Eli Apple

Justin Tuck thinks highly of Pat Shurmur:

Watching the 2017 season unfold for New York Giants fans was tough, and it was equally as stressful for former NFL star Justin Tuck.

“It was definitely hard to watch,” Tuck expressed to NJ Advanced Media. “Not only the losing, but just how things kind of unraveled. A lot of things happened last year that wasn’t characteristic of Giants teams. That was the hardest part to sit back and watch.”

Can’t disagree with you on that one Justin, and I’m sure the rest of us are all nodding our heads in disbelief. Thanks Ben McAdoo!!

If there’s anybody who knows what it takes to succeed it’s Tuck, who won two Super-Bowls alongside Eli Manning and former head coach Tom Coughlin. The Giants let Coughlin walk two years ago, sending him into the path of the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he became general manager and VP. The Jaguars lost in the AFC Championship round this year.

Here’s what Tuck thinks about the Giants’ new hire in Shurmur:

“I think he fits the bill. From what I know about him, he seems like a real low-key, down-to-earth, hard-working guy."

“That kind of fits the bill of what the Giants are known for: A blue-collar guy with nothing flashy about him, but it seems like he is going to go in and work and build from the ground up — which I think we need.”

Tuck’s description of Shurmur is VERY similar of that of Coughlin — no-nonsense, disciplinary, and a succeed or walk attitude.

Shurmur was very serious in bringing in football players that want to win more than breathe, and he made it apparent that himself and Dave Gettleman wouldn’t deal with any shenanigans lightly.

“No nonsense, straight to the point, my way or the highway,” Tuck said. “That leadership system works in this league. I don’t know why people want to go to the flashy and flamboyant.”

The idea is that players that want to win will do anything that it takes, and will dedicate themselves to the process. Working with Bill Belichick is awful, because he’s so strict, but if you are dedicated to winning that’s where you will have your best shot.

The top player the Giants need to let go:

For the New York Giants, overhauling the coaching staff was the first step in taking the organization to new heights, but several players also need to hit the road to get the ball rolling.

In this article we will discuss one player in specific, and his name is Brandon Marshall.

The veteran receiver is only two-seasons removed from a 1,500-yards, 14 touchdown campaign, but struggled mightily with Eli Manning and the Giants in 2017. His purpose was to compete opposite Odell Beckham Jr. and give Manning a big-bodied target to utilize in the red-zone. Marshall finished 2017 as his only year without a single touchdown catch.

Marshall will take up $6.1 million in cap-space in 2018, a devastating amount considering the current state of the Giants’ financial situation. General manager Dave Gettleman could easily unload the former Jet and find a replacement for a fraction of the cost — likely a player that can perform just as good if not better.

Available Free Agents:

There are several free agents that could fit the bill opposite Beckham Jr., and provide Manning with additional quality to complement Sterling Shepard and Evan Engram.

1.) Eric Decker

Decker has the frame (6-foot-3) to be a quality red-zone target for Manning. In the four seasons he was heavily used (2012-2015), Decker recorded 39 overall touchdowns. On the open market, he might only run the Giants $2-3 million, less than half of what they’re current;y paying for Marshall.

2.) Sammy Watkins

The once highly touted wide receiver has fallen off in recent years, struggling to maintain a starting role on any team due to injuries. His size and speed is still apparent, but taking a gamble on him might be worth the money.

The Giants could offer him a one-year prove-it deal of around $2-3 million, which would be a great price considering his talents.

3.) Jordan Matthews

The former Eagle has struggled to find his place in the NFL, even after recording 16 touchdowns in two-seasons. On the Bills in 2017, Matthews finished the year with 282-yards and a single score — underwhelming for a player of his talents.

The Giants could likely sign the 6-foot-3 receiver for cheap, and his upside is well worth the money.

4.) Terrelle Pryor

Standing at 6-foot-6, Terrelle Pryor is a very intriguing option for New York. His speed and size would be a solid complement to Beckham Jr. and he would give Manning a big-target to throw towards.

The problem with Pryor is that he’s inconsistent, but he wouldn’t be the featured wide receiver, which would take a majority of the pressure off his shoulders.

The Giants might be able to snag him on a one-year deal for $3 million.

Credits: Mark J. Rebilas

Here’s a solid option at running back for the Giants:

The New York Giants are void of some key pieces on offense, specifically a third-down back that ‘actually’ moves the chains and doesn’t get injured every other game.

Shane Vereen used to be that man for the Giants, but after tearing his triceps twice, the former Patriot never looked the same.

