Your perfect offseason

[Jclayton92]

I posted this in a thread the other day but I thought it would be a good exercise to gauge the pulse of the fan base and see what they want to see the organization do next. No right or wrong answers, what would be your ideal outcome? To Qb or not to Qb, build in the trenches, trade back, go BPA, or what? I am eager to see how everyone differs in what they think we should do.

My perfect offseason as of right now.

Big Ticket Free Agents:

Trey Smith Guard- one of if not the best guards in the league that will be a cap casualty because KC has paid the rest of its line.

Low cost option: Patrick Mekari at only 27 he's still young and has logged 700+ snaps at LT, LG, C, RG, and RT in the NFL. He doesn't have the highest pff grade this season but has only allowed one sack all year playing LG.

Cousins to a 2yr cheap contract as your bridge Qb.
Lower cost option Fields, Brisset, or a conditional late round pick for Joe Milton

DJ Reed young elite boundary corner to pair with our 1st overall pick to have CB set for a while with Phillips in the nickel.

Lower cost option: Paulson Adebo a young CB coming into his own as a late round pick from Stanford. Could be an elite cb2 or good cb1

Low level Free Agents:

Walker Little tackle as a swing tackle/depth

Chase Young Edge cheap 3rd edge to replace Ojulari

BJ Hill DT known commodity that provides depth on the line.

Josh Palmer WR Liked him coming out of college and can take the roof off. Steady Wr that has produced 500-700 yards every season on his rookie deal that could come in cheap and compete for WR2.

Draft:

1st Travis Hunter elite corner that we can use 15 plays a game on offense

2nd Walter Nolen- a force on the Dline that would immediately make our Dline one of the top 5 in the league.

3rd Jaxson Dart- can sit behind the bridge and get better.

4th Cameron Williams RT immediately adds depth that can get stronger for a year and start in 2026

4th JJ Pegues TE/DL We get a RB, TE, and DL all in one in a monster of a man.

5th Jimmy Horn Jr WR can't ever have too much speed.

[MightyGiants]

Thank you for doing this, Jess 

Just one point about Cousins.  It's my understanding that he has a $27.5 million dollar salary guaranteed for next season.   For the Giants to acquire Cousins, the Falcons would have to cut him while still paying his 2025 salary or make a Brock Osweiler-type trade where they give a team some draft compensation for assuming Cousins' guaranteed salary.

[Jclayton92]

Thank you for doing this, Jess 

Just one point about Cousins.  It's my understanding that he has a $27.5 million dollar salary guaranteed for next season.   For the Giants to acquire Cousins, the Falcons would have to cut him while still paying his 2025 salary or make a Brock Osweiler-type trade where they give a team some draft compensation for assuming Cousins' guaranteed salary.

Lots of talk about them cutting him. Seems like an additional 3-4 qb options could hit the market with cuts. Some are saying Derek Carr could be cut as well.

[Stringer Bell]

I posted this in a thread the other day but I thought it would be a good exercise to gauge the pulse of the fan base and see what they want to see the organization do next. No right or wrong answers, what would be your ideal outcome? To Qb or not to Qb, build in the trenches, trade back, go BPA, or what? I am eager to see how everyone differs in what they think we should do.

My perfect offseason as of right now.

Big Ticket Free Agents:

Trey Smith Guard- one of if not the best guards in the league that will be a cap casualty because KC has paid the rest of its line.

Low cost option: Patrick Mekari at only 27 he's still young and has logged 700+ snaps at LT, LG, C, RG, and RT in the NFL. He doesn't have the highest pff grade this season but has only allowed one sack all year playing LG.

Cousins to a 2yr cheap contract as your bridge Qb.
Lower cost option Fields, Brisset, or a conditional late round pick for Joe Milton

DJ Reed young elite boundary corner to pair with our 1st overall pick to have CB set for a while with Phillips in the nickel.

