The New York Giants have an abundance of needs that must be addressed this offseason — some by way of free agency and others by way of the NFL Draft.
But which of their needs stands at the forefront? That has certainly been up for debate, with some arguing that it should be the offensive line, others arguing that it should be edge rushers and more yet arguing that it should be a coverage linebacker or a big-play wide receiver.
In the mind of Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon, the answer is clear.
New York Giants: The Edge
Why it’s their top need right now
The only New York Giants player to hit the five-sack mark in 2019, Markus Golden, is set to become a free agent in March. They lack effective pass-rushers off the edge, and adding an impact presence there should be the first step they take as they rebuild that putrid defense.
What they should do
With over $60 million in projected cap space, they should make a run at Griffen, Shaquil Barrett, Jadeveon Clowney, Dante Fowler Jr. and Bud Dupree, if any become available in free agency. They also shouldn’t shy away from using the No. 4 overall pick on a potential game-changer on the edge, and they should look into trading up for Ohio State’s Chase Young, if need be.
What other needs might emerge
It’s not pretty at offensive tackle, where they could decide to cut their losses with expensive under-performer Nate Solder. The secondary also requires a revamp, and it’ll become worse if they lose impending free-agent safety Michael Thomas.
And that is the dilemma the Giants face. Do they chase an edge rusher first? An offensive tackle? They have a lot of money and some strong draft capital, so perhaps they could address both positions with big spends, but they’ve already alluded to wanting to be more reserved this offseason.
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