The New York Giants closed out their 2023 preseason schedule with a 32-24 loss to the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Saturday night.
Here’s how we graded the Giants on the game by unit.
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Korey Cunningham got spun around pretty good last week in Detroit and if the Giants had cut him after the game, or this week, few would have objected.
He needs to severely step up his effort this week against a tough Carolina front if he has any designs of reversing the narrative about himself.
Chances are he gets cut anyway and ends up on the practice squad, but for even that to happen, he’ll need a good game here.
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The New York Giants have a number of options at slot receiver this season, a situation made even more competitive after two veterans logged in solid showings Friday night in Detroit.
Cole Beasley caught all four of his targets for a total of 33 yards and Jamison Crowder reeled in both of his for 32 yards.
The Giants signed each veteran this offseason as insurance after the receiver cupboard ran bare last season due to injuries, forcing the team to sign players off the street.
One of the players they brought in last fall was Isaiah Hodgins, who provided the Giants with a huge boost down the stretch as they drove toward the playoffs.
On Friday night, Hodgins — a prospective starter on the outside — caught one pass for 13 yards to remind everyone that he’s still very much in the plans.
Head coach Brian Daboll put Hodgins in for 18 snaps in the game, some early on and then again later in the game.
“I thought it was good for him,” Daboll said. “He was a practice squad player for a while there and came on with us late, so I thought it was good to get him some reps early on with Tyrod (Taylor).”
The Giants’ wide receiver room is a very crowded one this summer and when the music stops on August 29 for final cuts there won’t be enough chairs. Several will be going home, or at the least, to the practice squad.
Sterling Shepard is back, along with Darius Slayton and Hodgins. They, along with third-rounder Jalin Hyatt and free agent Parris Campbell, are all shoe-ins to make the roster.
That leaves perhaps three open spots on the 53-man roster. With Beasley and Crowder stepping up, that number could be reduced to just one. Several players will have two games to make their cases.
Heralded rookie Bryce Ford-Wheaton did not have an impressive debut, failing to reel in any of his three targets and dropping a sure reception that hit him squarely in the chest.
The ever-reliable David Sills V made the most of his time, catching two passes for 36 yards, including one for a 22-yard gain. Sills is a long shot to make the team. The 27-year-old has been with the Giants since 2019, either on the active roster or the practice squad.
Kalil Pimpleton continues to play well, catching both of his chances for a total of 15 yards. He can also contribute on special teams as a returner.
Jaydon Mickens had a six-yard reception in the game, but he appears to be headed to the practice squad (at best).
Collin Johnson, who missed all of 2022 with an Achilles injury, left the game with a knee issue. The 6-foot-6 former Texas standout had been having a solid camp.
As of Saturday, Daboll did not have an updated status on Johnson’s injury.
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The New York Giants open their preseason on Friday night against the Detroit Lions following two joint practices earlier this week.
It remains unclear who head coach Brian Daboll will play and who he won’t, but it’s a safe bet that players on the roster bubble will see extended time. The Giants have several tough decisions to make in a few weeks and would like to compile as much information as possible.
It’s make-or-break time for a number of players, including the following seven who are firmly on the bubble. Some will play, potentially helping their chances, and at least one will not.
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The Giants are lacking depth at inside linebacker and that will give Carter Coughlin an opportunity to stick but he still finds himself on the outside looking in. That’s especially true when considering the Giants are poking around the free agent market.
Second-year linebackers Micah McFadden and Darrian Beavers are likely to stick, and Cam Brown is an excellent special teams player, so it all becomes a numbers game for Coughlin.
AP Photo/Bill Kostroun
The Giants drafted Deonte Banks and Tre Hawkins III, both of whom have performed well in camp, and they expect to get Aaron Robinson back from the PUP list eventually. That puts added pressure on players further down the depth chart, including Rodarius Williams, who started his NFL career strong before injuries and inconsistent play took over.
AP Photo/Terrance Williams
Once upon a time, the Giants expected Shane Lemieux to be their long-term answer at left guard but injuries have riddled his career. With John Michael Schmitz now expected to start at center, it pushes veteran Ben Bredeson back to the guard spot. There’s plenty of additional competition there with Joshua Ezeudu, Wyatt Davis and Tyre Phillips, who has been an early surprise in camp. That means the odds are getting longer for Lemieux.
