Steve-Tisch-Eli-Manning.jpg

Giants co-owner Steve Tisch, right, said the Giants decided to 'go for it' this offseason.

(Andrew Mills/THE STAR-LEDGER)

ORLANDO -- With the league's oldest head coach and a quarterback fast approaching his mid-30s, the Giants don't have a ton of time with this current core. They need to win ... and do it sooner rather than later.

They had that in mind when devising a plan for free agency this season. The Giants have already signed 19 players -- 10 of which weren't on the team last season -- in free agency following a disappointing 7-9 season.

"When something is a little broken and you have to fix it," Giants co-owner Steve Tisch said Monday at the NFL Meetings, "everyone at the top level -- ownership, coaching staff and our GM -- realized we got to go for it.

"This is an opportunity. Let's take advantage of it and refocus. Do some restructuring, make changes, some of the changes aren't always going to be popular, but I think we have created a tremendous sense of excitement and anticipating what this team will be and how well they will perform this season."

Despite such a large turnover of the roster, the Giants aren't calling it rebuilding. Instead, Tisch termed it a restructure.

The Giants are working under the belief that the results can turn quickly. They are hoping that with a stable coach like Tom Coughlin and a proven quarterback like Eli Manning they can put so many new pieces together rather quickly.

"What is realistic in today's NFL? You can go first to last and last to first in one year. It's just a question of putting the right people out there and coaching them up and hoping for the best. I think we improved ourselves," Giants co-owner John Mara said. "Who knows what is realistic these days. I know we had holes to fill and tried to fill them."

So, playoffs? Super Bowl? Who knows. It's all on the table for a team that allowed staples like defensive end Justin Tuck to walk, had warriors like David Diehl and Brandon Jacobs retire, and left established veterans like offensive lineman Kevin Boothe and cornerback Terrell Thomas free to sign with other clubs.

Tisch wants the Giants to be good right from the opening kickoff next season. No 0-6 starts. No stumbling out of the gate.

"That's my wish for sure," he said. "I think Tom Coughlin is the guy to get the rookies and the new players to really understand how the New York Giants perform as a team, how he wants his locker room to operate. I think he is the best guy to accept this challenge."

It's not going to be easy. The Giants' will have a drastically different look when they take the field this season.