The Giants.com crew is presented with four statements and must decide whether they are Fact or Fiction.
The Giants are less likely to draft an offensive lineman in the first round after seeing their moves in free agency
Dan Salomone: Fiction – The Giants started 10 different offensive linemen last season. Four started at least 14 games, and all of them became free agents this week. GM Joe Schoen will look at every avenue to rebuild the offensive line, the largest always being the draft.
Lance Medow: Fiction – If there's anything the 2021 season taught the Giants, it's that you can never have enough offensive lineman on the roster, especially one of starting caliber. When Shane Lemieux and Nick Gates were both lost for the season during training camp and early in the regular season, respectively, it became a game of musical chairs in the interior of the line. Let's also not overlook Andrew Thomas missing several games due to injuries and Matt Peart suffering a torn ACL in Week 16. You can never predict injuries so that alone is a good enough reason to draft a lineman. Jon Feliciano and Mark Glowinski are also veterans with experience at guard and they have no impact on the Giants' potential plans at right tackle.
Matt Citak: Fiction – The Giants definitely took a step in the right direction towards fixing the offensive line at the start of free agency with the additions of Mike Glowinski and Jon Feliciano. However, the unit is far from done. The two veterans will help shore up the interior, but the Giants could still use one of their two top picks on an offensive tackle to play on the right side. N.C. State's Ikem Ekwonu and Alabama's Evan Neal are strong possibilities, while Mississippi State's Charles Cross remains in the mix, as well. Barring the addition of a proven tackle in free agency over the next few weeks, selecting an offensive lineman in the first round is still in the cards.
You would be surprised if the Giants draft a wide receiver in the first round
Dan Salomone: Fiction – This is Joe Schoen's first draft in the big chair, so it's hard to say what would be "surprising." On top of that, there is heavy lifting to be done across the board for a team that has double-digit losses in five consecutive seasons. No position is off the table.
Lance Medow: Fiction – There are not many surprises when it comes to the NFL, especially in the draft, and you can never have enough depth at a given position. Is wide receiver the most pressing need? No, but Sterling Shepard is coming off a season-ending Achilles' injury, which could put his status for the start of the 2022 campaign up in the air and Kenny Golladay, Darius Slayton and Kadarius Toney also dealt with injuries last season. Although they may not address the position with the fifth or seventh overall picks, it wound be a stunner if they chose to add another offensive playmaker.
Matt Citak: Fact – Sterling Shepard's return and the presence of Kenny Golladay, Kadarius Toney and Darius Slayton on the depth chart would make it appear that receiver is not atop the priority list. But it is important to keep in mind that the new regime did not bring in any of those receivers. It is important to provide Daniel Jones with another talented weapon in a pivotal year, but the roster has other areas that could better use an influx of talent. At the end of the day, it would be surprising if the Giants draft any position on offense in the first round outside of the offensive line.
The quarterback room will be the top story line throughout OTAs and training camp
Dan Salomone: Fact – The NFL does story lines better than any other sports league, and right or wrong, the biggest ones involve the quarterback position. The Giants added an established veteran in Tyrod Taylor (who has a Pro Bowl and a winning record as a starter) to a room with Daniel Jones, the former sixth overall pick and incumbent starter. While the Giants have a lot of moving pieces, this will draw the most attention by the nature of the role.
Lance Medow: Fiction – Tyrod Taylor is a polished veteran but he's also been in similar circumstances with other teams, such as the Browns, Chargers and Texans where he was brought in to compete with rookie quarterbacks Baker Mayfield, Justin Herbert and Davis Mills, respectively. Taylor began as the starter in all three of those situations and, unfortunately, lost his job each time due to injuries. With the Giants, it's much different because Daniel Jones isn't entering his first season in the NFL. Perhaps this situation adds an extra layer of intrigue, but the Giants have already made it clear they view Jones as their guy and will continue to focus on bolstering the talent around him. Taylor is the ideal veteran to have because he has a wealth of starting experience and is a great insurance policy for Jones, who has missed at least two starts due to injury in each of his first three seasons in the league. The offensive line, scheme and new defense are far more notable story lines than the quarterback room.
Matt Citak: Fiction – The Giants' quarterback room currently consists of Daniel Jones, Tyrod Taylor, Davis Webb and Brian Lewerke. Selecting a quarterback late in next month's draft remains a possibility, but barring something drastic, it will be Jones and Taylor sitting atop the depth chart - with Jones as the clear starter. Having a proven veteran in the room to guide Jones should only help with his growth. The bigger story line throughout OTAs and training camp will be the development and chemistry of the offensive line. The unit has undoubtedly been the Achilles heel for the Giants over the last few seasons, and while the additions of Mark Glowinski and Jon Feliciano should provide a boost, the unit is far from complete. Jones has put up solid numbers throughout his career when given protection and could be looking at a big fourth-year jump if the O-line holds up.
The Giants will go heavy on defense in the draft based on how free agency is playing out
Dan Salomone: Fiction – Although the moves have been all on offense in the first week, you can't rule out any side of the ball in the draft because there are so many holes to fill. Defensive coordinator "Wink" Martindale might have something to say about that, though.
Lance Medow: Fiction – With the intention of sounding like a broken record, this year's draft class isn't just about 2022, but beyond, as well. You're not just renting the player for one year. Rookies receive four-year contracts and first-round picks have a fifth-year team option, which means you can't make decisions with only the 2022 roster in mind, especially when the length of contracts fluctuate and aren't all guaranteed. For example, you could sign a free agent or two on the offensive line and then release them the following off-season. If that thinking prevents you from considering that position in the draft, then you're essentially back to Square One the following year.
Matt Citak: Fiction – The Giants certainly have some holes to fill on defense, with the release of Logan Ryan creating another need at safety. Between edge rusher, linebacker, safety and possibly cornerback, there's no doubt that a good number of the team's picks will be used on Wink Martindale's unit. However, given the current shortage of players at certain positions on offense, the Giants can't afford to go heavy on defense in the draft. As the roster stands, Brian Daboll's squad is lacking depth at tight end and running back, not to mention the need for more offensive linemen and possibly even a wide receiver. If you had to guess today, you could opine the nine picks will be split almost evenly between the two sides of the ball, with five going to the defense and four to the offense. But we are still over a month away from the draft, and the Giants could still accumulate more picks before April 28.
