Breaking Down the New York Giants' Remaining Needs After the Draft

At first glance, the New York Giants’ 2016 draft class might not look very sexy, but the six picks general manager Jerry Reese and company made add much-needed depth at units that weren’t strong performers last year while also replenishing depth to the team’s foundation that eroded away from previous bad drafts.

However, the personnel department’s work is far from being over. The team will continue to be on the lookout for other players who might be able to be a part of the fabric moving forward.

Let’s break down the top three spots where they will probably look to add more depth at some point before the season begins.

Quarterback

On the surface, the Giants are set with 35-year-old Eli Manning as their starter and with Ryan Nassib as their backup. However, don’t be stunned if the Giants look to add a third quarterback to the mix, perhaps even as a practice-squad player, this year.

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

Nassib is in the final year of his rookie contract. While the team would probably like to have him back, Nassib is probably going to explore his options in free agency after this season if he desires to be a starter somewhere.

If he should find himself with a new team, that would leave the Giants without a backup to Manning who knows the offense. That’s why it makes sense for them to add someone now, giving that someone a chance to learn the offense so that by 2017, he can get out there and execute it.

Who might that someone be? According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, New York signed undrafted free-agent quarterback Josh Woodrum of Liberty to a deal that guarantees $20,000 of his base salary.

While not a lot of money, that guarantee likely means the Giants are interested in having Woodrum around for a year or two as a developmental project.

Cornerback

Reese took to the airwaves earlier this week to talk about his draft haul in an interview with Mike Francesa of WFAN (h/t CBS New York). As part of that interview, he admitted the Giants’ cornerback depth was of concern.

It should be. Even with the addition of free agent Janoris Jenkins and the drafting of Eli Apple, the Giants have a significant drop-off in talent after those two and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

Gary Landers/Associated Press

All it takes is for one injury to any of those three, and it could potentially be a long season for the Giants’ defensive secondary.

According to Kevin Patra of NFL.com, NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported the Giants were scheduled to meet with free-agent cornerback Leon Hall, who has played his entire career with the Cincinnati Bengals, on Tuesday. However, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post reported Hall left the Giants facility without a deal.

New York had also met with free-agent cornerback Jerraud Powers last month but were unable to consummate a deal.

Offensive Tackle

For the first time in their franchise history, the Giants did not select an offensive lineman or defensive lineman in the draft.

Defensive linemen one can understand given the number of bodies at both end and tackle. However, nearly a week after the draft started, people are still scratching their heads over the team’s decision to land an offensive tackle, particularly, when Laremy Tunsil was sitting there when the Giants went on the clock.

Winslow Townson/Associated Press

The decision to pass on Tunsil isn’t so much the problem, not if the Giants flagged him for any sort of character concerns before or after the video of him smoking a bong went viral just moments before the start of the first round of the draft.

The real question concerns the depth—or rather lack of depth at the position. Ereck Flowers is entrenched as the starting left tackle, but as of right now, the identity of the starting right tackle is still a question mark (incumbent Marshall Newhouse is penciled in, with second-year man Bobby Hard having received some snaps at both guard and tackle with the second team offense during last week’s minicamp.)

As for the rest of the depth, there's John Jerry, who can play both guard and tackle (but who is probably a better guard), Byron Stingily, a journeyman free agent signed last month, and some unknown younger guys such as Jake Rodgers and Emmett Cleary.

That’s quite a few question marks at a position critical to the franchise quarterback's health. While it’s certainly possible the team feels as though the answer is already on the roster, hopefully it's not done exhausting all avenues regarding this position.

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.