Mailbag: Draft reactions, roster questions, LeGarrette Blount, more

With the 2017 NFL Draft in the rearview mirror and rookie mini-camp next up on the New York Giants agenda, let’s open up the Big Blue View mailbag and see what questions your have.

Most of this week’s questions come from our Facebook friends.

Andrew Firenze asks: How immediate will the impact be for both Engram and Tomlinson? Engram seems to fit the mold of a moveable weapon on 3rd downs to start and not really slated for early down work initially, whereas I see Tomlinson getting a lot of early down work as extra run support and then being pulled (or even replacing Snacks) on 3rd downs. Do you feel that's an accurate use of their talents?

Ed says: Thanks, Andrew. I don’t know how much immediate impact either will have. Hopefully a good deal, but rookies all develop/learn on different time tables. There are big opportunities for both to make an impact. As for how the Giants will use both guys, we’ll see. You could be right, but they haven’t even gotten on the field yet so it’s tough to know.

Roberto Perez asks: How do you feel about the Giants drafting Davis Webb? Most Air Raid QB's can not transition to under center. Do you envision Webb overcoming this in the future and ultimately becoming Eli's eventual successor?

Ed says: Roberto, we’ve talked about this quite a bit on the web site. Listen, nobody knows if Webb will make the transition and become the long-term successor to Eli Manning. I’m not going to pretend that I do. What I think is that because of his physical traits, his intelligence and his work ethic Webb has a chance. In my opinion, this was a good roll of the dice by the Giants. If it pays off, you have a good starting quarterback. If it doesn’t, a third-round pick not panning out hurts your organization much less than a failed first-round pick. If Webb doesn’t make it, no harm, no foul and they go back into the quarterback pool.

Barbara Bennett Chumsky asks: The RB position hasn't been contributing enough to the offense for a few years now. Do you think Gallman (and maybe Draughn) bring enough to the table so that we might start seeing a more balanced offense?

Ed says: Barbara, I think you’re giving short-shrift there to Paul Perkins, the guy who will be the starter. Unless the Giants sign LeGarrette Blount, and he’s not. Like it or not, the Giants have been leaning more and more pass-heavy the last couple of seasons, and with the additions of Evan Engram and Brandon Marshall that trend seems likely to continue. Do they need to run the ball better? Sure. And I think they’ve tried to put themselves in better position to do that by adding Rhett Ellison, a blocking tight end/fullback in free agency, turning the starting job over to Perkins and drafting Gallman.

John Massey asks: Do the Giants have cap room for Blount? AP at $3.75 mil a year was reachable. Blount wants more. Can the Giants swing that?

Ed says: John, if the Giants want to sign Blount they will figure out a way to get it done. They aren’t going to break the bank to sign the guy. After signing all of their rookies they are projected to have a bit more than $3 million in cap space. Money can always be moved around under the cap, so if the Giants don’t sign him the cap won’t be the reason. Besides, do we really know what Blount wants? There aren’t many teams bidding for him at this point, so he’s not exactly in a great bargaining position.

Kevin Mcmanus asks: Why do the Giants not value the LB position? I know it's a passing league so rushing the QB and covering WRs is important But we just seem to ignore the position completely. I'd love a Luke Keuchly or a C.J. Mosley or a Navarro Bowman.

Ed says: Kevin, I think everyone — including the Giants — would love a player like that. Where were they going to get that guy in this draft? You can say Rueben Foster, but between his shoulder and his off the field concerns the Giants weren’t going to touch him in the first round. I know it drives fans crazy, but the reality is that linebackers who are three-down players are a rarity now. It’s a position where teams often have only two, and sometimes only one, on the field. I’m sure that if the Giants could find the right guy they would draft him, but they place a higher value on the guys at the front and back of the defense who play more snaps.

Cody Ryan Keyser asks: Giants won't carry four quarterbacks .... do they cut Smith (the new guy) or Johnson (who's spent a little time with the team)?

Ed says: Cody, it’s a competition. I don’t know which one will win. I don’t know how healthy Geno Smith is going to be. If Smith shows the Giants they can trust him as the No. 2 he’ll get the job.

Russel Trevorbooks asks: Ed in your opinion how much longer do you realistically see Eli Manning playing football for the New York Giants?

Ed says: Thanks, Russel. Eli has three years left on his contract. I expect him to be a Giant for all three of those and, depending on his health and how well he is playing, he’s probably the starter until his contract runs out. That third year could get interesting, but we’ll see. After that is anybody’s guess.

Jorge Passapera asks: How are the Giants when it comes to depth at the OL?

Ed says: Jorge, if Bisnowaty shows enough to make the roster and everyone is healthy I think the Giants have eight guys who should open the season. For the sake of argument, let’s say the line is the same as it was last year. That would leave D.J. Fluker, Brett Jones and Bisnowaty as the backups. I would like to see the Giants add a veteran swing tackle like Ryan Clady, King Dunlap or someone else who has some left tackle experience.

William Ridley asks: Following the draft: (1) Why do you think your crush Bucky Hodges fell so far from expected 2nd/3rd rounder? (2) And who do you think will be brought in as kicker competition now?

Ed says: Just had to go there with the Hodges thing, didn’t you, William. Touche! Hodges ended up going to the Minnesota Vikings in the sixth round, 201st overall. He was the 13th tight end drafted. Six months ago Hodges was in that late first-round conversation as a move tight end, matchup nightmare. He was what Evan Engram turned out to be. The longer the process went on, the more his stock seemed to fall. Some inconsistencies, some questions about his ability to get off jams and run crisp routes, and some questions about whether or not he is even willing to try to block led, I think, to his drop. Still, terrific value for Minnesota at that point. As for kicker competition, who knows? There are always veterans being cut, so we’ll see. This could be a deal where the Giants don’t sign the guy who will ultimately be their kicker until the end of the preseason.