Giants Best Free Agency Sign of All Time

His performance in that playoff game in Green Bay was incredible. They don't get to the Superbowl let alone win it without him.

I think you can make a strong case for Kerry Collins though.

To take a flier on a guy who was broken down by alcohol and had thrown it all almost completely away and have him lead you to a Super Bowl (blow out loss or not) is a pretty decent buy.

Aside from that I think the rest of 05 comes to mind with Pierce and MacKenzie

The difference between Plax and another WR is not as impactful as the difference between having an NFL caliber QB and not having one.

I know kickers don't get a lot of credit but Lawrence Tynes was a great pick up too.

I still get angry thinking about how his career ended with the Giants in 08. If he doesn't act like a moron, I have very little doubt they repeat. They beat the 4 teams that were in the Championship games that year. Ah what could have been.

In comment 12206796 BeerFridge said:

Quote:

The difference between Plax and another WR is not as impactful as the difference between having an NFL caliber QB and not having one.

But Collins never won a Super Bowl like Plaxico did. In fact, Collins was downright awful in that game. And he wasn't really as dominant at his position as Plaxico was at his until he shot himself.

The correct answer is KMac.

Is the answer in my opinion.

with Kareem distant second.

In comment 12206799 DaddyM89 said:

Quote:

I still get angry thinking about how his career ended with the Giants in 08. If he doesn't act like a moron, I have very little doubt they repeat. They beat the 4 teams that were in the Championship games that year. Ah what could have been.

Maybe but the year before the Packers beat us in the season and the Cowboys swept us in the season. That didn't help them in the post season. Still I agree. I think we would have repeated.

Back to the question; Does Victor Cruz count?

As an under the radar signing...different topic I know it's nowhere near the best

Rolle was also excellent. Those were the 3 best signings as each one directly contributed to SB wins on a pro bowl level. McKenzie played a ton of games and was a big piece of the strength of the organization for a long time (OL) so his consistency wins out. The GB game in 08 elevates Plax, but he also gets knocked down a peg for his exit. Rolle was consistent and an important leader.

Next group down from them would include Boley, Collins, Pierce, Canty, Barrow, and you also have to include Feagles. All were very good pickups, though they either had really small windows or weren't as high impact.

Undrafted out of college. Hitchhiked from Iowa to the Polo Grounds, tried out, and was signed. That signing worked out pretty well, I'd say. From UDFA to the Hall of Fame. 9 Pro Bowls. 4-time All-Pro. Member of the all 50s team. 10 total special teams/defensive TDs. 2-time NFL champion. Still has the 2nd most interceptions in league history.

with Chase Blackburn, Sam Madison, and Deon Grant. Excellent value pickups who made big plays when it mattered, but not a true "free agency" pickup since they were basically lower cost vets. Rocky Bernard got a slightly bigger contract, but he's in that category as well. Same with Glenn Parker and Lomas Brown.

I'd put Plax and Rolle in that next tier.

Quiet excellence at RT for many years.

prior to that year, I think Kerry Collins, and Michael Barrow should get a mention.

is the first name that came to mind. He wasn't an elite QB but he played very well for us and was the first solid QB we had in years. A huge signing.

In comment 12206827 Greg from LI said:

Quote:

Quiet excellence at RT for many years.

Same here. Although I can't really argue with those who favor Plax. They were both key. The gun incident leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth about Plax though - we had it going in '08 until that.

Johnnie Cooks and Steve Deossie played on the 1990 Championship team!

Plax
Collins
Rolle
Mackenzie
Pierce

For Feagles or Tynes.

.

followed by Kmac

Gave us stability for a long time. Would love to repeat that signing.

just to throw a name out there that doesn't get enough respect, is Shaun O'Hara.

He went to 3 pro-bowls as a Giant.

Pro-bowls are somewhat of a joke if you're measuring a player for the HOF or something, but still a good barometer of a good signing.

That's more than Plax, McKenzie, and Pierce combined.

& Plax a tie.

and could still use him

It's obviously Plaxico. The Giants had NEVER had an offensive weapon like him to that point. Modernized the giants offense.

Mckenzie was a great Giant but there's no comparison.

time without incident at a high level. I'd go with him just over Plax and Pierce.

Get real.

Plax
AP
Mckenzie
Collins

All better signings than Rolle. He's completely overrated player. That doesn't mean he wasn't a good player, he was. But he is so overrated by Giant fans.

Plax was overall a better talent, but Pierce was such a great fit, especially when Spags came on board.

Both had big games against GB (Plax bigger, but Pierce taking out 3 blockers on the screen pass was epic).

