New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman is old school to the point he doesn’t hide it, and a draft analyst has come up with a perfect analogy.
There is no more old school an executive in the NFL, and perhaps in pro sports, than New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman. This is a critical year for his job security, as evidenced by an active run in free agency this offseason.
Gettleman spoke about the Giants’ pre-draft offseason this week. Among the highlights was his profession that Devontae Booker is a three-down back, worthy of a two-year, $5.5 million contract. What about Saquon Barkley, you say? Gettleman had an answer for that.
Dave Gettleman said the #Giatns prioritized Devontae Booker to start free agency because “You can never have too many good players” and they believe he’s a legitimate three-down running back.
— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) April 20, 2021
Only Gettleman would prioritize signing a running back to a multi-year deal to backup Barkley, the second overall pick in the 2018 draft who’s coming off a torn ACL. That allocation of assets, when the solidly capable Wayne Gallman could have just been brought back, only confirms Gettleman’s mindset.
On Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the Giants are “firmly considering” trading down from No. 11 overall in next week’s draft. While it does make sense, Gettleman has never traded down in eight previous drafts as a general manager for the Panthers (2013-2017) and the Giants (since 2018). So that would be quite a shift for him.
Daniel Jeremiah had perfect analogy for David Gettleman
NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah has started to offer a funny analogy for things he considers unlikely to happen. A person fully-focused on Tuesday night’s episode of “Mock Draft Live” may have heard him say it about a first-round pick in Peter Schrager’s new mock draft.
On Wednesday, Jeremiah offered the same analogy for the idea the Giants will trade down from No. 11.
“I think we’ll see a right turn in a NASCAR race before we see Dave Gettleman trade back. So I don’t see that happening.”
NASCAR fans will surely come with “What about road courses?” But Jeremiah’s analogy perfectly describes Gettleman’s old school rigidity. Which means, with tongue in-cheek of course, the Giants are now a lock to trade down in the first round next Thursday night (maybe twice for good measure).