Analyzing the Key Points from Giants HC Tom Coughlin's Combine Press Conference
New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin took to the podium at the annual NFL combine in Indianapolis on Thursday, his first press briefing of 2015 with reporters.
As usual, Coughlin, who spoke for about 10 minutes, was asked about a variety of topics. Here is a look at seven of the key points from his press conference along with an analysis of each in terms of what it might mean for the team moving forward.
The Giants Want to Keep Defensive End Jason Pierre-Paul
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In a move that would come as no surprise if it comes to fruition, Giants management continues to reiterate its desire to keep 26-year-old defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent on March 10 absent a new contract.
“We are convinced that we want him back, without a doubt,” Coughlin said. “There has been a lot of different discussions, and hopefully he is going to remain a Giant.”
For that to happen, the Giants might need to buy themselves some time in negotiations with Pierre-Paul and his agents. To that end, Steve Serby of the New York Post reported that the team plans to use the non-exclusive franchise tag on Pierre-Paul if a new multiyear deal isn’t reached by March 2, the end of the window for teams to apply the tag on players.
That tag, which would cost the Giants close to $15 million in salary-cap space, according to a report by CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora, would still allow Pierre-Paul to negotiate with other teams.
However, if he signs an offer sheet with a new team that the Giants do not match, New York would receive two first-round picks from that new team as compensation.
Ideally though, Coughlin is hoping that the Giants can lock up Pierre-Paul to a long-term deal sooner rather than later, as doing so would free up the cap space for the team to pursue other free agents.
“The goal is for him to be a Giant and play as a Giant forever, and retire as a Giant,” Coughlin said. “How that works out is another issue.”
A Contract Extension Is Likely Coming for the Head Coach
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At his year-end press briefing with reporters, team CEO John Mara didn’t rule out letting head coach Tom Coughlin enter the 2015 season, the last of the 68-year-old’s contract, as a lame duck.
“I am not so sure that will be the situation anymore,” Mara said when reminded of the organization’s practice to not have a coach as a lame duck. “I need to talk to him about that first.”
Apparently, Mara has had discussions with Coughlin about that very same topic.
“I am not going to say anything about that. In a short amount of time you will find out about that,” Coughlin said. “You will discover what is going on. I don’t think it is any big mystery. You don’t have to be overly concerned about it being secretive. There is nothing to it, really.”
If the head coach is putting reporters and the public on notice about there being some news, an extension is forthcoming.
Sure enough, just a few hours after Coughlin spoke at the combine, Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News reported that a short contract extension has indeed been discussed for the head coach.
Regardless of his contract situation, Coughlin chuckled when asked if he needed to have security to move forward.
“Security, security? Thank you very much,” he said. “There are 32 guys that coach one year at a time, I don’t care how many years you have on your contract.”
Having been put on notice by Mara that this year is a win-or-else proposition, he is absolutely right.
Safety Antrel Rolle Is Still Wanted
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Coughlin spoke glowingly of safety Antrel Rolle, who is set to be an unrestricted free agent, when he was asked about the 32-year-old.
"He is an outstanding young man and, to be honest with you, I have never come across a player that was more interested in his team and trying to help his team get better in any way he could. I think countless Tuesdays Antrel was in my office with [questions about] how we can get better, what can we do to get better. Just thoughts going back and forth between coach and player in terms of how our team could improve. I don’t think I have ever been involved with a player who was more sincerely interested in how his team could improve. I admire that very much in him as a young man and a leader.
"
Earlier this month in an interview with SiriusXM (h/t ProFootballTalk), Rolle said he wants to return to the Giants because, “I still have work to do.”
So if both sides want each other, why hasn’t it happened yet?
You guessed it: money.
Rolle hasn’t publicly indicted what he is looking for as far as future compensation, but whatever it is, it’s going to have to be agreeable to the Giants, who, as Coughlin said, “have financial restrictions involved.”
If the Giants did bring Rolle back, presumably it would be as a starter. The question then becomes whether he would be accepting of a reduced base salary lower than the $7 million he received in 2014 to perform the same work?
It’s a tough call and is one that only Rolle, who probably won't get more than a three-year deal regardless of where he signs, can answer.
While he is unlikely to find a taker on the open market willing to increase his annual base, there could be a contending team out there in better cap shape than the Giants who might be able to give Rolle a better deal than what the Giants are able to offer.
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Receiver Victor Cruz Is on the Mend
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The news regarding receiver Victor Cruz, who suffered a torn patellar tendon in October, continues to be encouraging.
“He has worked very hard. He looks good,” Coughlin said. “It is a very regimented rehabilitation program. He has done a good job with it. He is where he should be. I think very shortly he is going to start running.”
However, it isn’t clear as to whether Cruz will begin running on an underwater treadmill, as is usually the first course of therapy, or if he is going straight for a regular treadmill and/or the turf.
Regardless, running straight ahead is quite different than running and cutting in a game. In that regard, Cruz still has a ways to go before he is ready to return to the field.
The good news is that time is on his side, as the Giants probably won’t open training camp until late July. Whenever that date actually comes, Cruz likely won’t do anything in the spring OTAs as he continues to press forward with his rehab.
When he does return to the field to team up with Odell Beckham Jr., the Giants receiving game has the potential to be lights-out.
