The Giants seemingly filled many of their roster holes with a free- agency haul that added 16 players who played elsewhere last season. Fortified, the Giants should have more freedom to select based on talent and not need heading into next week’s NFL Draft.
General manager Jerry Reese does not agree with that assessment.
“The draft is what it is, it stands alone,’’ Reese said Thursday at his annual pre-draft press conference. “We try to pick the best players we can in the draft. You try to fill some holes in free agency. In the draft you just try to pick the best players.’’
Entering free agency, the Giants had a glaring deficiency on their offensive line and stark needs at cornerback, linebacker, running back, tight end and receiver. They addressed their weakness by signing four veteran offensive linemen, cornerbacks Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Walter Thurmond, linebackers Jon Beason and Jameel McClain and running back Rashad Jennings. Reese, though, insists he will not discount the highest-rated players in the draft even if they appear to duplicate players already in place at certain positions.
“Free agency really doesn’t affect what we do in the draft,’’ Reese said.
Of course, nothing matters much if Eli Manning does not return to form. Manning is coming off April 10 ankle surgery, an arthroscopic procedure that figures to keep him out of action until training camp.
“He’s going to be out of spring ball,’’ Reese said. “We want him for the summer, we know he’s going to be back in the summer. If he can do something in the spring we’ll be happy to see him out there but we’re not going to rush him back.’’
Manning is coming off a career-worst season, which Reese looks at as an anomaly.
“Eli is a smart guy, I think he’s driven to prove last year was just an odd year for him,’’ Reese sad. “I think last year was an odd year for him. I think he’ll bounce back and have a terrific season.’’
- The Giants, as expected, picked up the fifth-year option on cornerback Prince Amukamara, who will make $6.898 million in 2015. The team now has more time to work out a long-term extension for Amukamara, 26.
- Reese was his usual non-revelatory self when discussing the draft, but he did say “We have work to do still on the offensive line.’’ The Giants signed four veteran offensive linemen in free agency.
- Reese said running back David Wilson is “on schedule’’ to return coming off neck surgery, but also said it will be “a bonus’’ if Wilson plays in 2014.
- Wide receiver Victor Cruz is on the record as wanting a big receiver with the first-round pick. How much weight does that carry with the decision-makers? “Zero,’’ Reese said. “Everybody’s got an opinion, man.’’ Safety Will Hill is appealing what is expected to be a six or eight-game ban for violating the league’s drug policy. “That’s an appeal process and we’ll respect that process as it plays out and we’ll make some decisions after that,’’ Reese said.
- Former Giants tight end Bear Pascoe signed with the Falcons.