The New York Giants have an abundance of needs going into free agency… Please stop us if you’ve heard that line several dozen times at this point, but it’s the reality of where general manager Dave Gettleman & Co. are.
We here at Giants Wire have given our opinions (which vary) on which need should be at the forefront, and now it’s time for Pro Football Focus to do the same.
So, which is it? Offensive tackle? Wide receiver? Defensive back? Pass rush?
Of course it’s pass rush, but you saw that coming, didn’t you? Was it the headline? Yeah, it was probably the headline.
NEW YORK GIANTS: A RELIABLE EDGE RUSHER
Secondary needs: cornerback, offensive tackle, linebacker
With the fourth pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Giants aren’t likely to win the Chase Young sweepstakes. But Young or no Young, they need a reliable pass-rushing option off the edge. Markus Golden impressed with a double-digit sack total this season, but he enters free agency with a 63.0 PFF pass-rushing grade that indicates he wasn’t as strong there as his sack total would suggest. The Giants will be in the hunt for edge defenders across free agency and the draft — either to play alongside Golden or replace his production from this season.
The Giants should also be on the lookout for cornerback help after the recently drafted cornerbacks they ran out there this season failed to produce. DeAndre Baker, Grant Haley, Corey Ballentine and Sam Beal were all drafted within the last two seasons, and they all failed to produce a 60.0 coverage grade while each allowed a passer rating of at least 100.0 into their coverage. Along with looking for improvements to a tackle duo of Mike Remmers and Nate Solder that allowed more combined pressures than any pair in the NFL, the Giants should look to the secondary this offseason. Lastly, an off-ball linebacker who could step in and contribute right away would be big for a team that is parting ways with Alec Ogletree and seeing David Mayo hit free agency.
The Giants are reportedly interest in re-signing Markus Golden, as well as potentially adding Jadeveon Clowney. They are also rumored to be intrigued by Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons, which isn’t really a stretch when you see his body of work and then watch his ridiculous NFL Combine performance.
Ultimately, the Giants are going to focus heavily on improving their pass rush this offseason, but will that be their absolutely priority? That remains to be seen.
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