The New York Giants made a splash in free agency this offseason in the hopes of snapping a four year playoff drought. While those additions will be a big help, the key to making the playoffs could come from two players who barely played last season: Victor Cruz and Jason Pierre-Paul.
If Pierre-Paul and Cruz can be moderately productive and healthy, the Giants should be in position to win the NFC East. Cruz missed all of last year while trying to come back from a knee injury, while Pierre-Paul only played in eight games. Just getting some decent production from those two during the course of the season could have some drastic results for the Giants on offense and defense.
The Giants pass rush was inconsistent last season, and the defense ranked last in the NFL in yards allowed per game. Signing Janoris Jenkins, Olivier Vernon and Damon Harrison in free agency should make the unit marginally better, at least stat-wise. It also takes some pressure off of Pierre-Paul, who was the best pass-rusher for the team last season despite missing half the schedule.
Pierre-Paul only had one sack in the eight games he played last season, but he consistently found himself in the backfield down the stretch. The defensive end had to wear a club on his injured hand, limiting his ability to tackle. Pierre-Paul said that he will not need the club this season, making it likely that he will put up better numbers if he remains healthy.
Cruz also can make a big impact for the Giants. Odell Beckham has basically been doing things on his own with Eli Manning for the past two years, and the team desperately could use some depth. Dwayne Harris was productive last season, but with Rueben Randle gone, Cruz needs to step up for the Giants. Cruz may not return to the level of the player he was a few years ago, but he doesn't have to be that for him to be a success.
Cruz being fairly productive will take some pressure off of Beckham and gives Manning another target in the passing game. Manning and Cruz worked magic when the Giants won the Super Bowl, and his last healthy season, Cruz had nearly 1,000 receiving yards in 14 games. Cruz had 19 combined touchdowns in 2011-12, but over the past two years he has played in just six games.
In some ways the Giants were a handful of plays from winning the NFC East last season. This year the team feels like they have the pieces to win it. The Giants made some great progress this offseason and have the talent to be a playoff team in 2016. Getting the contributions they missed from Pierre-Paul and Cruz could be the difference.
