The feeling in recent months around the NY Giants has featured loads of optimism and the fact that things are surely moving in the right direction. Part of that is down to hiring of new general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll, who are molding the Giants into what they envision the team to be.
As a result in the shift to a new GM and head coach, players and fans are no longer looking into the errors of the past, but instead are looking forward with optimism that the Giants could be a competitive team once again in the NFL in the next couple of years.
Along with that shift, some players have put in stellar performances throughout camp and the first preseason game. It’s been great to see. Here are five players in particular that fans have been quite pleased with.
5. DL Leonard Williams
Perhaps one of the more underrated defensive lineman in the NFL, Leonard Williams has been a star on a Giants roster which has continuously finished seasons with poor records.
Williams is entering his fourth year with the G-Men, and is looking like a monster so far in training camp. The former Jet finished 2021 with 6.5 sacks which is a downgrade from his 11.5 sacks in 2020, but finished last season with 81 combined tackles, which is a huge number for a defensive lineman.
Williams has two seasons before his contract expires, but is someone who for the right price, needs to be on the Giants after 2023, especially if he has an excellent season in 2022.
The 28 year old has the best supporting cast around him as one of the big strengths for this Giants team in 2022 appears to be the defensive line that features Dexter Lawrence, last year’s standout rookie EDGE rusher Azeez Ojulari and the fifth pick of this year’s draft Kayvon Thibodeux, who will lineup on the opposite side to Ojulari.
All this talent around Williams will result in him being double teamed less frequently, allowing him to get those one on one matchups against offensive lines. Look for him to keep getting better as the season progresses.