The Giants had one of their finest seasons in a while. Their 11-5 record for the 2016 campaign was their best in eight years, and it got them their first playoff berth since 2011.
Eli Manning (4,027 yards, 26-16 TD-INT ratio), as expected, connected mostly with Odell Beckham (1,357 yards, 10 TDs), but he also enjoyed the strong rookie season of scrappy receiver Sterling Shepard (683 yards, 8 TDs).
Manning’s O-Line protected him better than they did in the last couple of years, as the 21 sacks he received in the regular season was the fewest he took since 2013. Additionally, it was also the third-fewest total sacks taken by any starting QB this season.
The running game saw four different faces – Rashad Jennings, Paul Perkins, Shane Vereen (missed 11 games), Orleans Darkwa, and Bobby Rainey – but the G-Men still weren’t able to offer a threatening ground attack. Their five RBs collectively rushed for 1,412 yards on the year (88.3 YPG) – 30th in the NFL.
On defense, which was the area where they spent over $200 million dollars in the past off-season, did not disappoint. The addition of Olivier Vernon, Damon “Snacks” Harrison, and Janoris Jenkins, among others, helped power the Giants to be the second-best scoring D overall (17.8 PPG).
Top Free Agency Needs
The absolute number one priority for the free agency is to make sure Jason Pierre-Paul will come back. He wasn’t able to finish the season due to a surgery done in his core muscle, but in the 12 games he was on, he still managed to get seven sacks, 35 tackles, and three forced fumbles.
Other key defensive guys Keenen Robinson and veteran D-back Leon Hall should also get some consideration to be retained.
The four main positions that need an upgrade are linebacker, defensive tackle, running back, and offensive guard/tackle, although for a team like the Giants, who are still in the process of establishing a true identitiy, they should get their hands on every talented free agent available.
Among the players in the market they realistically have a chance on are LB Lawrence Timmons, G Kevin Zeitler, CB Trumaine Johnson, DE Jabaal Sheard, DT Tyson Alualu, DT Domata Peko, LB Melvin Ingram, and G Ronald Leary.
Top Draft Needs
Linebacker – Keenen Robinson and Mark Herzlich are in danger of leaving via free agency, which’ll leave the team thin in LBs.
Running Back –Rashad Jennings is 31, and he’s just producing 3.9 yards per carry in his three seasons with the Giants. The other backs – Paul Perkins, Shane Vereen, and Orleans Darkwa – can be really run well, but they are consistently inconsistent.
Guard/Tackle (run blocking) – The Giants being 30th in the league in rushing this past season is both the fault of the RBs and the O-Line, thus, the need for a great run blocker.
Tight End – Will Tye was their best TE on the year, which is not a good sign, as he only had 48 receptions for 395 yards all season.2016 rookieJerell Adams is underrated and should get some more playing time next season, but if any of the top TEs in the draft slide to the Big Blue, the front office ought to pull the trigger.
