Dave Gettleman traded two draft picks for information, not production.
The then two-win Giants’ decision to deal a third-round pick (No. 68) in 2020 and either a fourth- or fifth-round pick in 2021 to the Jets for pending free agent Leonard Williams in October was a double head-scratcher: The player evaluation of Williams and the thinking behind Gettleman’s asset allocation.
Gettleman defended both Tuesday, but critics are not going to feel any differently after hearing the Giants general manager speak for the first time since July. Especially when the Giants could’ve kept the draft picks and devoted a chunk of their $70 million in cap space to sign Williams in free agency.
“Now we know what we have, and we were willing to do that,” Gettleman said. “We felt we needed him.”
The Player
Williams, 25, finished with 26 tackles, a forced fumble and 0.5 sacks in eight games with the Giants. He had 11 quarterback hits – which ranked third on the pass-rush deficient defense – but free-agent pass-rushers get paid based on sacks, not knockdowns and hurries.
“He buzzes around the quarterback,” Gettleman said. “We have to get him to finish right now.”
Gettleman believes in three principles of winning: Run the ball, stop the run and rush the passer. He thinks Williams checks two of those boxes – despite the NFL’s No. 20 rushing defense – and completes the four-man defensive tackle rotation he desires.
“We felt he could be a disruptive force inside,” Gettleman said, “and he has been.”
The Thinking
It is much more difficult to rationalize the logic behind a non-playoff contender robbing the future for a half-season rental – with no assurance Williams will re-sign with the Giants.
If he does re-sign before free agency opens in March, the Giants owe the Jets a third- and fourth-rounder. If he doesn’t, it’s a third and fifth.
“He was in my office (Monday) and told me he wants to be here,” Gettleman said.
Money talks, however. And, unless the Giants blow him away with an offer, Williams would be foolish not to test his value on the free-agent market, where he could command $8-12 million per year, agents told The Post.
The Giants were banking on Williams falling in love with the organization and the idea that he doesn’t have to uproot his New York-based life, leading to a hometown discount. But changes to the coaching staff are coming, which means he will have to learn a new scheme anywhere.
Even if the Giants were enamored with Williams’ potential, why not wait until free agency to maximize assets?
“That’s a hypothetical,” Gettleman said. “At the end of the day, we felt good about him. He did what we wanted him to do. He wants to be here.”
Bottom Line
Thanks to Landon Collins signing with the Redskins, the Giants likely will recoup a third-rounder in 2020 when the NFL hands out compensatory picks next month. But that pick will be about 30 spots lower than the one dealt to the Jets.
If Williams signs elsewhere, the Giants could recoup the mid-rounder in 2021 in the form of a compensatory pick.
Also, Gettleman’s decision to pick up the phone to inquire about Williams’ availability from the Jets is a contradiction of the way he handled the Odell Beckham trade. He didn’t shop for better offers than the one from the Browns because he didn’t want to lose leverage by initiating talks.
“I had heard rumors that [Williams] was available, so I called to ask,” Gettleman said. “I thought we got fair trade value. When you are in the trade business, you want to get to a win-win. Most people are savvy enough where it’s going to have to be fair.”
Williams indicated both he prefers to sign with the Giants but he wants his money’s worth as a first-time free agent. The former No. 6 overall pick spent 4 ½ seasons with the Jets, where he was a draft underachiever.
“Bottom line,” Gettleman said, “is we felt the juice is worth the squeeze.”