With the Giants looking to upgrade their pass rush heading into Joe Judge's first season, one of the best available players may be off the market before the new league year even has even begun. 

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are "strongly considering" using their franchise tag on Shaq Barrett, who had a breakout season with 19.5 sacks in 2019.

After five seasons with the Broncos in which he totaled just 14.0 sacks, the former undrafted free agent signed a modest one-year deal with the Bucs, worth just $4 million. 

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INDIANAPOLIS -- Dave Gettleman admitted the Giants are "open for business" with the fourth overall pick in the NFL Draft, but only to a point. He won't risk dropping too far and missing out on an elite player.

It's just not exactly clear where Gettleman's line is when it comes to the top players in this draft.

Since the Giants are early in the process of forming their draft board, even they may not know the answer yet to just how far Gettleman is willing to trade down in the first round. He conceded that at the fourth pick, he still "should" be able to find a Hall of Fame-caliber player. That fact alone could keep him anchored to No. 4, unless he decides he can find a similar player a little farther down.

With the Giants set to pick at No. 4 -- for now -- at the NFL Draft in April, Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah has been a likely target to end up in New York, and it looks like that process will get started this weekend when the two sides meet at the NFL Combine.

Okudah said early Friday morning in Indianapolis that he has a formal meeting with Big Blue on Saturday, having already met with the Lions, Browns and Raiders earlier in the week.

"I'm not too familiar with the New York market," Okudah said. "...I'm excited to find out."

Alabama CB Trevon Diggs, the younger brother of Vikings WR Stefon Diggs, is another draftee hoping to be taken in the first or second round come April's NFL Draft in Las Vegas.

Although his projections don't see him being picked in the Top 15, the Giants (No. 4 pick) and Jets (No. 11 pick) have shown some interest in the defensive back. 

Trevon said he's already met with the Jets and will be meeting with the Giants on Saturday.

The NFL Scouting Combine has been in full swing this week, but the real scouting continues on Friday as running backs, offensive linemen, kickers and special teamers take the the field.

Here's who the Giants should be keeping a close eye on when it all begins at 4 p.m...

1) Iowa T Tristan Wirfs

As Daniel Jones grows into Big Blue's franchise quarterback, he's going to need to be protected.

Isaiah Simmons is an enigma. He can be seen on a football field taking down the quarterback, dropping back in coverage against tight ends and running backs, and even setting up on the outside with a team's top receiver. 

In short, he can literally do it all on defense. And he said as much during his media availability at the NFL Scouting Combine on Thursday.

"Just kinda like a Swiss Army knife," Simmons said. "[You can] move me around because then I can really show what I can do. I wouldn't say I'm really tied down to one position. So Coach [Brent] Venables really used me in a special way that most people aren't able to be used."

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INDIANAPOLIS - The question seems ridiculous on the surface, but two NFL GMs were asked it anyway this week: What do you think about the idea of Tom Brady signing with the Giants?

Both of them had the same reaction: Laughter.

And yet neither of them said no.

Arguably the main need for the Giants this offseason is a pass rusher, and there are many to choose from on the free agent market despite teams likely to franchise tag a few of those players. 

According to ESPN's Josina Anderson, GM Dave Gettleman & Co. aren't playing around. They're looking at the top tier. 

The Giants are showing interest in DE Jadeveon Clowney, the former first overall pick by the Texans back in the 2014 NFL Draft. 

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INDIANAPOLIS - Chase Young stepped to a podium on Thursday morning and declared himself "the best player in the draft." He might be right, too, which is why he'll probably be gone before the Giants get a chance to pick him.

Then again, maybe he'll fall right into the Giants' lap.

Though it still seems unlikely that Ohio State's dynamic edge rusher would fall all the way to No. 4, that possibility became a bit more realistic on Wednesday when Redskins head coach Ron Rivera refused to close the door on selecting a quarterback at No. 2. In fact, despite the fact they drafted quarterback Dwayne Haskins in the first round a year ago, Rivera told reporters they'll be bringing in LSU's Joe Burrow and Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa for official pre-draft visits -- just in case.

The Giants are in the need of a pass rusher this offseason, and with Ohio State's Chase Young most likely gone at No. 4 when New York picks, there are other options to choose from if GM Dave Gettleman wishes to go that route in the first round. 

K'Lavon Chaisson out of LSU is one of those players. 

Speaking Thursday at the Combine, Chaisson talked about the prospect of playing in New York, and said he would definitely be able to adapt to big city life.

