Quarterback Flashback
Years ago, seemingly in another lifetime if you’re a Giants fan, Eli Manning was not known affectionately as “Easy – E.” He was not seen as cool and confident. He was not an unshakable team leader. In fact, after a 2005 postseason where the Giants lost the NFC Wild Card game to the Carolina Panthers at home in a disastrous shutout – Eli Manning probably felt like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders heading into training camp in 2006.
But fortunately for Manning he was able to hit a remarkable NFL growth spurt from 2006 to 2009 and he has emerged into perhaps the most solid NY Giant starter on the roster. Recording over 15 last minute victories for his team with the ball in his hands, a 4-3 playoff record including a Superbowl win over perhaps one of the greatest and most dominating football teams of all time, a Superbowl MVP and Pro Bowl selection, a record $100+ million contract extension, and then setting career benchmarks in 4,000+ yards passing and 62.3% accuracy in 2009 in the face of media criticism – Eli Manning has become a Giant stud. Case and point – there is no competition at QB… and Giants fans for the third year in a row feel great about that heading into training camp. Eli is our guy.
Running Back
Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw, Danny Ware – all three top members of the backfield in 2009 were plagued by injury. And with Andre Brown lost to an Achilles injury for the season, he’ll be looking to regain some of his football form quickly at camp.
The starting running back role is perhaps the most controversial position battle that will take place, as both Brandon Jacobs (knee) and Ahmad Bradshaw (feet/ankle) have undergone off season surgery and will be in direct competition to be the featured back in the Giants backfield. On paper – Jacobs is the starter, end of story. However Bradshaw had an impressive 4.8 yards per carry last season to Jacobs’ 3.7, and the smaller more elusive Bradshaw took over for Jacobs in short yardage situations part way through the season – as a result the Giants found more success in the red zone. Jacobs has shown to be slot at times getting to the gaps created by the Giants offensive line, while Bradshaw’s upgrade in quickness in the same situations proved to be the answer around the end zone. So the new question this year heading into camp are quite clear – who becomes the featured running back in the Giants offense this year? Battles aside, both players will look to increase their workload and production and help the Giants return to their former smash-mouth power running identity. In a more limited role – Ware, Brown, and Gartrell Johnson will compete for the remaining snaps.
Recievers
Steve Smith is unquestionably the #1 receiver for the Giants. He is to the Giants what Wes Welker is to the Patriots — a quick, elusive, and uber-reliable slot receiver that controls the middle of the field. While Smith can become a deep threat, and he’s excellent at selling slants and finding open space if the opposing corners try to jump the route… his forte is creating seams in the defense and exploiting them within a 15 yard radius of Eli Manning. To that degree Smith is perhaps the finest route runner the Giants have had on their team in quite a long time, all due respect to the recently retired Ike Hilliard of course.
But who is the Giants #2 receiver? Both Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks have shown incredible promise – and in a certain sense both have emerged as candidates to start. Manningham has slightly quicker feet and creates separation nicely, but Nicks has more imposing size with great hands and breakaway speed that you look for in a star receiver. Manningham is actually built similarly to Steve Smith, while Nicks resembles the frame of Cowboys’ newly found star Miles Austin. While both have shown their glimpses of greatness over the past season – it will come down to consistency in 2010 that gives one starter the edge over another. Both have shown they can improve there – Manningham’s route running needs refinement and Nicks, while he has great hands, has dropped his fair share in wide open space with nothing between him and the end zone. Outright, proven consistency at camp will win that battle.
Speaking of consistency, further down the depth chart at #4, special teams standout Derek Hagan will likely start in place of Domenik Hixon. But whether the 6’6″ second year rookie Ramses Barden or the fifth year enigma Sincorice Moss will impress coaches Gilbride and Coughlin enough to overtake that role and get some significant playing time, they’ll have to grind it out at camp and accomplish that consistency goal.
Tight Ends
Kevin Boss is a lock, but what becomes of Travis Beckum and Bear Pascoe? Beckum at 6’3″ is currently second on the depth chart, but the Giants use their TE’s for some extra protection more than any other team in the NFL. Whether it’s chipping a defensive end on the way into a route, or outright help for the offensive line – size and blocking abilities have been the priority for the Giants offense. In that sense, Pascoe is the more traditional fit for the current strategy. However, the Giants love their versatile players – and Beckum has shown that he can be an asset primarily as a pass catching threat. It will mean though that coach Gilbride and Eli will have to get together and design some plays specifically to isolate Beckum and not use his abilities simply as an afterthought or last resort… the way it seems most throws his way have been. In fact, Beckum may be the more ideal fit as FB or HB in place of Madison Hedgecock on passing downs. But there is little evidence to support room for such creativity on the Giants offense. In any case, look to see some increased participation from Beckum during camp.
