The New York Football Giants just had a fantastic season, easily their best since their Super Bowl run in 2011. They went 9-7-1, won a playoff game, had countless memorable wins, and cemented themselves into the competitive realm of the NFL.
With that being said, this team has glaring holes all across the board. The offensive line did not perform well outside of Andrew Thomas, the defense had issues all over the place, specifically the linebacking core and defensive line depth, and the offense featured a wide receiving core headlined by checks notes Darius Slayton, Richie James, and Isaiah Hodgins.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved this team, and naming those 3 wide receivers was not a shot at them, they did a fantastic job stepping up in dire times in a season full of so many injuries and other headlines (Kadarius Toney). But if the Giants truly want to take the next step in to championship contention, it will require some massive upgrades this offseason.
Here are 3 players I believe the Giants will target this upcoming free agency cycle that could help push this team to the next level.
1. LB Tremaine Edmunds
When was the last time the Giants had a legitimately good linebacker? I mean seriously? Blake Martinez was solid but nothing special. Was it really Antonio Pierce? Joe Schoen needs to step up this offseason and take care of this need once and for all, and I think Edmunds is the guy to target here.
According to Pro Football Focus, Edmunds was the highest ranked coverage linebacker in all of football last season, grading in at 88.9. He has also eclipsed 100 tackles in all 5 of his seasons in the league thus far. Imagine the G-Men finally having someone to stop tight ends from torching them all game? A man can dream. Not only this, but Edmunds is also somehow just 24 years old, which is absolutely absurd considering he already has 5 seasons under his belt.
2. C Ben Jones
Another glaring weakness of this team was the center position. If I’m being honest, I’m not sure I could have ever watched Jon Feliciano ever play another snap in Giants blue. A great option to help solidify the center of the line would be Ben Jones, who was recently released by the Titans earlier this week.
Jones, a pro bowler this past season, has been a staple of the Titans offense that has seen so much success running the ball in past seasons, starting 96 of 97 possible games after signing with them in the offseason of 2016. Adding Jones, who was a team captain in Tennessee, would also provide a nice veteran presence for an offensive line with so much youth.
3. WR DJ Chark
I just want to clear the air here and say that I’m not asking for a season with DJ Chark as WR1. I think Joe Schoen will aim much higher, and that we will likely see a 1st round receiver taken in this upcoming draft. However, I do think Chark could provide a lot of upside to this offense, and I would love to see him brought in as a 2 or 3 for a hopefully improved wide receiver room.
Chark has shown massive upside in the past, posting a pro bowl season in 2019 in which he eclipsed 1000 yards with 8 touchdowns. While it has been far from beautiful sailing since for Chark, he averaged nearly 17 yards per reception this past season with over 500 yards, and provides a massive deep threat for any offense he’s involved in. If nothing else, it would be an experienced weapon for DJ to target who could help open the offense up a bit come week 1 of 2023.
It’s certainly an exciting time to be a Giants fan, and who knows? Maybe this offseason will lead to an even deeper run this upcoming season. I know I for one am the most optimistic I have been about this team in at least 6 years, and can not wait to see what the front office cooks up this offseason.
Photos via Getty Images.
