Some believe Derrick Brown could end up becoming the New York Giants’ first-round selection. Dave Gettleman, do not make this move.
There’s no sugar coating it, Dave Gettleman is entering a make-or-break season as the general manager of the New York Giants. The team has won just nine games in the last two seasons. Therefore, every move from here on out is crucial, with each decision becoming even more critical than the previous one.
The offseason acquisitions have already begun with free agency and will continue Thursday night when the 2020 NFL Draft commences. Gettleman will need to decide which player to take with New York’s first pick — for now, No. 4 overall, barring any sort of pick-swap.
Some believe it will be Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons. Others believe it will be an offensive tackle such as Jedrick Wills or Tristan Wirfs. But please Gettleman, for the sake of the entire organization and the fans, do not make Auburn defensive lineman Derrick Brown the team’s top selection.
Brown has been linked to the Giants in a number of ways, via a number of different sources.
Today’s draft nugget: DT Derrick Brown has a real chance to destroy all the mocks and get into the Top 5. Teams seem to have him graded that highly. #NFLDraft https://t.co/EvosNPjt3e
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) April 21, 2020
Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network additionally wrote last week, “Even though they selected Dexter Lawrence in the first round of last year’s draft and gave away a third-round pick for Leonard Williams, whom they subsequently franchised, Auburn’s Derrick Brown seems to be the leader in the clubhouse for Gettleman’s Giants.”
Thus, the Giants may at least be considering Brown with their first pick, a potential selection that would be an absolute mistake for a number of reasons.
For one, it starts with the other opportunities Big Blue could possess in the first round, whether that’s selecting a game-changer like Simmons or a tackle to protect Daniel Jones and bolster a primarily young offense. I would, as I’ve stated before, go the latter route in order to provide the hopeful franchise quarterback with the support he needs. On the other hand, Simmons would be that playmaker the defense has missed since Landon Collins’ departure.
There are arguments for either option and both selection types would benefit the Giants in numerous ways.
But choosing Brown wouldn’t do much for Big Blue at all. This defensive line group doesn’t need another starter. It already carries a decent foundation with Leonard Williams, Dexter Lawrence, Dalvin Tomlinson, and B.J. Hill.
Right now, without the addition of Brown, you’d likely have Williams, Lawrence, and Tomlinson start in a 3-4 defensive scheme in 2020. But if the Giants were to pick Brown, he’d probably become a starter right away considering the investment the organization would be making in him
So then who would the team send to the bench?
Lawrence, who underwent a productive rookie campaign after the team drafted him No. 17 overall last year? Williams, who Gettleman just franchise tagged after trading for him last October? Tomlinson, who’s arguably one of the better players within this entire defensive unit?
There’s also a financial argument against Brown. Selecting him could set the Giants up with some major cash-related decisions to make over the next few years.
You can’t give Williams the money he may want in a potential long-term contract this summer and then expect to re-sign Tomlinson and eventually reward both Lawrence and Brown with new deals at some point.
In a passing league, dedicating a great portion of the salary cap to a defensive tackle group is always a mistake. Picking Brown could thus lead the Giants to a pick-and-choose type of situation across the line.
All in all, the general argument against Brown outweighs the one in support of him. It’s a move that cannot and should not be made, and one that would absolutely upset the majority of fans.
Don’t do this to the organization, Dave Gettleman. Don’t do it.
