The following is a Guest Post, written by Lou Musto. Lou is a grounded and objective commenter on the NY Giants and all things NFL. He shares his thoughts on the Giants 2014 season and where the team is headed next season:
The 2014 NFL season could be categorized only as a disappointment for the New York Giants. For the third season in a row, the G-Men failed to make the playoffs in a season marred by growing pains, lackluster offensive line play and another underperforming defensive unit.
Wholesale changes should be expected for the 2015 season, as another subpar season would likely mean the end for head coach Tom Coughlin and general manager Jerry Reese. With that in mind, here’s a look at which incumbent starters will remain at their post next season and who could receive a demotion to the bench—or worse.
Quarterback: Eli Manning
By all accounts, the 34-year-old gunslinger had a superb bounce-back year whose passing prowess was revitalized by a much-needed offensive weapon in the form of rookie Odell Beckham Jr. He capped off the season with 4,410 passing yards (10th best in the league), 30 touchdowns and just 14 interceptions—a far cry from the 27 he threw in 2013.
Manning clearly excelled in the new system implemented by offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo. With the return of a healthy Victor Cruz alongside Beckham and Rueben Randle, Manning will be an integral part of a potentially lethal passing attack in 2015.
Conclusion: It’s Eli freaking Manning. The guy isn’t going anywhere.
Running Back: Rashad Jennings
The first-year Giant was plagued with injured throughout the season. However, when he was able to see the field, he was a quality contributor.
He finished the season with 678 rushing yards (3.8 yards per carry) and 226 receiving yards in 11 games. He was the 36th-ranked running back by Pro Football Focus, just a few slots above rookie backup Andre Williams.
Conclusion: Jenning is safe for 2015, but you can expect to see him split more playing time with Williams. Williams wasn’t particularly spectacular in any facet of the game, but he showed flashes of brilliance. If Jennings struggled to stay healthy again, don’t be surprised if his starting position is handed over to Williams midway through the season.
Fullback: Henry Hynoski
Hynoski is one of the most versatile and reliable fullbacks in the game. It’s a shame the Giants haven’t been able to use him more in their offense since signing him as an undrafted free agent in 2011.
According to PFF, Hynoski’s was the second-best fullback behind Kansas City’s Anthony Sherman. He excelled in blocking situations, notching a 6.2 rating.
Conclusion: The Hynocerous will become a free agent, but there is no reason to believe the Giants would bring him back. Choosing him over John Conner in the summer was a calculated risk that paid off. Conner is renowned as one of the league’s best blocking fullbacks. Hynoski held his own, however, and will be the team’s starter again in 2015 if they re-sign him.
Wide Receiver: Victor Cruz, Rueben Randle, Odell Beckham Jr.
A devastating knee injury to Victor Cruz forced the G-Men into a difficult predicament on offense. The impact was evident, as Manning and company struggled through the air until Beckham’s arrival from a frustrating hamstring injury that hampered him since rookie minicamp.
In just 12 games played, Beckham caught 91 passes for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was PFF’s fourth-ranked receiver overall and second-highest rated player on passing downs. He did not notch a single game with a negative grade and, as a rookie, he had the fourth-best drop rate in the entire league. The guy isn’t a future star, he’s a star right now.
His presence also helped boost the performance of Rueben Randle. From Beckham’s breakout game against the Indianapolis Colts onward, Randle caught 37 passes for 617 yards in nine games (68.5 yards per game). He had just one score because Beckham was busy hogging all the touchdowns.
Conclusion: This trio could be one potent threat for opposing defenses in 2015. In fact, if it’s as dangerous as it appears, it would not be surprising to see Manning finish the year among the league’s top five in passing yards. Expect McAdoo to employ a lot of three and four-receiver sets with these guys all in the lineup.
Tight End: Larry Donnell
The undrafted third-year player started out hot for the Giants and racked up a three-touchdown performance in Week 4 against the Redskins. Unfortunately, he cooled down considerably after that and proved to be a fluke success with questionable hands and even worse technique as a run blocker.
Despite finishing the year with 63 receptions for 623 yards and six touchdowns, Donnell’s was PFF’s 54th-ranked tight end. He earned negative grades in all categories except pass blocking, a welcome quality along an otherwise lackluster pass protection group but hardly enough to make up for underwhelming performance across the board.
Conclusion: Knowing how little the Giants have valued the tight end position in recent years, it’s very likely Donnell is the go-to guy again in 2015. He shouldn’t be, but there won’t be much available in this year’s draft class.
Offensive Line: Will Beatty, Weston Richburg, J.D. Walton, John Jerry, Justin Pugh
Talk about stinking up the joint. All but Beatty earned negative grades for their performance in 2014, with Jerry and Richburg ranking as two of PFF’s worst guards among those who qualified.
The team finished in the bottom quarter of the NFL with the 26th-ranked run blocking unit. They were surprisingly better in pass protection, ranked ninth by PFF.
Conclusion: Beatty should remain at left tackle and Pugh could stick at right tackle as well, but I would expect a lot of movement inside. A consideration the Giants should make in the offseason: draft a right tackle, move Pugh to guard, Richburg to his natural position of center and try to find another guard on the free-agent market.
Defensive Line: Jason Pierre-Paul, Mathias Kiwanuka, Cullen Jenkins, Johnathan Hankins
The Giants’ defensive front four was one of few bright spots in 2014, with the exception of Kiwanuka. Pierre-Paul had a nice second half of the year, racking up 12.5 sacks to go along with 77 tackles from the defensive end position.
