Giants Rumors: Latest Buzz on Jadeveon Clowney, Byron Jones and More

The New York Giants are set to be big players in the 2020 free-agent market.

Big Blue enters this offseason coming off a 4-12 season, so it's clear there are holes to fill all over the roster. They have their quarterback of the future in Daniel Jones, but fortifying the right spots throughout the roster is going to be imperative, and they have the means to do it through free agency.

They are one of the richest teams on the market, with an estimated $76.9 million in cap space, per Spotrac, to give the franchise a facelift.

Given their resources, it's no surprise that they are being mentioned alongside some of the biggest names on the market. Here's a roundup of the latest on what's out there concerning prime targets and some of their own talent.

Price for Clowney May Be Too High

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One of the Giants' needs this offseason is pass rush. They were 22nd in sacks last season with just 36. And the defense suffered, as they were 27th in passer rating allowed.

So it makes perfect sense that there have been rumblings that Jadeveon Clowney would be a person of interest for the Giants. Ralph Vacchiano of SNY reported earlier in March that the Giants were on the former Seahawk's shortlist. However, he has since reported that the Giants believe the estimated $22 million price tag will be too much for them.

If Clowney's price does climb that high, the Giants would be smart to get out of the bidding war. Clowney is a gifted edge-defender, but his production hasn't always matched his potential.

He only had three sacks last season, and he has never topped 10 sacks in a season. The Giants would be better off re-signing Markus Golden, who had 10 sacks with the team last season, and pairing him with another, cheaper free-agent signing.

The Giants defense has too many holes to focus on adding superstars. If they can get two starters for $22 million, that's a more prudent move than spending it all on Clowney.

Competing Against Jets for Byron Jones, James Bradberry

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The Giants pass defense's weakness is down to more than the pass-rush situation. They need to upgrade the secondary as well.

Fortunately, the cornerback class figures to be deeper than the crop of pass-rushers. Byron Jones and James Bradberry are among the elite corners who figure to hit the market, and the Giants are reportedly interested in both of them.

They would need to outbid several teams, including crosstown rivals the Jets, according to Vacchiano: "There could be a Giants vs. Jets showdown brewing for the services of the top corners since both local teams have expressed some level of interest in free agents Byron Jones and James Bradberry, according to NFL sources."

In reality, the Giants are going to be competing against more than the Jets. Both Jones and Bradberry figure to command a lot of money. Spotrac's estimated market value for Jones is $14.1 million per year, and Bradberry could well be in the same range.

Both Jones and Bradberry have connections to the franchise. Jones has spent his career with the Dallas Cowboys, for whom Jason Garrett was his head coach. Garrett is now the offensive coordinator in New York. Bradberry was a draft pick of David Gettleman's when the GM was with the Carolina Panthers.

Either would be a huge upgrade for the team at corner and represent a big win for the offseason.

Williams Likely to Get the Tag

The Giants do need to make a decision on one of their key free agents. They have already signed David Mayo to a three-year extension, so now the major question left on the defense is Leonard Williams.

The team has already made a sizeable commitment to him. They traded a 2020 third-round pick for the big man and will also send a 2021 fourth- or fifth-rounder.

The former first-round pick disappointed in his first season with Big Blue. He only had half a sack to go with 26 tackles in his eight games with the team. However, it's too early for the Giants to give up on him, and it doesn't appear they plan to.

According to Jordan Raanan of ESPN, management will sign Williams to the franchise tag if a long-term deal can't be reached:

The move is a good compromise for Williams. He was expected to come in and make an impact on the fly last season. Now he will have a year to show that he can be an asset on the team's new and, hopefully, improved defensive front.

The tag would allow them to make him prove that he can be the force he was hyped to be when he was drafted.