The dog days of summer are here. It’s 90 degrees-plus outside, but that won’t stop NFL training camps from happening. All 32 teams have a different mindset coming into camp. Some are trying to build on their previous success, and others are simply trying to turn a new leaf. That would be the 2022 NY Giants, with this team looking for a breath of fresh air.
Training camp on the horizon is different for all players, no matter what team you’re on. A few players are lucky enough to know they are going to be the starter, and others have to make a name for themselves.
New York is going to need to see players progress this season, or their future with the team may be in jeopardy. With this, we’ll take a look at five players who must impress during training camp.
5. CB Adoree Jackson
With James Bradberry being signed by division rivals Philadelphia, Adoree Jackson is going to need to step up big time in 2022. Jackson is a very talented football player and he’s worth what NY paid for him. There’s no question he is a step down from Bradberry, though.
The money wasn’t there for Bradberry and that’s why the Giants had to let him go. He was a very physical corner at 6-1 and he offered a mismatch against smaller offensive players. At 5-11, Jackson is just barley shorter than Bradberry. Jackson relies more on his athletic skills as he is usually smaller or the same height as the players he lines up against.
Guarding the opposing team’s best receiver every week is a challenge that Jackson is ready for. He played for New York in 2021 and spent the previous four seasons with the Titans. One thing Jackson has that a lot of players on the team don’t have is playoff experience. Jackson turns 27 in September and he will be more of a leader this season, especially with a very young secondary around him.
4. Azeez Ojulari
Ojulari is in a different situation than some of the others on this list. He actually had a quality rookie season with New York in 2021. He played in all 17 games, starting 13 of those. In doing so, he set a new team rookie sack record with eight last season.
The reason Ojulari finds himself on this list is because there’s a new player who is looking to “take” over as the star pass-rusher for NY. That would be the No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, edge rusher/outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux.
As a second-round pick who had first-round potential, Ojulari performed well his rookie year. Right when he may have felt comfortable, the Giants went and took a player in the Top 5 like Thibodeaux. Ojulari needs to let this fuel him into wanting to be better. Photos prove that Ojulari hit the weight room this offseason as he is looking a lot stronger. Both he and Thibodeaux could do wonders together.
3. Andrew Thomas
Andrew Thomas, the big man out of Georgia, will be entering his third season as a pro and still has a lot to prove. Thomas will be manning the left tackle spot, while No. 7 overall pick Evan Neal, out of Alabama, will be getting the nod at right tackle. These two blocking for Jones will be big for the Giants.
In two seasons with New York, Thomas has had his ups and downs, and that is expected. Coming into his third year, though, the Giants will be looking for him to solidify himself as the anchor of that offensive line at left tackle. He’s played in 29 career games for the Giants, starting 28 of those contests.
Thomas dealt with some injuries last season that made him miss four games for the Giants. He still has a lot of room to grow at only 23 years old. Big Blue has also brought in offensive line guru Bobby Johnson, who is known for his excellent work in helping offensive linemen become better players. This can only help Thomas and the rest of the o-line group.
2. Daniel Jones
Where to even begin. Daniel Jones has been thrown through the ringer in his first three seasons as a pro. He will be on his third head coach in four NFL seasons. Clearly, Jones has not been set up for great success.
Jones continues to be a mystery to Giants fans. If anyone on this list has the most to prove in training camp, it’s DJ. With a fresh head coach and general manager who have no connection in drafting him, this is quite literally a make it or break it season for Jones.
At times, Jones looks like he has what it takes to be a stud NFL quarterback. He has shown a lot of potential. There’s also been a lot of negatives as well. Possibly more bad than good. Turnovers and Jones go hand-in-hand. He is the king of getting strip-sacked at the most inopportune times.
With that being said, unless Tyrod Taylor plans on trying to battle Jones for the starting job, this is Jones’ offense. Daboll and Giants coaches are going to see what they can do with Jones this season. There’s only two outcomes; Jones has an incredible season and New York signs him to a long-term contract, or he doesn’t play to the Giants standards, and the Giants find themselves starting fresh at quarterback again.
1. Kenny Golladay
Number one on the list is Kenny Golladay, and it is for one particular reason that cannot be fixed until it actually happens. That is to score a touchdown for the New York Giants, something he was unable to do last season for a number of reasons.
He missed three games in 2021, and he was not 100 percent coming into the beginning of last season. Golladay may not have been himself until at least Week 3 or Week 4. Jones appeared in 14 games, but there’s no denying the loss of Jones due to his neck injury hurt Golladay’s ability to produce.
A new GM and head coach gives Golladay a fresh start and a new chance to prove himself in training camp and in the regular season. The wide receiver room is filling up quickly in New York, and Golladay needs to have a season like he did with Detroit in 2019, where he caught 11 touchdowns and posted 1,190 yards.
Not only do the five players on this list have something to prove, but everyone on the Giants, including coaches and the front office, all have to get better, respectively. All New York Giants fans want is to be a competitive football team every week. The team has been a disaster in the last 5-8 years. That is why Joe Schoen and Daboll were brought in to help clean up the mess.