There is no reason to classify the New York Giants' 2017 season as anything but a flat-out disaster. After making the playoffs in 2016, Big Blue fell to 3-13, as they lost the ability to compete for 60 minutes, and on the occasions that victory was within their grasp, they failed to come through in the crucial final minutes.
It was obvious that coach Ben McAdoo was not helping the team, and he was fired in midseason, primarily for committing the faux pas of benching quarterback Eli Manning. He simply didn't have the gravitas to execute such a move.
Pat Shurmur is a more knowledgeable leader, but the new Giants head coach needs plenty of help from new general manager Dave Gettleman.
This means the Giants need to be active throughout the offseason. Gettleman already added linebacker Alec Ogletree from the Los Angeles Rams in a trade Wednesday. The Giants have lacked talent at linebacker, and while Ogletree did not have a dominant season in 2017, he was excellent the year before. There's no reason he can't get back to the form that saw him register 136 tackles.
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The Giants, who sit $13.4 million under the salary cap, according to Spotrac.com, still need more help at linebacker as well as the offensive line. They could also use some assistance at wide receiver and cornerback.
Andrew Norwell, OG
It seems quite likely the Giants will sign Norwell away from the Carolina Panthers. Start off with the fact that Gettleman brought Norwell in as an undrafted free agent during his tenure with the Panthers, and that gives the Giants an inside track on the top guard in free agency.
The 26-year-old Norwell will likely sign for around $12 million per season on a five- or six-year deal.
Nigel Bradham, LB
The Giants should continue to make moves at linebacker, and they ought to be taking a hard look at Bradham.
In addition to becoming a very productive outside linebacker who led the Philadelphia Eagles last season with 88 tackles and had eight passes defense, a force fumble and a fumble recovery, he has become a game-changing type of leader.
That means he would fit well on a New York defense that couldn't find players who were willing to take responsibility for their actions on the field last year.
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Bradham is a very hard hitter who sets an excellent example, but he also communicates well in the huddle. He will remind teammates of their responsibilities at key moments and then come through with big plays of his own. He had seven tackles in the Super Bowl victory over the Patriots, and at 28 years old, he is in the prime of his career right now.
If the Giants can get Norwell and Bradham, that would be a good start, but there is more work to be done.
Brent Grimes, CB
Grimes is a solid professional who would upgrade New York's ability in the secondary. Grimes is not a superstar, but he is a solid cover man who led Tampa Bay with 14 passes defensed last year and also had three interceptions and 49 tackles.
A solid workman, Grimes is not a young man, and it's usually not a good idea to depend on a 34-year-old cornerback. However, he keeps himself in excellent shape, and he should be good for at least two more years, barring serious injury.
Donte Moncrief, WR
The Giants have Odell Beckham Jr. and Sterling Shepard as their Nos. 1 and 2 receivers, and if they believe that Brandon Marshall serves little purpose, Gettleman needs to find a No. 3 receiver.
Marshall is a huge distraction in every situation, and he is not the right player to have in the locker room during the 16-game regular season. Gettleman and Shurmur have to know this already.
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Moncrief, who spent the past four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, is not a star, but he should be able to fill the role of the No. 3 receiver. He caught 26 passes for 391 yards and two touchdowns a year ago for a team that had QB issues from start to finish. Moncrief caught 64 passes for 733 yards and six touchdowns in 2015, and there's no reason he can't get back to that form with a new team.
Jerrick McKinnon, RB
The Giants may also want to take a look at McKinnon of the Minnesota Vikings. McKinnon may not be a dominant No. 1 running back, but he can be a key performer because he is a productive runner and also gets the job done as a receiver.
If the Giants address the running back position by drafting Penn State's Saquon Barkley with the second overall pick, they can turn a weakness into a huge strength by getting a solid complementary back in McKinnon.
If the Giants go the QB route in the first round, McKinnon would still provide a major upgrade at running back.
