We are only a little over a week into NY Giants training camp, but it's never too early to predict how the roster battle will shake out. The training camp performances, joint practices, and preseason games will settle some roster battles. Joe Schoen, Brian Daboll, offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale will decide the tightly contested matchups.
Schoen put a lot of focus on adding depth to the roster this offseason, leading to some tough cuts having to be made later this summer. Week one of training camp gave us insight into which players have the upper hand in roster battles. Below are my 53-man roster projections after the first week of training camp:
NY Giants quarterbacks
In: Daniel Jones, Tyrod Taylor
Out: Tommy DeVito
The Giants have one of the better quarterback rooms in football. Jones, who signed a four-year, $160 million extension in March, posted the NFL’s sixth-best QBR in 2022, and has looked very strong in the first week of camp. Behind Jones, Taylor returns as a backup for his second season in New Jersey as the backup. It’s hard to find a backup more accomplished than Taylor, who has thrown for 10,794 yards and 60 touchdowns.
DeVito, an undrafted rookie out of Illinois, and a Don Bosco Prep alum, could have an outside chance to crack the roster. The NFL recently created a third quarterback rule which allows teams on game days to keep the normal amount of players active, plus an additional player on the inactive list who can serve as the emergency quarterback. The only hitch to this rule, NFL teams can't activate a quarterback from the practice squad to serve as the third quarterback on game days anymore, which could lead to more teams including three quarterbacks on their active roster.
NY Giants running backs
In: Saquon Barkley, Matt Breida, Eric Gray
Out: James Robinson, Gary Brightwell, Jashuan Corbin
Barkley is back in New York on a revised contract, and Giants fans love it. Barkley’s new one-year, $11 million contract includes $909,000 in incentives, all of which rely on Barkley setting multiple career highs and the Giants making the playoffs. For that to happen, Barkley will need to be on the field a lot, and it could result in a career-high in touches.
Breida was a serviceable backup to Barkley last fall, and even scored the G-Men's only touchdown in the Divisional Round loss to Philadelphia. Breida and Barkley were on the field together numerous times last fall, and we've already seen these formations again in training camp. Gray, a 2023 fifth-round pick, is locked into the roster and could fight Breida for the backup role.
The Giants kept four running backs in 2022 to start the season, but by the end of September, only rostered three. With Barkley on the field for virtually every down, there’s no reason to keep four.
NY Giants wide receivers
In: Isaiah Hodgins, Darius Slayton, Sterling Shepard, Wan’Dale Robinson, Jalin Hyatt, Parris Campbell Jr., Cole Beasley, Collin Johnson
Out: Jamison Crowder, Jeff Smith, Bryce Ford-Wheaton, Kalil Pimpleton, David Sills V, Jaydon Mickens
The Giants currently have 14 wide receivers on their 90-man roster. Big Blue values depth at the wide receiver position, which could lead to seven or eight wideouts being kept. Hodgins, Slayton, Hyatt, Campbell Jr., Shepard, and Robinson are locked onto the roster.
The Giants signed Beasley on July 22, and he’s been receiving a lot of time with the Giants No. 1 offense. Johnson has made some highlight reel plays during camp, and has a solid chance to make the roster. Johnson stands at 6-6 and is three inches taller than any other wideout for New York. He would provide a completely different, necessary element to the offense.
Crowder missed the first week of practice, which puts him behind the eight ball. He may not recover from that. Ford-Wheaton should be stashed on the practice squad. Pimpleton is an impressive returner, and could impress the Giants brass with solid showings during the preseason.
NY Giants offensive line
In: Andrew Thomas, Evan Neal, Tyre Phillips, John Michael Schmitz, Mark Glowinski, Ben Bredeson, Josh Ezeudu, Marcus McKethan
Out: Shane Lemieux, JC Hassenauer, Matt Peart, Devery Hamilton, Jack Anderson, Wyatt Davis, Korey Cunningham
Thomas, Neal, Glowinski, Schmitz, Bredeson, and Ezeudu are all roster locks. The first three are locks to start. Schmitz and Bredeson will battle for the center job. Bredeson will also fight Ezeudu for the left guard job. Phillips will likely make the roster again, as he can play guard and tackle. Phillips has played some left guard with the 1’s during camp this summer.
McKethan figures to have a leg up on an interior backup spot. The 2022 fifth-round pick tore his ACL in camp last summer, and has not yet practiced in 2023, but it’s hard to believe Schoen is moving on from a draft pick this early. Hassenauer had a chance to be the Giants backup center, but suffered a triceps injury on Sunday and he's been placed on IR. Lemieux and Peart’s tumultuous New York tenures should end, but the injury to Hassenauer could open a path to a roster spot for Lemieux.
