The New York Giants are officially in a transition period after the decision to let All-Pro safety Landon Collins walk away this week. Since no one knows exactly what general manager Dave Gettleman’s plan or vision is, it’s difficult to predict what the Giants will do in free agency come March 13.
The Giants don’t have a lot of available cap space to operate with ($24.1 million) so fans should not expect Gettleman to make any kind of a splash this spring in the free agent market.
Unless the Giants make some dramatic cuts to their salary cap, we expect them to make a slew of low-level signings of players with potential. A buy-low, sell-high philosophy.
If they are truly rebuilding, it also makes no sense to sign any player over 30 years of age, so they’ll be zeroing in on young players who will likely settle for mid-range deals. Call it dumpster-diving if you will.
Gettleman will look to fill needs at pass rusher, safety and offensive line but may find that the price is too high for many of the good ones. That will send him into the second and third tier of the market to try and get lucky.
Here’s nine free agents the Giants may be targeting:
OT Trent Brown, Patriots. Age: 26
Brown started all 16 games at right tackle for the Super Bowl champions last year and was a standout in the postseason. A former seventh-round pick out of Florida by the San Francisco 49ers in 2015, the massive Brown (6’8″, 380) may be coming into his own and could garner more interest than expected in the open market. That would likely scare the cap-poor Giants away from him, but if they can get him at a reasonable price, he could slide right in at right tackle and fill what many feel is the weakest spot on the Giants’ current roster.
DE/OLB Markus Golden, Cardinals. Age: 28
Golden was a budding star for the Cards under defensive coordinator James Bettcher back in 2016 when he racked up 12.5 sacks. But he couldn’t sustain that success, tearing his ACL the next October and then playing in a 4-3 upon his return in 2018. If healthy, it would behoove the Giants to kick the tires on the former second-rounder out of Mizzou and reunite him with Bettcher. The price should not be too outlandish for the Giants to handle.
DE/OLB Preston Smith, Redskins. Age: 26
The 6’6″, 265-pound Smith was a second-round pick out of Mississippi State in 2015 and has shown the propensity to rush the passer. He had eight sacks as a rookie and again in 2017. Unfortunately, he had two down seasons as well. But he has started all 16 games for the Skins in each of his four seasons, so injury is not prevalent on his resume. Smith will likely get multiple offers, so if the Giants really want him, they’ll have to get creative. Smith could become a force in the right setting. He has four interceptions in his career and has a penchant for QB hits and tackles for a loss.
DB/LB Deone Bucannon, Cardinals. Age: 27
Drafted int he first round by the Cards out of Washington State as a safety, Bucannon made his name as a “money backer” for Bettcher in 2015 with 90 tackles, three sacks, 11 tackles for a loss, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception for a touchdown. He thrived as a linebacker the next two seasons but did not fare well as a 4-3 backer after Bettcher’s departure in 2018. Bucannon is another player that could benefit from a reunion with Bettcher.
OT Ja’Wuan James, Dolphins. Age: 27
The right tackle position is one that Gettleman will prioritize this March and James, a former first round pick out of Tennessee, will be a player they will be focusing on. James has had an up and down career in Miami, starting all 16 games in 2014, 2016 and 2018 but was limited to seven games in 2015 and eight games in 2017 due to injury. At 6″6″, 312, James has the frame the Giants are looking for at RT but so are many other teams. He is expected to garner approximately $9 million per year, which may be too rich for the Giants’ blood.
S Tre Boston, Cardinals, Age: 27
Boston has been a serviceable safety for three different clubs in his four-year career. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fourth round out of North Carolina in 2014 and played in 42 games (starting 16) before being waived/injured by Gettleman in 2017. Boston played on one-year contracts the past two seasons for the Chargers and Cardinals registering 79 total tackles in each of those campaigns. He should come relatively cheap but he’s a placeholder at best.
OT Daryl Williams, Panthers. Age: 27
Williams is a massive man (6’6″, 330) and is one of those “hog mollies” that Gettleman loves. He should know, he drafted Williams in the fourth round out of Oklahoma back in 2015. Williams was a second-team All-Pro in 2017 but couldn’t build on that success after tearing his MCL and dislocating his knee cap in training camp, missing the 2018 season. If healthy, he will attract several suitors and who knows if the Giants will be able to afford him or even if he wants to play for Gettleman again.
CB Justin Coleman, Seahawks. Age: 26
Coleman, a UDFA out of Tennessee back in 2015, has bounced around the league before finding a home in Seattle in 2015. He began his career on the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad before landing in New England, Seattle, New England and Seattle again. He played in 32 games for the Seahawks (starting 10) the past two years and was primarily used as a nickel corner. If the price is right, the Giants could use a little depth at corner and Coleman may just fit the bill.
DE/OLB Shaq Barrett, Broncos. Age: 26
Barrett went undrafted out of Colorado State in 2014 and the Broncos have used him as a situational pass rusher in his five seasons with the team. Over that period of time, he has 14 sacks and seven forced fumbles. Barrett is an under-the-radar prospect who was buried behind Von Miller and then Bradley Chubb in Denver. He could be courted by several teams but the Giants would likely only bring him in on a low-level deal. Barrett is coming off a torn hip flexor injury, so, again, he would hav veto pass a physical.
