While the free agency period has been "like Christmas" for New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, the team's new offensive coordinator, Mike Sullivan, has watched the Giants thus far add precisely zero players on his side of the ball.
Does that bother him? Nope.
"Hey, there's no bigger fan of the defense getting the types of players that they got because that means they're going to take the ball away, they're going to put us in position to force some punts, force some field goals or not even let them get into field goal range, and that's going to give us more snaps, more opportunities, more at-bats, if you will, so it made our team better and I'm really excited about that," Sullivan said recently when assistant coaches were made available to the media.
Personnel help for the Giants' offense, possibly at a position like offensive tackle, wide receiver and perhaps even running back -- will most likely have to come from the draft.
One in-house player Sullivan is hoping to get a boost from is wide receiver Victor Cruz, who has not played since the sixth game of the 2014 season."Very excited that Victor's going to have an opportunity to be with the Giants this year. I think the world of the young man," Sullivan said.
"I think you have to wait and what he's going to be physically ... we've all seen and know the things he can do in the slot ... if he can be the Victor that we all know and love he would be a great asset."
The play-calling situation
The Giants still have not said whether Sullivan or head coach Ben McAdoo will call the offensive plays. Sullivan said the Giants would do "what's in the best interest of the New York Giants, what's going to help us win."
Sullivan is a soft-spoken, cordial guy. Media had access to him a number of times a year ago when he was the quarterbacks coach. Friday, and always speaks softly and thoughtfully.
When he was challenged on whether he was "confident and capable" as a play caller, though, Sullivan's bristled and gave a forceful answer.
"I'm very confident and very capable," Sullivan shot back. "I've called plays before and had success working closely, as I said, with Ben last year in the implementation and development of the game plan and working closely with Eli. I have a really good feel for this system and if given the opportunity, I'd enjoy it very much, and I feel confident I could call plays in this offense."
Sullivan called plays as offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2012 and 2013. Before that he had been with the Giants since 2004, first as wide receivers coach and then as quarterbacks coach. He returned to the Giants last season.
I believe that the Giants already know what they are going to do in terms of play-calling and that the cat-and-mouse game is just for the media, and just so they don't tip their hand.