Giants mailbag: Evaluating roster after NFL free agency blitz

You ask, we answer. The Post is fielding questions from readers about New York’s biggest pro sports teams and getting our beat writers to answer them in a series of regularly published mailbags. In today’s installment: the Giants. With the bulk of free agency behind us, what are the biggest strengths and weaknesses of the …

You ask, we answer. The Post is fielding questions from readers about New York’s biggest pro sports teams and getting our beat writers to answer them in a series of regularly published mailbags. In today’s installment: the Giants.

With the bulk of free agency behind us, what are the biggest strengths and weaknesses of the Giants roster? — Matthew Pennino

The Giants addressed glaring gaps in their defense in free agency. Two of the players they added, cornerback James Bradberry and inside linebacker Blake Martinez, are immediate starters. Kyler Fackrell, an outside linebacker, figures to be in the rotation at the very least as a situational pass rusher.

With this wave of free agency behind us, I would say the biggest strengths on the team are running back (because of Saquon Barkley) and the interior of the defensive line (with Leonard Williams, Dexter Lawrence and Dalvin Tomlinson).

The greatest weaknesses are edge rushers: They did not add anyone expected to make a great impact on their sack total, unless you believe Fackrell can duplicate his 2018 season with the Packers, when he had 10.5 sacks. The other weakness is at offensive tackle. They added Cam Fleming to be a swing tackle, capable of filling in at left or right tackle. He might be the best right tackle on the roster. Nick Gates is another option, but he is unproven.

Where are the Giants’ pass rushers? Defensive ends? Why didn’t get they get [Jadeveon] Clowney? You need to get to the quarterback…the old Giants way. — David Monroe

The reason the Giants did not get Clowney is the same reason why Clowney remains unsigned. The market always wins. Clowney clearly is over-estimating what he believes he is worth compared to what the league thinks he is worth. Don’t forget, this is a player who had three sacks in 2019 and who has never reached double digits in sacks in any season. At the right price, Clowney would be a welcome addition, but it takes two to make a deal.

Edge rush remains a big issue for the Giants. Lorenzo Carter and Oshane Ximines are the leading returning pass rushers with 4.5 sacks apiece last season. Markus Golden led the Giants in 2019 with 10 sacks and he remains unsigned, which is interesting. Clearly, he too is not getting the offers he expected. If Golden’s price tag goes down, I think the Giants would make a run at him. Don’t forget, Joe Judge is a product of the Patriots, who often did not have a marquee pass rusher but usually were able to get pressure on the quarterback based on their defensive schemes.

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I’m not high on DeAndre Baker as a cover corner…I do however see him as a gritty safety. Do players try to cling to the cornerback title because it can lead to more money? How do you think he would perform at safety? — Charles Xavier

This is an interesting thought, but a bit premature. The Giants traded up into the back end of the first round to get Baker, and they are not going to consider a move to safety this early in his career. True, he really struggled as a rookie, but he did show pretty significant improvement. He came from a big, powerful program at Georgia, but it was evident right away Baker was not ready for the NFL in terms of knowing how hard he had to work and how intensely he had to prepare. His work habits improved, and as a result, so did his performance. Not every rookie gets it right away. For now, Baker stays at cornerback. Perhaps the addition of James Bradberry helps Baker’s development.

What is the No. 4 pick in the draft worth in a trade-down? — Isaac Sung

First of all, I am all for the Giants trading down — as long as they have a few players they love evaluated in the same grouping and would be happy to land any one of those players. Remember, general manager Dave Gettleman has never traded down in the seven drafts he’s overseen. As far as what the Giants could get in a trade down, the short answer is this: a lot.

It depends on how far they go down in the draft. When a team is interested in trading up it is usually for a quarterback, and the team trading down knows it can use this to great advantage. In 2017, the 49ers traded down one spot (from No. 2 to No. 3) and received two third-round picks and one fourth-round pick from the Bears (Mitchell Trubisky). In 2018, the Colts traded down from No. 3 to No. 6 and received three second-round picks from the Jets (Sam Darnold).

The key for the Giants is to find a trade partner and not drift too far down in the first round. The Chargers at No. 6 seems like a logical spot. It seems as if the Giants could add a second-round pick at the very least if they swap No. 4 for No. 6 and most likely more than that.

The draft is loaded with offensive tackles, but if Isaiah Simmons is still there when the Giants pick, wouldn’t he be the best fit for a pass-rushing linebacker? If not, I think their first pick should be Mekhi Becton. Your thoughts? — Nicholas V Polizzi
With the 4th pick … Simmons? — Charles Kidd

I think Isaiah Simmons will be there at No. 4, but he really isn’t a pass-rushing linebacker. He is a do-everything linebacker who can cover, stop the run, set the defense and go after the quarterback. He is not a prototype edge rusher. The key is how the Giants rate these players. My sense is Simmons will be graded higher than any of the offensive tackles in this draft. The difference might not be significant, though. I would say offensive tackle is more of a priority, considering the Giants need a starting right tackle and anyone they draft could possibly take over at left tackle for Nate Solder in 2021. Simmons fills several needs. However, the Giants did add Martinez and Fackrell in free agency, and that addresses some of the deficiencies at linebacker.

I am not sure I would take Becton over Tristan Wirfs. I think there is more of a boom-or-bust risk with Becton than there is with Wirfs or even Jedrick Wills. Becton might also have the most upside, based on his sheer mass and size at 6-foot-7, 364 pounds. I do worry about such a big young man’s durability and ability to keep in top shape.