Questions Dave Gettleman, Joe Judge have to answer

New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman and head coach Joe Judge will be available to New York media via videoconference Tuesday afternoon, access meant to replace what would usually occur at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.

Much has happened since the last time we spoke with Gettleman and Judge at the end of the 2020 season. Let’s go through some of the questions we hope to get answers to. I’m not going to get into Leonard Williams and Kevin Zeitler here as we will probably have that answer by the end of the day, anyway.

The Jason Garrett/Freddie Kitchens dynamic

Kitchens, tight ends coach a year ago, was promoted to senior offensive assistant. Derek Dooley moved into the role of tight ends coach. How is this going to work?

Does Garrett, in his second year as offensive coordinator, still have full autonomy over the offense? What, technically, will Kitchens be responsible for?

Kitchens has a long relationship with Judge and has the head coach’s trust. Garrett and Judge had never worked together before last year, and some believe there is some level of disagreement between the two after the Giants finished 31st in the league in offense a year ago.

So, how much authority over the offense does Kitchens now have?

Why Rob Sale is the right offensive line coach

The Giants went through the upheaval of a midseason switch of offensive line coaches, with Dave DeGuglielmo replacing Marc Colombo. Now, the nomadic DeGuglielmo is out and Rob Sale, a college coach familiar to judge from their time together at Alabama, is in.

The Giants’ young offensive line could use some stability. What makes Sale, who has never coached in the NFL, the right guy to develop the young talent at this critical position?

Saquon Barkley, Andrew Thomas health updates

We have seen images of Barkley working out with Odell Beckham Jr. We haven’t gotten any type of real word about Barkley’s progress in his recovery from surgery to repair his torn ACL, or expectations for his availability when training camp opens.

Thomas had surgery on an ankle injury he apparently played through last season.

Hopefully, we can get some information on how each of these critical players is coming along.

What’s the deal with the offensive line?

So many questions at this position group. Gettleman and Judge probably won’t answer any of them directly, but we can get some hints.

• Gettleman said a year ago he wanted to fix the offensive line “once and for all,” and drafted three players trying to do that. Do the Giants feel they have enough players, or do they need more?
• What is the future of Nate Solder?
• What really happened with Will Hernandez at the end of last season, and do the Giants think both Hernandez and Shane Lemieux are starting-caliber players?
• Does the organization believe Matt Peart is a starting NFL right tackle?

What will Kyle O’Brien do?

The Giants just hired the former Lions, Chiefs, Jaguars and Patriots personnel man as senior personnel executive. What does that mean? What will O’Brien do? My guess is that, for now, O’Brien is a glorified consultant. Down the road perhaps he is a GM candidate whenever Gettleman retires or the Giants move on from him.

A free agency splash?

No matter what they do to clear space, the Giants aren’t going to have a ton of salary cap room. Might they be in the market for one “splash” signing, like a big-time No. 1 receiver? Or, might they be bargain hunting for as many useful, low-cost, players as they can afford?