Weston Richburg will be the starting center.
**
JOHN SCHMEELK: Fact - **Weston Richburg is a center. It is the position he played in college and the position he is supposed to play in the NFL. Last year he was forced into service at guard and did a good job, but this year I fully expect him to grab that center spot and not let go for a long time.
DAN SALOMONE: Fact -All signs point toward that being the case. At the NFL Scouting Combine last month, coach Tom Coughlin outright said Richburg is a center and "will have every opportunity to compete" at the position. That was reflected when the team released J.D. Walton, who started all 16 games at center last season. And although the Giants added the CFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman of 2014 in Brett Jones, Richburg looks to be the frontrunner at the position he started 45 times in college.
Building through free agency is better than the draft.
**
Here are the best NFL free agents for 2015, according to NFL.com
100 - WR Harry Douglas, Atlanta FalconsSIGNED WITH TITANS
99 - Safety Stevie Brown, New York Giants
98 - LB Malcolm Smith, Seattle Seahawks SIGNED WITH RAIDERS
97 - DE O'Brien Schofield, Seattle SeahawksSIGNED WITH FALCONS
96 - WR Brian Hartline, Miami DolphinsSIGNED WITH BROWNS
95 - DE Anthony Spencer, Dallas CowboysSIGNED WITH SAINTS
94 - Safety Ron Parker, Kansas City ChiefsRE-SIGNED WITH CHIEFS
93 - CB Patrick Robinson, New Orleans SaintsSIGNED WITH CHARGERS
92 - DT C.J. Mosley, Detroit LionsRE-SIGNED WITH LIONS
91 - WR Denarius Moore, Okland RaidersSIGNED WITH BENGALS
90 - TE Rob Housler, Arizona Cardinals SIGNED WITH BROWNS
89 - LB Lance Briggs, Chicago Bears
88 - CB Charles Tillman, Chicago BearsSIGNED WITH PANTHERS
87 - DE Adrian Clayborn, Tampa Bay BuccaneersSIGNED WITH FALCONS
86 - DT Ahtyba Rubin, Cleveland BrownsSIGNED WITH SEAHAWKS
85 - DT Darnell Dockett, Arizona Cardinals SIGNED WITH 49ERS
84 - RB Ahmad Bradshaw, Indianapolis Colts
83 - RB Roy Helu, Washington RedskinsSIGNED WITH RAIDERS
82 - RB Stevan Ridley, New England PatriotsSIGNED WITH JETS
81 - DT Barry Cofield, Washington Redskins
80 - Safety Tyvon Branch, Okland RaidersSIGNED WITH CHIEFS
79 - DE Karl Klug, Tennessee TitansRE-SIGNED WITH TITANS
78 - WR Hakeem Nicks, Indianaoplis Colts
77 - LB Akeem Ayers, New England PatriotsSIGNED WITH RAMS
76 - Safety Mike Admas, Indianapolis ColtsRE-SIGNED WITH COLTS
75 - DE Jarvis Jenkins, Washington RedskinsSIGNED WITH BEARS
74 - LB Ray Maualuga, Cincinnati BengalsRE-SIGNED WITH BENGALS
73 - TE Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati Bengals
72 - DT Kendall Langford, St. Louis Rams SIGNED WITH COLTS
71 - LB Brooks Reed, Houston TexansSIGNED WITH FALCONS
70 - DE Cory Redding, Indianapolis ColtsSIGNED WITH CARDINALS
69 - LB Bruce Carter, Dallas Cowboys SIGNED WITH BUCCANEERS
68 - RB Reggie Bush, Detroit LionsSIGNED WITH 49ERS
67 - DE Dwight Freeny, San Deigo Chargers
LB Mason Foster SIGNED WITH BEARS 2014 Team: Tampa Bay BuccaneersHeight: 6-1 Weight: 241 Age: 26Experience: 5th seasonNFL.com Top 100 rank: 62
65 - QB Brian Hoyer, Cleveland BrownsSIGNED WITH TEXANS
64 - Safety Kendick Lewis, Houston TexansSIGNED WITH RAVENS
63 - QB Mark Sanchez, Philadelphia EaglesRE-SIGNED WITH EAGLES
62 - CB Buster Skirne, Cleveland BrownsSIGNED WITH JETS
61 - CB Walter Thurmmond III, New York GiantsSIGNED WITH EAGLES
OG Justin Blalock
2014 Team: Atlanta FalconsHeight: 6-4 Weight: 326 Age: 31Experience: 9th seasonNFL.com Top 100 rank: 58
59 - QB Ryan Mallet, Houston TexansRE-SIGNED WITH TEXANS
58 - OG James Carpenter, Seattle SeahawksSIGNED WITH JETS
57 - WR Kenny Britt, St. Louis Rams RE-SIGNED WITH RAMS
OT Joe Barksdale
