The NY Giants had a tough season while missing the playoffs for the third straight year and now that Tom Coughlin is returning, the team can focus on free agents, as names like Jason Pierre-Paul, Antrel Rolle, Walter Thurmond, Mark Herzlich, Stevie Brown, Henry Hynoski, Jerrel Jernigan, John Jerry, Jacquian Williams, Daniel Fells, James Brewer, Mike Patterson and Spencer Paysinger are hitting the market in free agency.
The Giants opted to bring back Coughlin despite going 6-10 this season, as they felt sticking with him was better than any other available coaching candidates into 2015. According to ESPN.com, the Giants felt that with the amount of injuries they dealt with, the fact that they had a new offensive scheme and that they signed over 20 free agents, it was not on Coughlin's shoulders that they struggled a bit in 2014. Coughlin will have added pressure in 2015, but after Eli Manning got the chance to learn Ben McAdoo's scheme and found a star in Odell Beckham, New York has high hopes for next year.
The Giants more pressing matters include replacing Perry Fewell and identifying which free agents they should try and retain from the team into next season. The team may look at Pepper Johnson or Steve Spagnuolo as d-coordinator options. The Giants signed a high number of free agents last year and they have over 20 players hitting the market this offseason. Jason Pierre-Paul is the most high profile player hitting the market for the Giants along with Antrel Rolle and Walter Thurmond. JPP was drafted by the Giants and has been strong for two of four seasons, but those other two years were disappointments.
John Mara has not ruled out using the franchise tag on Pierre-Paul and it comes after he bounced back this year with 12.5 sacks. JPP had just 8.5 sacks combined over the previous two seasons while dealing with injuries and those came after his breakout in 2011 when he had 16.5 sacks and helped lead the Giants to the Super Bowl. Pierre-Paul will likely cost around $12 million per year and the Giants have to decide whether he is worth big money, as he is young at 26 and will command some attention on the market.
Rolle is a free agent after his five year contract came up following this season and he said that he would like to return to the Giants. Rolle likely will have to take a pay cut to come back due to his age, while Walter Thurmond said that he wanted to return after playing in limited games due to an injury after signing a one year deal last offseason. Mark Herzlich, Stevie Brown and Henry Hynoski are players that could return, while Daniel Fells, James Brewer, Jerrel Jernigan, John Jerry, Jacquian Williams, Mike Patterson and Spencer Paysinger could be gone
The team also may make decisions on Prince Amukamara and Jon Beason, as both of those players have contract issues on the horizon. The team picked up the fifth year option on Amukamara after taking him in the first round in 2011 and he was having a fine season before suffering a season-ending injury in 2014. ESPN New York writes that the team could cut Amukamara, while Jon Beason also could be in for a restructuring after dealing with injuries this year.
