3 Giants impending free agents who need to be brought back

2) Xavier McKinney is a player that the Giants must re-sign this offseason

This season was an awful one for the Giants, but one bright spot was Xavier McKinney, who broke out in a big way in his contract year. After missing substantial time due to injury in two of his three NFL seasons, McKinney not only appeared in all 17 games this past season, but did not miss a single defensive snap as he put together a career year.

McKinney ranked second on the team with a career-high 116 tackles, and also led the team with three interceptions. He had just six picks in his first three seasons combined entering this past season.

Bringing McKinney, a 24-year-old who has displayed star potential, back long-term makes all the sense in the world, but things will get tricky financially, especially if they bring Saquon back. Offense is the greater concern which is why Barkley's return would be so crucial, but that doesn't mean the defense can be ignored, especially with the highly-regarded Wink Martindale leaving.

It's very possible that McKinney has priced himself out of future plans with the Giants, but the franchise tag is a possibility too. There are just some players that teams cannot afford to let walk. McKinney is one of those, arguably more than Barkley. Bringing him back is an absolute must.