Lower cost option: Paulson Adebo a young CB coming into his own as a late round pick from Stanford. Could be an elite cb2 or good cb1

Low level Free Agents:

Walker Little tackle as a swing tackle/depth

Chase Young Edge cheap 3rd edge to replace Ojulari

BJ Hill DT known commodity that provides depth on the line.

Josh Palmer WR Liked him coming out of college and can take the roof off. Steady Wr that has produced 500-700 yards every season on his rookie deal that could come in cheap and compete for WR2.

Draft:

1st Travis Hunter elite corner that we can use 15 plays a game on offense

2nd Walter Nolen- a force on the Dline that would immediately make our Dline one of the top 5 in the league.

3rd Jaxson Dart- can sit behind the bridge and get better.

4th Cameron Williams RT immediately adds depth that can get stronger for a year and start in 2026

4th JJ Pegues TE/DL We get a RB, TE, and DL all in one in a monster of a man.

5th Jimmy Horn Jr WR can't ever have too much speed.

A lot to like here.

Smith will cost a fortune, though I agree with the need and his talent. I just don't see us signing a guy expected to be in a bidding war.

If we can't sign Smith, I'd like to sign center Drew Dalman. Underrated guy, still young. And JMS is looking like he's on the Neal trajectory.

Not a fan of Cousins AT ALL though. Would rather go with Mariota.

Reed would also cost a lot, and I'm not ready to give up on Banks just yet (despite his subpar season). I'm fully on board with using our #1 pick to upgrade this position, though.

I'd be OK with Chase Young, but only if he's dirt cheap. If not, guys like K'lavon Chaisson or Charles Omenihu could give similar production.

I like the idea of bringing BJ Hill back.

For swing tackle, I'd consider a flyer on Jedrick Wills if he can pass a physical.

Another guy I'd like to go after is RB Ty Johnson. Bills connection. Versatile player and tough.

For the draft, here are my picks:

1 - if QBs go 1-2, it's tough pick between Hunter and Johnson. I think Johnson is the better CB. If Hunter goes in top 2 and Sanders is there at 3, trade down with Raiders to pick up an extra 2nd this year and 3rd next year, then select Johnson, Carter, or Graham at 6.

2 - Wyatt Milum, plug and play starter at RT (if we pick up an extra 2nd from the Raiders, I'd go with an Ohio St. guy here - Tyliek Williams fills that Nolen spot, as I don't see Nolen making it out of the first)

3 - back to the Ohio St. well, RB Quinshon Judkins. Kid is a beast.

4a - Edge Jordan Burch

4b - WR Tai Felton

5 - QB Kurtis Rourke

[MrGap92]

@Jclayton92 Mine is kinda similar to yours for FA and some picks.

In an ideal world for me:

Free Agency: Trey Smith RG, Paulson Adebo CB, Justin Fields QB, OT Joseph Noteboom as possible Swing

Resign (if possible): Jamie Gillan P, Darius Slayton WR, Azeez Ojulari LB/EDGE, Jason Pinnock S, Dyontae Johnson LB (ERFA), Tomon Fox EDGE (ERFA), Divaad Wilson (ERFA)

Trade for Joe Milton if they are willing to part with him reasonably.

Draft:

R1 - If they do not like a QB if there is one, then Travis Hunter, Will Johnson, or Abdul Carter, I would be very open to a trade down. If we trade down I would be targeting Tre Harris, Josh Simmons depending on how far back.

R2 - Deone Walker DT or Tre Harris WR

R3 - Jaxson Dart

R4 - Zy Alexander

R5 - Tahj Brooks or Raheim Sanders

R7 - Myles Hinton OT/Swing

[Philosophers]

I like FAs when we are on the cusp of being or are a playoff team.  Now, we could not be farther.  Exception is bridge QB.  We need one and prefer a mobile QB and would like a younger one so Justin Fields is my pick, otherwise Marcus Mariota.