New head coach for Big Blue Pat Shurmur, may have a solution at running back for the Giants, and no, this wouldn’t get in the way of potentially drafting Saquon Barkley.

Shurmur worked extensively with now free agent Jerick McKinnon on the Minnesota Vikings, and he could be a the perfect option to replace Vereen in the backfield.

McKinnon recorded 570-yards rushing and three touchdowns in 2017, in addition to 421 receiving-yards with two scores through the air. The specialized running back would be an upgrade from Vereen at this point in his career, and he would likely cost less as well.

The free agent would garner an estimated $2 million per-season on the open market, which is far less than Vereen’s $4 million he’s currently making with the Giants. Luckily for New York, 2017 was the last year of his three-year, $12.35 million contract, opening up a bit of cap space to sign another player.

Of course, the Giants could choose to save the money and promote Wayne Gallman to the third-down back. Gallman flashed serious potential in 2017, showing that he can break tackles and pick up extra yards with his agility.

EXTRA:

Personally, I like the value in McKinnon, as he’s a dangerous threat out of the backfield and very durable. McKinnon has only missed six games in four years, and only one in the last three. His health and skill alone are deserving of an opportunity with Big Blue.

Top quotes and takeaways:

The New York Giants introduced their 18th head coach in the history of the franchise, Pat Shurmer. The NFL’s assistant coach of the year appeared professional and ready to take on the challenges of being the head coach of the men in blue.

Top quotes:

"I have zero tolerance for people that don’t compete, that don’t give effort, or that show a lack of respect."

Shurmur: (on Eli Manning) "He’s an outstanding football player and I can’t wait to get a chance to work with him."

"I do plan to call the plays."

"We need to have a tough, gritty team that knows how to compete. We want to put a group of ninety together that loves to play football."

"I think you start in the locker room by developing relationships."

Shurmur: (on Odell Beckham Jr.) "He is a tremendous player. He was high on our draft board in Philly. When you watch him on the field he’s outstanding."

"Everything starts with the offensive line."

"We’ll have an offense that we’ll consistently try to do things that our players do well. We’re going to play New York Giants offense."

Shurmur on the N.Y. market and turning around the Giants: “I’m not intimated.”

Shurmur said he saw Eli Manning throw last summer and thought he looked "really, really good." He thinks Manning has some "years left."

Shurmur also mentioned that Davis Webb is an outstanding player and deserved to be drafted. Also, he felt he could be a started someday. Something to consider moving forward towards the NFL draft.

Odell Beckham Jr. should be ready for a monster season:

The New York Giants have been missing two essential tools in their tool box the past few seasons — a capable head coach and a real general manager.

Bringing Dave Gettleman and Pat Shurmur on board was exactly the shake-up the Giants needed to turn things around, and star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is going to be the recipient of their strengths.

Gettleman is known for his ability to build the trenches with value and skill for a good price, while Shurmur is a quarterback mastermind that has brought out the best in Brandon Weeden and even Colt McCoy.

Big Blue is set to bring back Eli Manning for another season in 2018, and we can expect Shurmur to make Manning look like a player that actually earns $20 million per-season. If Shurmur can bring third-string quarterback Case Keenum to the AFC Championship game, just imagine what he can do with a two-time Super Bowl winning signal caller.

In the end, this all benefits Beckham Jr., who’s arguably the Giants’ best player and most dangerous threat on offense. The NFL’s assistant coach of the year (Shurmur) is prized in playing to players’ strengths, and ensuring that they reach their maximum potential.

According to sports-reference.com, Beckham Jr.’s best season was in 2015. He racked up 1450-yards on 96 receptions, in addition to 13 overall touchdowns. This was all with a Ben McAdoo led offense, and a half-decent offensive line.

With Gettleman’s knowledge in piecing together a solid line, and Shurmur’s ability to bring out the best in his offensive talent, OBJ could be set to break his own personal records. The game-plan will heavily involve Beckham Jr. as it normally does, but this time around it will be much more complex.

With McAdoo, the offense was stagnant and used a ton of crossing routes that defenses inevitably figured out. Shurmur will bring a much more unique scheme to the Giants, with a nice balance of run and pass plays. He will also utilize play-action significantly more.

Ultimately, the success of Beckham Jr. relies on the coaching strategies and how well they can get the ball into his hands. We can expect only improvements with the overhaul of the front-office and coaching staff.

(Kinda cool, you can customize your own hoodie with free shipping)

Extra:

OBJ can be lined up all over the field, especially with Sterling Shepard getting reps on the outside in 2017. Exposing mismatches will be utilized early and often under Shurmur.

