The team already had building blocks, but there were MAJOR holes to fill and the New York Giants did something highly questionable in free agency. Is it enough?
Prepare for the intense sports debate that only sibling rivalry can conjure. Seesaw Sports, where Dan Salem and Todd Salem throw down on the NFL, MLB, NBA and more. Only on BuzzChomp. Two brothers from New York yell, scream and debate sports.
While the New York Jets entered the offseason with a lot of work to do to support their second-year head coach, the New York Giants entered as a mirror image. They had a lot of building-block pieces to support a brand new head coach.
New York Jets Offseason Hot Take: WATCH NOW – They Did Good!
After hiring the coach, there were a number of areas to target when free agency opened. The Giants needed to add pass catchers, offensive line, interior defensive line, linebackers, and defensive backs. That is a lot to accomplish, and some holes would certainly not be filled until the draft. As it stands, how do we think the Giants did to add to John Harbaugh’s new roster predraft? Was this offseason a success, or did they punt until the draft?
Highly Questionable New York Giants Offseason
Can’t Fault the Effort, but I’m Underwhelmed by the Execution
Todd Salem: Here are the names New York added in free agency, in order of the needs listed above. We begin with pass catchers, followed by offensive line and then the defense.
WR Gunner Olszewski (middling pass catcher re-signed)
WR Isaiah Hodgins (middling pass catcher re-signed)
TE Isaiah Likely (cost a lot but could be considered an elite addition)
WR Calvin Austin III (depth piece/gadget player)
WR Darnell Mooney (viable starter if healthy)
That’s a lot of pass catchers, but it’s more quantity than quality, especially considering 40% of the guys were just brought back after already being on the team last year. I really like Likely, though, sharing time or usurping time as the top tight end. Austin could be a useful player if used correctly. Mooney is the biggest name, but even he probably tops out as a WR3 in a hypothetical elite rotation.
Fandom is Year Round: Exclusive NFL Shirts of Your Favorite STARS
OL Evan Neal (terrible to this point, re-signed in case new leadership can get something from him)
T Jermaine Eluemunor (re-signed, was arguably the best right tackle on the market)
OL Aaron Stinnie (depth piece re-signed)
OL Joshua Ezeudu (depth piece re-signed)
Offensive line is expensive to fill in free agency. The Giants needed to bring back Eluemunor and did so successfully. They still need help at center, guard, and backup tackle, but so does everyone. They will hopefully draft a couple linemen next month.
DL Sam Roberts
The team made no significant additions to the interior defensive line, which was one of the worst run defending units in the sport each of the past two seasons. This is a must-have from the draft.
More BuzzChomp: Watch the thriller ‘Alone’ Before Your Fear Takes Control
LB Micah McFadden (useful player re-signed)
LB Tremaine Edmunds (big-name free agent, immediate day one starter)
LB Zaire Barnes (depth piece re-signed)
After cutting Bobby Okereke, the team needed to make a splash, and Edmunds qualifies. He and McFadden will be the starters barring a surprise. It isn’t a great unit, but will hopefully improve on what Okereke (and McFadden) delivered last season.
CB Greg Newsome II (young veteran who may start Week 1)
S Ar’Darius Washington (depth player coming off major injury)
S Jason Pinnock (depth player brought back after one season away)
DB Elijah Campbell (depth player at safety)
To be frank, this team needed to add an impact cornerback, and Newsome doesn’t cut it. He will likely slot in as a Week 1 starter by default unless the team adds clear competition in the draft.
Wear Your Fandom: NFL Superstar T-Shirts Designed by the FANS
The Giants also signed a new kicker and punter this offseason. These groups can only go up from recent seasons.
There you have it; that’s a rundown of everything the Giants did in free agency to address their biggest needs. I know they didn’t have as much cap space or money to work with as some teams, and they had a lot of holes, but I came away thinking they fell short of expectations. They needed to add one more impact piece for this coming season, whether at wide receiver, lineman, or corner.
I realize all of those holes can still be addressed in the draft, but expecting any hole for Week 1 starter to be filled by a rookie is foolish, let alone trying to cover 3+ of them. I think the Giants did well but not great in free agency.
New York Jets Offseason Hot Take: WATCH NOW – They Did Good!
Jaxson Dart New York Football T-Shirt (NYG) Unisex heavyweight t-shirt
Jaxson Dart NYG heavyweight t-shirt “Throwing Darts.” With G-Men on the sleeve, you’re ready to roll this football season! Jaxson Dart is the man for New York, and he’ll be throwing plenty of darts.
Highly Questionable Approach
Dan Salem: I have one main issue with how the Giants addressed their roster in free agency. New York re-signed a ton of players, 9 of 17 additions to be exact, which is great for a team that was good the previous season. The Giants were bad last year, so what they’ve done in free agency raises a number of red flags. John Harbaugh and his staff must believe they can get a heck of a lot more out of the exact same team from a year ago.
Exclusive Prices on BuzzChomp: NFL Superstar T-Shirts Designed by FANS
Now I’m not saying Harbaugh is wrong, and I also like the new players that New York signed, but these moves stink of a rebuild. With a potential franchise QB entering his sophomore season and a hall-of-fame coach taking over a promising roster, fans do not want to rebuild. Not one bit. Yet nothing about these moves has me feeling like the team is significantly better. Likely is the lone exception at tight end, because a great tight end is a QB’s best friend and the perfect complement to Nabers at wide receiver. Other than that, I’m underwhelmed.
Most fans agree the Giants underachieved last season, but if New York doesn’t stack their defense in the draft, they will be in trouble all over again. Nobody can really complain about the offense and its path towards greater success. It was moving that way last year and these moves slightly strengthened what was already quite good. But defense is as important if not more important, so I’m concerned.
Check The SALE: NFL Superstar T-Shirts Designed by the FANS
Perhaps a scheme change will help the Giants give up fewer points, but they were one of the league’s worst teams last year in the fourth quarter. They blew leads like it was their job and seemed unable to stop teams when their opponents were forced to play hurry-up offense because they were losing significantly. Changing this now hinges on the draft, which may work out just fine. But like you, I’m underwhelmed by their inability to at least try to fix their biggest weakness in free agency.
Meet our Sports Writers:
Dan Salem is Lead Editor and Co-owner of BuzzChomp. He’s an award winning Actor, Director and Producer. Visit M Square Productions for his film work, or get lost in his old-school comedy on Pillow Talk TV. You can follow him on X, TikTok and Instagram. His latest film ‘Alone’ is now on Amazon.
Todd Salem is a Staff Writer and Contributing Editor at BuzzChomp. He’s also a champion of fantasy football and fantasy baseball, dominating leagues for over two decades. Comment below on his unfiltered opinions.
New York Giants Offseason – This Is The End
Photo Credits: tsn.ca via Getty Images
BuzzChomp is an affiliate for products and services recommended herein. Please read our Full Disclaimer for further information on affiliate programs and opportunities.
Recommended for you
You're Awesome! Subscribe and Comment Below
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
