The New York Giants will conclude their 2023 preseason with a matchup against the New York Jets on Saturday evening. Generally, the last preseason game lacks excitement and intrigue as most of the starters seldom play. But Saturday’s clash will have a little sizzle to it as Aaron Rodgers will make his Jets debut.
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When Giants head coach Brian Daboll was asked if Rodgers’ playing would impact whether any of his starters would compete or not, the 48-year-old head coach responded simply by saying “No”.
Although it’s unknown if any of New York Giants’ starters will actually play on Saturday, there are still three key storylines to watch for in the preseason finale.
How will the defense fare against Aaron Rodgers?
When you have a chance to face one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, it gives your team the opportunity to challenge your talent against the best to see how they fare and prepare them to face other elite signal callers.
New York Giants defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale was asked if he’s excited to face the future Hall of Fame quarterback this weekend.
“Yeah, I get excited every time I am going against him because he is a titan of the league, he is one of the titans of the league and we all know that, you see the energy he brought to the city. I really do like him, I want to him have a bunch of success except when we are playing against each other and he knows that and hopefully he feels the same way. I just think that he’s one of the best and it’s always, as players and coaches, just like you saw in London, it’s fun playing that chess match with him.”
– Don Martindale
Martindale will certainly blitz Rodgers on Saturday to try to force him into making a mistake. But don’t expect the 60-year-old defensive coordinator to get too exotic with his schemes. He’ll save that for when the two teams meet in Week 8 of the regular season.
With roster spots still up for grasp, if one of the young defensive backs can knock down a pass or intercept Rodgers, it will enhance their chances of making the final roster.
Which one of the reserve wide receivers will have a breakthrough performance?
Barring any sudden changes, the receivers that will make the New York Giants roster are Darius Slayton, Isaiah Hodgins, Parris Campbell, Jalin Hyatt, Sterling Shepard, and Wan’Dale Robinson once he comes off the PUP list, which could be soon. Some felt Shepard was on shaky ground, but he’s had a good week of practice which bodes well for him being in New York for his eighth season.
In all likelihood, the team will keep seven receivers on their final roster which means there’s only one spot up for grabs. The players who are battling for that final spot are Jamison Crowder, Cole Beasley, Bryce Ford Wheaton, Collin Johnson, David Sills V, Jaydon Mickens, and Kalil Pimpleton.
It goes without saying, that the team’s wide receiver room is talented and crowded, and making cuts will be difficult for the coaching staff.
Beasley may not suit up on Saturday as he’s been dealing with a leg injury. His absence will give others more opportunities to make a positive final impression on the coaching staff. The final receiver spot on the roster could come down to who performs best on Saturday night as a pass catcher and as a special teams player.
Will any of the potential starters at offensive guard play?
The Giants have been shuffling their interior offensive line the entire summer with Ben Bredeson, Mark Glowinski, Joshua Ezeudu, and rookie John Michael Schmitz Jr. When the team revealed their unofficial depth chart, Schmitz is listed as the starting center, with Bredeson and Glowinski listed as the starting guards.
However, Brian Daboll has stated that a final decision has not been made yet, and the head coach was impressed with how all three performed against the Carolina Panthers last week.
“I think all three of them did a good job,” he recently said. “We rotated them as you guys saw, and I’d say they all were pretty productive in the things we asked them to do. Daboll said of his top three offensive guards.”
There’s always a risk of injury anytime you step on the football field. But with the regular season opener a little over two weeks away, you have to wonder if he’ll play any of the guards to get one more look and determine who should start against the Dallas Cowboys on September 10th.