New York Giants' 2017 Free Agency Big Board

Last March, with their 32nd-rated defense in need of a major restoration, the New York Giants broke from character and doled out $105.3 million in guarantees to three free-agent defenders. 

It worked.

With expensive new arrivals Olivier Vernon, Damon Harrison and Janoris Jenkins all playing sizable roles, the New York defense surrendered an NFC-low 17.8 points per game. Just like that, a serious liability became a considerable asset. 

Don't expect another cannonball-level splash this offseason, because the G-Men won't likely have as much money to spend and—this is the good news—they don't have any cavernous holes to fill.

Still, there's room for improvement, and the Giants have needs. They have decisions to make on several in-house impending unrestricted free agents, including starters Jason Pierre-Paul, Johnathan Hankins and John Jerry, but they'll undoubtedly explore the open market as well. 

On that front, here's a primer. 

Salary Cap Specifics

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Projected Cap Space (via OvertheCap): $23.9 Million*

Why the asterisk? The salary cap hasn't been set yet, so it's far too early to make any precise predictions regarding how much money anyone will have to work with. The 2016 cap was $155.3 million, and it has shot up about $10-12 million every year since 2013. Tom Pelissero of USA Today reported last month that the league believes it'll continue that trend by rising to the $166-170 million range in 2017. OvertheCap projects $168 million, leaving the Giants with $23.9 million to spend. 

Expect that number to grow before it shrinks. Not only can the Giants rework long-term deals—looking at you, Dwayne Harris—to free up cash, but they could also save money against the cap by parting ways with veterans such as Victor Cruz, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Rashad Jennings, Shane Vereen and J.T. Thomas. Cutting those five would give them more than $21 million in extra cap space.

Even if they do all that and don't sign Pierre-Paul to a lucrative new deal, they have 15 other players with expiring contracts. Everybody costs something, and each team needs 53 of these guys, so replacements—even at the minimum—take up space. Throw in a few million for draft picks and it's safe to conclude that the Giants don't have the flexibility they did a year ago, especially if they decide to extend superstar wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who would otherwise be entering a contract year.

"We don’t have as much money as we had last year to go shopping in free agency," general manager Jerry Reese said, per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. "But I think that we will be able to do things that we need to get done to help this football team."

Another way to get a feel for how much spending power the Giants might have on the open market is by comparing their current cap space projection to those assigned to their counterparts. And for what it's worth, OvertheCap currently projects that only eight teams will enter the offseason with less money to spend than Big Blue. 

Team Needs

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Here are New York's biggest positional needs entering 2017 free agency.

Priority Need 1: Offensive tackle

The Giants have to do more to protect quarterback Eli Manning. Ereck Flowers surrendered more quarterback pressures than any other left tackle in the NFL in 2016, according to Pro Football Focus. General manager Jerry Reese has already stated that they're considering moving him out of that spot, per Dan Duggan of NJ Advance Media. 

Bobby Hart and Marshall Newhouse were no better on the right side, so even if Flowers stays put, the Giants will need at least one more starting-caliber tackle. 

Priority Need 2: Pass-catcher

Victor Cruz is probably gone, and he's not the player he once was anyway. The Giants have their top weapon in Odell Beckham Jr., and Sterling Shepard had a delightful rookie season in the slot. But Manning desperately needs a big target, either on the outside or at tight end. 

Ideally, they bring in a big veteran receiver or tight end who can act as a safety valve for Manning while also taking on a leadership role in the locker room. Beckham has shown a lack of maturity off the field, and an example-setting mentor might help with that.

Priority Need 3: Running back

Rashad Jennings and/or Shane Vereen could be cap casualties. Jennings has struggled when healthy during his three years in New York, and he'll turn 32 this offseason anyway, and Vereen is a complementary back at best. Rookie fifth-round pick Paul Perkins excelled late in the year, but he has the look of a platoon back. 

The Giants ranked in the bottom four in terms of both rushing yards per game and rushing yards per carry in 2016, and they haven't ranked above the league median in either category since 2012. The entire offense would benefit greatly from the addition of a true lead back.  

