Determining How The New York Giants Should Approach Their Own Free Agents

If it seems that every year the New York Giants face an “either-or” situation when it comes to their own free agents, that’s because they are, and this year is certainly no different.

The biggest question for general manager Dave Gettleman will boil down to whether to keep defensive end Leonard Williams or defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson, both of whom were integral parts of that defensive line last year and are likely to command big paydays.

In an ideal world, the Giants find a way to keep both, but that doesn’t appear to be likely given the Giants other needs and the fact that the 2021 NFL salary cap is expected to be between $175-$180 million this year, a drop from the $198.2 million mark of a year ago.

So what should the Giants do regarding Williams and Tomlinson, and what about the rest of their unrestricted free-agents-to-be? Let’s run down the list.

Leonard Williams: Keep

Williams is going to cost the Giants nearly $20 million if they have to franchise tag him. 

The Giants pass rush somehow managed to thrive despite the lack of a true “blue goose” pass rusher, and a big reason for that besides the schemes of defensive coordinator Patrick Graham was Williams’ play. 

If it comes down to keeping a pass rusher versus a run stuffer, you go with the pass rusher on your line since, ideally, the objective is to pressure opposing quarterbacks with as few players as possible.  

DT Dalvin Tomlinson: Pass

As previously noted, a run-stuffer is a lot easier to replace than a pass rusher, and the Giants might even have that guy on the roster already in B.J. Hill. If not, there are plenty of bid-bodied, nimble space eaters who can come in and take on that Tomlinson role. 

OT Cameron Fleming: Keep

The assumption is the Giants plan to pass the baton to second-year man Matt Peart at right tackle. But before wagering anything crazy on that happening, it’s best to take a step back.

Peart, the Giants’ third-round pick out of UConn, dealt with a late-season ankle injury that kept him out of Week 15’s game. He returned for Week 16 but didn’t get any snaps in Week 17, as by then, the issues with his technique and handle speed were evident. 

His snaps in the second half of the season diminished, both before and after his ankle issue popped up. Given all that, don’t rule out the Giants re-signing Fleming to another one-year deal to compete with the youngster.

RB Wayne Gallman: Pass

Gallman did everything possible to prove himself worthy of being the lead in a team’s rushing game thanks to his breakout season resulting from Saquon Barkley’s torn ACL. But despite his success, Gallman is unlikely to find a similar role with the Giants so long as Barkley is healthy—and there is early optimism that he will be.

Gallman may look to go to a team where he can be more of an equal partner in the running game versus a backup or spot reliever. If that’s the case, then the Giants, who could be eyeing free-agent-to-be James White from the Patriots as a possible veteran signing, would be best off letting Gallman walk and filling out the depth at running back with a lower cost signing and a draft pick. 

RB Alfred Morris: Keep

Except for Barkley, the Giants don’t have any veteran running backs with experience on their roster, so restocking that cupboard will be a priority. 

Assuming he wants to continue playing, Morris would be the most likely of the Giants’ three UFA running backs (Gallman and Dion Lewis) to return. Morris not only was a solid runner in relief of Gallman last year, but he was also one of the team’s best blocking running backs, a very underrated yet critical element in grading running backs.

RB Dion Lewis: Pass

Lewis barely made a ripple when given a chance to run the ball this year, getting 10 of his 29 carries toward the back end of the season while managing only eight first downs all year long. 

He also didn’t get as many opportunities in the passing game, coming up with 19 receptions out of 27 carries for 127 yards and one touchdown, an average of 6.7 yards per reception. 

Add to that his late-year ball security issues on kickoff returns, and it’s hard envisioning the Giants bringing him back on for a return engagement.

QB Colt McCoy: Keep

Sure, the Giants could look to upgrade at the backup position, especially if starter Daniel Jones, who has already missed four games in his first two seasons, continues on that trend.

But a better solution for the Giants would be to find a running back to complement Barkley, thus reducing the number of times Jones might have a designed run called for him and continuing to coach up the offensive line in run blocking.

Accomplish that, and maybe the backup quarterback never sees the field, just as was the case when ironman Eli Manning ruled the MetLife Stadium gridiron.  

OLB Kyler Fackrell: Keep

The Giants signed Fackrell to a one-year “prove it” deal last off-season, and while he didn’t quite reach the success level that Markus Golden had the year prior on his “prove-it’ deal, Fackrell was a steady contributor as an outside linebacker.

With this year’s draft class said to be thin at edge rusher, the Giants can do a lot worse than to bring Fackrell back on another one-year deal.

S Nate Ebner: Pass

Because of his ties to head coach Joe Judge in New England, the signing of Ebner, primarily a special teams player, came as no surprise last year.  

In retrospect, the Giants might have been much better off re-signing safety Michael Thomas, who made a Pro Bowl a couple of years ago as a special teamer and who is a better safety. But as is usually the case around the league, when a new head coach comes in, he tends to want his guys, but at the same time, that coach needs to recognize when it’s time to move on, as is the case here. 

LS Casey Kreiter: Pass

Kreiter did a stable job after stepping in for long-time long snapper Zak DeOssie, who retired after the 2019 season. But the Giants got spoiled over the years with DeOssie’s play in that he was often one of, if not the first down the field to make a tackle, something Kreiter wasn’t able to replicate.

With the Giants having retained Carson Tinker, who was on their practice squad last year, and with Niko Lalos having dabbled with long snapping, the Giants could be planning to move on from Kreiter.

FS Arian Colbert: Pass

Colbert’s most significant impact was on special teams as a gunner, a role that took a big hit on the Giants when they lost their dynamic duo of 2019—cornerback Antonio Hamilton to free agency (Chiefs) and Cody Core to injury (Achilles).

Unfortunately, Colbert suffered some injury issues of his own (shoulder). Although he recovered from that to return following a stint on IR, the Giants will probably look to upgrade the depth at safety through the draft.

DT Austin Johnson: Keep

Johnson was signed last off-season, a move likely linked to defensive line coach Sean Spencer, who coached Johnson at Penn State. A poor man’s Tomlinson, Johnson would presumably come cheaper to re-sign if the Giants are looking for depth at the 0- and 1-technique spots.

DE Jabaal Sheard: Keep

Sheard was another late-season signing who delivered some solid play when pressed into action as an edge rusher. He posted 13 pressures from a 4-3 defensive end spot in eight games and had 11 tackles, proving that he still had something left in the tank. 

If he’s agreeable to returning on a one-year Veteran Salary Benefit deal, he will make for a nice rotational piece to have back as the Giants continue to shape their pass-rushing threats. 

G/C Spencer Pulley: Pass

The Giants signed former Jets interior offensive lineman Jonotthan Harrison to a reserve/futures contract. That was as clear of a sign as any that the team plans to move on from Pulley, the only player on the 2020 team who didn’t get any offensive snaps as part of the offensive line rotation they ran that was supposed to give players opportunities.