Trade

Joe Milton - give up a 4th and take a flyer.  He has ridiculous physicals.  Can he be fine tuned and more accurate?  With one preseason camp and a season of learning, worth a shot.

FA

Draft

1) Will Johnson second Mason Graham - CB1 and DT big priority

2) Josh Conerly - OT from Oregon

3) Tate Ratledge - RG from UGA

4) TreVeon Henderson - RB from OSU - Henderson's talent is 2nd round but he has some injury history so maybe he slides.

Guys - you just watched a brutal season of Giants football.  If it was not clear that QB and OL are the two top
areas that need the draft to be focused on, I dont know what to say.  We need better starters and much better depth on OL.  Need two picks.

[Brooklyn Dave]

@Jclayton92 Mine is kinda similar to yours for FA and some picks.

In an ideal world for me:

Free Agency: Trey Smith RG, Paulson Adebo CB, Justin Fields QB, OT Joseph Noteboom as possible Swing

Resign (if possible): Jamie Gillan P, Darius Slayton WR, Azeez Ojulari LB/EDGE, Jason Pinnock S, Dyontae Johnson LB (ERFA), Tomon Fox EDGE (ERFA), Divaad Wilson (ERFA)

Trade for Joe Milton if they are willing to part with him reasonably.

Draft:

R1 - If they do not like a QB if there is one, then Travis Hunter, Will Johnson, or Abdul Carter, I would be very open to a trade down. If we trade down I would be targeting Tre Harris, Josh Simmons depending on how far back.

R2 - Deone Walker DT or Tre Harris WR

R3 - Jaxson Dart

R4 - Zy Alexander

R5 - Tahj Brooks or Raheim Sanders

R7 - Myles Hinton OT/Swing

I like Mason Graham over Hunter , Johnson and equally to Carter.

[H-Town G-Fan]

Just a note: the Jags signed Walker Little to a new deal in December, so he's not available in FA.

[Jclayton92]

Just a note: the Jags signed Walker Little to a new deal in December, so he's not available in FA.

Ah thanks for that, he's still on the list of all FA so I was unaware.

[gregf]

Great thread Jess.  As usual, I love the insight from those of you who follow college games.  I see the three big needs as QB, O line and D line. Id like to double down on all three by picking up a FA and a draft pick.  Obviously, the FA QB (Fields?) will be a bridge. I'd love a top 2 QB in the draft, but if the Giants agree with many of the posters here the talents not top 3 worthy, a Milroe or Dart in 2 or 3 will work   
   What worries me about the O line is AT not being durable. Would love to groom a future LT in draft if possible.

[Jclayton92]

Great thread Jess.  As usual, I love the insight from those of you who follow college games.  I see the three big needs as QB, O line and D line. Id like to double down on all three by picking up a FA and a draft pick.  Obviously, the FA QB (Fields?) will be a bridge. I'd love a top 2 QB in the draft, but if the Giants agree with many of the posters here the talents not top 3 worthy, a Milroe or Dart in 2 or 3 will work   
   What worries me about the O line is AT not being durable. Would love to groom a future LT in draft if possible.

Great post my friend, I agree with you that the big 3 are QB, oline, and Dline with a close 4th being CB or secondary in general.

We don't seem to ever be able to luck into a tackle that can play LT and RT. Would love a tackle we could start at RT that could slide over to LT if needed and then move Eluemunor back out to right tackle if needed.

[TDToomer]

What makes everyone so sure that Dart will even be available a the beginning of the 3rd round? What if someone like the Rams grab him late in the 2nd round?

[coggs]

PERFECT off-season? Giants fold and come back as an expansion team.

[gregf]

What makes everyone so sure that Dart will even be available a the beginning of the 3rd round? What if someone like the Rams grab him late in the 2nd round?

I think 3rd would be ideal, but 2nd is reasonable in my view.  The QB decision will certainly be a tough one to get right

[Bob In PA]

J: Outstanding! Bob