Head coach Tom Coughlin may believe he has the team trending in the right direction, but Dan Graziano of ESPNNewYork.com believes the best thing for the Giants this offseason would be to be honest with themselves.
He writes that Coughlin’s 49-47 record over the last six seasons leaves much to be desired, and that the team has regressed that past two years. He also thinks that defending defensive coordinator Perry Fewell’s job is unrealistic, as Fewell’s unit has been disappointing.
He does not believe the team needs to fire Coughlin, but wants them to take a good look on what they have actually accomplished, as opposed to where they think the team is trending.
Here are some other notes from around Big Blue:
- Gary Myers agrees with Graziano that the team needs to move on from Fewell, according to his article for the New York Daily News. He writes that the defense needs a new voice, but believes Coughlin deserves another year.
- Players will be available to the media on Monday, reports Jordan Raanan of NJ.com (via Twitter). Coaches, front office executives, and decision makers will likely brief fans on the state of play sometime on Tuesday,
- The schedule for coach Coughlin to speak gives a hint that he will be returning in 2015, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. Schwartz believes if he was going to be fired, the team wouldn’t have announced when he would be available at all, and the organization would not wait until Tuesday to deliver that news.
- If quarterback Eli Manning has any input, he would encourage the team to keep Coughlin anyway, according to Schwartz (via Twitter). “I think coach Coughlin is an excellent coach,” said Manning. “And he deserves to be the coach and we’ve got to play better for him.”
- Graziano adds that Manning will lower his cap hit because the Giants will most likely extend him at some point (via Twitter). He did say he would be willing to play out the final year of his deal, according to Raanan, but after a successful season, the team would be smart to negotiate a longer extension.
- One Giant who will not be returning is Mathias Kiwanuka, according to Raanan (via Twitter). Raanan cites his cap number and high salary as reasons the team will move on from him.