The New York Giants have turned into one of the league's most dysfunctional teams. This is a quick free fall for a team that has won two Super Bowls in the last decade. The Giants have lost 10 or more games in four of the last five seasons. That one other season was an 11-5 regular season finish. Their season ultimately ended with a 38-13 beat down at the hands of the Packers in Green Bay. They finished 5-11 and in last place in the NFC East for the second straight year in 2018.
Let's do a quick recap. The Giants signed Odell Beckham Jr. to a five-year, $95 million contract with $65 million guaranteed on August 27, 2018. Less than a calendar year later, Beckham was traded to Cleveland. In the draft, the Giants held the sixth overall pick and watched as Kentucky linebacker Josh Allen fell into their lap. Instead, the Giants opted to go with Duke quarterback Daniel Jones. GM Dave Gettleman did not give many answers on the selection in the press conference following the draft. His loyalty still seemed to lie with Eli Manning.
New York is used to the Jets being the dumpster fire in town. However, it seems like the tides have turned.
Heading into 2019, the Giants have many positions that have unanswered questions. These are three players who will be on the roster bubble throughout training camp.
3. Ronald Zamort, Cornerback
The Giants have completely overhauled many positions on their team, especially the defense. Zamort signed a two-year, $1.08 million contract this offseason to join the Giants. He spent some time in Arizona where his defensive coordinator was James Bettcher, the current Giants' coordinator.
The Giants added DeAndre Baker out of Georgia with the 30th pick in the NFL Draft. Along with Janoris Jenkins and Sam Beal, Baker is expected to be a big time contributor in the secondary. Zamort is way down on the depth chart.
If the Giants were to cut him, he would carry a cap hit of $495,000. This is an option New York can certainly explore moving forward.
2. Paul Perkins, Running Back
Perkins is just taking up space at the moment. He had a promising rookie year in 2016 and was slated to be the starter in 2017. Perkins finished the season with 41 carries for 90 yards, an average of 2.2 yards per carry. He started just four games that year and appeared in 11. Perkins has battled injuries throughout his career.
With the emergence of Saquon Barkley, Perkins did not see action last season. Heading into 2019, it is obvious that Barkley will see a majority of the work whether it is in the run game or through the air. Wayne Gallman will serve as the backup running back, leaving Perkins with no role.
For the Giants, moving on from Perkins just makes sense. Running back is a position where players come and go. New York seems to have found their star at the position if Barkley can stay healthy.
1. Kyle Lauletta, Quarterback
The Giants drafted Lauletta in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Because he attended Richmond, Lauletta flew under the radar, and the Giants believed that they found a hidden gem. It turns out, they did not.
Despite the Giants' horrendous season, Lauletta did not see much action. He appeared in just two games, throwing passes in one. It was a Week 14 blowout against the Redskins. Lauletta entered late and finished 0-5 with an interception.
With all the headlines surrounding the Giants and Manning's horrific start, Lauletta was never a threat to see the field. Adding Jones with the sixth overall in the draft confirms that he is the new direction of the franchise and will most likely back up Manning. That leaves Lauletta on the back burner and most likely off the team.
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