The Giants are moving forward with Dave Gettleman as their general manager, as the property believes the team is moving in the right direction and Gettleman is the right man to continue the construction process alongside coach Joe Judge.
The main off-season decision, determining whether there is a change at the top, has been decided, the Post has learned and is a trend towards continuity. Gettleman returns for a fourth season.
The fact that the Giants did not know exactly when their season would end was a step forward for a franchise that for almost the past decade has become accustomed to packing and separating in an orderly and previously scheduled manner. The Giants were not eliminated from the playoffs until the last game played in the NFL season, and this is a sign of progress, however insignificant their 6-10 record may have been.
Co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch were not mesmerized by the playoff dispute, realizing that the squad was still not where it should be and winning six games in a season usually puts a team closer to last place than first place. However, there is a belief that the arrow is pointing upwards. Mara and Gettleman will meet with the media on Tuesday or Wednesday to discuss the state of the team and the factors that influenced Gettleman’s retention.
The Giants were 9-23 in Gettleman’s first two years. The litmus test launched by Mara after the 2019 season was that the team had to show signs of growth, that Gettleman improved his batting average in the movements of the players’ staff and that there were pieces in place to boost the franchise to contain the Super Bowl.
The 6-10 record is a slight increase from 4 to 12 in 2019. Gettleman’s rate of return in the 2020 NFL Draft and especially in the free agency in 2020 – the signings of James Bradberry, Blake Martinez and Logan Ryan in defense and in the kicker Graham Gano there were uninterrupted successes – it was quite high and his controversial commitment to Leonard Williams paid off. Williams ended the season with 11.5 bags, the record for his career, and admitted it was gratifying “to show why Dave Gettleman gave me a chance … and it’s good to show him it was the right choice”.
Just as Gettleman, who turns 70 on February 21, was hit by his involvement in hiring Pat Shurmur, Gettleman also receives credit for hiring Judge, generally seen in the building as a coaching find.
Gettleman’s return is not the only problem or decision to come with the off-season beginning. Here are some of the main items on the list:
The offensive coordinator: The Giants finished with an average of 17.5 points per game, 31st in the league. They were 31 in total yards per game, 29 in passing yards and 19 in running yards. In a season in which the NFL set scoring records, the Giants exceeded 30 points once in 16 games. It is no secret where to point your finger at the sub-0.500 register. Jason Garrett in his first year executing the Giants attack built the attack around Saquon Barkley, and the plan lasted six quarters before Barkley fell in Week 2 with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Garrett – who allegedly emerged as a candidate for Chargers’ head coach job – struggled to take Daniel Jones to the next level and failed to create many moves on the pitch in the passing game. There is no evidence that he and Judge are at odds, but the results indicate that some kind of change is in order and not just in updating talent.
The defensive striker: When the Giants secured Williams for the season with the $ 16.1 million franchise mark, there didn’t seem to be a way for Williams to live up to that money or the two draft choices that Gettleman gave the Jets to acquire it . Williams did more than that with a remarkable display. In his first five seasons in the NFL, Williams managed only 17.5 sacks. Williams’ virtuous performance in the final against the Cowboys increased his total sack to 11.5, to go along with his 57 tackles, 14 losing tackles and 30 quarterback strokes. He did everything and will be paid generously and according to what comes into the agency.
The running back: The entire organization can’t wait to see Barkley back on the field making handoffs and grabbing the ball with his hands in the passing game. Barkley is expected to recover from ACL surgery in time for the start of the 2021 season. Barkley’s absence in the last 14 games was a major blow to the attack. He is entering the final year of his $ 31.1 million four-year rookie contract. If he didn’t get hurt, this would be the time for a profitable extension. This is no time for that, however, with Barkley needing to re-establish himself as one of the league’s best running backs. To do this, he needs to prove he is healthy and has not lost anything. Perhaps the Giants will find a way to extend his contract for a year to give him an increase in his salary from $ 920,000 to 2021, but both sides must wait before the next major commitment.