Giants fans are getting impatient. They want to see rookie Giants GM Jerry Reese do something besides cut players he doesn't want, watch his free agents go elsewhere and let other teams make headlines by signing all the big-name players.
C'mon, Jerry! Get us Dominic Rhodes -- now! Get us a linebacker! Get us a cornerback! Why didn't we sign Leonard Davis? Oh my God, we lost Jay Feely! How are we ever gonna kick another field goal?
C'mon, Jerry! Do something, we're dying for a headline out here. We've gotta know that you care. Do you have a pulse, Jerry? We're the New York freakin' Giants! We can't sit on the sidelines and watch. We need more players!
All of you Giants fans -- and bloggers -- who are ready to declare a national emergency because the team hasn't made a move in a week need to relax a little bit.
Remember, this is the second week in March. No games that count will be played for another six months, and a lot can happen between now and then.
Remember also that this is a very overpriced, yet relatively weak free agent group. The Giants have some cap room, but not a lot. Why overpay for someone just to say that you have made a move, when you can be patient and see who falls to you at a cheaper price -- possibly putting you in a position to make a bigger strike later?
Rhodes and Feely are perfect examples.
Rhodes is a decent back, but no more than that. He would fit as a complement to Brandon Jacobs, but he did average only 3.0 and 3.4 yards per carry the last two seasons. Why would you pay mega-dollars for that kind of production when you can draft somebody or find a cheaper free agent later on who can give you that kind of production?
Same with Feely. He is a good, but not great kicker. Last season he made 23-of-27 field goals. Olindo Mare, whom Feely will replace in Miami, was 26-of-36 (25-of-30 inside 50 yards). Why not just bring in Mare, who is a good kicker with a lower price tag?
Why didn't the Giants trade for Willis McGahee? Because he cost the Ravens three draft picks, that's why. Did you really want the Giants to give up three picks for a guy who wouldn't be happy splitting time with Jacobs and would probably walk after a year?
I didn't think so.
Reese knows, just like everybody else seems to know, that the Giants need a running back, that they are thin on the offensive line and at linebacker, and that their secondary needs improvement.
Patience, everybody. As you will likely hear me say over and over, it's not about winning the offseason. It's about winning the games come this fall.
Don't crucify Reese for not making a move in the first week. There's still plenty of time.
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UPDATE: Rhodes has reportedly signed with the Raiders. The deal is $7 million for 2 years. Looks like the Giants will be drafting a running back.