The New York Giants have a long journey ahead of them to competency, but they have taken several steps forward this season with new head coach Joe Judge taking over the reins. However, moves from the past have limited their potential this season, and that is thanks to general manager Dave Gettleman.
When Gettleman originally took over in 2018, he made several poor decisions, including drafting Saquon Barkley second overall before committing to a rebuild and trading back for more assets. While Barkley is a fan favorite and a dynamic playmaker, he will have missed 17 games in two years and spent the majority of his career injured. In hindsight, this was a devastating move for the Giants’ future and one that will loom over Gettleman’s head in the decision to let him go or retain him at the end of the 2020 season.
In addition to his 2018 decisions, Gettleman didn’t do much better in 2019, as quarterback Daniel Jones is still trying to cement himself as a franchise quarterback and the team’s depth is thin. However, it is fair to mention the positives if we are going to harp on the negatives. The 2020 draft class for Big Blue has been phenomenal, as left tackle Andrew Thomas has developed nicely, and the third day picks have been influential in their rookie seasons. Players like cornerback Darnay Holmes and linebacker Tae Crowder have stood out the most when called upon.
Nonetheless, we could go back-and-forth regarding Gettleman’s decisions for days, and a video listing his actions since he took over in 2018 might be more appropriate.
Co-owner John Mara was very open about his expectations for the team after a disappointing 2019 season, ensuring the fan-base that Gettleman needed to do a better job.
“We need to win more games, and Dave knows that, and that’s going to be the challenge going forward.†– Mara, Dec. 30, 2019
“I want to feel like when we walk off the field after the last game that we play, whenever that is, that we’re moving in the right direction.†– Mara, Sept. 3, 2020
“We just need to feel like we’re building something that’s going to compete for a championship. If we’re able to play meaningful games in December, that would obviously be a sign that we are doing that.â€
The New York Giants are headed down an interesting path and it starts with ownership:
There are very important points to extract from Mara’s comments, notably that he wants to see positive progress with the team. You could make the argument that the Giants are on an upward trend because of Judge and the coaching staff, not because of Gettleman’s decisions. He has simply acted as a scout and working piece to help add correct personnel for the coaches (free agency/draft). If Judge feels as though he wants a different general manager to fit his mold more appropriately, he should have the autonomy to do so.
[wpdiscuz-feedback id=”7414l5l4ov” question=”Do you think the Giants should move on from Jones? ” opened=”0″]That brings me to my question, what are the chances the Giants move on from Daniel Jones, or at least add competition to the algorithm?[/wpdiscuz-feedback]The Giants feel as though Jones has the skill set to be a fantastic quarterback in the NFL, given his ability to run and solid arm talent. He’s not a gunslinger by any means, but he can put balls in the right spot and utilize his legs to move out of the pocket— what modern-day NFL quarterbacks are expected to do. The problem is, he’s not mentally able to progress through his reads at an efficient rate, and play-caller Jason Garrett has held him back with poor route concepts and schematics.
With Jones entering the third year of his rookie deal in 2021, the Giants could elect to draft another quarterback, but this would only occur if they move on from Gettleman. Players like BYU quarterback Zack Wilson have risen across draft boards, and we’ve seen teams in the past select quarterbacks back-to-back, and this would actually provide the Giants a one-year cushion, where they selected Andrew Thomas to fill a major gap at left tackle.
If a new general manager comes in and spots a quarterback that he feels can be an elite talent in the future, the Giants shouldn’t be afraid to pull the trigger, even if Jones still has the potential to reach a different level of play. Building around a quarterback on a rookie contract is essential, and with Jones quickly progressing through his rookie deal with minimal growth, things could get tougher sooner rather than later.