The New York Giants have made a slew of moves to improve this offseason, but still have several key needs that remain unmet.
The recent release of veteran kicker Graham Gano freed up $4.5 million in cap space, giving the Giants approximately $7.45 million to operate with. That may not be enough to reel in a veteran interior offensive lineman, the team’s most glaring need at the moment.
General manager Joe Schoen said at the NFL Annual Meeting in Phoenix that the Giants were “a little bit light on money right now” and that they are still “in the mix” for several free agents.
One of those free agents is 35-year-old guard Greg Van Roten, the only player to have played every offensive snap for the Giants over the past two seasons. Van Roten is currently available in free agency, but the Giants would prefer a younger player with whom they can build. That aside, Schoen did not rule out bringing him back.
Schoen discussed the use of “void years” in contracts, a practice teams employ to free up cap space for the present by kicking the can down the road. The downside is that the team carries large dead cap charges on its books long past the player’s tenure with the team. Schoen has prided himself on not using void years as he attempts to keep the Giants’ books in good order.
“It’s kind of like using the credit card as you go if you need it. It would have to be significant to entertain that,” he said.
The Giants will also use the draft to fill some needs, but that approach does not always guarantee a solution. They have seven picks in the draft but only two in the top 104 (Nos. 5 and 37). Schoen’s philosophy won’t change because of needs.
“We’re going to take the best player available, regardless of position, that will help the New York Giants,” he said.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Joe Schoen: Giants ‘light on money’ but ‘still in mix’ for free agents
Reporting by John Fennelly, Giants Wire / Giants Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
