There are a lot of concerns the New York Giants must address before the start of next season. The Giants have always tried to put their team in a position to compete. That’s what fans want. Unfortunately, this season hasn’t gone the way the organization was hoping. Now, there are some challenges that must be dealt with if the Giants want to have a successful 2018-2019 season.
Concern Over the O-line
It’s old news that the Giants offensive line has performed poorly. This cannot be a topic of discussion next year. The organization must put all of their scouting into the offensive line. Enough is enough. Eli Manning cannot continue to be pressured and sacked all of the time. Manning can still play at a high level but he needs less pressure and a little more time when locating open receivers. This is more than just a concern for the Giants, it will literally make or break their season next year.
Brandon Marshall
There’s an elephant in the Giants locker room that has not been addressed, and its name is Brandon Marshall. During his prime, he was a reliable option. For seven years straight Marshall had over 1,000 receiving yards. Now at 33 years old, Marshall will have to endure the process of rehab after injuring his ankle and undergoing surgery.
The Giants were hopeful that Marshall could be a reliable option for Manning whenever there was double coverage on Odell Beckham Jr. The Giants should be concerned. Bringing in Marshall was an experiment that did not go as hoped for. At this point, the Giants have two options. They can either let Marshall play out the final year of his contract and gamble on his recovery or look for a trade before the start of next season.
The organization must be concerned with how well Marshall will bounce back after this injury, especially since he will be 34 years old come next season. Sterling Shepard can continue to evolve into a reliable option and the Giants should continue to put their faith in him. Between Evan Engram, Shepard, and Beckham, there are many offensive weapons for Manning.
Concerns On Manning/McAdoo
Midway through this season many people have given up on Ben McAdoo and would like to see him fired. Many also feel that McAdoo has enough pieces to bring this Giants team to the playoffs. The concerns are fair, but we can’t discount the fact last year he led the 11-5 Giants to the playoffs. Not to mention it was his first year as a head coach. Hopefully, McAdoo has learned a lot from this season thus far and will continue to do so because I don’t see the Giants letting him walk. That being said if the Giants feel there is someone out there who would be a better head coach for this team, they should approach them without hesitation. The organization should keep an eye out for any well respected, quality head coaches willing to take over the Giants, until then McAdoo calls the shots.
Manning is a two time Super Bowl champion. He is respected by most, but in New York, he deals with as much hate as he does love. Fans must understand the offensive line that he has. They must understand the pressure he deals with when in the pocket. That being said, he is aging and eventually will retire. Some think the Giants should go after a quarterback in the NFL draft. I disagree. In fact, it’s too early. He will more than likely play another 2-3 years, maybe more. He should be given a real opportunity to bring the Giants to the promised land for the third time in his career. However, he can’t with this offensive line. Let’s see if the Giants address these concerns in the offseason, then we can get a real sense of how much Manning has left in the tank.