Free agency has been good to the NY Giants in 2023. Big Blue has signed the likes of Parris Campbell, Bobby Okereke and more to add depth to positons all over the field. However, it wasn’t just bringing in new faces that have given Giants fans hope for a big 2023 season.
It was also the ability for general manager Joe Schoen and Co. to bring back some of their own such as Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton and more. The front office will have an even bigger task at hand to bring guys back once we get to 2024. Unfortunately for Big Blue Nation, it might be time to start worrying about losing some fan favorites:
5. Saquon Barkley
Everyone and their mother knows how important Saquon Barkley is to this Giants team. Fans have said it, coaches have said it and Daniel Jones says it seemingly every time he's near a microphone. Barkley is one of the best players in the NFL and fans love his game.
He's had some injury problems since his rookie year, but when he is on the field, he is an absolute game-changer. The only reason he isn't No. 1 on this list is because the Giants will be able to tag him once again next offseason for $12 million.
After not inking him to a long-term deal, his future with the team could not be less clear. If things don't go according to plan in 2023 for Saquon, then who knows, maybe the front office will just end up parting ways with him. That's not expected, though, as the tag is there for a reason. Barkley won't be happy with that, which could mean another drama-filled offseason will be on the way next year too.
4. CB Adoree' Jackson
In only a couple of years with the Giants, Adoree' Jackson has proven himself to be a stable piece to a position that has lacked consistency for years. Giants and cornerbacks have not mixed well and it looks like Jackson is starting to turn the tide in a positive way for the position.
He only played in 10 games last year, but the impact was there. Jackson tallied 51 total tackles and seven passes defended in the games he played. These aren’t numbers that will reset the cornerback market, but there is a sense of security when he's out there.
With Jackson, it'll come down to how much faith the front office and coaching staff have in the young guys. Jackson isn't old (27 years old) by any means, but if first-round pick Deonte Banks shows he can play at an elite level and there are signs of growth from Cor'Dale Flott and others in 2023, Jackson may not be high on the priority list of names to bring back.
3. FS Xavier McKinney
Much like Jackson, Xavier McKinney has brought some much needed stability to a position group that needed it and needed it badly. A freak ATV accident in 2022 makes this past season pretty much a wash when you look at the stats.
That's a shame considering how good his sophomore season was. In 2021, as he tallied 93 total tackles, five interceptions, 10 passes defended and even one touchdown. Hopes were sky high for McKinney to have an even bigger third year before the injury.
A head-turning fourth year could make him one of the more prized safeties on the market. He'll be 24 by the end of this upcoming season and he has already proven he can play at an elite level at such a young age. You have to think the front office makes sure McKinney doesn't go anywhere if he proves his sophomore season was no fluke. I'm not sure myself or other Giants fans could handle another Landon Collins' situation down the road.
2. DE Leonard Williams
Leonard Williams has had somewhat of a career resurgence since joining the Giants. Since 2020, Williams has compiled 179 total tackles, 20.5 sacks and 24 tackles for loss. This is all while missing just five games in a three-year span.
He helps anchor a defensive line that seemingly gets better every year, and with new additions A'Shawn Robinson and Rakeem Nunez-Roches, the depth for the d-line is looking solid. The Giants are no stranger to paying defensive linemen, as they signed Dexter Lawrence to a huge four-year deal this offseason. Lawrence is one of the best DTs in the game, no doubt.
Now, Williams won't command nearly as much as Lawrence did, but you could imagine he'll get some nice offers if his play remains at a high level in '23. He will be 30 years old entering the 2024 season, so here's to hoping a team-friendly deal is all Williams wants to make sure he's linked up with Lawrence for the rest of his career.
1. K Graham Gano
Yes, a kicker is No. 1 on this list. No, that's not insane. A big theme of this article has been consistency and you will not find a more consistent member of the New York Giants than Graham Gano. The Giants have played 50 regular season games since Gano became a member of Big Blue and guess how many of those 50 games he has missed?
Zero. Yes, zero. You know Gano will be on the field every Sunday and you know he is going to bring his best every time he laces up his cleats. As a Giant, his field goal percentage is 91.8, his extra point percentage is 95.1 and his touchback percentage is 47.3.
If you want to argue that Gano has been the best player on the Giants since he's been in East Rutherford, there may not be too many arguments against that. Gano does his job and he does it at an elite level.
He will be 37 years old entering 2024, but age doesn't really exist for kickers if they continue to deliver and Giants fans should expect no less from Gano. If the Giants don't want to pay him, someone will. He'll probably hit another 63-yarder at the buzzer to beat the Giants again, too, if he ends up elsewhere.
READ MORE: 5 biggest losers from the NY Giants not extending Saquon Barkley