5 Steps the New York Giants Should Consider Making Moving Forward
The New York Giants have turned the page and are ready to move on to a new chapter regarding their coaching staff following a 6-10 season.
A new coaching staff is just the tip of the iceberg among the changes that figure to be made in the organization. Both team co-owner John Mara and general manager Jerry Reese said during their respective press conferences that they will evaluate "everything," just as they do at the start of every offseason, which is the good news.
What kind of steps does the team need to make in order to get back on the winning track? Let's run down a few.
Stick with Ben McAdoo's System
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It's hard to argue with the results that offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo's system has brought to the team.
In this, Year 2 of the system McAdoo helped develop, the Giants offense finished eighth in average yards per game (372.2); seventh in passing yards per game (271.7) and sixth in average points scored per game (26.2).
On Monday, quarterback Eli Manning spoke to reporters about the future, noting that while he would adapt if another system were installed, "it obviously would not be ideal."
If given a choice, Manning sounded like he would prefer to keep the system he has now:
"I think we've done good things and I feel very comfortable, I think we work well. Last year it was tough. It was a lot going on and very new and trying to learn, but I bought into it because I trusted him, trusted the offensive staff and felt great this year about what we were able to do offensively, scored a lot of points, moved the ball well, and have great respect for all of our coaches."
Adapting to a new head coach after having the same coach for his entire career is going to take time and might not be a smooth process.
Regardless of what happens with McAdoo, here's hoping that the next offensive coordinator provides some form of continuity with an offensive system that has brought out the best in Manning.
Consider Drafting a Little More for Need
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Not a year has gone by since Reese was named the general manager that he hasn't stood before the media during his annual pre-draft press conference and spoken about the organizational philosophy to take the best player available on their draft board.
While the theory in general makes sense if you have a well-rounded roster, what happens if a) the best player available has an injury history or b) the best players available all come from the same position where free agents were recently added or if the draft addressed the position in the previous year?
The point is that stocking up on certain positions while not addressing others carries risks.
Yes, stocking up usually—not always, but usually—protects a team against a run on injuries for the coming season or a mass departure via free agency, but if the "best player available" carousel doesn't come up at a position that's on less stable ground, what's the point?
Grab a Premier Pass-Rusher in Free Agency
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The Giants' defensive woes all began when they apparently put all their eggs in the basket of franchise player Jason Pierre-Paul, who as everyone knows by now, had the unfortunate accident that permanently damaged his hand.
In retrospect, expecting Pierre-Paul to be the sole source of the pass rush was probably short-sighted because if it hadn't been the hand injury, then who's to say that Pierre-Paul wouldn't have gotten hurt another way?
To be fair, the Giants did invest a third-round pick in Owa Odighizuwa, but he unfortunately lost his rookie campaign to assorted injuries, one of which, a hamstring, put him on the temporary injured reserve list. And Robert Ayers, Jr. did step up to finish as the team leader in sacks with 9.5.
Still, with questions about Pierre-Paul's hand and how soon it might fully heal—Pierre-Paul told reporters on Monday that he would need some additional surgeries—the Giants can ill-afford to not add another premier pass-rusher this offseason.
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Cut Bait on Failed Draft Picks Sooner
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Reese is correct when he says that not every team is going to hit on every single draft pick. The old rule of thumb is that you can't truly evaluate a draft class until its third season; shouldn't the same be said about individual picks that don't show progress after the same number of seasons?
The Giants have historically held on to some of their draft picks too long. There was offensive lineman James Brewer, who, after spending his first year injured, turned out to be a disappointment.
Ditto for receivers Ramses Barden and Jerrel Jernigan, defensive tackle Marvin Austin and defensive end Damontre Moore. They were all high draft picks who never panned out the way the team hoped.
Making mistakes is fine (so long as there is not a pattern); compounding the mistake by hanging on too long is where the buck has to stop.
Be More Wary of Bargains
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Every once in a while, a bargain turns out to be just what the doctor ordered. However, when it comes to personnel, doing too much in the way of bargain hunting can ultimately end up doing more harm than good.
Such has been the case with the offensive line's depth. Because of failed draft picks like Eric Herman, James Brewer, Brandon Mosley and Matt McCants, to name a few, the Giants have had to go the free-agency route to find guys for depth.
While cap space is always a top priority—it's not prudent to pay top-dollar to players who are projected to ride the bench—the theory that guys who are marginal talents will up their level because they're getting an NFL paycheck doesn't always inspire everyone to bring it.
Then there are instances where what you see is what you get. According to Over the Cap, the Giants gave offensive lineman Marshall Newhouse a two-year deal worth $3 million with $1 million guaranteed ($1.5 million per year).
Although Newhouse battled out there, according to Pro Football Focus, he allowed 51 quarterback pressures this season, the second most behind rookie first-round pick Ereck Flowers.
Certainly, as the calendar year progresses, the pickings become slimmer, especially when injuries happen—the Giants found that out when they started losing safeties at an alarming rate.
However, when the primary free-agency period is going on and there are more options, sometimes investing just a little more, especially at a key position like the offensive line where it's rare not to have at least one injury occur that upsets the apple cart, can't hurt.
Patricia Traina covers the Giants for Inside Football, the Journal Inquirer and Sports Xchange. All quotes and information were obtained firsthand unless otherwise sourced.
Follow me on Twitter @Patricia_Traina.
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