NFL rumors: Ranking NY Giants’ 5 biggest needs and free agents to fill them

The NY Giants have plenty of holes to fill on the roster, and must bolster the talent around QB Daniel Jones, but there are several top free agents who can fill those needs

The NY Giants have plenty of holes to fill, entering a pivotal offseason, after missing the NFL Playoffs for the eighth time in the past nine seasons, but fortunately for New York, there will be plenty of marquee free agents available at their biggest positions of need.

As quarterback Daniel Jones enters his third NFL season, the Giants will need to add game-altering talent at wide receiver if this team is going to have a legitimate chance of competing next season and could use a dominant pass rusher and depth along the offensive line, among other needs.

Currently, the NY Giants have approximately $16.8 million in cap space, which is 18th most in the NFL, with flexibility to create more.

Here’s a look at the Giants’ five biggest needs, and the best available free agent targets to fill them:

5. Tight end

It is time for the NY Giants to realize that Evan Engram’s tantalizing moments of brilliance his athleticism provides are far too fleeting when compared to his nine drops and missed opportunities this season.

Engram, for reasons unknown, was voted to his first Pro Bowl this season despite catching just 63 passes for 654 yards and a touchdown.

Whether the Giants are within striking distance of Florida’s Kyle Pettis, viewed by many to be a generational tight end prospect, our come away with Penn State’s Pat Freiermuth in Round 2 of the NFL Draft, this is a position the Giants must aim to upgrade either in free agency or the draft this offseason.

Top free agent targets:

Hunter Henry

Henry, 26, had a strong season where he caught 60 of his 87 targets for 613 yards and four touchdowns as he looked fully recovered from a torn ACL suffered in 2018. A reliable pass catching option, Henry dropped just three passes and Justin Herbert produced a 99.4 passer rating when targeting him this season. It’s that sort of reliability that could really give Jones and the Giants’ offense a boost.

Jonnu Smith

Smith might be tailor made for the Giants’ offense, because of his ability to make big plays after the catch, which is what the Giants envisioned Engram’s role to be this season. While he was only targeted 61 times in 2020, he caught 40 of those passes for 440 yards and eight touchdowns. It is unlikely Smith will sign a cost prohibitive contract, so the Giants might be able to make a play to pry him away from the Titans.

Gerald Everett

Another after the catch weapon, Pro Football Focus points out that Everett has broken 28 tackles this season. If the Giants’ strategy is to build an offense around prolific weapons in the passing game, Everett could be a great fit. In a limited role, Everett caught 39 of 53 target for 392 yards and a touchdown this season.