Joe Judge’s hiring process for his assistants revealed how important familiarity is to the new Giants head coach. Judge hired eight assistants he worked with at Mississippi State, Alabama or the Patriots. Judge went outside of his roots to hire Jason Garrett as offensive coordinator, which created another branch of familiarity, as four other assistants previously served on Garrett’s staff in Dallas.
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“I think the biggest thing is you have to have either a personal relationship with somebody or you have to have them co-signed by significant people in your life who know exactly what you’re expecting from a working standpoint and a culture standpoint,” Judge said of his approach to assembling his staff.
It stands to reason that the same philosophy will extend to the roster. The Giants spent the past two years loading up on players who had familiarity with general manager Dave Gettleman or defensive coordinator James Bettcher. While that tactic didn’t produce the desired results, it’s a common practice around the league. New coaches seek players they know fit their schemes and culture.
As the Giants look ahead to free agency, that could mean an influx of players from New England and Dallas based on the staff’s background. Here are some of the impending free agents who could be on the Giants’ radar:
PATRIOTS
Judge spent eight years in New England. He was the special teams coordinator for the past five seasons, adding wide receivers coach to his duties in 2019, so he’s intimately familiar with the entire roster.
The Giants don’t figure to be in the market for the Patriots’ highest-profile free agent, even with new quarterbacks coach Jerry Schuplinski on board after serving as the Patriots’ assistant quarterbacks coach from 2016-18. But plenty of other Patriots free agents could be targets, especially on defense where coordinator Patrick Graham, who was on Bill Belichick’s staff from 2009-15, will employ a similar scheme to what’s been run in New England.
• OLB Kyle Van Noy: Van Noy could be a perfect fit for the Giants, especially if they fail to land one of the edge rushers at the top of the market. The 29-year-old is projected to land a three-year, $31.5 million contract, according to overthecap.com.
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A second-round pick by the Lions in 2014, Van Noy looked like a bust until the Patriots sent a sixth-round pick to Detroit to acquire the linebacker and a seventh-round pick at the 2016 trade deadline. Van Noy has flourished as a jack of all trades in the Patriots defense. He recorded a career-high 6.5 sacks last season and could be the versatile linebacker Graham’s scheme needs to thrive.
• S Devin McCourty: The Giants coveted McCourty in free agency in 2015, but he decided to sign a five-year, $47.5 million contract to remain in New England. The price tag would be lower now since McCourty turns 33 in August; OTC projects a two-year, $20 million contract.
A Nyack, N.Y., native and Rutgers alum, McCourty would have interest in finishing his career at home. The Giants need an upgrade at free safety after cycling through a collection of one-year flops at the position in recent seasons. McCourty’s age is a bit of a concern, but he played 94 percent of the defensive snaps for the Patriots last season and has only missed five games in his 10-year career. A nine-time captain, McCourty would be exactly the type of high-character veteran Gettleman has been seeking for the locker room.
• OLB Jamie Collins: Judge’s familiarity with Collins will be important as the Giants determine if they want to pursue the 30-year-old. A second-round pick by the Patriots in 2013, Collins had a strong start to his career before he was traded to the Browns midway through the 2016 season when he was on the verge of free agency. Cleveland gave Collins a four-year, $50 million contract and he was cut after two disappointing seasons.
Collins landed back in New England last offseason on a one-year, $2 million contract and revived his career. When Collins is on his game, he’s a talented and athletic playmaker. But his career has been plagued by inconsistency, especially outside of New England. OTC projects a two-year, $15 million contract for Collins, which could be a bargain – or a waste. Judge’s intel will go a long way toward dictating the Giants’ interest.
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• OL Ted Karras: The Giants have major uncertainty at center, with last season’s starter, Jon Halapio, a restricted free agent after suffering a torn Achilles in the finale. Karras could be a low-cost option who proved that he’s a capable starter after stepping in for David Andrews last season. With Andrews expected to return from the illness that sidelined him for all of last season, Karras will likely be looking for a starting job elsewhere. The 26-year-old would help solidify the interior of the Giants offensive line.
• ILB Elandon Roberts: Roberts has started 33 games at inside linebacker for the Patriots over the past four seasons. The 25-year-old wouldn’t be viewed as a game-changing linebacker, but rather a versatile piece that can fill multiple spots.
Roberts played 32 percent of the snaps on special teams, 20 percent of the snaps on defense and five percent of the offensive snaps as a fullback last season. That’s the type of well-rounded player Belichick has used for years, and it seems like Judge will be interested in adding similar pieces.
