Imo not only does EVERYTHING have to fall in to place (requiring extraordinary luck) for us to contend this year, but our depth is so poor that there are almost no backup players competent enough to either take over a starting spot if we were to trade a vet in a rebuilding move, or quality depth to trade because of depth at a position.
Preston Parker might be one of the few guys whose loss we could likely overcome and who might yield even a 6th or 7th round pick were he to be traded.
I've gotta put this on Reese, a guy I've always admired but who has crapped out on a number of drafts during his tenure.
They have some nice talent, but the weaknesses could overcome those strong points. I hope I'm wrong and when they start playing for real they kick it up a notch.
I think that with another solid draft next year (which would make 4 in a row) we will see a much more filled out roster that can seriously contend. Before that, we need things to go right.
Beatty, Richburg, Schwartz, Newhouse, Cruz, JPP, Beason, Collins, Taylor, Berhe, etc.
And there are a few others with aches and pains....
Nobody is trading anything for Parker.
THIS!!! Did I say, THIS?
The rest of the roster is either question marks or weaknesses.
There are definitely some deep teams in the NFL. The issue is not that you can't build a deep team. The issue is that you can't maintain one (see Seattle).
But that is a farce that it can't be done in the short term. The 2008 Giants team was loaded with starter caliber players backing up at every position except for maybe wide receiver, linebacker and safety.
The problem is exactly as the OP says, we have absolutely no one to fill in at most positions if people go down.
Any team -- like the Giants -- with a Super Bowl winning QB is going to have a lot of cap money tied up in that position. Any team that has had sustained success (more than one season) and young players who became stars, is going to have trouble paying all those guys. (The Giants have had that issue with JPP, Nicks, Cruz, OBJ, etc.)
Parity. Whatcha gonna do?
One of the things I always pay closer attention to in the preseason is the play of the 2nd and 3rd strings. I realize it's against other teams' depth, but it's often the only time you get to analyze them at all.
If the Giants had quality depth, a man-for-man trade could be made to a team with similar quality depth at a position of Giants need.
But where is that depth on the Giants and who needs depth at that position? WR may have the most depth but only if Cruz and Randle are ready to play.
There are definitely some deep teams in the NFL. The issue is not that you can't build a deep team. The issue is that you can't maintain one (see Seattle).
But that is a farce that it can't be done in the short term. The 2008 Giants team was loaded with starter caliber players backing up at every position except for maybe wide receiver, linebacker and safety.
Loaded with depth but everyone blames not winning the Super Bowl on one player
Dan in the Springs : 5:39 pm : link : reply
our backups matched up against Jacksonville's. Looked pretty good to me.
One of the things I always pay closer attention to in the preseason is the play of the 2nd and 3rd strings. I realize it's against other teams' depth, but it's often the only time you get to analyze them at all.
Big freakin' deal our backups beat their backups......and Jacksonville's, no less.....because our backups beat their backups in preseason last year, we were 5-0....yet we had no depth last year.....and we lost 7 straight....
When our franchise qb and best receiver can't get together on one completion in two games, those are matchups I look at....the guys you are looking at, just fill out the roster and basically have no impact during the season.....yes, once in awhile you may find a gem, but there are way more Sean Bennett's and Calhoun's than there are Cruz's.....
hell, we haven't started the season yet, and this roster is becoming a disaster.....keep counting on guys that are cheap and injury prone, Jerry.....
Last year our season was over in October....unless Reese gets ridiculously lucky, with other team's cuts, it will be hard to get to 8-8.....now where can he find 15M in cap space?
Steve Smith, Terrell THomas, Kenny Phillips, Hakeem Nicks, Chad Jones, David Wilson, Clint Sintim, JPP-- not to mention all the O-line injuries the last few years.
Everything is connected. You lose a lot of guys at one position, and you have to start devoting resources to refill that position and there is an opportunity cost to build elsewhere.
Steve Smith, Terrell THomas, Kenny Phillips, Hakeem Nicks, Chad Jones, David Wilson, Clint Sintim, JPP-- not to mention all the O-line injuries the last few years.
^^^^
This
Everything is connected. You lose a lot of guys at one position, and you have to start devoting resources to refill that position and there is an opportunity cost to build elsewhere.
Really? I think the core of this team is on the upswing. The offensive line has three young guys in Flowers, Pugh, and Richburg. We have Odell at wideout. The defensive line has Hankins, Moore, and Owa. Kennard at LB. Collins at safety and hopefully Prince will stick around.
I think the core of this team is getting better and they are headed in a positive direction.
Quote:
is hallow
Really? I think the core of this team is on the upswing. The offensive line has three young guys in Flowers, Pugh, and Richburg. We have Odell at wideout. The defensive line has Hankins, Moore, and Owa. Kennard at LB. Collins at safety and hopefully Prince will stick around.
I think the core of this team is getting better and they are headed in a positive direction.
i think giants fans overrate their player a little to often.more wishin and hopin that they are better then they really are.
Terps and '56 nailed it - there are no deep teams, thanks to the owners refusing to extend their roster sizes a bit. Not that there's a ton of talent out there, but to develop the talent at the bottom of the roster you need to be able to keep them around longer, and keep more of them around. Had the roster sizes expanded when the CBA changes went through, IMO we'd see much deeper teams because the guys who were basically transient on the practice squad (here one week and cut the next) would be around for the long haul. That would allow you to pick players who you know needed to be developed and might take a season or two to come around at the bottom of the roster without fear of being poached by another team like the PS does.
Instead, the owners stayed with cheap and cheery, and it shows.
There are definitely some deep teams in the NFL. The issue is not that you can't build a deep team. The issue is that you can't maintain one (see Seattle).
But that is a farce that it can't be done in the short term. The 2008 Giants team was loaded with starter caliber players backing up at every position except for maybe wide receiver, linebacker and safety.
Which teams are deep in the NFL right now?
Most Giants fans are happy with Eli and if the unthinkable happened, many are confident Nassib could move the offense. Not many teams can say that. Look at New England, with Brady expected to miss time. Would you rather have Garoppolo starting 4 games or Nassib?
The Giants RB situation is very deep. Jennings, Williams, Vereen, and Darkwa is a good grouping.
The WRs when healthy are a very deep group. If Randle and Cruz can go week one, find me a better top 3. Add Harris and maybe James Jones and Eli has 5 dangerous weapons.
Many don't see it yet, by the DE position is a deep group. Sure no JPP or elite pass rusher. But the Giants have 5 guys that can play the position well, and have two with big upside.
Where do they lack depth?
OL - product of age, injuries, and mid-round picks that did not pan out.
TE - If Cunningham shows something this could change
DT - Mostly because no one outside of the coaching staff anyway has confidence in Kuhn.
LB - Kennard is a keeper, JT Thomas has played one good preseason game for the Giants (need to see more), but Beason is always hurt, Herzlich is limited and we don't really know what we have in Casillias at the moment.
DB - Aside from DRC and Prince the cupboard is bare at CB and the safeties are unproven.
No team is strong everywhere. Sure, teams like the Packers and Bengals are pretty deep and have drafted well, but even teams like the Bills who are deep on Defense are thin at OL and unproven at QB. Even the Seahawks are having OL problems, and don't scare anyone at WR. We'd all like more depth, but you can't be strong everywhere. It's just not possible in the modern NFL. This is why QB, WR, and DE are and will remain your premier positions.
Nobody is trading anything for Parker.
It's also a function of a ton misses in the drafts from 3-5 years ago along w injuries Nothing to show from a bunch of drafts. Combo of the two IMO