New York Giants' Updated To-Do List Ahead of Free Agency
The NFL combine is officially in the books, which means it’s time for the teams to start focusing on free agency for now.
From March 7 until March 9, teams may enter into negotiations with the agents of unrestricted free agents from other teams. However, no deals may be actually executed until 4:00 p.m. ET Thursday, which marks the official start of the 2017 league year.
The New York Giants have been hard at work putting together an action plan for free agency, a period in which they’re not expected to be anywhere near as active as they were a year ago.
Regardless, they enter this coming week with a significant to-do list if they want to get the roster rebuilding project off on the right foot.
Here, then, is a proposed free-agency action plan for the Giants to execute in the coming days.
Clear More Salary-Cap Space
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According to the NFLPA's public cap space report, the Giants have $13,120,005 of salary-cap space, a total in which it's unclear if any restricted free-agent tenders (to one or both of defensive end Kerry Wynn and running back Orleans Darkwa) might have been issued.
That's really not a lot, and it's even less when one remembers the Giants need approximately $5.504 million of that space for their rookie class, per Over the Cap.
If the Giants are planning on handing out a bunch of Minimum Salary Benefit deals that would allow them to carry a player with a high-minimum base salary at the same rate as a second-year player provided the bonus money does not exceed $80,000, then they should have enough to get by.
If not, then they better start clearing some additional salary-cap space, especially if they hope to land an offensive lineman in free agency.
Last month, the Giants did, per Spotrac, clear a little over $12 million in cap space when they cut running back Rashad Jennings ($3.062 million savings) and receiver Victor Cruz ($9.4 million savings). However, that space that was cleared ended up mostly going into the franchise tag for defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.
The Giants can clear more money by trying to lower the base salaries of cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, whom per SNY.TV's Ralph Vacchiano received a bump in his base salary from $6.48 million to $6.98 million, and running back Shane Vereen ($3.15 million).
At some point, they might terminate the contract of linebacker J.T. Thomas (a $3 million estimated savings). They could also potentially try to work something out with Eli Manning ($13 million base salary) if need be.
Whatever it is they decide, there is little question they'll have to rework a few deals to give themselves additional breathing room.
Re-Sign Jason Pierre-Paul
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As a follow-up to the last slide, the Giants can clear some cap space if they can somehow reach a multiyear deal with defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, whom they franchised for the second time in the last three years.
The Giants confirmed that they designated Pierre-Paul as a nonexclusive franchise player. That tag carries a $16.934 million price tag regardless if the tag is signed, a hefty amount that is clearly cutting into the Giants' available cap space.
To further put that figure into perspective, Pierre-Paul's tag is more than Olivier Vernon's $16 million cap figure for 2017. If Pierre-Paul were to change his mind and sign that tag, the Giants would have over $32 million (or almost 20 percent of their 2017 cap space) tied up in their two projected starting defensive ends alone.
A new multiyear deal will help the Giants shave off anywhere from $3 million upwards from Pierre-Paul's current cap hit.
That recouped savings, in fact, might just be enough to devote to a first-year contract to a still-to-be-determined free agent, assuming, of course, the Giants can break the impasse with Pierre-Paul's side before the first wave of free agency begins March 9.
Try to Convince DT Johnathan Hankins to Stay
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Defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins is probably the second most important pending unrestricted free agent on this year’s team behind Jason Pierre-Paul.
The problem facing the Giants is that if the soon-to-be 23-year-old Hankins hits the open market, he’s almost certain to be gone because some team with salary-cap space to burn is probably going to be more than willing to make Hankins a very rich young man.
Can the Giants get a deal done with Hankins before he hits the market? Probably not if the figures ESPN’s Jordan Raanan arrived at after surveying five league sources—5 years, $43 million and $18 million guaranteed—end up being the starting negotiation point for Hankins’ agents.
What can the Giants do to retain Hankins? They might try offering a three-year deal for slightly less money so that by the time the contract is up, Hankins will only be 28, a year older than teammate Damon Harrison was when he signed his big-money deal last year.
Then again, if Hankins is like most players who understand that nothing is guaranteed and that his career is one injury away from ending, he’ll probably want the big money now, at which point the Giants are unlikely to be able to accommodate him.
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Re-Sign Some of Their Own
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While all the focus seems to center on what new faces the Giants are likely to add during free agency, there also needs to be some focus on some of their own (besides the aforementioned Hankins).
Among the Giants' own unrestricted free agents who could receive another contract are linebacker Keenan Robinson, offensive lineman John Jerry and cornerback Coty Sensabaugh.
Per Pro Football Focus, Robinson was ranked as the top 4-3 outside linebacker in coverage out of nine players who participated in at least 75 percent of their team’s coverage snaps. Robinson allowed just 39 receptions for 389 yards, 196 of those yards coming after the catch. He was also the only linebacker out of the nine not to allow a passing touchdown.
Jerry has been Mr. Durability personified, playing in every snap in 2016. Out of 35 offensive guards who played in at least 75 percent of their team’s snaps last year, Jerry tied for ninth with Atlanta’s Andy Levitre for PFF’s best pass-blocking efficiency (97.3) rate, having allowed just 22 total pressures (including sacks and hits) in 623 pass-blocking snaps.
Although the Giants are believed to be interested in upgrading their offensive line depth, given their limited resources and the way the draft class is shaping up, they could do worse than to stick with Jerry for another year if they had to.
Sensabaugh, who was picked up midway through the 2016 season, ended up being a solid depth acquisition. In 34 run snaps, he racked up four tackles and three stops for zero or negative yardage.
In coverage, Sensabaugh played 68 snaps, allowing seven of the eight pass targets against him to be completed for just 60 yards. He was also the only one of the Giants cornerbacks to not allow a passing touchdown last year.
Sign an OffensIve Tackle
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The Giants need to add at least one veteran offensive lineman to their roster, preferably a tackle who would provide competition for Ereck Flowers and Bobby Hart.
While Marshal Newhouse would be a reasonably priced fallback option, the Giants really could use some fresh (and younger) blood.
A veteran target they are likely to jump in on is Denver's Russell Okung, a player with whom the Giants met with last year.
The problem is they're not going to be alone in their pursuit of Okung. Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post reports that in addition to the Giants, the New York Jets, Los Angeles Chargers and Minnesota Vikings are all likely to have strong interest in Okung, whom, as Tesfatsion points out, would become the top free-agent tackle on the market if the Cincinnati Bengals manage to re-sign Andrew Whitworth.
Another possibility, if he hits the open market, is Detroit's Riley Reiff, a player who can line up at left or right tackle. Someone like Reiff, in fact, might afford the Giants more flexibility if they plan to hold a competition for the starting two offensive tackle spots since he's versatile enough to play either side.
Unless otherwise noted, all advanced analytics are from Pro Football Focus.
Patricia Traina covers the New York Giants for Inside Football, the Journal Inquirer and Sports Xchange. All quotes and information were obtained firsthand unless otherwise sourced.
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