The picture of the Giants roster is clearer as a sophomore under general manager Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll. The roster is now largely made up of players drafted or signed by that regime, leaving fewer spots up for grabs during the recently completed offseason program.
Training camp and preseason could turn heads, but here’s an early prediction of who will earn a spot on the Giants’ 53-man roster:
Quarterbacks: 2
In: Daniel Jones, Tyrod Taylor
Out of: Tommy DeVito
The Giants only had two quarterbacks last season when they had a veteran third-stringer in Davis Webb. So there’s no chance they’ll keep DeVito, an undrafted rookie, on the active roster this season. DeVito (or another quarterback) should end up on the practice team like Webb did last season.
Running backs: 4
In: Saquon Barkley, Matt Breida, Eric Gray, and Gary Brightwell
Out of: Jashaun Corbin
Yes, Barkley will be in the roster this season. But the road to getting there may not be smooth if he doesn’t get a long-term extension before the July 17 deadline. Breida returns as top backup while Gray was picked in the fifth round to add depth. Brightwell will be in the squad bubble, but he’s a key special team player who had limited offensive options last season.
GO DEEPER
What could Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs’ new deals look like in the sluggish RB market?
Wide Receiver: 6
In: Darius Slayton, Isaiah Hodgins, Parris Campbell, Wan’Dale Robinson, Jalin Hyatt, Sterling Shepard
Out of: Collin Johnson, Jeff Smith, Jamison Crowder, David Sills, Kalil Pimpleton, Jaydon Mickens, Makai Polk, Bryce Ford-Wheaton
The Giants have improved their wide receiver depth, making for tougher decisions in the latter places. Slayton, Hodgins, Campbell and Hyatt are in the roster. Robinson is also suspended but it’s not clear if he will fully recover from the cruciate ligament rupture he sustained last November by the start of the season. Shepard tore his cruciate ligament two months ago, so his recovery is further along. The veteran looked sharp running tracks at minicamp. When healthy, he easily ranks among the top six wide receivers on the roster.
The Giants had seven wide receivers at the start of last season. If they do that again, it could open the door for Johnson, who has performed well in practice for the past two offseasons but was sidelined last season with a torn Achilles tendon. One problem with the top six receivers is that they don’t offer any particular team value, which could make Smith, who has experience in the kicking game, a dark candidate for a roster spot.
Tight Ends: 3
In: Darren Waller, Daniel Bellinger, and Lawrence Cager
Out of: Tommy Sweeney, Chris Myarick, Ryan Jones
Waller and Bellinger are clearly the top tight end players. The intrigue is who gets the last spot or spots on the position. The Giants had three tight ends for most of last season, and they plan to do so again as they should be able to retain their top spot on the practice roster for safety reasons. Cager gets the nod for his receiving advantage.
Offensive Linemen: 9
In: Andrew Thomas, Ben Bredeson, John Michael Schmitz, Mark Glowinski, Evan Neal, Josh Ezeudu, Marcus McKethan, Tire Phillips, Shane Lemieux
Out of: Matt Peart, Korey Cunningham, Jack Anderson, JC Hassenauer, Devery Hamilton, Wyatt Davis
The top six linemen are firmly in the game – Thomas, Bredeson, Schmitz, Glowinski, Neal and Ezeudu – with the only question being who will start at left guard and center under Bredeson, Schmitz and Ezeudu. McKethan has flexibility in defense and tackle, and the 2022 fifth-round pick impressed before tearing a cruciate ligament in training camp last year.
Phillips, Peart and Cunningham will be fighting for the swing tackle job. Phillips took on that role last season and has added value due to his ability to play as a guard. Injuries have held Lemieux back but he stands out in the packed group for the last indoor reserve.
Defensive Linemen: 5
In: Dexter Lawrence, Leonard Williams, A’Shawn Robinson, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, DJ Davidson
Out of: Ryder Anderson, Jordon Riley, Vernon Butler, Kobe Smith
The first four spots on the D line are occupied by established veterans – Lawrence, Williams, Robinson and Nunez-Roches. The Giants provided five defensive linemen last season, leaving a group of young players vying for the final roster spot. Davidson, who is recovering from a cruciate ligament tear, has a slight advantage from being selected in the fifth round last year, but it looks set to be a tough contest.
External Linebackers: 5
In: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Azeez Ojulari, Jihad Ward, Oshane Ximines, Tomon Fox
Out of: Elerson Smith, Habakuk Baldonado
The Giants return with the same group of outside linebackers as last season, with the only addition being Baldonado, an undrafted rookie. So it’s easy at this point to bring in last season’s best full-backs, especially with Smith back at the side, who is recovering from an injury in the spring. But that position just begs for a pre-season upgrade, especially with some high-profile veterans (Justin Houston, Melvin Ingram) still in the market.
GO DEEPER
Giants Defense: Wink Martindale shares insight into what will be different this season
Inside linebackers: 6
In: Bobby Okereke, Jarrad Davis, Darrian Beavers, Micah McFadden, Cam Brown, Carter Coughlin
Out of: Dyontae Johnson, Troy Brown
Having six inside linebackers feels excessive, but Brown and Coughlin are very special team players. They led the team by a wide margin in special teams snaps last season, so they should have roster spots until others emerge who are able to fill their roles. Davis was a starter in the spring before missing minicamp with an undisclosed injury. He could be a surprise if Beavers returns from a cruciate ligament tear in training camp and takes the starting spot alongside Okereke.
Cornerbacks: 5
In: Adoree’ Jackson, Deonte Banks, Cor’Dale Flott, Aaron Robinson, Tre Hawkins
Out of: Darnay Holmes, Amani Oruwariye, Rodarius Williams, Zyon Gilbert, Gemon Green, Leonard Johnson
Flott and Holmes will compete for the starting cornerback spot. Flott was chosen by this regime in the third round and is cheaper, so that should give him an advantage. It’s hard to imagine the Giants keeping Holmes as a backup given that they can save $2.7 million in salary caps by cutting or trading him. Robinson is a wild card, having been hampered by injuries in his first two seasons and also recovering from a cruciate ligament tear on the side in the spring. But the 2021 third-round pick has the ability to play indoors and outdoors, which could make him more valuable as a replacement.
GO DEEPER
Ten Giants veterans who have something to prove: Xavier McKinney, Adoree’ Jackson and more
Collateral: 5
In: Xavier McKinney, Jason Pinnock, Nick McCloud, Dane Belton, Bobby McCain
Out of: Gervarrius Owens, Trenton Thompson, and Alex Cook
Pinnock, McCloud, Belton and McCain will be fighting for the starting spot alongside McKinney. It’s hard to hamper this competition with Pinnock and Belton both missing through injury this spring. McCain has the most experience in this group, but he could be at stake if he doesn’t win the starting spot since he’s not a special team operative. The Giants could instead opt to keep Owens, a rookie seventh-round pick.
Specialists: 3
In: K Graham Gano, P Jamie Gillan, LS Casey Kreiter
Out of: LS Cam Lyons
Gano and Gillan have no competition for their jobs. The Giants picked Lyons as an undrafted free agent, but he’s not seen as a serious challenger to Kreiter, who has been the team’s long snapper for the past three seasons.
(Photo by Cor’Dale Flott, Darnay Holmes and Zyon Gilbert: Rich Schultz/Getty Images)