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14 free agents New York Giants could sign following 2024 NFL draft

The New York Giants made six selections in the 2024 NFL draft and have reportedly signed a handful of undrafted players in its aftermath. However, general manager Joe Schoen made it clear that personnel tinkering will continue over the next several months.

“We always have room to grow and always have room to improve. I say it all the time, we don’t play until September, so there’s still time between now and September where we can acquire players, the final cutdown, whatever it may be,” Schoen said.

With that in mind, here are 14 remaining free agents the Giants could potentially look into signing to help bolster their depth and fill out their roster.

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The Giants will add a low-end quarterback or two as they head into rookie minicamp and organized team activities (OTAs), but the likelihood they sign someone to compete with Daniel Jones and Drew Lock is slim. However, if that’s a path Schoen ultimately takes, Ryan Tannehill is the best available.

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The Giants failed to address the trenches during the three-day draft but there are still options in free agency. If they want to add an offensive tackle with experience, David Bakhtiari could be that guy.

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Perhaps more than a tackle, the Giants could use another guard with starting experience. Andrus Peat is a potential option and he provides the added versatility of being able to play tackle.

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Dalton Risner is a player many expected the Giants to pursue during the early stages of free agency. He remains available for the taking.

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If Calais Campbell opts to return to the field in 2024, the Giants could make a call. Although he’s nearing the age of 38, the veteran was still productive last season, recording 6.5 sacks for the Falcons.

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If the Giants want to add a true nose tackle to their roster, Bryan Mone could be an under-the-radar option. He missed last season due to a torn ACL but is still just 28 years old and would be a low-risk, high-reward type signing.

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Xavien Howard has informed teams he’s fully cleared to play (foot injury) and would be willing to take a reduced salary to play for a contender. While the Giants aren’t that, perhaps they could entice him some other way. Adding a four-time Pro Bowler at a position of need would be a plus.

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Stephon Gilmore is another option for the Giants, although he seems destined to return to the Panthers. However, if those talks fall through, Schoen might be willing to put in a call at least.

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The Giants seem done with Adoree’ Jackson but the free agent pool is a bit thin. If they don’t want to overspend, perhaps they can circle back to a familiar face at a lesser cost.

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After selecting Tyler Nubin in the draft, the Giants may very well be finished at the safety position. It’s also become obvious that Schoen doesn’t invest heavily there. But if they’re not comfortable and want a veteran with experience, Justin Simmons is still out there.

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The Giants have a solid base with Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden, who broke out in 2023, but if they want to add another inside guy, Zach Cunningham remains available.

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It’s hard to imagine a scenario in which the Giants add another wide receiver to their crowded room but if they do, a low-cost veteran option might be — wait for it — Odell Beckham Jr..

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The Giants will go with a running back by committee in 2024 and may not be satisfied with the back-end of their depth at the position. Boston Scott is a long-time Giants killer and they’re very familiar with his game. He’s a solid rotational piece and plays special teams.

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If the Giants want to add another edge rusher — and they should — Bud Dupree is a familiar face to defensive coordinator Shane Bowen.

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12 free agents New York Giants could target based on coaching hires

The New York Giants significantly overhauled their coaching staff this offseason, changing two of their three coordinators while also switching out a multitude of assistant coaches.

Because of those changes, the team will need to readjust their personnel by way of free agency and the 2024 NFL draft in an effort to match talent with the new schemes.

As a reminder, here are the notable coaching changes:

  • Defensive coordinator, Shane Bowen
  • Special teams coordinator, Michael Ghobrial
  • Running backs coach, Joel Thomas
  • Offensive line coach, Carmen Bricillo
  • Tight ends coach, Tim Kelly

These new arrivals create an interesting dynamic headed into free agency. They are intimately familiar with several of the available players and have developed trust with them over the years.

While that doesn’t necessarily mean any or all of them will be signed by the Giants, there is likely to be some crossover.

Here is a look at 12 impending free agents the Giants could target based on the above coaching changes/hires.

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Unless the Giants plan to re-sign Leonard Williams this offseason, they’ll need to find someone to fill his role that was vacated after a mid-season trade. His absence allowed more double- and triple-teams on nose tackle Dexter Lawrence and defensive end Denico Autry would certainly help to ease that pressure.

While Autry is a bit on the older side (34), he’s still highly productive and would be intimately familiar with Shane Bowen’s system.

In 2023, Autry recorded career-highs in tackles (50), forced fumbles (2) and sacks (11.5).

