Key Takeaways from NY Giants GM Jerry Reese's Predraft Presser

As usual, New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese met with the media to preview the Giants draft.

And as usual, he didn’t offer any concrete hints as to what the team was thinking. However, to be fair, given the two blockbuster trades at the first and second spots in the draft, combined with rumors such as the San Diego Chargers looking to trade out of the third spot, per Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune, how could he shed light on things?

While Reese didn’t address the question that is on everyone’s mind—what the team's plans are for the No. 10 pick—he did touch upon a few things that might offer some insight into New York's thought process.

Let’s break down the key takeaways.

He Doesn’t Feel Extra Pressure Regarding This Draft

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

If Reese has concerns about his job security, he did an Oscar-worthy job of hiding them when he was asked if he shared boss John Mara’s perspective that this coming draft class is "more important than usual," according to Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News.

“Not for me. All the drafts are important for me," Reese said. "I understand why John would say something like that, but all of the drafts are very important to me, and I think all of the drafts are important to John as well.”

Reese went on to opine that Mara’s words might have been “taken out of context a little bit.”

Reese is both right and wrong. First, this draft is important to his regime, especially given the failures of the past, such as the fact that only two players—Jason Pierre-Paul and Zak DeOssie—remain from the 2007 to 2010 classes. Furthermore, zero players remain from the 2011 and 2012 classes.

All that lost depth is a large reason why the Giants have had to resort to spending big bucks in free agency, why they probably haven’t been able to re-sign some of their better performers (e.g., Linval Joseph) and why they haven’t been to the playoffs to 2011.

All of that is on Reese, who has done a somewhat better job since 2013 but has not yet dug the franchise out of the hole all those failed gambles put it in.

OK, so how is Reese correct? Mara’s exact words, according to Samuel, where as follows: “Every draft is important, but I would say this one more so than usual because we're picking so high, and because we're coming off of three-and-a-half losing years.”

Lost in the question/translation is the second part of Mara’s statement, where he is basically saying that the Giants have to hit a home run given their top-10 draft status.

Right or wrong, Reese has to get this draft right if he wants to remain employed. 

He’s Not Averse to Picking an Offensive Lineman at No. 10

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

Some analysts believe the Giants would be ill-advised to pick an offensive lineman at No. 10, especially since they devoted two of their last three first-round picks to that unit.

Reese said that what they did in the past regarding allocation of resources has no bearing on what they might do in the future.

“We’re just trying to put the guys up there in the best order that we can and pick the best player available when we pick,” he said.

That sound vanilla, but the truth is the argument about not devoting too many resources to one unit is ludicrous, so long as that unit has holes the size of the ones reportedly in the ozone layer.

The fact of the matter is that the prior drafting of this team has left the Giants with zero depth at offensive tackle—yes, Marshall Newhouse and John Jerry can play the position, as can Bobby Hart.

However, Newhouse (27) and Jerry (28) are getting up there in age, and neither should be looked at as the long-term solution.

“Sometimes the answer is on your roster,” Reese said. “We do have some guys that we like.”

While he mentioned Hart as a possibility at guard and tackle, the bottom line is the lack of depth, particularly at offensive tackle, is too hard to ignore.

If the Giants are counting on new offensive line coach Mike Solari to bring this unit up to the next level, they need to finish the job and devote more resources to this critical position.

Reese was asked if they were expecting to get an instant starter at No. 10.

"We sure hope so,” he said. “If you pick inside the first 10, 12 picks, you’d like to get a starter who you can put out there to start to play right away, and we sure hope we can get one. We believe we can.”

There aren’t many starting jobs up for grabs on this team—right tackle, right guard, safety, inside linebacker and No. 2 receiver all come to mind. So, while the feeling is the Giants will go defense, they can't rule out the offensive line.

There’s No Difference Between Working with Ben McAdoo vs. Tom Coughlin

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New head coach Ben McAdoo has sought to be his own man from the moment he was promoted to the spotlight.

In fact, the only thing that McAdoo probably has in common with Tom Coughlin besides a desire to win is a desire to ensure his team approaches the game with the highest integrity. 

So when Reese was asked by yours how much of a difference has it been working with McAdoo and his staff versus Coughlin and his staff, Reese artfully dodged the question. “Our coaches have always been a part of the process since I’ve been with the New York Giants for 21 years and nothing has changed in respect to that,” he said.

That’s nothing new. However, in listening to Coughlin at times last year, his disappointment in the roster sometimes slipped through, particularly when he fielded questions about the state of the team in what was his final year.

“I’m disappointed,” Coughlin said according to Tara Sullivan of the Record last November as his team continued its descent to an ugly place. “You can blame it all on me. This is our team, I’m the head coach, I’m responsible for everything. That’s where it starts and I’ll continue to feel that way. We can play better. It is frustrating. Words don’t ever cover everything.”

No, words don’t cover everything, and what Coughlin didn’t state, but which was obvious to anyone who watched the games, was that he didn’t have the roster he hoped to have in part because of injuries and in part because of the failed draft classes.  

