New York Giants are the perfect candidate for HBO’s Hard Knocks in 2019

Fans may not be in love with the notion, but the New York Giants are a perfect fit for this year’s edition of HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks’.

It won’t be the most popular take among fans of the New York Giants — some will downright hate the notion. All should get used to the idea of Big Blue being featured on the HBO program Hard Knocks later this year, however, because the network’s alternative options aren’t nearly as tasty as is the most popular football team that calls the largest sports media market in the country home.

As Dan Hanzus of NFL.com explained earlier this month, the Giants are one of five clubs that qualify for the show per the established rules that include: not having a first-year head coach, having not been in the playoffs once the past two seasons and never being on the show over the past 10 years. The other four teams eligible are the Oakland Raiders, Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers and Washington Redskins.

Your first thought may be for HBO to go with the Raiders because an uncensored Jon Gruden wearing a microphone during practices and team meetings is worth the price of admission on its own.

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Fair, but unless Gruden goes and does something wacky like draft Kyler Murray to compete with Derek Carr, which isn’t a popular prediction in mock drafts as of the final full weekend of February, Oakland’s time for Hard Knocks is probably down the road.

We’re sure those working for the Lions in 2019 are nice people who try their best to build a winning organization. Other than head coach Matt Patricia and quarterback Matthew Stafford, there may not be three people attached to that club familiar to casual fans not obsessed with fantasy football, and viewers outside of the Detroit area.

As with the Raiders, the Redskins could surprise the football world by drafting Murray to replace Alex Smith, who may never play pro football again following the devastating and horrific injury he suffered last fall. The Redskins could also entertain trading for Andy Dalton or signing Colin Kaepernick. Any of these potential transactions would make Washington an intriguing option, but none have happened as of this time.

The 49ers may be the best hope of preventing the Giants from being selected for those who don’t want New York on the show. Jimmy Garoppolo is working to return from a torn ACL. The Niners could also make a major splash and trade for wantaway Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown. Without that transaction, though, is the Jimmy G saga enough to move San Francisco ahead of the Giants in Hard Knocks power rankings?

Face it: The Giants check every box this winter.

Two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning is entering what will probably be his last season with the Giants and maybe in the NFL as an active player, in general, and he could be asked to compete with a rookie for his job. Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is an outspoken superstar and one of the faces of the NFL who is constantly mentioned in trade rumors even if it’s unlikely he’s going anywhere in 2019. Saquon Barkley is coming off an Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign. Pat Shurmur may never get another season to work as a head coach at the highest level if he and the Giants flop this coming fall.

HBO wouldn’t need to manufacture drama with the Giants. The storylines already exist. Sure, Shurmur isn’t always the most entertaining guy, as Neil Best of Newsday wrote last September, but he’d be supporting cast member instead of a key figure for a show focusing on the 2019 Giants. Heck, the Giants trading Beckham could make post-OBJ life an interesting-enough topic for HBO to want New York.

Fans concerned about any distraction factor should relax. The Cleveland Browns, North America’s most dysfunctional franchise this side of the Toronto Maple Leafs, won seven games after appearing on last year’s Hard Knocks, and that team began the season with Hue Jackson as its head coach. Obviously, just about every front office and coaching staff would prefer to remain distanced from the show, but it really isn’t as big a deal as some suggest.

If nothing else, the Giants getting it over with wouldn’t be the worst thing. Who knows? Maybe starring on Hard Knocks would bring those inside of the locker room together. Eli could rent an RV for a secret clubhouse. Just make sure Kyle Lauletta doesn’t drive it.