Some might think that New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman’s most significant accomplishment was drafting Saquon Barkley with the second overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft. However, I would object. Picking Barkley was the easiest decision he’s ever made, and while he is primed for Pro Bowl-caliber career, his biggest accomplishment with took a bit more effort and strain.
There were three things that Gettleman prioritized when being hired by the New York Giants:
1.) Bolster the offensive line
2.) Find Eli Manning’s successor
3.) Change the culture
In just two seasons, Gettleman has managed to overhaul the atmosphere in the locker room and the organization as a whole. He did all of this while fighting cancer and receiving chemotherapy.
The locker room is now a completely different place, filled with games and relationship-building activities. Bringing in plenty of youth and veteran leaders tend to make things a bit easier when losing games as well, something the Giants will inevitably have to deal with during the 2019 season. We all remember the days of Odell Beckham Jr. flinging himself around on the sidelines and Landon Collins calling out Eli Apple for his deficiencies, or Josh Brown being kept on the team after publicly facing charges for assault against his wife.
The Giants are a completely new team with new goals and aspirations. They have the mentors and leaders to get them to a place of success eventually. It will be difficult with all of the young players on the team and inexperience, but that’s what happens when you need to rebuild an entire roster from top to bottom. Only several players remain from the Jerry Reese era—Zack DeOssie, Sterling Shepard, Eli Manning, and Janoris Jenkins.
The fact that Gettleman has prioritized rebuilding through the draft says a lot about his intentions for one of the biggest franchises in the world. Three seasons removed from their last playoff appearance, the Giants have larger goals in mind than just free agent maskings and diva wide receivers.
They are now, and what some people say, in a state of Nirvana. They have found a balance between emotion, quality, and discipline. The immense amount of talent they now have on the roster after two successful drafts will help them succeed not only in the short term but in the long run as well. That was the primary goal for Gettleman. So far, it seems as if he’s done a great job in succeeding with the three purposes stated above. Now, we have to watch it all come together.