Five Biggest Questions Facing The Giants This Offseason

The New York Giants have many interesting, and difficult, decisions to make this offseason. Here is a quick look at what comes to mind as the five biggest questions as the team prepares to defend its 2012 Super Bowl title.

1. The Future Of Osi Umenyiora -- Throughout the 2011 season we knew Umenyiora's future with the Giants would have to be addressed this offseason. Flush with the excitement of victory during Tuesday's championship parade, Umenyiora told reporters that "of course" he wanted to stay with the Giants.

If Osi can truly be happy as the third wheel in the Giants' defensive end rotation behind Jason Pierre-Paul and Justin Tuck, and if he truly can accept the fact that the Giants are not renegotiating his contract, then he should certainly stay. The three-headed defensive end rotation gives the Giants something no one else.

If the Giants, and Umenyiora, don't believe he can remain happy in the current situation then general manager Jerry Reese needs to get what he can for Umenyiora and move on.

2. The Future Of Brandon Jacobs -- The often-moody running back is also proclaiming his love for the Giants these days and saying he wants to stay. Jacobs is due $4.4 million in base salary for next season, though, and that is a lot to pay for a backup running back with a lot of mileage on his tires.

3. Who Will Play Tight End? -- It won't be the torn ACL tandem of Jake Ballard and Travis Beckum, at least not at the beginning of the season. Bear Pascoe is a decent player and a fan favorite who helps as a blocker at both fullback and tight end, and can catch a little bit, but I can't imagine the Giants see Pascoe as an every-down starting tight end.

4. What To Do About The Offensive Line -- This group was probably the Giants' weakest link in 2011, and Eli Manning and Kevin Gilbride were successfully able to work around it. Will Beatty returning to left tackle will help. What do the Giants do at right tackle, where Kareem McKenzie is a free agent coming off a season in which he looked old and slow? What do they do at left guard, especially if David Diehl winds up moving to right tackle to replace McKenzie? Do they trust 2011 fourth-round pick James Brewer enough to play him in 2012? Can Mitch Petrus be a starter? Do they need to draft a center?

5. Can They Re-sign Mario Manningham? -- Super Mario has become the third wheel in the Giants' wide receiver group behind Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks. Despite his occasional screw-ups, Manningham is an awfully good third wheel, though, as he proved once again in the closing moments of the Super Bowl.

The Giants will have to fork over big money for Cruz this offseason, and you have to think there are teams out there who believe Manningham can be an explosive, play-making No. 1 or No. 2 receiver, and who will be willing to pay him like one. Can the Giants afford to pay him that way? Are they willing to turn the No. 3 receiver role over, finally, to Ramses Barden? Could Jerrel Jernigan figure in the mix?