Jason Pierre-Paul's Return Must Not Stop Giants from Pursuing Elite Pass-Rushers

Re-signing Jason Pierre-Paul to a one-year, prove-it contract can't hurt a New York Giants team that is entering the offseason with roughly $56 million in salary-cap space, according to Over the Cap.

After all, despite missing half of the 2015 season with a severe hand injury, Pierre-Paul was graded by Pro Football Focus as the 11th-most productive pass-rusher among 34 qualified 4-3 defensive ends.

He may have finished with just one sack, but he had at least six pressures in four of his first five games back and had six batted passes in his eight appearances.

Player	Batted passes	Games played
1. Jason Pierre-Paul	6	8
2. Cliff Avril	5	16
2. Cameron Jordan	5	16
2. Rob Ninkovich	5	16
5. Derrick Shelby	4	16
5. Robert Ayers	4	12
5. Brian Robison	4	16

Pierre-Paul can create havoc, which is practically invaluable these days. Just ask the Carolina Panthers, who would be champions if not for the havoc created by Von Miller and Malik Jackson in Super Bowl 50.

That's a big reason why PFF listed him as the top defensive free agent this offseason (post-franchise tags). And it's a big reason why the Giants were lucky to get him back before the start of free agency at an apparently discounted rate of up to $10.5 million, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Pierre-Paul "turned down more money elsewhere."

Considering that he was working without a right index finger on a heavily wrapped, club-like right hand, the 27-year-old defied many expectations by even taking the field last season. A freak Fourth of July fireworks accident cost Pierre-Paul mobility in at least three fingers as well as a lot of money.

Julie Jacobson/Associated Press

After all, he had nine sacks in the final five games of the 2014 season and had already been slapped with the franchise tag by the Giants.

A lucrative long-term deal was off the table the moment that incident took place.

However, he returned and was able to hold his own. Now, he'll have a full offseason to become more comfortable with the mangled hand. He has already undergone one offseason procedure and could have more surgery ahead as he looks to improve the hand's motion and mechanics.

There's even a chance he could ditch that club in 2016.

But the Giants, who oftentimes have shied away from outside free agents, can't afford to be satisfied with the fact that they may receive a boost merely by bringing back Pierre-Paul. This, after all, is a team that...

• Ranked 30th in the league with 23 sacks.
• Ranked 30th with a sack rate of 3.5 (only three defenses posted rates below 4.9).
• Ranked dead last in the NFL in terms of yards allowed (420.3) and passing yards allowed (298.9) per game.
• Was ranked 26th by PFF in terms of pass-rushing.
• Was ranked by Football Outsiders as the second-worst defense in the NFL.

Robert Ayers, the only Giants defender who received better PFF grades than Pierre-Paul in 2015, is also scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at 4 p.m. ET Wednesday. The 30-year-old former first-round pick had a breakout season with a career-high 9.5 sacks in 2015.

Considering those numbers and the fact that top free-agent pass-rushers Von Miller and Muhammad Wilkerson are off the market and Tamba Hali and Malik Jackson soon will be, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, re-signing Ayers should be considered a top priority.

Team	Sacks	Sack rate
Falcons	19	3.3
Bills	21	3.4
Giants	23	3.5
49ers	28	4.9
Saints	31	5.4

The Giants need defensive playmakers at all three levels, but the key has to be to build the pass rush rather than just sustain it.

That means pursuing another former first-round pick in Nick Perry, who was relegated to situational duties for much of his first four years with the Packers but had 3.5 sacks in two January playoff games and could finally excel in a new setting.

That means considering another former first-round pick in Chris Long, who had 41.5 sacks in a four-year span between 2010 and 2013 before hitting speed bumps in the last two years. At 31 when the season begins, a healthy Long could flourish again as more of a complementary weapon, and the Giants are a good fit.

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

That might even mean making a run at underrated Dolphins defensive end Olivier Vernon. Miami slapped the 25-year-old with the transition tag, which means other teams are free to attempt to outbid Miami for his services.

That likely means paying a premium, but it couldn't hurt to swing the bat in case the Dolphins decide they can't/won't match whatever offer is made. Vernon had 25.5 sacks in the last three seasons and should only get better.

Again, general manager Jerry Reese has the money to spend.

He's got the right pieces in place on offense, particularly with franchise quarterback Eli Manning coming off a career year and young wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. likely to get even better.

Now, though, Reese has to give those guys the necessary support on D before the proverbial window closes on Manning.

The Giants haven't drafted particularly well in recent years. To compete for a championship, that'll have to change immediately. But they also need to add players with strong track records who are ready to help them win games right now. Bringing back Pierre-Paul is a nice start, but now they have to build on that.

Transaction information courtesy of NFL.com's free-agency tracker.

Brad Gagnon has covered the NFL for Bleacher Report since 2012.

Follow @Brad_Gagnon