The New York Giants front office has a long offseason ahead of them. Just one season into their rebuild, this Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll led team earned a trip to the playoffs, advancing all the way to the divisional round.
This Giants team has a solid foundation in place. They have young playmakers on both sides of the ball, and seem headed in the right direction.
In the offseason, they will likely look to retool this roster, and add playmakers on both sides of the ball. But first they will need to figure out which current players will return.
This team has several high profile players set to hit the open market. But they can't afford to let many of them walk away.
Here are four Giants that must be re-signed in the offseason.
Sterling Shepard, WR
When healthy, wide receiver Sterling Shepard has been a staple within the Giants offense. And since being drafted in 2016, he is currently the longest tenured player on the roster.
The biggest issue regarding Shepard has been his health. Over his seven seasons, he has played a full schedule just twice. During the 2021 campaign, he was limited to just seven games after suffering a torn achilles.
This past season, Shepard was also sidelined early with a season-ending injury. After getting off to a hot start, he suffered a Torn ACL, limiting him to just three games on the year. But prior to going down, Shepard was off to a hot start. Over the three games that he played, he recorded 13 receptions for 154 receiving yards and one touchdown.
In total, Shepard has played in 75 career games for the Giants. He has toasted 362 receptions for 4,038 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns.
With the Giants receiving room expected to look drastically different next season, it would only be fitting that Shepard is brought back. As the veteran of the group, and a proven playmaker, the Giants will be better with him on the roster.
Julian Love, S
Julian Love has quickly become a staple on this Giants team, while also improving in a big way on the field. Since being drafted in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL draft, he gradually broke into the secondary. But this past season, while playing the most in his NFL career, he proved he belonged.
Love took the field in 16 games this past season. And with him on the field, the Giants were a better team.
He finished the 2022 campaign setting career highs across the board. He totaled 124 total tackles, 79 solo tackles, six tackles for loss, one sack, five defended passes, two interceptions, and one forced fumble.
While safety Xavier McKinney and cornerback Adoree’ Jackson are the faces of the Giants secondary, Love has at times looked like the leader of the bunch. With his improved play on the field, and impact on the locker room, he belongs on this Giants team. And he should be back for the 2023 season.
Saquon Barkley, RB
This past season, Giants running back Saquon Barkley returned to form. Following two injury-riddled seasons, he looked like a star in 2022.
While being the driving force of the Giants offense, Barkley stuffed the stat sheet. On the ground, he rushed for 1,312 yards and 10 touchdowns. Through the air, he added 57 receptions for 338 receiving yards.
Now with Barkley headed into his sixth NFL season, he is in line for a new contract. With him set to enter unrestricted free agency, several teams could be set on adding his talent to their roster.
The star running back will likely demand a big price on the open market. This could lead to the Giants potentially looking at other options. But the smart decision would be to bring him back.
When healthy, Barkley is one of the most dominant offensive playmakers in the NFL. He can perform at a high level, and defenses are forced to focus on him. He is also a perfect fit in the Giants offense.
This past season, the Giants proved that they have something solid to build on. Bringing back Barkley could be essential to their long-term success.
Daniel Jones, QB
Since drafting Danie Jones with the sixth overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft, the Giants were expecting him to become their franchise quarterback. This past season, for the first time in his career, he appeared to be just that.
Jones took the field in 16 games this past season. Along with leading the Giants to the playoffs, he played the best football of his career.
In total, Jones threw for 3,205 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and five interceptions. On the ground, he added 708 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.
With Jones leading the charge, the Giants have a legitimate starting quarterback. They can’t risk moving on when he has shown that he is more than qualified. Bringing him back should be at the top of their to-do list.
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