• ST Matthew Slater, ST Nate Ebner: It’s hard to imagine Slater, who has been the NFL’s gold standard special teamer for the past 12 years, leaving New England. But if Belichick, who is notoriously unsentimental, decides to let the 34-year-old walk, Judge figures to snatch up the eight-time Pro Bowler and nine-time captain.
A more likely target may be Ebner, who isn’t as much of an institution as Slater in New England. Ebner, 31, has been a special teams stalwart for the Patriots for the past eight seasons. Judge’s background suggests he’ll place a heavy emphasis on the kicking game, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he targets one of the special teams aces from New England in free agency.
• K Nick Folk: The Patriots cycled through three different kickers after Stephen Gostkowski was placed on injured reserve with a hip injury in October. Eventually, the Patriots settled on Folk, who made 82.4 percent of his field goals and 100 percent of his extra points.
It’s a near certainty that the Giants will bring in competition for young kicker Aldrick Rosas, a restricted free agent who made just 70.6 percent of his field goals and 89.7 percent of his extra points last season. The 35-year-old Folk is experienced and affordable, which makes him a logical candidate for that role.
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COWBOYS
Garrett has extensive familiarity with the Cowboys roster after spending the past 10 seasons as the team’s head coach. The Cowboys have some marquee free agents, but don’t expect quarterback Dak Prescott or wide receiver Amari Cooper to be on the Giants’ shopping list. Still, there are a few potential options from Dallas.
• CB Byron Jones: The Giants need an established cornerback after cutting veteran Janoris Jenkins at the end of last season. Jones is the top corner on the market, which carries a hefty price tag. OTC projects a five-year, $80 million contract for the 27-year-old.
That may be too rich for the Giants’ blood considering their needs at edge rusher and offensive line. But Judge just witnessed how an elite corner can transform a defense (Stephon Gilmore) and Jones surely would garner a recommendation from Garrett.
• TE Jason Witten: Witten hasn’t ruled out a reunion with Garrett, according to ESPN. The longtime Giants nemesis had 63 catches for 529 yards and four touchdowns last season in his return from retirement. Those numbers would have led the Giants’ tight ends last season.
Witten and Garrett have been together since 2007 (minus Witten’s year in the broadcast booth), so their connection obviously runs deep. But the Giants likely won’t be interested in spending much on a player who turns 38 in May. Another Dallas option could be Blake Jarwin, who has shown signs of being the Cowboys’ next Giants-killing tight end. The 25-year-old Jarwin, who had 31 catches for 365 yards and three touchdowns last season, is a restricted free agent this offseason.
• OL Joe Looney: The Giants need to fortify their offensive line depth. Looney, who spent the past four seasons in Dallas, could be an option due to his familiarity with Garrett and offensive line coach Marc Colombo. The 29-year-old Looney started 16 games at center in 2018 in place of All-Pro Travis Frederick, who missed the season with an illness. Looney didn’t perform particularly well as a starter, but the eight-year veteran could be a cheap, reliable backup interior lineman for the Giants.
BROWNS
Tight ends coach Freddie Kitchens spent the past two seasons in Cleveland, serving as head coach in 2019. That experience gives him insight into the Browns’ free agents.
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• ILB Joe Schobert: Schobert is one of the top options on the market if the Giants want to spend on an upgrade at inside linebacker. The 26-year-old spent his first years in Cleveland, averaging 127 tackles over the past three seasons. That type of production is costly, as OTC projects that Schobert will receive a four-year, $44 million contract.
Schobert has been durable, starting 45 games over the past three seasons, and versatile, recording eight sacks over the past three seasons while standing out in coverage (four interceptions in 2019). Schobert is an intriguing free agent and Kitchens could help tip the scales in his former player’s favor with the Giants.
• LT Greg Robinson: The Giants need help at offensive tackle and Robinson could be an option. The 27-year-old has never lived up to his status as the No. 2 pick in the 2014 draft, but he has started 70 games during his six-year career, including 14 at left tackle for Kitchens last season. Robinson has been a mediocre player throughout his career. Sadly, mediocre would be an upgrade from the Giants’ tackle play in recent years.
OTHERS
The only other assistants coming from NFL teams are Graham and Schuplinski from the Dolphins and defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson from the Falcons.
There aren’t many attractive free agent options from those coaches’ position groups. Dolphins inside linebacker Vince Biegel, who is a restricted free agent, could be a cheap addition and Falcons cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson could add experienced depth.
Four of the assistants are coming from college, but the only one with a stud draft prospect at his position is defensive line coach Sean Spencer. Spencer had been Penn State’s defensive line coach since 2014, working with Yetur Gross-Matos for the past three seasons. Gross-Matos combined for 17.5 sacks over the past two seasons and is rated as the No. 15 prospect on Dane Brugler’s draft board.
(Top photo: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)