Now that the Giants have signed wide receiver Kenny Golladay and cornerback Adoree’ Jackson — and re-signed defensive lineman Leonard Williams — let’s rank general manager Dave Gettleman’s biggest remaining needs to address in free agency and the 2021 NFL Draft.
These rankings go from most important to least important.
1. Edge rusher: Yes, Williams will help the pass rush. But the Giants don’t have a lot of answers at outside linebacker, with Oshane Ximines and Lorenzo Carter leading that group. Gettleman isn’t going to find an elite outside linebacker in free agency right now, but he certainly could address the position in the draft. Ximines had 4.5 sacks as a rookie in 2019, but had zero last season, when he was limited to four games. Carter had one sack last year in five games. He needs to finally take the next step, as he enters the final year of his rookie contract.
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2. Offensive guard: At left guard, the Giants have Shane Lemieux and Will Hernandez. Neither is a great option. At right guard, they no longer have Kevin Zeitler, who was released for salary cap reasons, even though he’s still productive. Gettleman hasn’t signed a single offensive lineman in free agency so far this offseason. The right guard spot is a major concern. Starting Lemieux at left guard and Hernandez at right guard (or vice versa) is a possibility — albeit a scary one for quarterback Daniel Jones. Gettleman should address his interior offensive line high in the draft. Remember, center Nick Gates can slide to guard, if Gettleman drafts a center.
3. Defensive line depth: Dalvin Tomlinson is gone, off to the Vikings. The Giants couldn’t afford to keep both Tomlinson and Williams. Between Dexter Lawrence and Williams, the Giants still have a very solid duo on their defensive line, if Williams can play like he did last season. Austin Johnson figures to be the third starting lineman in the Giants’ 3-4 front. (He’s no Tomlinson, though.) Beyond those guys, coordinator Patrick Graham will be searching. B.J. Hill figures to take on a bigger role in 2021, with Tomlinson gone.
4. Linebacker depth: Middle linebacker Blake Martinez was a nice free agent signing last year. But the Giants still need to solidify the inside linebacker role next to Martinez — and also need to sort out depth at the position. This season could offer a much bigger opportunity for Tae Crowder, last year’s Mr. Irrelevant, if he can beat out Reggie Ragland, who just arrived on a one-year contract. The Giants let Devante Downs walk in free agency, so he’s no longer a depth option. It’s possible Graham could rely heavily on defensive backs — instead of playing Ragland and/or Crowder a bunch — because his safeties, Jabrill Peppers and Xavier McKinney, can handle linebacker-type duties, to a degree.
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