5 things to watch as NY Giants training camp opens

Joe Judge promised another physical training camp for the NY Giants this summer, but competition will be the name of the game, among other storylines

NY Giants head coach Joe Judge ran one of the more grueling training camps the NFL has seen in recent years last summer, and if the second-year coach is to be believed, his players can expect much of the same in 2021.

That means the possibility of a modified Oklahoma drill returning, penalty laps doled out to players and coaches who make mistakes during drills, and a steadfast focus on conditioning and fundamentals.

"“We’re trying to get their bodies ready to go ahead and perform how they have to in a game,” Judge said Tuesday. “And the most dangerous thing you can do for a player is skimp on how you practice. Whether that’s conditioning to get their bodies in the right position and build up that callus within their muscles so that they don’t have soft tissue injuries on the field. Whether that’s practicing things like live hitting and live tackling and making sure that when they go out there and the pace of the game is actually faster, that they’re not in a position to be prepared to do it safely and effectively.”"

Beyond tracking which players are sent running penalty laps, this year’s training camp offers plenty of intrigue as competition for roles … and roster spots, promises to be intense.

Here’s a look at five storylines to keep an eye on during NY Giants training camp:

1) When will Saquon Barkley return?

For the NY Giants and Saquon Barkley it isn’t about when the star running back returns, rather whether he can stay on the field once he does.

Barkley has now missed 13-plus games due to a torn ACL and three games due to a high ankle sprain through his first two-plus seasons in the NFL, and the NY Giants are intent on not rushing him back .

There is obvious motivations on both sides for Barkley to have a stellar 2021 campaign, given that he has no long-term security beyond his fifth-year option being picked up, Barkley will want to take his time and return only when fully healthy whereas the NY Giants need to see him complete a fully healthy season before deciding whether to make him the highest-paid running back.

Given the circumstances, there’s no reason to panic if Barkley misses the first few days, or even weeks, of NY Giants training camp this summer. But all eyes will be on No. 26, once he’s back on the field.