Giants’ free agency activity leaves ratings unimpressed

The New York Giants just can’t take a break these days from the odds.

According to BetOnline, the Giants over / under for the victories in 2020 are set at 6.5. This is not a promising forecast for a team that, in the past two seasons, have won only nine games and are desperately looking to reverse their woes and become competitive again after changing their coaching staff for the third times in the past five years.

It was still far from knowing what the formation of the Giants, composed of 53 players, there is still the project, that the NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, in a note sent to the 32 clubs earlier this week, will go as planned April 23-25.

There is still a question of new head coach Joe Judge and his staff to get the players on the field to teach the concepts afterwards, something that will have to wait given the postponement of the program out of season due to the COVID pandemic -19.

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Is the forecast of 6.5 wins correct?

Although the Giants have upgraded in some places, what they haven’t done to encourage bettors to take it under is to meet their most pressing needs. These include a long-term response to an attacking tackle, center, free safety and the search for a # 1.

Although some of these needs are addressed in the project, there is generally a learning curve for a college freshman.

Add to that the disruption to the off season program, and there is just far too much uncertainty to assess how the Giants will be affected.

Have the Giants improved in Free Agency?

The Giants’ approach to free agency is interesting in that most of the signed players have replaced guys who have been cut, retired or not brought back.

In other words, there was a one-for-one exchange with compatible or better talents, which, although generally the idea in free agency, did not exactly push the needle enough enough to say with certainty if the Giants have upgraded this off-season via free agency.

One thing they have done, at least on the defensive side of the ball, is to replace the former Cardinals players for whom former defensive coordinator James Bettcher has probably lobbied the guys for the current coaching staff to work at a previous stop.

Let’s look at the distribution of the main free agent signatures:

In: Edge Kyler Fackrell (via Green Bay)

Outside: Edge Kareem Martin (coupé), Markus Golden (unsigned free agent)

As the Giants did with Golden last year, they do it with Kyler Fackrell, who in 2018 was coached by Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and who registered 10.5 sacks that season.

Last year, Fackrell saw his production of rushing passes fall off a cliff as the Packers added Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith to the defense. The Giants hope that Fackrell will be able to meet or exceed its 2018 production.

Although the Giants did the swap, they probably haven’t finished adding pass accelerators. It will be interesting to see if, in the draft, they select versatile defender Clemson Isaiah Simmons with their first choice and postpone their attacking tackle until Day 2.

Simmons could potentially give the Giants what they hoped to get from Kareem Martin, and then from some, who is a solid cover guy whose versatility should allow him to fit into just about any plan or staff package. .

In: ILB Blake Martinez (via Green Bay)

Outside: Alec Ogletree (coupe)

After an impressive first season with the Giants in which he recorded a cover rating of 84.9, Ogletree was unable to build on its 2018 production. In 2019, its coverage index increased to 116.2

Martinez had his best year of coverage last season, scoring 93.1 after seeing 20 more assists against him.

Martinez has also recorded at least 140 total tackles in each of the past three seasons, and, given that he worked with defensive coordinator Patrick Graham in 2018, he should be able to hit the pitch.

In: TE Levine Toilolo (via 49ers)

Outside: Rhett Ellison (retired)

Last year, Ellisons ‘end-of-season concussion probably influenced his decision to call it a career, but by the time he got there, Ellisons’ game had started to deteriorate, especially its blockage. .

According to Pro Football Focus, Ellison allowed no pressure in 2017, his first year with the Giants. But in the past two seasons, he allowed six, its course blocking, in particular, falling.

Toilolo, who comes from the same programs (Stanford and the 49ers) who produced Kaden Smith for the Giants, has been more solid. He has only granted three presses in the past two seasons and no sacks in the previous three.

In: OT Cam Fleming (via Dallas)

Outside: Mike Remmers (in Kansas City)

The addition of Fleming is one of the most underrated by the team so far this off season. While initially it sounds like a one-for-one swap for Mike Remmers, who signed with eh Chiefs, the addition of Fleming gives the Giants an experienced veteran who can play both tackles.

This is important because the Giants can now, if they wish, wait for the second round if the value on an offensive tackle is better because they have Fleming to be their right starting tackle.

If the Giants write a tackle on day 2, then next year it becomes financially prudent to cut left tackle Nate Solder from the list, Fleming, if his one-year contract is extended, can fill any side open.

In: DB / Special Teams contributor Nate Ebner (via New England)

Outside: DB / Special Teams contributor Antonio Hamilton, DB / Special Teams Captain Michael Thomas (unsigned free agent)

Not surprisingly, head coach Joe Judge, Patriots special teams coordinator before coming to New York, brought more than half of his dynamic Patriots special teams duo, Nate Ebner.

Ebner, who, along with Matthew Slater, has had 57 regular team tackles in the past three seasons, including 18 for New England last year.

It is believed that Ebner, a defensive back, will join Cody Core, who the Giants have re-signed this season, as shooters. Core by himself was pretty impressive, and having Antonio Hamilton in front of him gave the Giants one of the best punt cover units in the NFL. Adding Ebner to the mix just made this unit even better.

In: CB James Bradberry (via Carolina)

Outside: CB Janoris Jenkins (cut last year)

When the Giants added all of these young cornerbacks to last year’s draft, Gettleman couldn’t wait for veteran Janoris Jenkins to mentor him.

Unfortunately, as the Giants’ season collapsed, Jenkins also spent time with the Giants, who cut him off after insulting a fan in an exchange on social media.

These days, Jenkins is with the Saints, his mentorship role fulfilled by James Bradberry. Bradberry is only 26 and a relatively young veteran himself, but he is also a player with whom Gettleman has been very familiar since he drafted Bradberry in the second round of the 2016 draft for the Carolina Panthers.

In addition to leadership, Bradberry, who has stood firm against some of the toughest reciters in the NFC Souths, should help boost a defense against the Giants who finished 28th in the NFL last year. Bradberry has performed well in human and area coverage and is no stranger to traveling with the opponent’s best receiver.

Bradberrys 77.9 NFL would have been The best grade from any Giants cornerback last year if he had been on the team, so it’s clear he knows a thing or two about how to detect route trends used by receivers and defeat them at their own game.

It only remains to continue to do so with the Giants while sharing some of these trends with his new teammates.

In: QB Colt McCoy (Washington)

Outside: Eli Manning (retired)

In an ideal world, the Giants will never have to call on their backup quarterback to play, no matter who it is. But as starter Daniel Jones has already run out of time due to an injury, New York probably realizes that it is better to have a solid backup plan.

Former Washington substitute Colt McCoy offers the Giants an experienced replacement who not only started games but is the longest-standing quarterback in NFC East. This experience has certainly not been lost for the Giants and can be invaluable for Jones as he enters his second season.