The NFL Scouting Combine isn't just the main hub for evaluating the top prospects in the NFL Draft. It also serves as a rumor mill about pending free agents. And the biggest pending free agent of them all is Tom Brady. 

The prospect of the future Hall-of-Famer leaving New England for a new chapter with a different team seems crazy, but speculation that the Patriots may not work things out to bring him back started a while ago.

And word from the Combine is that those chances have greatly increased.

Scott Thompson, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The NFL Scouting Combine has been in full swing this week, but the real scouting begins on Thursday when the quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends kick off drills to see which prospects can stand out among the rest. 

Here's who the Giants should be keeping a close eye on when it all begins at 4 p.m...

As speculation continues to grow around the Patriots and Tom Brady, the Giants were grouped into the rumored NFL teams that could make a run at the 20-year veteran and six-time Super Bowl champion. 

While the previous discussion around Brady to the Giants stemmed from Feb. 12's comments by Boston radio host Scott Zolak citing a "very connected" source, more information surfaced Wednesday.

At the 2020 NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, NFL Network's Michael Giardi reported that the Giants are seen by executives, coaches and scouts around the league as one of three "possible suitors" for Brady.

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INDIANAPOLIS - When the Giants added linebackers Alec Ogletree and Kareem Martin in 2018, the moves made perfect sense. They needed veteran leadership on what was becoming an increasingly young defense, and respected voices for the new coaching staff to lean on in the locker room.

Two years later, the Giants have an even younger defense. But they're not looking for mentors anymore.

That's not why Ogletree and Martin were cut on Wednesday. Those were expected, salary cap-related moves. But it was a reminder of a new philosophy under new head coach Joe Judge about the kinds of players he wants on his roster. To him, age and experience are mostly irrelevant.

Georgia's Andrew Thomas has long been one of the top offensive tackles in this year's draft class, and you can be sure the Giants -- who need tons of offensive line help this offseason -- will be scouting him heavily leading up to the 2020 NFL Draft. 

They're set to start that evaluation on Thursday, which is when Thomas said he will be meeting with Big Blue. 

Thomas, who has already met with the Jets informally, will go through the interview process with GM Dave Gettleman & Co. to see if he is the right fit for New York -- somewhere he wouldn't mind playing. 

The 6-foot-7, 367-pound Louisville OT Mekhi Becton could be a perfect fit as the Giants look to fortify their line in front of Daniel Jones. And Becton is up for the challenge.

Asked Wednesday at the NFL Combine whether he would like to play for the Giants -- who have the No. 4 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft -- Becton said he would "love to."

"The blue -- blue and red," Becton joked about why he felt the Giants were a good fit. He then got serious.

In an expected move to clear up cap room, the Giants announced they have released ILB Alec Ogletree and OLB Kareem Martin. 

SNY's Ralph Vacchiano had both players on his list of potential cap casualties that could come this offseason for Big Blue. Ogletree highlighted it, as the Giants have now cleared an extra $8.25 million while leaving $3.5 million in dead money. 

As for Martin, he was brought over to fit in James Bettcher's scheme, but his production was well under-par. The Giants save $4.8 million in cap space with him being cut, while leaving $1.2 million in dead money. 

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INDIANAPOLIS - Dave Gettleman admitted the Giants are "discussing" the possibility of using the franchise tag Leonard Williams.

If they do, they also better be bracing for a fight.

If the Giants do franchise Williams in the next few weeks, they are expected to tag him as a defensive tackle. And if they do, Williams' camp will likely file a grievance claiming he should be tagged as a defensive end, according to an NFL source. Williams played both positions with the Giants and Jets last season, but being tagged as an end could earn him approximately $2 million more.

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INDIANAPOLIS - Joe Judge has yet to publicly say one nice thing about his presumptive starting quarterback since he was hired as the Giants' head coach seven weeks ago. In fact, he hasn't said anything about Daniel Jones at all. And now Dave Gettleman is following his lead, refusing to publicly support a guy who two months ago was clearly the Giants quarterback of the future.

So does that mean the Giants aren't sold on Jones? Could they be looking at the quarterbacks in the 2020 draft? Could they maybe be in the market for a veteran? Could those Tom Brady rumors be real?

The short answer to all of the above is: No.

Asked if the Giants have discussed using the franchise tag or transition tag on pending free agent Leonard Williams, GM Dave Gettleman answered in the affirmative.

"We're discussing that and I don't discuss negotiations anyhow, but that's [in] discussion," Gettleman said Tuesday at the NFL Combine.

