It’s been a rough few days for New York Giants fans and looking at the glass half-full is tough for many to do. The roster has done a complete 180 into what may or may not be a rebuild, and perhaps that’s the most frustrating part.
What exactly are we calling this?
While the recent moves made by general manager Dave Gettleman didn’t help clarify what direction he’s going, the team is moving ahead in the first days after the trade that sent Odell Beckham Jr. to the Cleveland Browns.
On the backs of some terrible gold- and golden-related puns, we’re going to examine why Giants fans should have at least a shred of optimism for what Gettleman has done in the post-apocalyptic era.
Giants’ solution for Beckham is Golden
Listen, the Giants were never going to be able to replace Beckham Jr.’s talent that fast. What the team did do is patch the hole for now with the best receiver left on the open market and a perennial 1,000-yard threat.
The signing of Golden Tate brings the Giants a veteran wide receiver who can play on the outside or in the slot, depending on what the Giants want to do with Sterling Shepard. The 30-year-old is also an elite talent when it comes to yards after the catch.
From ESPN Stats & Info:
Tate started last season with the Detroit Lions before being traded to the Eagles. Despite needing some time to settle in after arriving in Philly, Tate still finished with a productive campaign to the tune of 74 catches for 795 yards and four touchdowns.
There’s no reason to believe Tate can’t break 1,000 yards with a bit more stability. After all, he accomplished that feat in three of the four years prior to 2018, and his durability (he’s missed one game or less in every year of his career but one) means he’ll be ready to go each and every week.
A Golden opportunity on defense
Big Blue at least started to address their troublesome pass-rusher situation with the signing of former Arizona Cardinals linebacker Markus Golden. In 2016, Golden was a stud for the Cardinals, notching 12.5 sacks and 22 QB hits in what was a career year for the 28-year-old.
Golden tallied just 2.5 sacks and six QB hits in 11 games in 2018, one season after he missed all but four games because of a torn ACL. Not only was Golden tasked with coming back from a serious injury, he also had to make the switch from a 3-4 defense to a 4-3.
It’s no coincidence that Big Blue pursued and ultimately landed Golden. It was under current Giants defensive coordinator James Bettcher’s 3-4 defense that Golden had his banner year in 2016. Golden’s transition back to Bettcher’s system should be seamless and his impact could be significant.
Giants saved and struck gold at safety
Another Cardinals cast-off once again joining Bettcher’s defense is safety Antoine Bethea. Like Golden, the 34-year-old veteran won’t suffer from an adjustment period because of his familiarity with Bettcher’s defense, which was part of the reason why he signed with Big Blue.
For those who hate the word “rebuild,” just know that Bethea isn’t calling it that.
“No, it’s not a rebuilding team,” said Bethea. “At the end of the day, we have to go out and play on Sundays. Regardless of the names you have on paper, you still have to go out there and perform. You get a good nucleus, some good guys that can work together. Obviously, the league year just started. I know upstairs, they’re doing what they need to do to build a great team. As players, our job is to come out there and put our best performance, our best foot forward and put the best product we can put on the field.”
Bethea also raved about his new teammate, fellow safety Jabrill Peppers.
“Good young safety,” he said about Peppers. “Being a fan of the game and playing the safety position, you look across the league and see what other guys are doing, looking at his play the first two years, he’s been doing some great things. Even looking at him when he was at Michigan, very versatile, can do a lot of things — play in the box, play back in the post. I’m excited to play alongside with him.”
That’s a high compliment coming from a guy who has been in the league and had success for a long time. Bethea will undoubtedly help the talented 23-year-old progress in his development, making the pair a perfect match for both now and the future.
On paper, the Giants are already looking better at safety with Bethea and Peppers at the helm, and they didn’t need to break the bank to get it done.
Worth their weight in gold
The Giants inked their best special teams players to a one-year deal on Thursday with the re-signing of cornerback Antonio Hamilton. The special teams mainstay will also look to fight for playing time on defense, something he didn’t see last season.
Fellow corner Tony Lippett will also return. Lippett, who started 13 games for the Dolphins in 2016 and nabbed four interceptions, played in three games with the Giants in 2018 after missing all of the year prior with a torn Achilles.
Lippett and Hamilton will fight for playing time on defense, while both should contribute a significant amount on special teams. There’s a good chance the Giants add more help at corner through free agency or the draft, but for now. they look to have some promising cornerback depth and stability on special teams for a cheap price.
From rags to riches
Speaking of gold, the Giants will have plenty of it stashed away for the 2020 offseason.
After having to pay a whopping $33 million to players no longer on the roster, next year brings renewed hope with the G-Men owning anywhere from $90 to $99 million in cap space, according to Spotrac and Over The Cap, respectively.
Money doesn’t buy you happiness or Super Bowls, but it sure as heck helps when a team can draft well. Gettleman needs to hit on some draft selections and he has a good chance to do that — almost by default — with the seemingly endless amount of picks he’s compiled.
Even if this season is a bust, the Giants will have the means and flexibility to turn things around quickly in 2020. It’s far from the end of the world, Giants Nation, no matter how dark things may seem.
