At long last, the latest nightmare that was the New York Giants' 2024 season has come to an end. Another offseason of trying to rebuild through the draft and free agency in hopes of being a somewhat competitive team. It's no secret—the Giants have a lot of work to do and a lot of holes to fill.
They currently hold the No. 3 pick, and the consensus seems to be the Giants will either take one of the two quarterbacks—Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward—or reigning Heisman winner Travis Hunter from Colorado. Will the pick pan out? Who knows, but the Giants have a chance to sign more proven players to bolster their roster as we head toward the 2025 season.
After all, following the extensions of general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll, Giants owner John Mara is already running out of patience.
3. Kansas City Chiefs: Justin Reid, S
Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid is having one of the best seasons of his career. He has 87 total tackles, two interceptions, and nine passes defended. He provides versatility on the defensive side of the ball with the ability to get after the quarterback from the secondary, as he has six sacks in his seven-year career. He is a player who can really help turn the tide for the Giants' secondary.
The Giants opted not to spend big on the secondary when they let Xavier McKinney walk. Of course, McKinney had one of, if not the best, defensive seasons of anyone in the league this year. This could be the Giants' chance at redemption. Reid is only 27 years old and still has several prime years left. Especially if Jason Pinnock ends up walking, Reid could turn into a "must-sign" for the Giants' front office.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers: Justin Fields, QB
At this point, we all know what Justin Fields is as a player. He's probably not a franchise-saving quarterback, and all the MVP talk he had around his name a couple of years ago turned out to be just a little overhyped. However, Fields would be a substantial upgrade over anyone the Giants had in the quarterback room this past season. He was always going to be the No. 2 for the Steelers once Russell Wilson got healthy, but he did enough to make it a real discussion.
Now, again, he's not the long-term answer for the Giants. They need to do what they can to get either Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward, but that doesn't mean Fields can't help this team. If they get Sanders or Ward, Fields would be a great backup to have. He has the knowledge of being a pro and can be a calming veteran presence for any rookie. If the Giants can't get a quarterback in the draft, he's the perfect bridge QB. Give him a one- or two-year deal and go from there. One way or another, Fields makes this team competitive again.
1. Minnesota Vikings: Byron Murphy Jr., CB
No one has any idea what Joe Schoen and Co.'s plan is for offseason spending. But if they want to make a splash and spend big on at least one player, it needs to be cornerback Byron Murphy. Murphy is having the best year of his career for the Minnesota Vikings. He's a huge reason why their defense is one of the best in the league and why they're a real threat in the playoffs. Murphy has six interceptions and 14 passes defended—a shutdown corner like you read about.
And a shutdown corner is exactly what the Giants need. The building blocks of this defense are there. Dexter Lawrence is arguably the best defensive player in the league. Brian Burns is a stud, and even the rookies, Andru Phillips and Tyler Nubin, look like impact guys. Murphy is the player to take the defense to the next level. It doesn't look like Deonte Banks and Cor'Dale Flott are the answers to the Giants' CB1 question. They finally have it, and it's Byron Murphy.
If the Giants can land even one of these targets, it could go a long way in rebuilding trust with the fanbase and giving John Mara reason to keep faith in Schoen and Daboll. The clock is ticking, and these moves could be the difference between another lost season and finally turning the corner.