Paul Schwartz

Paul Schwartz

NFL

Giants face tough offseason decisions in-house

The Giants will finish in third place in the NFC East this season no matter what they do in the final two games, and playing essentially, if not mathematically, the last five weeks amid non-playoff contention is sure to prompt a significant roster shake-up.

Before the sorting-out process begins with their own free agents, the Giants will have to weigh bookkeeping needs and talent evaluations to determine whether several of their players under contract deserve to return in 2014.

These will not be easy decisions, but the Giants are assured of their first losing season in nine years and no playoffs for the fourth time in the last five years. There will be plenty of out with the old in with the new.

Before they look to add from outside the organization, the Giants must figure out what to do with players already signed. Some suggestions:

Extend Antrel Rolle: The suggestion Rolle might be a salary-cap casualty because of his high number ($9.2 million) is laughable. He’s the best player on the team, and not only because of his career-high six interceptions. He has a chance to become the first Giants player in 45 years to lead the league in picks. Plus, he’s a leader with a capital ‘L.’ He just turned 31, but is solid as a rock and should get a contract extension, which would decrease his cap number for 2014.

Re-do Chris Snee: He might opt to retire, but here’s a hunch he doesn’t want to go out this way. He can be seen working out in the team facility coming off hip surgery. If it’s his desire to return, he deserves the right — he has given his right and left hip to the team the past two seasons — but clearly he cannot count $11.7 million on the cap. A new short-term deal based on playing-time incentives could work. Snee is coach Tom Coughin’s son-in-law, but this will be a football decision.

Cut David Baas: Sometimes a signing that made sense at the time does not work out, and this is one. Baas never played up to his five-year, $27.5 million deal, as constant injuries and multiple surgeries cut deeply into his performance. He’s on the books for a bloated $8.2 million in 2014 and the Giants are going to have to find themselves another center.

Make Eli Manning more affordable: No, they cannot dock his pay (salary of $15.1 million in 2014) based on his interception avalanche, but they can and must extend a contract that expires in 2015 in order to shave off some of the hefty $20.4 million in cap cost for next season. Manning is 32, so figure a three-year extension through the 2018 season — when he will be 37 — makes sense. How the dollars tumble will be interesting, considering the struggles he and the Giants have endured this season.

Consider bidding adieu to Mathias Kiwanuka: This might sound unthinkable, considering Jason Pierre-Paul is coming off an injury-marred season and about to enter the final year on his contract. But Kiwanuka (four sacks) has not been an impact player despite returning to his natural spot at defensive end. Pro Football Focus gives him the lowest grade in the league for a 4-3 defensive end. The Giants will have to weigh his value with his high cost ($7 million against the cap).

One-and-done for Brandon Myers: When the Giants signed Myers from the Raiders and gave him a four-year, $14.5 million deal, it appeared to be too big of an investment. The contract is not what it appears, as the final three years (at $12 million) are voidable, making it essentially a one-year deal for $2.25 million. Myers has been more productive in the second half of the season, and a case could be made he’s on the upswing, but do the Giants believe he can be a legitimate starting tight end (at a cap cost of $4.37 in 2014) capable of creating matchup problems?

Cut Corey Webster: The only reason the veteran cornerback was back this season was because he agreed to a significant pay reduction, and he barely found his way onto the field — limited to four games because of groin and ankle injuries before he was put on injured reserve Tuesday. He was a starter on two Super Bowl defenses and his overtime interception of Brett Favre in frigid Green Bay never will be forgotten. He only would count $2.25 million versus the cap in 2014, but his time is up.

Wait on JPP: Ideally, this offseason would have been the time to lock up Pierre-Paul with a long-term deal before he heads into the final year (at $2.1 million) on his contract. No can do. JPP never regained his form following back surgery, currently is sidelined with a bum shoulder and likely will finish the season with two sacks. His star has lost some of its luster, and 2014 will be his time to reclaim the shine.

Suck it up with Will Beatty: Jerry Reese made him an offseason priority last spring, and the five-year deal worth up to $38.75 million looks like an albatross around the team’s financial neck. Beatty will count an alarming $7.2 million on the 2014 cap, but cutting him would cause all sorts of damaging cap hits. He is just 28 years old, and the Giants have to keep him and hope his brutal season (10 sacks allowed) was in part caused by the pressure he admittedly felt to live up to the big bucks.

Matchup a ‘turn’ for worse

You might not want to allow the Pee-Wee football or Pop Warner players to tune in Sunday to watch Giants-Lions, because it could send the wrong message: “Kids, remember what we said about ball security? Well, do as we say, not what they do.’’

Inside Ford Field, down on the green turf, will be the two sloppiest teams in the NFL, the two teams that show wanton disrespect for the ball.

The Giants lead the league with an unfathomable 39 turnovers. The Lions are right behind with 31. You want it? Take it. Eli Manning leads the band with 27 (25 interceptions, two lost fumbles) but Matthew Stafford is making a late push, as his three interceptions against the Ravens increases his season total to 17 to go along with his four lost fumbles for 21 turnovers. Hopefully, neither is asked to hold the coin for the opening toss or else the game might never get started.