.

He was consistently excellent for four years (including a championship), pretty good for two years, then crappy for one year when the Giants won a Super Bowl anyway. Burress was dynamic - though wildly erratic and unreliable - for parts of three years (including a championship), then blew himself up. It says something that when Reese extended Plax, he built in plenty of protection for the team. The Giants valued Burress, but they never trusted him.

Toomer actually put up slightly better numbers from 1999-2003 with Collins than Burress did during his peak years with Eli. There was more to Burress's tenure here than the last two games of the 2007-2008 postseason. A lot of it was bad, even before the shooting.

As for Pierce, I don't think he was ever the same after the high ankle sprain in 2005. Still an excellent signing, but not what he might have been.

long time center on Super Bowl Champion teams and 5 time Pro Bowl center.

Who was the Giants worst free agent signing. Larry Csconka comes to mind first for me.

In comment 12206797 Curtis in VA said:

Quote:

I know kickers don't get a lot of credit but Lawrence Tynes was a great pick up too.

Minor point, but Tynes was a trade, not a free agent.

He was a very good signing

We don't win two superbowls without........ Maurice Carthon!!!!! No doubt in my mind! Ask Joe Morris or OJ Anderson!

In comment 12206988 Carl in CT said:

Quote:

We don't win two superbowls without........ Maurice Carthon!!!!! No doubt in my mind! Ask Joe Morris or OJ Anderson!

Was it Carthon? Or was it just the fact we had a decent full back?

.

never actually signed, but he did net draft choices that contributed to a SB win.

Was not a good QB, so how can he be the best free agent for us, I never could stomach the guy. I would rate Mac, Plax, Pierce and Rolle all ahead of the dummy.

.
Run with Power - ( New Window )

an all time great, but he was a good QB and he got us out of QB purgatory.

In comment 12207035 Giants2012 said:

Quote:

. Run with Power - ( New Window )

Plax was the best athlete yet OJ was the bull the offense rode behind.
MVP - ( New Window )

.

In comment 12207035 Giants2012 said:

Quote:

. Run with Power - ( New Window )

OJ was acquired via trade not a free agent. Giants gave up a 2nd round draft choice for him during the 86 season.

but don't forget Everson Walls in 1990

Best free agent signing that didn't almost shoot his junk off and cost us back to back titles in the process...

Bart Oates.

Plax was such a dominant physical force - just looked bigger and played big. OJ Anderson would be my second choice. Sean Landetta anyone? he came over from the USFL I think along with Bart Oates another free agent that need sot be in the discussion

May not have been the best, but deserves mention.

like Burt you should include Victor Cruz and players like that.

I think Cruz would be near the top of the list if he were considered.

.

In comment 12207085 pjcas18 said:

Quote:

like Burt you should include Victor Cruz and players like that. I think Cruz would be near the top of the list if he were considered.

Cruz was mentioned.

I missed Cruz.

Given the fact he was a UDFA and made very little money if you consider UDFA's he was as good or better signing than Plax, Pierce, McKenzie and others.

He was head and shoulders above what we had, but I think it's pretty funny fifteen years later I'm still saying on this board - we had the 5th rammed defense and Collins had an 83 QB rating, averaged less than 7ypa, and completed 58% of his passes. He was an important part and it was awesome how he revived his career, but lead the team is a phrase that always has bothered me. Nobody says dilfer lead the ravens. And saying he was best of all time, cmon!!! I hate plax for costing us at least one title, but clearly he was a huge part of our success especially in green bay.

Might have been Plax if he wasn't such an idiot and didn't cost us 2008.

Jeff Feagles... HOF punter

In comment 12206811 moespree said:

Quote:

Is the answer in my opinion.

Agree

No contest.

Wait what GM signed those guys again ??

Wait who signed K. Mitchell off the scrap heap

M. Boley , rocky Bernard ?

Antrel Rolle ?

Oh it's that shitty 2 time Super Bowl team building an winning GM

Jerry Reese.

In comment 12207310 Rory said:

Quote:

Wait what GM signed those guys again ?? Wait who signed K. Mitchell off the scrap heap M. Boley , rocky Bernard ? Antrel Rolle ? Oh it's that shitty 2 time Super Bowl team building an winning GM Jerry Reese.

Ernie Accorsi signed Pierce, Plax, and McKenzie

Was the best of times, Plax was the worst of times....

Burress alone. Touchdown New York.

the first of many horrible George Young choices. Reggie White should have been the pick. The Giants might have won 5 Super Bowls in the 80's if he was.

.