With the 2023 season officially coming to an end, 31 teams are looking at their rosters wondering where they can make improvements. Unfortunately for the NY Giants, they need those improvements all over the field. Whether it was because of injuries or simply poor play, this team looked nowhere near as good as it did the year prior.
However, with a Top 10 pick, multiple second-round picks and an enticing destination for free agents, Big Blue can fill some of those gaps with players that will make an impact right away. Here's our look at the most important needs for the team, ranked:
5. Running back/safety
This may be considered cheating having two positions at the No. 5 spot, but the immediate need for the Giants with these positions depends on what their top free agents do. For running back, it's simple. Keep Saquon Barkley around and this position is no longer a need. Even in a pass-happy league, teams need a good running back at the very least unless your name is Patrick Mahomes. We've seen what this offense looks like without Barkley and it isn't pretty. Losing him for nothing would be a disaster.
Barkley makes all the headlines when it comes to Giants free agents and deservedly so, he's the best player on the team. But, Xavier McKinney is a sneaky "must re-sign" for this front office. Like Barkley, if they keep McKinney, the safety position is no longer a need.
McKinney and Jason Pinnock would be a solid safety duo. However, if he opts to leave, the front office will need to find his replacement through the draft or free agency and not simply hope Dane Belton or Gervarrius Owens will take major leaps.
4. EDGE
Kayvon Thibodeaux had a huge year and put any bust talk to rest as he accounted for 11.5 sacks in 2023. Even with Thibodeaux's huge year, the Giants were still in the bottom five of the league in regards to sacking the quarterback. They totaled 34 as a team, meaning Thibodeaux had about a third of the team's sacks by himself.
Now that opposing teams have so much tape on him and as it stands, he's the biggest pass-rush threat, and we can count on him being a focus for the opposition next season. Schoen and Co. need to find him a running mate. Someone to play opposite of him and impose the same type of threat on the quarterback to make their life miserable.
Not only is the 2024 draft loaded with EDGE talent, but the free agent pool is deep, too. The Giants need to make a better effort in getting after the quarterback and with how things are looking, the time has never been better to bring in another quality pass-rusher.
3. Quarterback
It's well known by now Daniel Jones isn't THE guy for Big Blue, he's just the guy right now. He played well enough in 2022 to earn that huge contract, but followed up his big payday miserably. In the six games he played in, Jones threw for only two touchdowns and six interceptions.
A nagging neck injury plus a torn ACL didn't help, of course, but from what we saw, Jones regressed to his first couple of years in the league. The Giants will need another guy under center when it comes to the future of this franchise, but that won't happen this year. Where the Giants are in the draft, the consensus Top 3 QBs will be gone and there is no reason for the G-Men to trade up and lose draft capital with all the needs they have.
They need to use one of their second-round picks to draft a potential Jones replacement. Give the draftee time to develop and in turn a chance for Jones to earn some redemption. If the going gets tough, plug in whoever they drafted and see what he can do. The free agent QB class is filled with older, past-their-prime guys who would serve as good backups for contenders. That's not what the Giants need - they need to start fresh and the draft is the way to do that.
2. Offensive line
The 2023 Giants offensive line was a mess from the jump. All-Pro left tackle Andrew Thomas went down with an injury on opening night and everything fell apart for the front five. It got so bad, they had to pull Justin Pugh off his couch to come play and he became one of the more consistent guys in that unit. Cool story, but not anywhere near good enough.
Then there was the Evan Neal saga. He called out fans for booing him and followed it up by continuing to play terribly. Not great! The Giants are in desperate need to fix this offensive line and need to do it as soon as possible. They need to start these offensive line upgrades with right tackle. The draft is filled with offensive linemen, tackles in particular.
They need someone opposite Thomas to protect whoever is under center so the position isn't sacked 85 times again. Neal can't be at right tackle if this team wants to be taken seriously in 2024. He isn't quick enough to handle the faster pass-rushers out there and it shows every single week. He does have the size and athleticism to be a solid guard. He needs to be moved to the inside.
1. Wide receiver
This team needs a true No. 1 receiver more than anything. There hasn't been a true elite receiver threat for the Giants since Odell Beckham Jr. got traded to Cleveland. Quarterback and offensive line are two of the most important spots in football, but in the Giants case, they need another playmaker.
That's why receiver is No. 1 on this list. Having an elite outside guy could make up for the rush the line gives up and make Jones maybe look serviceable. The Giants will have their chance to take whoever they think is the second best receiver in the whole draft with the No. 6 pick and they need to pull the trigger. Right now, the wide receiver room in Big Blue is filled with a whole bunch of slot guys.
Wan'Dale Robinson was awesome down the stretch and Jaylin Hyatt can have some Mike Wallace potential with his speed, but they aren't the complete package NY needs. Rome Odunze and Malik Nabers will be up for grabs when it's the Giants turn to pick and one of them needs to be in the Meadowlands in 2024. Either of those guys will make life easier for everyone in the building.