Giants need free-agent QB for short term, but they need to make right call
From left: Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers and Joe Flacco. Credit: AP / Gene J. Puskar; Errol Anderson; AP / Steven Senne
The Giants’ first week of free agency was a mix of expected splashes and surprises. Yet the big ripple is still waiting to come .
All eyes remain on who’s coming at quarterback to fix the offense. So grading the team’s free agent moves feels incomplete. Yes, they upgraded their secondary and made minor patches on the offensive line at guard.
But they still need that big prize and that chase is getting clearer. Russell Wilson left New York Friday after meeting with the Giants. Joe Flacco met with the team on Thursday, per a league source.
As for Aaron Rodgers? The Athletic reported Saturday the Vikings are his preferred team and it’s on the Vikings to decide if they want him or not. That explains why the Giants are investing in other options.
Wilson, Flacco and Rodgers all have championship pedigree but that was earned in the 2010s when all three were younger. They’re still capable but Rodgers is 41 and wavered between good to great last year with the Jets in addition to his off-court baggage.
Flacco is 40 and the New Jersey native struggled with the Colts last season. Wilson is maybe the safer choice even though he, too, had ups and down with the Steelers
All the discussion reminds that whoever the Giants sign, they’re need to find another quarterback in the draft. Their free agent signing will be important for starting Week 1 and easing worries.
“They do touch the ball the most,” receiver Darius Slayton said of quarterbacks. “So, if you find yourselves in situations as a team the belief is if you get somebody back there and they make the right decisions on a consistent basis, that the wins will come.
Still, it would help the Giants to draft a successor. Neither Wilson, Flacco or Rodgers are longterm fits so while it’s important the Giants don’t whiff on one of them, they also will need a strong backup plan.
Moving on, the Giants’ other free agent goals carry different grades. They made a great splash adding cornerback Paulson Adebo and safety Jevón Holland to improve the defensive backfield.
“When the Giants did call, I was obviously open-minded,” Holland said this past week. "I was excited. I was excited to hear that the Football Giants were coming to get me.”
Jevon Holland, Miami Dolphins safety, returns an interception 99 yards for a touchdown to end the second quarter of an NFL game against the Jets at MetLife Stadium on Nov. 24, 2023. Credit: James Escher
Essentially, Adebo replaces Adoree Jackson, who signed with the Eagles and Holland replaces Jason Pinnock's signing with the 49ers. Those are big upgrades and with both players at 25, they have a chance to blossom even more as they enter their primes.
Chauncey Golston could be a sneaky good move to add more depth at defensive end. Golston found a groove his fourth season with 5 1/2 sacks and defensive coordinator Shane Bowen loves to have attacking pass rushers.
The Giants perhaps still need more help on the defensive interior. New tackle Roy Robertson-Harris can address that but it’s not a big needle mover. Look for the Giants to maybe address that better in a draft high on defensive tackle depth.
As for the offensive line? The Giants made subtle fixes, mainly at guard. Instead of outside help, they brought back starting right guard Greg Van Roten and backup guard Aaron Stinnie and signed tackles James Hudson III and Stone Forsythe.
That was shocking. Maybe they’ll add a guard in the draft but in bringing back Van Roten, they’ve returned the entire starting line while adding more swing tackles. That’s a lot of faith in what’s already there and perhaps a reason why the Giants spent so much on Holland ($54 million) after failing to land a bigger name at guard.
Bringing back Slayton was another free agent win. He earned his raise being valuable in the locker room and productive on the field. His role as a mentor to Malik Nabers is also important as Nabers follows up his strong rookie season.
Yet Slayton’s value, just like the rest of the offense, hinges on the Giants making the right call at quarterback. They’re still waiting and that will define whether or not free agency was good to them.
They did right fixing the secondary and keeping Slayton. Time will tell if not upgrading at guard will hurt but adding offensive tackles was solid patching. Now it all depends on whether they get Wilson, Flacco or Rodgers.
Who they chase has to bear good fruit and it’s fair to ask how well all three can produce at their ages. The doubts surrounding all three must be weighed with their positives and the Giants' neediness to find a short term savior.
That decision will determine their final grades for what’s been a solid, but not deep free agent haul so far.
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
