GIANTS, JETS SEEING 2020

If you’re a fan of the Giants or the Jets, the big event you’ve been waiting for all season is here: the offseason. This is the time of year when the Giants and Jets will try to get better as they continue to make a push toward being playoff contenders.

Or at least try to finish with a .500 record.

Here are the important dates to follow as the Big Apple’s NFL teams take the road to glory.

2020 NFL Scouting Combine: Feb. 24 — March 2

The combine is the first glimmer of hope in the offseason. Tons of young men will be stripped down to their underwear, probed by doctors and be asked “meaningful” questions like when they lost their virginity.

All the players that are stars in the drills will turn out to be stars in the NFL. Just draft the biggest, strongest, fastest guys and they’ll turn into Super Bowl champions. Ask the mid 2000s Raiders how much success that strategy brought them.

Franchise tag window: Feb. 25 — March 10

Neither the Giants nor the Jets have any players that need to be hit with the franchise tag. Some people might say they don’t have any true franchise tag candidates because they’ve drafted so poorly in recent years and let key players go to different teams. I would say those people deserve hoards of angry emails and replies on social media.

Let’s just be clear that I am not one of those people.

Window to negotiate contracts with free agents: March 16 — 18

On March 16, teams can officially start negotiating contracts with free agents, even though they unofficially start negotiating contracts during the NFL Combine.

First day to sign free agents: March 18

The new league year starts at 4 p.m. ET, March 18, which is when free agents can actually put pen to paper with their new teams. Don’t worry, there’s no way the Giants or the Jets could possibly make a free agent blunder that puts an anchor on their future cap space. Neither team has done so before and it’s unlikely they’ll start now.

Offseason workouts for teams with new head coaches: April 6

This is when Joe Judge will get the first chance to get his hands dirty with his new team. There isn’t much to learn about the team during these workouts, but there will definitely be positive quotes from players and coaches to fuel the hopes and dreams of fans hoping and dreaming of a winning season.

Offseason workouts for teams with returning head coaches: April 20

Adam Gase will get to continue his legacy as the Jets head coach when the team heads back to Florham Park for offseason workouts. Once there, Sam Darnold will continue to try to convince Gase that running the ball on second and long is actually harder than throwing it on second and long.

2020 NFL Draft: April 23 — 25

The NFL Draft. Giants and Jets fans should have over