The New York Giants 2022 offseason has been fairly quiet thus far. Despite having a team that isn’t overflowing with Pro Bowl talent, the organization had little cap flexibility to make major changes. Meaning that new general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll needed to be crafty with the additions to the squad in year one of their regimes.
That’s why the goal for the duo in free agency thus far was to add some depth in the best way they could with the limited financial means they have, as Daboll recently explained to SNY.
“We didn’t have a ton of spending money, so what we did is try to bring in guys that were tough and smart, and would compete for starting positions, the best we could. We’ve added a bunch of linemen, a backup quarterback, a couple of defensive guys, a running back, but there’s a lot of work that still needs to be done,” Daboll said.
The New York Giants have signed or re-signed 12 players since free agency began on March 16. Let’s take a look at the four additions that could make an impact in 2022, and grade the signing.
Tyrod Taylor gives Giants a strong replacement if Daniel Jones disappoints
On March 16, the Giants made their most notable signing to date when they gave 11-year veteran Tyrod Taylor a two-year, $11 million contract. While “Big Blue” fans are ready to move on from incumbent quarterback Daniel Jones, Daboll wants the chance to rebuild the 2019 first-round pick. In Taylor, the team picked up a very competent NFL QB that is not a true threat to Jones’ role and creates a QB controversy.
In the event that Jones does not progress or is injured again, replacing him with Taylor is a serious upgrade over what the team had in 2021 in getting six starts from Mike Glennon and Jake Fromm.
Grade: B+
Matt Breida fills the New York Giants’ need for a backup RB
After cutting Devontae Booker early in the offseason, the team had a need for a new backup running back. Last week, the team picked up five-year veteran Matt Brieda. The undrafted free agent has played for the San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins, and last year for the Buffalo Bills and Daboll when he served as their offensive coordinator.
Breida’s best season came in 2018 when he logged 814 yards on the ground and three touchdowns in 14 games for the 49ers. His familiarity with Daboll’s offense will give him a leg up in camp and his career 4.9 yards per carry average shows his potential. However, staying healthy has been a primary problem during his career. Having an oft-injured player serve as the backup to another oft-injured player in Saquon Barkley could become a nightmare scenario for the Giants in 2022.
Grade: C
Mark Glowinski brings notable improvement to Giants run game
There is no doubt Mark Glowinski will be an upgrade at guard for the Giants. In several key statistical categories like pass and run block win rates, he ranked well ahead of last season’s starting guards Will Hernandez and Matt Skura. He also hasn’t missed a game in the last three seasons playing for the Indianapolis Colts. All of the above are the positives in the addition of Glowinski.
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However, while he is an improvement for the team at guard, he is not an elite talent either. While a better pass blocker than Hernandez and Skura, he still didn’t rank among the top 30. This means that while better, Jones or Taylor may still need to keep their head on a swivel this season. At the very least he should help in opening better holes for Barkley to work his magic.
Grade: B-
Jon Feliciano offers flexibility at center and guard
In Jon Feliciano, the New York Giants get a player that can competently play both guard and center in the NFL. With there being some uncertainty around the return of Nick Gates from a serious leg injury, the seven-year veteran is projected to start at center for the team. Like Breida, he is also familiar with Daboll’s system and could be a major benefit in helping his teammates assimilate to the new style of play.
The Feliciano signing is similar to the Glowinski in they added a sound NFL player, and depth, without bringing in high-end talent. The 30-year-old is not a natural center and it could become a problem for the offense if they need to lean heavily on him in 2022. In the best-case scenario, Feliciano is a top-shelf interior backup, and Gates is manning the middle for most of the season.
Grade: C+