Are you ready for some football… We have been on something of a hiatus the past few weeks as we put the finishing touches on our annual GBN College Football Draft Preview, but with the Giants’ training camp set to open in just a couple of days, it is hard not to get just a little excited about the upcoming season.
Indeed, while they still have to play the games as we like to say, at least on paper the Giants look like they should again be among the NFL’s elite teams this fall with a very talented roster. It says here, for example, that even with the defection of 1,000-yard rusher and 3rd down back Derrick Ward, the Giants still have one of the deepest RB stables in the entire NFL and with a big, physical offensive line should again have one of the most dominating running games in the league. Meanwhile, the Giants’ defensive front IS the best and deepest in the league with not one, but two potential NFC defensive players of the year in Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyora who is back in the lineup after missing the entire 2008 campaign with a knee injury. For good measure, the Giants’ also have plenty of guys with speed and athleticism at LB and in the secondary.
Still, there are some issues that need to be resolved before the start of the season. On paper, the Giants top 2 LBs, are MLB Antonio Pierce and newly-signed Michael Boley, but there are no guarantees that either will actually be available when the season starts. For his part, Pierce remains embroiled in the sorry Plaxico Burress mess and could actually face criminal charges himself as a result of returning Burress‘ gun to his home after the incident. The Giants are concerned enough about the threat of charges against Pierce that they took the unusual step of issuing a public statement decrying the whole notion. At its worst, Pierce has been tied up the last few weeks preparing for his grand jury testimony, which is in progress as we speak in New York, and may not be totally focused on football when camp opens on Monday.
Meanwhile, Boley will be on the shelf pretty much until the regular season starts in September after he underwent surgery to repair a hip flexor problem earlier this summer. Boley will also miss the season-opener against Washington after being suspended for a game as a result of a domestic assault charge stemming from his days with Atlanta. The greater concern, though, is with the long-term effects of the injury on Boley this season as it is the kind of injury that can linger.
And with the departure of both Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer, the Giants have some major reconstructive to work at WR this summer. In fact, the most interesting issues to watch for at camp this summer is just what kind of pass offense the Giants try and develop this summer. In the past few years, for example, the Giants tended to go with max protection in most passing situations while relying on either Burress or Toomer to get open. In fact, it often appeared that Eli Manning’s progression went something like look first to Burress, then to Toomer and if neither were open hoof to #17 anyway in hopes that he could out jump the defender or defenders for the ball. The ’old’ Giants’ pass-offense was also focused on getting the ball downfield with most passes going at least 12-15 yards downfield.
The Giants do have a lot of potentially useful bodies at WR, but they really don’t have anyone with the size and skill of either Burress or Toomer to make that work on a consistent basis this year. As such, we are anticipating that the Giants focus more on using a lot of receivers in different situations and trying to find the mismatches in coverage. It could also put some pressure on QB Eli Manning to identify those mismatches and get rid of the ball much faster that he has been asked to do in the past. We also anticipate the Giants trying to get both their RBs and TEs much more involved in the passing game than they were last year.
Of course, there are always surprises, but here’s how we see the Giants roster evolving over the course of the next 5-6 weeks.
ROSTER OVERVIEW
Quarterback: Eli Manning and David Carr are obviously locked in as the #1 and #2 guys while the third QB spot would appear to be 2009 5th rounder Rhett Bomar’s to lose. Bomar, though, will have to show something more than Andre’ Woodson did last year to guarantee earning a spot on the 53-man roster as the Giants have too many good players to waste a roster spot on player without some developmental potential. Projected roster (3): Eli Manning; David Carr; Rhett Bomar
Running back: It would also appear that barring injuries or a trade Brandon Jacobs Ahmad Bradshaw, Danny Ware and 2009 4th rounder Andre Brown will be the Giants RBs this fall. What will be interesting to watch though is how the Giants divvy up the touches after Jacobs; the Giants will also have to figure out who the 3rd down back is going to be after Derrick Ward took the money and bolted for Tampa Bay this winter. The rookie Brown could be the wildcard as the 3rd down as he is both an excellent blocker and receiver. Projected roster (4): Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw; Danny Ware; Andre Brown
Fullback: With the loss of veteran WRs Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer, the Giants are likely to lean on their running game even more this fall than last year when they lead the NFL in rushing. And that could mean even more work for FB Madison Hedgecock, the only B in camp who is one of the better lead blockers in the game, although it would be nice if he were a little more dangerous as a receiving option. Projected roster (1): Madison Hedgecock
Wide receiver: Now it gets interesting. Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer have been Eli Manning’s security blankets seemingly forever, but both are now part of Giants history. And while the Giants have a lot of potentially useful receivers, they do not at this time have a prototype go-to guy. Veterans Steve Smith and Domenik Hixon figure to be the starters entering the season, while rookies Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden look like locks for two other roster spots. That likely leaves veterans Sinorice Moss, Mario Manningham and David Tyree fighting it out for the final two - and maybe just one - roster spot(s) at the position. Moss, of course, has been a major underachiever since the Giants moved up to take him in the second round of the 2006 draft, but would appear to be the best fit for the offense if the Giants indeed want to spread the field and go to a more controlled passing attack, while Manningham is the most athletic of the trio, but is no rocket scientist and has been slow to pick up the offense. As well, the Giants also expect the 5-6 receivers to be able to contribute on special teams and neither Moss nor Manningham have the frame or disposition to be able to work much on coverage teams, whereas Tyree of course is one of the best special teamers in team history. May the most useful guy win out! Projected roster (6): Steve Smith; Domenic Hixon; Hakeem Nicks; Ramses Barden, Sinorice Moss; Mario Manningham.
