WISE GUYS
Giants already better thanks to smart offseason spending
THE GIANTS entered free agency about $32 million under the salary cap, and 17 days later have about $9.4 million in available cap space. Figure they need to put aside $3 million to sign the players they select in the April 27-29 draft. So, there is room for some more, but not much more, spending.
During that span, the Giants signed 11 players who were unrestricted free agents and signed one, Jason Pierre-Paul, who was designated as their franchise player, to a long-term deal (four years, $62 million) to keep the pass-rushing, run-stopping defensive end wearing blue.
It certainly appears as if general manager Jerry Reese, aided greatly by salary-cap guru Kevin Abrams, got the best bang for their bucks and strengthened the roster, with more work still to be done.
Amid the uncertainty with defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, who remains on the market, in limbo, Reese kept the defense together — a priority, given the success that unit experienced carrying the team to a playoff berth in 2016. Getting linebacker Keenan Robinson back on a one-year deal was an important move.
Reese also increased the talent level on offense by adding Brandon Marshall, striking before the start of free agency — Marshall was released by the Jets and thus able to sign immediately. That Reese and Abrams were able to get a starting-caliber receiver on a two-year, $11 million contract is somewhat astounding — indicat i ve of Marshall’s willingness to take less to play where he wants to play, and the Giants’ ability to identify the desires of a player who wants to win now, rather than chase whatever money he could find, wherever it took him.
The most glaring goal for the offseason — improving the offensive line — has not yet been accomplished, at least not appreciably. The best anyone can say about the state of the offensive line is the level of competition is heightened.
D.J. Fluker, cast aside and considered a disappointment by the Chargers, will push for a starting job, either at right guard or right tackle. John Jerry started 41 games at right guard the past three seasons, and he was re-signed, but the Giants want an upgrade, considering they have been a lackadaisical running team and run-blocking is not Jerry’s strength.
Bobby Hart started 12 games last year at right tackle, but he was yanked from the starting lineup for the playoff loss in Green Bay and replaced by veteran Marshall Newhouse, who was not a priority to keep for the Giants; Newhouse signed with the Raiders. That should tell you what the Giants think of Hart as an established starter.
Bringing in Rhett Ellison on a four-year, $18 million deal means the Giants can look in the draft for more of a receiving threat at tight end, because Ellison can handle the blocking assignments. Signing Geno Smith to a bargain-rate, oneyear deal only guarantees he will be given the chance to compete for a backup quarterback job this summer. The same prove- i t - with- performance pressure exits for Valentino Blake at cornerback and Shaun Draughn at running back.
There are not many holes left to fill, and the draft will restock various levels on the roster. Can a legitimate starting left tackle be found from the new college crop — a weak year for offensive linemen — or from veterans cut loose in the summer? Possibly.
Reese has done enough thus far to go into the draft with a best-player-available approach rather than force-feed a player at a position of glaring need. Sure, the Giants have offensive line help blipping on their radar, and they will add a tackle prospect, one way or another. They finished 11-5 last season and are better now than they were then, which is what any fan would want.