Good Morning, New York Giants Fans!
When the New York Giants first hired GM Dave Gettleman to overhaul the roster, we knew two things. First, he would invest heavily in the offensive line, and second, he would make it a priority to stop the run.
This is a classic old-school mentality that focuses on interior pass-rush and shies away from allocating resources towards the secondary. The Giants did, however, invest a first and fourth-round pick in upgrading the cornerback and free safety position. They also drafted Corey Ballentine as a potential slot option.
Gettleman broke away from his tendencies with the youth influx in the secondary, but that was part of stage two. Stage one was a bit of a mess.
Gettleman’s first big decision as general manager was to draft RB Saquon Barkley at no. 2 in the 2018 NFL Draft, a move that has seen its highs and lows. A skill-position is generally a harmful use of a top-two pick, but Barkley was “touched by the hand of God,” according to the New York Giants GM. Some would consider his drafting a swing and a miss with Sam Darnold on the board, but it was a move Gettleman couldn’t resist, especially after seeing Christian McCaffrey’s success.
Stage one of the plan also included drafting an offensive guard and a slew of defensive linemen. This was necessary, considering the gutting of the roster and trading of veterans like Damon Harrison. The 2018 Draft hasn’t produced much for the Giants in terms of pass-rush and interior pressure. BJ Hill has fallen off significantly in his sophomore season. This leads us to year two, where the secondary received an overhaul.
So, stage one targeted the running back and offensive line positions, and stage two, the defensive line, secondary, and wide receivers spots. He also allocated a pick towards the linebacker unit, which seems to have been a hit with Ryan Connelly.
Next offseason’s free-agency will be a big one for Gettleman, as he must begin filling in the holes/misses at the expense of his draft picks. That’s stage three of the plan, supplement weakness with free agents. The New York Giants will have about $80 million to spend, and the offensive line, pass rush, and linebacker corps are all in dire need of support.
We can assume he will use a top-three pick towards the trenches, especially with Andrew Thomas and Chase Young’s anticipated availability. Generally, three seasons is a good rule of thumb to follow when considering a full rebuild. If the Giants aren’t at least competitive in 2020, that’s when we should begin to plan the undermining of the republic.
Nonetheless–
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