Should the New York Giants Re-Sign Jason Pierre-Paul?

The New York Giants have historically been known for getting pressure towards opposing quarterbacks. Great defensive players like Lawrence Taylor, Michael Strahan and Antonio Pierce are names that come to mind in fairly recent memory. But unfortunately for Giants fans, this emphatic pass rush hasn’t been seen in quite some time. It caught a spark in their run to the Super Bowl in February 2012. But consistently, it hasn’t been there in quite some time.

A big reason for the Giants’ sudden defensive prowess in the 2011-12 season was the dominant play of Jason Pierre-Paul. That season he was a force that opposing offensive lines didn’t have an answer for. He propelled the Giants week in and week out. He sacked quarterbacks, he forced fumbles, he blocked kicks. He held his own and was rarely criticized, but he did so without ever having to lead the defense. At the time, that was the responsibility of Giants captain Justin Tuck.

Prior to this season, the Giants lost Tuck during free agency and linebacker Jon Beason to injury. A serious need of leadership was necessary from Pierre-Paul for the Giants’ defense to have success. He has responded with flashes of brilliant play, and flashes of utter irrelevance. He’s played well against the run (as long as it’s not a scrambling quarterback), but was not there for the Giants when they desperately needed a pass rush. Pierre-Paul should not be the only one to blame for the Giants’ inefficient defensive line, but it certainly starts with him.

Pierre-Paul’s looming free agency is kind of awkward. He hasn’t exactly played poorly enough to warrant a departure, but he hasn’t been off the charts to certify a big contract either. The situation, as most unrestricted free agencies do, depends on the player’s desires. How badly does Pierre-Paul want to remain a Giant? It is all but certain that another team will offer him more money than the Giants will. How loyal is Pierre-Paul to big blue?

Another layer of confusion will be thrown in due to Antrel Rolle’s upcoming free agency as well. Rolle has led the secondary well in his time with the Giants and is a proven veteran. In all honesty, it should probably be the Giants’ priority to lock up Rolle, a current captain for team, prior to determining what they do with Pierre-Paul. The economic stature of that decision will likely determine the Giants’ offer to Pierre-Paul.

Many Giants fans wear No. 90 on game day. When the Giants were winning everybody loved hearing what Pierre-Paul had to say to the media. In recent losing years, that hasn’t been the case. Pierre-Paul has always been overwhelmingly honest to the media, and can be caught being wildly over confident, then looking foolish in hindsight. It’s something that may or may not be a little immature but quite simply how he’s always been. Interestingly enough, Rolle can be guilty of the same thing, often joining in with Pierre-Paul’s premature confident claims to reporters.

Following the Giants’ painful loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Rolle and Pierre-Paul both claimed that the Giants could “run the table” for the remainder of the season. That report only added to the humiliation Giants fans had to go on to endure. Maybe they were just being confident, but in hindsight the report is completely embarrassing. It was a sign of immaturity from Pierre-Paul and Rolle.

Will their immaturity cost them in the upcoming offseason? Rolle was flagged for an excessive celebration penalty against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. In the midst of a 4-9 season that seemed a little ridiculous. But again, that’s how both Rolle and Pierre-Paul have always been. Is it fair to expect them to change?

Rolle remaining with the Giants in 2015 feels more certain than for Pierre-Paul. “If I’m here, I’m here. If I’m not, I’m not,” Pierre Paul told reporters recently. At least when it comes to something like this, Pierre Paul had the decency to remain neutral. Ironically, this was the time fans would have liked to hear his honest opinion on his 2015 whereabouts.

Will Pierre-Paul’s past back injuries limit the Giants’ confidence to re-sign him? Will Rolle’s contract offer reach superiority to Pierre-Paul’s? Can JPP reestablish the tradition of Giants pass rushers?

A lot of questions. Fans want answers. Time will tell.