The New York Giants enter the 2022 NFL season in a state of flux, much like the last half decade. They finished 4-13 in 2021 and featured the league's second-worst offense in both yards and points. The Giants' 22-59 record over the last five years is tied for the worst in the league with the New York Jets. There has been a lot of bad football in New York.

New York will look much different when the 2022 season begins. The Giants parted ways with both head coach Joe Judge and general manager Dave Gettleman, hiring Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen in their places. They also drafted Kayvon Thibodeaux and Evan Neal to hopefully fill some holes on the roster.

However, New York still made some missteps along the way amid this major organizational shakeup. The Giants are no stranger to roster mismanagement, and these moves from the 2022 NFL offseason may haunt them for years to come.

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Giants' Worst 2022 NFL Offseason Moves

2. Letting Jabrill Peppers walk

New York acquired Jabrill Peppers from Cleveland in 2019 as part of the infamous Odell Beckham Jr. trade. He was a steady presence on the Giants' defense upon arrival, with nearly 200 tackles in his three seasons with the team. He also played a key role on special teams and took punt returns on occasions.

Beyond his on-field impact, Peppers played a key leadership role on a young Giants squad, serving as a captain the last two years. His passionate reaction to the overtime coin toss against the New Orleans Saints is a testament to what he brought to the team.

A ruptured ACL in Week 6 unfortunately cut Peppers' 2021 season short. The Giants elected not to bring back the free agent safety, and he signed a one-year deal with New England.

Jabrill Peppers' departure leaves a hole on a New York defense that already struggled. The Giants allowed 354.8 yards per game in 2021, squarely in the bottom half of the league. Now they have to replace one of their most productive defensive players over the last three seasons.

1. Cutting James Bradberry

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JR Malabanan ·

New York signed James Bradberry to a three-year, $43.5 million deal as the prize of the 2020 offseason. He lived up to his contract in his first two years with the Giants, notching 35 pass breakups and seven interceptions.

Despite his strong performance, New York decided to part ways with the veteran cornerback this offseason. The Giants initially tried to trade Bradberry, but eventually cut him after failing to find a trade partner.

While they accomplished their goal of saving cap space, the Giants releasing Bradberry will haunt them for years to come. The defense already struggled in 2021, and losing its best cornerback will only compound its issues. New York is now extremely thin at the position, with injury-prone Adoree' Jackson as the only corner on the roster with an NFL start to his name.

To make matters worse, James Bradberry signed with the division rival Philadelphia Eagles following his release. He and Darius Slay now form one of the best cornerback duos in the league, and the Giants get the pleasure of facing them twice a year. The Giants have made more than their fair share of mistakes over the last few years, but this is one of the few times where such a mistake also directly helps a divisional opponent.