Giants roster breakdown: One thought on Daniel Jones and every player on offense

Not surprisingly, there has been a lot of turnover on a New York Giants offense that ranked 30th in scoring last season. Of the 45 offensive players on the roster, 23 were added this offseason.

The newcomers include a big-money free agent, a top draft pick and plenty of long shots to make the roster. To introduce the new additions and get reacquainted with the returners, here’s one thought on every member of the Giants’ offense as training camp approaches:

• QB Daniel Jones: Jones has cultivated a deliberately dull public persona, always walking the company line in interviews. It’s a page straight out of Eli Manning’s book of public relations. So it’s been interesting to see Jones demonstrate a hint of an edge in news conferences this offseason. First, he disclosed in April that the neck injury that sidelined him for three games last season was a “stinger-type injury.” Neither the team nor Jones had revealed the specific nature of the injury to that point. His comments came two weeks before the draft following many reports about how his injury history clouded his future with the team.

Then, after the Giants’ well-documented efforts to trade up for a quarterback in the draft were unsuccessful, Jones acknowledged that he “wasn’t fired up about it.” His outward demeanor has always belied his fierce competitiveness. His feelings about his standing with the organization or how things were handled this offseason won’t necessarily impact his play. But Jones will certainly be entering the season with no shortage of motivation.

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• QB Drew Lock: Lock’s one-year, $5 million contract with the Giants includes the identical $3 million incentive package that existed in previous backup QB Tyrod Taylor’s contract. Lock’s incentives are tied to playing time, performance and team success. Essentially, Lock will earn the $3 million if he starts the majority of games, performs at a solid level and leads the Giants to the playoffs.

Lock signed a one-year, $4 million contract with $3.5 million in incentives with the Seahawks last offseason. His incentive package with Seattle was similarly linked to playing time, individual performance and team performance.

• QB Tommy DeVito: Of the 85 sacks the Giants’ offensive line allowed last season, 37 came with DeVito at quarterback. He was sacked on 17.2 percent of his pass attempts, which was the highest rate of any quarterback in the league with at least 22 attempts. He was sacked on 37.4 percent of his pressures, which was the highest sack-to-pressure rate of any quarterback with more than 33 dropbacks. His 3.09 time to throw average was the 68th fastest in the league. If DeVito is going to develop into a viable NFL quarterback, he must navigate pressure better and get rid of the ball faster.

• QB Nathan Rourke: Rourke had been on the Giants’ radar for a while before signing in May. He got a tryout as a wide receiver at the Giants’ rookie minicamp in 2021. Then they had him in for a workout at quarterback late in the 2022 season. The Ohio University product boosted his stock with a breakout 2022 season at quarterback in the CFL.

• RB Devin Singletary: Singletary has been a model of consistency since being a third-round pick by the Bills in 2019. He ranks 13th in attempts, 14th in yards and 35th in rushing touchdowns over his five seasons in the NFL. The Giants decided they didn’t want to pay top dollar for a running back, so they let Saquon Barkley leave in free agency to sign a contract with the Eagles worth $12.6 million per year. Singletary is making $5.5 million per year, so the Giants will test the theory that running back production is mostly replaceable.

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• RB Eric Gray: The most head-scratching personnel decision of the 2023 season was shoehorning Gray into the punt return role. He wasn’t an accomplished returner in college and actually lost the job after a muffed punt at Oklahoma. But general manager Joe Schoen was determined to get the fifth-round pick on the field as a rookie, so Gray entered the season as the punt returner despite never looking comfortable during training camp. He muffed two punts and averaged just 4.0 yards per return in seven games before the Giants made a change. That experiment is completely over, as Gray didn’t even field punts with the returners during the offseason program.

• RB Tyrone Tracy: Tracy is an interesting prospect because he’s both old and inexperienced. The fifth-round pick turns 25 in November but enters the NFL with only one season of college experience at running back after five years at wide receiver. His receiving background makes him a natural candidate to be a third-down back if he proves capable in pass protection.

• RB Jashaun Corbin: Corbin is seeking a breakthrough after sticking around the Giants most of the past two seasons. Signed as an undrafted rookie in 2022, he spent his entire rookie season on the practice squad. He was cut last year after a strong camp and elected to sign with the Panthers’ practice squad. But injuries in the backfield prompted the Giants to sign Corbin to their active roster in Week 8. He spent the rest of the season on the roster, mostly seeing action on special teams.

• RB Dante Miller: Miller took a remarkable path to the Giants, signing in April after an unexpected NCAA eligibility issue ended his college career. The Giants signed the 5-foot-9, 200-pound Miller after a workout on the heels of an eye-popping showing at South Carolina’s pro day. He has a real shot to make the roster, especially if he carves out a role as a kick returner, despite having only six college carries since 2021.

