12 thoughts from the 2018 New York Giants season

LANDOVER, MD - DECEMBER 09: Running back Saquon Barkley #26 of the New York Giants stiff arms strong safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix #20 of the Washington Redskins in the second quarter at FedExField on December 9, 2018 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - DECEMBER 09: Running back Saquon Barkley #26 of the New York Giants stiff arms strong safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix #20 of the Washington Redskins in the second quarter at FedExField on December 9, 2018 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

No. 7 – Will Olivier Vernon be back?

Clearly, there is a disconnect between how important Olivier Vernon is to the New York Giants, and what a large part of the fan base feels about him. No doubt that former general manager Jerry Reese signed Vernon to a huge contract ($17 million average annual value) in 2016, according to Spotrac. That contract runs for two more seasons, but with a cap hit of $19.5 million for both seasons. Pro Football Focus rates him as the 16th best edge defender with a 80.7 grade. OV’s impact and that grade don’t seem to correlate, and he has been deficient, at times, in setting the edge. But if the New York Giants cut Vernon, where do they replace his quarterback sack potential? It’s one of several key off season questions for general manager Dave Gettleman.