The NY Giants have the potential to be among the NFL’s most improved teams in 2021, and boast a roster that at least on paper is significantly more talented today than it was when the 2020 campaign ended, back in January.
That’s what happens when an organization signed the premier wide receiver available in free agency, Kenny Golladay, adds another in the first-round of the NFL Draft, and fills a glaring need with one of the best available cornerbacks in free agency. Throw in Saquon Barkley’s return to the backfield, alongside quarterback Daniel Jones as he enters his third NFL season, and this could be a team that surprises in 2021.
As OTAs are about to begin, and the regular season approaches, competition could be stiff for some players to make the team.
Here is a breakdown of where things stand with the NY Giants’ roster, including who is a lock, who is on the bubble, and who is a long-shot to make the team:
Locks (35):
QB Daniel Jones
QB Mike Glennon
The NY Giants are all in on Jones, for now, but after an offseason spent significantly bolstering the third-year quarterback’s supporting cast, 2021 might be a make-or-break season for the former No. 6 overall pick.
RB Saquon Barkley
RB Devontae Booker
RB Ryquell Armstead
RB Corey Clement
Barkley’s return is the centerpiece of much of the optimism surrounding a possible renaissance for the NY Giants’ offense in 2021. But, that hasn’t stopped the NY Giants from collecting depth pieces at running back behind him. One current NFL coach tells FanSided, he’d expect Booker to be the No. 2 running back, with Armstead and Clement competing to be the third-down back, behind Barkley.
WR Kenny Golladay
WR Kadarius Toney
WR Darius Slayton
WR Sterling Shepard
WR John Ross
After signing marquee free agent Kenny Golladay and chosen Kadarius Toney in the first-round, a strong argument can be made that this is the deepest — and most prolific, wide receiving corps the NY Giants have fielded in the past half decade. It is certainly the most talented group that Jones has ever played with.
TE Evan Engram
TE Kyle Rudolph
The NY Giants could keep as many as five tight ends. However, Engram and Rudolph have their roster spots cemented. Rudolph, the Giants hope, will be a dynamic weapon in the red zone.
OT Andrew Thomas
Thomas, chosen by the NY Giants with the No. 4 overall pick had an up-and-down rookie campaign in 2020, allowing 10 sacks, but the organization hopes that a fully and “normal” offseason will catapult him into become a bookend along a rebuilt offensive line.
C Nick Gates
Gates will reprise his role as the NY Giants’ starting center in 2021.
OT Matt Peart
The NY Giants love Peart. He rotated in at both tackle spots last season, and even though veteran Nate Solder is set to return after opting out last season, don’t be surprised if Peart gets the first chance to win the starting right tackle job this summer.
DL Leonard Williams
DL Austin Johnson
DL Dexter Lawrence
DL Danny Shelton
Even after losing Dalvin Tomlinson via free agency, defensive line remains among the NY Giants’ biggest strengths on the roster. Johnson and Shelton will likely compete for a starting job, with Williams and Lawrence potentially emerging as three-down players.
DE/LB Ifeadi Odenigbo
LB Ryan Anderson
LB Blake Martinez
LB Lorenzo Carter
LB Oshane Ximines
LB Azeez Ojulari
LB Tae Crowder
Blake Martinez was among the NY Giants’ most dominant defenders last season. Anderson has the potential to step in immediately as a starter. Odenigbo could earn quality pass-rush snaps either as a defensive end or outside linebacker. Carter and Ximines are both coming off significant injuries, and could face competition for snaps from rookie Azeez Ojulari and promising second-year player Tae Crowder atop the pass-rush rotation.
CB James Bradberry
CB Adoree’ Jackson
CB Aaron Robinson
CB Darnay Holmes
Cornerback has the chance to be the most improved position on the roster, and certainly is over the past two seasons. Bradberry is an All-Pro caliber lockdown outside cornerback, and Jackson was among the premier players available at the position in free agency. Competition between Holmes, and rookie Aaron Robinson could be among the more intriguing training camp battles to watch.
DB Logan Ryan
DB Xavier McKinney
Logan Ryan provided veteran stability, after signing with the NY Giants last summer. Meanwhile, McKinney might be one of the biggest steals of the 2020 NFL Draft class, and showed plenty of promise when he was finally healthy and got on the field over the final month of last season.
