2015 Team Preview: New York Giants

Written by

Updated on July 7, 2015 3:53PM EST

STATE OF THE FRANCHISE

The Giants missed the playoffs for the third straight season in 2014, thanks to a defense that finished 29th in yards and 22nd in points allowed. The chief culprit was a secondary that allowed a whopping 8.0 YPA (29th) due in large part to injuries to cornerbacks Prince Amukamara, Walter Thurmond and Trumaine McBride. Moreover, their one "healthy" corner, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, often played limited snaps due to nagging ankle, thigh, side, hamstring and back ailments. Nonetheless, the Giants fired defensive coordinator Perry Fewell and replaced him with former defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who guided them to their Super Bowl win in 2008 over the undefeated Patriots.

With Amukamara and Rodgers-Cromartie slated to return healthy and the team trading up to the top of the second round to draft safety Landon Collins, Spagnuolo's job should be slightly easier, especially if Jason Pierre-Paul can pick up where he left off at the end of last year when he recorded nine sacks over the season's last five games. But Collins is more of an inside-the-box bruiser than a coverage asset, and the team is still looking for help at linebacker, free safety and nickel corner. In fact, the current linebacking group is one of the weakest in the NFL.

STATE OF THE FRANCHISE

On offense, the team started slowly but seemed to turn the corner in offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo's newly installed West Coast system, especially after star rookie wideout Odell Beckham, Jr. recovered from his preseason hamstring injury. Despite losing No. 1 receiver Victor Cruz for the year in Week 6, the Giants finished seventh in passing yards (4,272) and 12th in YPA (7.4). In the process, quarterback Eli Manning had his best season since 2011, with 30 touchdowns against 14 picks and 4,410 passing yards.

Things should only get better for Manning and the Giants offense with the team getting a healthy Geoff Schwartz back at right guard, using the No. 9 overall pick on tackle Ereck Flowers, presumably getting Cruz back for Week 1 and signing pass-catching running back Shane Vereen. Running backs Rashad Jennings and Andre Williams should split most of the ground work, with Vereen making his greatest contribution through the air. For diversity and depth in the passing game, the Giants have Larry Donnell, who showed flashes of being a quality pass-catching tight end (but also fumbled in key spots), and Rueben Randle, who had a largely disappointing campaign before exploding in the season's final two weeks.

In sum, this looks like a team likely to be involved in some shootouts, especially in the suddenly offensive-oriented NFC East. The extent to which it succeeds will probably depend on the defense, however.

OFFSEASON MOVES

Key Acquisitions

Ereck Flowers – OT, Miami (ROUND 1, 9th Overall)
Might not start right away but he's a big, physical tackle with a mean streak.

Landon Collins – S, Alabama (ROUND 2, 33rd Overall)
An inside-the-box bruiser, he shores up a mediocre run defense.

Shane Vereen – RB, Patriots
Another weapon for Eli Manning out of the backfield, Vereen could see regular use given Rashad Jennings' injury history.

Dwayne Harris – WR, Cowboys
Adds depth behind the top three options and helps in the return game.

Owamagbe Odighizuwa – DE, UCLA (ROUND 3, 74th Overall)
Provides pass-rushing depth behind Jason Pierre-Paul and Cullen Jenkins.

Key Losses

Antrel Rolle – S, Bears
The former Pro Bowl safety leaves behind a coverage void at the position.

Stevie Brown – S, Texans
Made too many mistakes last year so the Giants moved on.

Mathias Kiwanuka – DE, FA
The 32-year-old had declined in recent seasons, leading to his release.

TEAM NOTES

WHAT CAN THE GIANTS EXPECT FROM Victor Cruz?
Cruz tore his patellar tendon in Week 6 last year, but by all accounts his rehab is progressing well, and Giants GM Jerry Reese proclaimed the wideout 85-to-90 percent recovered in early May, though apparently Cruz had been merely running straight ahead and hadn't yet begun cutting laterally. Cruz himself expects to be ready for Week 1, though players are often unduly optimistic about their timetables to return and play at full capacity. Once Cruz gets up to speed, he'll likely man the slot most of the time while Odell Beckham, Jr. and Rueben Randle play outside. The Giants offense is likely to pass the ball a fair amount, but even in a best-case health scenario, Cruz will almost certainly be second fiddle to Beckham.

HOW WILL THE GIANTS FILL OUT THEIR LINEBACKING CORPS AND SECONDARY?
The Giants lost most of their cornerback depth last season, but Prince Amukamara should be healthy following a biceps tear, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie should be over the nagging injuries that cost him so many snaps. Trumaine McBride should also return, but the team has yet to settle on a nickel corner and still needs a viable coverage safety (second-round draft pick Landon Collins is more of a run stopper). Perhaps the team's biggest weakness, however, is at linebacker. Jon Beason is still capable when healthy but that's rarely the case, and the other two starting spots are unsettled. Last year's fifth-round pick Devon Kennard has upside as a pass rusher, but it's unclear how much he'll play on early downs. J.T. Thomas, a free-agent signee from Jacksonville, is the favorite to start on the weak side.

IS Eli Manning POISED FOR A CAREER YEAR?
At 34, Manning is still in his late prime for an immobile quarterback and, should Cruz return healthy, he has arguably the best weapons in the NFL. Beyond second-year man Odell Beckham, Jr. and Cruz, Rueben Randle offers a decent size/speed option at No. 3. While Randle disappointed last year, he had 12 catches for 290 yards over the season's final two games. Manning also has two competent pass-catching backs in Rashad Jennings and Shane Vereen, and Larry Donnell showed flashes of competence at tight end. The Giants have also upgraded the offensive line the last three years, using a second and two first-rounders to shore up that unit. Finally, the once defense-oriented NFC East has gone soft in recent seasons; all four teams ranked 20th or worse in YPA allowed last year.

VALUE METER

Rising:Andre Williams averaged a meager 3.3 YPC last year, but the Giants offensive line should be better, and 30-year-old Rashad Jennings is a good bet to miss time.

Declining:Rashad Jennings caught 30 passes in 11 games last year, but the arrival of Shane Vereen could cut into that mark, and Jennings is 30 and injury prone.

Sleeper:Shane Vereen could see a good deal of work as a pass-catcher in Ben McAdoo's West Coast offense, especially if Jennings were to get hurt again.

Supersleeper: Kicker Josh Brown is worth a look with your final pick given the team's improved offense and work-in-progress defense in a shootout-happy division.

IDP WATCH

Jason Pierre-Paul – DE
Second only to J.J. Watt last year among defensive linemen.

Landon Collins – S
The rookie should start immediately and rack up tackles.

Prince Amukamara – CB
Decent tackle source for a cornerback and could be targeted more with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie on the opposite side.