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Evan Neal is a lock to start at right tackle but the Giants still need a swingman. Matt Peart, a 2020 third-round pick, could be that guy and is currently listed as the primary reserve on the Giants’ official depth chart. However, like Lemieux, injuries and inconsistency have plagued his young career and faces competition from Devery Hamilton, Marcus McKethan, Korey Cunningham, and the versatile Tyre Phillips. He needs to impress this preseason.
AP Photo/John Minchillo
David Sills may be a close friend of quarterback Daniel Jones who is well-respected in the locker room, but the numbers at wide receiver are deep. Sills currently finds himself buried on the team’s unofficial depth chart and the climb to the top seems long. Sills has found a way to stick over the past four seasons but time may be running out. Perhaps it’s another practice squad year for the 27-year-old, who came over from the Buffalo Bills after they signed him as an undrafted rookie free agent.
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Chris Myarick is an interesting name because he plays both tight end and fullback, but he currently finds himself all the way at the bottom of the Giants’ unofficial depth chart. With Darren Waller and Daniel Bellinger locks to the make the roster, Myarick faces an uphill battle to stick. His best route to a spot may come at fullback but it’s unclear if the Giants intend to use him in that capacity this preseason.
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Gary Brightwell is currently third on the Giants’ unofficial depth chart behind Saquon Barkley and veteran Matt Breida, but rookie Eric Gray is a lock to make the roster. That creates a numbers game for Brightwell, who provides additional value on special teams. But will Gray also assuming key special teams roles, it puts Brightwell in a precarious position. A recent ankle injury, which will keep him out a while, only compounds the issue for Brightwell.
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The New York Giants will be taking 15 wide receivers to training camp this week, leading to the question — what is the plan?
Are they just throwing options against the wall to see what sticks? Or are they simply creating competition to see who will rise, or are they safeguarding themselves in case of a repeat of last year when they suffered an unusually high number of injuries?
It could be a little of both. The team found themselves shorthanded last season and they don’t want to get caught short again.
The unit will be run again by assistant coach Mike Groh and he will have a diverse group of players of all shapes, sizes and skill sets who possess a varied level of NFL experience.
Of the 15 players, perhaps eight of them will make the team’s final 53-man roster, and — if things go right — one or two of them could end up leading the team in targets and/or catches.
But that will be difficult. The Giants’ big move this offseason on offense was the trade for former Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller. He is expected to be heavily involved in the passing game.
So is running back Saquon Barkley, when he returns from his ‘holdout.’ Barkley has been the Giants’ best receiver when healthy the past few years and there’s no reason to stop throwing him the football. Between he and Waller, there will be fewer opportunities for the wideouts, unless something changes.
So, what should fans expect this summer at wide receiver?
Expect the veterans to get the benefit of the doubt, at least in the beginning. That means initial work for Sterling Shepard, who is returning from another lost season due to injury, and Darius Slayton. Toss in Isaiah Hodgins and Wan’Dale Robinson (when he’s ready), along with free agents Parris Campbell, Jamison Crowder, Jeff Smith, Cole Beasley, and rookie Jalin Hyatt.
The Giants will try to forge a serviceable unit out of those names. They are top-heavy on slot receivers it seems so they might thin the herd there in favor of some outside options.
The others will all have to have monster camps to even be considered. Collin Johnson, David Sills and rookie Bryce Ford-Wheaton are interesting names to watch but where do they fit? Jaydon Mickens, Makai Polk and Kalil Pimpleton are long shots and will have to show special teams prowess to stick.
Wide receiver will be a heavily contested unit this summer and will be a fun one to follow.
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Three takeaways from the Giants’ 25-22 preseason win over the Bengals on Sunday night at MetLife Stadium:
How about David Sills? A mainstay on the practice squad the past three years, Sills makes plays every summer in camp and he came up big in preseason game No. 2. Sills caught Daniel Jones passes of 12, 20 and 14 yards on a second-quarter touchdown drive and finished the first half with five catches for 56 yards.
Azeez Ojulari made his preseason debut this summer after missing the first three weeks of camp with a strained hamstring. It did not take long for Ojulari, who led the Giants with eight sacks in 2021, to make a difference. He induced offensive lineman D’Ante Smith into a holding penalty in the first quarter and looked spry.
So, what happened at the center position? Max Garcia, a guard, started because the other five players ahead of him at center on the depth chart are all hurt. There were no center-quarterback exchange issues when Garcia was in the game. He was replaced in the third quarter by Will Holden, a 6-foot-7 tackle.
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