Kiwanuka, meanwhile, continues to be a detriment to the team’s efforts in pass-rushing situations. He was PFF’s third-worst pass-rushing defensive end out of 56 qualifiers.
Hankins is quickly developing into one of the league’s best defensive tackles. A big, disruptive force in the middle, he was the seventh-best run-stopping defensive tackle with an impressive 30 stops and just two missed tackles. He also performed well as a pass rusher and managed to play 700 snaps despite concerns about his conditioning coming out of Ohio State last season.
Jenkins was Jenkins. Reliable and consistent. He has been a great addition to the defensive line over the last two years.
Conclusion: If the Giants are smart, they’ll find a way to give Robert Ayers more snaps next season, preferably in place of the ever-underwhelming Kiwanuka. Ayers ranked among the league’s best pass rushers with a 18.8 rating in just 386 snaps.
The biggest thing on the Giants’ to-do list this offseason, though, is to sign JPP. The man has been slowed by injuries but continues to be a dependable contributor for an otherwise disappointing defense. He’s solid against the run and excels as a pass rusher in most situations. The G-Men cannot afford to to lose him and, knowing that, it’s doubtful they will allow him to leave.
Linebackers: Jameel McClain, Jon Beason and Jacquian Williams
Jon Beason opened the season as the starting middle linebacker but a season-ending injury forced him out of the lineup once again. As a result, the Giants had to lean on Jameel McClain in the middle—he did not do well.
McClain was among the league’s worst inside linebackers, struggling in every facet of the game. His pass coverage left the Giants’ defense vulnerable over the middle. Opposing quarterbacks had a passer rating of 117.6 against him, completing 77.4 percent of their pass attempts to the player he was covering. He also missed an embarrassing 12 tackles over the course of the year.
Jacquian Williams also went down in Week 10 and never played another step, eventually being placed on injured reserve due to a concussion. But the Giants uncovered a gem in Devon Kennard, who had starred in preseason but really came into his own during the regular season. The fifth-round rookie from USC was far and away the team’s best linebacker and proved to be a valuable asset on blitzes and in pass coverage.
Conclusion: As nice as it would be to have a talented, healthy Beason in the lineup, he can’t be depended on. Unfortunately, McClain did not prove to be a reliable option in the middle either which may force the Giants’ hand in moving him back outside and retaining Beason’s services. Cutting Beason would appear to be the better option knowing Beason’s injury history; they would save over $4 million in cap space if they let him walk.
Williams’ future with the team, meanwhile, is up in the air, but his long injury history does not boost his chances of remaining a Giant. The team will have a decision to make this offseason as he is set to become a free agent along with fellow outside linebacker Spencer Paysinger. The Giants may be best suited addressing their departures by adding better talent through the draft or free agency.
One thing is for certain, however, Kennard is a must-start in 2015.
Cornerbacks: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Prince Amukamara
Before Prince Amukamara went down with a season-ending torn biceps, the Giants had themselves a formidable cornerback duo in the former first-round draft pick and free-agent acquisition Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.
Along with Trumaine McBride, who the Giants also lost to a season-ending injury, Amukamara and Rodgers-Cromartie were the lone bright spots in a devastatingly poor secondary. Amukamara, specifically, was proving to be the shutdown corner Big Blue hoped he would be, holding opposing quarterbacks to a passer rating of 58.2. He did not allow a single touchdown pass in 257 coverage snaps.
Conclusion: Amukamara is going to be coming off another injury-riddled season, but he showed a lot of improvement before going down. Paired with Rodgers-Cromartie on the opposite side of the field, the Giants boast one of the better cornerback tandems in the league. They just need to stay healthy.
Safeties: Antrel Rolle and Stevie Brown
Safety was not a bright spot for the G-Men in 2014. Antrel Rolle had arguably his worst year to date and Stevie Brown simply couldn’t return to the form he had shown in 2012.
Both, along with Quintin Demps who actually played more snaps than Brown, formed one of the more disappointing safety groups in the league. Of those who played in at least 25 percent of their team’s defensive snaps, all three ranked outside the top 35 in pass coverage among all safeties, according to PFF.
Conclusion: The Giants are in luck here: Rolle is scheduled to be a free agent and despite his much-needed veteran leadership, the cost to keep him outweighs the profit. He did play strong in the second half of 2013, but now 32 years of age and coming off the worst season of his career, it’s hard to imagine the G-Men ink him to an extension at the price he’ll be looking for.
Brown is a different story. He could likely be brought back for cheap, and we all know how much Coughlin prefers loyalty and continuity in his program. Should the Giants re-sign him, though, they’ll need to fill the void left by letting Rolle go. Perhaps Alabama’s Landon Collins could be consideration with the ninth pick of the draft.
Special Teams: Steve Weatherford (P), Josh Brown (K), Preston Parker (KR), Odell Beckham Jr. (PR)
As has always been the case in the Coughlin era, the Giants’ special teams unit was nothing to write home about. Punter Steve Weatherford and kicker Josh Brown were dependable, as usual, but the return game really left something to be desired.
The punt return game did receive a boost when Beckham started returning punts, however it’s not in the team’s best interest to risk their best player on special teams. Even so, Beckham only averaged 8.1 yards per return. Not exactly blowing anyone’s socks off.
Conclusion: There may be some change with the returners, but both Weatherford and Brown are signed for 2015 (Weatherford is signed through 2016). The biggest improvement the Giants could possibly make to their special teams unit would require them to fire coordinator Tom Quinn. That has yet to happen.
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