USA TODAY NFL columnist and reporter, Nate Davis, is predicting the New York Giants will finish with a 2-14 record in 2020 and will have the No. 1 overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Here's how @ByNateDavis sees the upcoming NFL season playing out. https://t.co/05IsoLQX5R pic.twitter.com/qlxaGJ8ACN
— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) May 14, 2020
Davis is not buying that all the newness in East Rutherford will equate to success. The Giants have won only 12 games over the past three seasons but have made some major improvements to their roster. Davis doesn’t think that will matter. In 2020, anyway.
New York Giants (2-14): Rookie coach Joe Judge must not only prove he’s the rare apple that settles near the Bill Belichick tree, he has to navigate a schedule that offers three road games in the first five weeks along with home dates against Pittsburgh and San Francisco. Yikes. Looks like a potentially rough transition for a club relying on inexperienced players at so many key positions.
It’s difficult to fathom that a team that would have won more games had they been better coached in 2019 — when they won four games — would regress rather than improve. The Giants have retooled their offensive line and stacked their back seven on defense with studs. Last season, rookie quarterback Daniel Jones gave the store away with turnovers that cost the Giants several games. He’s not likely to repeat that under Judge and new offensive coordinator Jason Garrett.
Also, in fairness to Jones, he never had his full compliment of weapons healthy and on the field at the same time. It only makes sense that they will score more points this season and give up less, which would amount to at least two to three more victories. So, figure 7-9 or 6-10 at the least.
If Davis’ projection is correct and the Giants do land the top pick, they’ll likely be looking at Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. That will lead to a massive debate within the building and throughout the NFL.
Would the Giants simply just draft over Jones and take Lawrence? Most experts would advise them to do so. Dave Gettleman would be dismissed if the team went 2-14 so there would be a new GM in house who would likely want to put his stamp on the team.
It will be a franchise-altering decision either way for the Giants. If they take Lawrence, they immediately become relevant again. If they trade the pick, they’ll get a king’s ransom for it and could finish off the rebuild of this team.
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