Offensive Line
If you listen to Sean O’hara, there is no threat to any of the starting positions at offensive line. From left to right – David Diehl, Rich Seubert, Sean O’hara, Chris Snee, and Kareem McKenzie feel they will be the starting 5 from day 1. However, it’s debatable whether Seubert can play up to the level he was at a couple seasons ago. McKenzie, while production hasn’t slid much – is coming off a sidelining injury and isn’t getting younger. Diehl, while he made the Pro Bowl has not been as effective as he’s been in the past and some feel his more natural abilities at left guard should be utilized in place of Seubert. The young Will Beatty would love to move into a starting position at left tackle, and it remains to be seen if the open competition for starting roles at training camp will produce a change at offensive line. Change is inevitable, but the loss of Seubert as a mainstay in the lineup may not bode well for cohesion in arguably the most important unit on the Giants squad. The starters themselves believe no change is going to come this year, and the confidence they’ve shown on the topic is admirable. But if production slides and there is ample competition, I have no doubt Gilbride is going to be faced with the charge of breaking up his o-line to avoid status quo performance, at the expense of intangibles and cohesion.
Defensive Line
On the other side of the ball, lies perhaps the second most important aspect – the bearers of pass rush. The Giants starting front 4 has seen an overhaul this year by a litany of reasons. Injuries have healed, coaching changes have been made, and the Giants top two draft choices have been signed. As far as starters go, DE Justin Tuck and DT Barry Cofield are most likely going to be starters. But that’s where the easy assignments end.
Kiwanuka and Umenyiora are going to battle it out for the second starting DE position. Kiwi has reportedly been designated the starter, but Osi is a competitor and has made it clear he wants that starting position. He’ll have to show up and earn it at camp… which is going to be extra hard this year with an ailing hip and being two years removed from a torn meniscus that required surgery. We’ll see – as Tom Coughlin likes to say.
Jay Alford, Chris Canty, Rocky Bernard, and Linval Joseph are the who and what: but when, where, and why?
Alford is coming back from a season ending injury. Will he return to Brady-sacking form at camp? Probably not, but the good news for him is that former Cowboy Chris Canty was also plagued by injuries last year and will likely not be at full speed for some time either, although he is hopeful this year is different.
Last year’s free agent d-lineman Rocky Bernard did little to earn his paycheck – offered no central push and little run stopping abilities. This is the best opportunity for Linval Joseph to sneak into the lineup. He may not start, but should the Giants offer a more dynamic rotation of players across the line Joseph could see some snaps this year. It’s a good thing I think to get his feet wet the first year out, but we should expect little from him. Like Clint Sintim it may take a season to realize what’s expected and then execute fully when given the opportunity.
Jason Pierre-Paul is in a similar situation – the Giants first round draft pick has some serious upside as a game changing defensive end, but he’s unpolished and may not be ready for prime time until the Giants can get him up to speed at the NFL level. Reports indicate he is mistake-prone in terms of technique, but physically he’s been incredibly impressive. This is one player that training camps and preseason games were invented for, and we’ll see what he’s made of. Can he provide a spark to the Giants pass rush this year and earn some snaps? This is one of the most interesting areas of the Giants youth movement that has me excited about the start of preseason matchups.
Linebackers
At one time, this was the biggest question for the Giants. Now that notion has vanished into thin air with the signing of veteran LB Keith Bulluck. He’s already been offered the starting middle spot to replace the retired Antonio Pierce, so the only real question left is who starts beside him? Odds are that the athletic Michael Boley and second year Virginia standout Clint Sintim have the honors. Perpetual backup and special teams star Chase Blackburn will continue his mission backing up Boley. Jonathan Goff will now be behind Bulluck at MLB. Gerris Wilkinson and Phillip Dillard will probably provide little competition but it’s important they have the reps. And newly signed Alex Hall will provide some depth, versatility, and some competition perhaps for Sintim as a significant pass rushing threat at LB.
Corners
This one is fairly easy. I look for a healthy Corey Webster to regain 2007 form, Aaron Ross had better take care of his hammys this year and not worry about return duties, and Terrell Thomas and Bruce Johnson should improve on a very impressive 2009 season. The competition in my mind is between Ross and Thomas, although it becomes moot in an all too common nickel package. The good news is that the Giants are fairly seasoned with their defensive backs this year, which will help the duties of the last part of the secondary and most significant weakness of 2009…
Safety
The biggest upgrades made all off season were right here, no question. Newly signed veteran Deon Grant and Pro Bowler Antrel Rolle, in conjunction with Giants own rehabbing and quite promising Kenny Phillips will not – in no way shape or form – allow the kind of defensive collapse in execution that former Giants C.C. Brown and Aaron Rouse let occur in the second half of the 2009 season. One caveat however is that Michael Johnson is still a Giant… but I expect to see the third worst ranked safety in the NFL on the bench for the majority of 2010.
Kicker/Punter
Tynes and Dodge respectively, nothing more to add here. Unless Feagles wants back in…!
Return Specialists
With Domenik Hixon out for the season and Ahmad Bradshaw having a larger role in the backfield – this role has become somewhat interesting in the sense that now there is no true standout for returning kicks and punts anymore. Hixon always came through in the clutch returning punts, and Bradshaw was just electric and seemed to set the right tone on kickoffs. Sinorice Moss and Danny Ware will likely compete for kickoffs, with Mario Manningham and Aaron Ross competing for punt duties. It remains to be seen who will match their predecessor’s intensity here.