End of the Giants Season: Will They Again Be Playoff contenders?

news7g07/11/2023

1 5 minutes read

End of the Giants Season: Will They Again Be Playoff contenders?

Ralph Vacchiano

NFC East reporter

They would never admit it, of course, but New York Giants are still in rebuilding mode this season, despite their surprise playoff appearance in 2022. They know that being a perennial contender will take several cycles. And this is the first season where they really have the assets and the freedom to carry out their plans.

So now that the season is over and training camp is coming up, how have they done? What have we learned about the emerging team that wants to be a contender for the knockout stages in 2023?

Here’s what they did and who they are, in the form of 3 truths and 1 lie:

Fact #1: Giants really believe Daniel Jones will prove to everyone he is one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks this season.

There was absolutely no desperation in the Giants’ decision to give Jones a 4-year, $160 million contract with $81 million guaranteed. They didn’t do it because they had to, or because they had no other choice. They do it because they want to, and because the new regime of general manager Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll – who were both slightly suspicious of Jones when they were hired a year ago – has sold off talent and potential. his.

What they saw last season was Jones making a generally bad offensive run with a legion of terrible reception, no viable options in the late stages and a running back that dwindled when season passed. He proved to be a remarkable two-way weapon, dashing to 708 yards and seven touchdowns. He cut his interceptions (just five) and threw 3,205 yards to a bunch of receivers at the bottom of the list.

They believe – indeed – that if they gave him a better offensive line and more weapons, he could become one of the top 10 midfielders, and possibly more. They’re not there yet – and neither is he – but the Giants have improved the talent around him and they certainly expect Jones’ pass numbers to increase this year. This is a long term project, though. Jones is still only 26 years old and the front office has more work to do to help him.

When they did, they believed he would show everyone he was the elite quarterback they knew he could be.

Fact #2: Saquon Barkley will be with the Giants this season, and they will need him more than ever.

He has no choice, so he’s not going anywhere. He’ll eventually sign his $10.1 million franchise card if he doesn’t get a long-term contract and it doesn’t matter if he’s unhappy about it. Barkley is generally a nice guy and a great teammate. He also knows that the best way for him to get the long-term contract he wants is to earn it on the pitch.

‘We can compete with anyone’

Giant quarterback Daniel Jones enters the 2023 NFL season with high confidence.

That’s good for the Giants, because they’ll need him to at least double the numbers he hit last year in his comeback season – 1,312 quick dashes and 10 touchdowns, and 57 catches for 338 yards. The Giant’s passing offense would be better— especially with the addition by TE Darren Waller – but they still have an unstable reception group. They need a solid game to take the pressure off Jones.

It would have been nice if Barkley had been a little more helpful with the passes as well, but in the end, that’s the coach’s decision. But they need him to be healthy and look like a guy determined to hit a big post-season contract if the Giants are really going to be a playoff team again.

Fact #3: The Giant’s passing offense will overtake the new TE Darren Waller.

That seems possible by default, as they still don’t have a #1 receiver, but they could choose to go this route anyway. The The giants raved about Waller all spring – about his intelligence, his athleticism, and how the 6-foot-6, 245-pound person is no match for anyone trying to cover him. He certainly has the skills to be a superior goalscorer – not far from the record he hit in 2019-20 when he averaged 99 catches over 1,171 yards. England and scored 12 touchdowns in those two years.

And keep in mind that the Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka spent four years in Kansas City (2018-21), including two years as a passing game coordinator under Andy Reid. The crimes of the chiefs always end tight Travis Kelcea future Hall of Famer who has reset the standards for tight finishes in the tournament.

Giants won’t turn into a Leader overnight. They will still lean on Jones and Barkley’s feet. But you can bet elements of the Chiefs-Kelce alliance will slip into the Giants’ attack, and Waller will emerge as a No. 1 pick as Jones steps back to pitch.

The Lie: The Giants have significantly upgraded their receiving corps.

Upgrade? Correct. Significantly? Are not. Not even close.

It won’t be hard for the Giants’ receiving team to be better than it was last year when none of their top receivers are expected to make the top 5 before the season begins. And they definitely added some talent, signed a contract Parris Campbell And Jamison crowd and edit Jalin Hyatt. They’ll also get a boost if they’re both veterans Sterling Shepard and the second round selection in 2022 Wan’Dale Robinson may also recover from their ACL surgery.

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However, even if they do, what this legion has is mostly depth. What it doesn’t have is top talent. None of their top 7 receivers — including the back ones Darius Slayton And Isaiah Hodgins – will be one of two starters from most other teams in the tournament. It was also a small legion — not much in height. And while this group has a lot of potential for speed, it also has a history of injuries.

If everything goes perfectly — and if everyone is healthy — then the team works well. Shepard and Robinson could be a capable duo in the slot. Hyatt is potentially deeply threatened. Campbell and Slayton are reliable options. However, none of them will attend the Pro Bowl. It’s hard to imagine any of them reaching 1,000 yards.

The Giants can still win with this group. They can even thrive, especially when there’s a Waller at the end. But call this a “significant upgrade”? They are not there yet. And they may need some more parts before they get there in the future.

Ralph Vacchiano is an NFC East correspondent for FOX Sports, covering the Washington Commanders, the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants. He had spent the previous six years covering the Giants and the Jets for SNY TV in New York, and before that, 16 years covering the Giants and the NFL for the New York Daily News. Follow him on Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.

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