Still, while the Giants could tag Williams or extend him between now and the start of free agency, Gettleman -- who surrendered a 2020 third-round draft pick and 2021 fifth-round pick to trade for Williams during the 2019 season -- seemed open to the idea of letting him walk. And the fallout that could result from it.

Giants GM Dave Gettleman has never traded down in the years he'd led NFL Drafts, but while speaking at the NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday, he didn't say he would keep that streak alive. 

"Absolutely. We're open for business," he said when asked if he would want to trade down from No. 4 overall. "Whatever we do is going to be in our best interest."

Since he joined the Giants two years ago, Gettleman has remained steadfast at No. 2 and No. 6 overall in the draft. He took Saquon Barkely out of Penn State in 2018, and of course the team's quarterback of the future in Daniel Jones last season. 

Giants head coach Joe Judge spoke on Tuesday at the NFL Combine, owning the stage as he gave answer after answer in his now-familiar straightforward, detailed manner.

Judge's presser in both tone and message was similar to the one he took part in when he was named head coach earlier this offseason.

Here are the Takeaways...

There is no depth chart

Asked specifically about whether he thought Daniel Jones was a franchise quarterback, Judge gave an all-encompassing answer about his entire roster.

Joe Judge's coaching staff just keeps on expanding, with Amos Jones being the latest addition as an assistant coach, SNY's Ralph Vacchiano confirmed. 

Jones was with the Buccaneers last season serving as Bruce Arians' assistant special teams coach. Arians had Jones as his special teams coordinator back during his years with the Cardinals. 

But the connection to Judge here is Jones being an assistant coach at Mississippi State while the former was playing. 

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The NFL's offseason began in earnest on Monday, as the league descended on the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis to begin preparations for the NFL Draft. When the week-long meat market is over, free agency will only be two weeks away.

The Giants obviously still have plenty of holes to fill as they begin to climb from the ashes of their 4-12 season and get the Joe Judge Era off to a good start. Here's a look at the five areas -- in order of importance -- that GM Dave Gettleman will need to address the most over the next few months:

In Pro Football Focus' latest mock ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Giants are in prime position to address their offensive line.

The first three picks of the mock, held by the Bengals, Redskins and Lions, respectively, no players from the O-line are drafted. The Giants have the pick of the litter. 

Instead, the Giants select the first wide receiver off the board in Alabama's Jerry Jeudy. 

The Giants have released tight end Scott Simonson, SNY's Ralph Vacchiano confirmed on Monday.

Simonson played for both the Raiders and Panthers before signing with the Giants prior to the 2018 season. He played in all 16 games in 2018, and caught his first (and only) career touchdown in Week 16 against the Colts.

Simonson was injured in training camp last season and released in September, but was re-signed for the remainder of the year in November. He appeared in two games, catching two passes for 11 yards.

The Giants, and in particular GM Dave Gettleman, have Ryan Jones and Donnie Etheridge, two longtime area scouts for the team, per reports that The New York Post was able to confirm.

Jones had been with the Giants over the last 20 years, and was assigned the northeast region by Gettleman when he arrived in 2018, while Etheridge was brought on 19 years ago and was given the southwest by Gettleman.

With the Giants sitting on the No. 4 pick and three Top 100 picks overall in this year's NFL Draft, Gettleman and his front office want to make sure they get things right and turn this ship around. The Giants have picked in the Top 10 in four of the last five years, and in the Top 6 the last two.

While the Giants saw rookie Daniel Jones develop in flashes throughout the 2019 season, former New York wide receiver Amani Toomer is not entirely convinced that the No. 6 overall pick is the team's true franchise quarterback.

Appearing on RADIO.COM Sports' "Home & Home" show Thursday, Toomer expressed some optimism about Jones, but ultimately wants to see more before annointing him the Giants' next Eli Manning.

"I'm excited," Toomer said. "I just don't know what we have in him."

ESPN's Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr. are two of the most respected NFL Draft analysts out there, so their opinions on prospects hold tons of weight. 

But their opinions on Giants QB Daniel Jones couldn't be more opposite. 

Heading into last year's draft, McShay was not a fan of Jones, while Kiper saw all the things the Giants apparently did when they drafted him sixth overall. So, when discussing the Giants on their podcast, a heated argument broke out between the two personalties who clearly still share their differences with Jones. 

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The NFL put on a good show on Thursday, making it seem like long-term labor peace was at hand. The owners voted on a comprehensive collective bargaining agreement, complete with a 17-game schedule, expanded playoffs, and more money and better benefits for players.

