The NY Giants are looking to improve in 2015 and they could look at the free agent market for some support, as Mark Ingram will be available and the team also needs to focus on their own players, with Jason Pierre-Paul and Antrel Rolle the most significant players to finish their contracts.
The Giants went 6-10 in 2014 and while they missed the playoffs for the third straight season, Tom Coughlin is set to return along with general manager Jerry Reese. According to ESPN.com, the Giants are willing to use the franchise tag on Jason Pierre-Paul in free agency, as they want to keep the defensive end if they can and may need more time to work out a long term contract. JPP said after the season that he wants to stay with the Giants, but he also said that he is worth "a lot" of money and is coming off of a bounce back season.
Pierre-Paul had 12.5 sacks this past season after having just 8.5 combined over the previous two and now he is set to get a nice contract. JPP has tons of potential and is just 26 years old and if he does come back, the Giants hope he will be the type of player he was in 2011 when he had over 16 sacks and the team won the Super Bowl. The salary cap is expected to rise next season, but the Giants have to deal with 28 other players hitting free agency and that could make it tough to keep JPP.
Other players like Robert Quinn and Mario Williams are paid at over $14 million per season and JPP likely will ask for a deal in that wheelhouse. ESPN.com reports that the Giants should have about $12 million in cap space next year and they could free up more if they restructure Eli Manning's contract. The Giants are hoping to keep JPP and they haven't ruled out using the franchise tag. Rolle also will be a free agent and while he has said he also wants to return, he likely will have to take a decent pay cut after his five year deal went up.
Odell Beckham had a fantastic season for the Giants and he may be one of the main reasons why Tom coughlin kept his job. The play of Beckham made the Giants season feel different after the 3-1 finish that followed a seven game losing streak and now he may have the rookie of the year award. Beckham missed four games and ended up with 91 catches for 1305 yards and 12 touchdowns to lead all rookies this season. Beckham gives the Giants hope and moving forwards it looks like he has the potential to be an elite receiver.
The Giants may not have money to spend on a free agent like Ingram, but he could get a look from the team after they ranked 23rd in the league in rushing this year. The team just signed Rashad Jennings and added Andre Williams in the draft, but Jennings was injured for half the season this year and Ingram could be a solid fit for the Giants new offense. While a deal is unlikely, the Giants need to get more consistent in the running game and that could help Eli Manning in the offense even more under Ben McAdoo.
