Ok, lots of threads and opinions about making a 2018 run or it being time for a complete rebuild. Either way, decisions need to be made about which players are the core of the team for the long term. Some of the players listed are because they are young, cheap and have shown some ability and others because, from a cap perspective, are too expensive to release immediately. Here is my list:
Offense
Eli (the most difficult decision facing the franchise - when to cut ties)
Webb
Gallman
Perkins
OBJ
Shepard
Engram
Ellison
Richburg
Pugh
Defense
JPP
Vernon
Harrison
Tomlinson
Goodson
Apple
Jenkins
Collins
Thompson
Pugh
Richburg
Casillas
Robinson
Vereen
Kennard
So essentially there's 5 spots you need to fill with a new body, resign, or hope a young guy steps up
On top of that, IMO these positions need an upgrade:
LT, RG, RT, WR2, FS
Thats 11 positions that will need to be addressed with either FA dollars or draft picks. There's even more questions on top of that. Is 2018 Manning a superbowl caliber player? What to do about under performing, overpaid DEs? Will Odell return to form?
There are a lot of potential cuts and maybe even a contract or two to re-work. We'll have plenty of money to retain Pugh and sign UFA's and our draft picks.
I honestly believe with some tweeks we can be competitive in 2018.
I got: OBJ, Shepard, Engram, Pugh (maybe), Harrison, Vernon, Jenkins, Apple (maybe), Collins
These are the guys who are solid to top tier and who probably can't be replaced due to age and skill level. I included Pugh, but even I believe he can be upgraded. Like it or not we are stuck with other players due to contract or draft status:
JPP, Richburg, Flowers (maybe), Ellison, Tomlinson
So these might constitute your core. It's not an awful group of players, but wise decisions need to be made in order to turn this team in the right direction. Particularly along the QB, O-line, RB, and LB corps.
On defense, most of the core guys have to be due to contract, and potential performance
- jpp, snacks, Vernon, Tomlinson, goodson, jackrabbit, Collins, Apple,
On offense there isn’t much
- obj, Shepherd, engram, Pugh (sign him don’t sign richburg), gallman
Despite the defense being a bit of a fraud the last 3 weeks... with a few tweaks - they aren’t far from being good.
The offense has a long way to go- keys the rest of the year are giving players a shot to see if they can be part of the core.
- for this reason you play fluker, you move flowers to rt or guard, and give jones consistent reps- if one of them proves worthy- great.— I would like to see more from roger Lewis , darkwa health wise, and see Davis Webb get some reps to further evaluate.
If you have a LT and a RT, the rebuild all of a sudden becomes a lot easier.
I don't have a problem at all with having them compete for 1 roster spot. Candidly, I can see a path to where the Giants have to choose between one of the QB's projected to come out and Barkley. That is where the decision on Eli comes in. The organization is at a huge crossroads.
Yeah, but unfortunately cutting him prior to next season is a $22.75 million cap hit. $7.750 million of his salary is guaranteed. He will be a Giant in 2018 and probably 2019. Thus, I have him as core.