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The Giants don’t necessarily have a need at linebacker with Bobby Okereke playing at an All-Pro level and Micah McFadden coming into his own, but Azeez Al-Shaair is still intriguing.

In 2023, Al-Shaair was fifth in the NFL with 168 tackles and graded out well across the board. He’s particularly good against the run, which is an area the Giants still need to improve upon.

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The Giants aren’t likely to bring back Adoree’ Jackson and rookie Tre Hawkins III didn’t develop as they had hoped, so cornerback will be a need this offseason.

Sean Murphy-Bunting started 14 games last season and played relatively well. He was particularly impactful as a blitzer, which would have made him more ideally suited for Wink Martindale’s defense, but he found a place under Bowen.

Kristian Fulton could also be an option at cornerback.

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Xavier McKinney is an impending free agent but it’s difficult to imagine the Giants allowing him to get away. He and Jason Pinnock formed a formidable safety duo in 2023 and general manager Joe Schoen would be foolish to let that evaporate.

However, if they do, veteran safety Terrell Edmunds could be a potential replacement option. Ditto K’Von Wallace, who could come at a lower cost.

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The Giants will address the quarterback position this offseason, as Schoen previously alluded to. The door remains open for Tyrod Taylor to return but that’s far from a guarantee.

Assuming he finds no options as a potential starter, Ryan Tannehill may be forced to seek out the ideal backup job. With Daniel Jones recovering from a torn ACL and saddled by a history of injury, Tannehill could view the Giants’ backup job as a “matter of time” situation.

Cost will obviously be the determining factor here.

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The Giants have obvious needs along the offensive line and could be souring on Evan Neal at right tackle. Even if they continue to pencil Neal in as the starter, their depth is lacking. Veteran tackle Chris Hubbard could be a solution to that despite his age (32) and injury-riddled 2023 campaign.

Before being placed on IR with a biceps injury, Hubbard played at an above-average level. And while that may not be inspiring for most, above average is something the Giants dream of for their offensive linemen. And he may come relatively cheap, too.

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The 6-foot-2, 211-pound Nick Westbrook-Ikhine isn’t the WR1 the Giants desperately need but he did carve out a nice role for Tim Kelly in 2023, hauling in 28 receptions for 370 yards and three touchdowns.

Westbrook-Ikhine could help round out receiver depth for the Giants and serve as a potential replacement for someone like Isaiah Hodgins, who regressed a year ago. Parris Campbell also won’t be returning, so there is a spot available on the back end of the depth chart.

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Perhaps more than any other player on this list, offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor makes sense for the Giants.

The 6-foot-4, 330-pound guard appeared in all 17 games a season ago with 14 starts. He was penalized just four times and surrendered a mere six hits on the season (6 sacks). His pass protection was mid-pack but he was a quality run defender, which the Giants need on the inside.

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Greg Van Roten is a 33-year-old journeyman who found a fit with the Raiders last season, starting all 17 games for just the second time in his career (previously 16 games). He was among the league’s best pass-blocking guards and fared well while run blocking, too.

Although Van Roten has a bit of an injury history, the Giants could view him as a solid and inexpensive one-year option to help shore up their underwhelming guard position.

This would be a very solid under-the-radar addition for Schoen.

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Lynn Bowden is listed as a wide receiver but more accurately, he’s a utility player. He can step in at wide receiver, tight end, running back, and return both kicks and punts. He does a little bit of everything and would provide the Giants the sort of versatility desperately needed given their many deficiencies.

Bowden has even been known to throw the ball a time or two.

Although it wouldn’t be a high-profile signing, Bowden would be a unique addition to a Giants team that largely lacks utility.

Note: Bowden is a restricted rights free agent, so he would potentially cost the Giants a draft pick depending on what round he is tendered.

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Ashtyn Davis performed well as a spot defender in 2023, recording 37 tackles and three interceptions on defense. He wouldn’t be a starter with the Giants, especially if they bring back McKinney, but he would provide quality depth in the secondary.

More importantly, Davis is a solid special teamer who took nearly 85 percent of the snaps for Gang Green in 2023.

The Giants have carried several special teams-specific players in recent years (Cam Brown, Carter Coughlin) and there’s no reason to believe they won’t continue to do that moving forward, especially with several of those players departing via free agency.

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Justin Hardee isn’t a player who would factor in defensively but like Davis above, is a solid special teams player who could step in and fill an immediate need for the Giants.

In 2022, Hardee made the Pro Bowl for his special teams contributions and likely would have duplicated that honor in 2023 if not for some injury issues.

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