• RB Jacob Saylors: Saylors signed with the Giants in June after a minicamp tryout. He signed with the Bengals as an undrafted free agent out of East Tennessee State last year and spent time on the Falcons’ practice squad last season. He benefited from a strong spring in the UFL, leading the minor league in rushing yards by a running back.

• WR Malik Nabers: Giants head coach Brian Daboll, who coached wide receivers early in his career, is always quick to caution that it takes time for rookies at the position to acclimate to the NFL. But that hasn’t been the case with receivers picked in the top 10 recently. The five wideouts picked in the top 10 in the past three drafts averaged 80.8 catches, 1,071 yards and 6.4 touchdowns as rookies. It’s realistic to expect similar production for Nabers this season.

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• WR Darius Slayton: Skipping the first six weeks of the voluntary offseason program was fruitless for Slayton. He managed to get only $650,000 in incentives added to the final year of his contract. He will need to have the best season of his career to reach any of the benchmarks that will trigger the increased bonuses. That seems unlikely with Slayton’s role potentially shrinking with the addition of Nabers.

• WR Wan’Dale Robinson: Robinson had surgery to repair the torn ACL in his right knee on Dec. 13, 2022. He said he didn’t feel like he had fully regained his explosiveness until a year later. Beginning Dec. 11, 2023, Robinson averaged 4.8 catches for 52 yards in the final five games of last season. Extrapolated over a full season, that would be 82 catches for 884 yards. When Cole Beasley was the Bills’ slot receiver in Daboll’s offense from 2019 to 2021, he averaged 77 catches for 812 yards. The blueprint for Robinson’s role in this offense is clear.

Wan’Dale Robinson (17) could be more productive in 2024, entering the season fully healthy. (Brad Penner / USA Today)

• WR Jalin Hyatt: There was a lot of chatter about Hyatt being a one-trick pony coming out of Tennessee. His rookie year did nothing to dispel that notion. Of Hyatt’s 40 targets, 38 percent traveled at least 30 yards in the air. That was the highest deep target rate of any receiver in the league with at least 14 targets. The problem was the inconsistency of his impact. He was held without a catch in seven games and produced 73 percent of his 373 yards in three games. He needs to continue developing to become a consistent, reliable weapon.

• WR Isaiah Hodgins: Coming off a breakout finish to the 2022 season, Hodgins had his playing time slashed due to the addition of Hyatt. They essentially split snaps as the No. 3 wide receiver last season. The drafting of Nabers pushes him further down the depth chart. Hodgins has played just three special teams snaps in his three-year NFL career. That will need to change if he’s going to claim a roster spot as the No. 5 wide receiver. Hodgins notably got work with the starting kickoff return team and with the group of punt gunners during spring practices.

• WR Isaiah McKenzie: McKenzie was a favorite of Daboll during their four years together in Buffalo. That connection likely explains why the Giants signed McKenzie to a minimum contract after an ugly end to his lone season with the Colts. McKenzie, who had been the Colts’ returner, was essentially kicked off the team with three games remaining while the team was in a playoff race. No details have been shared on why McKenzie and a teammate were suspended for “conduct detrimental to the team.”

• WR Gunner Olszewski: Olszewski tied for the NFL lead with 273 punt return yards after signing with the Giants in Week 8. His 11.9 yards per return ranked seventh in the NFL over that span. He upgraded a spot that had long been a weakness for the Giants. Olszewski enters camp on the roster bubble, but his value shouldn’t be overlooked after so many seasons with subpar punt returners.

• WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton: Ford-Wheaton was positioned to make the Giants’ roster last summer due to his role on special teams. But a torn ACL in the preseason finale ended that bid for the undrafted rookie. The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder should battle veteran Miles Boykin for a spot on the roster as a depth receiver/core special teamer.

• WR Miles Boykin: The Giants signed Boykin to a minimum contract due to his track record as a quality special teamer. He has just 38 catches in five seasons with the Ravens and Steelers, but he has played 940 career special teams snaps. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Boykin appears to be a direct competitor with Ford-Wheaton for a roster spot.

• WR Allen Robinson: Robinson had 102 catches for 1,250 yards and six touchdowns for the Bears in 2020. He has 105 catches for 1,029 yards and four touchdowns combined in the ensuing three seasons. It’s obvious that the 30-year-old’s best days are behind him. But Robinson is regarded as a quality leader, so he could provide a valuable veteran presence for a young receiver corps during training camp. It’s hard to see Robinson earning a roster spot, but he could be stashed on the practice squad as an insurance policy if he’s willing.

