Let’s see what questions we can answer this week

With the 2017 season winding down and the Christmas holiday approaching, let’s open the Big Blue View mailbag and see what is on the minds of fans of the New York Giants.

Hank Gardstein asks: The most important draft choice in decades is coming up. Are we to assume that no matter what Webb does or does not do, the Giants plan on drafting the best available QB? Perhaps it might make more sense to get some idea if he is a viable next leader and then use the draft to to find several good players to rejuvenate the team.

Ed says: So many Davis Webb questions. Which, of course, was to be expected. Let’s look at the different aspects of it.

First, the comments by Landon Collins and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. They’re nice, teammates supporting another teammate, which is what teammates should do for each other. Maybe Collins and DRC even mean it. The comments, though, mean nothing in terms of the Giants’ long-term plan. The new coach and GM will come in knowing what they want to do at quarterback, and no player comments or playing time/lack of playing time for Webb at this point is going to have anything to do with it.

The second part of the question is what the Giants actually should do in the draft, where they will probably have second overall pick. I think it’s way over the top to call it “the most important draft choice in decades.” But, yes, it’s important. It will potentially shape the next decade of Giants football.

I don’t think we can assume the Giants will draft a quarterback. We don’t know who the new GM is going to be, and even when we find out he isn’t going to come right out and tell us. I think there is a very good chance the Giants will do that. If, though, the new regime feels like Manning can still win and Webb can take over when the time comes then you have room to maneuver. Use the pick to draft the best player, or use it to move down a few spots and collect more picks.

Patrick Boliver asks: With the Giants in a total rebuild would it make any sense to trade obj for draft picks? They could get their QB of the future and a good o-line prospect early to start a good foundation.

Ed says: Are they in total rebuild? I don’t think we can say that for sure. If a new GM comes in and decides to jettison Manning, then yes. Until then, I see it more like an extensive repair job.

As for trading Odell Beckham Jr., I get where you’re going with that. Dealing him for a bushel of picks, like the Dallas Cowboys did back in the day with Herschel Walker, is a nice idea. I don’t know if it’s realistic. I will actually have to check around and see what the Giants might be able to get in return.

I don’t, though, see that happening. I could see the new GM coming in and refusing to give Beckham a long-term deal before next season. Make him play out the year on his fifth-year option and see if a) he’s the same player after his injury and b) if he can buy into being more about the team and less about himself.

James Johnston asks: Does Louis Riddick have a real chance at GM?

Ed says: The short answer is, yes he does. He is the only candidate to have interviewed who does not have previous ties to the organization. The Giants wouldn’t have invited Riddick to interview just to satisfy the Rooney rule — they already interviewed Marc Ross.

Riddick has extensive front office experience, though he has never run a draft. One former NFL personnel man told me “he’s the smartest front office mind I’ve ever been around.” He would bring the “wholesale changes” John Mara said the Giants needed when the organization fired Jerry Reese and Ben McAdoo.

There is also the Josh McDaniels factor. Riddick and McDaniels are friends. McDaniels, the New England Patriots offensive coordinator and former Denver Broncos coach, is sought after by almost every team that has an opening for a coach. Riddick and McDaniels nearly went to the San Francisco 49ers last season. If the Giants are sure Riddick can bring McDaniels that’s a pretty big argument for him getting the job.

Ed says: That’s really a question for co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch. That being said, it would surprise no one if the Giants gave the job to Dave Gettleman, or some combination of Gettleman and current interim GM Kevin Abrams. The Giants are loyal, they like continuity, they like hiring from within the family tree, if you will. I guess you could say it’s the “the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t” way of doing business. Gettleman/Abrams/Marc Ross is what they know and trust, rightly or wrongly. Riddick and any other candidate would be gambling on what they don’t know.

Ed says: Of course. Whoever comes in is not going to just use the current playbook, they will install their own offense. Even if that’s Mike Sullivan as offensive coordinator, you’ll see changes. What they will be we have no idea. We don’t know who the coach, or the quarterback, will be. Both of those things will have an impact on the type of system that gets installed.

Ed says: If I’m the GM getting rid of Eli Apple interests me. Bringing in Muhammad Wilkerson? No chance. Why swap one locker room problem for another, especially since he carries a $20 million cap hit next year, and he hasn’t played up to that. The Giants have a lot of other guys they need to find money for, like Justin Pugh, Landon Collins and Odell Beckham. Wilkerson would be a waste, in my opinion. As for Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon, they aren’t going anywhere.