Odell Beckham Jr. should be ready for a monster season:

The New York Giants have been missing two essential tools in their tool box the past few seasons — a capable head coach and a real general manager.

Bringing Dave Gettleman and Pat Shurmur on board was exactly the shake-up the Giants needed to turn things around, and star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is going to be the recipient of their strengths.

Gettleman is known for his ability to build the trenches with value and skill for a good price, while Shurmur is a quarterback mastermind that has brought out the best in Brandon Weeden and even Colt McCoy.

Big Blue is set to bring back Eli Manning for another season in 2018, and we can expect Shurmur to make Manning look like a player that actually earns $20 million per-season. If Shurmur can bring third-string quarterback Case Keenum to the AFC Championship game, just imagine what he can do with a two-time Super Bowl winning signal caller.

In the end, this all benefits Beckham Jr., who’s arguably the Giants’ best player and most dangerous threat on offense. The NFL’s assistant coach of the year (Shurmur) is prized in playing to players’ strengths, and ensuring that they reach their maximum potential.

According to sports-reference.com, Beckham Jr.’s best season was in 2015. He racked up 1450-yards on 96 receptions, in addition to 13 overall touchdowns. This was all with a Ben McAdoo led offense, and a half-decent offensive line.

With Gettleman’s knowledge in piecing together a solid line, and Shurmur’s ability to bring out the best in his offensive talent, OBJ could be set to break his own personal records. The game-plan will heavily involve Beckham Jr. as it normally does, but this time around it will be much more complex.

With McAdoo, the offense was stagnant and used a ton of crossing routes that defenses inevitably figured out. Shurmur will bring a much more unique scheme to the Giants, with a nice balance of run and pass plays. He will also utilize play-action significantly more.

Ultimately, the success of Beckham Jr. relies on the coaching strategies and how well they can get the ball into his hands. We can expect only improvements with the overhaul of the front-office and coaching staff.

(Kinda cool, you can customize your own hoodie with free shipping)

Extra:

OBJ can be lined up all over the field, especially with Sterling Shepard getting reps on the outside in 2017. Exposing mismatches will be utilized early and often under Shurmur.

Credits: Raj Mehta

This offensive lineman could solve the left tackle issue for the Giants:

The New York Giants have an offensive line problem, and their names are Ereck Flowers, John Jerry and formerly Bobby Hart. Several acquisitions need to be made to create a serviceable line, but here’s one guy that can bring extreme value to Eli Manning’s security brigade.

On the Carolina Panthers, Gettleman was keen on building though the trenches, and often found talent in later rounds to solve holes on the offensive line. One of those hidden talents was undrafted player Andrew Norwell.

According to Draft Analyst’s Tony Pauline’s Senior Bowl Buzz, Gettleman is prepared to make a serious run at Norwell.

Norwell is one of the guys that doesn’t have him name mention a lot, and it’s a that’s a good thing. He was the only guard not to commit a penalty in the entire season (those that played over 500 snaps). His trademark is his lack of penalties, and his ability to keep honest on the line. His technique and fundementals is first-class, which not only will help his fellow teammates achieve that standard, but it will help Eli Manning stay upright.

By letting Justin Pugh and his mega-deal walk in free agency, the Giants can spend their money efficiently — no penalties and consistency.

Here’s what a perfect first-round for the Giants might look like:

General manager of the New York Giants Dave Gettleman, has publicly expressed his confidence in franchise quarterback Eli Manning, further surrounding caution around selecting a signal caller in the first-round of the 2018 NFL draft.

What would a great first-round look like?

There are a ton of people that think the Giants need to move on from Manning, and that passing up on quarterbacks like Josh Rosen or Josh Allen would be a huge mistake.

Here’s my take:

The Giants have holes at linebacker, cornerback, several on the offensive line, and throw in running back for shits and giggles. Notice how quarterback is not a ‘pressing’ need, nor should it be with Manning and Davis Webb on the roster. Taking a quarterback with a majority of the defense in question and a stripped offensive line would be disastrous, especially since the QB taken would need at least one-year to develop into a starting caliber player (In addition, Manning doesn’t want to help develop his competition).

What would a perfect first-round look like?

As stated before, the Giants have various glaring holes that need to be filled through the draft with youth, and not aging veteran talent. That’s a Jerry Reese fix, not a Dave Gettleman one.

For Big Blue, a perfect first-round would be the following:

Trading back with the New York Jets to the 6th overall pick would not only allow the Giants to still have a prime selection, but it would also enable them to collect additional draft picks (potentially another second-rounder in 2019). In this instance, let’s assume the Giants receive an additional second-rounder.

