The Giants have been active to start free agency, although they have yet to make the big move everyone in New York / New Jersey is waiting for.
They are after Pro Bowl wide receiver Kenny Golladay, meeting him in East Rutherford on Thursday night, but no deal has been reached yet.
Still, general manager Dave Gettleman made many moves that are worth processing.
We focus on the biggest eight they’ve done so far (apologies to Cullen Gillaspia):
LB Reggie Ragland
Combined: One year, veteran salary benefit (likely limit of $ 987,000 reached)
Thoughts: A clever signing of the Giants, at minimal cost (literally) and a player who should legitimately help in defense next season. Ragland will be at least an upgrade over David Mayo and Devante Downs, who were the best reserves in the linebacker last season and fought when they clicked a lot. Ragland is good enough to share some photos with Blake Martinez with promising sophomore Tae Crowder.
Even though Ragland is not great at coverage, he is a sure advocate. Adding quality to depth without breaking the bank.
Grade: ONE-.
TE Kyle Rudolph
Combined: Two years, $ 14 million
Thoughts: My initial reaction to this hiring was a little harsh, I admit, but the intriguing part of that deal is how much money the Giants are going to pay Rudolph, especially since the team, it seems, intends to keep Evan Engram in the squad as well. Rudolph is a big man (6-6, 265), a quality blocker, a clear receiver, a threat from the red zone and a respected leader. But he is also relatively slow, clearly on the decline and is only 31 years old. Rudolph was a Pro Bowler in 2017 and solid in 2018 (64 receptions, 634 yards, 4 TD) and then his production plummeted.
He has 701 combined yards (25 yards per game) in the past two years, and scored only one touchdown in 2020. And it was in an attack that Kirk Cousins made 35 touchdowns. In many ways, it is an upgrade over Engram. But Engram may not be going anywhere either.
Ultimately, Rudolph will be a useful tool for Daniel Jones, which is ultimately the most important thing. Just the process behind hiring you (money, circumstances) doesn’t make a lot of sense.
Grade: B-.
QB Mike Glennon
Combined: One year, $ 1.35 million, by Dan Duggan of The Athletic.
Thoughts: He’s an upgrade over Colt McCoy as a defender, although it’s still surprising that the Giants didn’t choose to bring him back. McCoy was a valuable presence in the locker room and as a mentor to Daniel Jones. But Glennon has a much stronger arm and was not completely terrible in five games for the Jaguars last year. They went from 0 to 5, but he had seven touchdowns – just four less than Daniel Jones did in 14 games – and completed eight passes of more than 20 yards on the field, through Pro Football Focus.
The Giants got a better player for a cheaper price than they paid McCoy in 2020. Not bad.
Grade: B +.
DE Ifeadi Odenigbo
Combined: One year, $ 2.5 million
Thoughts: This is the kind of smart bargain box that the Giants weren’t really making until Joe Judge joined the group last year. Odenigbo is a young man (26), in a position of need (defensive edge) who has shown flashes of potential in the past (seven withdrawals in 2019). It’s a basically risk-free lottery ticket.
The Giants trust defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and coach Sean Spencer’s ability to get the most out of their attackers, so there’s no reason to think they’ll not work their magic on Odenigbo either.
Grade: ONE-.
DL Leonard Williams
Combined: Three years, $ 63 million
Thoughts: Classifying this is difficult. On the one hand, Williams may be the most important defensive player in the Giants, especially coming from an 11.5 sack season, and they couldn’t afford to lose him. The Giants were in the habit of allowing talented young players to go free, but they didn’t do it here. It is expensive, but in terms of its position and production, it could have been worse than $ 21 million. Furthermore, the most important thing is that the Giants will not enter the season with Williams playing the franchise brand again and, in turn, has lowered its maximum number from $ 19.3 million to just $ 11 million.
On the negative side … the Giants had almost no influence on their dealings with Williams because of the way they acquired it and everything that happened after that.
Gettleman traded two draft choices for Williams in 2019, when the Giants had no chance in the playoffs and he was ready to become a free agent. When he only managed to serve half that season, they were still forced to score him to avoid losing him. Then, he earned $ 16.1 million after half a withdrawal season, when he probably would have hired cheaper as a free agent.
Then he went and had 11.5 bags, making it impossible to hire him for anything less than the $ 19.3 million tag.
In the end, however, they got a key player and kept him, which is worth celebrating.
Grade: B.
WR John Ross
Combined: One year, $ 2.25 million
Thoughts: Another movement like Odenigbo’s. There is almost no risk of signing Ross, who could be one of the fastest players in the NFL. He was ranked 10th overall in 2017 in the wake of a 4.22-second 40-yard performance on the combine. He has been a disappointment ever since – 51 receptions, 733 yards, 10 touchdowns in four years – and struggles with takedowns, but the talent is there and his speed cannot be taught.
If it works, the giants look like geniuses. Otherwise, no one will blame you for trying.
Grade: ONE.
RB Devontae Booker
Combined: Two years, $ 6 million
Thoughts: The problem with this agreement is more about the process and the cost than an accusation from the player. The Giants, on the first day of free agency, left and more than doubled the salary of a player who has run 432 yards in the past two years. They rushed into a reserve running back, when the free agent market is often flooded with players capable of Booker’s caliber (if not better) in the off-season.
They just didn’t have to sign Booker, who will be doing May 29, so fast, nor should they have done so.
As for Booker himself: He is probably a relegation as a runner for young Wayne Gallman, who broke out last year, but is an upgrade as a receiver. He had 99 catches in the first three years of his career at the Broncos. Booker also has extensive experience in special teams, both as a returnee and in coverage.
Grade: Ç-
DT Austin Johnson
Combined: One year, $ 3 million
Thoughts: Once again, the Giants probably overpaid for a backup, but when they learned that Dalvin Tomlinson would not return, it was clear that if Johnson did, he would have a bigger role in the nose in 2021. He played 21% of defensive snaps in 2020, a number that is expected to grow slightly this year, unless the Giants invest in another defensive striker via free agency or the draft.
Grade: Ç.
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