With money to spend this offseason, the New York Giants need to be careful about who they bring to the Big Apple.
The New York Giants will have at least $75,011 million in cap space this offseason with several lengthy contracts set to come off the books.
With a roster that’s moving towards contention, general manager Dave Gettleman will likely be aggressive during free agency.
While the Giants have several holes they can fill with this cap space, there are players they need to avoid. Here are four free agents that the Giants need to refrain from signing.
Jadeveon Clowney, OLB
Jadeveon Clowney is perhaps the biggest defensive name set to become a free agent this offseason.
The former first overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft has all the tools to be one of the elite pass rushers in the NFL. Despite this, he has yet to put a dominant season together in his first six NFL seasons split between Houston and Seattle.
Clowney has never recorded more than 9.5 sacks in a season and has only played a full 16 games once. In 2019, Clowney played in 13 games for the Seahawks with just three sacks, though he did grab an interception and force four fumbles.
The real reason for the Giants to avoid Clowney is the price tag that’ll be needed to sign him. While the team has plenty of cap space, they are more than one piece away from being a contender. Signing Clowney could prevent them from filling multiple holes.
Leonard Williams, DL
Gettleman made a mistake by trading away a pair of draft picks for defensive lineman Leonard Williams last season. It’s time to accept that and let Williams go elsewhere.
Williams was selected in the first round of the 2015 draft by the Jets but has not lived up to the expectations that come with being a top pick.
After a Pro Bowl 2016 season that saw Williams record seven sacks, the lineman has not recorded more than five sacks in a season since. Last season split between the Jets and Giants, Williams finished with half a sack and without any fumbles, forced or recovered.
Thus, paying Williams makes little to no sense for a Giants defense looking to get to the quarterback at a much higher rate in 2020.
Trae Waynes, CB
The Giants will likely look to add a veteran cornerback this offseason to help mentor Deandre Baker, Corey Ballentine, and some of their other young corners.
One name that should not be considered to fill that void is Vikings corner Trae Waynes.
Minnesota selected Waynes with the 11th overall pick in 2015 and it turned out to be a poor decision. In five seasons as a Viking, Waynes played a full 16-game season only once and struggled to contain receivers when on the field.
Last season, Waynes played 14 games in which he defended eight passes and made one interception. He ranked 58th in the NFL in both receiving yards (757) and receptions (59) and allowed the 64th most touchdown catches with six.
In a veteran corner, the Giants need someone more reliable than Waynes has proven to be in the first five seasons of his career.
Tom Brady, QB
Believe it or not, the Giants have been tied to long-time Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in several rumors this offseason.
While Brady is likely the best quarterback of all-time with six Super Bowl rings and three MVP awards, adding him makes no sense for the Giants.
At 42, Brady is looking for a situation where he can compete for a seventh Super Bowl trophy before hanging up his cleats. The Giants are nowhere near ready for that, as they’re coming off a 4-12 campaign and have made the postseason just once since they defeated Brady and the Patriots in Super Bowl 46 in 2012.
The Giants also seem to have their answer at quarterback in Daniel Jones. New York selected Jones with the sixth pick in the 2019 draft and he impressed in his first 12 career starts and gained the respect of the team’s locker room.
With a young quarterback feeling confident after a strong rookie season, bringing in a veteran like Brady to take his job for a year or two could be demoralizing to his development.
Thus, as fun, as it would be to see possibly the greatest quarterback in NFL history donning a Giants uniform, it makes absolutely no sense from a business perspective.
