Silver lining for Big Blue’s 2018 season
The New York Giants, who ended their season with three wins and 13 losses, will need a successful National Football League (NFL) 2018 draft pick to recover from this year’s disappointing season. Because the Giants finished with a poor record, they have earned the second overall pick in the NFL League Draft. The Cleveland Browns will have the first overall pick, followed by the New York Giants, and then the Indianapolis Colts, according to espn.com.
The Draft is the annual selection process where teams select eligible college players in the hopes of improving their roster. Teams receive positions for the drafting order based on their record from their previous season, meaning the team with the lowest recorded wins goes first. Each NFL team gets one draft pick per each of the seven rounds. Teams that make the playoffs qualify for the draft slots numbers 21 to 32 and the Super Bowl Champion has the 32nd and final pick in each round.
The last time the Giants received a pick in the top three overall draft selection was in 1981. The team had the second overall pick and chose Mr. Lawrence Taylor as a new linebacker. Mr. Taylor played an essential role in helping the team win two Super Bowl titles in 1981 and 1987.
Giants fans speculate that the team will begin building up their offense, especially because current quarterback Mr. Eli Manning is approaching the end of his career. This means that the Giants will want a new quarterback for Mr. Manning to train before he retires. Players like Mr. Josh Rosen from the University of California, Los Angeles, or Mr. Sam Darnold from the University of Southern California, are potential prospects according to espn.com. However, until the draft takes place, fans will not know if the Giant’s management will choose to enhance the team’s offense by selecting a new quarterback.
This past season, Mr. Ben McAdoo, head coach of the New York Giants, benched Mr. Manning. This ended Mr. Manning’s streak of starting in 210 consecutive games. Mr. Manning held the second longest streak for a starting quarterback in the NFL. Throughout his career with the Giants, he won two Super Bowls and received the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player (MVP) award both times.
The decision to bench Mr. Manning occurred during week 13 of the team’s 2017 football season against the Oakland Raiders. The coaches told Mr. Manning he could play the first half of the game to keep his streak alive. However, Mr. Manning declined this offer, allowing second-string quarterback Mr. Geno Smith to play the game. The Giants lost to the Raiders. When Mr. Manning was benched, the public responded with frustration, arguing that Mr. Jerry Reese, the Giants’ general manager, and Mr. McAdoo made a terrible decision.
Mr. Michael Francesa Jr. is an American radio show host for the sports radio station Working Fairtrade Action Network (WFAN), and on his final day on air, he spoke out regarding the poor management decisions the Giants made regarding Mr. Manning.
“McAdoo’s career is worthless. Jerry Reese’s career is built on Eli Manning. His success in those two games is why Jerry Reese has got a career. He doesn’t have a career by what he’s drafted here. He’s got a career because he won two Super Bowls won by Eli Manning, who went on the road and won all those playoff games and who won the Super Bowl MVP twice by beating the Patriots,” Mr. Francesa said according to si.com.
The firing of Mr. McAdoo occurred only days after the Raiders game, and the team’s defensive coordinator, Mr. Steve Spagnuolo, took over as head coach. According to The New York Times, this was the first time that the Giants fired a coach in the middle of the season since 1976.
In addition to Mr. McAdoo’s dismissal, the Giants fired Mr. Reese because the team’s roster still had not improved and resulted in poor performance. Mr. Reese had been with the Giants for 11 years and won two Super Bowls. Mr. Manning returned to his starting position as the quarterback under the leadership of Mr. Spagnuolo. The team, however, still suffered another loss.
The Giants began their search for a new general manager after the end of the season, ultimately hiring Mr. Dave Gettleman who had worked for the Giants for 15 years before leaving in 2013 to become the general manager of the Carolina Panthers.
“The only promise I can make is I’m going to do everything in my power to lead this organization back to where it belongs,” Mr. Gettleman said in his first news conference for the Giants, according to The New York Times.
The Giants’ head coaching position is still available, and there is speculation that coaches such as the New England Patriots’ defensive coordinator Mr. Matt Patricia might be interested in the job, according to cbssports.com. Another candidate is Mr. Pat Shurmur, who is the current offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings.
However, according to nypost.com, “the NFL has a tampering rule in place prohibiting teams from hiring a coach involved in the playoffs.” This means that because the Vikings are still playing in the regular season, the Giants cannot offer Mr. Patricia a contract.
With the new year in store, the New York Giants now have the ability to come back with a better roster and management for their 2018 season.
A longtime Sacred Heart Greenwich parent and grandparent, as well benefactor of the community, Mrs. Ann Mara, co-owned the New York Giants with her husband for many years. She was often called the “First Lady of Football,” supporting her team through successful as well as disappointing seasons.
“No matter the outcome of the season, it is essential to stand by the team both in wins and losses. With new management and a high draft pick, I’m positive the Giants will play their absolute best in the next season,” junior Lily Brown, granddaughter of Mrs. Mara, said.
The Giants will have the opportunity to start anew. With coaching positions available like head coach, as well as a high draft pick, the Giants can secure several top players and strengthen their team overall.