Priority Need 4: Defensive line

The defense made do without Jason Pierre-Paul during the final four weeks of the year, recording eight sacks and nine takeaways while surrendering just 10 points per game. So with Olivier Vernon and Damon Harrison already possessing massive contracts, it's highly unlikely the Giants win a bidding war to keep Pierre-Paul. And it's also possible they'll lose starting defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins. 

If by chance they retain both of those guys, the line is probably set for years to come. But if they lose either or both, a unit that lacks established depth both inside and outside will have to be addressed. 

Priority Need 5: Linebacker

Even if they retain impending free agents Kelvin Sheppard and Keenan Robinson, and even if they decide not to cut J.T. Thomas after he missed virtually the entire 2016 season due to a knee injury, the Giants are short on talent here.

It's been eight years since they drafted a linebacker before the fourth round, and that position wasn't addressed in last year's shopping spree. Sheppard and Robinson were graded by PFF as the two worst defensive players on the team last season. Time to upgrade. 

Priority Need 1: Offensive Tackle

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Option 1: Andrew Whitworth (35 Years Old)

Whitworth's age is obviously far from ideal, but the longtime Cincinnati Bengals left tackle has shown no signs of wear. He hasn't missed a start since 2013, and he made the Pro Bowl for the second year in a row in 2016. 

In terms of pass blocking, Pro Football Focus graded him as the second-best offensive tackle in the game this season. 

He obviously isn't a long-term solution at left tackle, but he'd probably come a little cheaper because of his age. And it might be nice for Eli Manning to have a buddy his own age protecting his blind side. 

Option 2: Ricky Wagner (27 Years Old)

If they opt to keep Ereck Flowers on the left side, Wagner would provide a major upgrade at right tackle. The 2013 fifth-round pick has missed just two games since becoming a full-time starter in 2014, and in 2016 PFF graded him as the league's fourth-best right tackle in pass blocking

The market for highly rated offensive tackles in their prime is nearly nonexistent, though, and the Baltimore Ravens will undoubtedly try to keep Wagner around. He'll be expensive, which is unfortunate considering he has no experience on the left side. 

It's a lot easier to overpay for a left tackle than a right tackle. 

Option 3: Matt Kalil (27 Years Old)

Kalil would be somewhat of a reclamation project, but it would be interesting to see if the talented 2012 No. 4 overall pick could excel in a fresh setting. He's still young in tackle terms, and he didn't miss a single start in four years before suffering a season-ending hip injury early in 2016. 

That injury will probably bring down Kalil's price, and he'd have a strong chance at providing an upgrade over Flowers on the left side. 

Can the former USC Trojans standout finally start living up to expectations? It might be worthwhile for the Giants to find out. 

Other Options to Consider: Riley Reiff (28 years old); Charles Leno (25 years old); Mike Remmers (27 years old); Menelik Watson (28 years old); Sebastian Vollmer (32 years old)

Priority Need 2: Pass-Catcher

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Option 1: Tight end Martellus Bennett (29 Years Old)

The one that got away! I'm sure plenty of Giants fans would welcome a reunion between Bennett and the Giants. The nine-year veteran started all 16 games for the G-Men in 2012, catching 55 passes and scoring five touchdowns. But then he hit free agency, signed with the Chicago Bears at a reasonable price and his career really took off. 

Bennett caught 90 passes in 2014 alone, and he's coming off a career year in New England. Starting most of the season in place of the seemingly irreplaceable Rob Gronkowski, he caught a career-high seven touchdown passes for the Patriots. And among tight ends who were targeted at least 50 times, he was one of only five guys in the league to haul in more than 75 percent of the passes thrown his way, per Pro Football Focus. 

Throw in that he's a great blocker and it's obvious Bennett is exactly what the Giants offense needs. 

Option 2: Wide receiver Terrelle Pryor (27 Years Old)

The quarterback-turned-receiver emerged as one of the league's most dangerous and versatile weapons in 2016. That probably means the flush-with-cap-space Cleveland Browns will do everything in their power to keep Pryor around, but that franchise is nothing if not unpredictable. 

