The New York Giants have begun bringing in the candidates for their vacant general manager job. Vice president of player evaluation Marc Ross was first when he met with co-owner John Mara and consultant Ernie Accorsi on Monday.
Former Carolina Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman, interim GM Kevin Abrams and ESPN analyst Louis Riddick could be next. These are the potential candidates available to speak with the Giants before the regular season concludes around the new year. Other candidates can speak with them in January, if the Giants search stretches that far.
The candidates' backgrounds, plans to turn around the franchise, general philosophies and major changes they will make if handed the job will undoubtedly be discussed during the interview process. So will a variety of other topics, the most pressing of which are the futures of the team's two most popular players.
The non-negotiables that need to be discussed in these interviews ...
How to handle Eli
This has to be among the first decisions the new general manager makes, right after assisting ownership in the hiring of a head coach. Quarterback Eli Manning is going to be 37 years old, and hasn't played his best football the past two seasons. He also hasn't had the best supporting cast. This all has to be taken into consideration. There is also a financial aspect that will come into play, but that is just one of many factors that will determine his future. Can Manning still consistently play at a high level? Can the Giants ultimately win with him and the roster around him in the next year or two? What will happen in the draft? What about 2017 third-round pick Davis Webb? Is it worth going another year or two with Manning if the new GM thinks a Super Bowl is unattainable? Should he start the process of locating a quarterback for the future immediately without Manning around? Lots of pressing, vital questions that need to be answered.
What to do with a top-three pick
This plays heavily into the Manning decision. If the Giants fully intend to find the new regime's franchise quarterback in the draft, Manning might not even want to hang around. This needs to be taken into consideration. He wants to play, and play for a potential winner. The Giants, meanwhile, are destined for a top-three pick -- maybe even be as high as No. 2 overall -- and these opportunities don't come around often. How the new general manager feels about the possibility of selecting a quarterback high in this draft and whether he views Manning as an asset or distraction to the QB of the future needs to be discussed. And then there is the possibility the Giants don't take a quarterback with their top pick. That would almost assuredly guarantee Manning's return, if he so desires.
Odell Beckham Jr.: to pay or not to pay
Manning probably isn't even close to the most important personnel decision for the new general manager. Regardless of how that plays out, he's not part of the team's long-term future, given his age. Beckham is 25 and among the league's most dynamic players, even if he's coming off a serious injury. He isn't likely to step on the field again until he gets paid, so the new general manager will need to immediately determine whether he's willing to invest heavily in Beckham or ship him elsewhere for picks to restock the roster and rebuild. That decision needs to be discussed and made during this interview process.
Handling of the locker room
The Giants clearly had problems inside their own walls this season. They had multiple players suspended and benched on the defensive side of the ball. Clearly something was wrong with this team's makeup. The mix might have worked when things were going well, but once it went in the opposite direction it proved toxic. The new general manager will be tasked with cleaning out some of the bad seeds and bringing in his guys. How will he plan to attack resetting the culture and regaining control of the locker room? This has to be addressed.
Overhaul or not?
The general manager's responsibilities stretch beyond simply evaluating and picking players. He's also the CEO of the team's personnel department. The Giants have been one of the most loyal, consistent franchises in this regard. They have 13 of 18 personnel executives or scouts that have been with the organization for at least a decade. Does that remain the case with a new general manager? Does he want to get some fresh ideas and blood in the system? These are important under-the-radar decisions that have to be talked about during the interview process and made once there is a hire.