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The New York Giants will open training camp on July 23rd as they begin preparing for their 100th season in the NFL.
The roster looks significantly different than it did a season ago thanks to numerous offseason moves that include trading for Brian Burns, Darren Waller’s retirement and Saquon Barkley leaving via free agency to sign with the rival Philadelphia Eagles.
Most of the roster will already be set when the team arrives for training camp on July 23rd. But there are a few spots on the roster that will be up for grabs.
Here’s a look at the top four position battles to watch during the New York Giants training camp.
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Perhaps the biggest position of concern surrounding the team coming into camp is that they’re thin at corner. The team is confident that Deonte Banks will continue to emerge as one of the best young corners in the league. But as of right now, it’s uncertain who will start on the opposite side of him in Week 1.
Those vying to become the starter will be Cor’Dale Flott, Tre Hawkins III, Aaron Robinson, and rookie third-round pick Dru Phillips. This will be an intense battle throughout the summer, and they’ll be tested every day in practice when they try to cover Malik Nabers in practice. Whoever fares best against Nabers will bode well for their chances of being the starter.
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Devin Singletary is the team’s new starting running back. But it’s unlikely he’ll be the workhorse, as he never carried the ball more than 188 times in a season during his time with the Buffalo Bills when Brian Daboll was the offensive coordinator. This means whoever is his primary backup will play a pivotal role in the offense.
The top two players competing for the backup role will be Eric Gray and rookie fifth-round pick Tyrone Tracy Jr. Gray played sparingly as a rookie carrying the ball only 17 times for 48 yards with six receptions for 22 yards. The belief is he’ll make strides in his second season and be ready for a more prominent role.
In his final year at Purdue in 2023, Tracy showed his explosive playmaking ability by averaging 6.3 yards per game and scored eight touchdowns. In addition, he’s a reliable pass catcher as he had 113 receptions during his college career.
You’ll see both Gray and Tracy on the field this season. The only question is, which one will be second on the depth chart?
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One of the reasons that New York took Penn State tight end Theo Johnson in the fourth round (107th overall) was due to speculation that Darren Waller might retire. With Waller officially retiring in June, Johnson has a chance to be the team’s new starting tight end.
However, he’ll be challenged by third-year tight end Daniel Bellinger who has 55 receptions for 523 yards and two touchdowns in his first two seasons. Bellinger will have the advantage heading into the camp due to his experience, but Johnson has the edge when it comes to big-play ability as he scored 11 touchdowns in his final two seasons with the Nittany Lions. This will certainly be an intriguing position battle to watch.
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The top four receivers on New York’s depth chart (Nabers, Darius Slayton, Wan’Dale Robinson, and Jalin Hyatt), all complement each other well as they each have diverse skill sets that will cause problems for opposing defenses.
These four are locks to make the squad but the team will carry either six or seven receivers onto their final roster. The Giants are deep at receiver, which means Brian Daboll and his staff will have to make some tough decisions on who to cut.
Isaiah Hodgins stands a good chance of making the roster since he’s been with the team the last two seasons and has a rapport with Daniel Jones. Gunner Olszewski also has an inside track since he was the Giants’ leading punt returner last season.
They’ll be pushed by veterans Allen Robinson and Isaiah McKenzie, along with Bryce Ford-Wheaton. Other receivers will also emerge as candidates, as there always seems to be at least one receiver who enters camp under the radar but shines during practices and preseason games. The receiver battle will definitely be a battle to keep your eyes on.