The fact that it's already April is mind-blowing. Before you know it, NY Giants playmakers will make their way to East Rutherford to get ready for the new season. Seriously, Week 1 will be here before you know it.
It's been an incredible offseason for general manager Joe Schoen, as he has made improvements for this team on both sides of the ball. Once the NFL Draft comes and goes, we'll have a better idea of how this team will be looking for '23. While there's still a long time before the season-opener, we're already thinking about the first game at MetLife. With that said, we've got nine bold predictions for you:
9. Bobby Okereke finishes with at least 140 total tackles
One of the biggest offseason moves for Schoen has 100 percent been the addition of star linebacker Bobby Okereke. A game-changing 'backer was needed for the G-Men, and Schoen wasted no time in getting things done with the former Colts standout. Okereke was a popular target, but he made it clear he wanted to play for Big Blue.
Over the past two seasons, Okereke was a rockstar for the Indy defense. In 2021, he finished the year with 132 total tackles. Last campaign, Okereke was a beast and flew all over the field, recording 151 total tackles. The man was born to record stops and fans are hoping more of the same will be on the way for the Giants in 2023.
Checking in at 6-1, 235 pounds, Okereke has the ideal size for a LB and his read and react ability is sensational. He'll be the leader for this LBs room and be expected to live up to the hype from Day 1 for the Giants. We think that will be the case for him, as we're predicting him to finish with at least 140 total tackles next season. Let's go with 147 to be his number.
8. Kayvon Thibodeaux becomes the sack-master we expect him to be
In what turned out to be a memorable rookie season for No. 5 overall pick Kayvon Thibodeaux, things didn't quite go according to plan for him. Entering the NFL, the former Oregon superstar had high expectations for himself, saying that he was hoping to record a sack per game. Indeed, Thibodeaux had 17 on his mind.
However, he fell way short of that goal, finishing with four in 14 starts. Despite the sack numbers not being there, Thibodeaux was constantly in the backfield making life difficult for opposing quarterbacks. There's no doubt in our mind that will be the case again in 2023. Hey, maybe he might get a holding call in his favor too!
Thibodeaux is a monster in the trenches. Just ask Washington about that, as people are still talking about his strip-sack touchdown recorded at FedEx Field. We think that Thibodeaux is going to take a massive step forward in '23. So, how many sacks will the youngster finish with for defensive coordinator Wink Martindale? Let's double his 2022 total, and go with eight.
7. A 1,000-yard season for Isaiah Hodgins?
One of the biggest surprises for the Giants this past season had to be the play of wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins. We've said it several times, but a lot of people probably had no idea who this kid was before he joined the team. We can't blame you for that. He was a late-round pick for the Buffalo Bills in 2021 and rarely saw the field.
The Giants were able to claim him off of waivers, reuniting him with Schoen and Daboll in New Jersey. Hodgins took full advantage of his new opportunity with the G-Men, really making a name for himself from the moment he joined the team in early November. Hodgins ended up posting five starts in the regular season and appearing in eight games.
Hodgins had 33 receptions and 351 yards to his name during the regular season. Then in the Wild Card Round vs. the Vikings, he looked like a WR1, lighting up the Minnesota defense for eight receptions, 105 yards and a touchdown. Hodgins will be back with NY in '23 and he's got what it takes to be a baller for Mike Kafka and Co. We think he'll top 1,000 yards next fall and winter.
6. The Giants split the season series with the Eagles
Philly's domination over the Giants last season is something that a lot of people are still ticked off about. We've got to give credit where it's due: Philly dominated the Giants and posted their 3-0 record vs. NY last campaign. That's brutal and the Divisonal Round contest is a loss that's going to haunt Daboll for a while.
There's been plenty of changes for the Eagles both on offense and defense, which has the fanbase a bit worried. They've lost a lot of talent, including Miles Sanders. Philly did sign former first-round pick Rashaad Penny, but his injury history is something that people are going to be worrying about for quite some time.
Meanwhile for the Giants, we really do think they've improved this offseason. Okereke, Parris Campbell and Darren Waller headline the group of new players in town. We think that when the Giants and Eagles face off in Philly, Jalen Hurts and Co. will come away with a win. However, when the two NFC East rivals dance at MetLife Stadium, we'll rock with the Giants to post a 28-21 win.
5. Darren Waller doesn't miss a game for the Giants in 2023
This might be our most bold prediction yet. People are still celebrating the news that Waller, one of the best tight ends when healthy, will be catching balls from Danny Dimes next season. However, Waller also has an injury history that plenty of people in New York and New Jersey are pretty dang concerned about.
