The New York Giants are one win away from securing a playoff berth for the first time since 2016. Hosting the Indianapolis Colts at home on Sunday afternoon, the Giants have a ripe opportunity to determine their destiny and put themselves in the Wild Card mix.
In fact, all four NFC East teams could end up making the playoffs this year, which is an incredible achievement. Both the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys have locked in playoff opportunities, with the Giants firmly holding onto the 6th seed.
If the playoffs started today, the New York Giants and Washington Commanders would sneak into the postseason, and the Giants would take on the San Francisco 49ers, who are currently the No. 3 seed with an 11–4 record. The 49ers have been red hot recently, with a new quarterback, Brock Purdy, taking a much bigger role with Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo going down due to injury.
However, the Giants are currently in a rebuilding phase, and making the postseason, in general, is a massive accomplishment. The Giants have been eternally doomed to the top 10 of the NFL draft the past few seasons, wasting selections on players like Kadarius Toney. Now, the team is taking a different approach, establishing a winning culture and looking at the draft as an afterthought.
If the Draft was today, the Giants would host the 23rd overall pick, which is still in range to land a prime receiver, a position they desperately need to address.
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The New York Giants’ 2023 Draft Picks:
1. 23
2. 55
3. 87
3. 101 (via KC comp)
4. 125
5. 158
6. 206 (via KC)
6. 216 (comp)
7. 241
7. 243
7. 255 (comp)
Big Blue did add two draft picks from the Kansas City Chiefs in the Toney trade, notably the 101st and 206th selections. General manager Joe Schoen has 11 picks at his disposal but could add a few more compensatory selections if they lose a few key free agents this upcoming off-season.
The New York Giants need all the help they can get, given the number of injuries they have sustained this season. They desperately need more linebacker support, receiver help and could use a few more talented pieces on the offensive line. I would be remiss, not to mention the secondary, which is incredibly thin at cornerback.
It is clear that Schoen has his work cut out for him moving forward, but building through the draft was always the best strategy instead of plugging holes through free agency. As the Buffalo Bills have displayed, retaining your own and drafting successfully is the proper way to build a winning team.