Rebuilding the Big Apple: NY Jets & Giants

As we approach the middle of November, we are starting to weave out the horrible teams from the contenders. Some teams are already in the rebuild, but there are some that just look absolutely horrendous. Here, we’re going to focus on the two New York teams. The Jets are coming off a 7-9 season while the Giants are coming off a 4 win season. Let’s now look at where the teams are right now and what they can do to get better…because they need to. 

New York Jets

Well…when you’re 0-9 with no talent on either side of the ball and a head coach who does not belong, you’re going to need a makeover. Speaking of their head coach, let’s start with Adam Gase. The so-called “quarterback whisperer” isn’t doing much to help Sam Darnold progress. He has not been successful whatsoever in his time with the Jets (7-18). Now is this his fault? No. Because he is not a head coach in the NFL. There are coaches who have that leadership aspect about them and the knowledge to be a head coach. Adam Gase did work with Peyton Manning and Jay Cutler which makes him a QB guru, but not a head coach. It’s also not his fault because there is a lack of talent on the team. Sure Jamison Crowder, Marcus Maye, Brian Poole and Pierre Desir are nice assets, but other than that this team has no big-name players. The real question here is if Sam Darnold is the franchise guy? We’ve seen him flash at some points and see ghosts at others, but a lack of skill with their receivers doesn’t give Darnold a fair chance to progress. Along with nobody to throw to the Jets offensive line also needs work. He has potential to be a star in the NFL, but the Jets are only making him worse and making him regress as a QB. I do not see him spending the rest of career in New York. 

So here’s my proposal: 

Fire GM Joe Douglas and the entire coaching staff, including HC Adam Gase. With a new GM coming in, I like to think they would move on from Sam Darnold. A good landing spot for him would be Indianapolis or San Francisco. These are two teams that might be in the market for a new QB with an old Philip Rivers and Jimmy G’s future in the balance. Assuming they stay where they are, it would be stupid of them if they didn’t draft Trevor Lawrence. Get him some help on the offensive line because a new QB needs protection in the pocket. They have three first round draft picks so it would be wise to draft another lineman to go along with Mekhi Becton. I think they should also use their third 1st rd pick on either another wide receiver or a player for their secondary. You could trade guys like Quinnen Williams and maybe even Marcus Maye or Brain Poole for draft capital. Regardless, if a new GM is brought in, expect many changes for the Jets.

New York Giants

The Giants have been in a rebuild for what feels like forever. Since their 2011 Super Bowl run, New York has only appeared in 1 playoff game. With Eli Manning enjoying the golf courses, Daniel Jones has taken over. So, why are they currently 2-7? The Giants do have some stars on their roster like Evan Engram, Logan Ryan and Jabril Peppers, but also have some lack-luster players. The biggest question here is if Daniel Jones is the Giants guy. He was taken with their 6th overall pick 2 years ago under GM Dave Gettleman. Gettleman has already made some questionable moves like getting rid of Landon Collins and Janoris Jenkins. The offense does not have big time players who make a splash at all. Sure Darius Slayton is a promising receiver for the G-Men, but other than that there is not much talent for DJ to throw to. Sterling Shepherd has been inconsistent all of his career with injuries and average performances. Golden Tate has not been what the Giants hoped he would have been. Engram also hasn’t produced enough to prove his 1st round talent. You can argue Saquon Barkley was not the right guy to pick in his respective draft class, but he has done work with a poor offensive line. On the other side of the ball, the Giants aren’t actually that bad. The defense has been carrying them all season and keeping them in each game. The defensive line isn’t that bad and is doing it’s best to get pressure on the quarterback with Leonard Williams and Dalvin Tomlinson. Dexter Lawrence is in my opinion an underrated lineman. Kyler Fackrell and Blake Martinez are solid linebackers. The secondary is getting better, but is not where it should be. They are very young there with guys like Julian Love, Cory Ballentine and Darnay Holmes. There are also key veterans to help the younger guys develop like Logan Ryan, James Bradberry and Jabril Peppers. The coaching staff is new, and with no preseason this is why the puzzle is still being completed.

So here’s my proposal: 

Fire GM Dave Gettleman. I do not like a lot of the moves he has made up to this point. He continually talks about “this plan”, but we have seen no evidence up to this point. A new GM would obviously lead to the question: would Daniel Jones stay? Personally, I do think if a new GM is brought in that there is a fair chance DJ would be traded away. It’s too early to call alright now, but his play is leaning towards him out of NY in the future. There would be no reason to revamp the coaching staff because they are all new. Joe Judge is doing a fantastic job, but needs more talent and time to prove he is the right man. Patrick Graham is doing a good job as their DC and I like Jason Garrett as their OC. Give this coaching staff more time and I think they can prove they are a great trio. 

 If we take their current draft position right now and project them to stay there, the Giants would end up with the 4th overall draft pick. It’s wise to go with a linebacker or wide receiver here. Their best options would be either Jamar Chase or Micah Parsons. Either would be great pickups. There is promise for the Giants, but it’s best to get Gettleman out of the GM role and bring in someone new to work with Joe Judge.