The New York Giants will travel to Houston on Saturday afternoon to play the Texans in their second preseason game. There’s a little more intrigue than usual for a preseason game, as Daniel Jones is expected to play for the first time since tearing his ACL on November 5th against the Las Vegas Raiders.
It’s unknown how many Texans starters will play and for how long, but competing against one of the best teams in the AFC will be a good test for New York with the season opener a little over three weeks away.
It’s important to observe every player who takes the field on Saturday, but here are five to watch closely.
Daniel Jones
If you watched Hard Knocks, you saw that the team was ready to move on from Jones if either Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye were available with the sixth overall pick or if general manager Joe Schoen was able to trade up to take one of the prospects.
This is a make-or-break year for Jones as he will need to play the best football of his career if he wants to be the team’s quarterback beyond 2024. Saturday will be Jones’s first step to show that he’s physically and mentally ready to prove his doubters wrong.
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Tommy DeVito
Due to his hip injury, Drew Lock may not play on Saturday, which gives DeVito an opportunity to challenge Lock for second string on the depth chart if he has an impressive performance. In the team’s 14-3 victory over the Lions last week, DeVito completed eight out of 15 passes for 92 yards.
Although his spot on the roster seems secure as the team will likely keep three quarterbacks, he’ll need to fare better against the Texans if he’s going to have any chance of moving up on the depth chart.
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Eric Gray
Although it was just a preseason game, Eric Gray had his best day as a Giant last week. The 2023 fifth-round pick gained 52 yards on the ground on four carries and scored both of the team’s touchdowns.
Before his performance last week, it seemed Gray’s playing time this season would once again be limited, playing behind Devin Singletary and Tyrone Tracy Jr. But if he has an encore performance, he could have an increased role in New York’s offense this season.
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Jalin Hyatt
Hyatt has had an impressive summer as he’s building a rapport with Daniel Jones and seems poised to have a breakout second season. It’s no secret that Brian Daboll wants to take more chances throwing the ball downfield this season, and Hyatt will have a pivotal role in that process.
With Malik Nabers possibly missing Saturday’s game due to an ankle injury, expect Hyatt to be the primary target when New York’s first-team offense is on the field. This will give the second-year wideout a chance to show how much he’s improved since his rookie season.
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Nick McCloud
McCloud has shown this summer that he’s one of the team’s most versatile defenders playing in the nickel as well as on the outside. With the injury to Cordale Flott, McCloud was playing with the first-team defense on the opposite corner of Deonte Banks this week.
This team’s corners are young and will be exposed when they face a high-powered passing attack. McCloud plays with a chip on his shoulder, as people have been doubting him for his entire playing career, and this will surely add fuel to his fire.
The Texans have a trio of talented receivers in Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins, and Tank Dell, and it will be interesting to see how McCloud fares going against them if they play.
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