The Giants took a somewhat surprising – though understandable – move on Friday to arrest defender Logan Ryan in the long term, and the deal will have a significant impact on building the team’s roster in 2021.
Namely: They will find it difficult to re-sign one (or both) of their two most imminent free agents, and this may affect their ability to sign a significant player from outside their squad.
Ryan’s contract, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, is set to be worth $ 31 million over three years, with $ 20 million guaranteed. The exact structure is not yet known, but signing the deal now allows the Giants to distribute Ryan’s signing bonus for four years instead of three.
Regardless of the structure, however, this seriously undermines the Giants’ projected space for 2021 and their ability to recruit players like Leonard Williams and / or Dalvin Tomlinson, two talented defensive line attackers. If the limit drops to $ 175 million, as expected, that would put the Giants at $ 16.8 million before the Ryan deal.
Williams played the 2020 season with the $ 16.1 million franchise mark and after a year of career (8.5 sacks, 15 QB hits), he is expected to seek a contract aligned with other elite strikers in the defensive line, somewhere in the Kenny Clark range of the Packers ($ 70 million over four years) and Chiefs’ Chris Jones ($ 80 million in four years).
“I just try to control what I can control. I’ve been enjoying my time here so far, ”said Williams on Thursday. “I love the guys on this team. I love to play with these guys. I built a relationship with many players on this team. I love the direction of where you are going with this new coaching staff. I have been proud to be a giant for so long. If it ends this year, it ends this year. But, anyway, I’m happy to use these colors and play this season. It has been fun to be part of this defense and this team. “
Tomlinson does not have particularly impressive statistics (43 tackles, 2.5 sacks, six QB hites), but he is considered one of the best defensive tackles to stop the race in the NFL. Spotrac projects Tomlinson to earn about $ 9.5 million a season, comparable to the recent deals for Michael Pierce of the Vikings ($ 27 million in three years) and Eddie Goldman of the Bears ($ 42 million in four years).
“I am loyal,” said Tomlinson in November. “This is the family here. But I’m not focused on any of that (contract). I’m just focused on one week at a time. “
The Giants are due to launch the Golden Tate wide receiver, which would free up $ 6.1 million in cap space. Linebacker David Mayo ($ 2.3 million in savings), tight end Levine Toilolo ($ 2.95 million) and wide receiver Cody Core ($ 2 million) are expendable players that could be cut to save money too.
The Giants will also have to decide what to do with Nate Solder, who has not ruled out the possibility of retirement. Solder chose to leave the 2020 season, postponing his contract for one year. He is planning a $ 16.5 million hit in 2021, but is not a projected beginner with newcomers Andrew Thomas and Matt Peart. The Giants could eliminate it and save $ 6 million, while also incurring a $ 10.5 million dead limit penalty.
Right guard Kevin Zeitler ($ 12 million in savings) may also be a candidate for court (or exchange), but he has been the best and most consistent striker for the Giants this season. With uncertainty in other positions on the offensive line, the Giants would not be wise to discard their most consistent player. They could also extend Zeitler’s contract, due to expire after 2021, to reduce his $ 14.5 million limit. However, he is 30 years old.
If the Giants negotiated with Evan Engram, they would save $ 6 million, although that seems unlikely at the moment.
Other players who may be candidates for extensions to reduce the 2020 ceiling: cornerback James Bradberry (expires after the 2022 season), linebacker Blake Martinez (2022) and safety Jabrill Peppers (2021).
Anyway, if the Giants cut the Solder (along with Tate, Core, Toilolo and Mayo), they would reach about $ 30 million in space at the projected limit of $ 175 million, $ 42 million if they cut / switch Zeitler. Ryan would get a piece of that, as well as a new deal for Williams or Tomlinson.
Then, the Giants will have to be creative to find ways to fill other gaps in their lineup, namely, wide receiver, linebacker and cornerback.
With Daniel Jones probably returning as a quarterback in 2021, the wide receiver is a position of particular interest.
It’s a historically deep free agent class on the wide receiver, with Pro Bowl players like Allen Robinson, Kenny Golladay, Will Fuller, Chris Godwin, Corey Davis and Juju Smith-Schuster. Spotrac projects that they will win $ 10-20 million contracts per season. The next level of wide receivers available includes TY Hilton, Marvin Jones, Curtis Samuel, Nelson Agholor, Sammy Watkins and AJ Green.
If the Giants plan to sign again with Williams, in addition to the new deal with Ryan, it will be more difficult to get a receiver of that first level.
They could also target their position in the NFL Draft, with talented players like Ja’Marr Chase from LSU and the pair of Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith from Alabama, who are expected to be chosen from the Giants.
The Giants have six choices in the draft and are currently projected to pick tenth overall.
Clearly, the decision to rehire Ryan will have a major impact on how the Giants will conduct their off-season in 2021.
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