With the sixth-pick, the Giants could still be in the mix to grab running back Saquon Barkley. The Penn State star back would open up the offense for Manning exponentially, and it would provide a security blanket for Odell Beckham Jr. Imagine an offense featuring Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard, Brandon Marshall, Evan Engram, and Barkley.

One of the two picks in the second round should be used on an offensive lineman — potentially West Georgia’s Desmond Harrison. Scouts have been raving about Harrison’s abilities, including his size and speed. The West Georgia product could play a pivotal role in replacing Ereck Flowers, or taking over at right tackle where Bobby Hart used to suck.

The other second-round pick could be used on a linebacker, preferably Rashaad Evans out of Alabama. If Evans is still available early in the second, the Giants MUST pounce.

Of course, this is a hypothetical draft, yet a possible realistic situation the Giants might find themselves in.

The truth about Davis Webb has been revealed:

The New York Giants are between a rock and a hard place with their current quarterback situation. On one side, they have Davis Webb waiting in the ranks who has just completed a year of learning behind Eli Manning.

On the other side, Big Blue has the no. 2 pick in the NFL draft and general manager Dave Gettleman could choose to take a quarterback, forcefully throwing everything up into the air.

When asked about the draft, Gettleman responded saying (according to Giants.com):

“With the second pick, we’re going to take the best player,” he stated. “They screamed at me in Carolina, ‘You’ve got to draft a tackle, you’ve got to draft a tackle.’ If the value’s not there when you pick, you’re going to make a mistake. You’ll make a mistake. We’re going to set ourselves up so that we can take the best player available. And if the best player available is a quarterback, then that’s what we’re going to do.”

Quite vague from the new GM, but what else should we expect? There’s no way he’s going to detail his entire draft strategy to the media for all to know, but here’s what we can take depict from his answer.

Former GM Jerry Reese was keen on taking the best player available, primarily at ‘skill’ positions, which differs from Gettleman’s approach in that he is looking for the top talent at any and all positions, not just ones like wide receiver or cornerback.

Gettleman made it apparent that if he believes a quarterback should be selected, then that is what he will do. But what about Davis Webb? And does he think that Webb could be a part of the succession plan for after Manning?

Here’s what he had to say:

“I know nothing [about him],” Gettleman said. “I know that he’s a double transfer. I’ve spent some time talking to him. He seems like a great kid. I know he followed Eli around and is learning how to be a pro. That’s what I know.”

It’s still early in Gettleman’s tenure with the Giants, and he’s only recently gotten around to speaking with Manning and Odell Beckham Jr., but I can imagine he will make time to sit down with Webb as well.

EXTRA:

Gettleman may leave the quarterback situation up to new head coach Pat Shurmur, as he’s been known as the "quarterback whisperer." If Shurmur likes what he sees in Webb, and trusts his judgement, we may see the Giants completely avoid a quarterback in the 2018 NFL draft.

With the conclusion of the Giants coaching search, we can finally divert our questions to other areas of the team:

While much attention has been focused on the New York Giant’s offensive problems this offseason, there is still much to wonder about Big Blue’s defense.

Just two years ago the Giants’ had the second best defense in terms of points allowed, as well as the third best rush defense under the guidance of Steve Spagnuola. But just a year later, both him and his colleague, Ben Mcadoo are out of New York.

The new reign, Pat Shurmur and James Brettcher, are not walking into the prettiest situation. They are taking over a team filled with more holes than a pasta strainer.

These are the biggest questions they will be faced with regarding the state of the team’s defense:

3. Can Eli Apple be salvaged?

The Giants expected a lot from Eli Apple. So much so that they spent the 10th overall pick of the 2016 draft on him. His second year on the Giants was filled with terrible play and even worse maturity. With constant feuds with coaches and teammates, Apple was more of "a cancer" to the team than he was a talent. Just ask Landon Collins. Should the new coaching staff trade him while he’s worth more than nothing? Or should they give him the benefit of a second chance?

2. Should DRC play safety?

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will go down as one of the better corners to play the game. While he still has a good deal of talent still in him, there’s no denying the fact that father time is beginning to catch up with him. DRC told the media last month that he would be open to the idea of playing safety, a move many corners make at the end of their career. Is it smart to move now? Who will replace him given the uncertainty of Eli Apple?

1. Who will be traded?

In 2016 the Giants made big offers to Janoris Jenkins and Olivier Vernon. Last year they made JPP one of the highest played defensive players in the game. If the team is going to sign OBJ, they are going to have to clear some cap space by next offseason. Should they trade a major defensive piece for some picks? Who should it be?