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Good morning, New York Giants fans!
NFL Team-by-Team Free-Agency Grades 2021 (So Far) - Pro Football Network
New York Giants
Key Additions: WR Kenny Golladay, QB Mike Glennon, LB Reggie Ragland, WR John Ross, TE Kyle Rudolph
Key Departures: LB David Mayo, DT Dalvin Tomlinson, G Kevin Zeitler
Grade: A
The rest of the NFL started the week like, “OMG, Bill Belichick is grabbing all the tight ends. Quick, spend MOAR MONEY!!!!!” Meanwhile, old fuddy-duddy Giants general manager Dave Gettleman was like, “Hey, let’s sit and talk about an extension, Leonard Williams! Why don’t you come have dinner with us, Kenny Golladay! No rush!”
The slow-and-steady approach paid off. Gettleman got Williams and tackle Nate Solder to re-sign, nabbed the biggest prize in free agency in Golladay, and didn’t absorb significant losses. The Giants may not win a Super Bowl with their current lineup, but they could win the NFC East. At the very least, they now have enough offensive firepower to evaluate Daniel Jones accurately during his critical smash-or-trash year.
Writer Mike Tanier graded the Giants as one of the “big winners” of the 2021 Free Agency.
2021 NFL Free Agency: One positive takeaway for all 32 NFL teams so far - PFF.com
NEW YORK GIANTS: THEY CROSSED OFF ITEMS NO. 1 AND 2 ON THEIR FREE AGENCY TO-DO LIST
If I had to guess, I would say the Giants’ top two priorities this offseason were to add a No. 1 wide receiver and get a long-term extension done with Williams. They accomplished both of those in the past week, even if they paid a premium to do so.
Williams has been just about as consistent as they come over the course of his six-year career, grading between 70.6 and 81.4 every season. He has also reliably performed better as a run defender than a pass rusher — including this past year, when he posted career-highs in pressures and sacks. Now he’s tied for the second-highest paid interior defensive linemen in the NFL with DeForest Buckner at $21 million per year. Only Aaron Donald ($22.5 million) has a higher average annual value per year.
Meanwhile, Kenny Golladay gives New York the kind of alpha wide receiver the team lacked last season. Even with the missed time in 2020, Golladay ranks among the top five receivers in the league in receiving yards on passes 20-plus yards downfield (1,072) and contested catches (53) over the past three seasons.
His addition puts the Giants’ offense in a better spot heading into the 2021 NFL Draft, opening up more possibilities early on for New York to explore.
Are we in the midst of a Golden Era of OT prospects? - Draft Network
With the 2020 class, including last year’s #4 overall pick in Andrew Thomas, along with the upcoming 2021 class, could we be seeing a new age of offensive tackles?
1 Offseason Move Every NFL Team Could Regret - Bleacher Report
While some absolutely love the Kenny Golladay signing, writer Chris Roling has his reservations.
NFL free agency: Bargain players the N.Y. Giants could target in the second wave - The Athletic
Writer Dan Duggan goes over some more (smaller) free agents the Giants might pursue in wave two of the Free Agency period.
2021 NFL free agency: Emmanuel Sanders, Kyle Rudolph among 13 most underrated additions - CBS Sports
Pending the recent news of a potential foot surgery, Rudolph’s signing has flown under the radar despite being an ideal complimentary veteran tight end addition to a Giants team that needed one.
In case you missed it
- Reports: Giants sign OLB Ryan Anderson to one-year deal
- Mel Kiper mock draft: Edge Kwity Paye to Giants at No. 11
- ‘Things I think’ after the Giants’ free-agent splurge
- Pro Day Watch: Alabama, Purdue, more
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