They were hoping for a quick approval. But the players have responded: Not so fast.

The NFL Players Association want to head back to the bargaining table, according to a report from the NFL Network, after the union's executive committee voted 6-5 to not recommend the owners' proposal to their 32 team representatives. It was a stunning reversal, considering that is the committee that negotiated the deal the owners accepted.

Owning the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Giants are in prime position to add an impact player.

But which direction will they go with that pick?

It's clear that the Giants have plenty of ways they could go, as the team went just 4-12 last year and hasn't won more than five games since 2016. 

Former Giants cornerback Prince Amukamara will reportedly join the free agent market earlier than expected.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Bears have released Amukamara after three seasons in Chicago.

Amukamara, a nine-year veteran, will now search for his fourth team to play for, after having played for the Giants from 2011-2015, the Jaguars in 2016 and the Bears from 2017-2019.

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Byron Jones enters free agency as arguably the best player available at his position, and will surely demand a high paycheck for his services.

With the Giants secondary being a big hole in their defense, CBS Sports' Patrik Walker and Cody Benjamin report that they could be in contention to sign the rival CB.

The Giants just brought in former Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett to be their new offensive coordinator, so although Jones would be on the defensive side of the ball, there's still that connection.

Former Jets and Giants defensive lineman Damon "Snacks" Harrison will once again be looking for a new team.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Harrison is being released by the Lions after one and a half seasons with the team. 

Listed at 6-foot-3, 350 pounds, the run-stuffing specialist played 25 games with the Lions, with 24 starts. With Detroit, Harrison totaled 5.5 sacks, 49 combined tackles, eight tackles for loss, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.

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The Giants will clearly be on the hunt for offensive line help this offseason. And while there is no guarantee they'll select one in the first round of the NFL draft, there are already a couple of top prospects they seem to really like.

In fact, the Giants already "love" Iowa tackle Tristan Wirfs, according to an NFL source familiar with the Giants thinking, and they have expressed similar interest in Alabama's Jedrick Wills. Both of them are widely considered among the top four offensive line prospects in this year's class, and they will get a good look from the entire league at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis next week.

It is far too early to know whether either of them would interest the Giants enough to draft them with the fourth overall pick. Right now, the NFL consensus seems to have Wirfs and Wills in a four-man group at the top of the offensive line charts, with Georgia's Andrew Thomas and Louisville's Mekhi Becton. Which order they will eventually land in depends, for now, on who is asked.

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The Giants have multiple needs to fill this offseason, including offensive line help and virtually everywhere on the defense. There is also one, though that isn't pressing but needs some thought put into it before training camp begins this summer. 

As we all know, Eli Manning has gone off into the sunset following his stellar, Hall of Fame-worthy NFL career. Daniel Jones was already transitioned in as the quarterback of the future in Week 3, with Manning as his backup helping him along the way. 

Well, with the Manning gone, who is going to back up Jones now?

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Sometime in the next few days, or maybe weeks, the NFL is going to add a 17th regular season game and two more playoff teams, which in turn will add to the number of teams in playoff contention.

The NFL owners have been steamrolling in this direction for years. And for all the resistance from the players, it's long been obvious that their compliance is for sale.

Changes are reportedly coming to the NFL's playoff structure.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the current CBA proposal includes seven teams from each conference making the the playoffs (currently six teams from each conference make the playoffs), with only one team per conference getting a bye.

The new rule would add one more Wild Card team per conference (meaning the Steelers and Rams would have made the playoffs last season), while putting extra importance on securing the number one seed.

Also of note in the new CBA, the players on the teams with a first-round bye would now be compensated for that weekend, whereas they currently are not. 

The Giants could be in the market to upgrade their secondary this offseason. Lions cornerback Darius Slay was placed on the trade block recently, according to reports on Monday. 

Could the Giants be a suitor to land him via trade? 

It could be costly both in trade assets and against the salary cap. 

The Giants will have long snapper Colin Holba back, according to The New York Post. 

Holba, 25, appeared in five games for the Giants last season. He was signed off the team's practice squad in November, replacing the injured Zak DeOssie. When signing to the 53-man roster, Holba signed a two-year deal, not a one-year contract, as first anticipated. 

Holba will be restricted free agent after the 2020 season. DeOssie, who's been with the Giants since 2007, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. 

The Giants' secondary was young and left plenty to be desired in 2019. But could help be on the way?