S Jabrill Peppers
Peppers is really coming into his own, and had the most dominant season of his career in 2020, producing a 64.7 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, with three sacks, one interception, and 85 total tackles.
K Graham Gano
Gano is coming off the strongest season of his career, and narrowly missed his second Pro Bowl appearance in 2020.
On the bubble (26):
These players will likely be involved in competition for a roster spot, but have a very real chance of making the team, should they show out during training camp and the preseason.
RB Gary Brightwell
FB Elijhaa Penny
If the NY Giants keep five running backs, Brightwell — who was chosen in the sixth-round of the NFL Draft, should make the squad. Penny is a favorite of the coaching staff, and he’s a lock, if New York carries a fullback.
WR Dante Pettis
WR David Sills
WR C.J. Board
WR/TE Kelvin Benjamin
Pettis showed some flashes last season that he can be a playmaker. However, the NY Giants significant investment in the receiver position this offseason likely means only one player from this group will make the squad.
TE Kaden Smith
The NY Giants like Smith, but he was a non-factor last season, and took his lumps as a run-blocker.
LT Nate Solder
Solder returns, after opting out of the 2020 season, but after allowing 11 sacks and 56 total pressures in 2019, he might need to significantly outperform the younger offensive tackles on the roster to make the club.
OG Shane Lemieux
OG Will Hernandez
OG Zach Fulton
OG/C Jonotthan Harrison
OG Chad Slade
It wouldn’t be a surprise if any of these players wound up in the starting lineup, or in the street, come September. Offensive guard seems like it could be wide open, with none of these players absolute locks to make the roster.
DL B.J. Hill
DE Elerson Smith
Hill’s snaps have been reduced since Leonard Williams’ arrival in Oct., 2019, so he might face stiff competition to make the team out of camp. Smith is an intriguing size and strength prospect as a psd-rusher, after being chosen in the fourth-round.
LB Cam Brown
LB Reggie Ragland
LB T.J. Brunson
LB Niko Lalos
LB Carter Coughlin
Coughlin, Brunson, and Brown were all chosen in the late-rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft. Brown’s special teams prowess and ability to play outside or inside linebacker could push him across the finish-line and onto the team. Ragland, after producing 77 tackles and one sack last season could push for a starting job.
DB Julian Love
Love’s versatility to play safety or nickel cornerback could help him secure a roster spot. The increase of talent in the secondary, might make it a tough competition.
CB Rodarius Williams
Williams was chosen by the NY Giants in the sixth-round of the NFL Draft earlier this month, and has the ideal height and length to push for a roster spot and play immediately.
P Riley Dixon
P Ryan Santoso
Dixon regressed, fairly dramatically in 2020, so expect an open-competition for the starting punter job.
LS Casey Kreiter
LS Carson Tinker
Same goes for the long-snapper position. This could be an intriguing battle to watch this summer.
Longshots (29):
These players face an uphill battle to making the roster. Especially those at wide receiver, cornerback, and along the defensive line, where the NY Giants have spent significant resources to improve the overall talent at those positions.
QB Clayton Thorson
RB Mizzell Taquan
RB Sandro Platzgummer
FB Cullen Gillaspia
WR Alex Bachman
WR Austin Mack
WR Derrick Dillon
TE Rysen John
OG/C Kenny Wiggins
OG Brett Heggie
OG Jake Burton
OG Kyle Murphy
OT Kenny Wiggins
TE Levine Toilolo
TE Nakia Griffin-Stewart
TE Cole Hikutini
DL R.J. McIntosh
DL Raymond Johnson
DL David Moah
LB Cale Garrett
LB Devante Downs
LB Trent Harris
CB Sam Beal
CB Madre Harper
CB Montre Hartage
CB Chris Milton
CB Isaac Yiadom
CB Quincy Wilson
CB Jarren Williams
Matt Lombardo is FanSided’s National NFL Insider and writes Between The Hash Marks each Wednesday. Email Matt: Matt.Lombardo@FanSided.com, Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattLombardoNFL