After having a week off due to their bye, the New York Giants returned to the practice field to prepare for their Monday night clash with the Green Bay Packers.
Although New York is still mathematically alive for the playoffs, at 4-8, it would take a miracle for them to reach the postseason. Despite the team’s current two-game winning streak, the season has been nothing short of a disaster.
This is why head coach Brian Daboll needs to give his young players as much playing time as possible so that they can gain experience and be ready for a bigger role in 2024.
In particular, three rookies need to remain on the field as much as possible for the season’s final five games.
Related: Updated Week 14 NFL schedule
Tommy DeVito
On Tuesday, head coach Brian Daboll stated that Tommy DeVito will be the starting quarterback when they face the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football. However, Daboll wouldn’t commit to DeVito being the starter for the remainder of the season. But having the undrafted rookie quarterback remain the starter is the best move for the team going forward as opposed to Tyrod Taylor.
Although Taylor would give the team the best chance to win due to his experience and composure, but Taylor will be a free agent at the end of the season and will turn 35 in August. With the team needing to address other positions, bringing back Taylor will not be high on their list of priorities.
The Giants need to stick with the 25-year-old undrafted rookie who is playing much better than when he replaced the injured Taylor in their Week 8 13-10 overtime loss to the Jets. In the team’s two-game winning streak, DeVito has completed 35 out of 51 passes for 437 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions.
The front office needs to see if he can continue making progress to see if he has a future with the team as a backup, or perhaps he can turn into the next Brock Purdy. Stranger things have happened.
Even if he should falter during the final five games of the season it would be in the best long-term interest of the franchise to stick with DeVito for the remainder of the season.
Related: Where does Tommy DeVito rank among 2023’s starting QBs?
Jalin Hyatt
Before their Week 12 10-7 victory over the New England Patriots, Jalin Hyatt had been targeted just 22 times all season and had 12 receptions for 221 yards. This was well below the production that was expected from Hyatt when general manager Joe Schoen traded up in the third round to take the rookie receiver with the 73rd overall pick.
But against the Patriots, the Giants made it a priority to have Hyatt become the focal point of the passing game. Against New England, he was targeted six times and had five receptions for 109 yards. Not only was it Hyatt’s first career 100-yard receiving game, but he became the first Giants to eclipse the 100-yard receiving mark all season.
Early in training camp, some were doubting if he could be a complete receiver and run the entire route tree. Slowly but surely the speedy Hyatt is beginning to silence his critics.
With the expectation that New York will look to acquire a quarterback and address the offensive line in the draft, Hyatt could be the team’s number one wideout next season depending on what the team does in free agency.
This is why the offense needs to have Hyatt in the game as often as possible and have him run intermediate and deep routes to showcase his entire skill set.
Related: 2023 NFL Power Rankings: Evaluating all 32 teams after Week 13
Tre Hawkins III
Hawkins was one of the players that shined bright during training camp, which led to him being a starter at the start of the season. But the sixth-round cornerback struggled mightily as a tackler and in coverage before eventually being taken out of the starting lineup.
He’s started in three of the 12 games he’s played, tallying 29 tackles and a pass deflection. Although his rookie campaign hasn’t gone the way he and the team wanted, there’s still time over the next five weeks to develop him further.
Adoree’ Jackson will be an unrestricted free agent so it’s imperative that one of the other corners steps up and is prepared to be a starter next season on the opposite side of Deonte Banks. At 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, Hawkins has the ideal size to be matched up against tall physical receivers. These next five games are the ideal time for defensive coordinator Wink Martindale to give the rookie corner more playing time to enhance his progression.
