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New York Giants part-owner John Mara has endorsed the team spending more money this offseason as they handed over more than $ 100 million in guaranteed cash. But without saying that GM Dave Gettleman’s job is in jeopardy, Mara has also made it clear what he expects in return.
“It’s time for us to start winning,” Mara told reporters via video conference after the NFL owners’ meetings concluded on Wednesday. “This is one of the reasons we spent the money we made.”
To that end, Mara and the Giants have re-signed defensive lineman Leonard Williams and wide receiver Kenny Golladay and cornerback Adoree ‘Jackson. In total, New York has committed $ 110 million in guaranteed money to this trio. He represents a pivot for a team that had not spent a lot in free agency in recent years.
But Mara said the Giants wanted to surround quarterback Daniel Jones with more talent. Mostly, however, he wants to do something they haven’t done recently: win. The Giants have posted losing seasons in seven of the past eight years. After an 11-5 record in 2016, New York went an 18-46 combined. This ties them to the New York Jets for the worst record in the NFL during that time.
“It’s been a very difficult four or five year period for us,” said Mara. “I’m tired of losing and having a post-season press conference to try to explain what went wrong and why I think we are progressing.
“I think we’re headed in the right direction, but it’s been brutal over the past few years. We can’t wait to turn the tide and not have to find excuses for why we haven’t.”
New York is hoping Golladay, new tight end Kyle Rudolph ($ 12 million) and quick receiver John Ross ($ 2.5 million) can help reinvigorate the offense. The return of running back Saquon Barkley should also help.
But the extra help means Jones has to produce. He threw 11 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions in 14 games last year. In two seasons, he threw a total of 35 touchdowns and 22 picks while the Giants are 8-18 with him as a starter. Mara said he wouldn’t put any benchmarks on Jones to measure his improvement – or to gauge his team’s desire to keep him.
“We are thinking of Daniel’s world,” said Mara. “We want to see him take the next step. I don’t have any specific benchmarks aside, let’s win more games. He will have a better team around him this year than in previous years, so we certainly expect me. want him to keep improving because I think he has what it takes to be a long term winner in this league. “
Mara cited coach Joe Judge as one of the reasons he is optimistic. New York finished 6-10 in Judge’s first year, a two-game improvement from 2019. But Mara said it was “definitely” a better dressing room than it has been in a long time and that players believe in Judge.
“We only won six games last year, but I got a different feeling from the players. They believe in his message. You could see it in team meetings. You could see it on the training ground and you could see it in their efforts. Now is the time to start winning more games, “he said.
That’s part of why Mara wasn’t set to put Gettleman on the so-called hot seat in March, despite a record 15-33 since hiring in 2018.
“I’m not going to speculate on that just yet,” Mara said. “Let’s see how the season is going. I have more confidence in this season than in previous years. Hopefully the money we have spent and given the draft that we plan to have, we will have a better team on the pitch. this year.
Mara said the Giants weren’t planning on spending that much money this offseason, but the good opportunities were there with Golladay and Jackson. He said he spoke to Golladay before signing, trying to sell him by doing so, but added that by then the recipient’s opinion was likely taken.
It was also important that Golladay, 27, and Jackson, 25, were both young and played positions of necessity. Williams is 26 years old.
“You can’t do this every year, but when the opportunity presents itself, you have to take it,” Mara said. “That’s what we’ve done this year. We think it’s going to pay off. We’re certainly not a finished product by any stretch of the imagination, but I like the direction we’re going.”
One thing the spending prevented: an extension for Barkley, who just came out of a torn ACL. But he’s entering his fourth season and New York can pick up their fifth-year option, so it’s time for extra time. Mara said he wanted to end up doing one.
“We expect it to be like new,” Mara said. “If anyone is going to devote 100% of their efforts to rehabilitation, it will be Saquon. But we’re in no rush to do that especially after the money we just spent. But I said it at the end of season and I will say it again: we hope he will be a giant for life. When the time comes, we will start these discussions. “
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