• WR Dennis Houston: Houston spent the entire 2023 season on the Giants’ practice squad. The Giants clearly liked him enough to keep him around last season and to re-sign him to a futures contract, but it’s hard to see a path to a roster spot for the 25-year-old.

• WR Ayir Asante: Every year, there’s an unheralded wide receiver who emerges as a training camp/preseason star. Asante is my pick to become a fan favorite this summer. The undrafted rookie from Franklin Township, N.J., was productive with the third-team offense during the spring and was in the mix as a punt and kick returner.

• WR John Jiles: Jiles’ 34-3/8-inch arms were the second-longest of any wide receiver in this draft class. Those long arms helped the 6-foot-3, 205-pound undrafted rookie catch 66 passes for 1,255 yards and 16 touchdowns last season at Division II West Florida.

• TE Daniel Bellinger: There’s a notion that Darren Waller’s arrival limited Bellinger’s impact in his second season. That’s true to an extent. But in the five games Waller missed due to injury last season, Bellinger averaged 2.2 catches for 27.6 yards. He averaged 2.5 catches for 22.3 yards in 12 games as a rookie. So the 2022 fourth-round pick was essentially the same receiver in his second season when he was the top tight end in the lineup.

• TE Theo Johnson: It’s not unheard of for mid-round picks to become star tight ends. Travis Kelce (Round 3, 2013), George Kittle (Round 5, 2017) and Mark Andrews (Round 3, 2018) have been the top three tight ends in the league for years. But what is unusual is for those mid-round tight ends to make a huge impact immediately. Tampa Bay’s Cade Otton (Round 4, 2022) had 42 receptions as a rookie, the most by a rookie tight end picked in the third round or later since Kittle (43). Keep that in mind when setting expectations for Johnson, who never topped 34 catches in a season at Penn State.

• TE Chris Manhertz: Manhertz has 26 receptions in his eight-year career. Tight ends can’t last that long in the league with such minimal receiving production unless they’re viewed as elite blockers. That’s what the Giants should get from the 6-foot-6, 235-pound Manhertz this season.

• TE Lawrence Cager: Daboll isn’t one to dole out compliments in news conferences, so it was noteworthy when he singled out Cager this spring as “one of the most improved players throughout the offseason.” It would be a major development if the converted wide receiver continues his ascent because the Giants have a need for a pass catching tight end after Waller’s retirement. Cager couldn’t find a role last season, catching just four passes for 36 yards.

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• TE Jack Stoll: Stoll was another offseason addition at tight end who has made his living as a blocker. The 6-foot-4, 247-pounder had 20 catches in three seasons as the Eagles’ No. 2 tight end. The Eagles declined to give Stoll a $3 million tender as a restricted free agent, so he was free to sign with the Giants on a one-year, $1.1 million contract.

• TE Tyree Jackson: Jackson’s connection to Daboll and Schoen extends back to 2019 when the 6-foot-7, 249-pounder signed with the Bills as an undrafted free agent as a quarterback. Jackson didn’t stick with the Bills and spent the 2020 season in the XFL. He returned to the NFL as a tight end in 2021, spending two seasons with the Eagles before landing on the Giants’ practice squad at the start of last season.

• OL Andrew Thomas: The hamstring injury Thomas suffered on the Giants’ opening drive in Week 1 was the biggest blow of the season to the offense. He missed the next seven games after suffering a setback during his rehab. He was never fully healthy, as he sprained his MCL and injured his surgically-repaired left ankle in his second game after returning. A healthy Thomas would go a long way toward solidifying the offensive line.

Andrew Thomas battled injuries throughout 2023, hampering the Giants’ offense. (Cooper Neill / Getty Images)

• OL Jermaine Eluemunor: The Giants signed Eluemunor to a two-year, $14 million contract, which seemed like a bargain for a player who had established himself as a quality right tackle the past two seasons. But the Giants used Eluemunor exclusively at left guard during the offseason program. He has played just 11 snaps at left guard during his seven-year career. Eluemunor figures to be the insurance policy if Evan Neal doesn’t show progress at right tackle in his third season. But if the Giants make that switch, that would mean two positions on the line would be manned by different starters.

• OL John Michael Schmitz: Schmitz’s performance was somewhat overshadowed by the more disastrous showings along the offensive line, but the second-round pick had a disappointing rookie season. Schmitz entered the NFL at 24 years old after spending six years at Minnesota, so he wasn’t viewed as a developmental project. The Giants need better play at center in Schmitz’s second season.

