When the Giants didn’t use the franchise tag to keep safety Landon Collins in the organization, some wondered why they didn’t trade him last year if they were fine with letting him leave as a free agent in 2019.
During a Monday conference call, Giants General Manager Dave Gettleman addressed that question.
“The rumor that we were offered a first-round draft pick isn’t even remotely accurate,” Gettleman said, via Ralph Vacchiano of SNY. " ... Did we have teams call? Yes. But at that point in time I didn’t think [the offers were] what he was worth.”
Collins signed a six-year, $84 million deal with Washington last week that should position the Giants for a compensatory draft pick in 2020. The level of that pick will be affected by moves that the Giants make in free agency.
One of the moves they’ve already made is the signing of veteran safety Antoine Bethea, who is expected to join trade acquisition Jabrill Peppers in the back end of the Giants defense. Bethea turns 35 this summer, but Gettleman said that his age isn’t a negative.
“You need a guy in the back end who can get everybody lined up and make all the adjustment calls,” Gettleman said, via Tom Rock of Newsday. “If you don’t have that, you can’t function.”
The Giants finished 23rd in points allowed and 24th in yards allowed last season, so improved functioning would be a welcome development in 2019.
