Loading ...Here we go again, folks. It’s that time of year. A few things have changed since the last roster prediction. Injuries, recoveries and performances have shifted the balance of certain units, and therefore the roster overall. My Prediction:
QB- Eli Manning, Jim Sorgi
The Giants have carried two QB’s the last couple of years, and Rhett Bomar will really have to impress in the preseason to avoid the waiver gauntlet, and ultimately the practice squad.
FB- Madison Hedgecock
Hedgecock didn’t seem to be in much trouble coming into camp, but a recent bit about Jerome Johnson‘s good camp and Maddy’s handful of drops could be noteworthy. Hedgecock is a trusted veteran, but is coming off a down season due to an injured shoulder that required surgery. Would the Giants be tempted make a mini-youth movement here, saving about $600,000 this year? I’m not ready to go that far yet.
RB- Ahmad Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs, Andre Brown, DJ Ware
For most of this offseason I’ve been suggesting the Giants carry 5 RB’s, but with Bradshaw, Jacobs and Brown looking healthy that extra insurance policy might not be necessary. Gartrell Johnson‘s sluggish start to camp hasn’t helped his cause. Look for Brown to get some situational work out of the backfield if he can prove a reliable pass blocker, and DJ Ware to return kickoffs and perhaps spell the top two guys occasionally.
TE- Kevin Boss, Travis Beckum, Bear Pascoe
This unit seems a little thin, with Boss coming off the ankle surgery (now nursing a hammy) and Beckum’s noted lack of blocking skills (and a hammy, too)! Pascoe has had an up and down camp, and it’s possible Scott Chandler could steal that roster spot or even come in as the 4th guy. Hey, you can’t be stacked everywhere.
WR- Hakeem Nicks, Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, Derek Hagan, Sinorice Moss, Ramses Barden
Not much to say here, although many Giants fans will be lamenting Moss’ continued presence on the roster. Tim Brown‘s opened some eyes recently in camp, but the Sinorice Moss carbon copy will probably need to wrestle the kickoff return job from DJ Ware to either be carried as the 7th guy or bump someone (Moss?) off the roster.
OL- David Diehl, Rich Seubert, Shaun O’Hara, Chris Snee, Kareem McKenzie, William Beatty, Guy Whimper, Mitch Petrus, Adam Koets
We can argue all day about who lines up where, but that’s pretty much what the roster is going to look like. Kevin Boothe‘s placement on the PUP due to a pectoral injury cleared the depth situation up a little bit, but you have to wonder if there is room for him when he’s ready to come back. Assuming everyone is healthy, it probably comes down to who the Giants like better: Boothe or Whimper.
CB- Corey Webster, Terrell Thomas, Aaron Ross, Bruce Johnson, D.J. Johnson
Again, not a lot of surprises here. If Ross is going to be the nickel back, he’s certainly got my vote to return punts. D.J. Johnson’s only up there because he was on the roster last year, and it’s possible that Seth Williams or Courtney Brown could take hold of that spot. With a WR group that underwhelms (outside of Hagan) on special teams, contributions in that department are going to go a long way in winning that CB last spot.
S- Antrel Rolle, Kenny Phillips, Deon Grant, Michael Johnson
This is another unit I thought might carry five guys, but with Chad Jones going down early that doesn’t look likely. This unit might shake out a few different ways with Phillips’ health, and Grant and Johnson presumably battling for depth chart dominance over one another, but these should be the four guys. Sha’Reff Rashad has been hanging around since last year, but he’s probably ticketed for the practice squad again. If Michael Johnson does get buried on the depth chart, he’s a good candidate to win a job as a punt gunner opposite Hagan.
LB- Michael Boley, Keith Bulluck, Clint Sintim, Jonathon Goff, Chase Blackburn, Bryan Kehl, Phillip Dillard
This is a crowded group, but for starters I’d think Coughlin would be fed up with Gerris Wilkinson by now, and its doubtful he even gets the chance to win over Perry Fewell. Adrian Tracy, the sixth-round DE convert probably could use a year on the practice squad to get used to a new position. If Goff straight up wins the MLB job from Bulluck, do the Giants even keep Bulluck around? Will Chase Blackburn successfully force the coaching staff to keep him around (again)? Are the Giants ready give up on Kehl? If Mathias Kiwanuka is going to get reps at linebacker, it’s quite likely that the answer to one of these questions will be bad news for somebody on the above list, with the roster spot going perhaps to a defensive back, a tight end or Rhett Bomar.
DE- Justin Tuck, Mathias Kiwanuka, Osi Umenyiora, Jason Pierre-Paul, Dave Tollefson
DT- Chris Canty, Barry Cofield, Linval Joseph, Jay Alford
Ok, let’s do these two units together, since the decision really comes down to keeping Tollefson or Rocky Bernard. Tollefson sticks because the Giants have more DE’s that can swing inside than vice-versa, and he’s also been the other guy (behind Kiwanuka) taking reps at LB. The fact that he’s on both punt and kick coverage teams and costs a heck of a lot less doesn’t hurt either. Cutting Bernard and allowing Kiwanuka to stand up bodes well for the Giants defensive line, as it indicates the coaches are comfortable with the early progress made by Joseph and Pierre-Paul. Can’t stress enough that a return to form for the D-line is the Giants most pressing issue.
K- Lawrence Tynes
Ugh.
P- Matt Dodge
After a rocky start to training camp, Dodge has reportedly found a groove and shown off the monstrous leg power he was reputed to have. His strong leg should allow him to do a decent job early, but there hasn’t been much of an effort to kick directionally. Plus, the kid’s apparently “built like a linebacker,” so we should all be excited to see the first time he lays someone out.