In his first year as a regular starting receiver, the former Ohio State Buckeye star caught 77 passes for 1,007 yards and four touchdowns. He did drop six passes and his catch rate of 55.0 was on the low side, but let's remember that was in Cleveland. 

Pryor should continue to get better as a receiver, and his 6'6", 240-pound frame is something quarterback Eli Manning would appreciate. He'd be a great complement to Odell Beckham Jr. out wide.

It's just a nice fit, and it would bring something new and unique to New York's frequently stale offense.

Option 3: WR Kenny Britt (28 years old)

It was either Britt or Pierre Garcon, who might be a little more reliable on and off the field but is three inches shorter and two years older than Britt. The Giants should reach out to both players, especially if they can't land Pryor or Bennett, but Britt's upside gives him an edge in the battle for consolation prize. 

The former first-round pick is coming off the first 1,000-yard season of his career, despite the fact he spent the year trying to catch passes from the second-lowest-rated group of quarterbacks in the NFL. It's a minor miracle he caught 61.3 percent of the throws he was targeted on.

How much better could the 6-foot-3 wideout be in an offense featuring a Hall of Fame-caliber quarterback and a superstar No. 1 receiver? Giants fans would probably love to find out. 

Other Options to Consider: WR Pierre Garcon (30 years old); WR Robert Woods (24 years old); WR Kenny Stills (24 years old); WR Kendall Wright (27 years old); TE Jared Cook (29 years old)

Priority Need 3: Running Back

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Option 1: Eddie Lacy (26 Years Old)

The former Alabama Crimson Tide star hasn't seen his career take off the way many expected it would when he was the Offensive Rookie of the Year with 1,178 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns in 2013, but Lacy has the making of a workhorse back. 

He's had trouble staying in shape, and he missed the majority of the 2016 season due to an ankle injury, but the Green Bay Packers back averaged 5.5 yards per carry during the first four games of the year. He could be relatively cheap on a prove-it contract, which would be ideal for a Giants team looking to see if he can carry the load alongside Paul Perkins. 

If Lacy can pick up where he left off in 2016, he could quickly become a steal. With Weston Richburg and Justin Pugh blocking for him, that's entirely possible. 

Option 2: Rex Burkhead (26 Years Old)

After toiling in football anonymity for most of his first four seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, Burkhead finally earned his first career start in the 2016 season finale. The result: 144 yards from scrimmage on 29 touches, along with two touchdowns (doubling his career total), against Baltimore's highly rated defense. 

One great game probably isn't enough to convince anyone that a fifth-year former sixth-round pick out of Nebraska is ready to become an elite, every-down back, but Burkhead quietly averaged a solid 4.6 yards per carry on 74 attempts in 2016. With plenty of tread on his tires, he just might have more upside than the rest of the running backs slated to become unrestricted free agents. 

An aggressive, versatile, high-upside back at a reasonable price? That might work for Big Blue. 

Option 3: Latavius Murray (27 Years Old)

Murray's been there, done that. A 5.2 average in 2014, which was his first season after missing his rookie campaign due to an ankle injury. Over 1,000 yards along with a Pro Bowl nod in 2015. Twelve touchdowns while helping the Oakland Raiders get to the playoffs in 2016. 

Problem is, his yards-per-attempt average has hovered around 4.0 for each of his last two seasons. That's a little too low for an every-down back, which is why Oakland moved to a committee backfield for much of 2016.

Still, the Central Florida product is big and fast, and he's certainly had his moments as a starter. He'll likely be overpaid on the open market—if the Raiders even let him reach it. But the Giants would be smart to keep tabs. 

Other Options to Consider: Jacquizz Rodgers (26 years old); Danny Woodhead (32 years old); LeGarrette Blount (30 years old); Darren McFadden (29 years old)

Priority Need 4: Defensive Line

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Option 1: Edge-rusher Nick Perry (26 Years Old)

Perry's coming off a breakout season in which he recorded 11 sacks despite starting just 12 games for the Packers. And he might be more of a natural 4-3 defensive end than a 3-4 outside linebacker, which makes him a great fit for the Giants. 