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Lions have placed cornerback Darius Slay on the trade block and have talked to "multiple teams" about dealing the All-Pro defender. Could the Giants be one of those teams? 

So far, the Giants have yet to be connected to a deal for Slay, but one thing to consider, like any trade scenario, would be the compensation. 

It was reported earlier last week that Giants OLBs coach Bret Bielema had "definite interest" in the Michigan State head coaching vacancy, but the Spartans filled it with Mel Tucker. 

Well, now Bielema could be filling Tucker's vacancy left at Colorado. 

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Bielema is interviewing for that head coaching job with the Buffaloes. 

As he continues to pursue his dream of playing in MLB, Mets minor league prospect and former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow addressed the media on Sunday afternoon and made some positive comments on the two young quarterbacks playing in New York.

When asked if he was "yay or nay" on Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, Tebow laughed at the question and then gave an encouraging answer on the No. 6 overall pick in last year's draft.

"I think he's got a lot of talent," Tebow said of Jones. "I think he was coached really well in college. I think he will continue to improve. I think continuing to get him more weapons and confidence is pretty critical."

Giants defensive lineman Leonard Williams made only 20 tackles with the team in seven games after being acquired from the Jets in a trade on Oct. 28.

The Jets drafted him sixth overall in the 2015 NFL draft out of USC, but he's struggled in recent years after being named to the Pro Bowl in 2016. The 25-year-old is set to be a free agent, as the Giants have until March 18 to sign Williams to a contract extension.

Looking to get back to his Pro Bowl form, Williams recently sought out the help of former New England Patriots defensive lineman Richard Seymour.

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When Kevin Gilbride retired after the 2013 season, he didn't spend much time looking back. He was happy to put a 40-year coaching career behind him and focus on his grandchildren instead.

That's why when Oliver Luck, the commissioner of the new XFL called to see if he was interested in coaching again, Gilbride said no. But it didn't take the 68-year-old former Giants offensive coordinator long to change his mind.

Now, after 25 years in the NFL, 10 years with the Giants and two Super Bowl championships, Gilbride is back on the sidelines as the head coach and general manager of the XFL's New York Guardians, who won their debut game, 23-3 over the Tampa Bay Vipers at the Meadowlands on Sunday.

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A former Patriots quarterback-turned radio host believes Tom Brady could be the next quarterback of the Giants. Or at least Scott Zolak said on Boston's 98.5 The Sports Hub he was told by a "very connected" source not to "fall asleep" on the possibility.

But at the very least, you can probably hit the snooze button once or twice.

Really, though, at this point who knows what Brady's future plans entail? As he drags out what is fast becoming the most painfully overhyped, overanalyzed decision since LeBron James went on TV to announce he was taking his talents to South Beach, Brady is either riding the slippery slide toward free agency on March 18, or he's not. He's either heading to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Nashville, East Rutherford, or staying put in Foxboro, Mass.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Kenny Golladay is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and while he seems to be content with that for now, it's fair to wonder if he could be a fit in New York.

"I wouldn't mind being in Detroit for a while," Golladay told USA Today's Doug Farrar. "Everything should work itself out. I'm enjoying myself."

Originally a third-round pick of the Lions in 2017, Golladay has been tremendous with Detroit. surpassing the 1,000-yard mark in two of his three pro seasons. In 2019, he caught 65 passes for 1,190 yards and 11 touchdowns, proving to be one of the league's best young wide receivers. He's also proven to be a big-play threat, as his 18.3 yards per reception ranked second in the NFL. 

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Dave Gettleman has steadfastly stood by the most controversial trade of his reign, insisting that sending two draft picks to the Jets for a two-month rental of Leonard Williams was smart because "the juice was worth the squeeze."

The truth, though, is that it remains to be seen just how good the juice actually was. And it all really depends on what happens over the next five weeks. Maybe the juice was worth it for the Giants if they re-sign the 25-year-old Williams to a reasonable contract between now and the start of free agency.

So, here we are, in a world where Tom Brady's future with the Patriots is actually up in the air after spending 19 seasons in New England. The future Hall of Famer said he isn't going anywhere in a Super Bowl commercial, but that is only in reference to hanging up his cleats for good. Changing teams is definitely in the cards. 

Could that be to the Giants? 

It seems like an enormous stretch, especially after the team drafted Daniel Jones sixth overall and he took over for Eli Manning as the franchise quarterback after two games into the 2019 season. But, according to Boston radio host Scott Zolak, there's a possibility.