Luke in New York: It was surprising to see the Giants extended Logan Ryan given their depth at safety, and the need to pay key interior defensive linemen this off-season. Does Ryan's extension mean the Giants will not re-sign Leonard Williams and/or Dalvin Tomlinson? And do you think Julian Love will get a chance to win the second cornerback position this year?
John Schmeelk: The decision to extend Logan Ryan likely won't have any impact on the team's willingness or ability to re-sign Leonard Williams and/or Dalvin Tomlinson. If reports are accurate, the contract was reasonable. The team has safety depth with Ryan, Jabrill Peppers, Julian Love, and Xavier McKinney, but Patrick Graham was constantly using all three on the field at the same time due to their versatility.
Ryan was used as a deep safety, slot cornerback and both a short and deep zone player. His elite preparation and film study allowed him to move from role to role and not miss a beat. He also had a positive impact on the other players in the room, teaching them to properly prepare for games.
Peppers was used not only as a safety but also as a quasi-linebacker next to Blake Martinez in passing situations and this might continue. Love was the primary deep center fielder while McKinney was hurt, before playing outside down the stretch. If the team sticks with a zone-heavy scheme, Love could compete for the second corner spot. McKinney split his time between nickel cornerback and deep safety in the season's final month and showed the ability to play both.
The genius of Patrick Graham's defense last season was disguise. He was able to do it because he had so many people on the defense that could fill different roles. Bringing back a player like Logan Ryan and having a versatile safety room was a key to being able to fool the opposition.
Ramon in Pennsylvania: Which offensive linemen on the roster do you think the Giants are the highest on?
John Schmeelk: It would be shocking if the answer isn't Andrew Thomas. He was the fourth overall pick in the draft for a reason and improved throughout the season. In the season's first seven games, he allowed five sacks and 39 total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. Over the final nine, he allowed only 21 total pressures and four sacks. He has length and athleticism and should the starter for a very long time. It should also be noted that Nick Gates played well in his first year as the starting center.
Rafael in Maryland: With a new offensive line coach do you still see the Giants continuing to shuffle offensive linemen or could we see less of it?
John Schmeelk: The movement was not a positional coach's decision - it was something that came from head coach Joe Judge, so it's likely to continue in spots. The rotations might slow down if the starters are playing at a higher level.
