Did New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman have viable trade offers for beleaguered offensive tackle Ereck Flowers and not act on them?
Flowers, now a Washington Redskin, says he did.
“I had actually been asking him [for clarity],” Flowers told NJ Advance Media. “That was part of the reason why I didn’t go to [voluntary workouts in 2018]. I was looking for a fresh start. He had [trade] offers for me, and he didn’t want to take them. So he made me stay there, until finally I had a chance to go. I was mad about it, but it’s OK. I’m over it.”
Instead, the Giants flipped the struggling former first round pick over to right tackle from the left side after signing Nate Solder in free agency. Flowers, a bust as a tackle in this league, naturally failed. The Giants then made him available via a trade but no one came calling.
Instead, Flowers was waived in October and the Giants ended up empty-handed.
Gettleman mismanaged the situation completely — one of many he’s mishandled in his tenure as a general manager both here and in Carolina.
Flowers is not the only player Gettleman has jilted. Safety Landon Collins, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and several Panthers players such as Steve Smith, DeAngelo Williams and Josh Norman have all claimed that Gettleman had done them dirty.
Collins, also now in Washington, railed on about how Gettleman cut ties with him without making any contact. Jason Pierre-Paul said the same thing when he was traded to Tampa Bay.
“I never talked to Dave,” Collins said. “Never talked to him. It sat with me bad. Just talk to somebody. Let us know something. If you’re going to trade me, trade me. If you’re going to let me go, let me go. Whatever. Don’t have a decision out of blue like that, for me to do this much for that organization — before he got there.
“If you can’t pay me, you can’t keep me, or I’m not what you’re looking for with your future, all right. Just let me know. It’s all good. I haven’t talked to this man not one time. The handling of it was horrible.”
This could serve as a clarion call to the Giants and their players. This week, when the franchise was in the midst of one of their most important moves in decades, Gettleman was mysteriously absent. Many believe he’s burned too many bridges with players, the media and the public and is running low on good will, excuses and answers.