2014 Team: St. Louis RamsHeight: 6-5 Weight: 326 Age: 26Experience: 5th seasonNFL.com Top 100 rank: 53
55 - Safety Da'Norris Searcy, Buffalo BillsSIGNED WITH TITANS
54 - RB Justin Forsett, Baltimore Ravens RE-SIGNED WITH RAVENS
53 - QB Jake Locker, Tennessee TitansRETIRED
52 - OG Clint Boling, Cincinnati Bengals RE-SIGNED WITH BENGALS
51 - CB Perrish Cox, San Francisco 49ersSIGNED WITH TITANS
50 - LB Rolando McClain, Dallas Cowboys RE-SIGNED WITH COWBOYS
49 - OT Doug Free, Dallas CowboysRE-SIGNED WITH COWBOYS
48 - Safety Antrel Rolle, New York GiantsSIGNED WITH BEARS
47 - RB Shane Vereen, New England PatriotsSIGNED WITH GIANTS
46 - WR Cecil Shorts, Jacksonville JaguarsSIGNED WITH TEXANS
45 - LB Sean Weatherspoon, Atlanta FalconsSIGNED WITH CARDINALS
44 - Antonio Cromartie, Arizona Cardinals SIGNED WITH JETS
LB Brandon Spikes
2014 Team: Buffalo BillsHeight: 6-2 Weight: 255 Age: 27Experience: 6th seasonNFL.com Top 100 rank: 42
42 - DT Henry Melton, Dallas Cowboys SIGNED WITH BUCCANEERS
41 - DT Stephen Paea, Chicago BearsSIGNED WITH WASHINGTON
40 - CB Tramon Williams, Green Bay PackersSIGNED WITH BROWNS
39 - CB Davon House, Green Bay PackersSIGNED WITH JAGAURS
OL Stefen Wisniewski
2014 Team: Oakland RaidersHeight: 6-3 Weight: 315 Age: 25Experience: 5th seasonNFL.com Top 100 rank: 36
37 - LB David Harris, New York Jets RE-SIGNED WITH JETS
DE B.J. Raji RE-SIGNED WITH PACKERS 2014 Team: Green Bay PackersHeight: 6-2 Weight: 337 Age: 28Experience: 7th seasonNFL.com Top 100 rank: 33
35 - RB Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ersSIGNED WITH COLTS
34 - TE Jordan Cameron, Cleveland BrownsSIGNED WITH DOLPHINS
33 - DT Dan Williams, Arizona Cardinals SIGNED WITH RAIDERS
32 - Safety Rahim Moore, Denver BroncosSIGNED WITH TEXANS
31 - CB Chris Culliver, San Francisco 49ersSIGNED WITH WASHINGTON
30 - OG Orlando Franklin, Dever Broncos SIGNED WITH CHARGERS
29 - DE Jabaal Sheard, Cleveland BrownsSIGNED WITH PATRIOTS
28 - TE Charles Clay, Miami DolhinsSIGNED WITH BILLS
27 - RB C.J. Spiller, Buffalo BillsSIGNED WITH SAINTS
26 - RB Ryan Mathews, San Diego ChargersSIGNED WITH EAGLES
WR Michael CrabtreeSIGNED WITH RAIDERS
24 - RB Mark Ingram, New Orleans Saints RE-SIGNED WITH SAINTS
23 - CB Kareem Jackson, Houston Texans RE-SIGNED WITH TEXANS
22 - LB Brian Orakpo, Washington RedskinsSIGNED WITH TITANS
21 - CB Brandon Flowers, San Diego ChargersRE-SIGNED WITH CHARGERS
20 - DE Derrick Morgan, Tennessee TitansRE-SIGNED WITH TITANS
19 - DE/OLB Brandon Graham, Philadelphia EaglesRE-SIGNED WITH EAGLES
18 - Center Rodney Hudson, Kansas City ChiefsSIGNED WITH RAIDERS
17 - DT Terrance Knighton, Denver BroncosSIGNED WITH WASHINGTON
16 - DT Jared Odrick, Miami DolphinsSIGNED WITH JAGUARS
15 - OT Brain Bulaga, Green Bay PackersRE-SIGNED WITH PACKERS
14 - DT Nick Fairley, Detroit LionsSIGNED WITH RAMS
13 - WR Jeremy Maclin, Philadelphia Eagles SIGNED WITH CHIEFS
12 - OLB/DE Pernell McPhee, Baltimore RavensSIGNED WITH THE BEARS
11 - LB Jason Worilds, Pittsburgh SteelersRETIRED
10 - WR Torrey Smith, Baltimore RavensSIGNED WITH 49ERS
9 - CB Byron Maxwell, Seattle SeahawksSIGNED WITH EAGLES
DE Greg HardySIGNED WITH DALLAS 2014 Team: Carolina PanthersHeight: 6-4 Weight: 275 Age: 26Experience: 5th seasonNFL.com Top 100 rank: 6
7 - OG Mike Iupati, San Francisco 49ersSIGNED WITH CARDINALS
6 - DE Jerry Hughes, Buffalo BillsRE-SIGNED WITH BILLS
5 - RB DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys SIGNED WITH EAGLES
4- WR Randall Cobb, Green Bay PackersRE-SIGNED WITH PACKERS
3- TE Julius Thomas, Denver BroncosSIGNED WITH JAGUARS
2 - Safety Devin McCourty, New England PatriotsRE-SIGNED WITH PATRIOTS
1- DT Ndamukong Suh, Detroit LionsSIGNED WITH DOLPHINS
