Grading the Giants’ moves thus far in free agency

Giving grades and pronouncing winners and losers is sort of a ridiculous pastime when it comes to free agency and the NFL Draft. It is, however, what everyone does because we live in an instant gratification world where everyone wants to rush to judgment. So, what sort of grades are the New York Giants getting for their work thus far in free agency? Let’s have a look.

Our early poll regarding the signings of wide receiver Brandon Marshall and tight end/fullback Rhett Ellison found Giants fans viewing those moves favorably. Fifty-two percent (2,489) of 4,755 voters gave those moves a “B.” Only two percent (87 voters) graded those moves with an “F.”

There were 6,072 votes cast in our poll regarding the signing of offensive lineman D.J. Fluker. Fifty-seven percent of the respondents (3,491 voters) gave that move a “B,” 23 percent (1,371) gave it a “C” and only 58 voters (1 percent) scored the moves as an “F.”

Now, let’s look around the Inter-Google for how others are grading the Giants in free agency.

Our friends at SB Nation give the Marshall signing an “A,” but have not graded the Ellison and Fluker moves.

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell gives the Marshall deal a “B+,” but also has not graded the Ellison and Fluker moves. Barnwell writes, in part:

This is a fascinating signing, and it runs the full gamut of possibilities. Marshall could be a masterstroke for the Giants; he could also help bring the team down from the inside out. It's a high-risk, high-reward deal for a player who looked like one of the best receivers in football as recently as 2015. ... On the other hand, it's also fair to wonder whether 2015 was Marshall's last gasp as a star wideout. Ryan Fitzpatrick and his fellow quarterbacks didn't do the Jets' receivers any favors last year, but Marshall was a stud with Fitzpatrick in 2015 and fell off dramatically last season. After posting 109 catches for 1,502 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns in 2015, Marshall caught just 59 passes for 788 yards and three scores last season.

Pro Football Focus gives the Ellison signing a “D,” saying that “Ellison’s play has steadily declined since his rookie year in 2012, where he was best as a fullback and not a TE for the Vikings.” On the other hand, PFF gives the Marshall signing an “A.” The Fluker move has yet to be scored.

CBS Sports gives the Giants a “C” for their overall work, but this grade completely ignores the Fluker signing. Pete Prisco writes that the Giants “didn’t address the offensive line.”

Umm, Pete, yes they did. And maybe they aren’t finished.

Anyway, what do you think of these grades, Giants fans?