The Giants Offseason Preview: A Choice of 3

So now that the stench is starting to lift off the date-rape of an ending to the '08 Giants season, it's about time to discuss how best to fix what went wrong....

...and the answer is simple: BRING IN PLAX OR A PLAX-LIKE #1 RECEIVER.

Everything else will resolve itself: the Giants will sign Jacobs, while letting Derrick Ward and probably Amani Toomer go. Look, Toomer was a great Giant, but was absolutely invisible the last few games of the season while playing for a contract. Amani, it's been a good run, but we'll see you 10 years from now at Big Blue alumni autograph sessions. Thanks for the memories and if you're going to within the NFC East, please suck.

So if you want a big target that Eli can't overthrow, there are basically three options for Jerry "God" Reese: trade for Anquan Boldin, draft a wide receiver (I hear there's a local Bayonne, NJ product who is not small), or keep Plaxico. Let's get to the pros and cons of each choice in no particular order:

1. Trade for Anquan Boldin

Pro:
-He's good. Really good. Except for Plaxico, he would be the best receiver of my lifetime, Stephen Baker the Touchdown Maker excluded. 4 of his first six seasons have seen him collect 1,000 yards.
-Age? 28. Still plenty young.
-Any player who is looking for a change of scenery is going to be real motivated to prove themselves in their new surroundings. Anquan should be no different.
-Boldin wants money. You know the best way to make money? Play for a New York team and pimp yourself out for any and every product under the sun.
-The guy had to have surgery to put his face back together after nearly dying and was back on the field two weeks later. So yeah, I'd say he's durable.

Con:
-He's not THAT big. 6'1 217 is not Stephen Baker Touchdown Maker small, but it's not exactly Plaxico huge.
-Cost. Roy Williams, a comparable if not very similar receiver, cost the Cowgirls a 1st, 3rd, and 6th round pick this year, and a 7th rounder next year. If you can draft like Reese has shown, wouldn't you rather take 4 rookies over Anquan when you assume that at least 2.5 of the picks will make significant contributions to the '09 Giants? But hey, good for the Cowboys, they clearly showed they have the pieces in place and don't need any sort of team makeover.
-I mean, the man got to a Super Bowl and still was not happy. Who the hell hates his team when said team gets to the Super Bowl? This guy, that's who. Do the Giants really need to go through that again?

2. Draft a certain wide receiver from Rutgers, one Kenneth Q. Britt.

Pro:
-A local guy from Bayonne, N.J. and THE State University of New Jersey, he will quickly become a fan favorite. Fans will definitely be chanting for him when the Giants pick at 45, if not also when they make their first pick at #30.
-6'4, 214 lbs, and 4.48 40 yard dash. "Physical gifts he has," said Yoda, when asked to give his opinion on Britt.
-Clearly the youngest of the options.
-If nothing else has convinced you, Peter Griffin has two strong words for you:


Cons:
-For a can't miss guy that your benevolent leader would have you believe Britt to be, Britt is generally regarded as roughly the 5th best wide receiver in the draft. The Giants may want to take a crack at one of the other four.
-The Giants need a big wide receiver who can contribute now. This team isn't one or two years away, but is built to win right now. There's a good chance that Britt could BECOME the big receiver the Giants need. There's much less of a chance that Britt will be that big receiver next year.
-Quite frankly, the Giants may not be able to draft him. Britt has been hyped up more and more recently. Right now he's slated to go mid-2nd round, but a solid combine showing could boost him into the first round, and he could be taken before the Giants' first pick at 30. Sure, the Giants could draft another of the solid wide receivers coming out this year, but if the Giants draft a receiver and he's not a Rutgers or NJ product, does he make a sound? Leaning towards no.

3. Keep Plax

Pros:
-Familiarity with the offense. I would hope.
-Apparently all the players want him back.
-Plax creates matchup problems that can't necessarily be duplicated by more than a few receivers in this league. And Terrell Owens ain't walking through that door.
-Plax didn't electrocute your pet. Plax didn't shoot his gun at anyone else. Plax didn't even aim it anyone else. In theory, Plax could have harmed another person. In actuality no innocent parties were harmed.
-The Giants put Plax on the PUP list. They have not actually parted ways with him yet and in theory, he is probably listed on their depth chart as their #1 wide receiver opposite Domenik Hixon right now.

Cons: (just a few minor ones)
-Um, he may be in jail.
-Even if not in jail, he may be suspended by the league. Though I have no idea what test Goddell uses to suspend players. If you are a suspect in 15 crimes including one murder, you get suspended for a year. But if you commit a DUI or shoot yourself in the leg, Goodell seems to prefer to let the courts work it out. Frankly, I'm confused. But you have to think that Plax is going to be disciplined by the league at some point for not having a more reliable sweatpants waistband.
-He allegedly wants out of New York. If this is true, Plax's new name quickly becomes The Ungrateful One. The team has stood by Plax as much as anyone could throughout this ordeal, and for him or his agent to demand a trade and put the Giants in a corner is completely selfish, unfair, and the height of douchebaggery...but if not true, then come on back Plax, all is forgiven.

Conclusion:
I'm not gonna pretend that I'm not obscenely biased as a RU fan. I want Britt. Like enough to watch the entire NFL draft until he gets picked. That said, my preference here is to get the band back together like it's '07 and bring Plax back. But assuming that he either goes to prison or demands a trade (both more likely than Plax returning) Britt makes the most sense. The simple fact is that it's going to cost too much to get Boldin. And when a player of that caliber is on the market, there's going to be a bunch of teams vying for his services, the Ravens and Jets to name a few. So screw it, take the SUNJ product, and let's hope that he has more Ray Rice than Marco Battaglia in him.