The New York Giants will start their organized team activities (OTAs) on Monday with a slew of questions to be answered.
Of course, questions will only begin to be answered during OTAs and nothing will be final until closer to the start of the season. Still, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a bunch of interesting storylines to pay attention to this spring.
Let’s take a look at exactly what you should be watching as Giants OTAs begin.
Eli Manning-Daniel Jones relationship
Daniel Jones will eventually take over for Eli Manning. I know it, you know it, Manning knows it. Will that fact make Manning bitter and sour his relationship with Jones?
Even if it does in Manning’s head, he’ll never show it. The future Hall of Fame quarterback is always a true professional in every sense of the word and this situation will be no different. Not to mention, he already has a history with Jones.
Don’t expect Manning to be a full-on mentor to the rookie signal-caller, but do keep a close eye on how the two interact leading up to the 2019 season.
Quarterback depth chart
The last we heard, Jones is sitting as the Giants’ No. 3 quarterback on the depth chart behind Alex Tanney and Manning. Tanney figures to be the guy that will be inserted behind center should Manning suffer an injury, either prior to or during the early part of the season.
However, that could change quickly for Big Blue. If Jones emerges from training camp having picked up the offense, there’s no question he could leapfrog Tanney for the backup role.
The most important question here is, will the Giants need to carry three quarterbacks?
What roles do Golden Tate and Sterling Shepard play?
When the Giants signed Golden Tate, those on the outside looking in questioned the move because Tate plays primarily in the slot, which is where Sterling Shepard also normally resides.
The good news is that the Giants have two guys in Tate and Shepard who have experience playing both on the outside and in the slot. The only thing remaining to figure out is who will spend the majority of their time where?
Those roles should be fleshed out more and more as the offseason progresses, but with general manager Dave Gettleman praising Shepard’s play on the outside near the end of last season, there’s a good chance Shepard is used on the outside in most situations.
Cornerback depth chart
Big Blue will feature Janoris Jenkins as the No. 1 cornerback this season, even with his struggles in recent years. While that question is mostly answered, we still don’t know who will fill-in behind him.
Sam Beal will make his Giants debut in 2019, but he has as much NFL experience as rookies Deandre Baker, Julian Love and Corey Ballentine, which is none. Antonio Hamilton and Tony Lippett could also factor into things.
The spot opposite Jenkins will be wide open, so theoretically every corner on the roster has as good a shot as any to take the job.
Who’s at left tackle?
After getting his knee scoped during the week, Nate Solder is expected to miss the entire spring and should return by training camp. In the meantime, the Giants need to fill that void, even if it’s just for OTAs.
Chad Wheeler stands as the No. 1 option behind Solder, and we could also see Brian Mihalik get some reps.
If the Giants want to really get creative, Mike Remmers has some experience at the position, which in turn could open up some reps for seventh-round rookie, George Asafo-Adjei, at right tackle.
Eric Dungey
Former Syracuse quarterback Eric Dungey failed to get drafted in April, but the Giants decided to bring him in as a undrafted free agent. Dungey, who was listed as a quarterback and tight end at rookie minicamp, will have to make a successful position change if he wants to make the roster.
Being a jack-of-all-trades player who contributes on special teams or even trick-play packages would also help his case. Big Blue talked to a ton of tight ends prior to the draft, so clearly there is a desire there and Dungey might be able to capitalize.
If the Giants want a Swiss Army Knife in 2019, Dungey may very well be that guy.
The rest of the rookie class
The Giants need a strong option across from Jenkins. Can anyone from the group of rookie corners (Baker, Love or Ballentine) take the job? Will Ballentine recover from his injury in time to even have a chance?
We all know Daniel Jones won’t be the starter Week 1 and most likely for the entire season, but will he be good enough to jump over Tanney for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart? For the sake of positivity about Jones’ future and to save a roster spot, Giants fans certainly hope so.
How will Dexter Lawrence be used? The knock on him is that he isn’t a three-down player, so it’ll be interesting to see what the Giants do with the Clemson product as the offseason progresses.
Defensive line depth chart
The Giants’ key defensive linemen will consist of B.J. Hill, Dexter Lawrence and Dalvin Tomlinson. Both Tomlinson and Hill played well for Big Blue last season, so there is some stability and familiarity there.
As for Lawrence, his talent isn’t in question, but his drive is. The Giants would like Lawrence to be a three-down player and that is something he needs to work on. It’s anyone’s guess exactly how the Giants plan to use their big guys upfront.
There’s also the question of where Tomlinson will play not that Lawrence is in the picture. OTAs will give us the first glimpse into the Giants’ thinking there.
Who emerges at outside linebacker?
The Giants desperately need someone to improve their dreadful pass-rushing situation that has plagued the franchise for years now.
The signing of Markus Golden almost ensures he’ll be a starter from day one, and there is a reason for optimism because of his past success under defensive coordinator James Bettcher’s system.
Based on the fact that the Giants didn’t draft a pass-rusher with an early pick, it’s clear the organization sees something in Lorenzo Carter. New York better be right or it could lead to another long and depressing season on defense. Carter should have no issue beating out Kareem Martin if he is as good as the Giants think he is.
Also, don’t forget about “X-Man,” Oshane Ximines, who will also factor into things at outside linebacker in a reserve role. No matter who it is, the Giants need a stud to get to the quarterback and there’s no guarantee that guy is currently on the roster.
The returners
When the Giants acquired Jabrill Peppers from the Cleveland Browns, they got a safety and a return man in the 23-year-old. While he is a solid returner, Peppers is too vital to the Giants’ defense to risk losing him because of an injury from a punt return. Big Blue has to come up with someone else to take those duties for the sake of their defense.
Thanks to the re-signing of Corey Coleman, the Giants seemingly have their kick returner. Coleman was good for the Giants in 2018, averaging 26 yards per return on 23 attempts. Coleman will have a role on offense, but his contributions on kick returns — and maybe punt returns — could prove to be more important.
But we’ll need to see if this is how the Giants approach the situation. The team previously implied Peppers could see time at both punt and kick returners, while indicating the same for Coleman.
Is there a competition at center?
The Giants and general manager Dave Gettleman have cautioned fans and analysts not to overlook Jon Halapio at center, but does that mean he’s a sure thing at center?
In addition to Halapio, the Giants re-signed Spencer Pulley to a pretty hefty contract, which indicates something a little more than a reserve role.
So what do the Giants in store for these two? Is one a bona fide starter or is there a legitimate competition brewing? OTAs will give us the first look at the position, the potential roster battle and who’s leading the way early on.
