The NY Giants finished the season on a high note after going 3-1 down the stretch and now that head coach Tom Coughlin is set to return, the team can focus on 2015 and free agency, as names like Jason Pierre-Paul, Antrel Rolle, Stevie Brown, Mike Patterson, Larry Donnell and Walter Thurmond and others are set to hit the market.
Eli Manning had a strong finish to the season and he appears ready to handle the Ben McAdoo offense for the long term. Manning has a breakout star in Odell Beckham and with Victor Cruz coming back the offense should be even better. The offensive line needs work and that is one area where the team will focus in the draft and in free agency. The salary cap is expected to be up a bit to $145 million and that should give the Giants the ability to at least keep the majority of their 29 free agents into next season.
JPP and Rolle are two of the leaders on the defense and they are the main free agents for the Giants this season. Rolle is 32 years old and has expressed his interest in staying, but he likely will have to take a pay cut from what he was at this season. Pierre-Paul comes in at age 25 and he has had a very solid season and could parlay that into a nice long term contract. The Giants are interested in keeping him, but they have let players like Justin Tuck go in free agency and that could happen again.
Pierre-Paul ended the season with 12.5 sacks in 16 games played and he ended up with his second best total in his career in tackles. Pierre-Paul bounced back from last season when he had just two sacks in 11 games and over the past two years he only had 8.5 sacks total. Pierre-Paul has shown some great potential and the Giants are hoping if he comes back he plays like he did in 2011 when he set career highs in sacks, tackles and solo tackles.
Rolle is one of the leaders of the defense and he is now off the books after signing a five-year, $37.1 million free-agent contract with the Giants. Rolle would be a big loss and he has said he would like to stay with the team. The defense is going to get some changes, but they also finished strong and now the Giants have to find a way to make the playoffs.
The team has a top 10 pick in the draft this year and that is huge after getting Odell Beckham. The Giants need to make the playoffs after going 6-10 and missing the playoffs for three straight years and that will keep Tom Coughlin employed. Many felt the Giants would make a move after this season, but he deserved another chance and now he gets it. The Giants need to fix up their rushing defense, as they ranked 30th in the league and there could be changes in the secondary as well. Beckham is a star and that gives the franchise hope with Eli Manning getting up there in age.