Tight end: Incumbent starter Kevin Boss and 2009 3rd rounder Travis Beckum should be locks to make the final roster, with Michael Matthews probably having a slight edge over Darcy Johnson to earn the blocking TE job. However, Beckum isn’t a very good blocker and because the Giants run a power game which uses a lot of 2-TE formations, the team would probably like to keep a 3rd TE who can block, however, that would mean keeping 4 TEs on the roster because Beckum isn’t going anywhere. There are a couple of possible options though. First, the Giants could keep a 4th TE and drop one of the WRs. In fact, Beckum isn’t much more than a bulked up WR who the Giants expect to use mostly out of the slot anyway. The other option might be to keep Beckum, plus two TEs that can block and bring in someone else who can block if either Boss or Matthews/Johnson were injured. Fact is TEs of the ilk of Matthews and Johnson are slugs who are a dime a dozen on the street free agent market. Projected roster (3): TE (3): Kevin Boss; Michael Matthews; Travis Beckum
Offensive line: The Giants return one of the best offensive lines in the NFL with the starting unit pretty much set in stone. There is some sorting out to do, though, among the back-ups. Figure that 2009 second rounder William Beatty will get a spot, while Adam Koets, who has been working some at C and can back up at all 5 positions along the line gets another on versatility alone. We also doubt the Giants keep more than 8 offensive linemen which could put Guy Whimper in a battle with Kevin Boothe for the final spot. Whimper is probably the better player, but Boothe could get the edge because he an play both OT and OG whereas Whimper is limited to OT. Projected roster (8): David Diehl; Kareem McKenzie; Rich Seubert; Chris Snee; Shaun O’Hara; William Beatty; Adam Koets; Kevin Boothe
Defensive line: Eli Manning will get most of the credit, or blame, depending how the 2009 season evolves, but by signing veteran free agents Chris Canty and Rocky Bernard the Giants in truth actually hitched their football fates this fall to the defensive line. Fortunately, with the addition of those two guys, plus the return of Osi Umenyiora who missed the entire 2008 season, the Giants have what could be the most talented and deepest front four in the NFL. As noted above, both of DEs Umenyiora and Justin Tuck are on the short list of potential NFC defensive player of the year candidates. Of course, both are locks to make the roster as is fellow DE Mathias Kiwanuka. Also figure that Canty and Bernard, along with last year’s starters Fred Robbins and Barry Cofield, are set at DT, assuming that Robbins is healthy after he underwent off-season micro fracture surgery on a knee. That probably leaves one roster spot along the defensive line up for grabs among DT Jay Alford, DE Dave Tollefson and possibly undrafted rookie free agent DE Maurice Evans. Normally that would spot would go to a DE, but with both Canty and LB Clint Sintim also able to play DE, Alford probably has a big edge especially since he’s also the team’s short snapper. Projected roster (8): Osi Umenyiora; Justin Tuck; Mathias Kiwnauka; Chris Canty; Fred Robbins; Barry Cofield, Rocky Bernard and Jay Alford.
Linebacker: While what happens at WR could be the most interesting competition in camp this year, the battle for LB spots could be the most intense. Indeed, the Giants have as many as 9 LBs who look like they can play in the league, but probably will only ultimately carry 6 or 7. Obviously, MLB Antonio Pierce and Michael Boley are locks to make the team and play most downs, assuming of course that Pierce isn’t in court and that Boley is healthy. Meanwhile 2009 second rounder Clint Sintim, who will also likely see time as DE in passing situations is a third lock, while back-up MLB Chase Blackburn looks solid in that role, especially given the issues with Pirece‘s availability early this fall. Its also hard to see Bryan Kehl not making the final roster, while Zak DeOssie probably makes it as the long snapper and special team’s ace. That makes 6 and could leave Gerris Wilkinson, Danny Clark and Jonathan Goff fighting for a final LB spot, although if there are any lingering questions about the availability of either or both Pierce and Boley the Giants could opt to keep an extra LB early in the season. Unless he has a truly great camp, Wilkinson has probably run out of chances with the Giants, while Clark is a journeyman pro. Projected roster: (7) Antonio Pierce; Michael Boley; Clint Sintim; Chase Backburn, Bryan Kehl; Zak DeOssie; Jonathan Goff
Secondary: CB would appear to be very stable with Corey Webster and Aaron Ross returning as starters backed up by Kevin Dockery and Terrell Thomas. In contrast, there are big changes afoot in the deep secondary where Kenny Phillips takes over at FS; it also wouldn’t be a total shock if C.C. Brown ultimately wins the SS job over incumbent Michael Johnson, although the latter looks solid as the #3 safety on the team. That still leaves roster spots for both rookie DBs DeAndre Wright and Stoney Woodson. Both are listed as corners, but both are physical players who have played safety in the past and should give the Giants some useful depth at both positions. There also could be a final roster spot in the secondary with rookie free agent CBs Bruce Miller and Vince Anderson in the running. Projected roster (10): Corey Webster; Aaron Ross; Kenny Phillips; Michael Johnson; Kevin Dockery; Terrell Thomas; C.C. Brown; Stoney Woodson, DeAndre Wright; Vince Anderson.
Kicker: Given that veteran P Jeff Feagles and PK Lawrence Tynes are the only two kickers on the roster, they probably keep their jobs. Projected roster (2): Jeff Feagles; Lawrence Tynes
