One of the Giants biggest weaknesses became their biggest strength.
The Giants did not forget to re-sign some of their own guys
~ Peyton Hillis, Mike Patterson, Jon Beason, Spencer Paysinger, Trumaine McBride, Stevie Brown, Josh Brown, Henry Hynoski, [sigh] Curtis Painter. Those are the guys that the Giants brought back to the team, with most of them being good choices. Peyton Hillis came off the street last year and excelled in the Giants offense by showing a good ability to run hard and being underrated in catching the ball out of the backfield. Mike Patterson is a quality veteran talent who can help Johnathan Hankins take the next step in his development. Jon Beason was highlight of the re-signings, and was the godsend of the team last year. Beason is one of the leaders of the team for the 2014 season, as well. Paysinger showed a lot of promise last year and will be vying for a starting job this season. McBride and Stevie are quality secondary players. Josh Brown was pretty good last year and should be in line for another good season. And Hynoski will compete with John Connor for a starting FB gig. Oh yeah, [sigh] Curtis Painter is back. The Giants FO said the team would look different this year, and that is true, but no one can forget the lot of players the Giants brought back.
The Best of the Rest
~ With David Wilson having neck issues, the Giants needed to go out and pick up a RB, and they got one that was towards the top of their board in Rashad Jennings. He is a classic-type back who can do it all. Good hands, power runner, underrated speed and elusiveness, and good blocking. He is set up to be the starter for the team next year, and could succeed with an improved offensive line blocking for Eli and the RB this year. The Giants lost Hakeem Nicks and while the team feels confident in Rueben Randle's ability to be the #2 WR, they still needed depth, and they brought back a former Giant, Mario Manningham, on a no-risk deal. Manningham has dealt with injuries since leaving New York, but if he can come back and produce, the Giants found themselves another steal. The Giants most recent signing, DE Robert Ayers, excelled in limited action in Denver last year, and could very well be a starter for the team this year. And at only 28 years old, he can be in line for a 2nd contract when his current deal expires. While Beason being brought back was big for the team, there was no question that the Giants needed more help in the linebacker department. That is why they brought in Jameel McClain, formerly of Baltimore. Baltimore has been producing many quality LBers in the past five years or so, and McClain can be a good player for the Giants.
Conclusion
~ The Giants entered this off-season with several holes and many decisions on some of their top players. They lost Hakeem Nicks, Justin Tuck, Linval Joseph, and many others, but you cannot keep them all. The Giants promised to look a lot different in 2014, and signing 13 new players, in which all of them can make the 53-man roster, proved that statement true. The 2013 offseason was one of the most exciting for Giants fans in a long time, and with the draft still around the corner to fill the rest of the roster, the optimism for Giants fans are certainly justified. Go Blue!
The Giants have quietly signed FOUR offensive lineman
~ The Giants had one glaring hole heading into the offseason; the offensive line. Franchise LT Will Beatty had a terrible year, OG David Diehl could not play anymore on a competitive level. OG Chris Snee and C David Baas both dealt with injuries and struggled when playing. 1st round rookie OT Justin Pugh was the highlight of the Giants offensive line in 2013. Entering the offseason, they were staring down an injured LT who struggled the year prior and a C and OG who were making way too much money; not to mention the lack of depth that the Giants had on the line. So what did they do to fix that? First, they rid themselves of the players who could not play well in David Diehl [who retired] and David Baas, who was a big disappointment during his tenure in New York. Then came free agency, and they quietly gave themselves versatility and depth. Their first OL signing was the best, snagging OG Geoff Schwartz, formerly of KC, to a 4-year deal worth just about 16 million (which was a bargain compared to some of the other deals guards got on the market). Schwartz was one of the best guards last year, per PFF and his best attribute is that he can play almost all over the line. They then addressed the center position by taking a flier on JD Walton, a former Denver Bronco and Washington Redskin. Walton was a very good center when he was healthy towards the beginning of his career. He as dealt with injuries since and has not played in a long time, but it is a move that can pay dividends for the Giants. The Giants were not done yet, however, as they sign very talented players in OG John Jerry and OT Charles Brown. John Jerry started many many games for the Dolphins during his tenure in Miami, but had a fallout in Miami with the Bully-Gate scandal. The Giants interviewed the troubled guard extensively and are confident they can right his ship. Charles Brown, formerly of the Saints, was a 2nd round pick in the 2010 (I believe) draft. Very talented player who struggled for one year. If Beatty can't go in the beginning of the year, the Giants have a very good back-up in Brown to hold the fort down.
The Giants have found out that some of their guys love playing for Big Blue
~ The Giants had the most money to spend in FA in a long time, but with 25 free agents to sign, it would be difficult. Three players on the Giants took pay-cuts this offseason; not a restructured deal that would hinder the CAP situation in the coming years, but a pay-cut. The most notable was OG Chris Snee, who was one of the Giants best players for many years while being a top offensive guard in the league. He lowered his salary by 5 million, something he did not HAVE to do. Shortly after, punter Steve Weatherford, one of the best class acts on the team, also took a pay-cut. It was not as much as Snee, not close to it, but him willingly lowering the money he makes was a great move for the team. Lastly, Mathias Kiwanuka took a pay-cut. He is a respected man in the locker room was a good situational pass-rusher for the team. He was making too much money, and he decided that he too would lower his salary to help the team make more moves. Yes, two of these guys had to take a pay-cut to stay on the team, but not too many players are willing to do that, and having 3 guys do it shows that they want to be here helping the team, and they did just that.
