Articles

By Michael Stewart@TheTruthNYG

The New York Giants are heading into the 2021 season with some new faces thanks to free agency and the draft. As a result of these additions, the team has compiled strength at certain positions and some weaknesses at others. The current roster is far from completed as teams will be making cuts from their roster as training camp progresses throughout the hot summer days. Here’s a look at my top 3 strengths and weaknesses at the current Giants positions.

Strengths

  • Secondary-This position is by far showcasing the best overall talent among the positions for the Giants. The additions of Adoree’ Jackson and Aaron Robinson to an already talented group could give the Giants a top 5 secondary in the NFL.
  • Wide Receivers-Giants recognized a problem in 2020 and addressed it with the addition of Kenny Golladay, John Ross and Kadarius Toney. These added weapons should provide quarterback Daniel Jones with enough weapons for him and the team to succeed. OC Jason Garrett should be able to open up the offensive play book and be more creative.
  • Defensive Line-Despite the loss of Dalvin Tomlinson to free agency in the off season, GM Dave Gettleman did a great job finding his replacement with a two-headed tandem of Danny Shelton and Austin Johnson. Both are run stuffers and fit DC Patrick Graham defensive scheme perfectly. Also throw in the return of Leonard Williams and his 11.5 sacks along with a cast of productive defensive linemen and the Giants should once again have a solid defensive line in 2021.

Weaknesses  

  • Offensive Line-It all starts in the trenches; especially on the offensive line for the Giants. The Giants GM Dave Gettleman failed to find a replacement for Kevin Zeitler (in Free Agency and/or the draft), who was a cap casualty in the off season. The Giants offensive line finished ranked 31st in the league in overall performance; despite showing improvement in the 2nd half of the season. Both Gettleman and HC Joe Judge have shown the confidence that this group will succeed and give Jones the needed pass protection and the running game ample room to move the chains.
  • Quarterback-Daniel Jones success hinges on the performance of the offensive line; which is why Jones isn’t the number one weaknesses on the team. Jones saw his fumbles drop from 18 to 11 in 2021, however; that is still an alarming number and Jones needs to at the very least cut that in half in 2021. OC Jason Garrett should implement short drop backs into Jones playbook to allow him to get the ball out quicker and let the playmakers make plays. This could be a do or die year for Jones to prove that he is the Giants franchise quarterback.
  • Inside Linebacker-The Giants have one of the top inside linebackers in Blake Martinez who once again tackled anything that moved in 2020. However; the Giants play a lot of 3-4 schemes and the uncertainty at the other inside linebacker positions makes this position a top 3 weakness. Currently Tae Crowder and Reggie Ragland has been labeled to compete and play the other inside spot. Also thrown into the mix recently has been Lorenzo Carter; who has played on the outside since being drafted in 2018. This could a position to keep an eye on as training camp unfolds and if any of the three candidates mentioned fail to provide the production needed, perhaps Gettleman and Judge might look at free agency to find the answer.

Overall, there’s no doubt that the Giants improved the roster from a year ago and now it’s up to HC Joe Judge and the rest of the Coaching staff to fit all the pieces together. As I mentioned earlier, this roster is far from being completed and as training camps progress around the league, the Giants will be looking for players who could fit in nicely within the team’s culture and a position of need.