General manager Dave Gettleman’s seat will heat up if the New York Giants lose to the Washington Football Team.
We knew there was a possibility the New York Giants would have another down season. They had a new and first-time head coach in Joe Judge along with a new coaching staff, and a roster filled with several young players who have yet to reach their potential.
The COVID-19 pandemic affected every team, eliminating OTAs, rookie camp, and preseason games. But with all of the new faces on the Giants both on the roster and coaching staff, they could have reaped the benefits of a full in-person offseason.
Based on the tough early schedule, many predicted the Giants would get off to a slow start. But starting off 0-5 is unacceptable. Given the circumstances of this year, the futures of Judge and quarterback Daniel Jones Giants shouldn’t be in jeopardy. But one person that should be in the hot seat is general manager Dave Gettleman.
The Giants are now an embarrassing 9-28 in Gettleman’s two-plus years as general manager. The roster has been poorly constructed and is devoid of talent.
Some will point to Saquon Barkley’s injury as to why the Giants offense continues to struggle. But the Carolina Panthers have won three games in a row without their All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey because they have a more talented roster than the Giants.
Perhaps the best illustration of how devoid the Giants are of talent was the fact that only Barkley was voted to the NFL’s Top 100 Players, which is voted on by the players.
Another scenario that puts Gettleman firmly on the hot seat is that during his tenure other franchises such as the Cleveland Browns have been able to change their fortunes and show progression.
The Browns finished the 2017 campaign 0-16, but in 2018 they finished 7-8-1, and in 2019 they finished 6-10, and so far this season they’re 4-1. They may not be Super Bowl contenders yet, but at least they’re a respectable team trending in the right direction.
Ironically, Gettleman made two trades with the Browns. First he sent Olivier Vernon for Kevin Zeitler, and then Odell Beckham Jr. for Jabrill Peppers and two draft picks that would turn into Dexter Lawrence and Oshane Ximines. It will still take years to decide who truly won this trade, but based on the wins and losses, the Browns have the early edge.
Changing the culture was a big reason Gettleman traded Beckham. He felt that the superstar wide receiver was a distraction in the locker room. But three players Gettleman acquired during his tenure — Kyle Lauletta, Aldrick Rosas, and DeAndre Baker — were all arrested and are no longer on the team.
These are just some of the reasons why Gettleman was on the hot seat coming into this season, and if the Giants lose on Sunday to Washington to drop to 0-6, that could ultimately seal his fate. It’s unlikely the Giants will part ways with Gettleman this week. Historically, GMs are let go at the end of seasons, not in the middle of them. But the Giants did this in 2017 with Jerry Reese and the Falcons did it this season with Thomas Dimitroff.
However, the Giants have a quick turnaround on a short week. They play the Eagles on Thursday night. But if they lose to Washington and the Eagles, it wouldn’t shock anyone if Gettleman’s tenure comes to an end.
That’s why it’s imperative for Gettleman’s future that the Giants find a way to win on Sunday. Washington is the one NFC East team that the Giants have a winning record against during Gettleman’s regime, including three consecutive wins.
? PICK-6 ALERT!
Jabrill Peppers takes it to the ?#WASvsNYG
(via @Giants)
— PFF (@PFF) September 29, 2019
Talent-wise, Big Blue and Washington are similar with the one big exception is that Washington has already benched their starting quarterback Dwayne Haskins in favor of Kyle Allen. The Giants still have faith in Jones.
A win on Sunday could put the Giants within a game of the division lead if the Eagles and Cowboys lose. A win will also show that at least the Giants, despite all of their other woes, are still not the worst team in the division.
But if they’re still winless after Sunday, it will be only a matter of time until the Giants are searching for a new general manager.
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