There are many differing opinions when it comes to New York Giants’ general manager Dave Gettleman. Former Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams would say he is a “snake.†At the same time, cornerback Josh Norman would suggest the Giants keep him forever, as he will evidently win games for other teams.
Gettleman has done good and bad things since the start of his tenure in 2018. From signing Jonathan Stewart to drafting Daniel Jones, a lot of his decisions are still up in the air. This off-season had a bit of a twist to it with the change in regimen.
New head coach, Joe Judge‘s influence, was clearly on display as the Giants drafted an offensive tackle with the fourth overall pick. Prior to the 2020 NFL draft, Gettleman had never spent a first-rounder on an offensive lineman. History would suggest that Judge has significant influence.
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The New York Giants are trusting Joe Judge more than Pat Shurmur
However, head coaches are no longer the scapegoat for Big Blue. Gettleman is next in line to receive the blame if the team struggles in 2020. The Giants are still in the midst of a rebuild, which would suggest that a playoff-caliber season is unlikely. With the coronavirus pandemic limiting players from physically playing together, the process of chemistry building is severely limited.
In the scenario that the Giants win 4-5 games, I believe Gettleman will be the first to receive the ax. Pat Shurmur, James Bettcher, and Mike Shula all acted as scapegoats in 2019, following a disappointing year with minimal improvements.
I believe this new Giants team has more emphasis on their head coach and the roster he wants to build. Gettleman will undoubtedly have an impact since Judge is inheriting most of his players. Moving forward, I believe it will be a more collaborative experience.
There are glaring differences between Shurmur and Judge, as the old head coach for the Giants was clearly incapable of calling offensive plays and managing the entire team. The fact that their No. 1 corner Janoris Jenkins self-sabotaged to get himself released is a perfect example of the Giants the past few years. Judge will install a more disciplinary set of rules and allow his coordinators to do their job.
Ideally, Judge will help monitor the team instead of harping on one unit. Shurmur was so involved on offense that it seemed every other unit fell apart at the seams. With former head coaches littered across the coaching staff, we can expect the team to be more cohesive. The additions of Jason Garrett and Freddie Kitchens should prove to be significant. So much so, that Gettleman could save his job simply based on the coaching staff, they have assembled this off-season.