Could the 2012 first-round pick out of USC be on the verge of stardom? He certainly has it in him, and a comfortable role in a 4-3 defense, with support from Olivier Vernon and Damon Harrison up front, could be just what the doctor ordered. 

The Giants might not want to invest heavily in Jason Pierre-Paul at this point, but Perry might be worth paying a premium for. 

Option 2: Edge-rusher Jabaal Sheard (27 Years Old)

If the Giants are priced out of JPP's market, then they likely won't be able to afford top-tier pass-rushers like Melvin Ingram and Chandler Jones. Perry is the top "tier two" option, but Sheard is also a strong candidate to replace Pierre-Paul. 

The 2011 second-round pick out of Pittsburgh quietly had 15.5 sacks as a traditional 4-3 defensive end during his first two seasons with the Cleveland Browns. His sack numbers took a dive with his hand out of the dirt in 2013 and 2014, but his pressure numbers remained strong.

He's started just nine games since signing with the Patriots two years ago, but he still put up 13 sacks and four forced fumbles during that stretch. 

A return to a stable 4-3 role with plenty of support in New York could help Sheard bring his game to a new level. 

Option 3: Defensive tackle Nick Fairley (29 Years Old)

Meet the ideal replacement for Johnathan Hankins, if indeed Hankins gets away in free agency. I imagine the Giants will sign either Pierre-Paul or Hankins (I'm leaning toward Hankins) but probably not both. And if the defensive tackle walks, Fairley makes sense. He's a talented former first-round pick who would likely come cheaper and with less of a long-term commitment. 

The former Auburn Tigers star was a bust for the Detroit Lions, but he wouldn't be asked to do too much in New York. He began to redeem himself with a career-high 6.5 sacks and a positive Pro Football Focus grade while starting all 16 games for the Saints in 2016.

Another year like that is all the Giants would need. 

Other Options to Consider: DE Mario Addison (29 years old); DE Andre Branch (27 years old); DT Dominique Easley (24 years old); DT Vance Walker (29 years old); DT Lawrence Guy (26 years old)

Priority Need 5: Linebacker

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Option 1: Zach Brown (27 Years Old)

It's always a little concerning when a player's breakout year coincides with his contract year, and so there's gotta be some unease regarding the possibility that Brown was a one-hit wonder with the Buffalo Bills in 2016. 

Four sacks, four passes defended, two forced fumbles, an interception and 97 tackles in 16 starts. That earned him the league's 12th-best Pro Football Focus grade at the inside linebacker position, and he was even named AFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 4. 

It's not as though the former second-round pick was a complete bust with the Tennessee Titans. He had a solid 9.5 sacks, four picks and 140 tackles during his first two seasons in Tennessee, but he missed virtually all of the 2014 campaign due to a torn pec and wasn't himself in 2015. He jumped to Buffalo on a one-year contract and really found a groove, and now he's in for a payday. 

For what it's worth, he's better than every linebacker the G-Men have. But can they afford him?

Option 2: Gerald Hodges (26 Years Old)

The former Penn State star had three sacks, two picks and 52 tackles in a breakout season with the San Francisco 49ers, posting the eighth-best PFF grade at his position despite taking part in only 58 percent of the team's defensive snaps. 

I have no idea why the Minnesota Vikings let Hodges get away, and the cap space-rich 49ers probably won't make the same mistake. But just in case they do, the Giants should be ready to pounce on a guy who would provide an upgrade anywhere within their linebacker corps. 

Option 3: Perry Riley Jr. (28 Years Old)

Riley's ceiling isn't as high as the two guys listed above, but he's got 74 starts under his belt in seven NFL seasons, and he was good enough with the Oakland Raiders in 2016 to earn a top-10 PFF grade at his position, despite missing five games. 

The veteran isn't flashy, but he'd have a chance to play a major role while bringing some consistency to the table for a linebacker group in need of talent and experience. 

Other Options to Consider: Sean Spence (28 years old); Kiko Alonso (26 years old); Josh Bynes (27 years old); Paul Worrilow (26 years old)