The Giants are 2-7, so let’s look ahead to next offseason.
They have 18 pending unrestricted free agents on their roster.
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So let’s rank them, from least important to most important, as you assess who the Giants should re-sign — and who they should ditch.
(And a lot depends, of course, on whether general manager Dave Gettleman returns. His replacement wouldn’t be as loyal to players Gettleman signed, drafted, or traded for.)
18. OG Kenny Wiggins: The Giants just signed him on Nov. 3. He has yet to play in a game for them and will be 33 when next season starts.
17. CB Brandon Williams: Has played two games this season, with zero defensive snaps.
16. TE Eric Tomlinson: Has played in one game this season — two offensive snaps, 11 on special teams.
15. DL Jabaal Sheard: A midseason signing off the Jaguars’ practice squad. He’ll be 32 next season. Obviously not a priority free agent.
14. S Adrian Colbert: A depth player who has been limited to three games this season.
13. DL Austin Johnson: Depth player (115 snaps through nine games) who is having an OK year. Not a make-or-break decision in free agency here.
12. LS Casey Kreiter: No major issues so far, in his first season as the Giants’ long snapper.
11. RT Cam Fleming: A career backup who has played like it in 2020. Let him walk. Matt Peart should start opposite Andrew Thomas in 2021. Maybe Fleming returns as a backup. But Nate Solder likely will be back, too. The Giants have to take that into account.
10. S Nate Ebner: Primarily a special teams player. And remember, Giants head coach Joe Judge has a special teams background.
9. RB Wayne Gallman: He has been passed by Devonta Freeman and Dion Lewis on the depth chart. His time is up with the Giants, it would seem. But he has played better lately. Maybe he rallies down the stretch and finds a way to stick around.
8. QB Colt McCoy: Worth retaining as a veteran backup on another cheap, one-year deal. He’ll be 35 years old when next season starts. Still, a reliable No. 2 quarterback always helps.
7. RB Dion Lewis: Depends on what happens with Devonta Freeman. Keeping Freeman as Saquon Barkley’s backup would be preferable to re-signing Lewis, who is 30. But maybe Freeman doesn’t want to stay with the Giants in that role. So Lewis could fill it.
6. OLB Kyler Fackrell: Fairly average player. He has a 58.1 PFF grade, including 54.2 as a pass rusher. The Giants need an elite edge rusher. He isn’t it. Still, he’s a solid contributor.
5. K Graham Gano: Strong year — 19 of 20 on field goals, including 4 of 5 from 50-plus yards. Keep him.
4. RB Devonta Freeman: Of the Giants’ three pending free agent running backs, he is the most preferable. But does he want to stick around as Barkley’s understudy? That’s the big question. A lot depends, of course, on what other offers he gets.
3. DT Dalvin Tomlinson: Can the Giants afford to keep Leonard Williams and Tomlinson? Maybe not. But they’ve both been quite good. Williams is 11th in PFF’s interior defensive line ratings, while Tomlinson is 15th. Second-year pro Dexter Lawrence is 13th, and his presence will factor into these decisions, of course.
2. DB Logan Ryan: Solid season, but not elite. Pro Football Focus ranks him 20th among all safeties. Good veteran presence in the locker room, too. Worth keeping for a reasonable price, especially considering how badly the Giants’ secondary needs proven players.
1. DE Leonard Williams: He’s having a really nice season (five sacks), so he won’t come cheap. But the Giants will surely make him a competitive contract offer, after paying him $16.126 million to play on the franchise tag in 2020.
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