What is left to gain in 2013 (long post)

I think that at this juncture, even the most wide eyed optimist can realize that you can throw dirt on the 2013 Giants team. This thought that they can still hang around because of how putrid the NFC East is, while enticing, is just not going to happen. To even play .500 ball the rest of the way will put them at 5-11.

So with 10 games to go, the Giants should take a step back and look at what they need to do to put themselves in the best position to rebound in 2014. Forget that damn Super Bowl countdown clock that was put in the locker room. That will be up there with Jim Fassel's "sign the shovel" tactic in 2003 that showed a severe disconnect between what the team was really capable of and what the front office/coaches thought they could do.

1) Play the young core who will be considered part of the team's future. I put that emphasis in there because some of the young players on this team are not going to go anywhere in the future (ie- Cordle or Herzlich). Guys I'm specifically referring to:
- Justin Pugh: the playing time he's getting now will be invaluable down the line. He is either going to figure in as a guard or as a tackle opposite Beatty in the future.
- Will Hill: Did he blow his coverage against Marshall last night on one of his TDs? Probably, but he's also a guy who hits like a truck at safety and I'd rather he learn by fire this year and get ready to take over for Rolle next year.
- Prince Amukamara: Prince looks like the next in the line of physical corners the Giants have had along the lines of Mark Haynes, Mark Collins, and Phillippi Sparks. Keep matching him up on the best receiver on the other team and let him continue to develop into one of the best corners in the NFC
- Rueben Randle: Boom or bust with this kid. Randle can be a game breaker, great physical talent. But he's been inconsistent, blew the coverage read last night on the Pick 6, got lucky on the frustration spike that could have been a fumble. However, if Nicks ends up leaving as a free agent, they need him ready to step up. If the Giants can get him to progress the rest of the 10 games, you step back and realize he's only 22 years old.
- Jonathan Hankins: Hankins looks like he's the guy who will end up taking over for Joseph if he decides to bolt in free agency. Only 21 years old, he's been pretty active in the past 2 games he's played. Give him more time on the field and see if they have at least one DT spot locked down for the next 5 years
- Damontre Moore: DaMonster looked good against the Steelers, has shown some flashes, but he keeps getting hurt. It would be a huge boon to go into 2014 and feel that the Giants will have another strong pass rushing DE to pair up with JPP (who I believe is still making his way back from that back injury and now has a knee to go along with it)
- David Wilson: His neck injury is worrisome on many levels, but from a personnel standpoint, the Giants need to know if this guy is going to be who they thought they were getting in the first round. Wilson has an explosiveness and big play ability at running back we haven't seen since Meggett. But the fumbles got him in the dog house. I can only hope that his neck will not keep him out long and we get to see him more involved in the games to find out if RB will be a huge need in 2014. I'm not writing him off yet.
- James Brewer: It's put up or shut up time with this guy. Can he be an NFL offensive lineman or not. Snee is not coming back next year. Boothe is a journeyman. This is his chance to show that he can play at this level and be a starting guard. Unless there is a feeling that he is going to be a risk to Eli's health, I sit Diehl or Boothe and put him out there and see what he can do. The Giants had a talented guy in William Roberts who failed as a tackle and turned into a Pro Bowl guard.
- Marcus Kuhn: On PUP, but if his knee is sound, there is no reason to keep him there. Let him get more experience and see if he can build on what was a promising rookie season before his ACL tear.

2) Trade some veterans: The Giants aren't going anywhere, and tied to point 1 above, some of these vets made more sense before the roof collapsed. The Giants should be sellers here and they actually have some pieces teams would want, specifically on the defensive line

- Shaun Rogers
- Mike Patterson


Will they get a first round pick back? No, they won't get a second day pick either. However, I see no reason to have Rogers and Patterson around at the expense of playing Hankins and (if healthy) Kuhn. Teams are always needing help at DT, I would think the Giants could net a 6th or 7th for these guys...regroup the 7th dealt for Beason.

While trading Tuck might make some sense, particularly if he's blocking Moore at all, I don't see the Giants doing that. I think as captain and for what he's done in the past, they will keep him around to finish out this season.

If Reese really wanted to put a shock into the team, he puts Nicks on the block. I have long said that as Nicks goes, so goes the Giants offense. However, Nicks has been a guy who is always held back from his potential due to injury. To be honest, from what I've seen this year, he seems to be a guy who is making some business decisions on the field looking at his free agency coming up. If the Giants are not going to lock him up long term and will see what happens in the off season (knowing they can tag him), I would put feelers out there to see if anyone would be interested in a trade. Nicks should fetch a pretty decent return, certainly nothing less than a 2nd rounder.

3) See what veterans have anything left in the tank and can they be counted on in 2014. This is pretty self explanatory. But for me, the following guys are putting themselves on film now to see if they should return next year:
- Beason
- Kiwi
- Thomas
- Paysinger
- Jernigan

4) Other than the obvious guys (Eli, Cruz, JPP, etc) All the rest for me can come or go. I think we will see some big name warriors see their final 10 games with the Giants, namely Tuck, Diehl, and Webster.

5) The coaching question. The final piece of the equation. I think the evaluation in the next 10 games will say a great deal if Coughlin is even in consideration to come back or not. Again, my own personal opinion is that Coughlin will retire and had more or less made up his mind before the season. However, lets look at this from the Giants standpoint, and assuming the team doesn't look like they flat out quit (ie- Handley late 1992 and Fassel in 2003). And you must now factor in Coughlin's age to this decision as well. He's 68 years old. The Giants must decide if 2013 is a bump in the road and just one of those years or the sign that this team now needs some major work done on it to get back on track. If the Giants feel that this was just one of those things, and injuries and shit luck got them, then I think Coughlin might well survive this. But again, that's on Mara/Tisch and Reese to decide that this year was a fluke and they will be right in the hunt in 2014. However, if the organization feels that this team really needs a lot of work and a lot of retooling, bringing Coughlin back is a stupid move. Nothing against TC, he has been a great Giant, has brought us 2 Super Bowl championships and has been nothing but class. However, if the transition is so deep and needed, the Giants owe it to the organization and fans to turn the team over to a younger coach who will lead them through the next 5 or so years, through the end of Eli's career. If TC only has one more year in his tank, and the team's fixes will take longer, they have to move on.

To me, they might as well take down that stupid clock. There will not be a playoffs this year, no magical run. This is about 2014 and beyond, and they shouldn't waste the opportunity over the next 10 games to feel good about a 6-10 or 7-9 season if things break right and still miss the playoffs.