The New York Giants 2022 season officially came to an end this past weekend as they were defeated handily by the Philadelphia Eagles, 38-7, in their Divisional Round matchup. While it was certainly a disappointing way to go out, this season was very much a success for Big Blue.
Coming into the campaign, many people expected the Giants to be among the worst teams in the NFL. Instead, they made the playoffs for the first time since the 2016 season and won their first playoff game since Super Bowl 46.
General manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll deserve a lot of credit for the work they did, given the hand, they were dealt. The franchise was in rough shape, left in shambles by Dave Gettleman and Joe Judge and among the least talented in the league. Daboll got the most out of the players on the roster and this offseason it is time for Schoen to sign in player acquisition.
The Giants are among the franchises with the most cap space to spend this offseason. There are certainly a few needs on the roster with wide receiver arguably being the biggest one. Getting some weapons around Daniel Jones is imperative to see what heights he can truly help this offense reach.
The need for upgrades was abundantly evident against the Eagles, who were able to contain Saquon Barkley and shut down the Giants’ pass catchers. But, it takes a specific kind of receiver to succeed in the offense that Daboll has installed, which is why someone such as JuJu Smith-Schuster would make for an excellent fit.
Smith-Schuster had a nice season with the Kansas City Chiefs, helping fill the void left by Tyreek Hill’s departure. He can slide into the lineup as their No. 1 receiver in the passing game but provides a lot more than just pass catching.
The USC product works the middle of the field well, operating with success on underneath and intermediate routes as a possession receiver. New York is a run-first team, which is where Smith-Schuster will really fit in as he is an elite blocker in the running game.
The offense has reached its potential in its current form and it is time to upgrade the talent on that side of the ball. Having someone capable of winning one-on-one matchups such as Smith-Schuster is a must-add this season for the Giants.