So, what about McAdoo? Interestingly, Reese was asked about the study he and John Mara vowed to do after last season and what changes came of that.

“We looked at a lot of things. I’m not going to sit here and divulge what we talked about and what we discovered and what we looked at, but we worked hard on some things,” he said.

Although Reese wouldn’t elaborate, it would be interesting to learn down the road if McAdoo ended up getting a bigger say in who the team drafts.  

They Haven’t Removed Anyone off Their Board Yet Due to Medical Concerns

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With a week to go before the Giants go on the clock, the fact that Reese disclosed that they haven’t removed anyone from their draft board yet due to medical concerns would suggest that their board is not yet finalized.

For those who think that the Giants play it a little too fast and loose with guys who have injury histories, Reese said that’s not the case.

“We try to minimize our risks, but it’s football. It’s grown men hitting each other with helmets. Guys get injured. It’s a part of the business.”

Reese then elaborated a bit about the philosophy regarding injured players.

“It’s like school,” he said. “F is bad and A is good. If it’s a C, there’s some risk. If there’s a D, there is a lot of risk, and if it’s an F, we’re not going to take them. It’s hard for us to take a D. We rarely take a D.”

That could be good news if linebacker Myles Jack, whose knee was described by an NFL source to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News as being “a time bomb,” slides down to the Giants. (Jack, by the way, appeared on the Dan Patrick Show and said his knee is fine.)

Or it could be bad, depending on how the Giants' doctors view Jack's knee.

"You’re not going to take a risk on your first-round pick if your guy is a D," Reese said. "If you’re in the sixth round and you’ve got an extra pick or if you’re in the seventh round and have an extra pick, you can take more risks in the later rounds because the value is not the same."

The bottom line is the Giants want to see for themselves where the injured prospects stand rather than rely on the countless smoke screens that are raging out of control this time of year. 

“We listen to our doctors,” Reese added. “If our doctors say the risk is too high or reject guys, we don’t take them.”

He’s Not Done with Free Agency

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Fans might be a little antsy now that the Giants’ free-agency spending spree has slowed down, but Reese made it clear that the team isn’t done yet with adding veterans.

“There are still some free agents out there," he said. "Free agency really never stops. It’s the way we’re wired. Everyday there are guys on the waiver wire, but there’s a few more veterans out there that are still waiting around and we’re still taking a look at whether we can do something.”

So why haven’t they done anything? There are likely multiple reasons.

The first is the monetary demands of the free agents. Guys who overvalue themselves are likely going to be sitting out there until after the draft. Reese and the Giants are likely hoping that any veterans they want who might overvalue themselves will come down in price.

The other reason? This time of year, the draft preparations are really heating up, which puts free agency on the back burner.

However, take heart, Giants fans. With only six picks, the Giants are unlikely to get guys to fill every single need they have.

Also, there is likely to be a fresh supply of free agents introduced into the market after the draft, thereby affording teams to take their time rather than rush toward making premature decisions.

The third reason? The Giants, at least this year, have a voluntary minicamp on tap for next week—a camp that, while there won’t be any contact allowed, will at least give the coaches an opportunity to see these players moving around in offense versus defense drills.

How might this affect whether the Giants go back to free agency in a certain position? Let’s say, for example, they don’t like what they see from their young safety corps. Perhaps then Reese might reach out to a veteran.

“In every position somebody has got to be developed and at some point we hope that one of those young safeties can step up,” Reese said when asked about that group. “There are a few more guys out there in free agency that we’ll take a look at, but we’re hoping that some of those young guys can step up and play a role here.”

There Is Greater Optimism About Victor Cruz's Return

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

When receiver Victor Cruz was coming off a torn patellar injury a year ago, Reese was asked for an update on the receiver’s status.

While expressing optimism, Reese constantly reeled himself in, refusing to get too excited about Cruz’s return and even noting how they weren’t about to put all their eggs in that one basket.

These days he’s singing a slightly different tune about Cruz, who has been diligently rehabbing a calf issue.

“So far so good. I’ve been peeking out the window and watching him run outside. We had our medical meetings last night and all of our doctors are pleased with his progress so far and we’re hoping that he’ll be the Victor that we know.”

The return of Cruz would be huge for the Giants. Per Inside Football, the Giants’ season-ending average yards per reception has dipped ever since Cruz was forced out of the lineup, dropping from 13.7 yards per reception in 2011 to 11.5 yards last year.

Whereas last year Cruz seemed to be in a rush to get back on the field—in retrospect he might have returned before he was ready—this year the training staff and receiver aren’t going to rush things.  

“We’re going to take it easy with him and make sure that he’s ramped up a little bit at a time and when training camp comes around, we’re hoping that he’s a full go,” Reese said. “We’re expecting him to be full go.

“He hasn’t played in two years. But he’s probably healthier now than he’s probably been in the last couple of years. What we get from Victor will be a bonus, and we’re hoping it’s a great bonus for us.”

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.