First look at next season

[Lubeck]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writ...head/index.html

 

What lies ahead?

How both Super Bowl teams look entering offseason

Posted: Monday February 4, 2008 6:22PM; Updated: Monday February 4, 2008 9:09PM

 

PHOENIX -- The Giants' Super Bowl win on Sunday night will rightfully take its place among the greatest upsets in NFL history. New York was just the fifth wild-card entry to win a Super Bowl, and the first from the NFC.

 

But before we all get caught up in the giddy question of whether Tom Coughlin's pugnacious team might have launched its own little dynasty in the process of smashing New England's dreams of a perfect season, we offer the following sobering reminder: In the past seven NFL seasons, no other team besides the Patriots has made it to multiple Super Bowls. That's 11 different Super Bowl teams out of a possible 14 berths. The NFC alone has had seven different champions the past seven years.

 

So while the Giants are undeniably well-stocked with young talent at key positions like quarterback, running back and defensive line, their Super Bowl success does not ensure much of anything for 2008. With the long NFL season over, the offseason has begun for all 32 teams. Here's a snapshot look at how the two Super Bowl teams stand as they head into the personnel acquisition portion of the NFL's calendar:

Giants

 

SALARY CAP

 

New York is projected to have about $20 million to work with under the $116 million cap (which is up $7 million from last year's $109 million), and that's a better position than the Giants were in last year at this time. In terms of salary cap room, New York is in the upper third of the league. Even better, the Super Bowl champs don't have a very daunting list of its own free agents to worry about, so general manager Jerry Reese has said the Giants should be able to do their fair share of shopping in the market.

 

FREE AGENCY

 

Locking up starting free safety Gibril Wilson is New York's clear-cut No. 1 priority in terms of its own unrestricted free agents. Safety is already a weak spot on the depth chart, and losing Wilson would only compound the problem. The Giants would also like to retain weakside linebacker Kawika Mitchell, although they won't break the bank for him because they're also high on Gerris Wilkinson, a promising second-year player who performed behind Mitchell in 2007.

 

New York's other free-agent linebacker, Reggie Torbor, became a starter only after 2006 first-round pick Mathias Kiwanuka -- a converted defensive end -- was injured and lost for the season. The Giants are not expected to make much effort to keep Torbor. New York will gladly let defensive tackle William Joseph reach free agency. The team's 2003 first-round pick missed almost all of the season with a back injury and has been a complete bust in his five years in New York.

 

The Giants would like to retain soon-to-be 42-year-old punter Jeff Feagles, and during Super Bowl week Feagles didn't sound like a guy inclined to retire even if he finally won a ring in his 20th NFL season. New York could keep kicker Lawrence Tynes, but his inconsistency could also prompt the Giants to look in another direction.

 

Given Ahmad Bradshaw's emergence, reserve running back Derrick Ward will probably be allowed to walk, as will longsnapper Ryan Kuehl. The Giants had two rookie snappers this season, Jay Alford and Zak DeOssie, and both were solid. No. 3 quarterback Jared Lorenzen could return, but only for a minimum deal, with the realization that New York wants an experienced backup behind Eli Manning.

 

COACHING STAFF

 

First-year defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo made a heck of a job audition tape Sunday night for the Redskins' head-coaching slot. His Giants held the most prolific scoring offense in NFL history to just 14 points, and 4.0 yards per play. Spagnuolo is expected to interview with Washington early this week, and if he's on his game, he could wind up with the offer and beat out presumed front-runner Jim Fassel.

 

Other than that, New York is expected to reward once-embattled head coach Tom Coughlin with a four-year contract extension in the range of $20 million. Stability has not exactly been the byword in New York during Coughlin's tenure, but the Giants will enter the 2008 season with pretty much the exact same cast of characters.

 

DRAFT POSITION

 

The Giants earned the 32nd and final slot in the first round with their Super Bowl victory, but that will really be the 31st selection overall since No. 31 New England is forfeiting its pick as part of its punishment for the Spygate incident. New York's draft needs include offensive tackle, receiver, cornerback and safety if the team loses Wilson.

 

2008 SCHEDULE

 

The Giants were road warriors in 2007, going 10-1 and then winning the neutral-site Super Bowl against a Patriots team that seemingly had a much bigger fan base in the stadium on game day. Maybe as a reward, their 2008 schedule doesn't look that difficult. New York draws only six games against 2007 playoff teams (with four of those coming against NFC East rivals Dallas and Washington) and seven games against teams that had winning seasons this year.

 

The Giants have the weak NFC West in intra-conference play (at Arizona and St. Louis, home against Seattle and San Francisco), and their four AFC interconference games are against the North Division, where trips to Pittsburgh and Cleveland should be challenging. In addition, the Giants have a road game at Minnesota, and we know what havoc the Vikings defense always seems to wreak on Eli.

 

For a Super Bowl winning team the Giants are remarkably set for next season. In fact the biggest worry that we should have in terms of losing somebody is Spags, a coach. Strahan and Toomer retiring would hurt a lot, but aside from those three things can only get better.

 

Wilson, Mitchell, and Feagles (especially Feagles) should be kept on. The rest....well there aren't any real holes that would need filling so I guess Reese is going to get to draft BPA.

[fishgutmartyr]

We absolutely need to keep Spags.

 

We still need an offensive tackle? I could've sworn we've drafted one each of the past two years...I would think a guard/center type would suit us better: Grey isn't getting any younger.

 

We definitely need a wide receiver, CB and safety, regardless of Wilson leaving or not. Butler isn't the answer. I'd want to keep Mitchell, if not, we need one or two LBs. Believe it or not, I'd draft a DE as well--he wouldn't need to start, but I don't see Kiwi going to DE as a backup for Tuck, and It would be good to have someone in the background.

[NightFire]

We absolutely need to keep Spags.

 

We still need an offensive tackle? I could've sworn we've drafted one each of the past two years...I would think a guard/center type would suit us better: Grey isn't getting any younger.

 

We definitely need a wide receiver, CB and safety, regardless of Wilson leaving or not. Butler isn't the answer. I'd want to keep Mitchell, if not, we need one or two LBs. Believe it or not, I'd draft a DE as well--he wouldn't need to start, but I don't see Kiwi going to DE as a backup for Tuck, and It would be good to have someone in the background.

 

Why is WR always brought up? I never understand this. Plax, Toomer, Smith, Moss, Tyree and hell Grillz isn't a real problem. Besides Grillz is comic relief; anybody see his inside the SB on Giants.com (he was on the sidelines during the SB too)? Maybe a late round WR but isn't a real need. I think the big splash for the cap room should be LB (isn't Briggs available).

[Lubeck]

Briggs is available.