“Two very, very talented individuals, two guys that have been extremely productive,” Coughlin said of the two men who project to be his No. 1 and No. 2 receivers.
“Obviously the more weapons you have, the better the opportunities are.”
Quarterback Ryan Nassib Made Strides in 2014
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Lost among the discussions of the Giants is the development of backup quarterback Ryan Nassib, a player the Giants drafted in the fourth round of the 2013 draft and a player who, in his press briefing with the media afterward, general manager Jerry Reese said he hoped “never played” for the Giants.
So why take Nassib, whom Coughlin said has gotten better and who he thinks could be a starting NFL quarterback?
It would not be surprising if, given the number of teams in need of a quarterback and the lack of quality depth in this year’s draft class at the position—characterized by NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock as being thin—the Giants might be looking to move the former Syracuse signal-caller to a quarterback-needy team.
Here is what Coughlin said about Nassib’s improvement:
"Ryan has gotten better. If you studied our preseason, there was no doubt that he improved. I see him continuing to improve. He is a guy that works very hard below the surface and behind the scenes. He is in the weight room right now, all the time, pretty much four or five days a week. He studies on his own. He is very, very serious about being an outstanding football player and he is willing to pay the price to do it."
Granted, Nassib took most of his snaps during the 2014 preseason, but it also needs to be noted that there were times in the preseason when he was facing the opponent’s starting defense as well as its primary backups.
According to Pro Football Focus, Nassib graded out with a 5.4 overall mark in 164 preseason snaps last year. He completed 44 of 74 pass attempts for 588 yards (7.9 yards per attempt), five touchdowns, no interceptions and took just one sack. (He also was victimized with five dropped passes, according to PFF.)
While preseason is different from regular season in that there is no complex game-planning, that Nassib was able to engineer scoring drives is not only a good start. It also gives him a leg up against the top college talents like Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston, both of whom have yet to take a snap in the NFL at any level.
As to what the Giants might be able to get in return on a trade involving Nassib, on whom they spent a 2013 fourth-round pick, it’s likely they could get at least an extra third-round pick and perhaps a conditional pick for the following year.
More Pass-Rushers Would Be Welcomed
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Former general manager Ernie Accorsi once said that a team can never have too many pass-rushers.
Clearly, Coughlin, who spent the first three years of his tenure as Giants head coach under Accorsi, agrees.
“You are always trying to be better,” Coughlin said. “We certainly do believe that would be a great addition, along with some other things, as well.”
Assuming the Giants retain defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, they will have one proven pass-rusher on the roster.
After that, though, the picture becomes less clear.
Robert Ayers, the underrated yet effective defensive end, is still recovering from a season-ending pectoral injury that NJ Advance Media’s Jordan Raanan reports was severe enough to where there has been no return date established for him.
Besides Ayers, the Giants have Damontre Moore and Kerry Wynn at defensive end. Moore, entering his third season, still needs to show the coaches that he can be more than a one-trick pony if he is to see his snaps increase. Wynn, meanwhile, is still a work in progress.
In other words, they have potential at pass-rusher, but, as Coughlin noted, “We would like to add to that potential as well.”
The problem is that solid edge defenders come at a price that is unlikely to be in the Giants’ range, so they might have to look to the next level. Old friend Osi Umenyiora, currently with the Atlanta Falcons, might be a possibility if he doesn’t retire.
Per Pro Football Focus, Umenyiora played in just 347 snaps for the Falcons, recording three sacks and 35 quarterback pressures. Despite the reduction in his role, Umenyiora did finish with a solid 4.2 pass-rushing grade.
While historically not as stout against the run, Umenyiora still might be worth exploring.
Add him to a run-stopping defense that consists of linebackers Devon Kennard (1.1 grade against the run) and Jon Beason (1.3 run-defense grade in 2013, his last semi-full season), add another run-stuffing defensive tackle to work in tandem with Johnathan Hankins and the run defense should improve.
Defensive End Mathias Kiwanuka Is Unlikely to Return
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In news that should surprise absolutely no one, it appears highly unlikely that defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka will return to play out the final year of his contract.
While Coughlin did provide some encouraging news about Kiwanuka’s rehab from season-ending knee surgery, he also told reporters that no decision has been made regarding the soon-to-be 32-year-old defensive end’s future with the team.
In all likelihood, a decision is probably further along than Coughlin was willing to admit. Kiwanuka, as hard of a worker as they come, has had his play decline in the last two seasons.
According to Pro Football Focus, Kiwanuka finished with a minus-18.3 overall grade in 2014, an improvement over his disastrous 2013 season in which he graded out at minus-31.5.
The sad reality is that Kiwanuka showed over the last two seasons that he no longer is effective against solo blocking, and he was quite often victimized on the edge in the run game.
Add to that a $7.45 million salary-cap figure that can yield $4.825 million in savings if Kiwanuka isn’t back in 2015, and all that’s left to hope for is that he is allowed to gracefully retire from the game.
Unless otherwise noted, all contract and salary-cap information is via Over the Cap, and all advanced statistics are via Pro Football Focus.
Patricia Traina covers the Giants for Inside Football, the Journal Inquirer and Sports Xchange. All quotes and information obtained firsthand unless otherwise sourced. Follow me on Twitter @Patricia_Traina.
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