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It was a rough year for the New York Giants, but they overcame a lot of injuries and the offense caught fire with the help of rookie wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., so this team is carrying some momentum into the offseason.
A few key moves could get them back into contention in 2015. Here are their top offseason priorities:
1. Retain Jason Pierre-Paul, possibly with the franchise tag
Pierre-Paul's contract has expired. He is only 26 years old as of Jan. 1 and at his best has been one of the more dominant defensive players in football. But injuries have been a problem for him, and you could see why New York would be hesitant to sign him to a large contract with a lot of guaranteed money. Moreover, while he played well in 2014, he wasn't a dominant pass-rusher -- and pass-rushers are what you want to spend your money on along the defensive line.
He is likely to demand a big contract on the open market, so using the franchise tag on him could be the way to go. If he puts together another good season and stays healthy, the Giants could offer him a long-term deal. This is a team that values defensive linemen very highly.
2. Prepare for a long-term decision on Eli Manning
This isn't as urgent a priority as No. 1 on this list, but Manning's contract expires after the 2015 season, and the Giants are going to have an interesting decision to make with him. He has struggled mightily at times since the Giants' last Super Bowl win, and he turns 34 on Jan. 3. However, he did finish the 2014 season in impressive fashion, ranking among the NFL's leaders in Total QBR.
It seems unlikely the Giants would move away from Manning as their franchise quarterback, but signing him to an extension this offseason might not be the right call, either. It wouldn't hurt for the Giants to target a high-upside developmental prospect in this year's draft.
3. Continue to work on the offensive line
The line was the biggest weakness of the Giants offense this season (as it has been in recent seasons). It isn't like the front office has ignored the position -- Justin Pugh was New York's first-round pick in 2013, Geoff Schwartz was a significant addition in free agency a year ago and the Giants used their second-round pick in 2014 on center Weston Richburg. But injuries and overall continuity were big problems here again in 2014, and players such as John Jerry and J.D. Walton logged far too many snaps.
A healthy Schwartz could go a long way toward remedying the problem, and Richburg should be improved in his second season. There is some positional versatility with this group as it stands, which is a nice luxury for New York. However, adding one quality starter is necessary, and the Giants should strongly consider doing so in the first round of the 2015 draft.
4. Improve the secondary
The Giants need improved play from their secondary, and Antrel Rolle, Walter Thurmond, Stevie Brown, Quintin Demps and Chykie Brown are all set to become unrestricted free agents. Injuries have been a problem here as well, but any way you cut it, potentially losing five defensive backs in free agency is pretty daunting. Prince Amukamara played quite well before falling to injury, and should be New York's top corner in 2015, but this team needs to add several quality players here. You could argue this is an even bigger need than offensive line for New York.
Offseason fixes for the New York Giants - NFL - ESPN
By Matt Williamson
A few key moves could get them back into contention in 2015. Here are their top offseason priorities:
1. Retain Jason Pierre-Paul, possibly with the franchise tag
Pierre-Paul's contract has expired. He is only 26 years old as of Jan. 1 and at his best has been one of the more dominant defensive players in football. But injuries have been a problem for him, and you could see why New York would be hesitant to sign him to a large contract with a lot of guaranteed money. Moreover, while he played well in 2014, he wasn't a dominant pass-rusher -- and pass-rushers are what you want to spend your money on along the defensive line.
He is likely to demand a big contract on the open market, so using the franchise tag on him could be the way to go. If he puts together another good season and stays healthy, the Giants could offer him a long-term deal. This is a team that values defensive linemen very highly.
2. Prepare for a long-term decision on Eli Manning
This isn't as urgent a priority as No. 1 on this list, but Manning's contract expires after the 2015 season, and the Giants are going to have an interesting decision to make with him. He has struggled mightily at times since the Giants' last Super Bowl win, and he turns 34 on Jan. 3. However, he did finish the 2014 season in impressive fashion, ranking among the NFL's leaders in Total QBR.
It seems unlikely the Giants would move away from Manning as their franchise quarterback, but signing him to an extension this offseason might not be the right call, either. It wouldn't hurt for the Giants to target a high-upside developmental prospect in this year's draft.
3. Continue to work on the offensive line
The line was the biggest weakness of the Giants offense this season (as it has been in recent seasons). It isn't like the front office has ignored the position -- Justin Pugh was New York's first-round pick in 2013, Geoff Schwartz was a significant addition in free agency a year ago and the Giants used their second-round pick in 2014 on center Weston Richburg. But injuries and overall continuity were big problems here again in 2014, and players such as John Jerry and J.D. Walton logged far too many snaps.
A healthy Schwartz could go a long way toward remedying the problem, and Richburg should be improved in his second season. There is some positional versatility with this group as it stands, which is a nice luxury for New York. However, adding one quality starter is necessary, and the Giants should strongly consider doing so in the first round of the 2015 draft.
4. Improve the secondary
The Giants need improved play from their secondary, and Antrel Rolle, Walter Thurmond, Stevie Brown, Quintin Demps and Chykie Brown are all set to become unrestricted free agents. Injuries have been a problem here as well, but any way you cut it, potentially losing five defensive backs in free agency is pretty daunting. Prince Amukamara played quite well before falling to injury, and should be New York's top corner in 2015, but this team needs to add several quality players here. You could argue this is an even bigger need than offensive line for New York.
Offseason fixes for the New York Giants - NFL - ESPN
By Matt Williamson
