3 NY Giants playing for their jobs in training camp
1. S Dane Belton
With the departure of Julian Love this offseason, the Giants need to find a new safety to play alongside Xavier McKinney. While they signed a solid veteran in Bobby McCain and have been running Nick McCloud at safety in mini-camps, neither of these guys have the upside of Dane Belton.
Belton may have been a fifth-round pick last season. However, there's no doubt that he flashed star potential in coverage during his rookie year. While his run-stopping abilities need severe improvements, coverage is by far more important for a safety, especially when you factor in the Okereke signing.
If he wishes to earn his job as the starting safety on the Giants, Belton must play his heart out in training camp and the preseason. McCain and McCloud are no studs, but they are both solid in coverage and much better against the run than Belton. Obviously, a coverage safety is the more ideal player type in the modern NFL. However, Belton was a liability against the run last season and this cannot continue.
Belton has a chance to be a major contributor on a playoff team next season. Pairing two elite coverage safeties is a dream come true in the modern NFL. He may not be a star just yet, but what Belton brings in coverage could be incredibly useful alongside McKinney in the secondary next season. He just has to put it all together in training camp.