Giants Draft: The Running Game

One of the reasons the Giants were 9-7 during the regular season was that their evergreen running game collapsed. A few years ago, the Giants could put any back in there and see them rush for 5 ypc. This past season, not so much. Given that, Baas and Boothe rallied in the playoffs and the Giants were able to rush the ball a bit better. But it was nowhere near the running game they like to have and when they don't have that, no safety comes up, and the play action passing game suffers. Just imagine what Eli would have done last season with a standard Coughlin Era running game to help out. Staggering. That's why it is paramount that the Giants fix the running game now.

So what was wrong with the running game? A couple of things, really. The Giants cut ties with Seubert, O'Hara, and Shawn Andrews on the OL, and that was big. Furthermore, Chris Snee played hurt all year and looked average for the first time ever. Kareem McKenzie suddenly declined and now he's gone. Further, Baas was hurt on and off and Beatty went down. So the OL was a big part of the story.

What's more, Jake and Bradshaw just didn't move like they used to, and teams seemed to know which play was coming depending on which back was in. Now Jake is gone, and that's sad. But running back decline and predictability was also part of the story.

So what are the Giants going to want to do? I think they're gonna throw some picks at putting a real Giant running game back together for this fall. Now there are a few different ways to do this.

They can add OL: there are maybe 3 OL's I would be comfortable seeing the Giants draft in the first. They are Cordy Glenn, Amini Silatolu and Peter Konz. Glenn and Amini are both G/RT candidates and Peter Konz is a terrific Center who might have to start out at Guard during the David Baas years. Btw, I think Baas is cuttable after this coming season from a cap perspective, so taking Konz shouldn't be cause for complaint. He's gonna be a 10 year solution for someone at C. I think all three of these guys are Giant type players, but I don't think OSU's Mike Adams is. That guy is talented but inconsistent, and you can't use a first round pick on an inconsistent OL. Another thing to remember is that the OL solutions might already be on the team. Petrus looks like a plus run blocker who could have used another camp and offseason. He'll get it, and so will Brewer, who is huge and has great feet and long arms. And good old Kevin Boothe kept looking better and better. So I wouldn't be surprised of the Giants didn't take an OL at 32 and instead waited for a more developmental OL pick or two.

Another thing they can do is add a running back or two. I favor the idea of trying to find a franchise back again. We haven't really had one since Tiki, and can you imagine what that type of back could do with current Eli? Ay Caramba! In fact the guys I have in mind for the franchise role are Doug Martin and David Wilson. Martin is a thicker and stronger Tiki, who finishes every run and knows how to bail out his QB by giving him an easy target. Martin wouldn't have to come off the field and they could run the full playbook through him.

David Wilson is faster and more explosive and also has really good hands for the passing game. He's not as thick and strong and the pounding could be an issue, but we thought that about Tiki and he withstood it. He's had some ball control stuff, like Tiki, too.

If the Giants can't get one of those two guys, I think they should draft two backs over the course of the draft, basically a slippery guy and a bigger back. There are lots available, though I would prefer to get a franchise back to become for Eli what Marshall Faulk was for the high flying Rams of the `90s - a boon to the running and passing game. We'll see what they do.

The Giants could also add a TE, though they have already added one two way TE who is a plus blocker in Bennett. There is a TE who could interest them early, but he's not a plus run blocker and we'll talk about him later.

In any event, I think the Giants will focus on fixing the run game in the draft. I have no idea whether they will attack it with an OL or an RB first, but I wouldn't be surprised to see three picks used directly on the running game. I hope at least one of them is a franchise type back for us.