New York Giants openings remain attractive despite down year

Despite their torrid season, Big Blue remains an attractive option for any head coach and general manager in football.

A treacherous fortnight for the New York Giants has been both brutally and deservedly amplified by the beast of New York.

An organization that has been threatening to implode all season finally reached its tipping point with the shock benching of quarterback Eli Manning.

To manifest such disrespect to a man who has spearheaded the Giants modern-day triumphs and dedicated his career to representing the people of New York marked the final straw.

Between the disputes with cornerbacks Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Janoris Jenkins, to anonymous criticism emerging from the Giants camp, to unnecessarily bringing Manning’s notorious starting streak to a crushing end, it was Ben McAdoo’s time to go.

The speed at which he lost the locker room just a season after delivering playoff football typified the severity of New York’s disharmony.

For a fiery and competitive Giants roster to be lacking the same aggression and drive from every player signaled the end for a head coach that ruefully wasted the talent at his disposal.

The task of repairing a turbulent atmosphere in East Rutherford doesn’t, however, diminish the appeal of the New York Giants.

A team in turmoil boasts plenty of potential McAdoo and Jerry Reese replacements to be excited by.

More from NY Giants News

• Workout clip of Evan Neal training with former All-Pro OT has Giants fans excited
• NFL Draft Schedule of Events: How to Navigate Draft Weekend
• 4 NY Giants who must step their game up in 2023
• This SEC CB at No. 25 overall for the Giants is gaining steam
• When is the NFL Draft?

Stars On Offense

McAdoo’s permanent long-term successor will be blessed with an offense ready to explode under the right guidance.

The next man at the helm must do what McAdoo failed to do and extract the best from a receiving corps equipped to spearhead a playoff charge.

Courtesy of a terrific rookie season, Evan Engram leads his teammates as arguably the most enticing player for any prospective coach to work with.

Engram’s touchdown in Sunday’s defeat to the Oakland Raiders was his sixth of the season – the most from a rookie tight end in franchise history.

A stunning one-handed catch served as one of seven receptions for 99 yards against the Raiders, reaffirming the Ole Miss product as the undisputed single positive to emerge from 2017.

In the absence of star receivers, he has teased his versatility by effectively plying his trade as a wideout. Besides proving himself as a productive vertical threat, he has also impressed with his sharp route running and ability to stride for yards after the catch.

There is, of course, the added prospect of collaborating with the talismanic, the genius and the blockbuster Odell Beckham Jr.

New York’s superstar promises to return from his season-ending injury with a chip on his shoulder. A new direction, a reinvigorated approach, and a fresh mission to evolve into a headline-making Giants leader.

With the added services of the ever-improving Sterling Shepard and potentially also veteran Brandon Marshall, who saw his opportunity to shine cut-short by injury. There are playmaking weapons in abundance to make use of.

If Orleans Darkwa and Wayne Gallman can continue to develop, there also awaits a multi-faceted running-game to be crafted.

Previewing next season with the belief Manning will still be around, the next Giants coach will have an angry newly-motivated two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback to lead the fight.

Forget the lackluster statistics on paper, there is a blend of highly-accomplished youthful and experienced offensive stars that can tear opposing defenses apart.

Defense Doesn’t Disappear Overnight

Steve Spagnuolo’s defensive unit may have somewhat faltered this season, but that shouldn’t signal a continued downward spiral.

In truth, the Giants’ key contributors on defense haven’t been helped by the extensive periods on the field that their under-performing offense has forced them to endure.

Addressing the impact Manning and his assets are having is sure to reignite Big Blue’s defense and take strides towards them rediscovering their dominant 2016 form. The right personnel is on the roster. It just remains a matter of striking some balance.

Strength in depth has also risen as an issue that the correct head coach and general manager can realistically rectify.

Providing they can move on from their mid-season frustration, Jenkins and Rodgers-Cromartie represent a solid foundation to build on at cornerback.

Safety Landon Collins can also be advertised as a capable Pro-Bowl regular, as can defensive tackle Damon ‘Snacks’ Harrison, who, alongside Engram, has been one of few Giants worthy of some praise this season.

The Giants Have To Get It Right

A significant rebuild beckons. One that demands the right appointments, followed by the long overdue recruitment and roster amendments that Reese failed to address during his tenure with Big Blue.

With a top three draft pick on the cards, the Giants have the opportunity to take one mighty step towards giving the organization new life.

New management grants free rein to take a brutal approach to dissembling an offensive line partially guilty of Manning’s down year.

A pioneering revamp could be on the horizon in response to a catalog of poor decision-making, arrogance, and apparent delusion.

If anything positive has come from McAdoo’s tenure, it will be the lessons his errors can teach New York’s next head coach moving forward.

Related Story: New York Giants: It was the right time to fire Reese, McAdoo