Washington Football Team: Previewing the 2021 New York Giants

First, we looked at the Dallas Cowboys. Next up among the Washington Football Team’s divisional opponents? The New York Giants.

Our second early look at the NFC East turns to the New York Giants, who defeated the Washington Football Team twice in 2020, and came within a hair of claiming the division.

After losing star running back Saquon Barkley early in the season, no one gave the Giants much of a chance. But under new coach Joe Judge, they remained competitive throughout the year. Can they build on that modest success in 2021?

In order to do so, here are five key questions they need to answer.

NFC East: Previewing the New York Giants

1. Is Danny Dimes the man?

Daniel Jones was the sixth overall pick in the 2019 draft. Dwayne Haskins was reportedly upset that the G-Men preferred Jones to him. (Haskins sure showed them, didn’t he?)

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After a rookie season that had expected ups and downs, Jones was not very good in 2020. Losing Barkley, his one true weapon, certainly hurt. But he did not become a more accurate passer, as he should have in his second season. And his TD:INT ratio regression was truly disturbing.

Jones did cut back on the fumbling that plagued him during his rookie season, but he still fumbles too much, and combined with his increased interceptions, the Giants are beginning to wonder whether he can ever be a reliable quarterback.

Coach Joe Judge recently gave him cover by letting it be known that Jones played with serious injuries in 2020. That may be true, but it is also standard coach-speak when trying to protect a young talent. In 2021, with a healthy Barkley and a major rebuilding of the receiving corps, Jones may have his final chance to prove he can be the Giants’ franchise QB.

2. Speaking of Saquon, will he stay healthy?

Our little Cowboys breakdown also opened with questions about quarterback and running back. But in Dallas, the quarterback and other receiving options are more of a sure thing than they are in New York. That makes Barkley an even more important piece of the Giant’s offense than Ezekiel Elliott is in Dallas.

Barkley had never been seen as an injury risk, but after a bad ankle sprain limited his 2019 season, he tore his ACL early in 2020 and was out for the year. His healthy return from that injury, and his ability to stay on the field, are obviously crucial for the Giants’ success.

After apparently toying with the idea of declining to pick up his fifth-year option, New York did commit to him for 2022. The optimistic interpretation is that this means his recovery is going very well. The more realistic interpretation may be that the Giants really had no choice and are simply keeping their fingers crossed.

3. Will Andrew Thomas and the O-line improve?

Thomas was selected ahead of three other tackles in the first round of the 2020 draft, and all three outperformed him. He played better as the season went on, but whether he can be a quality left tackle remains an open question.

Two other starters from 2020 – Kevin Zeitler and Cameron Fleming – are gone. Zeitler will be missed. Fleming, not so much. Will Hernandez has fallen out of favor. The Giants invested a lot of draft capital in the O-line in 2019. It is time for Thomas and the others to start paying dividends.

4. Will the D-line survive the loss of Dalvin Tomlinson?

From Leonard Marshall to Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck to Jason Pierre-Paul, the Giants have often been defined by their defensive line. It has been the one reliable constant which carried them to two improbable Super Bowls over Tom Brady.

The cupboard is by no means bare in 2021, with Leonard Williams anchoring a solid group. But Tomlinson, who went to Minnesota as a free agent, was a critical part of that line. B.J. Hill and Dexter Lawrence clearly have the tools to replace him, but we won’t know for sure until we see it.

The same applies to the Giants edge rushers. They have a lot of young players, including two incoming rookies, with a ton of potential. Now they just have to do it on the field.

5. Who plays opposite James Bradberry?

New York had six picks in the 2021 draft and two of them were spent on cornerbacks. (Two more were spent on edge rushers.) That gives you some idea of where they need help.

They also signed Adoree Jackson as a free agent. But whether Jackson, Aaron Robinson, Rodarius Williams, or 2020 draftee Darnay Holmes can develop into a reliable counterpart for stud corner James Bradberry remains up in the air.

My money is on Robinson, but if no one does, or if disaster strikes and Bradberry has to miss some time, the Giants secondary could be in trouble. They have built a solid group of safeties, but none are great cover players. They need decent play from corners besides Bradberry.

With the additions of Kenny Golladay and Kadarius Toney, the Giants should have more firepower on offense. That should help Jones. I anticipate Barkley having a big year, and I never bet against the Giants defense.

Next. Projecting Washington's 53-man roster after the draft. dark

To me, the Giants success in 2021 hinges primarily on its offensive line, and there are a lot of things that need to go right for that unit to thrive. Still, given the state of the NFC East, New York should again be in the race all season.

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