Led by Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley, the NY Giants completely exceeded expectations in 2022. With first-year head coach Brian Daboll and first-year general manager Joe Schoen constructing the roster, the team finished the season with a 9-7-1 record and a playoff run.
While this Giants team fell to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Divisional Round, they proved to have a roster with plenty of talent. Unfortunately, several players, whether it be due to injury, or just an overall lack of production, failed to play to the level that many expected them to. Here are five Giants who didnt live up to expectations in 2022:
5. OL Jon Feliciano
With the signing of veteran interior offensive lineman Jon Feliciano, the Giants hoped to add a consistent figure to the offensive line. At times, he appeared to be just that. But, he also struggled heavily at certain points throughout the season, which was disappointing to see. People expected more from Feliciano.
Feliciano finished his first season with the Giants posting a PFF offensive grade of 57.1 while taking the field in 971 total offensive snaps. He also allowed three sacks, while being called for six total penalties. With the addition of both Feliciano and veteran Mark Glowinski, the Giants looked to fortify their offensive line.
If the team looks to bring them both back next season, they could potentially pick up where they left off. Near the end of the season, the pair found their footing, and played a key role in the team’s success.
If the front office chooses to run it back with this group, they could be key to the offensive gameplan. However, there’s no question that Feliciano needs to be more consistent for Daboll and Co.
4. LB Tae Crowder
On the defensive side of the ball, there was arguably no weaker point on the Giants defense than at the linebacker position heading into the season. With the team moving on from Blake Martinez, and losing rookie Darrian Beavers to injury, Tae Crowder was set to take on the biggest role of his NFL career. Unfortunately, the former seventh-round pick struggled in his expanded role.
In his third season in the NFL, Crowder appeared in just 13 total games, while earning a total of just four starts. He struggled to make his presence felt on the defense, recording just 45 total tackles and three tackles for loss. Time and time again, he drove fans crazy with his terrible play on the field.
At times, Crowder failed to make his presence felt. In turn, he lost out on playing time to rookie linebacker Micah McFadden. In the end, the Giants opted to move on from Crowder, choosing to release him. While he was signed back to the practice squad after clearing waivers, he closed out the season with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
3. OL Evan Neal
When you are selected with the No. 7 overall selection in the NFL Draft, expectations will be sky high from Day 1. This was the case for former Alabama tackle Evan Neal. Upon his arrival to the NFL, Neal was expected to be a force for Big Blue. While he showed flashes of this talent during his rookie season, he ultimately struggled to deliver in a way that many hoped he would.
Neal finished his rookie year posting a PFF offensive grade of 44.0. Along with this, he allowed seven sacks, while also being called for seven penalties. These numbers do not tell the whole story. For much of his rookie season, Neal played through several injuries. This included a sprained MCL, which impacted his play on the field.
While he struggled in his debut campaign, it is still far too early to label Neal as a bust, which many have already started to do. His rookie season was hardly different from that of his teammate Andrew Thomas, who has now become one of the best left tackles in the NFL.
Given time, Neal should find his footing in the league. And when this does happen, the Giants could potentially send out one of the most dominant tackle pairings in the NFL. The future remains bright for the former first-round pick.
2. WR Kadarius Toney
Similar to Kenny Golladay (more on him below), expectations were sky high for wide receiver Kadarius Toney heading into his second season. Unfortunately for both Toney, and the rest of the Giants organization, things did not work out.
During his rookie season, Toney showed flashes of what he could do. This included a 10-reception, 189-yard outing against the Dallas Cowboys. Unfortunately due to injuries, he appeared in just 10 games in his first season.
Heading into 2022, Toney was expected to play a much bigger role in the offense. But with a new front office and coaching staff leading the way, he struggled to get onto the field. In total, he played in just two games with the team before being traded to the Kansas City Chiefs for a pair of draft picks.
After his arrival in Kansas City, Toney made his presence felt. He ultimately played a key role in them taking home the Super Bowl. While some fans hated seeing Toney win it all after his most out of East Rutherford, at least it resulted in the Eagles not taking home the Lombardi Trophy for the second time in team history.
1. WR Kenny Golladay
Come March 15, Golladay’s time with the New York Giants will be coming to a close. Based on the past two seasons, it appears that this is the best-case scenario for both sides. In his first season with the Giants, in 2021, Golladay took the field in 14 total games. While playing, he recorded just 37 receptions for 521 receiving yards.
As the Giants offense returned to full force in 2022, many believed that Golladay would take on a bigger role in the offense. Unfortunately, he took a step back, while the rest of the offense seemed to find their footing.
While he took the field in 12 total games, Golladay earned just four starts, and played in 33 percent of the team’s total offensive snaps. Ultimately, he finished the season recording just six receptions for 81 receiving yards and one touchdown. This was a drastic drop off, even compared to his lackluster 2021 season.
Jones and the Giants offense found success in 2022. However, if Golladay had put together a stronger season that many believed he could have, this team could have finished the campaign on an even higher note. Now, though, he’ll be released soon enough and Golladay will be hoping a new team will give him a chance for 2023. His time with the G-Men could not have gone much worse.
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