ESPN says one player is essential for Giants to win free agency
A signing that would certainly turn heads.
The free agency carousel is fast approaching, with legal tampering beginning this Monday, March 13.
Now that the Giants have signed Daniel Jones and franchise-tagged Saquon Barkley, their offseason outlook is set.
A roster in the midst of overhaul despite recent success, there's one hole that needs more TLC than the others, and this free agent signing would patch it up.
Football Outsiders' Aaron Schatz has Edmunds as the "must-sign" free agent for the Giants, saying:
The veterans the Giants used at the position last year were not good enough, and they are free agents anyway. How about getting serious with strength in the middle of the field with Bills linebacker Tremaine Edmunds?
Note: The Giants did re-sign Jarrad Davis after the release of ESPN's article
Already a two-time Pro Bowler, Edmunds has helped define the modern linebacker, playing with range, length, and athleticism, as opposed to the brute and brawn of the positions past.
Edmunds has started every game he's played in, recording an impressive 100 total tackles or more in each of his five seasons.
Perhaps the most intriguing part of this signing is the future, as Schatz said:
Edmunds is only 24 years old; he doesn't turn 25 until May, so the Giants would be getting his prime years.
For a team that is already young and building a nucleus they believe can contend for years to come, this is the type of signing that can catapult team success.
The fit is perfect, and the scheme dynamic is established. So now we have to consider the financials.
Part of the reason signing Daniel Jones was so important is that the Giants could structure his contract so that his cap hit occurs down the road.
Sitting pretty post-Jones signing at 11th in total cap space with $14.4 million in effective cap space, the Giants can maneuver free agency and sign Edmunds to a deal that matches his value.
Now how much money Edmunds is going to demand is up for debate, but it's likely to be a pretty penny.
As mentioned, he's still well before his prime and has played in 13 or more games every year in the NFL.
All the leverage will surely be with Edmunds given his credentials, meaning it will be nearly impossible to strike a bargain with him, something the bills seemingly knew was coming.
The table is set and the chips are out, it's time to deal and see if New York can win this game of Poker.
