NFL free agency will officially begin on Wednesday; however, teams will be able to negotiate with players on Monday, March 13th. This is a deep free-agent pool, as several Pro Bowl-caliber players are available.
There’s been a ton of intrigue as to what New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen intends to do with the reported $18 million New York has in cap space. So far, the offseason has been a victory for Schoen and Big Blue as they were able to reach a four-year $160 million deal with Daniel Jones, and they gave Saquon Barkley the franchise tag.
But there is still a ton of work that needs to be done.
Despite the team advancing to the Divisional Round of the playoffs last season, the roster still needs massive upgrades at certain positions.
On the surface, there are a few free agents that seem like they would be an ideal fit for New York. But when you dig deep, you’ll see it would be in the team’s best long-term interest that they go in a different direction.
We’ll take a look at three players the Giants should avoid signing, with the Kenny Golladay situation now firmly in the rearview mirror and no plans to turn back any time soon.
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Lavonte David, linebacker
David will be entering his 12th season in 2023, and he is still playing at a high level. Last season he was tied with Devin White for most tackles on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with 124. It marked the ninth time in his career that he’s had over 100 tackles.
One of his best attributes is being able to cover opposing teams’ tight ends, which has been an area that New York has struggled with for many years. He would definitely make the Giants’ linebacker core significantly better and would likely be the quarterback of defensive coordinator Wink Martindale’s defense.
However, at 33 years old, he doesn’t seem to fit the young nucleus that Schoen is building. Sure, the defense would be better this upcoming season with him, and he’d provide leadership, but in two years, you’ll be looking to replace him. In addition, acquiring David won’t be cheap, which could hinder New York’s chances of reaching contract extensions with Dexter Lawrence and Andrew Thomas.
There’s no denying his talent, but the veteran linebacker is a player New York should avoid in free agency.
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Jakobi Meyers, wide receiver
Some have Meyers as the number one free-agent wide receiver. He’s a good route runner and reliable possession receiver. In his four seasons with the New England Patriots, he’s appeared in 60 games and caught 235 passes for 2,758 yards, with eight touchdowns.
But you can make a case that he’s a similar player to Isaiah Hodgins, who New York re-signed earlier this offseason. Instead of acquiring another possession receiver, the Giants need a deep threat that can beat defensive backs downfield and open things up for the offense.
Either signing a veteran receiver such as Mecole Hardman or Odell Beckham Jr or drafting a speedy receiver in the first round would make more sense than the 26-year-old Meyers.
Related: 4 logical New York Giants receiver targets in free agency and draft following Daniel Jones extension
Ben Jones, center
The Tennessee Titans released Pro Bowl center Ben Jones in a surprising move on Friday. Jones started 12 games last season before his season was cut short due to two concussions that landed him on IR. Prior to last season, he showed that he was a durable player as he started 96 out of 97 games.
New York definitely needs to address their interior offensive line, particularly since Jon Feliciano and Nick Gates are both free agents.
The possibility of being able to add a Pro Bowl center to the offensive line seems like a perfect scenario. However, just as the case was with Lavonte David, age is a factor.
Jones will turn 34 in July, and you never know when Father Time will get the better of a player. On top of that, anytime a player suffers multiple concussions in a short time span, there’s cause for concern about the player’s long-term prognosis.
In more ways than one, it would behoove New York to look elsewhere in terms of acquiring a center.
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