NY Giants tight ends
In: Darren Waller, Daniel Bellinger, Lawrence Cager
Out: Tommy Sweeney
Waller has been unbelievable this summer. He is the new focal point of the Giants passing attack. Bellinger, who has a surprisingly strong rookie season and is a strong blocker, is the perfect complement to Waller. These two should be fantastic in 2023.
Cager, a 6-5, 220-pound freak who is built similarly to Waller both physically and athletically, should have a roster spot. Despite his ties to Daboll and Schoen from their time together in Buffalo, Sweeney will be the odd man out.
NY Giants defensive line
In: Dexter Lawrence, Leonard Williams, A’Shawn Robinson, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, Jordon Riley, DJ Davidson
Out: Ryder Anderson, Kobe Smith, Brandin Bryant, Kevin Atkins
The Giants defensive line wore down in 2022. Schoen went out this offseason and added tremendous depth to ensure that won’t happen again. Behind Lawrence and Williams, who may be the best defensive line duo in the NFL, Big Blue added Robinson and Nunez-Roches, both of whom are starter quality defensive tackles who will be coming off the bench for Big Blue.
Both Riley and Davidson were drafted by Schoen the last two seasons, giving them an inside track to make the roster. Davidson is recovering from a torn ACL, but it's too early to call an end for his Big Blue career.
NY Giants outside linebackers
In: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Azeez Ojulari, Jihad Ward, Oshane Ximines
Out: Tomon Fox, Oshane Ximines, Habakkuk Baldonado, Tashawn Bowser
Unlike the defensive line position, the Giants outside linebacker position contains minimal depth. Thibodeaux and Ojulari have shown a propensity to get injured throughout their college and professional careers, making outside linebacker depth pivotal. Ward, one of the vocal leaders of the Giants, will make the roster again in 2023.
I only kept four outside linebackers, but the final roster could end up with five. Schoen will try to upgrade this position group via free agency or trade sometime this summer. I only see Fox, Ximines (included on our list), or Bowser making the roster if Schoen does not add outside help. Baldonado, an undrafted rookie, is a prime practice squad candidate.
NY Giants inside linebackers
In: Bobby Okereke, Darrian Beavers, Micah McFadden, Cam Brown, Carter Coughlin
Out: Dyontae Johnson, Troy Brown
Similar to the outside linebacker position, the inside linebacker position has minimal depth. Okereke has been one of the Giants defensive stars thus far in training camp and is in line for a big season in the middle of Wink’s defense. Jarrad Davis was projected to start alongside Okereke, but his season-ending injury opens the door to both 2022 draft picks Beavers and McFadden starting.
Brown and Coughlin are both core special team players, though they provide no value to the Giants defense. This is another position Schoen should look to upgrade either via trade, free agency, or waiver claims after teams cut their rosters down to 53. Johnson, an undrafted rookie out of Toledo, is another prime practice squad candidate.
NY Giants cornerbacks
In: Adoree' Jackson, Deonte Banks, Cordale Flott, Tre Hawkins III, Aaron Robinson, Nick McCloud
Out: Darnay Holmes, Amani Oruwariye, Zyon Gilbert, Germon Green, Rodarius Williams, Alex Cook, Darren Evans
The Giants have a very young cornerback group. Jackson is still the leader of the pack, but two 2023 Giants draft picks have gotten all the headlines. Big Blue’s first-round draft pick, Banks, has been in the headlines but for the wrong reasons, as he has gotten torched early on. Giants fans shouldn’t be concerned, as Banks has gotten thrown right into the fire, squaring off against the Giants first-team offense.
Hawkins, the Giants sixth-round pick, has been a camp standout, displaying his off-the-charts athleticism. Big Blue has been so impressed with Hawkins that they are considering moving him to play with the first-team defense.
Flott has outplayed Holmes so far, and he is the most realistic option to start the season in the slot. Robinson is on the PUP list, but should find his way back onto the roster, due to his versatility to play on the inside and the outside. After all, before he got hurt in 2022, Robinson likely would have been a starting corner.
NY Giants safeties
In: Xavier McKinney, Bobby McCain, Jason Pinnock, Gervarrius Owens, Dane Belton
Out: Trenton Thompson, Alex Cook
Xavier McKinney is one of the leaders of the Giants defense, and could be next in line for a big payday. Pinnock made a highlight-reel interception on Sunday, and is the leading candidate to start alongside McKinney. McCain, a veteran offseason signee, is his main competition. Belton struggled immensely as a rookie in 2022, but has a chance to re-write the narrative this summer.
NY Giants specialists
In: Graham Gano (K), Jamie Gillan (P), Casey Kreiter (LS)
Out: Cameron Lyons (LS)
Gano is one of the best kickers in the league, and seemingly continues to get better every year. Kreiter should return as the long snapper. Gillan, also known as the "Scottish Hammer," is coming off a rough 2023. He's set to be the starting punter, but he really needs to showcase improved play this fall and winter.
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