New York Giants 53-man roster projection after first preseason game

Quarterback (3)

Running back (4)

Tight end (3)

Wide receiver (6)

Offensive line (9)

Defensive line (5)

Outside linebacker (4)

Inside linebacker (6)

Cornerback (6)

Safety (4)

Specialists (3)

Notes: Evan Neal may start the season on the PUP list but the Giants continue to insist he’s working his way back. For now, we’ll leave him in the projection but not as a starter — he’s a backup now.

Meanwhile, it’s clear the Giants will have to carry three quarterbacks into the season, so Tommy DeVito is back on the board here.

Six inside linebackers may seem like a lot, but that came as the result of fierce debate. We took into consideration that Isaiah Simmons will play multiple roles (ILB, OLB, Nickel, S) and then were forced to decide on the final spot on the 53. Who brings the most value: Miles Boykin, Alex Johnson, or Matthew Adams? We could have gone with two and left Muasau off the roster, but he’s a leader and embraces playing special teams.

Ultimately, we settled on Adams for the same reason. He’s a leader who loves to hit and has All-Pro potential on special teams. If he needs to step in on defense, he brings more value than Johnson (and more value than Boykin would bring to the offense).