After struggling and going 6-11 last year, the New York Giants are looking for better results after improving the team with the players they drafted and signed in the offseason. Now that the calendar has turned to July, it's hot out, and with training camp just around the corner, it makes sense to take a look at some hot takes for the 2024 Giants.
Lukewarm
This Will Be Daniel Jones' Final Season in New York
I have written in the past that the Giants need to move on from Daniel Jones as their quarterback. However, they have refused to do so. Before the 2023 season, the Giants gave Jones a four-year contract extension worth up to $160 million. After getting an extension, Jones struggled, going 1-5, as he had played in only six games last year due to tearing his ACL. Last year, Jones had 909 passing yards with two touchdown passes, four fumbles, six interceptions, 206 rushing yards, and one touchdown.
Not only has Jones not been good, but he's also injury-prone. He's had three severe injuries in the last two years, yet the Giants still believe in him for some reason that I can't explain. That could change this year.
"The reality is -- facts -- [that Jones has had] three serious injuries in two years," Giants GM Joe Schoen said on HBO's Hard Knocks. "We need to protect ourselves. He didn't have much of a chance this year. That's legit. Like your offseason, your core guys that were gonna play together played less than 60 snaps together. Miami, we got f------ three practice squad guys playing for us. You could have Pat Mahomes, and he can't f------ win behind that. I'm not giving up on (Jones). He's under contract for three more years. Just protecting ourselves, because [the] best predictor of the future is the past."
Unless Jones improves greatly this season and stays healthy, he will no longer be with the Giants. Tommy DeVito should take his place with Drew Lock as backup.
The Giants Will Be Fine Without Saquon Barkley
The biggest news of the Giants offseason was letting running back Saquon Barkley go. While some people, including Giants owner John Mara, wanted to re-sign Barkley, the majority of the front office was willing to let him go so they could help their offensive line and Jones. To replace Barkley, the Giants signed Devin Singletary to a multi-year deal.
Singletary is a suitable replacement for Barkley. Last year, he had 216 carries for 898 yards, career highs, and four touchdowns. He also had 30 receptions for 193 yards so that he could be a target for Jones. Singletary is also familiar with Giants head coach Brian Daboll, as Daboll was his offensive coordinator with the Buffalo Bills. Devin should learn the Giants system quickly, and the Giants' running game won't suffer because Barkley is gone; it will improve because they have Singletary.
Hot
Shane Bowen's Defense Will Work in New York
The Giants have a new defensive coordinator this year, Shane Bowen. During Bowen's time with the Tennessee Titans, the Titans' defense ranked 30th in the NFL in blitz percentage, while the Giants had the highest blitz percentage during that time. For Bowen's defense to work, something has to change. Therefore, expect the Giants to blitz less and focus on zone defense and pass rushing. The defensive front will be expected to win one-on-one battles and stop the run on the way to the quarterback.
The Giants can undoubtedly do that with Kayvon Thibodeaux, Dexter Lawrence, and Brian Burns, who they signed in the offseason. Burns had eight sacks and 32 solo tackles last year and had a career-high 12.5 sacks two years ago. Last year, Thibodeaux had 11.5 sacks. Burns and Thibodeaux will be a powerful duo, and with Lawrence, who is a Pro Bowl lineman, there should be no reason why Bowen's defensive scheme shouldn't work with the Giants.
Malik Nabers Will Finish the Season as the Giants' No. 1 Offensive Player
After not trading up to get a quarterback in the draft, the Giants drafted wide receiver Malik Nabers with the sixth overall pick in the draft. Last year at LSU, Nabers had 89 receptions for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns. He will be the top target for Jones and have a significant impact on the Giants' offense. Even though Nabers is a rookie, no one on the Giants offense will be able to outperform him, not even Jones. Nabers will prove that the Giants made the right choice by drafting him as their offense's number-one player.
On Fire
The Giants Make the NFL Playoffs
After going 6-11 a year ago, you would think there would be no way the Giants would make the playoffs this year. However, after drafting Malik Naber and others, the Giants became a better team. After the draft and signing of Burns and Singletary, you can't deny that this Giants team is better than last year's team. With that being said, the Giants should make the playoffs this year. Even though they should make the playoffs, please don't count on them making it to the Super Bowl, even though Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated thinks the Giants are a dark horse for making the Super Bowl.
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