A look at the top offseason priorities for the Giants

It is rather convenient for Will Beatty that he really came into his own in his contract year. He now finds himself as one of the best free agent left tackles on the market. Keeping Eli Manning upright has been crucial for the Giants' success, and Beatty was crucial for their ability to do that last year. The team should find a way to lock him up. Saying goodbye to Diehl would be a start.There is no doubt that Victor Cruz is an explosive talent, but there is some question as to whether or not he can be a franchise cornerstone, as Nicks has shown he can be. Cruz is a restricted free agent, meaning a team would likely have to give up a first round pick to the Giants to sign him, so the team has some protection, but should they try to get a long-term deal done now? Would such a deal still leave room for Nicks' impending free agency next offseason?David Diehl is one of the longest tenured Giants there is, but his play has declined over the last few years, and it simply doesn't justify his contract. His fate with the team may be tied to what team gets done with their other tackles. Will Beatty and Sean Locklear are free agents, and Locklear is coming off of an ACL injury.View the list »
Corey Webster had a year year in 2011, but had a poor showing throughout the season last year. With Terrell Thomas re-signed and Jayron Hosley continuing to improve, Webster and his excessively large contract may be expendable.

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In 2011, the New York Giants finished their season raising the Lombardi trophy in February. In 2012, they wrapped up early, missing the playoffs entirely.

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What went wrong, and how will they fix it? These are the questions that the Giants must address during this offseason as they look to regroup. Must they rebuild in order to get back to the top? Or are just some minor tweaks required?

The first step in the process was getting some breathing room from the salary cap, which they were over. They have already gotten below it by releasing some key names like Ahmad Bradshaw, Chris Canty, and Michael Boley.

But that doesn't mean that the cuts stop there. And they have a slew of free agents of their own that they need to re-sign. Who is worth re-signing, and at what price? And where should they look in the draft? Take a look at the list for some of the team's key priorities as the offseason progresses.

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View the list
  • Corey Webster had a year year in 2011, but had a poor showing throughout the season last year. With Terrell Thomas re-signed and Jayron Hosley continuing to improve, Webster and his excessively large contract may be expendable.
  • David Diehl is one of the longest tenured Giants there is, but his play has declined over the last few years, and it simply doesn't justify his contract. His fate with the team may be tied to what team gets done with their other tackles. Will Beatty and Sean Locklear are free agents, and Locklear is coming off of an ACL injury.
  • There is no doubt that Victor Cruz is an explosive talent, but there is some question as to whether or not he can be a franchise cornerstone, as Nicks has shown he can be. Cruz is a restricted free agent, meaning a team would likely have to give up a first round pick to the Giants to sign him, so the team has some protection, but should they try to get a long-term deal done now? Would such a deal still leave room for Nicks' impending free agency next offseason?
  • It is rather convenient for Will Beatty that he really came into his own in his contract year. He now finds himself as one of the best free agent left tackles on the market. Keeping Eli Manning upright has been crucial for the Giants' success, and Beatty was crucial for their ability to do that last year. The team should find a way to lock him up. Saying goodbye to Diehl would be a start.
  • With the team already saying goodbye to Michael Boley, the numbers at the linebacker position are depleting. Both Chase Blackburn and Keith Rivers are free agents. While they will likely not see much attention in free agency, they still need to be re-signed.
  • The NFL draft is coming up in April. Where might the Giants look for help? Depending on what happens in free agency, the offensive line could be a prime target, as well as the linebacker position. 
View the list

, Newark Football Examiner

Having grown up in New Jersey, Matt has naturally been around Giants and Jets football his entire life. But at a young age, he also found an affinity for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and as he got older, his fondness for the game itself grew beyond rooting for certain teams. Although the NFL season...

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