4 position battles NY Giants fans should already be thinking about

With around four months to go until the start of the 2023 season, we are slowly starting to get a better feel of what the roster of the NY Giants is going to look like. A year ago a this point, many didn't have as high of hopes for the Giants, which allowed them to fly a bit under the radar and shock the entire NFL world in the 2022 season. Big Blue went 9-7-1, made the playoffs for the first time since the 2016 season and won a playoff game for the first time since winning their last Super Bowl.

While it's a great thing to have happen for the Giants and their fan base, the time for celebrating what happened in 2022 has to end and the improvements for 2023 began the second the season ended. Part of the improvements will be the training camp battles that will happen; and not just the fights between the offensive and defensive linemen.

Battles for positions and spots on the 53-man roster will be ongoing the moment training camp kicks off in July. Someone who might be a starter in 2022 may be riding the bench like Kenny Golladay did frequently. With that said, here's our early look at position battles for fans to keep an eye on:

4. The QB spots behind Daniel Jones

For the fans who still think the Giants need another starting quarterback, let me stop you right there. Daniel Jones is the starting quarterback for the New York Giants. The four-year, $160 million deal he signed back in March ended any discussion that he isn't the guy and not the QB1 of the Giants moving forward.

But as far as who gets to be Jones' backup; that's where the battle takes place. The backup quarterback for the Giants behind Jones is veteran Tyrod Taylor, who was used very briefly in the 2022 season, which was a good thing since Jones was healthy and productive. Taylor is heading into the final year of a two-year deal he signed back in March of 2022.

Behind Taylor is undrafted (UDFA) free agent signing Tommy DeVito from Illinois, who will certainly get a look over the summer. Since Jones will likely play very minimal in the preseason, both Taylor and DeVito will get a chance to show what they can do; DeVito especially since he's younger and costs a lot less. If he can impress enough, he could have a chance to move up the depth chart and be behind Jones. Joe Schoen could end up bringing in another QB for competition too.

3. RB spots behind Saquon Barkley

We are going to assume that Saquon Barkley doesn't hold out for the 2023 season and reports to the team. Now whether he's on the franchise tag or a long-term deal remains to be seen, but we are going to make an assumption that Barkley reports to the team to start training camp.

One of the criticisms for the Giants in 2022 was that Barkley had to shoulder most of the load as the primary running back and he eventually wore down later in the season, although it was more of the Giants altering the offense and using Saquon in the passing game along with Barkley being the featured back.

But the Giants do have options to spell Barkley and get others involved if needed. Veteran Matt Breida is back for another season and when he got to play, he showed he can be productive.

Also back for the Giants is Gary Brightwell, who is more useful in special teams, especially on kick returns. The Giants also made an addition in the 2023 draft when they selected Eric Gray in the fifth round from Oklahoma.

While Gray isn't expected to challenge Barkley for his starting spot, he could very well challenge Breida for the backup spot behind Saquon Could this lead to either Breida or Brightwell not making the 53-man roster?

2. The other inside linebacker spot next to Bobby Okereke

One of the priorities the Giants wanted to address in free agency was the middle linebacker spot; which the Giants did when they signed Bobby Okereke to a four-year deal. That was one of the two spots, especially since the Giants run a 3-4 defense and have two middle linebacker spots.

Now who plays alongside Okereke in the middle is completely up for grabs. The Giants brought back veteran Jarrad Davis, who was signed at the end of the 2022 regular season and contributed in the two playoff games. The Giants also have Micah McFadden, who was okay in his rookie season and will get to battle again for playing time.

There is also Darrian Beavers, who was one of several Giants rookies from a year ago who didn't see the field in 2022 because of a season-ending injury during the summer.

During the summer, Beavers looked like he could compete for a chance to start in Wink Martindale's defense, but the injury forced him to miss all of 2022. The Giants did bring back veteran Jaylon Smith for a second stint in 2022, but it doesn't look like he will be back for a third one.

The Giants also have Troy Brown, another one of the undrafted free agents (UDFA), as he could look to compete over the summer too. If anything, Brown could push the likes of Carter Coughlin, Cam Brown, plus Beavers and McFadden.

1. Every single option at wide receiver

When the Giants made the investment to give Jones the four-year, $160 million deal back in March, they invested in Jones being the franchise quarterback; although that investment started back in 2019 when Jones took over for Eli Manning as a rookie.

But now with Jones locked into a new deal, the new regime is doubling down on the investment and have provided him with some new options to throw to. One of the first moves the Giants made was to trade for veteran tight end Darren Waller, who granted, isn't a wide receiver, but he sure does give the Giants a chance to create mismatch opportunities for the opposing defenses.

The Giants did bring back Darius Slayton on a two-year deal; Slayton has been Jones' leading receiver in three of the four seasons Jones has been the Giants starter. Sterling Shepard was also brought back, but the question remains if he can be healthy enough to last an entire season; he has played in 10 total games in the last two years. But when Shepard is healthy, he is still productive.

Then there is Jalin Hyatt, whom the Giants drafted in the third round and traded up to acquire in the 2023 NFL Draft. Hyatt is coming off a 1,267-yard, 15-touchdown season while at Tennessee and his addition to the offense that gives the Giants a lot of hope for big plays down the field; something the Giants didn't have a lot of in 2022.

Hyatt could have the potential to be the Giants first 1,000-yard wide receiver under Jones and the first once since Odell Beckham Jr. back in 2018. But he'll still have to come in and compete with the rest of the Giants wide receiver depth chart and wide receiver room.

Isaiah Hodgins is also back for a second season with the Giants. Hodgins was one of the most dependable receivers in the second half of the '22 campaign.

Unlike last year, when the Giants couldn't depend on Kenny Golladay and Kadarius Toney, the Giants may have a good problem with the options that Jones will be able to throw to. As far as who gets the starting nods when the Giants head into Week 1, that remains a major question heading into camp. But watching the receivers work in the summer will sure be fun to watch.

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