To “replace’’ is to take the place of, especially as a substitute or successor.
No definition of “replace’’ or “replacement’’ contains any promise of “improvement’’ or “upgrade’’ — no assurance that new means better.
There’s no doubt the Giants in early April are different, more different than anyone could have suspected after they signed 13 free agents who played elsewhere in 2013. That’s the biggest haul of any team in the NFL, but it doesn’t guarantee the Giants have taken a quantum leap forward in skill and talent. They have, unquestionably, gained tremendous experience — all 13 newcomers have been starters or important players in the league — but in almost every case, these players were not considered priorities by their former teams.
What are we to make of these ReplaceJints? Of the 13 newcomers, six figure to be starters or key contributors — cornerbacks Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Walter Thurmond, offensive linemen Geoff Schwartz and J.D. Walton, linebacker Jameel McClain and running back Rashad Jennings. Five represent modest investments in good players.
Rodgers-Cromartie, the shut-down cornerback who came aboard on a five-year, $35 million contract that one month ago seemed too deep for the Giants’ pockets, represented a significant monetary splash, but he was the one glaring exception. Otherwise, the most money the Giants gave to attract someone from the outside is the four-year, $16.8 million deal for Schwartz, who figures to be the starting left guard. The only big money given to one of their own was handed to linebacker Jon Beason (three years, $16.8 million).
Factor in a new offensive coordinator, Ben McAdoo, and a new playbook, there’s no doubt the spring and summer will contain more teaching than in any of Tom Coughlin’s previous 10 years.
“The culture’s going to change, too,’’ Coughlin said in an interview on giants.com. “Now, the principles and the values will not change, but how we go about our business has to change, because we have so many new people that have to be integrated into the system.’’
It remains to be seen if the bargain shopping merely restocked the closet or enhanced the clothing. In most cases, the players coming in were needed to correct and replace glaring failures by the Giants in the NFL Draft.
The need for Schwartz at guard is mainly because James Brewer (fourth-round pick in 2011) has been a washout. Thurmond was needed because Jayron Hosley (third round, 2012) has yet to show he can be a quality nickel back. Trindon Holliday and Quintin Demps were brought in to enliven the return game because Jerrel Jernigan (third round, 2011) never got untracked on punts or kickoffs. Jennings is a very solid signing at running back, but he is needed only because 2012 first-round pick David Wilson is a medical risk coming off a neck injury, and he wasn’t very impressive running from scrimmage when he was on the field. Former Bears corner Zack Bowman as a special teams ace is fine, but all he really does is move in for Ryan Mundy, who replaced Bowman with the Bears.
Robert Ayers is being billed as a nice replacement for Justin Tuck, who signed with the Raiders for nearly twice as much as the Giants’ token offer. Well, Ayers has 12 career sacks in five seasons; Tuck had 11 sacks last season.
It is likely the Giants will have three new starters on the offensive line, possibly four if left tackle Will Beatty isn’t ready to return coming off a fractured leg. Schwartz (26 games started), Walton (36), John Jerry (45) and Charles Brown (22) have started a total of 129 games in the NFL, but none can be viewed as can’t-miss if they are Eli Manning’s chief protectors.
The NFL Draft is five weeks away and the glaring need is at tight end, unless you are a believer in Adrien Robinson, the “JPP of tight ends” according to general manager Jerry Reese. Heck, Jason Pierre-Paul is not even the JPP of defensive ends, given his two-year swoon and his nebulous future as a dominator post-back surgery. A strong case can be made that defensive tackle, receiver and a top-tier offensive tackle are also high draft priorities.
No doubt, the front office was busy and productive in free agency, but almost all of the signings were born out of a combination of a rotten 2013 season, severe roster holes, previous draft missteps and pressure from above to see some results. For now, they are the ReplaceJints, very different than they were, new and somewhat improved.