The New York Giants wrapped up Organized Team Activities this past week as they prepare for mandatory minicamp. Afterward, the team will break until training camp opens in late July. The OTAs offered Giants fans a glimpse of promise for the team going into the 2016 season. But it also left some question marks.
Since there is no live hitting in full pads until training camp, it’s difficult to give an accurate report on the offensive and defensive lines. As a result, we’re skipping our analysis of those two for now. That said, this report is based on how the team is shaping up as we approach opening day in September.
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Quarterback: Eli hasn’t missed a beat, and looks even more comfortable going into his third year in this style of offense.
Running Backs: Andre Williams lost about 15 pounds and appears to hit the holes a bit faster, but he is at risk of being cut from the team if he has a poor pre-season. Rashad Jennings looks to be in phenomenal condition, and draft pick Paul Perkins shows the burst and acceleration we heard about.
Receivers: With Cruz working off to the side until training camp, Beckham remains difficult to cover one-on-one during drills. Draft pick Sterling Shepard has already shown he is NFL-ready, running nice routes and catching everything thrown his way. Jeremy Davis is someone to watch; he had some very nice catches and has great speed down the sideline, making him a contender for the team.
Tight Ends: This was one of the weakest units in the league over the past few years, but now it looks to be one of the strongest. Will Tye looks really comfortable with Eli running routes and catching passes as the number one tight end. Matt LaCoste, Jerell Adams and Larry Donnell all look good too, it’s likely their ability to run and pass block will determine who gets the number two spot.
Linebackers: Devon Kennard and Jasper Brinkley returning makes me optimistic. Draft pick B.J. Goodson looks to be a leader out there on defense, but until the pads come on it’s hard to give an accurate assessment of the rookie.
Defensive Backs: Draft pick safety Darian Thompson seems to be a veteran out there, and is always around the ball. Eli Apple and Janoris Jenkins have been very good at jumping routes and picking up on the complex defensive schemes set by Steve Spagnuolo.
The Giants coaching staff now has a glimpse of what they can expect when the pads come on for training camp. The coaching staff seems to be very pleased with the progress of both rookies and veterans alike. The one thing that can be taken away from these practices is the notion that there is still a lot of competition for starting jobs at almost every position.
For more of Chris Rosa and his take on the Giants, follow him on Twitter @GiantsCarbCrush.
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