• OL Jon Runyan Jr.: The three-year, $30 million contract Runyan signed with the Giants in free agency might have caused some sticker shock for a player who was solid in four seasons with the Packers. But with an exploding guard market, Runyan’s average annual salary ranks just 17th among guards and seventh among guard contracts signed this offseason.

• OL Evan Neal: After Neal’s rookie season, hopeful Giants fans compared him to Thomas, who blossomed into an elite tackle after a rough rookie year. After Neal’s second season, comparisons to another Giants’ first-round pick seem more apt: Ereck Flowers. Like Flowers, Neal’s second season was no better than his first. The Giants gave Flowers four seasons as a starter at tackle before pulling the plug. It’s hard to see the Giants being as patient with Neal if he doesn’t show marked improvement this season.

• Joshua Ezeudu: Ezeudu’s versatility was viewed as an asset when the Giants picked him in the third round in 2022, but he made 20 of his 28 career starts at left guard in college. Ezeudu played exclusively left guard, including two starts, as a rookie (in addition to some left tackle reps in practice). He practiced only at guard last offseason before suddenly shifting to left tackle after Thomas got injured in Week 1. Despite that going disastrously before Ezeudu suffered a season-ending toe injury in Week 6, he worked strictly at tackle this offseason. It’s hard to understand how the Giants landed on tackle as Ezeudu’s best position.

• OL Aaron Stinnie: The Giants and Buccaneers essentially swapped Stinnie for Ben Bredeson in free agency. The 30-year-old Stinnie became a starter for the first time last season, making 11 starts at left guard for Tampa Bay. The Giants signed him to a one-year, $1.3 million contract with $100,000 guaranteed. The 26-year-old Bredeson, who started 24 games at all three interior spots over the past two seasons for the Giants, signed a one-year, $3 million contract with $1.8 million guaranteed.

• OL Jake Kubas: The Giants guaranteed Kubas $270,000, one of the biggest commitments to any undrafted free agent in the league this year. That’s a clear sign they at least want the North Dakota State product on their practice squad. But the spring showed that Kubas has a real shot at making the 53-man roster, as he got work at both guard spots with the second-team offense.

• OL Austin Schlottmann: The Giants gave Schlottmann a two-year, $2.8 million contract with $500,000 guaranteed this offseason. That’s not a major investment, but it’s a stronger commitment than the Giants gave to other backup linemen this offseason. So it was surprising that Schlottmann, who has started 14 games in five seasons with the Broncos and Vikings, was the third-team center for most of the spring.

• OL Matt Nelson: Nelson was signed to a minimum contract to bolster the tackle depth after starting 14 games in four seasons with the Lions. He suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 3 last season and worked on the side with rehabbing players for most of the spring. Nelson’s biggest competition for a roster spot could come from players not currently on the roster, such as Tyre Phillips, who is recovering from a torn quad tendon, or waiver claims after cut day.

• OL Jimmy Morrissey: Morrissey’s signing to a futures contract with no guaranteed money at the start of the offseason understandably drew no attention. Morrissey, who played 60 snaps over the past two seasons in Houston, seemed like nothing more than a body on the 90-man roster. So it was eyebrow-raising when the 26-year-old got second-team reps at center over Schlottmann for most of the offseason program.

• OL Yodny Cajuste: Cajuste could be a deep sleeper to make the 53-man roster. The 28-year-old signed to the Giants’ practice squad in Week 7 and remained there for the rest of last season. Cajuste has just five career starts, but the 2019 third-round pick spent his first three seasons playing for new Giants offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo in New England. The Giants were short-handed at tackle this spring, but it can’t be ignored that Cajuste got some first-team reps at right tackle.

• OL Marcus McKethan: McKethan had a golden opportunity to claim a role last season. With the offensive line decimated by injuries, he got five starts at guard. It did not go well, and McKethan was eventually replaced by veteran Justin Pugh, who was signed off the street during the season. With McKethan spending most of the spring with the third-team offense, the deck is stacked against the 2022 fifth-round pick making the roster.

• OL Jalen Mayfield: Mayfield spent last season on the Giants’ practice squad, earning a promotion to the active roster for three games in the middle of the season. Even with all of the injuries and poor play among the Giants’ interior linemen, he played only 46 snaps. He was re-signed to a futures contract, but it’s hard to see a path to the active roster for the 2021 third-round pick.

• OL Joshua Miles: Miles spent most of last season on the Giants’ practice squad. He was signed to a futures contract after the season and is a long shot to make the roster.

• OL Marcellus Johnson: The Giants gave Johnson $170,000 guaranteed when they signed him as an undrafted free agent. That investment makes him a prime candidate for a spot on the practice squad this season.

(Top photo of Daniel Jones: Luke Hales / Getty Images)