New York Giants Free Agency: Who Stays, and Who Goes?

The New York Giants are gearing up for what should be a far more active free agency period this year.

'The team has already started work on retaining some of their own free agents, including quarterback Daniel Jones (4 years, $160 million), running back Saquon Barkley (franchise tag, $10 million), receiver Isaiah Hodgins (1 year, $870,000), inside linebacker Jarrad Davis (1 year, $1.9 million; $1.04 million cap hit), receiver Sterling Shepard (1 year, $1.9 million; $1.04 million cap hit), (tight end Lawrence Cager (1 year, $940,000), and offensive lineman Jack Anderson (1 year, $940,000).

Here is a look at the Giants' remaining free agents with some quick thoughts about how the Giants might proceed with each.

RB Matt Breida: Breida was one of the team's most underrated (and underused) players, adequately filling in for Barkey while also providing firepower on special teams. However, this year’s running backs class is said to be extremely deep, which could mean the Giants say goodbye to this solid veteran in favor of someone younger and cheaper while they also look to continue developing Gary Brightwell and Jashaun Corbin.

S/ILB Landon Collins: Collins’s return was a nice story in that if he is truly at the end of his career, he’ll be able to say he finished it where he began it. While he did a good job as a nickel linebacker, it was telling that his snaps were reduced during the playoffs (11 snaps in the Wild Card round, none in the divisional playoffs). With the team likely to add inside linebacker and safety depth, it’s hard to envision Collins filling either role.

IDL Justin Ellis: Although the Giants need interior defensive line depth, don’t expect them to re-sign Ellis, who, instead of absorbing blocks, seemed to lose his battles all too often against single blocking.

IOL Jon Feliciano: Feliciano joined the Giants last year from Buffalo and is said to be one of offensive line coach Bobby Johnson’s favorites. Regardless of the Giants' plan to draft a young center this year, Feliciano figures to return if for no other reason than for his veteran leadership.

IOL Nick Gates: Gates’s agent and the Giants had some preliminary conversations after the season, but not much has happened since, though that could be due to the team’s prioritizing Jones and Barkley. Gates is open to returning, but if the Giants re-sign Feliciano, that might end Gates's time with the Giants, who could be planning to draft an interior offensive lineman capable of playing guard and center.

P Jamie Gillan: The Giants rolled the dice on Gillan last year by not bringing in competition for him. The results were mixed. Gillan does have a strong leg, but he lacks touch and consistency. The Giants might not want to give up on his strong leg or his ability to hold for kicker Graham Gano, but it’s probably safe to say that Gillan will have competition this year if he is re-signed.

WR Richie James: Give James all the credit in the world for bouncing back from a rocky end to his 49ers career to his professionalism in handling a near benching by the Giants after he muffed two punts in a loss to the Seahawks. And say this about James: He knew the playbook and was as reliable as the day is long. That said, James may want to try cashing in on his production from last year at a rate that might just be outside of how the Giants value him.

S Tony Jefferson: Jefferson was another of Martindale’s former players brought in to help launch the defense. But much like the case with Collins, it would be surprising if there was a role for Jefferson, who plans to convert from safety to inside linebacker.

WR Marcus Johnson: Johnson lost playing time last year to Isaiah Hodgins, making it unlikely that he's brought back for a second go-round with New York.

LS Casey Kreiter: Kreiter probably won’t be that expensive to retain and will likely be offered another one-year deal. However, the Giants might want to bring in some competition for him this summer after witnessing some of his long snaps lacking speed while some of his shorter snaps weren’t consistently on the mark.

S Julian Love: Love had a chance to start for the first time in his career last season and performed well. And although Love indicated recently that talks have heated up between the Giants and his agent, general manager Joe Schoen has been dropping hints about looking for more affordable safety depth in the free agent market whose numbers would likely come in far less than the five-year, $39.811 million deal ($7.9 million APY) Spotrac projects for the defensive back. 

CB Fabian Moreau: Moreau was a solid fill-in for the Giants when they lost Aaron Robinson to a season-ending injury, so long as he wasn't asked to defend the opponent's top receiver. Appearing in 14 games with 11 starts, if Moreau is open to accepting a one-year veteran minimum deal, he would provide that veteran leadership that general manager Joe Schoen mentioned he'd like to keep from leaving the building.

WR Darius Slayton: Slayton kept his head down and did what he needed to do, even after it initially looked like the Giants had no use for his services early in the season. That said, it wouldn't be surprising if, after having to take a pay cut and being initially doubted by the team, Slayton headed elsewhere to continue his career, especially after his agent put together a rather convincing marketing campaign that should serve the receiver well in what's otherwise a lackluster free-agent receiver market.

LB Jaylon Smith: Smith was a player I thought the team might re-sign when he was a free agent last year. The Giants went in a different direction, but it was only when injuries and poor performance started affecting the inside linebacker group that Smith was brought back. He was certainly serviceable, but with the Giants having re-signed Jarrad Davis and drafted Darrian Beavers and Micah McFadden, and likely to add another inside linebacker via free agency, it’s hard to imagine Smith being re-signed.

OLB/DE Jihad Ward: If defensive coordinator Wink Martindale is to be believed, wherever he goes, Ward goes. Martindale is still with the Giants, so it wouldn’t be surprising if Ward, one of the veteran leaders in the locker room and one that had a big influence on helping Kayvon Thibodeaux adjust to the NFL, also returns on another one-year deal.

IDL Nick Williams: When Williams suffered a season-ending biceps injury, the last of the Giants defensive line depth disappeared. Until his injury, Williams had been a solid contributor, especially against the run. His biggest contribution was spelling Leonard Williams and Dexter Lawrence when either needed a breather. If Williams is fully recovered from his injury, another one-year veteran minimum deal might not be such a bad idea as right now, the Giants sorely lack depth on the defensive line.

Edge Oshane Ximines: Ximines, a 2019 third-round draft pick, was given a chance to resurrect his declining career under the new coaching staff but was still unable to surpass his career-highs in tackles, sacks, and quarterback hits set in his rookie campaign. Ximines saw his snaps decrease down the stretch, losing playing time to undrafted rookie free agent Tomon Fox. Although the Giants could use depth at edge rusher, they probably will look to move on from Ximines, who has never been a stout run stuffer.