Dave Gettleman, the newly hired Giants general manager, takes over a team that lugs a record of 2-13 into the season finale Sunday. There is much work to be done. Here are the biggest concerns and questions Gettleman needs to get cracking on:
The head coach
Co-owner John Mara said back on Dec. 4 firing Jerry Reese during the season “gives us somewhat of a tactical advantage, allowing us to start looking at general managers right now rather than waiting until the end of the season.’’ Now that Gettleman is aboard, the interview list for head coaches should already be completed. Figure Steve Wilks is on it, and possibly John DeFilippo, Josh McDaniels and maybe Mike Smith.
The quarterback
Gettleman has two Super Bowl rings courtesy of Eli Manning; there is a connection there. Will the connection be severed? Gettleman in Charlotte made sure to get Cam Newton signed to a long-term contract and understands the need for stability at quarterback. He might be inclined to see Manning as a veteran and not a relic. After all, Gettleman is 66 and the Giants do not see him as too old to get the job done.The draft pick
Gettleman believes in building through the offensive and defensive lines — take a look at his track record with the Panthers — so maybe he passes on taking a quarterback with the No. 2 or No. 3 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. In his five drafts with Carolina, Gettleman took a defensive lineman/pass rusher three times.
The star receiver
Kicking sentiment to the curb, Gettleman had the difficult task of shedding salary and age from the Panthers roster, cutting fan favorites Steve Smith and DeAngelo Williams and rescinding the franchise tag on Josh Norman. Now Gettleman inherits Odell Beckham Jr. coming off a fractured ankle, playing for the fifth-year option of $8.45 million and looking for a massive extension. This should be interesting.
The roster
Any team that loses at least 13 games in a season is about to undergo an overhaul. Gettleman is going to have to trim the fat and make hard decisions on guys like Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Ereck Flowers, Brandon Marshall, Janoris Jenkins and two impending free agents, Justin Pugh and Weston Richburg. And, lest we forget, figure out what the heck to do with Eli Apple.