Dave Gettleman arrived as NY Giants general manager, vowing to rebuild the team along both lines of scrimmage and led by a power running attack, but success hasn’t followed
Dave Gettleman became the NY Giants GM in December of 2017, joining a team that was coming fresh off a 3-13 season, with an aging Eli Manning at QB, a disgruntled, but still amazing receiver in Odell Beckham, and a somewhat aging defense.
Gettleman had a lot of moves to make in order to turn this team around.
Let’s just say it hasn’t all worked out.
Since being hired by the Giants, Gettleman has a record of 18-38, and has made many questionable trades and signings that haven’t exactly moved the NY Giants any closer to competing.
Here are the grades for some of Dave Gettleman’s signings and trades since he became the NY Giants GM:
Leonard Williams trade + extension: A
After a 2-6 start to the 2019 season, Gettleman pulled off a big trade to help bolster the Giants pass rush. In this move he sent a 2020 3rd round pick and a conditional 2021 4th round pick to the Jets in return for pro bowl pass rusher Leonard Williams.
With the 2020 third-round pick the Jets took DB Ashtyn Davis, who has looked decent to start his career, and with the 2021 conditional 4th round pick that turned into a 5th rounder, the Jets selected Michael Carter II. Carter has looked very solid for the Jets so far.
Williams had a bit of a down season in 2019, only tallying 46 combined tackles, half a sack, and 2 tackles for loss in 15 games. However, Gettleman saw his upside and made the deal.
In Williams’ first full season with the NY Giants he did not disappoint.
Williams had quite possibly the best year of his career, tallying 57 combined tackles, 11.5 sacks, and 14 tackles for loss. This was a contract year, however, so the NY Giants and Gettleman needed to come up with a decision on what to do with Williams.
Gettleman originally franchise tagged Williams in March of 2021. However, after about a week of further negotiations , the NY Giants and Williams agreed upon a 3 year $63M extension with $45M guaranteed. That’s a lot of money.
Williams has somewhat struggled in the pass rush so far this year, only tallying a sack and a half and 4 QB hits through 5 games. However, in a week 6 blowout against the Rams he had his best pass rushing game all season, tallying a sack and a half and 2 QB hits.
An area in which Williams is having a career best year in is run stopping. Williams has 33 combined tackles and 3 tackles for loss through 6 games and has looked fantastic in that aspect.
I’m giving this trade/extension and A because Gettleman addressed the Giants need for a pass rusher by sending two low value picks in return for an elite run stopper and top tier pass rusher in Leonard Williams. This is one of Gettlman’s better moves since becoming the NY Giants GM.