The legal tampering period ahead of NFL Free Agency is approaching on Monday, and there are usually players agreeing to terms with teams during that time, and for the New York Giants, they have numerous holes they need to plug this offseason, and they will undoubtedly be acquiring some free agents to fill those holes.
The Giants had a miserable 2023 season coming off of a playoff run. Daniel Jones played very poorly and got hurt twice as well. There are many areas of the team that the Giants will look to improve on. Some stick out more than others.
For example, the offensive line is one. It has plagued the Giants for over a decade, and the 2023 version of the offensive line was arguably the worst during this long drought in which the franchise has searched for a good overall unit. The secondary overall is a potential area as well with cornerback and safety, as well as running back and potentially quarterback. Xavier McKinney and Saquon Barkley hitting the open market looms large when discussing some of these position groups.
There are some other positions that the Giants need to work on this offseason as well, and that means that not all of these holes will be filled in free agency. The draft will be vital as well, especially for the long-term success of the team.
With that being said, there are two names on the free agent market that the Giants conceivably could sign that they should stay away from. Let's get into them.
D'Andre Swift, Running Back
With Saquon Barkley likely departing the Giants in free agency, barring a very weak market, New York will have to replace him somehow. It seems that general manager Joe Schoen is not a big believer in spending a ton at the running back position, which is why Barkley does not have a long-term contract with the Giants. That makes sense, but turning around and giving D'Andre Swift a significant contract would not be a great move.
D'Andre Swift had a very good year with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023, so he is hitting the market at a high point. That usually is not the best time to pay a free agent. Not to mention, the Eagles have a history of making running backs look better because of the strength of their offensive line. The Giants will undoubtedly invest in that position group this offseason, but it would be a shock if it went from bottom of the league to anywhere near as good as the Eagles' offensive line was.
Simply put, D'Andre Swift is not as talented as Barkley, he will cost a significant amount for a running back coming off of a good year, and he will look a lot worse running behind the Giants' offensive line than he did in Philadelphia.
It makes sense for the Giants to spend on a middle of the free agent class running back, but Swift is not the one to Schoen should zero in on.
Gardner Minshew II, Quarterback
Gardner Minshew II is a quality backup quarterback in the NFL, and with Daniel Jones coming off of a torn ACL from November, the Giants will have to make an addition to the quarterback room, whether that be in free agency or through the draft.
It seems like the Giants do not believe in Jones anymore, based on the buzz coming out of the NFL Combine. The Giants could opt to add a starting-caliber quarterback to either eventually take over for Jones, or just start over him right away. Jones' injury recovery plays into that as well, as any setback could mean the new quarterback is the Week 1 starter.
It would not be the worst thing in the world if the Giants signed Gardner Minshew II, but there are better options out there, given the amount of money it would take to sign him. If you are going to spend a significant amount of change on a backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett, someone who has shown he can run a variety of systems at a high level, would be a better option.
the Giants met with Russell Wilson, who will likely be taking the minimum due to the fact that if he gets more, that offsets the money the Denver Broncos owe him. Given the cost, that is a better option too.
Regardless, it would not be the smartest move for the Giants to commit significant money to Gardner Minshew II.
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