LS- Zak DeOssie
Not listed with the linebackers, as Tynes mentioned he wouldn’t really be working with them this season. A bad moment in your career, but at least you still have a job! I suppose his presence down here might incline the Giants slightly to carry one less linebacker. Slightly.
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Someone asked if Bulluck even makes the team if he doesn’t win the MLB job… Bulluck will make the team even if he doesn’t win the MLB job because he’s also a good backup to have at WLB. The Giants like guys who are versatile, why do you think Blackburn has stuck around so long? WLB – Boley, Kehl/Wilkinson, Bulluck. MLB – Bulluck, Goff, Dillard. SLB – Sintim, Tracey. That’s my prediction for the LBs. If I had to pick between the two I’d have to go with Kehl over Wilk. As for Blackburn, I really think his average-ness shines through and he’s cut for a more promising and faster player. I know the whole Coughlin factor always plays a role but I can’t see them keeping Blackburn after watching the slowness of our linebackers last year, besides Boley when he actually played. You need speed, even if you sometimes have to sacrifice a hard-working guy who plays a more sound game in order to keep someone who’s not as sound but faster. No more watching RBs and TEs blowing by our LBs.
As for DT, I think Cofield gets traded. Someone is going to lose a DT, see the fact that we have five solid guys at the spot, and come calling. No way we trade Canty because the FO really believes in him. Joseph is a lock because we just drafted him and he seems like he’s going to be beast. No one would take Bernard’s contract after last season and Alford is coming off knee-surgery. Cofield is the odd man out, even if I do like Big Barry. He’s a good run-stuffer and an average pass-rusher and has been solid for us but his contract is running out and I doubt we resign him. My prediction is four DTs and four DEs because Sintim can play some DE, Canty can play some DE, Tuck can play some DT and the 4 Aces set has all DEs on the field at the same time, giving all of the DTs a break.
FF55Y said: “No, Tollefson’s value really comes down to only Special Teams, and that just isn’t good enough when guys like Kehl, Goff, Wilkinson, Dillard and even JPP could be used in that capacity instead. ”
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I would also through Beckum’s name into the mix, given that he started out as a linebacker in college.
Good point. And that would be a good opportunity for him to win over coaches who have clearly got some doubts about him despite his talent.
But the bottom line for him is that he has to get back on the field or he could wind up a shocking cut. He’s a “tweener” whom neither the coaches nor Eli trust at this point. That’s not a good place to be. He needs to get playing time this preseason and do something with it. I love his potential, but apparently that hasn’t cut it with the coaches to date.
# TheBlueScreen – LB Keith Bulluck says he’s surprised how good his surgically repaired knee feels. Said if there was a game today, he’d play. #NYG
@Grateful Giants – I disagree that catching the ball for a FB is a luxury. Yes blocking is more important but by not being a treat, you harm the offense almost as much as you help it. I remember plenty of no name FBs that hurt us last year just because they could catch the ball turn and run for some yards.
@F55 – I strongly disagree with your argument towards possibly cutting Cofield. At position where health has been uncertain, Cofield has been the one player always ready to play. He’s a better player than Benard. Benard is at a similar point that Robbins was bc it just seems like he’s just getting old and is now prone to break down. I could maybe see trading Cofield for the reasons you mentioned but I can’t see cutting him.
No, I wouldn’t cut him either. He’d certainly get Reese a low draft pick, maybe a mid-rounder. I’d prefer to keep him (along with Bernard, if he can play to where he was in his last season at Seattle, which was well below his peak but still pretty good), but there are going to be a number of players who disappear whom we’d all love to keep.
It should get interesting.
If Joseph is as good as it appears and Alford is recovered. Even if Benard is as good as he was his last year in Seattle I just don’t see his value for our team given his age.
i agree with 55 here, Cofield has been healthy sure. But has he ever been any good? Not from what Ive seen. Id keep him just for depth, but I wouldnt even think twice about it if they cut him..
“If they traded him”. Doubt he gets cut
Goat,
I guess my point was that it is a luxury for me because I would MUCH rather have Hedgecock, a blocking FB, who has proven he can run block as an extension of our dominating o-line, and pass block our $1 million a game QB than drop him for a FB who may be able to catch better than he. I can name what 10 dudes who can come out of the backfield before hedgecock, idk why it would even be a question. put Beckum in that FB spot if you need someone to slip out, but I don’t trust his blocking. The FB first job is to block, just like a LBs first job is to stop the run. It is nice if he can cover, but his job is to tackle the ball carrier. Smith, Manningham, Nicks, Beckum, Boss, Bradshow, Jacobs, Poscoe, Barden ,Moss, Ware, Brown…No need to jeopardize Eli’s saftey and the quality of our Running game for one position who is marginally better than the guy we have now at a job that can be done by any number of people, and who should not be asked to catch too many passes…
Donovan McNabb might have gotten paid to throw short dumps to weaver…thats not what Eli’s Job is, if he has to dump it off it means 90% of the time that he is either getting too much pressure or the WRs are not getting open, both of which, are bigger problems than whether a fb can catch…
I agree with you if Hedgecock performs as an elite blocker but good is not good enough given the other skills he lacks.
Its not just Philly also Dallas, SD, Carolina, etc all hurt us with dump FB passes. I think he’s such a non treat as a receiver that it hurts us with playaction. He doesn’t have to be defended and can’t even provide that 6-8 yard playaction receptions that must FBs can. Beckum is not a replacement but we could use more 2 TE sets with Pascoe.
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