New York Giants Training Camp 2021: Predictions, preview, team news, and more
After finishing second in the NFC East in 2020 with a 6-10 record, the New York Giants went on a spending spree during the offseason to prepare for the upcoming campaign. While the NFC East won't be as weak as it was in 2020, there is optimism in New York that the Giants can compete for the division title.
Despite adding plenty of talent this offseason, quarterback Daniel Jones' performances will likely decide how this season pans out for the Giants. If he performs well, the Giants could make the playoffs. But if he struggles, the Giants are once again looking at another season without postseason football.
If Jones fails to impress this season, the Giants will look for another quarterback for the 2022 season. It's fair to describe the upcoming campaign as a make-or-break for Daniel Jones.
The Giants' first step in their march toward the 2021 playoffs is training camp. New York's training camp will kick off on July 27 at Quest Diagnostics Training Center, East Rutherford, NJ.
New York Giants offseason news roundup
The theme of the Giants' offseason was clear: load up on offensive weapons and give Daniel Jones a shot to prove he was worthy of being the sixth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Signing Kenny Golladay is a perfect example of that strategy. Golladay was one of the best wide receivers in the 2021 free agency market and the Giants made it a priority to bring him to New York.
Golladay wasn't New York's only offensive addition this offseason. Kyle Rudolph was signed to bring a veteran presence to the Giants tight end group. At running back, Devontae Booker was brought in to provide valuable depth behind Saquon Barkley. Former Bengals wideout John Ross also signed with the team.
The Giants continued to add offensive weapons in the draft as well. Kadarius Toney was the team's first-round draft pick. Toney is a natural playmaker who's hard to tackle and has good speed.
The Giants' defense will also look a bit different in 2021. New York lost a key defensive piece in Dalvin Tomlinson to the Minnesota Vikings. On the bright side, the Giants were able to retain Leonard Williams using the franchise tag.
New faces on the defensive side of the ball include Danny Shelton, Adoree Jackson and Azeez Ojulari. Shelton was signed to help replace Tomlinson. Jackson will form a nice one-two punch with fellow corner James Bradberry, and Ojulari will get a chance to earn a pass-rushing role in his rookie season.
Overall, the Giants' strong offseason puts them in a position to potentially contend for a division title.
Giants training camp predictions: Position battles to watch
The newly acquired talent at wide receiver will make for some intense battles at training camp. After Golladay, the clear number one wideout, there's a lot to be worked out. Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton played the majority of the offensive snaps out wide last season, which puts them in direct competition for the second wide receiver spot for the upcoming campaign.
Picking a winner between Shepard and Slayton is tough as both were good in 2020. A rotation between the two seems like the likely scenario. However, there is a third option: moving Shepard to the slot, a position he has experience in, and playing Slayton out wide. To start in the slot, Shepard will have to beat out Ross and Toney.
Shepard is a better receiver than Ross and is much more experienced than Toney. Even so, the Giants may prefer to keep Shepard outside and give Toney a chance in the slot. Training camp should clear up a lot of the questions at wideout.
The edge position will also be another intriguing battle. Rookie Ojulari, known for his pass-rushing, will battle Ifeadi Odenigbo, Oshane Ximines and Ryan Anderson for a pass-rushing role.
Ojulari has a good shot at winning this position battle because of how polished he is as a pass rusher coming into the NFL.
If he shows off his talent in training camp, it's likely we will get a heavy dose of the rookie right out of the gate in the 2021 season.