Giants Roster Assessment: Cornerstones, Keepers, and Contenders

For the first time in decades, the New York Giants appear to be on the verge of an organizational sea change. After the fourth season of general manager Dave Gettleman and the second season of head coach Joe Judge, owner John Mara fired both men (Gettleman technically retired) with the intent of starting anew. New York went a pitiful 19-46 over Gettleman’s tenure (10-23 with Judge). It’s impossible to blame Mara for deciding to blow it up. Many would argue such a house cleaning was overdue. Given the poor state of the Giants’ roster and salary cap situation, it’s hard to disagree.

On Monday, the Giants concluded their first round of interviews to fill their now-vacant GM position. New York has spoken with nine total candidates for the job, an exhaustive search which stands in stark contrast to their quick and tidy process four years ago, which landed them Gettleman under the consultation of former Giants GM Ernie Accorsi.

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Any prospective GM for the Giants must take a hard look at Big Blue’s current roster to decide which inherited players are worth keeping. While Gettleman certainly left the house a mess on his way out the door, he didn’t leave the cupboards completely empty. There are still players on this team, acquired during Gettleman’s tenure, that stand to be prominent figures in the next chapter of New York Giant football.

So, in order to determine which Giants players will survive and thrive deep into this new Big Blue regime, let’s identify the cornerstones, keepers, and contenders to stick around long-term on the team.

Cornerstones

OT Andrew Thomas 

There’s not a more attractive single asset under the Giants’ control than Thomas. Other than quarterback, left tackle is the most important position in football. New York has one of the best young players in that spot. The Georgia product struggled through the first half of his rookie season, but has been very good since. He earned an excellent 78.9 grade from Pro Football Focus this season, and should only improve as he refines his technique.

S Xavier McKinney 

Just like Thomas, McKinney is another member of the 2020 draft class that developed into a high-end player. The Alabama product missed the majority of his rookie year with injury, but played in every game as a sophomore, steadily improving as the year progressed. McKinney finished this season with five interceptions and 95 combined tackles. The former second-round pick may not play the highest-value position, amd he may never be a superstar, but he comfortably projects as very good player for many years to come.

Keepers

EDGE Azeez Ojulari 

Ojulari was a second-round steal for the Giants in this past draft, especially after New York traded back to the 50th overall pick to nab him. The Georgia pass rusher finished third among all rookies with eight sacks. He compiled 27 total quarterback pressures while rising to the top of New York’s depth chart at outside linebacker. Ojulari will probably never be an elite pass rusher, and his role would be uncertain if the Giants switch to 4-3 defensive scheme next year. At 249 pounds, he’s a little light to be a hand-in-the-dirt defensive end. He may eventually have to transition to off-ball linebacker.

WR Kadarius Toney 

Toney was somewhat of a surprise first-round selection by the Giants is the 2021 draft after they traded back to pick 20. Despite a rookie season marred by injuries and a frustrating lack of usage, he still flashed enough tantalizing game-breaking ability to warrant his draft status. The Florida alum is already one of the NFL’s best players with the ball in his hands. He should round into a better overall receiver as he improves his route running. As long as Toney stays healthy, he should become a dynamic weapon for Big Blue.

DT Dexter Lawrence 

A first-round pick from 2019, Lawrence hasn’t quite reached his the ceiling Giants fans envisioned for him. He’s still an effective player and quality starter, and has room to grow as an interior pass rusher. On a roster short on good, young, homegrown players, Lawrence stands out as an exception. New York would be wise to keep him around on a reasonable second contract.

DL Leonard Williams 

New York’s new general manager will have no choice but to keep Williams around for the short-term. The former New York Jet just completed the first season of a three-year, $63 million contract. Still, Williams is probably the Giants’ best defender, and is young enough (27 years old) to warrant re-signing assuming he maintains his current level of play. The USC product has found a home with Big Blue. It’s a good bet he’ll stick around for a while.

Contenders

QB Daniel Jones 

Jones finds himself in an odd situation now that the Giants’ previous regime has been ousted. The general manager that drafted him sixth overall in 2019 is no longer in power. He’s about to have his third head coach in four seasons. The Duke alum has had a cloudy start to his NFL career. It’s difficult to parse out his own play from the awful surroundings he’s been saddled with. He clearly hasn’t produced enough to warrant a second contract, but he’s flashed enough good play to provide optimism he could flourish with a better coordinator and offensive line. Jones may not even get next season to prove himself with the Giants. The new general manager may decide to get his own quarterback immediately.

RB Saquon Barkley 

Much like Jones, Barkley likely has just one more season to prove himself to Big Blue’s new brass. The 2018 second-overall pick had a stellar rookie season, but has since been severely slowed by injury and terrible run blocking in front of him. Barkley will be two years removed from a devastaing ACL-tear when next season kicks off. He should be physically ready for a huge comeback season. If Barkley puts up huge numbers with an improved offensive line and smarter scheme, New York’s new management team may be compelled to bring him back, despite the limited positional value of running backs.

– Ryan Cuneo is the Managing Editor of Full Press Giants. He covers the New York Giants. Like and follow on Follow @ryan_cuneo Follow @FullPressGiants and Facebook.