New York Giants’ Best and Worst Offseason Moves Heading Into Training Camp.
With training camp just around the corner, the New York Giants have largely wrapped up their offseason work. While another move or two could still happen before camp opens, the roster is mostly set, making this the perfect time to evaluate what the front office got right and what could come back to haunt them.
Every fan has their own offseason grades, but rather than assigning a letter grade to the entire offseason, let’s focus on one question:
What was the Giants’ best move, and what was their worst move?
The Easy Answer Isn’t John Harbaugh
The obvious answer for the Giants’ best offseason move would be hiring John Harbaugh as head coach.vAnd don’t get me wrong, I hope that eventually becomes the correct answer.
Harbaugh brings credibility, leadership, and a winning culture. However, as exciting as the hire is, he hasn’t coached a game for the Giants yet. Until the season starts and we see his impact on the field, it’s impossible to declare him the team’s best offseason move.
That’s why I’m looking elsewhere.
Honorable Mention: Re-Signing Jermaine Eluemunor
One move that deserves a lot more attention is the Giants bringing back Jermaine Eluemunor. At roughly $13 million per season, Eluemunor likely could have earned more on the open market. Instead, the Giants kept a proven veteran who brings versatility, leadership, and stability to an offensive line that still has plenty to prove.
Not only did they retain a valuable offensive lineman, but they did so at what appears to be a team-friendly price. Considering how difficult it is to find quality offensive linemen in today’s NFL, this was a smart piece of business by Joe Schoen and the front office.
Best Offseason Move: Signing Tremaine Edmunds
If I had to pick one move that stands above the rest, it’s the addition of Tremaine Edmunds. As someone who appreciates great defensive football, I love what Edmunds brings to this defense. The Giants didn’t just add an athletic linebacker. They added size, experience, leadership, and versatility to the middle of the defense.
What makes the move even more exciting is how Edmunds could impact the development of rookie linebacker Arvell Reese. Reese has the physical tools, speed, and upside to become a difference-maker, but having a veteran like Edmunds alongside him could accelerate his growth. Edmunds has seen it all in this league, and his presence should help Reese learn the nuances of the position while allowing the Giants to maximize his athletic ability.
For a defense looking to establish a new identity under John Harbaugh, Edmunds has the potential to become one of the most important additions on the roster.
The Move That Still Stings
Now for the difficult part.
I never expected Dexter Lawrence to be traded. When the move happened, it caught me completely off guard. At the same time, I understood part of the organization’s thinking. If a player is looking for a significant raise after an underwhelming season, difficult decisions sometimes have to be made.
The Giants ultimately received the No. 10 overall pick in return, which is significant value. Still, that’s not the part of the trade that concerns me.
Did the Giants Make a Mistake Passing on Caleb Downs?
The biggest concern isn’t necessarily trading Dexter Lawrence. It’s what happened afterward. The Giants had an opportunity to select Caleb Downs, widely viewed as one of the top defensive prospects in the draft, and instead chose a different direction. Now Downs is a Dallas Cowboy. That’s the part that could end up hurting.
Giants fans won’t have to wait long to find out if they made the right decision. New York will see Downs twice every season for years to come, and if he develops into the player many evaluators believe he can be, this decision could become one of the defining storylines of the offseason.
The hope, of course, is that Maui Noa develops into a star and proves the Giants made the right choice.
But until that happens, the comparison will be unavoidable.
Final Thoughts
As training camp approaches, I view the signing of Tremaine Edmunds as the Giants’ best offseason move, with the re-signing of Jermaine Eluemunor close behind.
On the other side, the biggest question mark isn’t necessarily the Dexter Lawrence trade itself. It’s whether the Giants will regret passing on Caleb Downs and allowing him to land with a division rival.
Only time will tell. What do you think?
Was Tremaine Edmunds the Giants’ best offseason addition? Will passing on Caleb Downs come back to haunt New York? Let us know in the comments and join us live every Wednesday night on the Bleed Big Blue Podcast.
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