What now for the New York Giants, who host rookie minicamp this upcoming week but still have some offseason work to be done if they want to compete for the Super Bowl?
Simply, they need to improve significantly to get to that next level.
They’re good, but they ain’t top of the NFC good.
While they might have some answers in their draft class and the group of undrafted rookie free agents expected to come into the building this week, they’ll likely need to cull free agency and look at the waiver wire for some answers.
They also need to make some decisions about key parts of their team moving forward over the next few weeks.
Three things the Giants need to focus on
1. My kingdom for a tackle – The Giants went into the NFL Draft with one glaring need, that being at offensive tackle. They emerged from the draft with that same need.
That means they need still need to upgrade there. Bigly.
There are some possible fits for the Giants in the remaining free agent market. Former first-round pick Ryan Clady was a New York Jet last year and has talent but has played just nine games over the past two seasons due to injury. He’s certainly a fit, however. He’s worth the risk and better than any other right tackle option currently on the board. If healthy, he helps them out tremendously at the weakest link on their two-deep.
2. Figure out what they got in Davis Webb – The Giants third-round pick, Webb won’t be supplanting Eli Manning as the Giants starting quarterback anytime soon. But the Giants will surely get an idea by minicamp if they have a viable option who could, possibly, develop into a starting quarterback down the road. He doesn’t need to be there yet but he has to show some tools.
If he doesn’t have those tools, then the Giants will need to start looking at possible backup options this year because Geno Smith is, well, still Geno Smith.
3. Lock up their star – Two weeks ago, the Giants locked up Odell Beckham Jr. by picking up his option for a fifth season. It’s a smart move, but it shouldn’t be the last move the Giants make with Beckham this offseason.
Signing the star wide receiver to a long-term deal is vastly important to the team. If they wait to sign him, they might get into a bidding war that could see a long-term deal escalate. As such, they might be able to capitalize on a bit of a down year for Beckham, on and off the field. Locking him up would help secure the offense and be a key recruiting tool if the Giants need to go the free agency route for a quarterback in a couple of years.
