Ever since the 2022 schedule came out for the NY Giants, people have circled plenty of games that they can’t wait to check out. After going 4-13 last season, there’s plenty of hope that the Giants, now led by new head coach Brian Daboll, will be able to record a much better campaign and make some noise in the NFC East.
Having said that, there’s also some games undoubtedly being circled by players who can’t wait to take on their former team. The list of course includes James Bradberry, who apparently wants revenge on the Giants and general manager Joe Schoen for how the team treated his release this offseason.
3. James Bradberry
It’s no surprise that Bradberry is mentioned here. Bradberry spent the past two seasons with the Giants, earning Pro Bowl honors in 2020. The offseason was filled with drama for him, as he was waiting patiently to see what Schoen and the team would do with him. Trade rumors were flying all over the place.
In the end, the Giants decided to release Bradberry and he has since signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. The fact that Bradberry inked with a divisional rival has plenty of folks upset about his decision. At the end of the day, though, Bradberry chose the best system for him.
Looking ahead to the fall and winter, New York and Philadelphia will be meeting in Week 14 and Week 18. Bradberry would absolutely love to record an interception or two off of Daniel Jones to show the Giants exactly what they’re missing. The matchups between the two teams always provides plenty of intrigue, but Bradberry joining Philly will make things even more interesting.
2. Evan Engram
NY Giants supporters got their wish with tight end Evan Engram leaving East Rutherford this offseason. The former first-round pick, taken No. 23 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft, went to the Pro Bowl in 2020 with New York, but he was simply way too inconsistent with the team during his five seasons in town.
The drops were back-breaking for the Giants. After a loss, you could count on fans letting Engram have it on Twitter. Plain and simple, people grew tired of him struggling out on the gridiron and holding the offense back. Now, that’s in the past, as Engram has signed a new deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Come Week 7, the Giants will head to Jacksonville on Oct. 23 to take on the Jaguars in Florida. Engram no question will be ready for this one, as he’ll hope to not only have a big game, but silence all of the people in New York who have been bashing him over the years. We’ll see how Engram fares against his former teammates.
1. Kevin Zeitler
Last but not least, remember offensive guard Kevin Zeitler? Sure you do. The veteran hoss spent two years with the Giants, making his way over to New York via the Odell Beckham Jr. trade with Cleveland. Zeitler started 31 games for the Giants during his time in East Rutherford, really making a strong impact on the line.
Last offseason, however, he was released by the team and went on to sign a three-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens. In 2021, Zeitler started every game for the Ravens and was quite impressive with his work in the trenches. Zeitler is a stud at his job and he’s surely missed by New York.
This fall, the Ravens and Giants will face off in Week 6 at MetLife Stadium. Zeitler, a 6-foot-4, 315-pounder, will be ready to go to work against the Giants defensive line. While Zeitler won’t be the biggest name out on the field for this matchup, he’ll also want to remind the Giants fanbase of just how good he is. This will surely be a game to watch.