While I am always hopeful that we can turn things around and make a run, I have my doubts about the talent level on this team currently. With losses of Victor Cruz, Geoff Schwartz, Jerrel Jernigan, David Wilson, Will Hill, Walter Thurmond, Trumaine McBride, Cooper Taylor and probably Jon Beason, our team has been decimated by injuries and unlikely to be able to compete with the elite teams in the NFL. Considering these losses, we are in good shape being only 3-4, when it could be much worse.
While our next four games are challenging, the final five games are somewhat of a cakewalk. I can very easily see us going 6-3 over our final 9 games and finishing 9-7, which would be in line with our talent level. We're not an elite team, but we're better than the bottom feeders.
Right now, I think we have some really good core players to build around moving forward. I think that JPP, Hankins, and Amukamara are pro-bowl level players on defense and we have a foundation on offense with Eli Manning and good young core players such as Pugh, Richburg, Randle, Beckham Jr., Donnell, and Williams. While the 2009-2012 drafts have been littered with failed picks, injuries, and depreciating performance (see: Nicks, Beckum, Barden, Sintim, Dilliard, D.Wilson, Chad Jones, Hosley, Austin) our 2013-2014 drafts are looking promising - we've received strong contributions already from Pugh, Hankins, Richburg, Williams and I'm expecting good contributions from Beckham Jr., Bromley, Moore, and C.Taylor (who looked like a beast in pre-season)
After this year, I would definitely keep Coughlin for at least one more year to see what he can do with another round of smart free agency buys and a solid draft. I think he is a very solid coach (a hall of famer most likely) and despite our swoon in recent years, which is largely due to lack of talent, I can see us being significantly better next year as our talent pool increases (I think we would have been pretty good this year if not for all those injuries).
I think we can learn a good lesson from the Cowboys, that despite deficiencies in other areas of their roster, having an elite offensive line makes up for so many other areas of weakness. The Giants made the playoffs in 5 out of 7 years from 2006-2011, and won 2 super bowls, behind essentially the same offensive line (Diehl, Seubert, O'Hara, Snee, McKenzie) If you go back and look at the 2007-2008 PFF Scores, we scored in the top 3 in offensive line play and the results speak for themselves. I think the Giants drafting the last 2 years is in line with what what Coughlin said at the beginning of his tenure, that in order to be consistently good, we have to win the line of scrimmage. Eli, especially at this stage of his career and in this offense, looks like he can be effective without having elite skill position talent (see Donnell, Preston Parker). In 2013-2014 we spent 3 out of our 4 top round draft picks on lineman. If we can add an elite guard next year, and get solid play out of Beatty and Schwartz, I think our line can be close to what the Cowboys line is currently performing at.
On the defensive side of the ball, i'm really warming up to the idea of adding a player like Suh. Hankins is having a monster year IMO, and putting Suh next to him and teaming up with JPP, we can have an elite run stopping and pass rush unit. I know it will cost a lot of money to sign Suh and JPP, but we have the cap space, especially if we renegotiate Eli's deal, and with more money coming from the TV deals.
Overall, we won't win anything this year, but I don't think we're as far off as people think we are. I think Eli is still an elite quarterback, and we have some potentially 4-5 pro bowl level players already on the roster (Eli, Cruz (when healthy) Hankins, JPP, Amukamara, Rolle, DRC)
The talent level on this team needs to rise, but I would be wary of going all in on someone like Suh in free agency.
I think the lesson to be learned from the Cowboys is don't be afraid to invest in additional players to an area that is already strong. Giants did this back in the mid aughts with DL but seem to have lost their way a little bit.
When we were spending our most and up against the cap, we had big contracts - around 2009-2011, we had major contracts for Eli, Jacobs, Snee, Baas, McKenzie, Tuck, Umenyiora, Canty, Boley, Rolle, and Webster. We have money to spend.
OTC says 1.8 mil left over this year for rollover. They're pretty reliable. I thought it was more (4/5m) but not 9m.
Even if they create $30M in cap space, spending $20M+ on JPP and Suh seems a stretch. Requires capology and then some, it would appear.
Consider this, if the Giants were running Gilbride's offense this year, what do you think our record would be? We may have still beaten Washington, but that's about it.
Well, in terms of a down lineman, he's a superstar type and the Lions aren't trying to extend him before free agency. A lot has to do with his past antics, for sure.
And as they say, you let them get to FA, they usually are gone.......so the Lions don't seem to care much.
I think the Lions want to see their players actually make the playoffs before committing to him.
That's something I'm thinking about Jon. Gonna wait till I ave more time though. JPP's case will be the most interesting.
Not true. They're only about 2.5-3 mill under the cap. Those figures are inaccurate because the NFLPA's website has guys entering in the info who are using the Cap Accounting rules for the Top 51 phase of the NFL calendar year. That ended on September 3rd at 4 pm ET.
Salary Cap space - Giants rank 27th in the league (They are $1,799,328 under the cap) - ( New Window )
Quote:
Staring at a pair of $10M cap hits on the DL (JPP and Suh), along with extensions for Eli, Prince, and some new money for Rolle doesn't bode well for having a great deal of space.
That's something I'm thinking about Jon. Gonna wait till I ave more time though. JPP's case will be the most interesting.
Looking forward to it. If Eli continues to look reborn and play well, perhaps they'll move to get his new deal done this offseason as well.
why we will lose is because we are losing by few errors
and with a bye...they signed no players to team...
beason is done why nor ired and replacement brought
in...also jones should have been signed and cox back to
ps....Jenkins wont play half the games...oline should
be improved....tc is doing nothing...we will have same
gameplan next week. ...
While I would love to get Suh the Lions will tag him if they can't sign him.