In the past two seasons, Waller has missed 14 games due to various injuries. The 6-6, 255-pounder last played in a full season back in 2020. That campaign, Waller earned Pro Bowl honors after he caught 107 balls for 1,196 yards and nine touchdowns. Waller was a force and a huge asset for the Raiders offense.
Since then, though, he played in 11 games in 2021 and then in only nine contests in 2022. There's a bit of a risk here for Schoen and Co., who gave up a third-round pick for his services. While speaking at the NFL league meetings, Schoen said the training staff is already focused on Waller's practice schedule. The priority is to keep him healthy and smiling - look for him to play in all 17 games in '23.
4. Saquon Barkley tops 2,000 total yards
The Saquon Barkley of old returned last season and he was incredible to watch. Barkley returned to the Pro Bowl for the first time since his rookie campaign, as he silenced all of his haters out there. Barkley set the tone early on, helping the Giants take down the Tennessee Titans in the exciting Week 1 upset.
Barkley's two-point conversion to win it was only the start for him. No. 26 closed out the regular season with a career-high 1,312 rushing yards, plus 10 touchdowns. Through the air, Barkley caught 57 receptions for 338 yards. Daboll and Kafka worked wonders for Jones, but they also made an incredible difference for Barkley.
After not getting the money he wanted from the Giants for a long-term deal, Barkley is set to play on the non-exclusive franchise tag in 2023. This comes with a $10.1 million salary. He's going to be even more motivated to prove to the NY front office, and the rest of the league for that matter, that he's one of the best RBs in the game. We think he'll flirt with 1,500 rushing yards and add around 500 receiving yards to give him 2,000 total.
3. Rookie WR Quentin Johnson becomes a stud for the Giants
In order for this to happen, multiple things will need to come into play, but we're rocking with it anyway. With the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft coming later this month, the Giants have been linked with several players, especially at wide receiver. One guy we like in particular is TCU wideout Quentin Johnston.
About a week ago, we might have assumed that Johnston would be off the board, potentially going to the Baltimore Ravens at No. 22 overall, but a new NFL Mock Draft from CBS Sports has the Giants landing him late in the first round. At 6-3, 208 pounds, Johnston has the perfect size for a speedy outside wideout.
Can you imagine him making plays for Danny Dimes starting next fall? It's what a lot of Big Blue supporters are hoping to see. In order for that to happen, Johnston will need to fall to No. 25. And if that happens, then Schoen will need to not hesitate in going after him. We think both will go down. Look for Johnston to be a stud for the NY offense starting Week 1.
2. Daniel Jones earns Pro Bowl honors for the first time
The 2022 campaign turned out to be a memorable one for Daniel Jones. Actually, it turned out to be one better than we could have imagined for the former No. 6 overall pick. Jones tossed for 3,205 yards and 15 touchdowns, adding seven more scores on the ground. Behind his strong play, the Giants grabbed a Wild Card spot.
Then, they beat the Vikings in Minnesota to get to the Divisional Round. There's no chance any of that would have happened had Jones not taken a major step forward for his career. Schoen and Coach Dabes have full belief in the young signal-caller, which is why he was given a four-year extension worth $160 million.
There's going to be a ton of pressure on Jones in 2023, but something tells us he's going to live up to the hype. Jones is finally going to have plenty of offensive weapons at his disposal. The Giants signed former Colts speedster Campbell, while they also traded for Waller. If a player like Johnston arrives in East Rutherford, it's only going to make the NY offense more explosive. That'd be huge for Jones, who we think will be heading to the Pro Bowl next winter.
1. The Giants make the playoffs but don't win the NFC East
This past season, the Giants made the playoffs for the first time since 2016, surprising countless people. Now, with the team only getting better on offense, and some solid depth additions on defense as well, things are looking promising for next campaign too. Once the NFL Draft comes and goes, this team will get better.
We still think the Giants are a year or two away from winning the NFC East, but that doesn't mean they won't grab a Wild Card spot once again. Look for the Giants, powered by Jones and Barkley in 2023, to get back to the postseason. We'd love to see them take things one step further and potentially get to the NFC Championship Game.
As for who will in the NFC East this year? We're going with the Dallas Cowboys. Surprised, right? Well, we think Philly, Dallas and NY will get into the playoffs, but look for the Cowboys to get in with the division title and the Eagles to make it in via the Wild Card. The Eagles will feature a new-look defense in '23, and losing their OC and DC will haunt them.