Nearly half of the players on the New York Giants' current 90-man roster have been added this offseason. While most of the cornerstone pieces have remained the same, the construction around them has changed dramatically since John Harbaugh arrived.
Inevitably, many of those new additions won't have a spot on the final roster. But as the Giants head into training camp, one of the biggest names to join the squad this offseason could already be on the chopping block.
JuJu Smith-Schuster was one of New York's many wide receiver signings late in the offseason. He failed to impress in minicamp and could already be on the way out if he doesn't step it up in training camp.
JuJu Smith-Schuster is already on Giants' roster bubble before training camp
New York signed Smith-Schuster, Odell Beckham Jr., and Braxton Berrios within days of each other, soon after drafting Malachi Fields. Earlier in the offseason, they signed Calvin Austin III and Darnell Mooney.
With roster locks like Malik Nabers and Darius Slayton already in place, the wide receiver room has quickly become overcrowded. The G-Men only carried six receivers on their initial 53-man roster last season, so there isn't room for all of these new signings to stick around.
It will be crucial for each receiver to show what they bring to the table in training camp. Berrios is a capable kick returner, and Beckham is a franchise legend, but Smith-Schuster doesn't have a calling card.
His experience with offensive coordinator Matt Nagy in Kansas City might give him a leg up, but he still has to prove his worth.
Smith-Schuster got off to a bad start in his Giants career. He was filmed looking slow and dropping an easy deep ball during OTAs, sparking speculation about the security of his roster spot.
The veteran receiver has never relied heavily on athleticism to be productive. He thrives against zone coverage, settling in open space and offering his quarterback a reliable target. He has become more of a slot receiver as his career has progressed, taking almost half of his snaps there last season.
The Giants have significantly upgraded their receiver corps this offseason. While they may not have found a star running mate for Nabers, they raised the floor of the group. That's great news for Jaxson Dart, but it could spell the demise of Smith-Schuster. The veteran wideout could be one bad practice away from losing his spot on New York's roster.
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