The Giants bolster their Special Teams unit
~ While the offensive line was the biggest need to fix heading into the 2014 season, one underrated hole was the ST unit. Many people would tell you that there are three phases of the game; offense, defense, and special teams, and that if you can win in two of those three areas, more times than not you will win the game. The Giants lost in the special teams department almost every single time last season (if they even won one ST battle at all). So what did the Giants do? They went out and signed some premier ST players in Trindon Holliday and Quintin Demps. Both of those guys are top flight returners and will be able to help the field position dramatically. Not only did doing this help the ST, but it will also help the offense, as Rueben Randle no longer as to take on PR duties, allowing him to focus on his bigger role on offense. Jerry Reese also re-signed Mark Herzlich, who should be a staple on special teams once again.
The Giants also bolster their Secondary, big time
~ No one is sure if it is a shift in defensive philosophy or what, but the most notable change on the Giants team heading into the 2014 season is the secondary. The team was always able to mask the problems of their secondary with a powerful and dynamic pass-rush up front, but when the pressure was non-existent in 2013, the flaws of the secondary shined bright. It was not as much that the talent was not there, but it was more a testament to the lack of depth. Antrel Rolle was once again forced to play some slot CB, and CB Trumaine McBride was forced to step into a starting role. So what did the Giants do? They went crazy on upgrading the secondary. Trumaine McBride was re-signed, as was safety Stevie Brown, who was great in 2012 but was out with a major injury in 2013. On top of re-signing two guys in the secondary, the Giants also signed four NEW guys to help the depth (and starting rotation). The biggest name the Giants signed all off-season was CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who is one of the fastest CBs in the league and will be shadowing the #1 WRs next year (which also helps Prince Amukamara, who should have the upper hand on almost any #2 WR next year). Walter Thurmond III, fresh of a SB win with Seattle, also inked a deal with Big Blue, and is one of the best slot CBs in the league. And with the passing game becoming a bigger part of an NFL offense every year, having 3 great CBs is a luxury. The Giants were not done at CB, as they recently signed CB Zack Bowman, who pulled in 3 interceptions of his own last year, and will be a strict depth guy for the Giants. And as mentioned earlier, Quintin Demps was signed by the Giants. Not only is he an electric returner, but he is also an underrated defender, giving the Giants 4 solid safeties. One of the Giants biggest weaknesses became their biggest strength.
The Giants did not forget to re-sign some of their own guys
~ Peyton Hillis, Mike Patterson, Jon Beason, Spencer Paysinger, Trumaine McBride, Stevie Brown, Josh Brown, Henry Hynoski, [sigh] Curtis Painter. Those are the guys that the Giants brought back to the team, with most of them being good choices. Peyton Hillis came off the street last year and excelled in the Giants offense by showing a good ability to run hard and being underrated in catching the ball out of the backfield. Mike Patterson is a quality veteran talent who can help Johnathan Hankins take the next step in his development. Jon Beason was highlight of the re-signings, and was the godsend of the team last year. Beason is one of the leaders of the team for the 2014 season, as well. Paysinger showed a lot of promise last year and will be vying for a starting job this season. McBride and Stevie are quality secondary players. Josh Brown was pretty good last year and should be in line for another good season. And Hynoski will compete with John Connor for a starting FB gig. Oh yeah, [sigh] Curtis Painter is back. The Giants FO said the team would look different this year, and that is true, but no one can forget the lot of players the Giants brought back.
The Best of the Rest
~ With David Wilson having neck issues, the Giants needed to go out and pick up a RB, and they got one that was towards the top of their board in Rashad Jennings. He is a classic-type back who can do it all. Good hands, power runner, underrated speed and elusiveness, and good blocking. He is set up to be the starter for the team next year, and could succeed with an improved offensive line blocking for Eli and the RB this year. The Giants lost Hakeem Nicks and while the team feels confident in Rueben Randle's ability to be the #2 WR, they still needed depth, and they brought back a former Giant, Mario Manningham, on a no-risk deal. Manningham has dealt with injuries since leaving New York, but if he can come back and produce, the Giants found themselves another steal. The Giants most recent signing, DE Robert Ayers, excelled in limited action in Denver last year, and could very well be a starter for the team this year. And at only 28 years old, he can be in line for a 2nd contract when his current deal expires. While Beason being brought back was big for the team, there was no question that the Giants needed more help in the linebacker department. That is why they brought in Jameel McClain, formerly of Baltimore. Baltimore has been producing many quality LBers in the past five years or so, and McClain can be a good player for the Giants.
Conclusion
~ The Giants entered this off-season with several holes and many decisions on some of their top players. They lost Hakeem Nicks, Justin Tuck, Linval Joseph, and many others, but you cannot keep them all. The Giants promised to look a lot different in 2014, and signing 13 new players, in which all of them can make the 53-man roster, proved that statement true. The 2013 offseason was one of the most exciting for Giants fans in a long time, and with the draft still around the corner to fill the rest of the roster, the optimism for Giants fans are certainly justified. Go Blue!