With free agency rumors swirling, the New York Giants are caught in purgatory. With minimal cap space and teams quickly scooping up the top players on the market, the Giants have to move quickly, or they are going to lose out on some of their targeted players.
With resources needed to be allocated toward the wide receiver and pass rush positions, free agency offers a plethora of players who could fit the bill. Monday afternoon was a storm, with a ton of players being unofficially signed. The New England Patriots were the most active, landing big players coming off careers years, which could end up biting them in the butt.
Let’s take a look at some of the most prevalent rumors for the New York Giants:
1.) Kenny Golladay still on the Giants’ radar
The Giants would prefer to walk away from free agency with the top receiver on the market, Kenny Golladay. The only big receiver to be signed on Monday was Nelson Agholor, who landed with the Patriots.
His contract is worth $13 million per season, which could easily affect Kenny Golladay’s future deal. Reports have indicated that the Giants are interested in Golladay, having only played five games last year but earned Pro Bowl selection in 2019 with nearly 1200 yards and 11 touchdowns. The likelihood is that the Giants will have to pay upwards of $17 million per year for his services, but he would immediately upgrade the wide receiver corps and offer Daniel Jones a big body target in the passing game.
2.) Pass rusher if not wide receiver?
If the Giants lose out on a receiver of their choice, it’s possible they look to the pass rush market to shore up their defense. With Matt Judon, Carl Lawson, Bud Dupree, Yannick Ngakoue, Shaq Barrett, and Leonard Floyd already off the market, the Giants still have a few solid options to target, including Haason Redick and even Jadeveon Clowney.
Something about Reddick stands out to me, and considering he tallied 12.5 sacks last season, with five of them coming against the Giants, I am under the impression he would be a stellar addition and likely wouldn’t break the bank.
3.) Giants priced out of top-tier pass rushers
The Giants are in a tough spot when it comes to signing premium pass rushers, and their best bet is likely to hold onto Leonard Williams and roll into the season with Lorenzo Carter and Oshane Ximines as their starters. However, they did inquire about Los Angeles Rams OLB Leonard Floyd. Floyd finished the 2020 season with 10.5 sacks but elected to sign with his current team instead of taking his talents to the East Coast.
Ultimately, the Rams overpaid for Floyd, giving him $16 million per season. With that being said, the Giants aren’t willing to overspend on a pass rusher at this time, especially with Williams sitting on the franchise tag waiting to be extended.
The priority should be wide receiver before pass rusher, and if Daniel Jones is watching his team in free agency, he’s likely praying for that reality.