Football is officially back as of Thursday, and the New York Giants are an interesting team this year. Losing players due to arrest, while adding to the youngest defense in football over the last off season. Dave Gettleman had an overall great draft, however some fans may still be irritated that Isaiah Simmons won’t be suiting up with Big Blue’s defense this season. Heading into Monday night’s match up against the Pittsburgh Steelers, here are some pro’s and con’s to keep an eye out for throughout the season.
Pro: Strength of schedule- If there was a year to take big leaps as a team, it is the 2020 season. Over the last few seasons, the Giants ranked in the top half when it came to strength of schedule. However, this year they caught a break. The Giants sit 26th out of 32 teams in Strength of schedule. Although the Giants do have the San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens, and Seattle Seahawks on their schedule, match ups with the Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Rams, and of course two divisional games against the Washington Football Team seem favorable.
Con: Wide Receiver Depth- As of Monday, the Giants are coming into the season carrying these five receivers; C.J. Board, Damion Ratley, Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton, and Golden Tate, respectively. In order to claim Ratley, they released Corey Coleman on Sunday. Coleman could have been a sneaky depth piece who could make the big play. On top of his big play making ability that has been alluding him due to injury, he can run. Having him as a kick/punt returner could have been solid. More importantly, for a receiving core that features Sterling Shepard, who’s health is consistently in question, and David Sills fracturing his foot during training camp, carrying only five receivers might prove costly in the long run.
Pro: Nate Solder Opting Out- This is not at all a slight at Nate Solder and his skill. He is a locker room leader, and was a captain last season. With that being said, when Solder made his decision to opt out of the season due to family concerns, it was a blessing for Andrew Thomas. The former Georgia Bulldog who was selected fourth overall in 2020 draft will not need to wait to take his left tackle position, which he was destined to play in the future. Although Thomas would have played on the right side without an issue, he will be able to protect Daniel Jones’s blindside from day one, thus speeding up his development.
Con: Secondary Depth: With the whole Deandre Baker fiasco, and Xavier McKinney going under the knife, the secondary is extremely thin. Although they added to it with the signing of star cornerback James Bradberry and safety Logan Ryan, leaving Corey Ballentine to start at the other corner position going into week one is tough. A few teams did cut some bigger names, specifically the Philadelphia Eagles cutting Sidney Jones. The former bird could fly into MetLife and make an impact right away, but with no moves made as of yet, the cornerback position for the Giants is an area of concern.
There is a lot to look forward to when it comes to New York Giants football in 2020. An improved offensive line, a developing backfield of Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley, a defense featuring Logan Ryan and Blake Martinez, and more. However, fans must be realistic. Due to the strength of schedule, and the potential continued development of Daniel Jones, sure they can win a few more games in comparison to last season, and could even raise some eyebrows and sneak into the playoffs, as the NFC East is seemingly wide open. But with injury concerns, and depth an issue at certain positions, it could be a repeat of last season to an extent. However, the development of younger building blocks is the name of the game for this season. See Thomas, Jones, and Barkley flourish, while James Bradberry makes his home in New Jersey for the next few seasons. New York Giants football is back. Buckle up!
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