We’re just days away from the New York Giants reporting to training camp to start their second season under head coach Brian Daboll.
The Giants have had one of the most intriguing offseasons in the NFL, headlined by the drama surrounding Saquon Barkley’s contract situation. As we all know, the team and its star running back couldn’t reach a deal, and now it’s expected that he will miss all or most of training camp.
When or if the G-Men’s most explosive playmaker reports to camp is just one of the storylines for the Giants this summer. We’ll take a look at the top five storylines for Big Blue as they head into training camp.
How will the New York Giants handle Saquon Barkley’s absence?
The biggest question for the team is how they plan on replacing their superstar running back, who accounted for nearly 28% of their yards last season. The team is very high on fifth-round pick Eric Gray, and veterans Matt Breida and Gary Brightwell averaged over four yards per carry last season.
Then on Friday, the team signed former Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets RB James Robinson to a one-year deal. If Barkley continues to hold out, it will be interesting to see if one of these players emerges as the lead option, or if the team goes with a running back by committee approach.
Traditionally, Daboll has gone with the committee approach. During his time as offensive coordinator with the Buffalo Bills, no running back carried the ball more than 188 times in a season. Time will tell if that pattern continues if Barkley doesn’t report to camp.
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How quickly will Daniel Jones build rapport with his new pass catchers?
The team’s biggest improvement from a season ago is the new pass catchers that general manager Joe Schoen was able to acquire this offseason. Darren Waller, Parris Campbell, and rookie Jalin Hyatt will make the passing game more dynamic than it was a season ago.
The question is, how long will it take them to build a rapport with the 26-year-old quarterback? Jones and Waller developed a good connection during OTAs, but training camp practices are much more intense and physical than padless afternoons in the spring.
At this point we don’t know if the team plans on playing Jones in the preseason, so they’ll need to build chemistry in training camp, and during their joint practice sessions with the Detroit Lions. It’s imperative that the QB is on the same page with his new receivers before the season opener.
Who will emerge as the starting strong safety and left guard?
While we know who most of the Giants’ starters will be when the season begins, there are a few starting positions that are up for grabs. The two most intriguing battles to watch are strong safety and left guard.
Losing Julian Love, their leading tackler from a season ago to free agency leaves a huge void in defensive coordinator Wink Martindale’s defense. Currently, it appears that either Jason Pinnock, Dane Belton, Bobby McCain, or converted safety Nick McCloud will have the best chance of replacing Love. Each practice session and preseason game will help determine who will be the starter.
The battle for the starting left guard will come down to Ben Bredeson, Joshua Ezeudu, and Shane Lemieux. Bredeson appeared in 11 games and started eight of them and likely has the inside track on being the starter.
But the team feels that Ezeudu, who was a third-round pick in the 2022 draft (67th overall), will make huge strides in year two. Lemieux will need to have an impressive summer if he’s going to supplant Bredeson and Ezeudu on the depth chart.
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Can New York’s top three draft picks adapt quickly to the speed of the NFL?
The biggest reason why many feel New York has closed the gap between themselves and the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles is their first three picks in the 2023 draft.
Corner Deonte Banks, center John Michael Schmitz, and receiver Jalin Hyatt were seen as some of the best prospects at their position heading into the draft. For the Giants to come away with all three players in areas of need is the reason why the team had such a high draft grade by many analysts.
However, sometimes it takes a while for rookies to get acclimated to the speed and physicality of the NFL game. Fortunately for New York, they have a solid coaching staff plus veterans who will help mentor the rookies.
Banks and Schmitz will be starters when camp opens, and Hyatt will play more of a prominent role as the season progresses. If these three can adjust to the NFL game and play at a high level, it will bode well for the team in their pursuit of making the playoffs for the second year in a row.
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Will Sterling Shepard and Wan’Dale Robinson land on the PUP list?
One of the reasons why New York’s passing game was ranked 26th in the league last season (185.7 yards per game) is the fact that Sterling Shepard and rookie Wan’Dale Robinson were both lost for the season due to torn ACLs. Shepard’s injury occurred in Week 3, and Robinson’s injury occurred in Week 11.
There was optimism that both would be ready for the start of the season, but now that’s in question after the team signed veteran Cole Beasley to a one-year deal on Friday. Beasley is a shifty slot receiver and is familiar with Daboll’s offense from their time together in Buffalo. You have to wonder if the Beasley signing is an indication that Shepard and Robinson might start the year on the PUP list, but at least now the team has the depth to prepare for any scenario.