Giants’ GM job remains a desirable one — Mike Tannenbaum

If, as expected, the New York Giants have to find a replacement for GM Dave Gettleman when this season ends, there is some speculation that the Giants might simply hand the keys to assistant GM Kevin Abrams.

Mike Tannenbaum of the 33rd Team, former GM of the New York Jets and VP of football operations for the Miami Dolphins, is not buying that the Giants won’t conduct a full search for the best candidate.

“I’m sure that’s what they’ll do,” Tannenbaum told Big Blue View. “I like Kevin (Abrams) a lot. He’s a very well-regarded executive in league circles but with that said if and when a decision was made on any position I would think they’d have a thorough search for all positions.

“I think a thorough process is always the way to go.”

During an appearance on the ‘Valentine’s Views’ podcast, Tannenbaum offered insight into a variety of Giants-related topics. Let’s go through more of what we discussed.

On whether the Giants’ GM job remains a desirable one ...

“They have a lot of really good young skill players. I think this is a team and a situation that can be a quick turnaround just in terms of if the quarterback situation gets worked out. With Kadarius Toney, Saquon Barkley, amongst many others I think they have a great group of young skill players.”

On Daniel Jones’ future ...

“If I was the Giants I would bring back Daniel Jones 100 percent, but at the same time I would not exercise the (fifth-year) option. I don’t think those are binary decisions.

“I would bring Daniel Jones back, and it’s a very easy speech. Daniel, guess what, you’re going to get a chance to compete for the job. If you’re the best player you’re gonna play and if not you may not even be on the team. So you have to be productive, durable, consistent and not turn the ball over. If you do those things you could be here for the next 10 years. If you don’t you may not be here for the next 10 minutes.”

On the idea of trading for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson ...

Despite his support for Jones, Tannenbaum endorsed the idea of the Giants acquiring Wilson if possible.

“I’ve been there, I’ve traded for Brett Favre. I know what it does for your program. It makes the bloggers happier, it makes the podcast people happier. People will want to play with Russell Wilson or an Aaron Rodgers. It gives you such an intangible and it’s such a force multiplier, it’s impossible to describe, but I’ve lived it. I’ve been there.

“If Russell Wilson was the quarterback of the New York Giants do you know how many players, I’ve been there. The day we traded for Brett Favre I can’t tell you how many agents called, hey, I’d do anything to play with Brett. My client’s blowing me up.

“What he would do for that entire organization from the groundskeeper to the fan base is impossible to understand.”

Would Wilson’s price tag make it difficult for the Giants to put a competitive team around him? ...

“It’s a fair question but my opinion is always you can’t overpay greatness. If you have to give up an extra third-round pick go find the safety, go find the guard, go find another linebacker. Those are replaceable parts. Russell Wilson’s been in this league a long time and played at a really, really high level. They’re a much better organization the day he walks through the building than if he’s not. To me, you can find other pieces. It’s really hard to find a top-flight quarterback.”

Is Joe Judge still the right head coach for the Giants? ...

I last spoke to Tannenbaum in February when he told me felt Judge had the makings of a good NFL head coach. Tannenbaum said “I do” when I asked him this week if he still felt that way.

“We can sit here and say look at the won-loss record and that would be much harder to defend, but if I was John Mara, the Tisch family I could say to myself we had Ben McAdoo for two years, we had Coach Shurmur for two years, do we want to go hire our fourth head coach in six years?

“I think he’s a standup guy, no nonsense, very accountable. The worst thing for the Giants isn’t to fire Joe Judge, the worst thing for the Giants is to see Joe Judge have a great coaching career someplace else. I think he’s a leader of men, I think he’s an accountable guy, I don’t hear any excuses coming out of that building ever. His audience is the players – if we’re hearing it, they’re hearing it and I would certainly hang in there with him.”

On Judge needing a “growth mindset” and not a “fixed mindset” ...

“I was the assistant general manager of the New York Jets for five years. When I became the GM I’m like ‘oh, I got this. I’m in the building every day, I’ve watched my boss for five years, I’m gonna crush it. I’m gonna be great at this job,” Tannenbaum said. “For the first year and a half I’m like ’oh my God, I have absolutely no idea what I got myself into.’

“If you had a beer with Joe Judge after the season he probably has a thousand things that he would tell you that he has learned in the first two years. That to me is much important than should Joe Judge stay or should Joe Judge leave.”

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