Articles

The Giants Don’t Need the Headache

By Michael Stewart @golferbad

Since the release of Dez Bryant and the release of Brandon Marshall, the media has had a field day with speculations of Dez Bryant possibly signing with the Giants. Bryant would fill the need for a big wide receiver to complement both OBJ and Sterling Shepard. Bryant himself has been campaigning through social media since his release of playing in the NFC east; with the Giants as the main team of interest.

Last season, Bryant caught 69 passes for 838 yards and six touchdowns in 16 games. The last time he reached 1,000 yards was in 2014 (88 catches/1,320 yards/16 touchdowns). At 29, Bryant’s production has been in a decline since 2014, but many believe he still has a few more solid seasons left in him. Besides, if signed by the Giants he wouldn’t need to be the featured target and would add that red zone threat that the Giants do need.

So the question is: Should the Giants sign Dez Bryant or not? Below are my top 3 reasons why they should and why they shouldn’t:

Should Sign Him – 

  • Red zone threat: Despite his decline with his production overall, Bryant still remains a red zone threat and is very dangerous inside 20 yards.
  • One on One: Bryant would eliminate teams from double teaming OBJ or even Evan Engram; which would give Eli Manning better options to distribute the ball evenly.
  • Chip on his Shoulder: Bryant is seeking revenge and a fire has been lit under him to have a solid season. Like any player being release; Bryant wants to prove to Dallas management and to the league that they made a big mistake and he’ll be very motivated this season.

Shouldn’t Sign Him – 

  • Cap Space: With the release of Brandon Marshall, the Giants saved $5M in cap space to bring their total to roughly $9.5M for 2018. According to Over the Cap, the Giants would need close to $10M to sign this year’s draft picks.
  • Drafting a featured RB: If the Giants draft a featured running game; which is being reported. The Giants offense will have a different look in 2018. In years past, the Giants needed to be more of a pass first offense with a lack of a running game. Gettleman, Shurmur and Shula want the offense to have a more balance attack.
  • Personalities Clash: Giant fans and management have already seen the on and off the field antics of Odell Beckham Jr. Bryant has a similar personality; at least on the field and I’m not sure both players can coincide together to create a positive atmosphere on the field and more importantly in the locker room.

Final Thoughts: GM Dave Gettleman will ultimately have the final decision on whether or not to sign Dez Bryant. If he does, Gettleman would need to clear more cap space and expect a one year deal with incentives. Also expect a signing before the draft, so the Giants could focus on other positional needs. If not, The Giants will should draft a big receiver in this year’s draft; which is fairly deep and they could find one on either day’s 2 or 3.