Giants NFL free agency grades: Big Blue showed their cards with big first day
It is certainly understandable why the Giants did not extend financially to keep Saquon Barkley and Xavier McKinney.
We get it. The Giants do not view running back and safety as premium positions that require sinking boatloads of money into. There is nothing wrong with that approach. Many teams think the same way.
But (you knew there was a “but’’ coming) it is impossible to discount the talent the Giants watched walk out the door and dismiss these subtractions as negligible.
Barkley is one of the best running backs in the NFL and McKinney is an ascending 24-year old who played every single snap on defense last season.
Replacing them with cheaper talent is not what will ultimately make the Giants a better team, if that is what they become.
The key is how the Giants decide to allocate their money and they showed their cards with a rim-rocking first day of free agency.
There is no doubt they improved their defensive front by trading for Brian Burns and then signing the soon-to-be 26-year old to a long-term contract.
And there is no doubt they improved their offensive line by adding Jon Runyan Jr. to start at one guard spot and Jermaine Eluemunor to possibly supplant Evan Neal at right tackle.
How much these upgrades translate to wins on Sundays remains to be seen.
Devin Singletary is more in keeping with what the Giants envision for the position, as far as production meeting cost. The 26-year old gained 898 yards in 2023 for the Texans.
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Barkley had 962 for the Giants. Are they comparable players? No. But at three years and $16.5 million, the Giants will go with Singletary as their lead back but not their only ball-carrier and there is more work to be done there.
Otherwise, there were fill-the-holes additions.
Drew Lock at one year for $5 million is the right price for a decent backup quarterback, who at 27 has some upside.
Veteran safety Jalen Mills for the veteran minimum $1.2 million should not be viewed as McKinney’s replacement; he is a versatile piece to throw into the secondary mix.
Wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie knows the offensive system from his time with the Bills and will compete for a roster spot.
Bringing back long snapper Casey Kreiter and kick returner Gunner Olszewski assure continuity on special teams.
Giants free agency grade: B-plus.
