The Giants made it through training camp and preseason, and now the prep work is underway for the regular season.
With week 1 just 10 days away , second-year head coach Joe Judge will look to build on his foundation. Third-year quarterback Daniel Jones enters a critical season in his professional career. Furthermore, Dave Gettleman is entering his fourth year as Senior Vice-President and General Manager for the Giants. Under his watch, there’s still been no playoff appearances.
There’s a lot riding on this season for the Giants. They have the talent to compete for the NFC East, it’s just a matter of putting all the pieces to the puzzle together.
In the offseason, Gettleman went out and upgraded the offense at wide receiver with free agents Kenny Golladay and tight end Kyle Rudolph. He saw enough from rookie wide receiver Kadarius Toney, out of Florida, to select him with a first-round pick.
Those additions brought optimism that Jones finally has enough talent around him to succeed.
The return of running back Saquon Barkley is another key storyline to watch this season.
It’s next to impossible, however, to win without having on-field chemistry. And this is where the concern for the Giants’ offense is legitimate.
Golladay, Rudolph, Toney, and Barkley have all spent most of training camp and preseason rehabbing injuries. Barkley is returning from a torn ACL. All four project to play large roles in the offense this season.
But there’s more on the plate to raise an eyebrow at.
The offensive line continues to be an issue with this team. Since taking over at GM, Gettleman’s made it his mission to fix the O-Line for the Giants. And nothing has worked enough to convince anyone this unit still isn’t problematic.
Heading into the regular season, Big Blue added offensive linemen Billy Price and Ben Bredeson for additional depth. They followed up that with the signing of Matt Skura for the practice squad.
The additions to the O-Line this week coincide with concern for starting guard Shane Lemieux and his attempt to play this season with a partially torn patellar tendon. Additionally, last year’s first-round pick Andrew Thomas didn’t have a strong preseason and veteran Nate Solder is returning from a year off from the game.
On the brighter side for the Giants, Golladay is practicing as he works his way back from a hamstring injury. Moreover, Barkley is also progressing nicely.
Jones also has wide receivers Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard to help keep the ball moving downfield. But talented tight end Evan Engram, currently dealing with a calf issue, remains an enigma.
And let’s not leave out Jones at quarterback. Yes, he needs the talent around him to step up this season. Jones, however, must also do his part. This includes what’s plagued him throughout his young career, and that’s taking better care of the football.
There’s plenty of potential with this offense. On paper, the Giants have the playmakers to put points on the scoreboard.
Potential, however, is only part of the equation. This unit has a bag full of groceries, but now it’s time to cook the meal.
The reality they’re facing is all the missed time over the summer for key players. It’ll likely take a couple of games before this offense finds their rhythm.
For the Giants to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2016, the offense must show it’s more than just potential.
