New York Giants: OTA Preview

Here are a few things that are certain to be of interest to onlookers at the first Giants OTA practice open to the media this year.

There has yet to be an NFL roster or competition decided in the spring when that handful of on-field practices that have received the league's blessing and players’ union doesn’t include live contact the way it’s meant to take place in games.

That said, there are always some new takeaways that can be had depending on the sightline and the structure of the on-field workouts. And with the Giants opening up the first of two OTAs to the media today (the other will be opened June 4), here are a few things to consider.

Attendance

There is always a great interest among the media as to which players show up for the voluntary OTAs. Sometimes a player's absence can be injury-related, sometimes its contract related.

Or sometimes it's just a personal preference, especially since we're still in a pandemic, and there might be some players who either haven't been fully vaccinated or who just don't want to take the chance.

This year, the NFLPA, after getting a taste of what a full virtual off-season program was like last year, has advised its members to continue working virtually as part of the voluntary part of the off-season out of continued concern for their health and safety.

But with the rollout of the vaccines and with both state governments and the league relaxing many of the restrictions that were in place this time last year, many players have said, “Thanks, but no thanks,” to the NFLPA’s recommendation.

With good reason. If a player gets hurt working out on his own, he isn't protected--just as Ja'Wuan James about that. And although the workouts are voluntary, any coach who shrugs off attendance, especially by rookies or those players on the bubble, is probably not being 100% honest with himself.

The truth is, at this point, attendance isn’t that big of a story. Rookies, projected bubble guys, rehabbing players, and guys who just love the game are going to show up, while older veterans looking to take it easy on their bodies or who are more wrapped up in union business will probably stay away.

So yes, attendance will probably be a storyline, but not the only one.

Rookie Skills Sets

With only 22 players showing up at the rookie minicamp earlier this month, the on-field football was more of a coaching clinic than an old-fashioned 11-on-11 or 7-on-7 type of setup.

However, it’s been projected that the attendance figures will be nearly triple the number of players at the rookie minicamp at the OTAs.

Assuming that head coach Joe Judge didn’t enter into an agreement with the players to back off of running some offense vs. defense drills, there remains a good chance that some offensive vs. defensive drills will be part of the day’s agenda.

That means little hints such as receiver Kadarius Toney’s route running, edge Azeez Ojulari’s explosiveness, cornerback Aaron Robinson’s fit, etc., should be on display.

The Injured Players

Running back Saquon Barkley (ACL) isn’t expected to participate in any of the off-season drills (though he attends and is outside watching the drills is another story).

The Giants also have several other players returning from an injury, such as linebackers Lorenzo Carter (Achilles) and Oshane Ximines (shoulder), and tight end Kyle Rudolph (foot), who might not get any springtime on-field work either but whose statuses will surely be of interest.

How much will the injured players be able to do? Will they be working on the side with trainers, or will they be cleared to do some individual drills?

The answer to this question should provide a strong hint into who might be ready for training camp and who still might have a ways to go.

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The Coaching Staff Dynamics

Head coach Joe Judge’s Giants staff consists of roughly two dozen assistants, including the position-specific coaches, coordinators, and a bunch of consultant types.

So it will be interesting to see how that dynamic plays out throughout practices, especially among those position groups who last year struggled.

For example, will Pat Flaherty, hired as a consultant, be working with the offensive line, or will he be floating around from group to group?

Speaking of coaches, there is sure to be interest in how new offensive line coach Rob Sale runs the drills with his unit. It probably doesn't need to be said that there are high expectations of the Giants offensive line this year, meaning there is pressure on Sale to get this unit stabilized.

He's had success in the college rank; can that success transfer up to the pros?

New Tweaks to the Schemes

This could potentially depend on who shows up and how the practices are structured, but it will be interesting to see if there are any new looks on offense.

A major criticism of offensive coordinator Jason Garrett was his lack of creativity last season. While some of that is due to the season-ending loss of Saquon Barkley, now that the Giants have some new talent capable of stretching the field, it will be interesting to see how much Garrett opens up the offense.

Meanwhile, on defense, the rich got richer. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham received reinforcement at cornerback and edge rusher. How many of those players will he be able to fit on the field in one play?

Graham's creativity has never ceased to amaze, so it will be interesting to see what kind of formations and new looks he'll be unveiling on an experimental basis this spring.

Daniel Jones

Regardless of who shows up or what they do in the OTAs, all eyes are sure to be on Daniel Jones. And with good reason. Jones is entering Year 3 of his career, a tie when young quarterbacks are expected to take a significant leap forward in their development.

This means making all the throws, improving accuracy, showing without a doubt that he has a solid huddle command, and just making smart decisions with the football.

While one viewing won’t necessarily answer how far Jones has come in all these areas, it’s still something to keep watch for, especially once we get to the mandatory minicamp.

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