JOHN SCHMEELK: Fiction - **The nature of free agency is that you are going to have to overpay for players since you are in a virtual bidding war with every other team in the National Football League. The best way to build a team is through the draft, for no other reason than you can have All-Pro caliber players on rookie contracts making far less than they would get on the open market. For the most part, that's how the Seahawks won their Super Bowl. The whole idea is to maximize every dollar of your team's salary cap, and the best way to do that is with young players through the draft.
DAN SALOMONE: Fiction -It's all about the draft. It's all about getting players that teams can then mold and grow in a system. Look at any consistent winners and Super Bowl teams. The core is made up of their draft picks with a free agent here and there to plug in holes. Anyone would take a team that won the draft over the one that made a splash in free agency.
The Giants will add more FA's than last year.
JOHN SCHMEELK: Fiction -Last year was an anomaly for the Giants with how many free agents the team signed. Whenever so many new pieces are put together it often takes time to gel, which could have contributed to the team's struggles last year. I would not expect the same level of turnover this season.
**>> FLASHBACK: GIANTS 2014 FREE AGENT SIGNINGS**
DAN SALOMONE: Fiction -
Just from a numbers standpoint, the way last year set up required a lot of new faces with many players hitting free agency. But more than that, the roster was getting older and needed turnover. Now with two very productive draft classes in a row, the foundation is there moving forward.
Plaxico Burress is the Giants' best ever FA signing.
JOHN SCHMEELK: Fiction -In my opinion, Kerry Collins is the team's best free agent signing of all time. The Giants were desperate for a quarterback that was good enough to lead a team to the Championship and they found one in Collins in the free agent market, something that is normally unheard of. Collins never won a Super Bowl but he got the Giants to one and put them back in the conversation.
DAN SALOMONE: Fiction -You can't go wrong with him or Collins, but I'm going with Antonio Pierce. Just the way he could diagnose the game put him in rare company, and then he had the tenacity to put that skill to use on the field. He was an unquestioned leader that captained a Super Bowl-winning defense. He became another bar that every linebacker since has been compared to for the Giants, who have one of the richest histories at the position.
Here are the Giants top 5 free agent signings over the years
QB Kerry Collins: Signed by the Giants February 19th, 1999
QB Kerry Collins: Signed by the Giants February 19th, 1999
QB Kerry Collins: Signed by the Giants February 19th, 1999
LB Antonio Pierce: Signed by the Giants March 3rd, 2005
LB Antonio Pierce: Signed by the Giants March 3rd, 2005
LB Antonio Pierce: Signed by the Giants March 3rd, 2005
OT Kareem McKenzie: Signed by the Giants March 4th, 2005
OT Kareem McKenzie: Signed by the Giants March 4th, 2005
OT Kareem McKenzie: Signed by the Giants March 4th, 2005
Center Shaun O'Hara: Signed by the Giants Msrch 7th, 2004
Center Shaun O'Hara: Signed by the Giants Msrch 7th, 2004
Center Shaun O'Hara: Signed by the Giants Msrch 7th, 2004
WR Plaxico Burress: Signed by the Giants March 17th, 2005
WR Plaxico Burress: Signed by the Giants March 17th, 2005
WR Plaxico Burress: Signed by the Giants March 17th, 2005
Safety Antrel Rolle: Signed by the Giants March 5th 2010
Safety Antrel Rolle: Signed by the Giants March 5th 2010
Safety Antrel Rolle: Signed by the Giants March 5th 2010
